Rivers Cuomo/Weezer Blue Album Mark

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dlpasco

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So, I was pleasantly surprised this week to find out that the original Weezer guitar sound came courtesy of a Mesa Mark amp.

What's weird is, according to conventional lore, it was a 60 Watt, no eq, Mark I head http://weezerpedia.com/wiki/index.php?title=Rivers_Cuomo%27s_equipment.

Oldmesaboogie.jpg


Based on the photo, it's definitely 60 watts, and it's a Mark head, but I don't think Mesa released any Mark I's that weren't combos in the original run or 60/100 watt heads in the reissues?

It's visible in a lot of their 90s videos, but not well enough to really ID easily.

So I'm wondering if this was a misdiagnosis and it was an early run Mark IIA or something. The first amp was damaged in transit and then eventually lost. They've apparently never found a Mark I that had the same mojo as the first one.

Has anyone ever heard of a 60 Watt Mark I head before? I'm wondering if it was an early Mark II or something.

-Dan
 
It seems like those years were pretty squishy, but every Mark IIa/b/c I have seen has the more modern looking rear end with printed labels. This looks like a Mark I to me. The gold colored chassis were used on the 60 watt amps. I don't think they offered the reissue in 60 watt.

Maybe it just got swapped into a later headshell?

Here's another 60 watt Mark I: http://www.12fret.com/just-in/1977-mesa-boogie-mark-1-combo/
 
s-fresh said:
It seems like those years were pretty squishy, but every Mark IIa/b/c I have seen has the more modern looking rear end with printed labels. This looks like a Mark I to me. The gold colored chassis were used on the 60 watt amps. I don't think they offered the reissue in 60 watt.

Maybe it just got swapped into a later headshell?

Here's another 60 watt Mark I: http://www.12fret.com/just-in/1977-mesa-boogie-mark-1-combo/

Cool! I didn't know they ever did any 60W Mark I's. He was playing this in the 90s, that's more than a decade during which someone could have totally moved it to a head enclosure. Makes sense to me.

Thank you :)
 
Pretty cool! Pinkerton and the Blue album are two of my favorites. I always thought of Weezer as a Marshall kind of band for whatever reason and never thought twice about it. I like those songs a lot but never really thought about the guitar sounds until now. Will have to go re-listen to these.
 
s-fresh said:
Pretty cool! Pinkerton and the Blue album are two of my favorites. I always thought of Weezer as a Marshall kind of band for whatever reason and never thought twice about it. I like those songs a lot but never really thought about the guitar sounds until now. Will have to go re-listen to these.

I would have never guessed either. I'm surprised how many times I end up finding out that some band I liked in the past got their tone from Mesa gear.

You'd think I'd have figured this trend out by now.
 
I've been shocked to find out how many of my favorite bands use Mesa gear. Punk, metal, alternative, rock, you name it. No wonder I'm a Mesa ***** now. :p
 
I've always been interested in this subject, and sort of came to a conclusion about this amp not too long ago.

It's definitely an original Mark 1. Basic 60 watt model. I've got one in the same configuration, although I think it was originally a combo.

But Rivers' was modified in the late 80s/early 90s by Mesa with an effects loop and post FX level control. You can tell by the two extra jacks on the back, as well as the smaller knob to the right of the presence control. Also notice the style of knobs on the front, which didn't come until 83 or so. There's a quote from one of the recording engineers (Chris ???) who also said there was a master volume on the back, which definitely adds up.

I was sort of tempted to have this done to mine, but Mike B. talked me out of it as they're becoming collectible at this point. I know someone on here used to have an original MK 1 with the same modification though.
 

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