Mesa Mark VII vs JP-2C

[mentoneman]

What's your current favourite of the series?

the IIIs were sort of a pinnacle moment in the evolution of the Mark series if you ask me. like the IIB/Cs we were playing previously were moving towards where the III seemingly landed when it became the new flagship. higher gain, 3 modes/channels and still very raw and aggressive. but i have played mighty IIIs as in the no stripe Coli the year it was released fresh off the factory floor with brand new tubes of that era, and terribly maintained examples.

having recently played a IC+ and III ++ i’m totally satisfied with my III.

when the IV came out and me and my circle of boogie friends scratched our collective heads.
great on paper but it felt like the sharper edges of the III got smoothed off too much. the IV’s independent clean was awesome and a cut above the III cleans. although by comparison i was much happier with a triaxis than a IV. i’d also prefer a green stripe III than a IV.

wasn’t too into V or JP but i’d happily grab a VII if i didn’t have my blue III.

 

[2dor]

.... need to get me a Mark VIi now

 

[Anje]

Guys please stop it! Getting a new amp is not at the top of the prio list at the moment

@mentoneman & great team here who have been able to play all the Mark model variations since the beginning/back then/late 70’s - early 80’s: may I please ask you what model would you advise as the best to seek out for some « classic » 80’s/90’s hard rock / metal? The mighty John Sykes circa mid 80’s / 90’s for example is the first name that I have in mind.
I have to confess I’ve always been kind of lost between all the successive models/iterations/stripe colors etc. and they are not many around here in Europe to play, whatever the model, even more so the older ones.