Amp advice...

[Sonic Blue 55]

After playing both the Mesa Tweed and Fillmore, I decided I liked the Fillmore better. Mesa is building some great ampsfor all kinds of music, but this is a real improvement to my ears.

 

[RickP]

Amplification is about hearing the sound you want. I have Boogies from a wide date range, Fenders from the 60s to the 2000s, other great amps like Carol-Ann and Marshall, and I play an Axe FX III through a SS full range coaxial setup as well. There's no reason you can't enjoy it all. The great sound of a blackface Super Reverb is compelling! The Axe Fx designer thought so and modeled a 64 just like mine to include in the AFX. It sounds great too! But not exactly like mine. So I enjoy them both. Same for the Carol Ann Tucana 3. An incredible design by Alan Phillips, and Cliff Chase's favorite amp as well. Same thing... I enjoy them both. It really isn't about one over the other, or old versus new. It's about what sounds good, and I've found good sounds in both.

Don't be quick to crap on another's selection of guitar, amp, pick, strings, or whatever. If it inspires them, it's musical. Leave it at that.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

There is just too much cost cutting going on at Mesa. Everything is a ribbon cable connected subassembly that is designed to limit the amount of skill and labor needed to build an amp. These subassemblies are designed to be replaced as a whole, not repaired at the board level.

Have you seen inside one of these? The pic I saw didn't show any ribbon cables. I think they only do that on the very complex (Mark V) amps. I think this is a regular circuit board amp build. At least the pic I saw showed it as such.

 

[Em7]

Have you seen inside one of these? The pic I saw didn't show any ribbon cables. I think they only do that on the very complex (Mark V) amps. I think this is a regular circuit board amp build. At least the pic I saw showed it as such.

The older amps do not use ribbon cables, but almost every new design in the last ten years has been composed of ribbon cable-connected subassemblies. It is just the nature of the beast today. Without it, Mesa's amps would be more expensive and they would not be able to meet demand. If you want to see where the cost cutting started, look at the original Caliber series amps. They were introduced when Mesa switched from being direct to having a dealer network. The original Studio .22 with EQ is an amazing sounding amp, but it was definitely built to a price point (I paid $650.00 for my mine in 1987). It was the first Boogie with PCB-mounted power tube sockets. Mesa runs the EL84s at 7189-spec. The EL84 is rated at 300VDC cathode to plate and the B+ voltage on a Studio .22 is 390VDC (usually more on modern mains), fixed bias, which means that the cathode to plate voltage potential is 390VDC. It is not uncommon for the power tube sockets in Studio .22s to desolder themselves over time. When Mesa switched from a quartet of EL84s to two 6L6s in the .50 Caliber, the power tubes went from being soldered to the board to being chassis mounted with flying leads.

 

[Em7]

After playing both the Mesa Tweed and Fillmore, I decided I liked the Fillmore better. Mesa is building some great ampsfor all kinds of music, but this is a real improvement to my ears.

I agree with you in that the Fillmore is a better sounding, more tweakable amp. I have been listing to a lot of recordings that were made with the Mark I. That amp has its own tone mojo. It sounds nothing like the later Marks. That is because the Mark I is basically an AB763 blackface amp with the channels cascaded. Placing another gain stage in front of the tone stack significantly alters the tone of the AB763 circuit. Starting with the Mark II, the extra gain stages were added after the tone stack.

 

[Em7]

While I know that Carlos is not everyone's cup of tea, he does a good job of demonstrating the Mark I plugged into jack 1 on this video.

The Mark I has a more woodwind-like tone than the later Marks, which have a more aggressive lead voice. That was what Carlos was seeking when the Mark I was developed. He wanted to be able to hold a note like a saxaphonist can do with circular breathing. That kind of sustain is impossible with a stock AB763-based Fender amp, even when it is dimed.

 

[Em7]

What is interesting about Europa is that it is in the key of Eb/Cm, but the solo starts on G, which makes it phrygian mode.

 

[RickP]

Just caught this video on how JM has gone about getting the Garcia tone in Dead & Company. It’s really on the Super Eagle, but gives some thought on pickup and guitar options that contribute to the tones needed, and somewhat how that ties back to Jerry’s guitar. Not amp-specific, but has some to do with John’s way of getting there in combo with the J-Mod.

 

[Egads]

Cool video.

 

[Casi1]

I’m super late to this discussion and I know that the OP has already purchased a new amp but I just wanted to say that I love my new lil Quilter Mach2 Combo! I’ve been trying for years to find something less than 20 lbs that could get me close to a Twin Reverb’s sparkly cleans. I should have taken Pat Quilters advice WAY before now. He pretty much told me exactly what model to buy. And he was 100% correct.

Contrary to what a lot of users have found, I love mine at low volume (I just have to change the Voice to obtain that ‘Twin at low volume’ sound).

My Strats love the scoop boost, my McCartys prefer no boost at all, and the Custom 24 loves all the boost options.

The only thing I’m struggling with is what to use channel 2 for... it’s clean tone is okay but the other channel is better.

Between my Mesa Boogie TA-30 and this Quilter combo, I feel like I can finally get close enough to those Vox AC and Fender Twin tones that I’ve been chasing for so many years.

Now I just need the Quilter extension cab...

And maybe a Mach 2 Head as a backup.

And a purple P22 with trem.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

What speaker are you using with your TA30?

 

[Casi1]

What speaker are you using with your TA30?

I believe it’s Custom 90. I didn’t change it.

I have the combo unit

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I believe it’s Custom 90. I didn’t change it.

I have the combo unit

The VOXYness of the tones in the TA about doubles with the right alnico speaker. If I mainly used it for the Vox tones (or even the Vox and Tweed) I’d put my Red Fang in one in a heartbeat. Both my TAs were heads, but with an open back cab with the Red Fang, the Vox and Tweed channels were GREAT. Made me never want a real Vox, when I could get an amp that could do that sound that well, and do other things also.

Have you considered dropping an alnico speaker in it? It will transform the amp.

 

[Casi1]

The VOXYness of the tones in the TA about doubles with the right alnico speaker. If I mainly used it for the Vox tones (or even the Vox and Tweed) I’d put my Red Fang in one in a heartbeat. Both my TAs were heads, but with an open back cab with the Red Fang, the Vox and Tweed channels were GREAT. Made me never want a real Vox, when I could get an amp that could do that sound that well, and do other things also.

Have you considered dropping an alnico speaker in it? It will transform the amp.

I thought about putting a blue one in there a few years ago but then I figured out how to dial the amp in, lol. I had it set up all wrong. If I ever think of getting rid of it, I’ll remember to try an alnico before listing it on the bay or verb but right now I’m loving it as is.

I find that the Tweed side sounds great but isn’t really ‘Tweedy’. My little Quilter does a more realistic Tweed impression.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I thought about putting a blue one in there a few years ago but then I figured out how to dial the amp in, lol. I had it set up all wrong. If I ever think of getting rid of it, I’ll remember to try an alnico before listing it on the bay or verb but right now I’m loving it as is.

I find that the Tweed side sounds great but isn’t really ‘Tweedy’. My little Quilter does a more realistic Tweed impression.

I’d suggest a higher wattage speaker than the Blue for the TA30. Gold (have not tried!) Red Fang (I love this speaker for this stuff!!). I hear ya on the tweed side. But you have to think about how mismatached the C90 is for “that” sound.

Which reinforces my suggestion to try an alnico. The Tweed tones sound great through an alnico!

 

[Casi1]

I’d suggest a higher wattage speaker than the Blue for the TA30. Gold (have not tried!) Red Fang (I love this speaker for this stuff!!). I hear ya on the tweed side. But you have to think about how mismatached the C90 is for “that” sound.

Which reinforces my suggestion to try an alnico. The Tweed tones sound great through an alnico!

It’s all good for right now. It’s got Vox covered and the Quilter has the Tweed covered. The last speaker upgrade I did was a few years ago...and it was no fun, lol. Good news is that I’m less concerned about modding amps than I am about modding guitars. Until I get frustrated with the amp, it’s ok for right now but I might try an alnico in the future.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Good to be happy with what you have. I keep thinking I might buy another TA15 some time, just to have something that can do those tones, with three choices of power stage. That and a couple speakers can do a whole lot! And I’ve said here before, the TA30 combo may be the best choice/Best Buy in a gigging amp for many people.