a messy mesa up

AS WAS I!
I kept wondering what everyone SAW(heards) in these things....so many pros and members here-- and forum boards sing the praises of the MESA--- I was thinking maybe ---well-- I am a bass player so perhaps much like playing a 12 string --- or anything by Yngwie -- these are guitar tones/pleasures that may escape me?????

BUT --- guidance and tolerance of my pissing and moaning by several folks here --- got the deal SORTED!

I figured if I asked one more question Hack would show up at the front door ---smack me--(three stooges style) and take the amp back ----- screaming -- NOT WoRTHY -- NOT WoRTHY--- as he rode off in a cloud of dust and dog fur!


but -- this is not the case-- all is well--- and an early morning "clean" noodle with the Blueshawk made me so happy i could call in sick and play all day!!!
 
Ask your resident TTR Mesa afficando if your amp would respond favorably to a 50 year old Ken-Rad T12AX7....I have 4 or 5 here...
 
Congrats on a new amp, and thats great you could do an extended test drive.
So, you had to do a one out, one in?
Is this a trade?
Why are you not keeping them both???

tenor.gif
 
Robert Herndon said:
Genelex Gold Lion T12AX7 in V1
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Be careful though. Mesas have a lot more gain than just about any other amp and usually you find yourself turning the gain knob anti-clockwise, not clockwise. Adding something early on (as in V1) that has more gain can and often does introduce more noise as well, which then gets amplified by the cascading gain stages.

It's definitely good to experiment with tubes because the Mesas tend to be very sensitive to which ones are being used, but I have consistently found that they sound best with...Mesa-branded tubes. Yup. Especially the power tubes. And since they have fixed bias it's really easy to do a complete amp "tune-up" by replacing all of them at once. Mesa also sells something they call the SPAX7, which is not more gain but is low-microphonic and balanced, and they can make a big difference in V1 if you are getting any kind of noise at high volume in a combo. I don't use them because both of my amps are heads so the vibration is not an issue, but I did have one in V1 with my Mesa combos and they did keep the noise floor lower.
 
gball said:
Be careful though. Mesas have a lot more gain than just about any other amp and usually you find yourself turning the gain knob anti-clockwise, not clockwise. Adding something early on (as in V1) that has more gain can and often does introduce more noise as well, which then gets amplified by the cascading gain stages.

It's definitely good to experiment with tubes because the Mesas tend to be very sensitive to which ones are being used, but I have consistently found that they sound best with...Mesa-branded tubes. Yup. Especially the power tubes. And since they have fixed bias it's really easy to do a complete amp "tune-up" by replacing all of them at once. Mesa also sells something they call the SPAX7, which is not more gain but is low-microphonic and balanced, and they can make a big difference in V1 if you are getting any kind of noise at high volume in a combo. I don't use them because both of my amps are heads so the vibration is not an issue, but I did have one in V1 with my Mesa combos and they did keep the noise floor lower.
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Good Points, I also have low-noise 7025-WA's on hand...
 
smitty_p said:
Okay, @gball , @Hackmaster , and others in the know...

What would be your comparison between the Mesa F-30 and the Rectoverb 25/Mini- Rec?
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Completely different beasts.

The F-30 is discontinued and was sort of an evolution of the original Mark amps, by way of the Calibers, and has the Mesa signature tone: extremely touch-sensitive, upper-mid focused, and will do the singing "violin" tone. Notes feel like they jump out of the guitar. Has the contour circuit instead of the 5 band eq, but its preset in the classic Mesa "V" and gives you that same crunchy chug that you heard on all those favorite thrash albums while also being super smooth and syrupy for single-note lines. Cuts through a lot better in a mix.

The Recto is, how do we say this gently, a "homage" to the Soldano SLO. It's straight-up ripping, tearing, gnarley tone (but also has a really sweet and versatile clean channel). I don't find them to possess the "Mesa Family Sound" but they have their own thing and it's a great one if you want a more neutral "hard rock" sound. Not as smooth sounding as the F-30, won't do the endless sustain violin trick, but a really accessible sound as you have heard it so much in recordings. Punchy bottom end.

I have both (well a Mark instead of the F but you know what I mean) because I find both useful and enjoy playing both. If I had to go with just one it would be the classic Mesa sound of the Mark/F series/Studio, etc. but I'm glad I don't have to make that choice, they both kick a$$.
 
gball is right the KNOBS ARE SENSITIVE --- a minor MINOR -- 1/20th of a turn will net HUGE tonal changes--- The F-30 does sustain for days---probably weeks I haven't had it that long to test---
mids are very punchy and this thing would certainly NEVER get lost in a mix -- even at 30 watts--- which I heave read is a differental tonal sig. than the 50 and 100 watt F-50 and F-100 --- so -- it s beast unto itself even IN THE MESA family

jtcnj said:
Congrats on a new amp, and thats great you could do an extended test drive.
So, you had to do a one out, one in?
Is this a trade?
Why are you not keeping them both???
Click to expand...

I dont have room for both ----(you saw the pic the doom room wall is FOOL) plus I didnt have enough spare $$$ for both-- so--- a partial swap/$ deal was struck
 
eSGEe said:
gball is right the KNOBS ARE SENSITIVE --- a minor MINOR -- 1/20th of a turn will net HUGE tonal changes--- The F-30 does sustain for days---probably weeks I haven't had it that long to test---
mids are very punchy and this thing would certainly NEVER get lost in a mix -- even at 30 watts--- which I heave read is a differental tonal sig. than the 50 and 100 watt F-50 and F-100 --- so -- it s beast unto itself even IN THE MESA family



I dont have room for both ----(you saw the pic the doom room wall is FOOL) plus I didnt have enough spare $$$ for both-- so--- a partial swap/$ deal was struck
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To be honest, I really like the wall of boom with the Mesa. It fits perfectly. You have an excellent tool kit there. A few excellent choices for guitar, and a couple for bass.
 
thank you sir------- thats only 1 wall there are 4 more--------- with even MORE EXCELLENT choices for bass and guitar ;)

the amps are DONE -- no more -- that MEANS YOU HACK!!!

I dont want a double rectifier--- or a fender tweed twin turbo broadcaster or what ever else you have squirreled away in the South Western swamps :)

Im good
 
jtcnj said:
I dont see how they pull 30w out of a pair of el84
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Dyna-Watt power section. Basically, the circuit stores power (capacitance) and uses it as needed to bring the power output up from the nominal 18-watts you would get with a pair of '84's.
Not sure exactly how it works but I can attest to the fact that the Mesa amps I have owned that had the Dyna-Watt thing going on were clearly louder and more dynamic than any of the 18-watt/2xEL-84 amps I have had.
 
gball said:
Completely different beasts.

The F-30 is discontinued and was sort of an evolution of the original Mark amps, by way of the Calibers, and has the Mesa signature tone: extremely touch-sensitive, upper-mid focused, and will do the singing "violin" tone. Notes feel like they jump out of the guitar. Has the contour circuit instead of the 5 band eq, but its preset in the classic Mesa "V" and gives you that same crunchy chug that you heard on all those favorite thrash albums while also being super smooth and syrupy for single-note lines. Cuts through a lot better in a mix.

The Recto is, how do we say this gently, a "homage" to the Soldano SLO. It's straight-up ripping, tearing, gnarley tone (but also has a really sweet and versatile clean channel). I don't find them to possess the "Mesa Family Sound" but they have their own thing and it's a great one if you want a more neutral "hard rock" sound. Not as smooth sounding as the F-30, won't do the endless sustain violin trick, but a really accessible sound as you have heard it so much in recordings. Punchy bottom end.

I have both (well a Mark instead of the F but you know what I mean) because I find both useful and enjoy playing both. If I had to go with just one it would be the classic Mesa sound of the Mark/F series/Studio, etc. but I'm glad I don't have to make that choice, they both kick a$$.
Click to expand...

Thanks a million. Although I do talk a lot about cleans, you did describe the distorted sounds, as well. I appreciate that.

To be honest, I’m beginning to think the F-30 may actually be more to my needs and wishes.
 
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