Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Simul-Class, GEQ, Hardwood Medium Head

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Scott French

This is a holy grail kind of amp on multiple fronts. IIC+/Simul-Class/GEQ is the most desired vintage Boogie by far, and for the hardwood fans these medium head shells in hardwood/wicker are almost never to be found, and the 415/416 power tube combo is the best for vintage Simul-Class Boogies. STR-415s are not common, but STR-416s have become VERY rare. On top of that, we have all the original paperwork. The tubes are tested and matching.

This is a MESA/Boogie Mark IIC+ from 1984. It is a DG, which means Simul-Class power section and Graphic EQ. No reverb. It is a medium head, which is "the big one" for Mark series amps. The headshell is likely imbuia, but I am unsure as there are no markings. The grill is wicker. Originally a long MESA/Boogie plate was installed, but I switched it over to a Boogie plate that is period correct. You can see some discoloration on the wicker where the longer plate was originally installed. As this is a Simul-Class amp I am including STR-415 6L6s in the inner sockets and STR-416 EL34s in the outer sockets. These are known to be the best tubes for these amps and what was available from Boogie when the IIC+ was released.

The condition is good, but not nearly perfect. I would rate the chassis a 7/10 and the head shell a 6/10. Others might list this as very good or excellent but I see no reason to exaggerate the condition of a 30+ year old amp. The chassis has some tarnishing and stains as well as chips and paint wear here and there. The knobs don't look great. The tube retainers are pretty crusty. That being said, the face plate is pretty clean, the guts look very clean, and the transformers look good. The important stuff is all nice. I don't know the service history, but I do not believe the power cord is original. The headshell is solid, but has a lot of battle scars. Many dents and dings, lots of paint stains on the back, you can clearly see the dovetails are raised on both sides. It's a definitely a 10+ footer, but how often do you see a hardwood medium head?

A lot of original paperwork is included here. Price list, order forms, letter to the original owner, original receipt, schematic, user manual, a bumper sticker, and an original catalog. As reflected in the original receipt, this amp started it's life in a cream head shell. I moved it into a hardwood head that to the best of my knowledge is an original MESA/Boogie and of the correct era.

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