NSNAD - Not So New Amp Day

ninjaking67

ninjaking67

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Ok, so I've been holding out! I admit it! I am feeling guilty and ashamed so I am here to come clean and own up to my mistakes.

I have a new (well, not so new) amp. I got it as part of trade for a 1978 Gibson Les Paul Special that I just couldn't like. I wanted to, but it just wasn't happening. Out went the Gibby and in came a MESA Mini Rectifier head and matching 2x12 MESA horizontal cab.
 
Though the cab looks uber cool, I definitely did not need the 2x12 cab as it is WAY too big, bulky and heavy for little old me to transport back and forth to rehearsal. I sold it to add funds to the "Guitar Gear Fund". I am currently using the amp with a 1x12 cab loaded with a Celestion Vintage 30. That is more my speed!

It did not come with a channel foot switch and I am not willing to pay $100CDN (including taxes) for a MESA one so I gathered up some parts and made my own!
 
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The amp sounds great and I love having the 2 channels available. The cleans are surprisingly good as I would have thought that would be a weak point in a high gain amp.
It has individual EQ, gain and volume for each channel and the power output is individually selectable for each channel, 10W or 25W.

I do have 2 gripes about the amp though.

1. Because the lettering on the panel display is between the knobs for each channel, it is difficult to read except by kneeling down in front of the amp or by tilting the head backwards to get a better angle.

2. The chrome plated brass knobs are very shiny and they have a have a shallow hole drilled in them as a position indicator. They are almost impossible to see, especially with my less than stellar old eyes. This can (almost) be seen in the photos above.

These issues are exacerbated when in a darkened rehearsal space. I am thinking of getting some bright red paint to fill in the drilled position holes to make them more visible but I am open to other solutions should any of you wish to share your ideas!
 
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ninjaking67 said:
The amp sounds great and I love having the 2 channels available. The cleans are surprisingly good as I would have thought that would be a weak point in a high gain amp.
It has individual EQ, gain and volume for each channel and the power output is individually selectable for each channel, 10W or 25W.

I do have 2 gripes about the amp though.

1. Because the lettering on the panel display is between the knobs for each channel, it is difficult to read except by kneeling down in front of the amp or by tilting the head backwards to get a better angle.

2. The chrome plated brass knobs are very shiny and they have a have a shallow hole drilled in them as a position indicator. They are almost impossible to see, especially with my less than stellar old eyes. This can (almost) be seen in the photos above.

These issues are exacerbated when in a darkened rehearsal space. I am thinking of getting some bright red paint to fill in the drilled position holes to make them more visible but I am open to other solutions should any of you wish to share your ideas!
Click to expand...

I used to have one of these amps and the knobs drove me crazy for months when I first got it. Only advice I can give is you hear with your ears not your eyes - just twist 'em until you like what you are hearing and don't worry so much about what the position "says" it is. One thing I have learned about Mesas after using them for many years now is that what the knobs point to is often at odds with what your ears are telling you anyway.

They are great amps, enjoy.
 
ninjaking67 said:
The amp sounds great and I love having the 2 channels available. The cleans are surprisingly good as I would have thought that would be a weak point in a high gain amp.
It has individual EQ, gain and volume for each channel and the power output is individually selectable for each channel, 10W or 25W.

I do have 2 gripes about the amp though.

1. Because the lettering on the panel display is between the knobs for each channel, it is difficult to read except by kneeling down in front of the amp or by tilting the head backwards to get a better angle.

2. The chrome plated brass knobs are very shiny and they have a have a shallow hole drilled in them as a position indicator. They are almost impossible to see, especially with my less than stellar old eyes. This can (almost) be seen in the photos above.

These issues are exacerbated when in a darkened rehearsal space. I am thinking of getting some bright red paint to fill in the drilled position holes to make them more visible but I am open to other solutions should any of you wish to share your ideas!
Click to expand...
I would put some painters tape on them and mark the tape if you really need to see the positions, but I figure once you have your settings how many times will you actually mess with them anyway?
 
Both of the comments above are more than valid. I am constantly tweaking the amp settings as I am playing different guitars through this all the time.
I do like to know where I am set though, because when I transport the amp from home to rehearsal and back, the knobs sometimes get moved, twisted, etc. I prefer to have my baseline settings in place when I arrive so knob-fiddling can be kept to a minimum.
 
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