Hey. I've had my IIB since 1980. It's a great amp. It's gotten heavier and I'm playing/jamming out, again. Every time I'm ready to go out, I look at the Boogie and hesitate. It's not that I can't pick it up. It's that I don't want to. I often grab my practice amp if it's a small venue.
So I started looking for a lighter weight alternative. Many of the combos are pretty heavy...especially as we get into the 50+ watts range. So I count them out. I like the TweedyVerb (anyone ever played one?), but need to hear it live to really know. A great clean channel that stays tight at higher volumes if it's set right is a must. I love the cleans on my Boogie and need that as a base that takes pedals really well.
I found this head/cab setup called the Pearl, by Port City. I've got some great pedals and it's a true, 50w clean machine. But it's expensive. I'd have to sell the Boogie and a Silhouette (I never use that guitar, anymore). So I went to a store with a techie I trust to get an idea of what I can get for the Boogie, selling privately.
I was blown away. For an excellent condition (and I mean excellent) 1980 Mark IIB with cream tolex, 60/100w, power transformer, all new caps/resistors/tubes, eq, with the original EVM12L, etc, the guy said I could get $900. Add the matching Thiele would put it at $1100, which would probably have to come down to $1000 unless I wanted to wait, possibly a long time.
So I sat down and played some of their $1000 amps. I won't name any of them...but they literally sounded like toys compared to my amp. The tech agreed, but he said it's because of the weight. Even the younger players want a lighter weight setup in a combo package.
Big drag. If the IIB weighed less, I wouldn't even consider the switch. I could convert to a head, but that's still 40+ lbs for both that and the cab.
Beginning to look like I should think like a bass player and count my blessings for a lightweight amp.
So I started looking for a lighter weight alternative. Many of the combos are pretty heavy...especially as we get into the 50+ watts range. So I count them out. I like the TweedyVerb (anyone ever played one?), but need to hear it live to really know. A great clean channel that stays tight at higher volumes if it's set right is a must. I love the cleans on my Boogie and need that as a base that takes pedals really well.
I found this head/cab setup called the Pearl, by Port City. I've got some great pedals and it's a true, 50w clean machine. But it's expensive. I'd have to sell the Boogie and a Silhouette (I never use that guitar, anymore). So I went to a store with a techie I trust to get an idea of what I can get for the Boogie, selling privately.
I was blown away. For an excellent condition (and I mean excellent) 1980 Mark IIB with cream tolex, 60/100w, power transformer, all new caps/resistors/tubes, eq, with the original EVM12L, etc, the guy said I could get $900. Add the matching Thiele would put it at $1100, which would probably have to come down to $1000 unless I wanted to wait, possibly a long time.
So I sat down and played some of their $1000 amps. I won't name any of them...but they literally sounded like toys compared to my amp. The tech agreed, but he said it's because of the weight. Even the younger players want a lighter weight setup in a combo package.
Big drag. If the IIB weighed less, I wouldn't even consider the switch. I could convert to a head, but that's still 40+ lbs for both that and the cab.
Beginning to look like I should think like a bass player and count my blessings for a lightweight amp.
