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. :)
