MESA/Boogie® Mark IIC+ full demo & overview ft. Doug West & Tommy Waugh

I honestly think mesa nailed this amp , just extremely unexciting sounding and bland. This is literally what I hear everytime I hear these things: thin, midrangey as hell, and super compressed.

I truly don't think anyone really listens to the old Metallica records with discerning years. They just hear james being incredible and the best riffs of all time, and think that the answers are amazing. But when you get them on a good pair of monitors or headphones you realize how little game there was and how much of it is just his great playing. It’s his playing. It was great riffs, I’m convinced this is what it is.

To be honest, actually getting a great heavy Mark tone, to me, means using a lot of post EQ, like in addition to the GEQ. and a boost in front. I think the grain and smoothness of the distortion feels fantastic under the fingers, but I agree with you that to get big huge non-boxy, non-congested modern tones out of a IIC+, you absolutely do need to apply some generous post-EQ, or an additional EQ in the loop if you're doing it live.

The IIC+ can be a in ingredient in a phenomenal sounding rig, but it's gonna need some help.
 
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I honestly think mesa nailed this amp , just extremely unexciting sounding and bland. This is literally what I hear everytime I hear these things: thin, midrangey as hell, and super compressed.

I truly don't think anyone really listens to the old Metallica records with discerning years. They just hear james being incredible and the best riffs of all time, and think that the answers are amazing. But when you get them on a good pair of monitors or headphones you realize how little game there was and how much of it is just his great playing. It’s his playing. It was great riffs, I’m convinced this is what it is.
Metallica is one of the Heavier bands to use a Mark IIC+, and even they used a PEQ. I will say do you think I can get into Lamb of God territory with just a boost? I love the Marshall Silver Jubilee for just straight lead work most of all. I'm hoping this amp is really good for leads ala Petruuci style, and can match or overtake my 2555x
 
I truly don't think anyone really listens to the old Metallica records with discerning years. They just hear james being incredible and the best riffs of all time, and think that the answers are amazing. But when you get them on a good pair of monitors or headphones you realize how little game there was and how much of it is just his great playing. It’s his playing. It was great riffs, I’m convinced this is what it is.
One of the things that makes the 2C+ great and one of the most hyped amp ever, is the fact that at that time only modded + boosted marshalls had that amount of gain - or maybe less - The feel was also unique I suppose, and some players will tell you even unmatched for today's standards. However, I'd have to agree - it was James' amazing - tight and powerful playing + all these layers that made the Master and Justice tones remarkable. Also, let's not forget that these amps were heavily EQed with 2 parametric EQs and who knows what else magic studio stuff.
 
A few lame clips and everybody’s freaking tf out…
Relax, it’s gonna be a really good and MODERN sounding/feeling version of the OG, without the vintage rawness and feel that makes the OG great.
It’ll compare just like every reissue compares to the vintage original, close but no cigar.
Ya get what ya pay for.
 
These two are okay at best. Easier to watch than Glen. I don't think very many people play heavy guitar anymore. I quit decades ago. I don't know anyone that still plays that stuff. There must be other people that could do a video for this amp ?
Well, heavy guitar is still popular here, that's for sure, but in the real world it's not as popular as it once was for sure. But seriously, when you buy an amp, don't you want it to have enough gain to rip your face off, I know I do. The Mark IVb I have fits the bill for me, i'm still finding new tones in that amp 10 years later so I rarely have GAS for amplifiers. Not really interested in the IIC+ reissue to be honest, I think all of the tones in that vid sound kinda dated, although they weren't bad, it reminded me of the III red stripe I used to own. Good sounding, but definitely stuck in the 80's.
 
A few lame clips and everybody’s freaking tf out…
Relax, it’s gonna be a really good and MODERN sounding/feeling version of the OG, without the vintage rawness and feel that makes the OG great.
It’ll compare just like every reissue compares to the vintage original, close but no cigar.
Ya get what ya pay for.
Wouldn't that just be a Mark V though?
 
I honestly think mesa nailed this amp , just extremely unexciting sounding and bland. This is literally what I hear everytime I hear these things: thin, midrangey as hell, and super compressed.

I truly don't think anyone really listens to the old Metallica records with discerning years. They just hear james being incredible and the best riffs of all time, and think that the answers are amazing. But when you get them on a good pair of monitors or headphones you realize how little game there was and how much of it is just his great playing. It’s his playing. It was great riffs, I’m convinced this is what it is.
Midrangey because the graphic EQ is turned off for a lot of those clips, compressed for sure but not overly so IMO. Not like a Diezel VH4 or a Mark V.

MOP, AJFA and The Black Album have incredible tones as well IMO, it's not just his great riffage, which is great. It's a very unique sound IMO, a sound that is instantly recognizable. Honestly, we should all know now that great tone comes from the speakers and cab primarily. This amp will deliver, just wait.
 
One of the things that makes the 2C+ great and one of the most hyped amp ever, is the fact that at that time only modded + boosted marshalls had that amount of gain - or maybe less - The feel was also unique I suppose, and some players will tell you even unmatched for today's standards. However, I'd have to agree - it was James' amazing - tight and powerful playing + all these layers that made the Master and Justice tones remarkable. Also, let's not forget that these amps were heavily EQed with 2 parametric EQs and who knows what else magic studio stuff.
Totally agree, it was a sum of all the parts that made the magic possible.
Metallica’s playing and writing were off the charts killer, but make no mistake, the unique and brutal tone of the C+ was a huge part of their iconic sound at the time.
I’m 54 and had MOP the day it dropped, and everything about that album, including the guitar tone was absolutely jaw dropping. If that album had the RTL tone, it wouldn’t have been nearly as surgical and brutal, and the C+ was the only amp capable of that tone in 1986.
 
Metallica is one of the Heavier bands to use a Mark IIC+, and even they used a PEQ. I will say do you think I can get into Lamb of God territory with just a boost? I love the Marshall Silver Jubilee for just straight lead work most of all. I'm hoping this amp is really good for leads ala Petruuci style, and can match or overtake my 2555x
You're better off getting a IV for older Lamb Of God tones, or even a Badlander... the tones on "Omens" are pretty fucking killer and they're mostly a Badlander from what I heard. But I think a IIC+ would get you there in that ball park.
 
Totally agree, it was a sum of all the parts that made the magic possible.
Metallica’s playing and writing were off the charts killer, but make no mistake, the unique and brutal tone of the C+ was a huge part of their iconic sound at the time.
I’m 54 and had MOP the day it dropped, and everything about that album, including the guitar tone was absolutely jaw dropping. If that album had the RTL tone, it wouldn’t have been nearly as surgical and brutal, and the C+ was the only amp capable of that tone in 1986.
I agree, the tone on RTL is a blurry mess compared to MOP. It's not bad though.
 
Well, heavy guitar is still popular here, that's for sure, but in the real world it's not as popular as it once was for sure. But seriously, when you buy an amp, don't you want it to have enough gain to rip your face off, I know I do. The Mark IVb I have fits the bill for me, i'm still finding new tones in that amp 10 years later so I rarely have GAS for amplifiers. Not really interested in the IIC+ reissue to be honest, I think all of the tones in that vid sound kinda dated, although they weren't bad, it reminded me of the III red stripe I used to own. Good sounding, but definitely stuck in the 80's.
I think the IV is better than the JP2C, the VII, and will best the C+ RI as well.
The IV is a KILLER amp and still better than 98% of modern amps imo.
 
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