Possible new amp day Mesa RA100 vs Mark III red stripe??

[suhrimmetal]

Looking to maybe get back into the Mesa camp for a bit. Been a modded marshall fanboy for many, many years... owned several Friedmans, Gower, etc... Currently ampless but on a budget and trying to find the best amp for me within my limitations. The RA100 has gotten great reviews and seems very versatile... The Mesa Mark III red stripe with eq and SimulClass has been hinted to me by some great 'artists' to go that route. Would love to hear the opinions of good players, good ears who have played, owned or are familiar with both or 1 of these amps.

Im a hard rock to rock, bluesy rock type guy. I play lead guitar in a great cover band that covers everything from Journey to Alice in Chains... from Blue Oyster Cult to Sevendust.... from Van Halen to Shinedown.. even a few country songs for the ladies..lol. Im a lead guy at heart and thats where I spend my free time... ala Timmons, Petrucci, Aldrich, Holmes, Sykes, etc, etc...

Thanks for your time and input. Cheers

I Like TONE!!!

 

[Tone Monster]

The Mark III rs I owned sounded great. However, its a very aggressive, metal tone.

 

[Racerxrated]

I have a MK 3 purple stripe, and I A/B'd it against a red. The purple won so I returned the red. The red sat a bit more prominent in the mids. But this purple is smoother and clearer sounding than the red I had in here. Plus with the eq you can get any stripe sounding almost the same. For about a grand they are great deals. When you turn them up they get brighter, almost Marshall like to me. Very clear and articulate with great punch.

 

[Valtyr]

I got a Mark III a few years ago, no stripe, but it has a GEQ. They are versatile enough that you should be able to dial in decent tones appropriate for just able any style. I consider mine a keeper, great amps in my opinion.

 

[suhrimmetal]

Thanks for opinions thus far... and all your input has been consistent with what Ive heard as well from some other artists. Keep em coming...

 

[Mailman1971]

I never heard a RA....but from owning a few Mark III's....man....that is one killer amp. Seriously.
Gotta have the Graphic EQ in it for me.

 

[geese_com]

I think you will be very happy with an RA100. It should easily cover all of those bands you mentioned.

I don't have experience with a Mark III though.

 

[gibson08]

I dunno on that one,, I would say the RA100 for the versatility.

 

[dfrattaroli]

I'd go with the RA. I can't believe this isn't a more popular amp. It has, not a great, but an amazing clean channel and a stupid good gain channel. I love that amp.

 

[RJF]

Mark 3 is a pretty great amp. The red/blue/green stripes are basically identical in tone.

 

[thiswaythatway]

I owned both. If you want a metal amp the Mark III wipes the floor with the RA, no contest IMHO. The RA may be the more versatile amp for hard rock/classic rock. The RA has some versatility with a nice clean channel and 2 levels of gain. But the RA bugged me, it's like this really hollow sounding amp with not that much oomph behind it. It's something I didn't hear on any clips but something that totally stood out in the room when it was on a 4x12. I tweaked until I was tired of tweaking and got rid of it.

 

[suhrimmetal]

I owned both. If you want a metal amp the Mark III wipes the floor with the RA, no contest IMHO. The RA may be the more versatile amp for hard rock/classic rock. The RA has some versatility with a nice clean channel and 2 levels of gain. But the RA bugged me, it's like this really hollow sounding amp with not that much oomph behind it. It's something I didn't hear on any clips but something that totally stood out in the room when it was on a 4x12. I tweaked until I was tired of tweaking and got rid of it.

I don't need persay a 'metal' amp.... but I also dont need a great clean or a ton of versatility.. I want TONE!! I'll most likely boost the gain channel with a clean boost for solos and kick a delay on in the loop as well for solos. But I do want and dig a GREAT rhythm channel with bite, thump and articulation as well as being able to get creamy and warm for lead work... again TONE!

Ive never played a Mark series... jammed a recto back in the day but that was so long ago I don't remember a damn thing about it good or bad...lol. Cheers

 

[thiswaythatway]

I owned both. If you want a metal amp the Mark III wipes the floor with the RA, no contest IMHO. The RA may be the more versatile amp for hard rock/classic rock. The RA has some versatility with a nice clean channel and 2 levels of gain. But the RA bugged me, it's like this really hollow sounding amp with not that much oomph behind it. It's something I didn't hear on any clips but something that totally stood out in the room when it was on a 4x12. I tweaked until I was tired of tweaking and got rid of it.

I don't need persay a 'metal' amp.... but I also dont need a great clean or a ton of versatility.. I want TONE!! I'll most likely boost the gain channel with a clean boost for solos and kick a delay on in the loop as well for solos. But I do want and dig a GREAT rhythm channel with bite, thump and articulation as well as being able to get creamy and warm for lead work... again TONE!

Ive never played a Mark series... jammed a recto back in the day but that was so long ago I don't remember a damn thing about it good or bad...lol. Cheers

You know what they say......you need to go play each one. If a used Mark V is in your budget you may want to consider because it's middle crunch channel is nice. Someone was selling a Mark V here for around $1500. I'll throw another Mesa out there, the Electra Dyne. If you boost them they totally kick ass. I kept mine and sold the RA I had because the Dyne had a ton more bottom end, the RA is a lot more mid focused but with much less bottom. It's all preference though, I wish Guitar Center and Mesa could kiss and make up.

 

[suhrimmetal]

I owned both. If you want a metal amp the Mark III wipes the floor with the RA, no contest IMHO. The RA may be the more versatile amp for hard rock/classic rock. The RA has some versatility with a nice clean channel and 2 levels of gain. But the RA bugged me, it's like this really hollow sounding amp with not that much oomph behind it. It's something I didn't hear on any clips but something that totally stood out in the room when it was on a 4x12. I tweaked until I was tired of tweaking and got rid of it.

I don't need persay a 'metal' amp.... but I also dont need a great clean or a ton of versatility.. I want TONE!! I'll most likely boost the gain channel with a clean boost for solos and kick a delay on in the loop as well for solos. But I do want and dig a GREAT rhythm channel with bite, thump and articulation as well as being able to get creamy and warm for lead work... again TONE!

Ive never played a Mark series... jammed a recto back in the day but that was so long ago I don't remember a damn thing about it good or bad...lol. Cheers

You know what they say......you need to go play each one. If a used Mark V is in your budget you may want to consider because it's middle crunch channel is nice. Someone was selling a Mark V here for around $1500. I'll throw another Mesa out there, the Electra Dyne. If you boost them they totally kick ass. I kept mine and sold the RA I had because the Dyne had a ton more bottom end, the RA is a lot more mid focused but with much less bottom. It's all preference though, I wish Guitar Center and Mesa could kiss and make up.

Thanks for the info bro.. appreciate it. Looks like Im leaning towards a red stripe Mark III with eq and simul class.. Im sure the Mark V is great...may be more than I need.. and a bit outside my budget. Ive researched the Electra Dyne a bit and seems like alot of people dig it. Just probably won't go that route.

 

[GtarLover]

Was a Mesa guy for a nice long while. Lot's of gigs with Mark amps. I still own my Mark's...III, IV, V. GREAT tones and IV and V have 3 channels.
Versatility in the Mark V is very nice. Mark IV has some killer tones as well, just usually need a drive for channel 2...All Mark's need the EQ, IMO. Makes so much more possible.
That said, you mentioned not needing a dedicated clean channel, so...personally, I bought a rackmount version of the Mark III red stripe...love it. Cleans up nicely with a good guitar volume knob and has nice tone that takes pedals well too. A few good pedals and the Mark III can cover A LOT of ground.
I know Trey uses and has used a Mark III for a long time. He does have a monster pedalboard of course, yet the underlying tone is Mark III.

Never owned an ElectroDyne. Heard a demo in the local store by rep once and I was impressed by some of the tones, yet it is weak in the flexibility camp. Also, it has to be LOUD to get "those tones."
Not sure what your volume limitations are, yet if you have volume limitations the ElectoDyne is probably not the way to go.

 

[suhrimmetal]

Was a Mesa guy for a nice long while. Lot's of gigs with Mark amps. I still own my Mark's...III, IV, V. GREAT tones and IV and V have 3 channels.
Versatility in the Mark V is very nice. Mark IV has some killer tones as well, just usually need a drive for channel 2...All Mark's need the EQ, IMO. Makes so much more possible.
That said, you mentioned not needing a dedicated clean channel, so...personally, I bought a rackmount version of the Mark III red stripe...love it. Cleans up nicely with a good guitar volume knob and has nice tone that takes pedals well too. A few good pedals and the Mark III can cover A LOT of ground.
I know Trey uses and has used a Mark III for a long time. He does have a monster pedalboard of course, yet the underlying tone is Mark III.

Never owned an ElectroDyne. Heard a demo in the local store by rep once and I was impressed by some of the tones, yet it is weak in the flexibility camp. Also, it has to be LOUD to get "those tones."
Not sure what your volume limitations are, yet if you have volume limitations the ElectoDyne is probably not the way to go.

Thanks for opinions.

 

[suhrimmetal]

more opinions bump....

 

[fretout]

If you're just looking for tone, the Mark III is the amp I fell into after owning Rectos and Mark IVs, and when I just need a great "tone", I choose the Mark III every time.

 

[suhrimmetal]

If you're just looking for tone, the Mark III is the amp I fell into after owning Rectos and Mark IVs, and when I just need a great "tone", I choose the Mark III every time.

Yeah...Im definitely leaning towards a Mark III... Now just debating the whole 'stripe' thing. Ive got the lead on a purple stripe with eq and simul-class for decent deal.... Not sure how significant difference is between purple and red... Just apprehensive cuz I don't want to get the purple and then kick myself for not getting the red. I want the right one

 

[tfridgen]

I had a purple stripe, I loved it, should never have sold it. I now have a blue stripe, I love it, and will never sell it. The point is, I thinks it's 6 of one half a dozen of the other, they both sound exactly like Mark III's, tight, aggressive, rich....you really can't go wrong with any stripe in my opinion.