Good trade? Mesa Boogie MKIII Head Green Stripe vs VHT UL?

[Nachorc90]

Not real sure about some of these responses. A mark 3 is a $650 amp. A UL is a $1400+ amp, more like $1600+ with GEQ. So no question, the UL non EQ is still worth a lot more than a mk3.

Good luck finding a green stripe mark with geq for 650.

What seems to be the price of a Mark III Green Stripe head w/GEQ, Reverb, Simulclass, etc?

 

[Kelly]

Also build quality on the Mesa is way better.

That's the stupidest post I've seen in quite awhile...

 

[Nachorc90]

Around 900-1000 would be correct?

 

[Crunchtime]

Also build quality on the Mesa is way better.

That's the stupidest post I've seen in quite awhile...

See my post above. My opinion is based on owning both. No plastic shaft pots on any of the Mesas I have owned. Have you owned both and looked inside both? Or are you just an internet expert?

Also, Mesa customer service is far superior. I emailed Fryette on four separate occasions and received a reply only once.

 

[Nachorc90]

So, a NO EQ VHT Ultralead would be less desirable and cheaper? anybody knows the going price of a Mesa MKIII GREEN loaded long head chassis in minty condition vs the going price of a VHT UL no EQ? thannks!

 

[RJF]

Not real sure about some of these responses. A mark 3 is a $650 amp. A UL is a $1400+ amp, more like $1600+ with GEQ. So no question, the UL non EQ is still worth a lot more than a mk3.

I think the Mark III is about 900-1000 dollars (a couple of weeks one green stripe was sold on $1200 according to a forum) now on a regular basis and depending the stripe and head/combo. 650$ was the price a couple years ago, and in general, that was the purple stripe. But I don´t know, the price difference is fair? I would like to know that.

Good luck finding a green stripe mark with geq for 650.

I paid $650 for my loaded red stripe 2 months ago.

http://modesto.craigslist.org/msg/4567467801.html This is the guy I grabbed my red stripe from ( notice there are two mark heads in the pic), the second was a green stripe. Buyers choice, I could have had either for $650.

BAM!

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/msg/4584589057.html Thinking about grabbing this one actually.

These findings were just my local CL's in a 30 second search. Didn't even bother looking further out or Ebay, etc...

 

[Kelly]

Also build quality on the Mesa is way better.

That's the stupidest post I've seen in quite awhile...

See my post above. My opinion is based on owning both. No plastic shaft pots on any of the Mesas I have owned. Have you owned both and looked inside both? Or are you just an internet expert?

Also, Mesa customer service is far superior. I emailed Fryette on four separate occasions and received a reply only once.

I own a Fryette and have played just about every amp Mesa has produced in the last 20+ years.

 

[rottingcorpse]

You guys haven't even bothered to inform the op that the ul is very unforgiving. The Mesa marks are way more generous.

A lot of players don't have the confidence to sling a ultra lead around.

Mesa marks will sell easy to someone who is easy to satisfy. The vht stuff is known as a players amp for a reason.

 

[Nachorc90]

Thanks again for the replies! just for informative purposes:

I´m not a bad player, but take in account that I´ll be using the amp a lot in the bedroom, as I write my music there.

I just saw a FS thread on another forum of a VHT UL that went on $1100, but NO EQ. That´s the trick. I would really want to know if prices and sounds are really different between the EQ and NO EQ. Also, I would like to know if it´s a good trade, which will be my Yamaha SG 1500 1976 (refinished by a pro, beatiful guitar, but heavy, I´m getting older I guess haha) and my mint like Mesa Mark III green stripe long head with GEQ, Reverb, etc.

I will be doing the trade next week, so I´m going to be a lil more specific:

- I play a lot in my room.
- I use quite a bit of cleans for funky rythms and whatnot.
- I tend to do leads. I like my leads with tapping and that sort of things, so gain will be needed (I don´t used to do the OD in front of the amp, just because my later amp was a Marshall JVM 210H, lots of gain on tap)
- I tend to do a lots of Rythms metal patterns, Standard tuning and Drops.

Hope that helps with advices, I should say, also, that in my country there are just two VHT´s. And prices are way higher than in US, CND or EU. I live in South America. The official mesa dealer is asking $6000 us dollars for a Brand new Triple Rectifier; $5500 for a Mark V. The used price of the Mark III are in realm of $2800-3000 dollars, a used Mark IV would be US$3700-800, a Tremoverb US$4000 and the VHT Pitbull UL w/eq that I saw was US$3600-700. So, life is a lot harder here, thus, I really, really don´t know what to do, as you can see, prices are quite a bit higher here than in other places of the world.

Best Regards.

PS: Excuse my bad english, I´m studying English, but not my main language.

 

[Nachorc90]

Any input please on my last post?

 

[RJF]

None of us really know the value, market, etc. in south America. Sorry.

You'll have to make your own decision on values based on what stuff goes for in your area. This is really not that difficult. You already have shown you know what these amps go for there. Figure the rest out.

Go play the UL. Pick which amp you like better and go with that, simple.

 

[jlb32]

I tried to like VHT/Fryette amps. Played many and owned a VHT 50 CL with onboard EQ for a while. Wasn't a bad amp but ended up trading it for a Mesa Mark IV. Best trade I've ever made. The Mesa Mark IV just kills them IMO.

 

[Nachorc90]

Thanks JLB and RJF. I think I´d go with that, but I would like to know about my earlier questions about bedroom volume, lead playing, and such. RJF: You have a UL, maybe you can help me a little bit with that?

best regards

 

[Mklane]

Hey, I have never played a mark III but have owned a few mesas. I currently own a pitbull, mine has the eq but the tones will be very similar. The pitbull has a great clean channel but the higher gain stuff is really dry and unforgiving. In my opinion the master has to be cranked pretty high for it to really sound great. It's my go to amp for playing live but in the bedroom I don't think you will be very happy with the tone. It still sounds ok but I think these amps were made to be loud and cutting. There is very little saturation so tapping could be a challenge if your technique is not spot on.

 

[apophis]

am I on crack for thinking the UL absolutely smokes the mark??? I mean, to me, the vht is AMPLIFIER perfection...which means it amplifies whatever you are playing with nothing extra, so you better not be playing sloppy or you'll sound like shit! The vht has instantaneous response, and no extra saturation, maybe that's why people don't like it, but in the end only you can decide so go play the amp if possible..

 

[rottingcorpse]

am I on crack for thinking the UL absolutely smokes the mark??? I mean, to me, the vht is AMPLIFIER perfection...which means it amplifies whatever you are playing with nothing extra, so you better not be playing sloppy or you'll sound like shit! The vht has instantaneous response, and no extra saturation, maybe that's why people don't like it, but in the end only you can decide so go play the amp if possible..

You are not crazy. The ul kills almost everything else in my collection of amps. It's the best amp to tell me if I am "on" at that moment.

But many other players find it too unforgiving. Some think the amp sounds like crap,when it's them that's sounds bad...the amp just highlights their picking imperfections. And since it cuts thru so well, everyone can hear them sucking. Why would anyone want an amp that does that?

Because it makes you a better player. You work harder at it, and then the amp rewards you with a great tone, which gives you confidence, and you play harder.

I'd take a ultra lead over another typical Mesa tone. Not that Mesa tone is bad, it's just that everyone has it. Why have the same tone so many others have when you can have something different? Why do people pay so much for diezel? It's different and awesome. Peters, rhodes, dar...gotta love having your own sound. People hate on dimebags tone, but it was his own and he made it work for him.

 

[Kelly]

Mesa IIC+:

https://soundcloud.com/kbeavers/bd-hg-mesa-iic

Fryette UL:

https://soundcloud.com/kbeavers/bd-hg-fryette-pitbull

 

[Mklane]

I too think the UL destroys any Mesa I have ever owned or played but I definitely prefer that less saturated and open sound. Doesnt really sound like what the OP is going for though but yeah you never know till you try it.

 

[Nachorc90]

am I on crack for thinking the UL absolutely smokes the mark??? I mean, to me, the vht is AMPLIFIER perfection...which means it amplifies whatever you are playing with nothing extra, so you better not be playing sloppy or you'll sound like shit! The vht has instantaneous response, and no extra saturation, maybe that's why people don't like it, but in the end only you can decide so go play the amp if possible..

You are not crazy. The ul kills almost everything else in my collection of amps. It's the best amp to tell me if I am "on" at that moment.

But many other players find it too unforgiving. Some think the amp sounds like crap,when it's them that's sounds bad...the amp just highlights their picking imperfections. And since it cuts thru so well, everyone can hear them sucking. Why would anyone want an amp that does that?

Because it makes you a better player. You work harder at it, and then the amp rewards you with a great tone, which gives you confidence, and you play harder.

I'd take a ultra lead over another typical Mesa tone. Not that Mesa tone is bad, it's just that everyone has it. Why have the same tone so many others have when you can have something different? Why do people pay so much for diezel? It's different and awesome. Peters, rhodes, dar...gotta love having your own sound. People hate on dimebags tone, but it was his own and he made it work for him.

You guys are being really helpful with your help. I´m making my mind that i need to try both on par and then will chose one or another. Hope the guy agree to do the trial.

Did you find the VHT useful at low volume bedroom playing? I really like the idea of an amp that don´t cover my mistakes at playing. Really dig it. I like challenges

What do you guys mean when you say that the amp is REALLY DRY? I read that it have a lot of gain on tap (even for Death Metal or Djent). Any owner or past owner of a VHT UL with no GEQ? that would be really really appreciated.

I would like to thank you all for your help. Really.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Dry to me means less saturation, less compression. I may be using the wrong analogies.

It has plenty of gain. Just not as forgiving as a Mesa is. Think of an amp with a boost up front vrs an amp without one. I never use a boost in front of an amp. Not saying its wrong to use a boost, I just don't like them. My pick and pickup are all the boost I need.