DG30 vs. Mesa Fillmore 50

[phoenixbt]

I wish I could try a DG30 out, but no one around here ever seems to have one. I’m looking for a new amp - I currently have a two rock studio signature and a fender 64 custom deluxe. I’d like to add something with great cleans and that also has a good crunch/gain channel. Bonus points if it takes pedals well my main guitars are a DGT, silver sky, and a few strat, and I have a MEV on the way.

Does anyone have both the Fillmore 50 and DG30 and can help me out with a comparison/recommendation between the two?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Les is your guy

 

[RickP]

@LSchefman to the courtesy phone…

 

[bodia]

Someone mentions a DG-30, and Les hasn't offered up solid info in 17 hours?????? Well being check????

 

[strat63]

I only own the Boogie but have played the DG30. The DG30 sounded great but didn't come off as terribly versatile. Certainly it's capable of different sounds but not on the fly like the channel switching Fillmore.

 

[CandidPicker]

I'd ask what style of music the OP were striving for. Some amps perform better in various areas than seem to be all-inclusive for each music style...for example does the OP want crunch, as regards a pushed edge of break-up crunch, or something heavier, for hard rock or metal?

 

[phoenixbt]

I'd ask what style of music the OP were striving for. Some amps perform better in various areas than seem to be all-inclusive for each music style...for example does the OP want crunch, as regards a pushed edge of break-up crunch, or something heavier, for hard rock or metal?

Sorry! I should have specified. Nothing super high gain - I play mostly blues and rock, so it’d be for edge of breakup/crunch sounds

 

[László]

I only own the Boogie but have played the DG30. The DG30 sounded great but didn't come off as terribly versatile. Certainly it's capable of different sounds but not on the fly like the channel switching Fillmore.

It is versatile, but it requires understanding how to set it up, and of course, the right speaker cab.

I wish I could try a DG30 out, but no one around here ever seems to have one. I’m looking for a new amp - I currently have a two rock studio signature and a fender 64 custom deluxe. I’d like to add something with great cleans and that also has a good crunch/gain channel. Bonus points if it takes pedals well my main guitars are a DGT, silver sky, and a few strat, and I have a MEV on the way.

Does anyone have both the Fillmore 50 and DG30 and can help me out with a comparison/recommendation between the two?

I have both. They serve different purposes. For additional background, I played only Two-Rocks for about 12 years.

The Fillmore 50 does a more 'Tweed' sound, that morphs via its settings to more 'Mesa' sounds. A great amp - provided you have the right speakers, which in my case are Jensen Alnico Blackbirds (I actually ordered a California Tweed cab in custom colors to match my Fillmore). With the stock C-90 Black Shadow speakers, it floats my boat...well, let's just say, not as much.

The Fillmore is a circuit board amp, the DG30 is mostly handwired. As a Two Rock player, this may or may not matter to you.

I also retubed my Fillmore with NOS GE tubes to get really happy with it, BUT I also retubed my T-Rs with NOS after T-R stopped installing NOS as standard. So...I'm that guy.

The DG30 is a DIFFERENT type of beast. It's got EL84M output tubes - similar but different to AC30 topology - and its tone stack is inspired by a Hiwatt tone stack. The preamp also has some Tweed elements.

The DG30 can do a lot of things, and so can the Fillmore. But they're different, and both are worth owning.

The DG30 is the most unique sounding amp I own. I love it. When I turn the DG30 on after playing through the Fillmore 50, I always think, "Here's the Mac Daddy of them all."

On the other hand, my son, who's got three gold records as a mixer, producer (and also played guitar on the records) thinks my Fillmore is the best of my amps.

But he's a fender player. So WTF does he know?

Does this help? If not, I can send a clip of tracks done with the DG30. Fillmore tracks are all over the web.

 

[phoenixbt]

It is versatile, but it requires understanding how to set it up, and of course, the right speaker cab.


I have both. They serve different purposes. For additional background, I played only Two-Rocks for about 12 years.

The Fillmore 50 does a more 'Tweed' sound, that morphs via its settings to more 'Mesa' sounds. A great amp - provided you have the right speakers, which in my case are Jensen Alnico Blackbirds (I actually ordered a California Tweed cab in custom colors to match my Fillmore). With the stock C-90 Black Shadow speakers, it floats my boat...well, let's just say, not as much.

The Fillmore is a circuit board amp, the DG30 is mostly handwired. As a Two Rock player, this may or may not matter to you.

I also retubed my Fillmore with NOS GE tubes to get really happy with it, BUT I also retubed my T-Rs with NOS after T-R stopped installing NOS as standard. So...I'm that guy.

The DG30 is a DIFFERENT type of beast. It's got EL84M output tubes - similar but different to AC30 topology - and its tone stack is inspired by a Hiwatt tone stack. The preamp also has some Tweed elements.

The DG30 can do a lot of things, and so can the Fillmore. But they're different, and both are worth owning.

The DG30 is the most unique sounding amp I own. I love it. When I turn the DG30 on after playing through the Fillmore 50, I always think, "Here's the Mac Daddy of them all."

On the other hand, my son, who's got three gold records as a mixer, producer (and also played guitar on the records) thinks my Fillmore is the best of my amps.

But he's a fender player. So WTF does he know?

Does this help? If not, I can send a clip of tracks done with the DG30. Fillmore tracks are all over the web.

Thank you so much! That’s super helpful - except to my wallet because now I want both what two rock did you play? I’ve had a classic reverb sig and have the studio sig now, so I’m wondering which one here might give me the most different sounds?

If you have some sound clips/tracks with the DG30 and it’s not a lot of trouble I’d love to hear them. I love DG, but the only demos on YouTube of the amp are with him and I like to hear some different players/styles. Thanks again!

 

[strat63]

It is versatile, but it requires understanding how to set it up, and of course, the right speaker cab.


I have both. They serve different purposes. For additional background, I played only Two-Rocks for about 12 years.

The Fillmore 50 does a more 'Tweed' sound, that morphs via its settings to more 'Mesa' sounds. A great amp - provided you have the right speakers, which in my case are Jensen Alnico Blackbirds (I actually ordered a California Tweed cab in custom colors to match y Fillmore). With the stock C-90 Black Shadow speakers, it floats my boat...well, let's just say, not as much.

The Fillmore is a circuit board amp, the DG30 is mostly handwired. As a Two Rock player, this may or may not matter to you.

I also retubed my Fillmore with NOS GE tubes to get really happy with it, BUT I also retubed my T-Rs with NOS after T-R stopped installing NOS as standard. So...I'm that guy.

The DG30 is a DIFFERENT type of beast. It's got EL84M output tubes - similar but different to AC30 topology - and its tone stack is inspired by a Hiwatt tone stack. The preamp also has some Tweed elements.

The DG30 can do a lot of things, and so can the Fillmore. But they're different, and both are worth owning.

The DG30 is the most unique sounding amp I own. I love it. When I turn the DG30 on after playing through the Fillmore 50, I always think, "Here's the Mac Daddy of them all."

On the other hand, my son, who's got three gold records as a mixer, producer (and also played guitar on the records) thinks my Fillmore is the best of my amps.

But he's a fender player. So WTF does he know?

Does this help? If not, I can send a clip of tracks done with the DG30. Fillmore tracks are all over the web.

I find it interesting you went with a Jensen Blackbird for the Fillmore. It's a pretty unique speaker. Did you go with the 100? The California Tweeds combos now come with the 40 stock. I use 2 cabs with my California Tweed head, 1 with the Jensen and a 2nd with a C90. Time to experiment with my Fillmore now.

 

[László]

Thank you so much! That’s super helpful - except to my wallet because now I want both what two rock did you play? I’ve had a classic reverb sig and have the studio sig now, so I’m wondering which one here might give me the most different sounds?

If you have some sound clips/tracks with the DG30 and it’s not a lot of trouble I’d love to hear them. I love DG, but the only demos on YouTube of the amp are with him and I like to hear some different players/styles. Thanks again!

I was a T-R player from 2003 - 2014.

I had the Onyx, Onyx Sig v1, Onyx Sig v2, Custom Reverb, Custom Reverb Artist v1, Custom Reverb Artist v2, and a one-off they did for a dealer who didn't take it.

I freakin' love Bill's designs. But I digress.

I'll upload the stuff to SoundCloud and post it here. Or you can PM me your email address and I can send them via WeTransfer. They're full-resolution WAV files.

 

[László]

I find it interesting you went with a Jensen Blackbird for the Fillmore. It's a pretty unique speaker. Did you go with the 100? The California Tweeds combos now come with the 40 stock. I use 2 cabs with my California Tweed head, 1 with the Jensen and a 2nd with a C90. Time to experiment with my Fillmore now.

I have a pair of the Celestion Black Shadow C-90s in my Lone Star, and I tried the Fillmore head I have with that first. It was good, but I wanted something a little more "Alnico" sounding. I wanted the brightness and articulation that good alnico speakers can bring to the table.

I loved the Cali Tweed demos (the Fillmore was released first, and I bought one right away). I figured a lot I liked about it had to do with the speakers, and - this is just me - I prefer the Jensens.

I have the original high-wattage versions of the Blackbirds.

As I said, I wasn't sure I'd even like the combination, so though I had the Fillmore head covered in leather instead of tolex, I went with black tolex for the cab, figuring the whole idea was kind of a risky investment. Turns out, I love it.

The Fillmore head and cab are on the far left in the pic.

 

[László]

Thank you so much! That’s super helpful - except to my wallet because now I want both what two rock did you play? I’ve had a classic reverb sig and have the studio sig now, so I’m wondering which one here might give me the most different sounds?

If you have some sound clips/tracks with the DG30 and it’s not a lot of trouble I’d love to hear them. I love DG, but the only demos on YouTube of the amp are with him and I like to hear some different players/styles. Thanks again!

OK, then, here's the DG30 demo I wrote just for grins.

The rhythm guitar is a 594 Soapbar. The first lead is the Soapbar, the second a 594 Humbucker model.

I was interested in not only demoing the amp, but also the differences between the two guitars.

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman%2Fmessy-22

 

[phoenixbt]

OK, then, here's the DG30 demo I wrote just for grins.

The rhythm guitar is a 594 Soapbar. The first lead is the Soapbar, the second a 594 Humbucker model.

I was interested in not only demoing the amp, but also the differences between the two guitars.

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman%2Fmessy-22

Thank you so much for putting that together! Awesome playing and man does that DG30 sing. Wish I sounded that good (both playing and amp haha) with my 594. I honestly was leaning towards grabbing a Fillmore 25 head just because they are cheap ($1200 on reverb), but now you have me thinking the DG30 is the way to go

 

[László]

Thank you so much for putting that together! Awesome playing and man does that DG30 sing. Wish I sounded that good (both playing and amp haha) with my 594. I honestly was leaning towards grabbing a Fillmore 25 head just because they are cheap ($1200 on reverb), but now you have me thinking the DG30 is the way to go

You're too kind, I'm sure you're a much better player than I am.

I will say this - both amps are seriously great amps.

One thing to be aware of is that you have to work with the DG30 a little while to really get the hang of what it does. The master volume is (if memory serves) pre-phase inverter, so it makes the gain and tone controls a bit interactive with the overall volume.

In Boost mode, it's a loud amp, but in Normal mode, it's very reasonable. I'm not a high gain player, as you can tell, so I'm able to run the master that far up without issues in my home.

To me this is a great thing, because it makes the amp that much more versatile. But it doesn't work like most master volume controls. What you heard was the master about 2/3 of the way up, the gain around 1:00, treble around 2:00, mids around 1:00, and bass on about 11:00. The amp was switched into Normal mode for that recording, not a lot of reverb.

It's also running through the DG30 speaker cab, which really does affect the tone.

There are ten zillion demos of the Fillmore, but I did a Ford ad with it that I have lying around somewhere.

 

[Texas_minor_blues]

OK, then, here's the DG30 demo I wrote just for grins.

The rhythm guitar is a 594 Soapbar. The first lead is the Soapbar, the second a 594 Humbucker model.

I was interested in not only demoing the amp, but also the differences between the two guitars.

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman%2Fmessy-22

Loved the playing Les great job

 

[László]

Loved the playing Les great job

Thank you!