A Great Combo (Pun Intended)

[Black Plaid]

Nice! Bob is in my music room too... with Jimi... and Prince.

You almost pushed me over the edge. Fortunately, I fell asleep before I entered my credit card number.

I couldn’t find a lot of non-Mesa reviews on the Tube. I already have a Mesa TA-30 (which pretty much lives on the Tweed channel) so I want to make sure it’s different enough.

Thanks for the heads up on this!

I was thinking about putting up a comparison video when I get mine, is there a range of tones you are most interested in?

 

[madhermit]

Nice! Bob is in my music room too... with Jimi... and Prince.

You almost pushed me over the edge. Fortunately, I fell asleep before I entered my credit card number.

I couldn’t find a lot of non-Mesa reviews on the Tube. I already have a Mesa TA-30 (which pretty much lives on the Tweed channel) so I want to make sure it’s different enough.

Thanks for the heads up on this!

Sorry to fuel your GAS, but I have a TA-15 too. Not much overlap IMO.

 

[Casi1]

I was thinking about putting up a comparison video when I get mine, is there a range of tones you are most interested in?

Oh damn... so there’s not much overlap between the Mesa’s?

But can it get me 70% of that Twin Reverb sound?

I’m trying to cover blues/rock/r&b. But mainly blues. If you do a video, could you show the eq settings to get it out of boxy territory? Maybe compare the TA-15 with the combo?

With the Quilter, I could put a 50 watt head with their 200 watt cab or a 200 watt head with the cab... the head sits into the cab, making a combo that weighs 20 lbs. I think I can tweak it out of boxy territory but it’s definitely not as compact as the Mesa combo.

 

[madhermit]

Oh damn... so there’s not much overlap between the Mesa’s?

But can it get me 70% of that Twin Reverb sound?

I’m trying to cover blues/rock/r&b. But mainly blues. If you do a video, could you show the eq settings to get it out of boxy territory? Maybe compare the TA-15 with the combo?

With the Quilter, I could put a 50 watt head with their 200 watt cab or a 200 watt head with the cab... the head sits into the cab, making a combo that weighs 20 lbs. I think I can tweak it out of boxy territory but it’s definitely not as compact as the Mesa combo.

I like blackface cleans, and I feel like the MkV 25 can do that in channel 1 pretty well even without the graphic eq.
Channel 2 is pretty aggressive unless you really back off the gain. Then there are some interesting tones available. I found I needed the graphic eq to get rid of the boxiness on Ch2, but I am still new to the amp.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Hopefully that day is a while away, but in the meantime, I have lots of amps to choose from. They are just much heavier. 40+ lbs. I don’t want to lug them around anymore when this little guy is so easy!

(Tweed amp was replaced by a custom 1x12 Bassman/JTM45 - sounds heavenly)

TA-15 is a really cool little amp!

 

[RickP]

Didn’t want to start another non-PRS thread, so I’ll pile on with the Mesa Boogie love here. I’ve got two that cover a wide range of stages (Road King II 2x12 and a Nomad 55 4x10), but like many on this thread, still search for those amp types I don’t have. Today is NAD for me too, as my Boogie California Tweed head and 1x12 cab arrived a few hours ago. Man, this thing sounds wonderful, so much better than what I’d heard on YouTube. I’ve spent the last 2 hours with a 513 Brazilian and that amp on a variety of settings and wattages... not a bad sound to be had and many incredible tones already. This is something completely different from Petaluma, and sounds nothing like the many Boogies I’ve owned. It’s just a few hours in, but man this thing sounds freakin’ awesome!

I’m not looking to hijack the thread here, just adding my “aye” vote for the combo of PRS and less-than-Recto class Mesa Boogie amps!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

If we’re sharing Mesa’s, my little Studio 22, with Laney extension cab. Thanks to Les and others on here I’m dialling in better tones than I ever had before!

 

[Black Plaid]

Oh damn... so there’s not much overlap between the Mesa’s?

But can it get me 70% of that Twin Reverb sound?

I’m trying to cover blues/rock/r&b. But mainly blues. If you do a video, could you show the eq settings to get it out of boxy territory? Maybe compare the TA-15 with the combo?

With the Quilter, I could put a 50 watt head with their 200 watt cab or a 200 watt head with the cab... the head sits into the cab, making a combo that weighs 20 lbs. I think I can tweak it out of boxy territory but it’s definitely not as compact as the Mesa combo.

Bad news, woke up this morning to a note about the one I wanted being double sold, so I won't be getting it for a while. =(

 

[RickP]

Bad news, woke up this morning to a note about the one I wanted being double sold, so I won't be getting it for a while. =(

Damn, that blows. Keep looking!

 

[bodia]

If we’re sharing Mesa’s, my little Studio 22, with Laney extension cab. Thanks to Les and others on here I’m dialling in better tones than I ever had before!

Old workhorse

 

[madhermit]

If we’re sharing Mesa’s, my little Studio 22, with Laney extension cab. Thanks to Les and others on here I’m dialling in better tones than I ever had before!

You need to post it with your PRS in the shot, to keep in the spirit of things.

 

[bodia]

Didn’t want to start another non-PRS thread, so I’ll pile on with the Mesa Boogie love here. I’ve got two that cover a wide range of stages (Road King II 2x12 and a Nomad 55 4x10), but like many on this thread, still search for those amp types I don’t have. Today is NAD for me too, as my Boogie California Tweed head and 1x12 cab arrived a few hours ago. Man, this thing sounds wonderful, so much better than what I’d heard on YouTube. I’ve spent the last 2 hours with a 513 Brazilian and that amp on a variety of settings and wattages... not a bad sound to be had and many incredible tones already. This is something completely different from Petaluma, and sounds nothing like the many Boogies I’ve owned. It’s just a few hours in, but man this thing sounds freakin’ awesome!

I’m not looking to hijack the thread here, just adding my “aye” vote for the combo of PRS and less-than-Recto class Mesa Boogie amps!

Dead. Sexy.

 

[László]

Didn’t want to start another non-PRS thread, so I’ll pile on with the Mesa Boogie love here. I’ve got two that cover a wide range of stages (Road King II 2x12 and a Nomad 55 4x10), but like many on this thread, still search for those amp types I don’t have. Today is NAD for me too, as my Boogie California Tweed head and 1x12 cab arrived a few hours ago. Man, this thing sounds wonderful, so much better than what I’d heard on YouTube. I’ve spent the last 2 hours with a 513 Brazilian and that amp on a variety of settings and wattages... not a bad sound to be had and many incredible tones already. This is something completely different from Petaluma, and sounds nothing like the many Boogies I’ve owned. It’s just a few hours in, but man this thing sounds freakin’ awesome!

I’m not looking to hijack the thread here, just adding my “aye” vote for the combo of PRS and less-than-Recto class Mesa Boogie amps!

I have its sister or brother (?), the Fillmore 50. It’s an excellent amp. And I have a black covered Tweed 2x12 cab with the alnico speakers coming. I think it’s going to be a good combination. If I’m wrong, I’ll replace the speakers.

While I still find the PRS DG30 and HXDA to be the Mac Daddies of my amps, I get good use out of the Fillmore, and also my Lone Star 100 W 212 combo, which is more in the blackface direction.

Mesa is making some killer amps.

 

[László]

Oh damn... so there’s not much overlap between the Mesa’s?

But can it get me 70% of that Twin Reverb sound?

Depends how picky you are. For me, the Mark V 90W had wonderful cleans, but they we’re Mark cleans, not blackface Twin cleans. I wound up getting a Lone Star, which I can set up a bit closer to that classic Twin sound. Though it’s not 100% there, it’s much closer than Mesa’s other offerings.

I have the 100W, but I thought the Lone Star Special 30W was also good sounding, if you prefer low power amps.

One thing to keep in mind about Twins, they had 85 Watts of headroom, which translates to tighter low end and less crunch on top (85 Watts in the old days, no idea what the reissues have now). As I said, I’m pretty happy with my LS on the days when I need that type of sound. Of course, a lot also depends on the speakers. The Mesa Celestion Black Shadows are not like the Jensens that came on classic Twins, and the new Jensen “Blackbird” Alnicos aren’t like what came on classic Twins, either.

I think that’s part of the “close, but no cigar” problem. But you did say 70%. If I were you, that’s where I’d look in the Mesa line for that sound. Maybe I’m too picky, but as much as I LOVE the Mark V, it’s not going to give you what you’re after IMHO.

 

[madhermit]

Depends how picky you are. For me, the Mark V 90W had wonderful cleans, but they we’re Mark cleans, not blackface Twin cleans. I wound up getting a Lone Star, which I can set up a bit closer to that classic Twin sound. Though it’s not 100% there, it’s much closer than Mesa’s other offerings.

I have the 100W, but I thought the Lone Star Special 30W was also good sounding, if you prefer low power amps.

One thing to keep in mind about Twins, they had 85 Watts of headroom, which translates to tighter low end and less crunch on top (85 Watts in the old days, no idea what the reissues have now). As I said, I’m pretty happy with my LS on the days when I need that type of sound. Of course, a lot also depends on the speakers. The Mesa Celestion Black Shadows are not like the Jensens that came on classic Twins, and the new Jensen “Blackbird” Alnicos aren’t like what came on classic Twins, either.

I think that’s part of the “close, but no cigar” problem. But you did say 70%. If I were you, that’s where I’d look in the Mesa line for that sound. Maybe I’m too picky, but as much as I LOVE the Mark V, it’s not going to give you what you’re after IMHO.

Too bad Mesa don’t make a mini Lonestar head. I know the LS Special 30 is smallish, but not Mark 25 or Recto 25 small.
The Fillmore 25 is pretty small though.

I want all the amps now dangit!

 

[László]

Too bad Mesa don’t make a mini Lonestar head. I know the LS Special 30 is smallish, but not Mark 25 or Recto 25 small.
The Fillmore 25 is pretty small though.

I want all the amps now dangit!

I want all the amps, too!

But I still like big amps. No idea why, since I can barely lift the ones I have.

Somewhere in the past I heard the phrase, “Always get the big engine.” I must have taken it to heart with amps and gear! In all seriousness, one reason I like big amps is that the transformers can be larger, and that “big iron” thing turns out to matter a whole lot for tone.

Transformers also make a big difference in studio gear, even though they’re not big and heavy with studio stuff; one reason the classic Neve consoles are still highly sought after is the St. Ives/Carnhill transformers on every mic input and channel. Same with the classic Neumann, AKG and Telefunkens mics. They matter.

Once again, I’m kind of a freak over this stuff, YMMV.

 

[madhermit]

I want all the amps, too!

But I still like big amps. No idea why, since I can barely lift the ones I have.

Somewhere in the past I heard the phrase, “Always get the big engine.” I must have taken it to heart with amps and gear!

I am 100% with you. I have two 100 Watt heads, two 50 Watt heads, one 25 Watt head, One 40 Watt combo, and two 25 Watt combos. The 100 Watters are glorious! All that beef yo!

 

[László]

I am 100% with you. I have two 100 Watt heads, two 50 Watt heads, one 25 Watt head, One 40 Watt combo, and two 25 Watt combos. The 100 Watters are glorious! All that beef yo!

25 Watts is still a nice amount of power, though. And sometimes you want a bit less headroom.

So yeah, it’s still good to have all the amps!!

 

[RickP]

I want all the amps, too!

But I still like big amps. No idea why, since I can barely lift the ones I have.

Somewhere in the past I heard the phrase, “Always get the big engine.” I must have taken it to heart with amps and gear! In all seriousness, one reason I like big amps is that the transformers can be larger, and that “big iron” thing turns out to matter a whole lot for tone.

Transformers also make a big difference in studio gear, even though they’re not big and heavy with studio stuff; one reason the classic Neve consoles are still highly sought after is the St. Ives/Carnhill transformers on every mic input and channel. Same with the classic Neumann, AKG and Telefunkens mics. They matter.

Once again, I’m kind of a freak over this stuff, YMMV.

That Road King II will go to 120 watts if you kick in all six of the power tubes... headroom for days but the volume is sneaky brutal. It's so clean you don't realize how loud it is! I put two Altec 417-8H speakers in it during a Santana/Rhoads phase, and they are pretty punchy. Pretty sure that's the biggest engine I have these days. I'm enjoying the 55 and less amps a lot more than I used to, and spent a lot of tonight playing at 2 Watts! My younger self would disown me. I gig on a Fractal Axe FX III, so these are all for fun and jams in the Band Cave. But I might have to break that new one out for a gig, it sounds so cool.

 

[Casi1]

Depends how picky you are. For me, the Mark V 90W had wonderful cleans, but they we’re Mark cleans, not blackface Twin cleans. I wound up getting a Lone Star, which I can set up a bit closer to that classic Twin sound. Though it’s not 100% there, it’s much closer than Mesa’s other offerings.

I have the 100W, but I thought the Lone Star Special 30W was also good sounding, if you prefer low power amps.

One thing to keep in mind about Twins, they had 85 Watts of headroom, which translates to tighter low end and less crunch on top (85 Watts in the old days, no idea what the reissues have now). As I said, I’m pretty happy with my LS on the days when I need that type of sound. Of course, a lot also depends on the speakers. The Mesa Celestion Black Shadows are not like the Jensens that came on classic Twins, and the new Jensen “Blackbird” Alnicos aren’t like what came on classic Twins, either.

I think that’s part of the “close, but no cigar” problem. But you did say 70%. If I were you, that’s where I’d look in the Mesa line for that sound. Maybe I’m too picky, but as much as I LOVE the Mark V, it’s not going to give you what you’re after IMHO.

I want something that doesn’t exist: a lightweight smallish easy to carry Twin Reverb. Somebody somewhere has got to be working on this creation. Maybe it won’t be 100%, maybe not even 80%, but 70% has to be doable, right? Take away the speaker, take away the heavy guts, reduce the wattage... it won’t be a vintage Twin but might it be something with similar characteristics? We are sending robots to the moon for goodness sakes.

As for the headroom, I guess I’ve never even tried to get a Twin Reverb to breakup so never really quantified how HUGE that space was. Never thought about what that headroom did for the low end but it definitely makes sense.

I’ll check out the 30W lonestar. Thanks.
Maybe a little Lonestar combo is in the near future from Mesa. A girl can hope.