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Post subject: Decisions
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:19 pm
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Ok i have messed with my II fora bit over a week... i can still go back for an exchange.... starting to wondering if i should not have gone with a III ... or just gone Marshall and used my stomps.... what are the advantages of III over II? I see there are a few limitations with the stang those being not multiple of the same ie compression and OD .... but why a III over a II or why not just go with a marshal and stomps.... Input please


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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:32 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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You really need to decide whether the modelling approach of the Mustangs strikes a chord with you. If you have been playing with the II for a while you should have some idea of the possibilities and limitations by now.

I went from a II to a III, mainly because the II just couldn't keep pace in a full-on live band situation without being cranked to the point where the tone suffered (although mic'ing the II could no doubt overcome that issue).

I also changed up to get access to the very readable on-amp editing screen on the III that allows access to nearly all of the main preset/tone editing functions without needing to be hooked up to a computer. I also found the colour-coded preset banks on the II very hard to relate to.

I also think that the Celestion speaker in the III is superior in tone to the Fender 'special' speaker in the II, and the 100 available presets slots on the III certainly allow a lot of potential flexibility - although most of the time I am only using about 5 of them !

Others will no doubt chime in here with warnings about the 'fizz' on the III, IV and V. I don't think I have it, and if I do have it I can't hear it so I don't care. Others here will disagree, as is their right.

By 'a Marshall and stomps' I assume you mean a Marshall tube amp. Unless the Marshall is a very small one, there seems likely to be a cost penalty versus the Mustang, which in theory has no need for pedals, although plenty of people here seem to use pedals with their Mustangs and report good results.


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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:59 am
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depepat points out some key advantages of the III over the II. Its worth the $100 upgrade in my opinion.

But should you go with a Marshall and pedals instead? Well, first of all, you will never get the versatility of the Mustang with a Marshall, even with pedals. Your general tone may sound better, but will be limited to a certain type of sound (your not going to get a classic american blackface or silverface sound out of a Marshall). You also have to think about how you are using the amp. Do you need it for practice at home? A Marshall tube amp may be impractical. But if you are mostely into the Marshall tone, and your gigging with it, and don't mind spending the extra money then it may be a great choice.

I was looking at 4 factors when I decided on the Mustang III:
1. Versatility
2. Sound (quality of tone, even at low volume levels)
3. Price (most bang for the buck)
4. Foot print (something that didn't take up a lot of real estate)
The USB and FUSE was icing on the cake.

I know the Mustangs have certain limitations, but for my usage of the amp it has exceeded my expectations.


Last edited by Scorpaeon on Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:39 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:01 am
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Got the MII when it first came out. Upgraded to the MIII the day it came out. Glad I did, the MIII with the 100W and better speaker and LCD and 4 button switch capability is head and shoulders above the MII.


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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 3:34 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I got a Mustang II just over a year ago and was very impressed with the amp.

Now that I own a Marshall half-stack, I wanted something to match the versatility of the Fender Mustang with the power of the Marshall stack. So now I have a Mustang V (no fizz). It has less sheer volume than the Marshall valve stack but a lot more versatility and the V412 cabinet speakers really come into their own once the Master Volume passes 3. I use it more than my Marshall (because I'm a bedroom warrior, I know...).

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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:07 pm
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A tube Marshall with pedals and a Mustang really are very different pathways and, assuming you can't afford/don't want both, you really need to decide which way you go.

There are halfway houses, I guess. You could buy a Marshall and put a multi-effects/amp modeller (eg the Zoom G3) in front of it to give you some of the Mustang options, or as noted above, you could go with the Mustang but also use pedals to try and make it more 'tubey'.

But fundamentally they are different animals. Some people love playing with the bells and whistles of the Mustangs, while others are equally wedded to the simplicity and traditional approach of a tube amp. You need to decide which approach you prefer and which will work best for the situations you want to use it in.


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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:13 pm
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Rock Star
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Location: New York
The only reason I went with the MIII is because I didn't think I could play large venues with an MII unmic'd (it happens sometimes) and I only had $350 to spend (tax included).

I was honestly pretty much sold on the Super Champ X2 but it was just out of my price range @ $350 + tax.

If I could have my dream amp it would have been the Hot Rod Deville, but alas @ $900+ that just isn't realistic for me right now. Same goes for the "compromise" :roll: of getting a Hot Rod Deluxe @ $700+.

I'm honestly glad how things turned out though, the MIII is really great sounding, extremely versatile, and it's loud enough for what I want to do. :mrgreen: I would recommend it to the right person and I would buy it again.

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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:01 pm
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Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:54 am
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Thank you for the input... I have decided to stay with II... I can always mic if needed.... still trying to come up with a really clean sound so i can use existing pedals to do some things and then flip the switch if i need to model... stomps are easier to modify on the fly


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Post subject: Re: Decisions
Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:00 am
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If you already have the stomps I'd definitely experiment with them. If you upgrade to the MIII you get a 2 button foot switch, and you can get an optional 4 button foot switch. That opens up some on the fly switching possibilities. Just something to think about.


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