Grateful Dead Music Forum

Any ideas on what mesa bobby had in spring 77? And if it's a mark 1 like I think, any less rare/expensive ideas to get in the same ballpark? Thanks y'all!

I have found non-reverb (maybe they all were) Mark I's for around $800. In fact I've seen 2 with JBL K120's. Rare but not impossible.

Very loud 6L6 amp. Also very freakin' cool. Lot's of Mesa models can crank a mean Bobby/Jerry with a JBL. I bet that TA-30 Head with a JBL 1x cab would make a very cool Bobby/Jerry amp.

I think Bobby used it as a pre-amp with a McIntosh power amp.

ace

mkaufman wrote:I think Bobby used it as a pre-amp with a McIntosh power amp.

Either that or a Godzilla amp. Seem to recall pics of both. But my memory gets worse by the day.

Mostly used in '76 & '77 which pre-dates Godzilla.

ace

Weir used 2 different Boogies pretty consistently from 75'-late 78'...

He had a 75' Mark I Combo which is 1 of 6 The Dead purchased from Boogie in and around the Blues for Allah sessions. He used this almost exclusively as a live rig with a McIntosh MC2300 from 75' to 12/31/76. Weir, Garcia and Godchaux all used them for the 76' comeback tour. As an interesting sidenote it looks as if Boogie sent them a few with 5 band EQ...Some 76' gigs have either Garcia and/or Weir using the model with the GEQ. It changes show to show in some cases. Some nights none of the ones with GEQ are used.

When the Dead went out on the road in early 77' Weir received a new Mark I Head with reverb & 5-band EQ which Boogie confirms is actually a 76' production model. It is virtually an identical amp circuit-wise to the 75' Boogie combos...but Boogie was constantly tweaking the Mark I circuit path during those years, particularly the pre-amp. You can line 10 Mark I's up in a row from that era and they all sound slightly different. Weir uses this amp exclusively for some time. Although both Peavey & Music Man amps make appearances, the Boogie continues to show up in late 1978 with both The Dead and The Bob Weir Band...

Boogie Mark I's have shot up in price over the last several years...rightfully so in my humble opinion. They can still be had for about $1000 if you dig. The asking price recently has been more like $1500-$4500 depending on features, hardwood/cane, reverb, EQ, year produced, etc...

Thanks y'all! I'll keep my eyes out for a Mark 1 head

Also look for an early eighties Mesa Boogie SOB ,but only use the channel 2 input. I have several of them. This was Mesa's first attempt at a reissue of the Mark I. Lots of bang for your buck.

Hi,
I recently acquired a mesa boogie mark v. I have a PRS single cut with humbuckers.
I have been playing weir correct voicings as taught by Seth Fleishman on grateful guitar lessons.
Struggling with finding the Weir tone. I know with all the settings on each channel do but can't put it all together to get things close. I have some pedals.... I strymon riverside, a compressor, tube screamer.... anyway, the amp has on board reverb... I deployed that and it sounds good. If anyone has amp/guitar settings for the mark v, to help get me close that would be great.
With all the possibilities with this amp I know the tone is there I need some tips before I lose my mind.
Been mostly working in channel 1 but I think the Mark 1 is on channel 2, I think bobby had a mark 1 at some point? Who knows.
Best,
Dobberoo

In general, for a later 70's Weir tone, you should turn the bass way down and you may need to turn down the treble too.

Also, you really should have a guitar with a middle single coil pickup. That PRS is not designed for Weir's '77 tone.

ace

Thanks man... I am using similar settings... you are right on the PRS... I need a strat... I have a Mexican one to delploy, I don't love it, I hate everything about the neck but ... if anyone out there have any tips on channel settings/eq on the mark v... bring it my way.... the amp is exhausting me a little.

Thanks man... I am using similar settings... you are right on the PRS... I need a strat... I have a Mexican one to delploy, I don't love it, I hate everything about the neck but ... if anyone out there have any tips on channel settings/eq on the mark v... bring it my way.... the amp is exhausting me a little.

I misread your original post. You have a Mark V. I don't know anything about that amp. I can tell you that Weir had a Mark I.

ace

All good.... thanks for the reply

I'll second the idea of a Boogie SOB. I have one as well. It gets astounding clean tones and the Black Shadow in came with is similar to a JBL, with a massive magnet. The amp weighs a ton and I don't use it much because it's too loud - although I was thinking a Universal Audio Ox would pair well with it.

The amp is maligned amongst critics because of the "Limit" knob, which is designed to give you distortion at lower volumes. It sounds pretty horrible. There is an easy fix though - don't touch it! Then you have a (slightly more aggressive) Mark I with tons of headroom.