Mesa F Series?

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TX6Strings

TX6Strings

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So what's the word on the clean and dirty channels of these amps, particularly the F-50? Can the dirty channel get pretty modern with plenty of gain or is it mainly a classic rock amp? Is the clean channel anything like the Mark series or more like the Recs?
 
The F series replaced the Nomad series in the early 2000s. The F30 is my personal favorite of the bunch- as I think it had the best tones for the three models offered. The 50 and 100 just didn't do it for me. I wouldn't call their tones modern. HAL9000 is a big F100 nut, so he may be better suited to answering questions about it. The few that I played didn't really do anything for me. If you want to go Boogie in the cheap, look for a DC5 0r DC10. They have a nice clean tone, and the distortion channel sounds like a good blend of the Mark series meets the Rectos.

Or you could just step up and get a used H&K TriAmp Mk. 1 for a little over 1K, and be all over the modern tones... :D

How's the Les Paul working for you?
 
These amps are highly underrated IMO. The 1x12 combo sux. But with a closed back cab like a 212 or 412 the F 50 is a monster. Cleans are great. kinda their own sound. best feel of any mesa clean ive played. The 2nd ch can go from zz top to full on metal (with a boost to tighten it up) - but has tons of gain on its own. The one bad thing I can say about the F 50 is that the EQ doesnt do much. But its voiced pretty good so it wasnt a deal breaker for me. I had the 112 combo. sounded lame with the open back 112. I started using it as a head for my 412 and it blew me away. Unfortunately my F50 was a victim of my frequent G.A.S.
 
whatever you do, don't get the 1x12 combo, terrible choice for this particulair amp.

the clean channel really did well with pedals.
 
They have a nice clean tone, and the distortion channel sounds like a good blend of the Mark series meets the Rectos.
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I second the above.

It's a really nice amp, but really has nothing that would make your jaw drop.
 
I have an F-100 head.

The cleans are really, really great. This is coming from a guy that used to use a '68 AB763 Super Reverb. This amp can easily hang with the Super. For real. I guarantee that I can fool some cork sniffing Fender fans with this amp. :thumbsup:

The gain channel is great too, but for what I play (hard rock, metal), it needs a boost to tighten things up.

The great thing is, it is way less compressed than say a 5150 or Recto, so when boosted it tightens it up just enough! I used to really not like boosting my 5150, because it became TOO compressed for me.

Great amp! I'm selling mine unfortunately, because I need travel money:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=48558

-Joe
 
it's a great amp, I had a combo for a year and a half or so. Awesome clean channel (everything mightyjoeyoungxnj said is true). The gain channel is one of those things you either love of hate. It's got a very unique sound to it. A good blend between a Recto and a Mark with some unique qualities.

The combo DOESN'T sound as good as a head for hi-gain, that's true, but the mid gain, low gain, cleans will sounds GREAT.

I sold it to fund a VH4 and I do not regret it because I like the VH4 more, but I'd really like an F-50 again, a head this time.
 
SFW":1c4klmz3 said:
The F series replaced the Nomad series in the early 2000s. The F30 is my personal favorite of the bunch- as I think it had the best tones for the three models offered. The 50 and 100 just didn't do it for me. I wouldn't call their tones modern. HAL9000 is a big F100 nut, so he may be better suited to answering questions about it. The few that I played didn't really do anything for me. If you want to go Boogie in the cheap, look for a DC5 0r DC10. They have a nice clean tone, and the distortion channel sounds like a good blend of the Mark series meets the Rectos.

Or you could just step up and get a used H&K TriAmp Mk. 1 for a little over 1K, and be all over the modern tones... :D

How's the Les Paul working for you?
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Guess I'll just have to try them both (F & DC Series) out for myself. I listen to some clips on youtube of the F-50 and it seemed to get pretty modern and ruthless to me. Only prob is either one is tough to find in our craptaculary gear city!

If I didn't have to deal with shipping I might look into the MK1.

The Paul's working out great! Had it set up and I don't think I'll ever go back.
 
Thanks for the opinions guys! I was thinking of picking up a 1x12 combo version and pushing a 4x12 with it and also using it for the occasional grab and go jam sessions that I don't need spectacular tone for.
 
TX6Strings":31l90xm0 said:
Thanks for the opinions guys! I was thinking of picking up a 1x12 combo version and pushing a 4x12 with it and also using it for the occasional grab and go jam sessions that I don't need spectacular tone for.
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had the combo, in my opinion, this amp sounds completly different through a 2x12 or 4x12, much bigger. Through the 1x12, the bass knob does VERY little, the Treble does VERY little, and it is a very very bright sounding drive, too bright for me. But once again, completly different through a separate cab. I was only happy using the 1x12 with a pedal going into the clean, where I had much more control over the eq. Without it, I found the drive not very pleasing, and really in the middle of anything I would like personally, (except in conjuction with an extension cab, then it really sounded much much better)
 
I used to have an F-30 combo and I currently have an F-50 1x12 combo.
The F-50 is a GREAT amp. The clean channel is FANTASTIC.
I set the gain on the gain channel at only 9:00 and get a great classic rock tone.

One thing I did was swap the original SC90 speaker for a Celestion CL80. Made a huge difference. Boosted the mids and gave it a tighter bottom with less spikey highs.

Here's a couple of low quality videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE8fbcQ9MWs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0qR1TeYMuI
 
AmpliFIRE":2im8tljg said:
PM daneyo before you buy one...
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Dan didn't seem very happy with the one he was borrowing, but I understand this completely based on his fondness for Mark series tones. The F series by themselves are not very tight at all, but trust me bro...add the boost and it's a completely different animal.

-Joe
 
the F-series is a very weird amp. It confuses a lot of people. The clean channel is surprisingly AMAZING (no one would have the slightless idea this amp had such great cleans.

The OD channel is just a very interesting mix between a mark and a Recto. It's definitely has the Recto aggression in the voicing and the Recto "looseness" (not as loose as a recto though). It lacks the recto low mids, so it's not a baby recto. IT's got the heavy Mids you can find in the Mark series and even though it's not as tight as a Mark, the Mark-ish qualities make the amp a bit tighter than a recto.

very interesting gain for sure, but sometimes fools people. It sounds WAY better through a 2x12/4x12 for sure. If you find a combo, and you're not exclusively a metal player, and more of a rock player, I can see the combo working for you if you'll run it through a cab but want the combo for a quick grab and jam thing.

It takes pedals EXTREMELY well too.

Seriously it's one of those amps that are trully AMAZING for pure rock/Hard Rock. If I played Hard Rock I'd like one to rock from time to time. wouldn't mind having one again.

They also hold their value VERY well (you can find them used for 700 - 800 dollars)
 
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