ZEN Amps
Well-known member
I have a combo on the way, with GEQ. Will probably convert it to a head for the wall. MkIII fans or gurus, chime in at your leisure with your experiences with these beasts.
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Mikeyboyeee
Well-known member
Had a couple of early black dots. 1 VERY early with the 2c export transformer.
Beasts!
Beasts!
Tone Monster
Well-known member
I had a red stripe for a long time. One of my favorite amps ever
MetalHeadMike
Well-known member
Had a Mark IIB with loop mod and think it was the widest sounding amp with the most 3D tone I ever heard. Was like a wrecking ball crashing through the room. It could be set from super compressed to Wizard level openness and was extremely easy under the fingers. Never felt another amp like it. Almost played itself.
Also had a blue stripe and recently had and sold a green stripe. Both were great, but I liked the green more.
Also had a blue stripe and recently had and sold a green stripe. Both were great, but I liked the green more.
glpg80
Well-known member
Congrats man! Can’t wait for some clips and comparisons.
I thought the consensus was that the MKIII sounded better without the GEQ? Mesa mark series amplifiers are as confusing as rubrics cubes - glad I just play 2203s ?
I thought the consensus was that the MKIII sounded better without the GEQ? Mesa mark series amplifiers are as confusing as rubrics cubes - glad I just play 2203s ?
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
Yeah looking forward to firing her up. 15xxx serial so presumably this is a very early one according to this:
Mesa serial numbers
Not sure how reliable the S/N is but it's a start.
This thread seems like a pretty awesome resource:
Mark III guide
Thanks for the input guys
Mesa serial numbers
Not sure how reliable the S/N is but it's a start.
This thread seems like a pretty awesome resource:
Mark III guide
Thanks for the input guys
JR-OZ
Active member
I find it to be one of the most underrated versatile amps and still holds up today when it comes on a tone and feel dollar for dollar. Once you get the hang of how to dial in the mark you can do so much. Heavy’s, harmonic rich Marshallly thing with a better bottom end. Put sd1 in front and dial in a amazing 800 tone
Use channel 2 and do some funky jazz
Cleans are good. Honestly it’s the one amp I have kept forever lol
Mine is a special one and I picked up a ++ as a back up. I’m building a live rig now figuring out how to use it with some fx
Shot it out against almost 40 amps recently in a studio and it was consistently top 5
Hope that helps.
Spend some time dialing in lots of options
Forget everything you know about dialing amps
And use your ears.
If it needs tubes
Tad makes the new red 6l6s those I found to be the closest to old strs the amps were made for.
Use channel 2 and do some funky jazz
Cleans are good. Honestly it’s the one amp I have kept forever lol
Mine is a special one and I picked up a ++ as a back up. I’m building a live rig now figuring out how to use it with some fx
Shot it out against almost 40 amps recently in a studio and it was consistently top 5
Hope that helps.
Spend some time dialing in lots of options
Forget everything you know about dialing amps
And use your ears.
If it needs tubes
Tad makes the new red 6l6s those I found to be the closest to old strs the amps were made for.
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Lol here’s mine right now lol
No idea what happened
No idea what happened
cardinal
Well-known member
The serial number ranges are usually pretty accurate. The earliest Mark IIIs still say "Volume I" under the first knob instead of just "Volume".
GEQ is nice particularly at lower volumes. If you have it blasting, it'll still chug out without any GEQ IMHO. Just read up on how they are dialed in. Usually B/M/T around 1/2/7. Never ever just put all the knobs at 5. That sounds awful.
GEQ is nice particularly at lower volumes. If you have it blasting, it'll still chug out without any GEQ IMHO. Just read up on how they are dialed in. Usually B/M/T around 1/2/7. Never ever just put all the knobs at 5. That sounds awful.
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
These things are amazing . I really loved mine when it worked . After my wizard and diezels it’s m favorite. Even more than my Bogner and Satan
C
changeofaseason
Member
I miss my MkIII red stripe. The presence knob on that thing was so versatile. Put it into EVM12Ls and weeee!
Sold it for a MkIV since R2 never played nice due to volume issues and the shared EQ, and struggled to get a good clean and lead at the same time. As a 1 or maybe 2-channel amp, it was killer.
Sold it for a MkIV since R2 never played nice due to volume issues and the shared EQ, and struggled to get a good clean and lead at the same time. As a 1 or maybe 2-channel amp, it was killer.
rstites
Well-known member
That's the way I was for years. I played boosted 2203s for everything up into the 00's. I got into the older Boogies later. The great thing about the MkIII's is they have a lot of different great sounds in them. However, between those sounds are lots of crap ones and it's not always straight-forward go to get form great sound to great sound. I downloaded the use manual and read it (imagine that) and found it's suggested settings as great starting points. I highly recommend that. It shortens dial in times a lot.
I wouldn't have one of these without the graphic EQ. There are tones you can do without it, but anything on the heavy side I want it. You can turn it off. It can also be remotely switched and some times sounds are good with and without it, so you can swap it on/off on the fly. Overall, I've been happy I bought a couple of these and ended up getting the Studio preamp (similar, but not the same) to put together a little rack rig for the fun of it.
glpg80
Well-known member
I still play SD-1 boosted highly modded 2203 based 3 gain stage circuits. The tone works for what I do. I’ve found I prefer a goosed 3 stage over a regular 4 stage. Getting the tightness and bass response correct for even a goosed 4 stage design can be a balancing act of drive level in the pedal and gain settings in the amp. Doable but that’s my limit.
With no pedals at all, I prefer 5 stages like a 5150 II or Bogner red channel. I just find my tone suffers and isn’t as big sounding with that many stages.
With that said every single Mesa I’ve ever turned on has been like operating a space ship and with wonky tonestack settings due to their intentional location.
The only Mesa I think I could ever live with would be either a tremoverb or a simple single rectifier.
I know they can sound good, but many are dialed in too scooped for my preferences. I just have learned how to dial in the wonky tonestack of a Marshall and like amps based on them.
With no pedals at all, I prefer 5 stages like a 5150 II or Bogner red channel. I just find my tone suffers and isn’t as big sounding with that many stages.
With that said every single Mesa I’ve ever turned on has been like operating a space ship and with wonky tonestack settings due to their intentional location.
The only Mesa I think I could ever live with would be either a tremoverb or a simple single rectifier.
I know they can sound good, but many are dialed in too scooped for my preferences. I just have learned how to dial in the wonky tonestack of a Marshall and like amps based on them.
rstites
Well-known member
Fun fact: I mostly play my MkIII's on the crunchy-rhythm channel boosted. That's how I play rhythm on them. I go to their high gain channel for leads only, and generally turn off the boost. The crunch channel without boost rolls off to a good enough clean for me live.
The Marshall tone stack is pretty straight-forward and that's also part of what I love about them: simple, straight forward, and get the job done.
The Marshall tone stack is pretty straight-forward and that's also part of what I love about them: simple, straight forward, and get the job done.
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
Cheers for the insights guys, will report back once I have the amp. It could be in fairly original condition so may need some work, will find out soon.
Chris6870
Well-known member
Looks like GC is drinking the Kool Aid too. Before covid GC used was littered with used Mark 3 combos for 800-1000 all day long. They probably gave 500 for that amp.
B
braintheory
Well-known member
Great amps. Not as good as c+’s of course, but a good mark iii is the next best thing that I’ve tried. Loved the green stripe I used to have and the early no stripes
B
braintheory
Well-known member
My mark iii’s are long gone, so no skin in the game for me, but seriously what other high gain amps can you get for that price that sound as good or better? IMHO not many. Maybe just a ‘70’s or ‘80’s 2203/4, Naylor, or Megalith Beta (good luck finding one though). Was bound to get there eventually. If those amps or the 2203 were established in this price range for a while we wouldn’t complain, but I get it. Wish I kept them till now lol. Couldn’t give it away when I was trying to sell my green stripe back around 2016
I always thought those amps were absolute steals for the quality of tone (before covid pricing I mean) and now they just sound like fair amps for the price. I had a feeling those amps had to go up in price eventually for their sound. It’s not like guitars where most guys care more about just the way they look and play (really really stupid imo)
DragonCrestPC
Well-known member
Still have my Mesa mark III green stripe, thinking of having Mike B do the ++ mod, not sure of price or if he's still doing it.
Meeotch
Well-known member
Haha, my post from the other Mark III thread: "I've got a Green stripe for sale but thinking of keeping it and asking Mike for ++. Actually not sure if he's even doing mods at the moment."
By the way, I emailed Mike and he confirmed he's not doing mods at the moment, but he did say maybe next year.
