Mesa Mark IIC+ prices?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jakem
  • Start date Start date
It's harder to make comparisons when you've had 1 or 2. I've had 8 IIC+/++ and 8 Mark III/+.

5 of those III, including a red ++, couldn't touch any of the IIC+ I've had. They were some level of blankety or overly harsh. Two of the three no stripes I've had were very good and only slightly behind the C+ in terms of general clarity, but right there on lead tones. One was a DRG with the 105 & the better one was a SG III+. I still think the II/III 60s have the best tone.

Then we have this 1999 (yes you read that right) blue stripe III+ SRG which is the only one I still own. It defies all MKIII traditional wisdom. A/Bing with a C+ you can still tell which is which, however the tone is outstanding and when paired with my M180 it's possibly the best Mark I've played in the live band mix (which is saying something). The only guess I have as to why it's so good is with component changes since this was well into IV production. Also the preamp is a newer revision than the 90s blue stripes- but I can't find anything on it.

 
The entire reason Beyond Black sold me his mkIII++ was because he told me when compared to his IIC+ it was close enough (not better, close enough) not to need both. Given how much IIC+ are, this III++ is great and I don’t desire to own a IIC+.
 
glpg80 said:
The entire reason Beyond Black sold me his mkIII++ was because he told me when compared to his IIC+ it was close enough (not better, close enough) not to need both. Given how much IIC+ are, this III++ is great and I don’t desire to own a IIC+.
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Would love to try out a coliseum one day. The clip sounded great!
 
If anyone wants a IIC+: just get a Mark VII. It’s a fantastic amp. The IIC+ and IV modes rule.



Can you hear a $10k difference?
 
pipboy90 said:
If anyone wants a IIC+: just get a Mark VII. It’s a fantastic amp. The IIC+ and IV modes rule.



Can you hear a $10k difference?
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JP2C sounded closer to the IIC+ on the drive and top end. Mark VII was close but I would be able to tell the difference in a blind clip. I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in a blind clip with the JP2C and a IIC+
 
peterc52 said:
Would love to try out a coliseum one day. The clip sounded great!
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He wasn’t kidding. It fucks hard. It dethroned the XTC and Nick/Cameron Aldrich in terms of sheer gain and big low end. The only saving grace for the Marshall’s I’ve got is that they are way more musical to solo over hands down. The III still has some of that sharpness people speak of in the solo notes - it’s not completely gone. Solo tracking id still choose a boosted blue XTC over the III++ but for rhythm tracking and sheer brutality the III++ wins absolutely hands down.
 
glpg80 said:
JP2C sounded closer to the IIC+ on the drive and top end. Mark VII was close but I would be able to tell the difference in a blind clip. I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in a blind clip with the JP2C and a IIC+
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Actually, l took a closer look at his settings for the VII and JP2C in the vid:
JP2C.png
mark_VII.png


The JP2C will have more bass at the pregain stage than the VII at those settings. I've found that on the VII you can get away with having the bass set higher than you normally would on a Mark amp and it won't get flubby. I like my bass around 10-11 o'clock with the Treble knob at 1-2 o'clock. Mids to taste.

My point is, I bet I could dial in the Mark VII to be more bass heavy and match the JP2C/IIC+, it's just not going to do it at the same knob/EQ settings. For what it's worth, I've had a JP2C in the past and didn't like it. Had a saggy response in the bass and too much low mids in general. The VII is just right imo.
 
pipboy90 said:
Actually, l took a closer look at his settings for the VII and JP2C in the vid:
View attachment 211546View attachment 211543

The JP2C will have more bass at the pregain stage than the VII at those settings. I've found that on the VII you can get away with having the bass set higher than you normally would on a Mark amp and it won't get flubby. I like my bass around 10-11 o'clock with the Treble knob at 1-2 o'clock. Mids to taste.

My point is, I bet I could dial in the Mark VII to be more bass heavy and match the JP2C/IIC+, it's just not going to do it at the same knob/EQ settings. For what it's worth, I've had a JP2C in the past and didn't like it. Had a saggy response in the bass and too much low mids in general. The VII is just right imo.
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Thanks for clarifying. Seems he had some more dialing in to do on the 7. On the clip alone the JP and IIC sound similar but with these mark amps there’s a fine line between pushing the gain on tap and ugly flubby bass that doesn’t hold together.
 
The old IIC+'s have just become collector's items over the last couple of years. Just like old handwired, pre-PCB Marshalls. They might dip a bit but they aren't ever going to go back to pre-covid prices.

That said, you can still find "deals" on some here and there (think $5-7k), but you're probably going to have to compromise and get a 60w or one without a GEQ or whatever. AFAIK, you can still send those amps to Mike B and have the features added. It'll cost you, but it'll get you where you want.

I briefly toyed with the idea of selling my '83 DRGX to a guy here on RT but his offer was a little low, the amp was out at Mesa for service (retube/recap/etc), and I love the amp so it just didn't make sense.

Nothing sounds like those old IIC+'s; however, the 2022 JP-2C I just got with the newer Schumacher transformer is very, very close and it only cost $2500 shipped with no tax. So there's that.
 
pipboy90 said:
If anyone wants a IIC+: just get a Mark VII. It’s a fantastic amp. The IIC+ and IV modes rule.



Can you hear a $10k difference?
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Ola has a way of making everything sound (good but) the same. I know how different the JP is from the C+, I've had 2 JPs as well, and the fact that they were damn near identical for his clip makes me go hmmm..

At any rate, my VII will be here ...today! I have a reamp comparo (with all analog gear) lined up against an OG IIB, IIC+ and IV that I'll be working on this weekend.
 
During Covid I got my long head HR for 2k and sent it to Mike to add the geq. I picked up a local 60 watt non eq for 1200. It was a combo I converted to a head. The deals are out there and usually local. Market rate is basically 5-10 depending on configuration though.
 
glpg80 said:
The entire reason Beyond Black sold me his mkIII++ was because he told me when compared to his IIC+ it was close enough (not better, close enough) not to need both. Given how much IIC+ are, this III++ is great and I don’t desire to own a IIC+.
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Yeah, C+‘s and III’s are 90% alike imo and it’s redundant to own both. I prefer the C+, but a III will definitely get you close for a lot less cash. That being said, that extra 10% is pretty damn special, thus the extra coin.
 
GJgo said:
Ola has a way of making everything sound (good but) the same. I know how different the JP is from the C+, I've had 2 JPs as well, and the fact that they were damn near identical for his clip makes me go hmmm..
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Agree 100%. In person, the differences between the two are quite substantial. Any similarities that the JP shares with the C+ are much less raw and organic.
 
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