Who is using preamps / rack these days?

[Sick Michael]

Mesa Boogie Quad » Mesa Boogie 395. Owns.

 

[Zachman]

Mesa Boogie Quad » Mesa Boogie 395. Owns.

The 395 is my favorite guitar power amp

 

[AmpliFIRE]

I'm in love with my Mesa Quad/2:90 setup. How does the 395 compare to the 2:90?

 

[spguitar]

Rawk

 

[geetarmikey]

Zachman, what band do you play for? That's an insane amount of gear!

I am not now currently in a gigging project, but have used this stuff for years in various bands, and studio recording projects.

The last band was a Journey tribute project that is now no longer. It was a fun, challenging and lucrative project, but nowadays I own and run a guitar store here in Hawaii. I teach, and will gig here and there, but using different/various gear depending on the gig.

I have a 12 year old student that is in a gigging band, and they ask me to come and perform with them every now and again, so I support them.

Cool, you must be a nightmare for sound engineers/crew with at least 3 amps haha!

 

[Zachman]

Zachman, what band do you play for? That's an insane amount of gear!

I am not now currently in a gigging project, but have used this stuff for years in various bands, and studio recording projects.

The last band was a Journey tribute project that is now no longer. It was a fun, challenging and lucrative project, but nowadays I own and run a guitar store here in Hawaii. I teach, and will gig here and there, but using different/various gear depending on the gig.

I have a 12 year old student that is in a gigging band, and they ask me to come and perform with them every now and again, so I support them.

Cool, you must be a nightmare for sound engineers/crew with at least 3 amps haha!

Not at all. I don't play too loud, and I balance my volumes, and control my own levels for solos etc... so when the sound guy is not paying attention, I don't have to worry. That said, WE hired the sound company and the engineer worked for us.

 

[geetarmikey]

Ah cool, that's a good way to do it. How long does it take to set all that stuff up? How did you find the Marshall 30th Anni? I've got one too and I love it although it can be a bit noisy!

 

[Zachman]

Ah cool, that's a good way to do it. How long does it take to set all that stuff up? How did you find the Marshall 30th Anni? I've got one too and I love it although it can be a bit noisy!

Once the gear is staged, it takes about 5 minutes. The 30th anni, I got from the original owner back in 2000. Didn't have any noise issues.

 

[Sick Michael]

I love Zachmans gear! I think we may have similar tastes - ive had the 6100 el34 head and the LM combo. I definitely preferred that amp with EL34s. Id consider one again, the trick I found was to keep both comp switches off and then boost to taste. The mid cut thing was a bit pointless too, but I should have tried it with a non 75watt speakers.

Some say that the 395 poweramp is a bit less modern sounding than the 290. I wouldnt know, they both have the deep extend which adds a subwoofer type effect and adds a bit of low end squish. I put el34s in the outer tubes of mine which im kind of digging, not least because the switchtrack lets me switch between pure El34 tone and a bigger, wider mix of both. Which with the Quad and its pallette of tones is a blast.

But yeah, in terms of recorded tone, that quad 395 combination is phat.

 

[Zachman]

I'm in love with my Mesa Quad/2:90 setup. How does the 395 compare to the 2:90?

I prefer it sonically, and I prefer it's layout. The fuses are easily accessible right on the front panel, and I think it's too bad they didn't implement that with the 2:ninety's design. That said, I like the 2:Ninety as well.

 

[Zachman]

I love Zachmans gear! I think we may have similar tastes - ive had the 6100 el34 head and the LM combo. I definitely preferred that amp with EL34s. Id consider one again, the trick I found was to keep both comp switches off and then boost to taste. The mid cut thing was a bit pointless too, but I should have tried it with a non 75watt speakers.

Some say that the 395 poweramp is a bit less modern sounding than the 290. I wouldnt know, they both have the deep extend which adds a subwoofer type effect and adds a bit of low end squish. I put el34s in the outer tubes of mine which im kind of digging, not least because the switchtrack lets me switch between pure El34 tone and a bigger, wider mix of both. Which with the Quad and its pallette of tones is a blast.

But yeah, in terms of recorded tone, that quad 395 combination is phat.

I bought that amp, because back then I was playing in a Benatar tribute project, and I really liked it.

 

[Sick Michael]

That stuff sounds really cool! Whats the cab/speaker config?

 

[Zachman]

That stuff sounds really cool! Whats the cab/speaker config?

$100 Squire w/ a single Duncan JB > MXR Dyna Comp > Amp input, Amp loop series send into TU-2 > Boss CE2 > Boss DD2 > Intellifex > Loop Return. I don't remember if that was before or after I swapped out the original G12-T75's for the H-30's or not. Pretty sure it was after

 

[ke2]

Some sweet stuff here
How are those Matrix power amps? Does it work with a tube pre also?
I have an Engl 530 and a G-major.
I currently use an old Laney LH 50 head as the power amp, because I don' really need stereo.

 

[robertkoa]

thanks for the info everyone.

I used full ADA rack rigs (pres, power and cabs...100% ADA) rigs for guitar and bass back in the day...all that's left now is my main MP-2. Other racks, I also have a Marshall JMP-1 + JFX-1, and for bass my Trace Elliot MP-11 preamp.

My main rack now is a G-System + TriAxis that will have a Two Notes Torpedo CAB once it ships (I ordered and paid for it already), and may get the Nova Drive and Big Muff in the loops. This is my direct board.

My newest rack (and why I'm really back to rack) is my Engl half stack:

E530 tube preamp
E850/100 stereo tube power amp, 100W per side
2 PRO Slanted E212VHB cabs.

from pristine cleans to massive high gain saturation with great OD and crunch in between...I only wish I considered Engl before.

I'm still a Vox guy though, so my AC30 and AC15 are here to stay

I'd be really interested in a Review of the Two Notes and how vetsatile it is in conjunction with the Preamps.

For example if different Cab IRs in the Two Notes can radically change the Tones of a given Tube Preamp Voicing.

So let us know on a new thread after you get it.

Thanks.