Is it worth upgrading to a JP2C over my MKIII?

[knightbrolaire]

So I already own a Mesa MK3 (mine is a black stripe modded into a MK3C+ according to the previous owner) , and I love it to death for both thrash and more modern tones.
The issue is that there's a JP2C head going for a pretty reasonable price (like 1900$) near me, and I really don't know if it's worth dumping my MK3 for it.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ultimatemetalguitartones]

So I already own a Mesa MK3 (mine is a black stripe modded into a MK3C+ according to the previous owner) , and I love it to death for both thrash and more modern tones.
The issue is that there's a JP2C head going for a pretty reasonable price (like 1900$) near me, and I really don't know if it's worth dumping my MK3 for it.

Any help would be appreciated.

I would never part my mark III blue stripe for a JP2C...

 

[Racerxrated]

So I already own a Mesa MK3 (mine is a black stripe modded into a MK3C+ according to the previous owner) , and I love it to death for both thrash and more modern tones.
The issue is that there's a JP2C head going for a pretty reasonable price (like 1900$) near me, and I really don't know if it's worth dumping my MK3 for it.

Any help would be appreciated.

I’d go play the JP and see what you think before doing anything with your III. One lesson I’ve learned is, if you really like the amp/guitar you have you’ll probably regret selling it for something else.

 

[knightbrolaire]

So I already own a Mesa MK3 (mine is a black stripe modded into a MK3C+ according to the previous owner) , and I love it to death for both thrash and more modern tones.
The issue is that there's a JP2C head going for a pretty reasonable price (like 1900$) near me, and I really don't know if it's worth dumping my MK3 for it.

Any help would be appreciated.

I would never part my mark III blue stripe for a JP2C...

Any particular reason why?

 

[reilly]

I sold My Mark IV to get a New JP2C when they came out, worst decision ever. The JP2C was noisy, did not have good cut in a live band mix and was overly harsh sounding. I am a long time Mesa user and I have owned four Mark IVs, multiple Recto's, 1x12, 2x12 and 4x12 Mesa Cabs. I do not miss that amp at all. I even sent it back because I thought something was wrong with it and it came back that is was fine. I sold it in less than 3 months.

I know a lot of people seem to like them but I feel since the Release of the Mark V Mesa amps have an overly Harsh and Bright sound to them that the older Mesa's did not have. Just my opinion for what it's worth.

I would recommend buy a JP2C before selling your Mark III so you have time to compare the two.

 

[ultimatemetalguitartones]

So I already own a Mesa MK3 (mine is a black stripe modded into a MK3C+ according to the previous owner) , and I love it to death for both thrash and more modern tones.
The issue is that there's a JP2C head going for a pretty reasonable price (like 1900$) near me, and I really don't know if it's worth dumping my MK3 for it.

Any help would be appreciated.

I would never part my mark III blue stripe for a JP2C...

Any particular reason why?

Too compressed and harsh sounding. Ur best bet would be to AB them first.

 

[glip22]

That really depends on what you are looking for. I regret hugely selling my MKIII Black dot with the 105 transformer that was modded with Mikes 2c++ mod. I got a JPC thinking it would replace it and the mark III stomped it. Made it sound like a little toy. I can't say if it was because it had that high PV tranny or not but that amp had a massive sonic footprint.

 

[braintheory]

I agree with everyone else. I think the JP2C would be a downgrade. The early Mark iii’s are supposed to be closer already to a iic+ and yours has the ++ mod

I have a early no stripe coli that already sounded very close to my iic+ when AB’ed and since having the ++ mod done to it I like it even better than my actual iic+. Might be for my taste the best amp I’ve ever owned or tried

I wouldn’t do it

 

[Flavatrocious]

Dude, if you can check out a JP2C first somewhere before you pull the plug do it. Not sure if you're able to demo both heads together but that would be the best scenario. If you love the MK3 my gut says hang on to it and don't let that tone chasing bullshitter in your head get the better of you. Don't regret selling something that works for ya.

If it ain't broke...

 

[Markedman]

I've owned all types of Boogies including Mark III's and a JP2C. I have a Mark IIC++ that's a "King of Amps", but I covet my Mark IV the most. I can get that sound I hear in my head with the IV's three channels, and I know how to tweak the GEQ as needed, which is a thing. I can get a real good rock tone and modern metal. If you like Fender clean, it's in a Mark IV. I might be able to get more tones than a digital sampler amp.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Try to keep the MK3 and buy the JP2C later if necessary. They are different enough to own both.

 

[Exo-metal]

I agree with everyone else. I think the JP2C would be a downgrade. The early Mark iii’s are supposed to be closer already to a iic+ and yours has the ++ mod

I have a early no stripe coli that already sounded very close to my iic+ when AB’ed and since having the ++ mod done to it I like it even better than my actual iic+. Might be for my taste the best amp I’ve ever owned or tried

I wouldn’t do it

I would like to pics of this glorious beast.

 

[JimAnsell]

i feel what you guys are saying about the newer boogie marks having certain tonal characteristics that are "different" than the classic mark series amps. I'm not sure how to describe it in words, but i'm going to say that the newer ones are less "open" or "organic". IDK. they are more compressed sounding ever since the IVb on all channels.
for better or worse, i suppose. i can see people being into that, over the older ones, as it might make your playing sound a bit tighter. i'm so used to the IIC+ through IVa tones, that even though i really liked the mark V and owned at least 2, i always came back to the IVa. the jp2c was tempting, but i still haven't tried one. The demo with JP playing it sounds amazing, but his playing is so damn good, whether you like him or not, that anything he plays is gunna sound killer

 

[Racerxrated]

I had a Red stripe and a Purple stripe, both simul and I found them both sterile no matter what settings I used. Both had 415s too. My experience when I tried a JP in a shop in St Paul was that it sounded better to me than either III I had, but a week after I tried a IV and I liked that one just as much as the JP.
But, none of them compare to the 3D/open tone and touch sensitivity of any of the 4 C+ I've owned. Now that I have a C+ Coliseum I find no need for any other Mesa product, as cool as they are. This is the one to rule them all.

 

[Ratou]

don't sell the mark III

 

[ultimatemetalguitartones]

I had a Red stripe and a Purple stripe, both simul and I found them both sterile no matter what settings I used. Both had 415s too. My experience when I tried a JP in a shop in St Paul was that it sounded better to me than either III I had, but a week after I tried a IV and I liked that one just as much as the JP.
But, none of them compare to the 3D/open tone and touch sensitivity of any of the 4 C+ I've owned. Now that I have a C+ Coliseum I find no need for any other Mesa product, as cool as they are. This is the one to rule them all.

"Sterile" is definitely not the word that I would use to describe my mark III blue stripe! It does sound aggressive, bald and articulate. A clip a member sent me some years ago and I uploaded on youtube myself - Mark III blue vs Mark IIC++

 

[Racerxrated]

I had a Red stripe and a Purple stripe, both simul and I found them both sterile no matter what settings I used. Both had 415s too. My experience when I tried a JP in a shop in St Paul was that it sounded better to me than either III I had, but a week after I tried a IV and I liked that one just as much as the JP.
But, none of them compare to the 3D/open tone and touch sensitivity of any of the 4 C+ I've owned. Now that I have a C+ Coliseum I find no need for any other Mesa product, as cool as they are. This is the one to rule them all.

"Sterile" is definitely not the word that I would use to describe my mark III blue stripe! It does sound aggressive, bald and articulate. A clip a member sent me some years ago and I uploaded on youtube myself - Mark III blue vs Mark IIC++

All amps are different, as our ears are too. My experience is what it is, clearly yours is opposite as you thought the JP was sterile and harsh. That's my exp with the 2 IIIs I owned. Now, Braintheory has had them all including C+s and he feels his no stripe III++ Coli is better than his C+..which tells me that it must be a special amp. I'm sure your blue stripe is a better sounding amp than the two IIIs I owned. I did like the purple better than the red, which goes against what you read on the net..but ultimately they were just too 'meh' to me. Maybe they needed a good Mike B going over? Any of my amps that I've sent to Mike have come back MUCH better sounding..he is a wizard of Mesa for sure.

 

[Racerxrated]

I had a Red stripe and a Purple stripe, both simul and I found them both sterile no matter what settings I used. Both had 415s too. My experience when I tried a JP in a shop in St Paul was that it sounded better to me than either III I had, but a week after I tried a IV and I liked that one just as much as the JP.
But, none of them compare to the 3D/open tone and touch sensitivity of any of the 4 C+ I've owned. Now that I have a C+ Coliseum I find no need for any other Mesa product, as cool as they are. This is the one to rule them all.

"Sterile" is definitely not the word that I would use to describe my mark III blue stripe! It does sound aggressive, bald and articulate. A clip a member sent me some years ago and I uploaded on youtube myself - Mark III blue vs Mark IIC++

I'll also add that clips don't mean anything when comparing. Nothing. You have to be in the room to get it...I understand that's very hard to do for most people esp you since you are in Greece, but you aren't going to get the attributes of certain amps to translate over youtube...they'll all sound the same. Example-there's a video of an SLO and a 6505, gee they both sound the same! I can save a bunch of cash and get SLO tone for 400 bucks!!!!

No, you can't. In the room the SLO blows the doors off the Peavey in EVERY category. Period, end thread. That's what I think of those youtube comparos. The clarity, feel, and push of any amp can't be measured in any video.

 

[ultimatemetalguitartones]

I had a Red stripe and a Purple stripe, both simul and I found them both sterile no matter what settings I used. Both had 415s too. My experience when I tried a JP in a shop in St Paul was that it sounded better to me than either III I had, but a week after I tried a IV and I liked that one just as much as the JP.
But, none of them compare to the 3D/open tone and touch sensitivity of any of the 4 C+ I've owned. Now that I have a C+ Coliseum I find no need for any other Mesa product, as cool as they are. This is the one to rule them all.

"Sterile" is definitely not the word that I would use to describe my mark III blue stripe! It does sound aggressive, bald and articulate. A clip a member sent me some years ago and I uploaded on youtube myself - Mark III blue vs Mark IIC++

I'll also add that clips don't mean anything when comparing. Nothing. You have to be in the room to get it...I understand that's very hard to do for most people esp you since you are in Greece, but you aren't going to get the attributes of certain amps to translate over youtube...they'll all sound the same. Example-there's a video of an SLO and a 6505, gee they both sound the same! I can save a bunch of cash and get SLO tone for 400 bucks!!!!

No, you can't. In the room the SLO blows the doors off the Peavey in EVERY category. Period, end thread. That's what I think of those youtube comparos. The clarity, feel, and push of any amp can't be measured in any video.

I partly agree with that, but nonetheless sometimes clips can help. Myself for example, located in Greece it would have been really hard - almost impossible to try a mesa boogie mark III in person, but based on the various youtube clips that I had watched, I finally pulled the trigger That being said, you are the only person I know who owned 2 mark IIIs and found both of em sterile!

 

[knightbrolaire]

I think I'll skip picking up the JP2C. The JP2C would have to be a huge improvement soundwise over my Mk3 to justify buying it, and from the way you guys describe it, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Anyways, thanks for the help guys, here's some recent clips of my MK3 I made with my carvin dc600/holy diver bridge:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/512cgv8d ... h.zip/file