Mesa Simul satellite - Boogie guys input needed.

[Wayniac3]

I've been using my Simul satellite as a platform for my FM3 (and AX8 prior to selling it). I have an older atomic CLR as well - totally different flavor than the Boogie.

I'm downsizing gear and have thought about selling the Boogie.. but before I do - thought I'd ask if there was any benefit to getting a preamp or an "amp in a box" pedal to try to pursue some Sykes tones. Mainly - how close can I get with that as a piece of the puzzle?

Thanks

 

[fretout]

How close can a Simul-Satellite get to a Sykes tone?

Being a huge fan of the tones the Boogies offer, I’d have to be honest and say that a Simul-Satellite wouldn’t really be a big piece of that puzzle. The power section is technically about half of the amplifier equation, but the preamp is a far more important piece of the puzzle.

You’d be far better served by selling the Simul-Satellite and using the proceeds to buy a Mark III Blue Stripe.

Plus, those Simul-Satellites were meant to be extensions of the Mark IV, and could be used to run a wet/dry setup. And, IMHO, there are some differences between the way the Mark IV Lead channel sounds compared to the Lead Channel in the Mark III.

 

[Drew]

Sykes actually preferred the No Stripe version of the Mark III. We tracked two of them down in early 2024 and he said if he was going to tour again, he would use those. His Mark III Boogie Coliseums were also No Stripe versions.

 

[mentoneman]

Sykes actually preferred the No Stripe version of the Mark III. We tracked two of them down in early 2024 and he said if he was going to tour again, he would use those. His Mark III Boogie Coliseums were also No Stripe versions.

when my buddy Zachman set his stereo Mark III rig up for the first time (no stripe Coli and rack blue stripe) with 2 Marshall 4x12s, 2290, spx playing his Jackson Rhoads
I swear the first thought that entered my mind when he hit the first chord was “That’s Sykes tone!”