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gball

gball

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Every once in a while I am reminded how big a difference new glass can make. I bought a used Mini Rec a few months ago. It came in like-new condition but was built in 2011 and had the original tubes in it. I had meant to replace them when I first got it, but it sounded great as it was so I kind of forgot to do it. Until yesterday...and holy poop, what a difference. Like I said, the amp sounded great with the old bottles in it, but it sounds amazing with the new ones. Even though it's only 25-watts and EL-84, it sounds almost exactly like the 50-watt Recto Solo I used to have, the bottom end tightened up immensely. Anyway, just a good reminder to change out the tubes once in a while to keep the amps working their best.
 
syscokid said:
What new ones replaced what old ones?
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Mesa tubes out, new Mesa tubes in. I've owned a lot of Mesa amps and I honestly don't think anything improves upon the tone of their branded tubes. Plus, of you use them you know the bias is going to be correct so it's a simple plug-and-play.
 
eSGEe said:
Congrats on the revamped amp and the tip!

ALso ---- LOVE the new Avatar gball....... just love it
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Thanks man. One of these days I need to get some good boudoir shots of that thing. It really is something special.
 
ChasFred said:
Which Mesa do you own? I just snagged a Subway Rocket on eBay this morning.
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That is a sweet amp. I had one for a couple of years and it was pretty damn amazing for such a little bugger. Congrats!

I have the Mini Rec and a Mark 5:25. I run them through a 1x12 Lonestar cab, a 1x12 Rectifier cab and a 4x12. I can cover any possible need with with this lineup. I realized a few years ago that about 20-25 watts is the perfect amount of power for me. They work great at lower volume plus it's more than enough (at least with a Mesa) for gigging. Plus they are portable and easy to stow because of the smaller form factor. The Mark also has the built-in CabClone, which is a game-changer.

I been through a lot of amps over the years, and always end up going back to Mesas, so maybe this time I'll be smarter and just stay with them, haha.
 
syscokid said:
What new ones replaced what old ones?
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gball said:
Mesa tubes out, new Mesa tubes in. I've owned a lot of Mesa amps and I honestly don't think anything improves upon the tone of their branded tubes. Plus, of you use them you know the bias is going to be correct so it's a simple plug-and-play.
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I found this run down of mesa tubes on another forum. I am not sure if it is accurate or current though

STR-417 6V6 - TAD 6V6GT
STR-425 5881 - Sovtek 5881WXT
STR-440 6L6 - TAD 6L6GC-STR
STR-447 EL34 - Electro-Harmonix EL34
STR-450 - NOS Siemens EL34
EL84 - Electro-Harmonix EL84EH
12AX7 - Chinese
SPAX7A - Sovtek
12AT7 - Chinese
5AR4 - Shuguang 5AR4
5UG4 - Sovtek (black base) or China (brown base)
5UG4B - Electro-Harmonix 5U4GB
5Y3 - Sovtek?
 
RVA said:
I found this run down of mesa tubes on another forum. I am not sure if it is accurate or current though

STR-417 6V6 - TAD 6V6GT
STR-425 5881 - Sovtek 5881WXT
STR-440 6L6 - TAD 6L6GC-STR
STR-447 EL34 - Electro-Harmonix EL34
STR-450 - NOS Siemens EL34
EL84 - Electro-Harmonix EL84EH
12AX7 - Chinese
SPAX7A - Sovtek
12AT7 - Chinese
5AR4 - Shuguang 5AR4
5UG4 - Sovtek (black base) or China (brown base)
5UG4B - Electro-Harmonix 5U4GB
5Y3 - Sovtek?
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I've tried quite a few. The ones I use now exclusively (in the DSL-40C's) are TAD 7025-WA's and Electro-Harmonix EL-34's

In the old 1997 Valvestate VS265, I use the JJ Electronics ECC83-MG (12AX7S) Low Noise
 
Not sure what manufacture they are, don't care and didn't look when I installed them. What I know is that Mesa amps are designed around the tubes they use and IME they sound the best using those tubes. A nice side benefit is that since Mesa amps have fixed bias, there is no guesswork - you buy Mesa tubes, plop them in there and you know the bias is correct. They've also proven to be pretty much the most reliable tubes I have used, possibly due to the testing they do but also possibly because they get the best stuff from the manufacturers because they buy so many and reject so many. Another thing is that tube rolling becomes another one of those tone-chasing black holes that like all the other ones not only distracts from actually playing but gives dubious results.
 
gball said:
What I know is that Mesa amps are designed around the tubes they use...
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gball said:
They've also proven to be pretty much the most reliable tubes I have used, possibly due to the testing they do...
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Excellent points!
This is the smart and resposible thing to do for a modern amp manufacturer. Were old production tubes made to higher quality standards than today? Yes! But with proper testing equipment and financial resources, Mesa can guarantee that their supplied tubes will be the cream of the crop. And building around modern production tubes will insure consistency and availability.
 
What’s a good, small-ish, two-channel Mesa amp with effects loop that works well for both sparkling cleans and modern, high-gain sounds?
 
smitty_p said:
What’s a good, small-ish, two-channel Mesa amp with effects loop that works well for both sparkling cleans and modern, high-gain sounds?
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Rectoverb 25

recto-verb_25_format_combo_front_highres.jpg

Recto-Verb Twenty Five 1x12 Combo | MESA/Boogie®
 
smitty_p said:
What’s a good, small-ish, two-channel Mesa amp with effects loop that works well for both sparkling cleans and modern, high-gain sounds?
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An F30 may well just be the next amp your looking for.
I've had one about 10 years now, and love it.

Recently got a RectoVerb 25, love that one too. Really excels at the high gain thing like no other amp I've owned.
 
Hackmaster said:
An F30 may well just be the next amp your looking for.
I've had one about 10 years now, and love it.

Recently got a RectoVerb 25, love that one too. Really excels at the high gain thing like no other amp I've owned.
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F30 is killer. I was thinking only new amps, but if you are open to used that'd be a good choice as well. The Recto has, well, Recto gain, so you won't get that with an F-series amp but you will get more than enough. Depending on price another option might be a Mark 5:35 (or the 25 if you can go head-only). The Mark 5's have the best clean tone Mesa has ever put in an amp along with Mark IIC+, Mark IV and Mark V high gain insanity. When I need to really bring the rock I plug into my Mark 5.
 
Oh, I should mention for anyone interested in a Mesa: They are not like other amps. You will probably hate them at first and wonder how anyone ever gets a good tone out of them. This is totally normal until you learn how the tonestack works and how to dial it in. You have to unlearn everything you have been doing all these years with Fender and Marshall style tonestacks - the "everything at 12 and adjust up and down from there" trick does not work with Mesas. But, as with most good things, patience pays off and once you learn to use them you're in for the best tone of your life.
 
gball said:
Not sure what manufacture they are, don't care and didn't look when I installed them. What I know is that Mesa amps are designed around the tubes they use and IME they sound the best using those tubes. A nice side benefit is that since Mesa amps have fixed bias, there is no guesswork - you buy Mesa tubes, plop them in there and you know the bias is correct. They've also proven to be pretty much the most reliable tubes I have used, possibly due to the testing they do but also possibly because they get the best stuff from the manufacturers because they buy so many and reject so many. Another thing is that tube rolling becomes another one of those tone-chasing black holes that like all the other ones not only distracts from actually playing but gives dubious results.
Click to expand...

I maybe should bias my DSL40C's???

No clue if it needs it or how to don it.
 
gball said:
Rectoverb 25


Recto-Verb Twenty Five 1x12 Combo | MESA/Boogie®
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Hackmaster said:
Recently got a RectoVerb 25, love that one too. Really excels at the high gain thing like no other amp I've owned.
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Thanks a bunch guys!

That Rectoverb 25 really looks promising. I see it also accomodates external speakers, which is another feature I want, but which I failed to mention.

It's pricey, but if I save up a while and sell off a few things I don't use, anymore, it's doable.
 
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