MESA/Boogie Mark IIB

On Monday I traded my 1986 Marshall JCM800 4210 combo for a 1981 Mesa Mark IIB 60 watt combo with reverb and graphic EQ. The Marshall wasn't really the amp for me. I have a few other amps that get Marshall type sounds that are more to my liking- I like the earlier, non-master type Marshall sounds (though the master in my Avatar 45 makes those sounds more accessible).

I saw an ad on CL on Sunday. They guy was looking to trade his Mesa MKIIB for a JCM800. I've wanted to try a MKIIB for a long time so it was a good match.

The Mesa is a player grade amp. It'll need filter caps (they're all original) and a couple of EQ faders (thought he broken ones still work). The clean sound is really fat and warm. It sounds great with all of my guitars. The lead sounds are great too- a little bluesier than later Mark amps. Unfortunately, it's tough to get both of those sounds with the same EQ settings. The bass setting that makes the clean sound great (1.5-2 on the dial) is too much for chording in the lead mode- though single note soloing sound good. You really have to lower the bass as low as zero in the lead mode and put it back with the EQ.
Fuzz pedals through the clean setting sound great!

I can't get over how much better all of the sounds from this amp sound compared to my Mesa Studio .22. I think I'm going to take the amp to a jam session on Friday night.

I apologize for the low quality pics- it's hard to take good pics in my basement "studio".

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7901/...f29ed894_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7808/...357fca9e_b.jpg

nice amp, pretty much the only boogie model I really like. what does it have for a speaker?

I like my Mesa TA-15 a lot- it makes great Vox and Marshall sounds for under $500 and is not what people think a Mesa is.

The speaker is a Celestion MC-90. I don't know if it's original to the amp- I don't think the speaker was available when this amp was made, though I could be wrong.

never got to try a TA-15

I had one of those about 20 years ago great amp!

MY MESA F30 Changed MY RELIGION!

LOVE the damn thing period -- if I can only have 1 amp-- THAT is it -- (I have 4 others Marshall-- Custom boutique 5 watt made by local amp guy-- Peavey 112 Bandit and a Panama 5 watt) -- hands down the MEsa slays all

congrats and welcome to the tonal Nirvana club :appl:

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Originally Posted by Volumeknob

congrats and welcome to the tonal Nirvana club :appl:

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I've got 3 other Mesa amps and have had several more in the past. I like them! Now I regret that I sold my Mesa EVM-12L Thiele cab a couple of years ago!

I'm replacing the filter bias supply caps in this amp in a few days. They're dated the 50th week of 1980 and the 44th week of 1978 and one has a blister on it. The amp sounds fine, but they're time bombs. New ones, along with 2 new EQ faders, fader knobs and a new pilot lamp.

:appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl::appl:

Congrats,

I love Mesa Mark series combos. I’ve owned Mark 1 RI’s, Mark IIB’s, and a Mark III. The Mark IIB’s were my favorite.

I’ve owned a couple of Mark IIB’s, both 1982 models. One was a 100/60 watt combo with an EQ and the second one was a Simul-Class combo with Reverb and no EQ.

Both amps had EVM-12L’s inside. I do recommend the EV speaker in these amps but it does add 10-15 lbs to an already heavy but compact combo.

I usually used both amps on the clean channel with an OD pedal.

Congrats again and enjoy.

I'm dying to try an EVM-12L in this amp. I used to have a Mesa Thiele cab with one in it. I wish I had that cab now!

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Originally Posted by Don

I'm dying to try an EVM-12L in this amp. I used to have a Mesa Thiele cab with one in it. I wish I had that cab now!

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The C90 Black Shadow is still a good speaker in a Mesa amp. I have one boxed in my music room closet in case I ever pick up another 1x12 cab.

I think this amp predates the C90 that's in it. Judging by the location of the speaker mounting holes, i think it came with an MS-12 (Eminence) 150 watt Black Shadow.

It sounds great as it is and only weighs 50 pounds. My EVM-12L Thiele cab weighed over 40 pounds with no amp!

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Originally Posted by Don

I'm dying to try an EVM-12L in this amp. I used to have a Mesa Thiele cab with one in it. I wish I had that cab now!

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Not familiar with that speaker, if it’s original, it should be spec’d-out well for your amp.

Congrats again and enjoy.

Mark IIs are the best Mesas and quite good amps overall.

I have an A with reverb and an EVM12L. It is LOUD and very direct sounding (a bit boxy, frankly, due to the small cabinet) and it weighs enough to anchor a destroyer. You will be heard with this amp; I dont care what anyone else is playing.

It's not my favorite but I paid 600 dollars for it so I keep it under my desk so I can sneak in some playing while I work sometimes.

Very underrated amps; the store I bought mine from was happy to see the amp go. Most people couldn't pick it up, it was too loud, too noisy, the settings are a real PITA to get right, the overdrive is only so-so, etc. Go figure that an actual workhorse amp wouldnt be popular, at least where I lived at the time there was nowhere you could play loud unless you played metal so I feel like I got a good deal. I think even when I bought it a DRRI woudl have been ~800 in good nick. It's certainly a much better amplifier than that.