Mesa Mark III- Best amp I've owned..

I've had my Mark III long enough to post this.. Red Stripe Simul Class greatness..
First off, until my Mark III I wasn't a huge Boogie fan. Although I've had at least a dozen Mesa's before the Mark III.
For what I do the Mark III is perfect. I held off on the III for 20 years after hearing they were so difficult to dial in..
It's the only Boogie I can dial in.. I don't know why, I only wish I would have picked one up years ago.

The clean channel sounds great, although I rarely use it live (so I don't need the R2 mod).
The way the Volume & Lead Drive sweep is something I've never experienced in an amp.
I do a reverse setting live & use the Drive channel for my main & R2 for a 2nd channel. Due to the
way the Volume & Lead Drive sweep I can go from Alt country to Garage rock to Metal.. The channels
are voiced similar, but still have their own voice.. No matter what I play my tone is believable & true..

I play SG's & Tele's.. SG's most of the time. To me R2 is total Marshall territory. The drive channel is Boogie, but sounds more
like a Mark IIC+. An old Barber Direct Drive for solo's & my Aramat TS9 for a boost.

Thanks Mesa Boogie for making an amp that took me 25 years to catch up to.. What an amp!

I hear you on the Mark III, it's an incredible amp! Prior to owning mine, I've never cared much for Mesa. I only ever really tried out the Rectifiers though and I still don't like them. When I finally tried out a Mark III at my local MusicGoRound, I was sold. There are so many sounds you get get out of it. It did take me a while to learn to dial it in, but I had fun doing it.

There is something special about Mark lll amps, the aggressiveness, it's so brutal and cutting when playing in a band situation it's amazing. I was Marshall/Fender for years before I owned a Boogie. I've sold a bunch of old amps and guitars in the last year but I'll keep my Mark lll forever.

I ve played and listened to lots of amps+preamps (cae+ se / triaxis / expensive marshalls / orange) and I ve yet to find an amp capable to deliver such aggressiveness and tightness as the mark III delivers. My mark III blue stripe is the real deal. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

The mighty MkIII has been my favorite for the last 18+ years, since I first played one at Guitar Center and took it home that day (still have it).

I picked up a MkIV about 4 years ago also, and it has more versatility relating to the clean channel/separate EQ, but it doesn't inspire me the way the MkIII does when it's in heat! The lead channel is the voice of Zeus. :shock: I don't care that the MkIII doesn't get the glory of the others, it's my sound. Hence my name.

I think my Mark III blue stripe sounds great with any guitar combination, a Strat - a Les Paul what ever - the thing just sounds so sweet no matter what - but I do think its still is only a good 1 channel amp even though it has 3 channels - I cant seem to get the great tones I'm going for on all channels if I don't adjust each channel once its been changed. But that could just be me. Also you have to learn how to get a good sound out of it, it may mean you have to change your playing style like I did, but once you get it, MAN the thing just sounds friggen awesome, It took me a good 6 months before I started getting a good tone out of it, I was going to sell it on, but yea it all just fell in my lap and I just seamed to be able to get along with it and all of a sudden bang, Tone for days......

Rgards

Casey

I've had my fully loaded blue stripe for three or four years now and I also name it the best amp I've owned. One thing I like is that with this amp I hear every little nuance in my playing. I had an opportunity to by a wide green stripe head when I was 19, but I never would have been able to come up with that kind of money. I had wanted one since, and finally picked up this one in my late 30s. I can't imagine not having one from now on.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Mesa-Boogie/2000s-MARK-111-Tube-Guitar-Amp-Head.gc

This one puts the UG! in ugly. Mark one eleven none the less.

I picked up a Mark III no stripe a few months ago and I feel like I am still dialing it in some.

Great tone but I had to come to the conclusion, that if I change to the Strat or Les Paul I do have to go over and redo the settings for each one. I just can't seem to find a set that works with both guitars. I can get a good sound for either but it takes some tweeking as I change around on guitars.

For a 30 years old (1/6/86) amp with all original speakers and internals, EQ, New Tubes and I am a bit miffed that I didn't grab one sooner.

I had a studio full of amps and haven't turned any other ones on since I picked this one up. :mrgreen:

I agree! I own a 93 Tremoverb, Dual Rec Solo, Mark V and a Red Stripe Mark iii 60 w NO EQ. And My Mark iii is by far my favorite! That is just an amazing amp!!

UPDATE :
Tradedicated my Tremo and got me abother Red Stripe this one is the 75w GEQ
What a perfect amp!

I've played amps that had clean or distorted sounds I liked better in some situations, but never one that could do both (and everything in between) this well. If I had to pick a single favorite guitar head, this would be it (blue stripe simulclass with rev&EQ).

My Red Stripe Simul head is one of the best amps I've ever owned. One thing I do with it, and this is totally dependent on your style, is put a chorus pedal in the loop. I set everything super low (to where you can't even really tell there's a chorus effect) and it opens up the amp even more than just with the GEQ. I get nice Fender-y cleans all the way to modded Marshall tones, if I want. Straight Pyromania-era Def Leppard or 1987-era Whitesnake.

el34sg said:

I held off on the III for 20 years after hearing they were so difficult to dial in..
It's the only Boogie I can dial in.. I don't know why, I only wish I would have picked one up years ago.

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That's funny, I didn't hold off even one day. The first time I played one at GC 15 years ago, I took him home. It's a lifer. 8)

I love my MkIV as well, although it doesn't give me the same kind of lead channel ecstasy. The only other thick I need is some kind of nice wicker/hardwood custom Mark, maybe a IIB. They are easily my favorite family of amps.....

MkIII Renegade said:

The only other thick I need is some kind of nice wicker/hardwood custom Mark, maybe a IIB. They are easily my favorite family of amps.....

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There are three or four IIB hardwood combos on reverb.com last time I checked, in the $1400-$1800 range. Always wanted to see how they compared to my III, but my ever-patient girlfriend has already weathered six amp purchases in the last year...