Mesa Mk III - Bogner 20th ----SLO? Comparison Help

[jlbaxe]

So I have been "trying" to play Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton tunes lately. I started out with my Bogner clean with a TS808 small square button model and on the Stones song it sounds ok. Was playing Clapton, Forever man and just can't get it as close as I want, red seems a little loose even with the 808, the blue ch seems to work better. I know Keith used a Mk series once and Fenders 95% of the time, My Mk III does a good job on the Stones

Switched back over to my Mk III Purple Stripe with the 808 and BAM "Forever Man" pretty damn close which amazed me. Tight tone on all 3 channels. This had me remembering that I read Mark Soldano started mod'n Mk II amps and the first 4 SLO were MK II mod'd. Must be why the MK III seem to get me close to the "Forever Man" tone and did fairly well on "Layla" and "Sunshine". I think maybe Layla and Sunshine (with his ES335) were played with a JTM45?

All that being said would I be correct thinking that the SLO is a tight amp and the Bogner a Loose amp with the Mesa MK III in between?

The more I have been playing lately the more I have been gas'n for a SLO I have been using my Strat but it has the S/S/H S1 system...not really fond of that but luv the guitar itself. Looking at picking up a Clapton Blackie since it has the TBX mid and booster S/S/S setup.

 

[cardinal]

When I first got a SLO, I immediately thought it sounded very similar to a Mesa Mark, except one that I actually could dial in. Not exactly the same, of course, but much more similar than the SLO/Marshall comparison that you'll read more people try to make.

SLO is "tight" in that there's a lot of note-to-note clarity, but I don't think the pick attack is incredibly "immediate," which a lot of people seem to think of as "tight.". There's a touch of give with the SLO pick attack IMHO that makes leads just flow out of my fingers so smoothly. But it's not at all muddy or slurred, so I think of it as "tight."

Brilliant amp.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Ok, good. I thought I would be tarred and feathered if I said my SLO reminded me of a Mesa Mark. I thought that the first time I cranked her up. There's so many Marshall comparisons to the SLO, but after owning one, it's apparent that that comparison isn't completely accurate.

 

[sled]

You may be better served looking at other amps.

 

[jlbaxe]

You may be better served looking at other amps.

Any suggestions and why? I have gone through quite a few amps in my amp flipping days

I like the HB/HBE100, Dr Z, Shiva and Hiwatt DG103 and Fender Twin/Deluxe but not enough to go out and buy them.

I do not play any drop tuning or heavy stuff. More Classic rock, Jazz/blues.

So what are your suggestions?

 

[cardinal]

If you like high gain amps of any genre, the SLO is worth a look IMHO. Not everyone's cup of tea I suppose, but legendary for a reason and worth checking out.

Crunch channel isn't bad either for that type of music (straight up rock, classic rock). It's like a smoother, darker, thicker JCM 800 I guess... Like a JCM 800 except everything it isn't. lol.

 

[jlbaxe]

If you like high gain amps of any genre, the SLO is worth a look IMHO. Not everyone's cup of tea I suppose, but legendary for a reason and worth checking out.

Crunch channel isn't bad either for that type of music (straight up rock, classic rock). It's like a smoother, darker, thicker JCM 800 I guess... Like a JCM 800 except everything it isn't. lol.

The SLO is the next amp

I was just wondering about what Sled posted and his recommended choice of amps.

 

[sled]

You may be better served looking at other amps.

Any suggestions and why? I have gone through quite a few amps in my amp flipping days

Not sure which Bogner you have? Trying to avoid casting a wide net, but these amps are more rock borderline metal. Can a SLO do Blues, yea... but. I have a SLO and a Mark III. I've tried them and they get there partway. That's the issue, partway. I play in an aggressive Blues band, Chris Duarte, Albert Cummings type stuff. Right now I'm playing a 65 Amps Empire and 3 Monkeys Virgil. The Empire covers most of the territory and the Virgil is a lead only. Guitars are a LP and PRS 305, which pretty much covers all sides. I definitely am not saying they can't work, but for me they just require a lot of effort to get there. I'm sure others are successful.

Also, I've backed down on the power levels. Still a lot for most any club.

I like the HB/HBE100, Dr Z, Shiva and Hiwatt DG103 and Fender Twin/Deluxe but not enough to go out and buy them.

I do not play any drop tuning or heavy stuff. More Classic rock, Jazz/blues.

So what are your suggestions?

I don't really have suggestions. IMO hi-gain amps can possibly work with effort, but don't quite fit the bill if you need to cover a lot of different classic rock and jazz/blues stuff. BTW, I have quite a few hi-gain amps.

Budget?

 

[jlbaxe]

You may be better served looking at other amps.

Any suggestions and why? I have gone through quite a few amps in my amp flipping days

Not sure which Bogner you have? Trying to avoid casting a wide net, but these amps are more rock borderline metal. Can a SLO do Blues, yea... but. I have a SLO and a Mark III. I've tried them and they get there partway. That's the issue, partway. I play in an aggressive Blues band, Chris Duarte, Albert Cummings type stuff. Right now I'm playing a 65 Amps Empire and 3 Monkeys Virgil. The Empire covers most of the territory and the Virgil is a lead only. Guitars are a LP and PRS 305, which pretty much covers all sides. I definitely am not saying they can't work, but for me they just require a lot of effort to get there. I'm sure others are successful.

Also, I've backed down on the power levels. Still a lot for most any club.

I like the HB/HBE100, Dr Z, Shiva and Hiwatt DG103 and Fender Twin/Deluxe but not enough to go out and buy them.

I do not play any drop tuning or heavy stuff. More Classic rock, Jazz/blues.

So what are your suggestions?

I don't really have suggestions. IMO hi-gain amps can possibly work with effort, but don't quite fit the bill if you need to cover a lot of different classic rock and jazz/blues stuff. BTW, I have quite a few hi-gain amps.

Budget?

Don't really have a budget Im thinking a used Fender twin(Or Diaz clone), Orange AD30 and SLO and I will be done collecting amps. I don't really need any other amps and don't play in a band anymore. Guitars and gear is my drug addiction, at least I can get something back when I sell stuff.

My Bogner is the 6L6 version. Great amp and a keeper, works for a lot of what I play, luv the Blue and Green channels the most. The Mk III is the 60w 6L6 version and covers Fender-ish clean as long as I don't use my LP and SLO-ish drive with a TS808.

I hear good cleans from the SLO youtube vids and like the Warren Haynes tones ( I know he uses a Diaz amp also and now a PRS amp.)

 

[RG955TT]

If you have XTC then blue unboosted with lower gain for dirty sounds should be the best of what you describe. Why you would use green clean then add artificial drive is puzzling to me...the blue with lower gain is perfect, need a little more gain hit the boost for blue. Red then set up for slightly more gain than boosted blue, then boosted red for solos etc. Out of all those amps none to me would be a choice over my XTC for what you want. I think you need to work more with the XTC controls, the pre eq is like a gain switch too, controls a lot of the response gain and feel on those channels both blue and red.

 

[jlbaxe]

If you have XTC then blue unboosted with lower gain for dirty sounds should be the best of what you describe. Why you would use green clean then add artificial drive is puzzling to me...the blue with lower gain is perfect, need a little more gain hit the boost for blue. Red then set up for slightly more gain than boosted blue, then boosted red for solos etc. Out of all those amps none to me would be a choice over my XTC for what you want. I think you need to work more with the XTC controls, the pre eq is like a gain switch too, controls a lot of the response gain and feel on those channels both blue and red.

Yeah I need to mess with a lot more with the switches, modern/vintage, pre eq etc. That amp has so many possibilities and switches. I just notice quite a bit of difference between the 20th and Mk III. I am in no way dis satisfied with the XTC. Does Zeppelin really well and so much more. wanting a new flavor that will pair well.

Honestly I have been spending a lot of time with the Mesa and been really happy. Saving the tubes on the Bogner, Mesa is so simple to change tubes and a lot cheaper