Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Simon D on April 22, 2008, 10:57:24 PM
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Me new Mesa arrived today - typically, just as I was going out of the door on my way to work. So I had to suffer all day knowing it was at home, waiting in the hallway. I've never been so tempted to call in sick in my life, but if I don't show up, i don't get paid.
So, to the amp: It's a Mesa Boogie Roadster head with Mesa 2x12 Recto cab. First impressions were mostly "$%&# me, this thing is heavy!".
Managed to get it set up in the dining room by about nine (didn't dare try to tackle the stairs with it yet, plus my old amp is still in my room), got plugged in and gave it a crack.
It's quite a daunting amp at first glance, with 4 channels, each with 3 modes, switchable power (50/100watts) and rectification (diode/recto tube) for each channel, plus individual reverb adjustment and EQ for each channel. It also has a master output control (which seems to act a bit like a power attenuator) a solo control, which can be set to bring a stepped up volume level, and a bold/spongy power selector. There's also FX loops and a whole bunch of other stuff I didn't have time to play with tonight. However, a good look at the manual first helped a lot.
Sound-wise, first impressions are pretty good. The clean channels sound very good, rich, full and crisp, with a nice breakup at the top end of the gain dial. The 'tweed' setting gives a really nice Stevie Ray tone on a neck coil, and I'm guessing will do nice country drive with a Tele (I'll know for sure tomorrow).
The 'Brit' mode goes from a Bluesbreaker type drive right around to an AC/DC Angus tone, but you have to be careful with the treble control, or it can sound too sharp.
The two overdrive channels seem to do everything Mesas are reknowned for, but I didn't really have much time to experiment, because it was getting late and I live in semi-detached house! Didn't have a chance to plug anything BKP-loaded in tonight - that will be tomorrow night's fun and games.
So far, I'm impressed. Only problem so far is it's bloody huge. :)
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common, i mean seriously, have you no conscious? where are our pictures? :P
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Pics or it didn't happen.
Oh wait wrong forum ... :D
Nah seriously sounds like a great amp you have there.
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This is the setup I'm looking at picking up so I'm going to need a full review :wink:
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Sounds great!
But too many bloody features!
You'll spend the rest of your life with your head in the manual! :P
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Congrats Simon. New Amp Day's are the BEST !! SOunds like you've got one versatile (but heavy) beast there ! pics and clips are always appreciated !
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congrats, personally for me an amp with that many knobs and dials would drive me insane.. I have trouble deciding how to dial in an amp with two knobs.. :P
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Gratz dude, I await a full review with interest. :)
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congrats from a fellowBoogiemon!!!!I have a coliseum..the head alone weighs in at 67 pounds!!!!!all boogies are solid!check out the boogieboard forum for all things boogie...a tweaker's dream
-i know a lot of people do not like all of the knobs,etc...but,to me, it is part of the fun-keep a notebook handy and document your settings....as time rolls along, you will find yourself dialing in all kinds of cool tones...you will finally find a few that are YOU, but you can always go in another direction as well
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Yes, the Boogieboard is a great source of info. I discovered loads of things I could do to my Lonestar Classic there. Not that I've done any of them yet.
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Cheers for the replies guys. Sorry about the lack of pics - I don't have my camera at the moment, so pics will appear at some point on the weekend, when I get it back.
A full review will definitely follow, but I'll need a little more time to fully get to grips with everything on it. I love fiddling about with the settings already - like Shaman said, it's all part of the fun. Just playing a riff on one of the gain channels and flicking from 50 to 100 watts produces a massive change in tone, and that's before you've gone near changing the rectification from recto tube to diode tracking.
Had the chance to try it out briefly tonight with my PRS SE with Holy Divers, and my stock US Strat, and it opened up yet more tones. The HDs were able to head towards that Alter Bridge tone, and with some tweaking, a wicked Dio, and the Strat sung in a way I've never heard it do before, particularly on the clean channel - the amp has really brought it to life.
More will follow :)