Mesa Experts: is this worth thinking about?

Thatbastarddon said:
That is not exactly what the Golden Horse is for. It’s an overdrive pedal, not full on distortion.
I have been using my Silver version lately, and am becoming acquainted with the way it works.
For me, I try to set it up to be useful on both channels of the new amp I just received. That amp has some Mesa level gain available on the dirt channel. The trick is to set the pedal to crunch a little...so that it slightly overdrives the channel in use. Like making the clean channel go from clean to pushed a little(just a little hairy around the edges)...then when on the high gain channel it will add a little boost and hair, and make things really bloom. If you set your high gain channel for Kiss, the pedal should be able to push that up near/to classic Metallica.
Mine is set something like this:
View attachment 23925
Note that the gain is only around 10 o’clock.
Click to expand...

I still usually use a pedal in front of the Mesas, just for a little solo push. Lately I have been using my Mark 5 with the gain at about 10:30/11:00, which is plenty dirty but clean enough to stay really articulate, and with a clean boost (actually a Blues Driver with the gain at zero and the level quite high) it pushes the front end just enough to give me a singing, sustaining solo tone. I think it makes the amps a lot more versatile.
 
giphy.gif

DO it -- come on DO IT
 
Last edited:
67plexi said:
Not only NO but HELL NO Toroids power transformer hiss city unreliable prone to redplating power tubes.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that tidbit! I’ll keep an eye on the amp I just got with a toroidal power transformer. Never had one in a tube amp before.
Old Laney solid state bass head had one though...that thing lasted 15 years of hard gigging for my bassist.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
Thanks for that tidbit! I’ll keep an eye on the amp I just got with a toroidal power transformer. Never had one in a tube amp before.
Old Laney solid state bass head had one though...that thing lasted 15 years of hard gigging for my bassist.
Click to expand...

It's not a hissy amp, and if you use Mesa tubes you will never have to worry about them.
 
gball said:
It's not a hissy amp, and if you use Mesa tubes you will never have to worry about them.
Click to expand...
I didn’t get a new Mesa. My Dual Rec has traditional transformers. My new Phaez, however, has a toroidal power transformer(the first one I’ve ever had in a tube amp). It is not a hissy amp either. Fact is, it’s quieter than my Mesa...but neither is objectionable at all.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I didn’t get a new Mesa. My Dual Rec has traditional transformers. My new Phaez, however, has a toroidal power transformer(the first one I’ve ever had in a tube amp). It is not a hissy amp either. Fact is, it’s quieter than my Mesa...but neither is objectionable at all.
Click to expand...

All the Mesa guitar amps use traditional transformers. They've done toroidals in some bass amps.
 
gball said:
All the Mesa guitar amps use traditional transformers. They've done toroidals in some bass amps.
Click to expand...

I’ve never looked inside a 5:25, and had no idea what was in there...
I wonder why 67plexi said this:

67plexi said:
Not only NO but HELL NO Toroids power transformer hiss city unreliable prone to redplating power tubes.
Click to expand...

I know Laney went to toroidal transformers in some of their tube amps a good while back...but I had not really known what goes in to the newer, smaller, Mesa amps.
I watched the, nearly hour long, repair video that 67plexi posted in another thread. I’m trying to remember which model it was....maybe an F30...it was a 4xel84 amp...had traditional transformers.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I’ve never looked inside a 5:25, and had no idea what was in there...
I wonder why 67plexi said this:



I know Laney went to toroidal transformers in some of their tube amps a good while back...but I had not really known what goes in to the newer, smaller, Mesa amps.
I watched the, nearly hour long, repair video that 67plexi posted in another thread. I’m trying to remember which model it was....maybe an F30...it was a 4xel84 amp...had traditional transformers.
Click to expand...

He may have popped the hood on one of the Bass amps?
 
Mesa amp Mesa tubes I'm 100% with that the last good RFT EL34'S were sold by Mesa STR-450 $75.00 each at the end of supply $150.00 each sold in pairs.
And I have serviced 10 Mesa Express amps. They all had Torids power transformers all were loose. Did they change power transformers now I'm not sure it's been a few years. I have owned Mesa amps MK-1 and MK-2 they were built like early Peavey amps heavy boards heavy solder not now.
For solid state amps toroids are great used Crest amps over 20 years no problem.
As far as new guitar amps Mezzabarba And Friedman amps the sound and quality construction bar none.
This summer I have played in bands on and off 48 years. Can't afford it save up for it. Buy it one time.
I think a good instructor is most important over equipment.
 
It's too expensive... $1000+ for the amp with a cab... (n)

&, 7 tubes in that thing to be replaced - it'll regularly cost loads of money to keep cooking.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top