Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

Does Metallica even use theirs anymore?

They might in the studio, but they might have also moved onto even more EQ trickery and rarer amps. As I indicated above, there's evidence to suggest that they're using the Kemper for at least something, possibly live, possibly in the studio, maybe both.

[Jeff5]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

Has Mesa not figured out how much money they'd make if they simply re-introduced the IIC+ built as it was back in the 80s? I mean, seriously? If I owned an amp company that made what turned out to be highly sought-after and collectible, with people paying Harvard Tuition money for them, I'd have them meticulously recreated and sold for what I had into 'em and swim to work everyday through all the money I made.

Imagine a real-live Plexi that was for-real identical to the ones everyone masturbates to? For $800 new. You could drop every other amp you make for decades.

I thought about that too. There has to be some internal company reason/debate/issue why they won't do this. If you and I (and others) have thought it, they have to.

With regards to the Petrucci sig, looks awesome, priced high (of course), we'll see what the used market brings in a few years =D.

[Toe-Knee]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

I've read that the company that made the transformers no longer being in operation or something. A key component to the sound that hasn't been replicated, which is kind of ironic as Master Of Puppets was recorded using a 2C+ slaved into the power section of a Marshall with a whole bunch of studio EQ trickery thrown in.

An elusive tone that even the owners of haven't settled with. Petrucci seems to have been chasing the dragon of an amp he's had for decades. Does Metallica even use theirs anymore? Who else does?

Schumacker. However you can get 1:1 copies made anywhere and from AB tests when I built my clone with an original OT a custom wind and just a 50w marshall transformer they all sounded virtually identical. The actual magic in that tone is in the circuit not the transformers. The OT itself is actually more similar to a 50w plexi transformer than anything else which is very easily obtainable.

TAD in Germany actually offer a MKIIC+ transformer built to the original specs that Mesa themselves recommend techs as a replacement for failed units.

[Lampy H]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

I know James still has his old IIC+ from the MOP days, I think I read an interview somewhere saying he used it here and there on Death Magnetic.

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

Has Mesa not figured out how much money they'd make if they simply re-introduced the IIC+ built as it was back in the 80s? I mean, seriously? If I owned an amp company that made what turned out to be highly sought-after and collectible, with people paying Harvard Tuition money for them, I'd have them meticulously recreated and sold for what I had into 'em and swim to work everyday through all the money I made.

I thought about that too. There has to be some internal company reason/debate/issue why they won't do this.

IMO, they wouldn't sell that well. While the initial surge would probably be decent people would quickly realize why they were never that popular to begin with and once their curiosity was satisfied they'd turn around and dump them on the used market.

Anyone who is serious about wanting a Mark IIC+ can easily get one. They're for sale all the time and the price isn't all that extravagant for a holy grail amplifier that was only made in limited quantities. Anyone who can't afford a IIC+ can easily buy an early Mark III and have the majority of the IIC+ sound, and as a bonus it's even more raw and aggressive... but no one wants a Mark III because of the compromises in it's design, which happen to be the same compromises that are in the IIC+. There's a reason you see guys like Hetfield and Petrucci using a TriAxis live... and it's not because they can't afford to gig real IIC+s.

On that note, other options for people who're chasing that sound include the Studio Preamp, Quad Preamp, and TriAxis preamp.

Long story short, there's a lot of options available for people who are serious about wanting that particular sound, even if they can't afford the real deal... and since I'm fairly certain that the majority of people whining about Mesa not offering a true reissue don't own any of this gear, I can only assume that they're not serious enough about wanting it to put their money where their mouth is.

[B2D]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

On one hand - I'm kind of at the stage where I'm eye-rolling at all the signature gear that Petrucci has. I think he might be tied with Zak Wylde at this point.

On other hand, it might be nice to play an amp that's close to a IIC+ that hasn't been mistreated or altered by some clown with a soldering iron.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

that looks pretty bad ass

Looks EXPENSIVE !

[allbutromeo]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

I hope that when Mesa comes out with a Mk VI eventually it looks a bit like this combined with the MkV. Or basically a MkV with two assignable GEQs. On the current model I don't really like the blend able preset, and it's kind of tough to get a GEQ setting that works well for channel 2 that still works for channel3. YMMV.

[dystrust]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

IMO, they wouldn't sell that well. While the initial surge would probably be decent people would quickly realize why they were never that popular to begin with and once their curiosity was satisfied they'd turn around and dump them on the used market.

Anyone who is serious about wanting a Mark IIC+ can easily get one. They're for sale all the time and the price isn't all that extravagant for a holy grail amplifier that was only made in limited quantities. Anyone who can't afford a IIC+ can easily buy an early Mark III and have the majority of the IIC+ sound, and as a bonus it's even more raw and aggressive... but no one wants a Mark III because of the compromises in it's design, which happen to be the same compromises that are in the IIC+. There's a reason you see guys like Hetfield and Petrucci using a TriAxis live... and it's not because they can't afford to gig real IIC+s.

On that note, other options for people who're chasing that sound include the Studio Preamp, Quad Preamp, and TriAxis preamp.

Long story short, there's a lot of options available for people who are serious about wanting that particular sound, even if they can't afford the real deal... and since I'm fairly certain that the majority of people whining about Mesa not offering a true reissue don't own any of this gear, I can only assume that they're not serious enough about wanting it to put their money where their mouth is.

+1

I've played through a Mark IIC+, but it was only for a couple minutes and I don't remember it all that well. I'm much more familiar with the Triaxis / Mark III, while my bro used to own both a Studio Pre and Quad. Of these options the Triaxis probably sounds the least like the others, but it also offers lots of sounds that you can't easily get from a Mark IIC+/III. The Mark III, Studio, & Quad OTOH all sound VERY similar, and my bro ended up choosing the Studio Pre because it had better clarity than the Quad and was more versatile (via choosing a power amp) than any of the Mark IIIs he auditioned. The Triaxis was eliminated because it was just too expensive (at the time) for the quality of sounds available.

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

- Not the MkV C+ mode, is designed to sound like a specific C+ that JP has.

- Shred mode is a frequency shift that focuses on clarity.

- Channel 1 has more headroom than a C+.

- Channels 2 & 3 aren't identical. One is slightly crunchier and the other is slightly more creamy with a bit more gain.

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

- Channels 2 & 3 aren't identical. One is slightly crunchier and the other is slightly more creamy with a bit more gain.

One is probably intended as his rhythm channel (probably the crunchier of the two) and the other is his lead channel.

[VHTJay]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

One is probably intended as his rhythm channel (probably the crunchier of the two) and the other is his lead channel.

And this is honestly the coolest thing about this amp IMO: not the fact that you are getting and exact replica of the 2C+.....but that you are getting that venerable platform with 3 channels, 2 eq's and tweaked.
The clean channel on Marks has always been great in my opinion, so that is there

The crunch....well....in the 80's there weren't many amps that could do what the 2C+ could, but I can easily get that type of rhythm tone with my Fryette/VHT or channel 3b on my H&K Triamp. Other guys can get it with a 5150, Diezel, Bogner, etc. That isn't necessarily the big draw, although I have played a 2C+ and owned the mk4, studio pre and triaxis (twice) and do think that the mark series tight and punchy rhythm tone is still a great one.

The lead tone on a Mark is another matter. It is what I miss most about my Mk4 and studio. Dialed in, it was the easiest lead tone to play. It just FELT great to play. The problem is, is that on a mk4 you were compromising: you set the amp for a killer tight rhythm....you lose the lead tone. Vice versa and you take a hit in the rhythm.

So, to have a 2C+ platform where you don't have to compromise? Oh man.....very interested!

[LazNovak]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

This looks awesome. I was thinking of getting a Mark V but I'd rather have the JP.

[B2D]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

Looks EXPENSIVE !

$2499, so Bogner/Friedman money.

But don't worry!! You can FINANCE IT!!

Watched the video last night.

I'll admit it sounds pretty darn good from here. I just wish he hadn't used a chorus on the clean channel demo. I'd be OK with a delay like he had with lead but chorus is coloring the tone too much. I wanna hear the AMP.

[allbutromeo]

Re: Mesa Petrucci Sig 2C+ishness

$2499, so Bogner/Friedman money.

But don't worry!! You can FINANCE IT!!

Watched the video last night.

I'll admit it sounds pretty darn good from here. I just wish he hadn't used a chorus on the clean channel demo. I'd be OK with a delay like he had with lead but chorus is coloring the tone too much. I wanna hear the AMP.

Thats a lot less than I was expecting. It's only $250 more than a MkV and $250 less than a Road King II