I just don’t think I’m a Mesa sort of guy

homespun

homespun

Well-known member
I’ve had Mesa Boogie amps in the past. First was a Mark III that I never could get along with. That must have been 1992 or 1993. Then a couple years ago, I got a Dual Rectifier (non-multiwatt 3-channel). I did the series effects loop mod which made it better but I only liked the middle channel set to Vintage. The red channel wasn’t my thing and the green Channel was awful.

Now I have a Mesa Mark Five:35 and find it very versatile and pretty harmonically rich but the power amp is just too stiff for me. Today, I hooked up the effects send on the Mark Five to the effects return on my DSL40C and it just woke up for me. However, I’m not going to run it like that so what’s the point?

I’m just not a Mesa guy and I should just quit trying with the Mesas. I’m a Marshall guy, through and through. Always have been.

Just messing with some setups today and thought I’d opine.
 
If you have the opportunity to try an earlier Mark or a pre Rev G Recto I’d highly recommend it. I’m not a fan of any Mk III not named Coliseum, nor any newer 3 ch Recto. But I’ve had 4 C+, 2 F triples and a C dual. Those are another playing field altogether. That C Recto had plate voltage almost equal to my 72 SuperTrem. Beast of an amplifier.
 
I have a Mesa TriAxis preamp with phat mod. I like it, but never really thought about Mesa. Then I tried the Neural DSP Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Suite. I bought it...

...now I'm looking at Mesa Boogie JP-2C. Frequently. That price is unfriendly. And it's already 7 years old.

but...

 
rsm said:
I have a Mesa TriAxis preamp with phat mod. I like it, but never really thought about Mesa. Then I tried the Neural DSP Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Suite. I bought it...

...now I'm looking at Mesa Boogie JP-2C. Frequently. That price is unfriendly. And it's already 7 years old.

but...

Click to expand...

Have you tried a Mark VII ?
 
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homespun said:
I’ve had Mesa Boogie amps in the past. First was a Mark III that I never could get along with. That must have been 1992 or 1993. Then a couple years ago, I got a Dual Rectifier (non-multiwatt 3-channel). I did the series effects loop mod which made it better but I only liked the middle channel set to Vintage. The red channel wasn’t my thing and the green Channel was awful.

Now I have a Mesa Mark Five:35 and find it very versatile and pretty harmonically rich but the power amp is just too stiff for me. Today, I hooked up the effects send on the Mark Five to the effects return on my DSL40C and it just woke up for me. However, I’m not going to run it like that so what’s the point?

I’m just not a Mesa guy and I should just quit trying with the Mesas. I’m a Marshall guy, through and through. Always have been.

Just messing with some setups today and thought I’d opine.
Click to expand...

I was a Mesa guy for a long time.
But the tone journey being what it is, I outgrew the rectifier thing.
I’ve tried a couple marks, didn’t care for them.
Had a Royal Atlantic, it was ok but dull dynamically.
Now I’ve got a Carstens Grace and couldn’t be happier with that amp.
 
homespun said:
More info is required, nay, demanded!
Click to expand...
I’ve become obsessed with simplicity and badass single channel amps.
The less pedals and shit I’ve got to step on the better.
I want to be able to back off the guitar volume and get cleans and edge of breakup, not switch channels, “brown sound” if you will.
I play high gain heavy tones mostly so that’s a requirement and the Grace just absolutely nails it.
It has its own tone, and for a single channel is very versatile.
It has a headroom knob that is wild, all the way on it’s crazy saggy and almost like it has a fuzz, all the way off it’s very very tight and I’m told Diezel like.
Overall it has a very natural full voice, nothing over the top, bass is thick but controlled, mids are beautiful and highs sweet. It’s VERY reactive to the EQ, but not in a MESA way, more like a Marshall.
It’s punch and thump reminds me of an SLO 100, doesn’t sound like an slo but it slams like one.
Roll off the volume and you can get beautiful dynamic cleans and edge.
Set it up for cleans and more bluesy tones and it reminds me a lot of a killer fender.
It has tons of gain but it’s all very useable and it just sings.
I’ve actually found myself using less and less gain.
It’s dead quiet as well.
I’ve had a TON of amps, too many.
It’s the finest amp I’ve ever heard.

PS. It’s hand wired point to point.
No circuit boards, no cheap shit.
And you can 💯 hear it.
 
Mr.Fun said:
I’ve become obsessed with simplicity and badass single channel amps.
The less pedals and shit I’ve got to step on the better.
I want to be able to back off the guitar volume and get cleans and edge of breakup, not switch channels, “brown sound” if you will.
I play high gain heavy tones mostly so that’s a requirement and the Grace just absolutely nails it.
It has its own tone, and for a single channel is very versatile.
It has a headroom knob that is wild, all the way on it’s crazy saggy and almost like it has a fuzz, all the way off it’s very very tight and I’m told Diezel like.
Overall it has a very natural full voice, nothing over the top, bass is thick but controlled, mids are beautiful and highs sweet. It’s VERY reactive to the EQ, but not in a MESA way, more like a Marshall.
It’s punch and thump reminds me of an SLO 100, doesn’t sound like an slo but it slams like one.
Roll off the volume and you can get beautiful dynamic cleans and edge.
Set it up for cleans and more bluesy tones and it reminds me a lot of a killer fender.
It has tons of gain but it’s all very useable and it just sings.
I’ve actually found myself using less and less gain.
It’s dead quiet as well.
I’ve had a TON of amps, too many.
It’s the finest amp I’ve ever heard.

PS. It’s hand wired point to point.
No circuit boards, no cheap shit.
And you can 💯 hear it.
Click to expand...
My Zinky Mofo channel is like that, mod ‘59 Bassman from the Fender Tone Master.

Robert Hinson Supro Thunderbolt clone is like that too. Rock machine with vol and tone only, piano cleans with the volume rolled back.
 
Nigel said:
Adjustable bias mod or cathode bias will open them up.

500+?
Click to expand...
Around 485….true story. That power section was beastly. Making it very different than any other Recto I’ve played. It is my fav Mesa I’ve owned, even over the C+ I’ve had.
 
Racerxrated said:
Around 485….true story. That power section was beastly. Making it very different than any other Recto I’ve played. It is my fav Mesa I’ve owned, even over the C+ I’ve had.
Click to expand...
High plate voltage rules with high bias. CCV toanz anyone?
 
midnightlaundry said:
To stiff..
Don't buy a Fryette then.
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Fryette isn’t stiff or cold in the same way. The Deliverance in particular isn’t a cold sounding or feeling amp, but it can be as tight as you like if you set it that way. I think it’s more that the gain character of VHT/Fryette is not as saturated even when doing high gain.
 
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