Quilter Mach II vs Mach 3

**Woody Sound** · 01-23-2023, 11:29 PM

Has anyone upgraded from the Mach II to the Mach 3? In particular, the combos? Thoughts, opinions?

**Tal_175** · 01-24-2023, 08:36 AM

I'm curious about this as well.
Mach 3 seems to be just SuperBlock US and UK in one combo with an increased power section. Or alternatively Aviator Cub UK and US in one. So it almost appears like the new amps are downgraded from the old Mach II's in the sense that they are less configurable without the built in boost voices.

**Woody Sound** · 01-24-2023, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Tal_175

I'm curious about this as well.
Mach 3 seems to be just SuperBlock US and UK in one combo with an increased power section. Or alternatively Aviator Cub UK and US in one. So it almost appears like the new amps are downgraded from the old Mach II's in the sense that they are less configurable without the built in boost voices.

It also looks like they got rid of the "Full Q" setting, with just the classic voicings.

**ARGewirtz** · 01-24-2023, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Has anyone upgraded from the Mach II to the Mach 3? In particular, the combos? Thoughts, opinions?

Fyi, not sure if this will help you much but Rich Severson recently did a video demo of his new Mach 3

**ccroft** · 01-24-2023, 09:49 PM

And Rich played Mach II for years. Maybe you can email him?

Go ahead Tal_175, get just get it! :-)

**Tal_175** · 01-24-2023, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by ccroft

And Rich played Mach II for years. Maybe you can email him?

Go ahead Tal_175, get just get it! :-)

I do have a Mach II. It doesn't seem like Mach III is much of an upgrade.

**ccroft** · 01-24-2023, 10:07 PM

I was just kidding around. I know you have a Mach II from other posts. Really hard to know what's what without trying it, right? I've been playing Quilter for 6 years and this looks good to me! I'd love to hear from someone who's played both II and III.

You know what Tal? I might be getting you and Woody mixed up. I've had conversations here over the last months with somebody who's been thinking of getting the III. Is it Woody who does the pit work?

**Woody Sound** · 01-25-2023, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by ccroft

You know what Tal? I might be getting you and Woody mixed up. I've had conversations here over the last months with somebody who's been thinking of getting the III. Is it Woody who does the pit work?

Yes that's me. (Next show is "Matilda." Calls for electric with a few heavy dist lead parts, acoustic, and nylon. Should be fun.)

I am intrigued by the full bank of controls on both channels on the Mach 3. I played a Pearce G2r that had the same setup for most of my career.

**ccroft** · 01-25-2023, 09:36 PM

Thanks for straightening me out guys!

Yeah Woody, that '2 amps in one' looks very interesting. My Aviator was 2 channel but one of them didn't have enough separate control. Both chans with full control looks very good if you're into more than 1. My first early Mesa was called 2 channel but it really wasn't. They shared tone controls.

I think I said it in another post, but I like how they implemented the 2 inputs for the 2 channels: one guitar into channel one and the switch sends it to channel 2 and back. Plug another guitar into channel 2 and you switch between instruments, each with it's own separate settings. Not that I ever use more than one guitar at a time, but it sounds like you do. It just seems like Quilter thinks things thru.

Have fun with Matilda!

**Woody Sound** · 01-26-2023, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I am intrigued by the full bank of controls on both channels on the Mach 3. I played a Pearce G2r that had the same setup for most of my career.

**Tal_175** · 01-26-2023, 06:12 PM

I find that my quilter Mach II sounds thin compared to my other amps unless I activate the loud setting of the boost. So I find the boost feature very useful.

**Woody Sound** · 01-26-2023, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by ccroft

Thanks for straightening me out guys!

Yeah Woody, that '2 amps in one' looks very interesting. My Aviator was 2 channel but one of them didn't have enough separate control. Both chans with full control looks very good if you're into more than 1. My first early Mesa was called 2 channel but it really wasn't. They shared tone controls.

This is not quite in the same league as the Quilter or Pearce, but it has a great 2-channel setup.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-26-2023, 08:27 PM

For fans of two channel amps: should it have one effects loop or two? I notice the Mach 3 has a shared one whilst the Henriksen Bud has two.

**Woody Sound** · 01-26-2023, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

For fans of two channel amps: should it have one effects loop or two? I notice the Mach 3 has a shared one whilst the Henriksen Bud has two.

That's just one cool thing about Pearce. I has THREE loops: Ch 1, Ch 2, and a master loop. FWIW, I always used the single master loop.

**Woody Sound** · 01-26-2023, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

For fans of two channel amps: should it have one effects loop or two? I notice the Mach 3 has a shared one whilst the Henriksen Bud has two.

I would say one loop. With two loops, if you want to use the same effect on both channels, you have to have two pedals, or even two pedalboards.

**Woody Sound** · 01-27-2023, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

This is not quite in the same league as the Quilter or Pearce, but it has a great 2-channel setup.

PS - This is literally two equal amps in the same box, not just a two-channel amp.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-27-2023, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I would say one loop. With two loops, if you want to use the same effect on both channels, you have to have two pedals, or even two pedalboards.

I would suspect that if you're using two channels (not me!) you are more likely to have (1) beaucoup pedals and more important;y (2) a different pedal chain idea in mind for each channel.