What's the deal with Boogies?

ModestCargo

ModestCargo

New member
A few days ago I went over to a buddy's house and he had, among other things, a 90s Gibson Les Paul and an old Mesa/Boogie Mk III.

He played a Tele through a Blues Jr (sounded o.k. except when he switched on this "tonebone" pedal).

I played the 'paul through the Boogie. I do not for the life of me know why people like these amps. The clean sound was absolutley AWFUL so I thought that maybe the "lead" sound would make up for it - nope, just as bad. Very, very thin sound, harsh and buzzy. I'd describe it as "sterile". I even cranked it sky high in an effort to get it sounding good - a TINY bit better, nothing much.

I'm thinking he needs to come over and play my Epi > Marshall DSL401 setup.

Thoughts?
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

It wasn't tweaked right. Boogies aren't plug and play amps and sound thin and terrible if the eq and such isn't set just so. I had the same impression the first time I played through a dual recto. After playing through a few that've been dialed in right I wouldn't have thought it was the same amp!
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

Mark III is one of the best Mesa amps. The EQ is not your "normal" Marshall amp EQ. When I play through Marshalls, I can just set the same EQ setting and all of them would sound very very similar. With Mesa amps, you have to tweak, tweak, and tweak until you found that one setting that would just scream "THIS ONE."
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

A properly set up Mark III is still one of the most formidable amps ever made. There might be several reasons why it sounded thin, but it's hard to say without hearing and playing it.

I have two Mark IIIs: one is a Coliseum 200-watt half-stack, and the other a Simul-Class-EQ-REV combo with the 112 EVM and a matching 112 EVM Theile cabinet. I can assure you, neither amp sounds thin or buzzy.

And if another one came on the market near me at a good price, I'd be ALL over it!

Bill
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

do you know if the tubes of that particular boogie are still within their optimum service life? ... are you sure that guitar wasnt just a dog? .... what leads you to blame the amp straight away?
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

I've played that amp, it kills most marshalls even without spending 10-15 minutes setting it up properly for the guitar your using. That being said it may have been a dodgy les paul, or something like tubes.
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

Pecan said:
I've played that amp, it kills most marshalls even without spending 10-15 minutes setting it up properly for the guitar your using.
Click to expand...

Not everbody likes the compressed Mesa sound...
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

If it's like my Mark II, it's almost impossible to set up it up so the different channels sound good at the same time. The Mark III is a 3 channel amp, & my understanding is that it has the same issues - they are basically one sound amps. I don't foot switch at all. I prefer to set it and leave it. Once it's dialed in, it sounds phenomenal. Must use the EQ when using the high gain mode, tho Santana claims not to use the EQ on his Mark I.
 
Last edited:
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

shredaholic said:
Not everbody likes the compressed Mesa sound...
Click to expand...


Mark's aren't that badly compressed, actually.

Not everybody likes the twangy Marshall sound ;).
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

i've never played a boogie...:boggled:

that being said, my favorite setting for dirty stuff has always been the "california" settings on the tech 21 stuff i've used. i'd probably really like them if i played one...lol!?
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

And JeffB just proved my point. :D Thanks buddy!
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

hmmm yeah BOOGIES are all about tweaking

I sold both of mine for this very reason. I was spending my life swapping tubes and speakers - but they sound huge.

Where I live I can crank pretty loud with NO problems. I have even taken a 100w Marshall to some roaring heights (not for too too long, and I used ear plugs). The only comlaint I ever got was from my Mark IIB with an EV - it was so loud, focused, and powerful without being bright - it literally got noise complaints on something less than 2 on the volume!

Boogies rarely sound thin, esp not the Marks. They are better for leads than chords if you ask me. They don't have that rhythm crunch that people associate with Marshall's or even the Dual Rec. The cleans are usually quite exemplary, esp in the Mar I + II series. I cannot say much on the 3's, but the 4 did not wow me in the clean.

Great amps, when you make 'em sound right they are giant killers as they were once called. They (1x12 combos) can take on 4x12 stacks, and believe me I know this for a fact.
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

I never could warm up to them either. I have always felt that an amp that has that many knobs on it is just not for me. However I have heard some people play thru them and they sound great. You either Love em or hate em.

A few weeks ago I played thru a Lonestar. I still feel it has to many knobs, but I though this was a real nice amp.

The Boogie that I really liked was the Blue Angel. This had a dial on it that allowed you to select different tubes. It was the best sounding Boogie I ever played thru!!
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

As previously stated, you have to know the amp and know how to tweak it. My dad can make his sound sweet.:D
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

Bludave said:
A few weeks ago I played thru a Lonestar. I still feel it has to many knobs, but I though this was a real nice amp.
Click to expand...

Agreed. After being underwhelmed on the stop I made to the shop in my area with boutique amps (only played a few, and nothing too pricy really), if I had the cash, the Lonestar would be an amp in high consideration.
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

Thats the thing about boogies that i have been told since i bought mine is that they really have to be tweaked a nd you have to take your time about it.I first got a mark VI and it was nice but not exactly the modern sound i love so i got A recto. thing is I have heard recto sounds that are just massive and have that meanacing bite then, i have heard recto sounds the just straight up stink!!!!!!! Muddy and uniteligable. Also with an amp that has such a hyped response not every guitar and pick up combo sounds good. Take a custom custom. A lot of people like them but i ahve heard them thru the recto and many times it its is too muddy!!! I found the duncan custom to be muddy i my blues bird but the duncan distrotion rocks. So all of those elements matter. Tubes ect.
 
Re: What's the deal with Boogies?

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
Mark's aren't that badly compressed, actually.

Not everybody likes the twangy Marshall sound ;).
Click to expand...
And some folks like me don't groove to either Marshall or Mesa tones.

Of course, I'm not so keen on Fender and Gibson guitars, either. Why didn't I just play bass? :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Could 250k tonepot with humbucker be why sound is so dark in HSS strat
Replies
14
Views
329
Mincer
Mincer
D
Nut - the least friction
2
Replies
36
Views
1K
GuitarDoc
G
J
New Seymour Duncans
Replies
15
Views
1K
jeremy
jeremy
Mincer
Seymour Duncan Announces The Joe Bonamassa "Bolin Burst" Humbucker Set!
2 3
Replies
44
Views
2K
Mincer
Mincer
S
Fret break in??
Replies
17
Views
652
JMP/HBE
JMP/HBE
Back
Top