Mark IIC++ Hetfield mod

[eltib]

Ok my 2 cents. Backi in 1983 my drummer kept telling me to buy a mesa boogie. Finally got to hear one when we played a gig with 3rf stage alert. It was a regular 2c. Well I couldn't afford the $1300 for a new one, so I found a used one in Howie Hubberman's store in Hollywood.

The animal I bought though was a old one a fully loaded mark 1 head with graphic and reverb. That amp drove me crazy with the bass frequencies being too woofy. So a added a dod 6 band eq to the amp to smooth out the harshness.

When I couldn't get a replacement eq for the DoD I wrote Mesa Boogie amps off and purchased a couple of Laney AORs to replace it.

I went on vacation to visit my relatives in Madison Wisconsin in 1987, when I found out Anthrax was playing a club there and had to check them out. Danny Spitz had 2 or 3 Mark 3 long heads in his rack and it sounded awesome.

I decided then when I get home I was going to buy me 2 boogies. A simul class and a regular 60/100 head and run them simultaneously.

Well fate crossed my path a friend of mine was selling his custom ordered Mesa Boogie Simul Class for $400 less than. New mark 3.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Love this long-standing thread!

I know it's 14 years old and all, but this is still a common question from many folks out there.

++ can be added and is switchable upon request. It adds a tiny bit of gain(6db IIRC) and compression to the lead circuit of the C+. It adds significantly more gain the the clean channel(26db IIRC), similar to R2 on a Mark III

As of 4/2023 Mike was charging $500 for the switchable mod and $400 for non switchable. He's stopped modding for awhile and may resume if he's bored during the fall the last email I received from him.

Is it worth it? To me, absolutely. I like ALL the gain, even if I don't use it.


I made a video centered around the ++ mod and the clean channel:

 

[Brandon Breeze]

does anyone know if the mid-gain switch in the back of the mark IV tries to emulate the c++ extra gain? thanks

When I ran the IVA vs the C++ it was incredibly close, and Mid Gain was on. Without mid gain it feels like it loses more gain than turning off the ++ mod IMO. So, that could very well the the ++ mod for the IV hopefully there's come guys that know the circuit that can chime in if that's how mid gain works!