Do you feel it’s a waste…

…of money spending thousands of dollars on gear if you’re only going to use it in your house?

JST8908 said:

…of money spending thousands of dollars on gear if you’re only going to use it in your house?

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Nope.

If it means spending more time with one’s creativity it is an investment

Hoarding may be an another story

No, but I think some people should ask themselves whether their hobby has become gear, not music, and if so, do they still want to spend thousands of dollars on it?

No, so long as it's not taking money away from important things like family & wellbeing. IOW if you can afford it, enjoy it!

I do feel my MK V 1/2 stack is overkill in the bedroom studio and have thought about downsizing. But when I plug it in I immediately change my mind

smunger4 said:

I do feel my MK V 1/2 stack is overkill in the bedroom studio and have thought about downsizing. But when I plug it in I immediately change my mind

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I made the mistake of going down the rabbit hole with that thought.. downsized to combo and after couple of years swapping small things and being disappointed with my playing and tones got myself a deal for MkV:90 and trad 4x12..

Did not hesitate to get back to this setup overkill is a kill and that’s what counts

NO ! I specifically bought a Mesa Boogie Mark Five 1X12 Combo and a Mesa Boogie Vertical 2X12 cab for home.
I specifically bought a Marshall JVM410 and a Marshall 2X12 cab for at home.
I loaded the Marshall 2X12 with one V30 and one G12-K100
I specifically bought an EVH 5150III 1X12 Combo and an EVH 1X12 extension cab for home.
I loaded the EVH 1X12 extension cab with a Creamback 65.
I also have a Blackstar HT Club 40 1X12 Combo and a Blackstar 1X12 extension cab in my living room.
None of those are intended to leave the house.
However I don't actually just play at home.
I've been in a cover band for at least 50 years and will be until I die or can't stand up anymore.
So I have a Meas Boogie Mark Five Head and a Harley Benton 4X12 cab loaded with v30's and a Marshall DSL100HR and 4X12 cab loaded with two V30's and two G12-K100's, and two Marshall DSL40CR 1X12 combos for live gigs.
I have 32 guitars I use 3 or 4 for band rehearsal with another Marshall DSL40CR 1X12 Combo on top of a Marshall 1966 2X12 cab for rehearsal.
I use 3 or 4 guitars for live gigs. I rotate the guitars so they all get used at some point.
I simply like playing guitar, and I like guitars and guitar amps.
I think I have 16 guitar amps. The Marshall Class 5 loaded with a 10" Greenback and a 1X12 extension cab loaded with a 12" Greenback might be my favorite.

Thanks all for the responses. Reason asked is because I have been wanting the Triple Crown combo, but it’s pricey and loud, although it sounds great. I have currently been playing through a Peavey Delta Blues 115 and hate it lol. I’m tired of having to fight the volume and fight it to get the tone I want. When I do, it’s still seeming to lack something. I’ve tried pedals as well. It’s bass heavy and I just don’t like the thing. It seems to me, the kind of rhythm and lead tones I like is from something like the Triple Crown Combo.

To my ears, Oranges distortion sounds too fuzzy, Fenders are too clean, Vox is chimey, and while Marshall has a great distortion sound, I’ve never really been able to get a good sound or tone out of them. Just because your “heroes” played them, doesn’t mean you’re going to gel with them.

For a while, I was looking at a Blackstar HT Club, but then heard a Triple Crown online and decided it was the more superior. It seems like it has the tones I was looking for without having to use pedals or without having to fight the amp.

Thoughts?

JST8908 said:

Thanks all for the responses. Reason asked is because I have been wanting the Triple Crown combo, but it’s pricey and loud, although it sounds great. I have currently been playing through a Peavey Delta Blues 115 and hate it lol. I’m tired of having to fight the volume and fight it to get the tone I want. When I do, it’s still seeming to lack something. I’ve tried pedals as well. It’s bass heavy and I just don’t like the thing. It seems to me, the kind of rhythm and lead tones I like is from something like the Triple Crown Combo.

To my ears, Oranges distortion sounds too fuzzy, Fenders are too clean, Vox is chimey, and while Marshall has a great distortion sound, I’ve never really been able to get a good sound or tone out of them. Just because your “heroes” played them, doesn’t mean you’re going to gel with them.

For a while, I was looking at a Blackstar HT Club, but then heard a Triple Crown online and decided it was the more superior. It seems like it has the tones I was looking for without having to use pedals or without having to fight the amp.

Thoughts?

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Well.. after you’ve acquired one and had it some time you can say if it was a good fit for your needs or not that’s how I found out what was good for me.. try and fail is a proper way of learning

Eevil said:

Well.. after you’ve acquired one and had it some time you can say if it was a good fit for your needs or not that’s how I found out what was good for me.. try and fail is a proper way of learning

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Do you have any experience or know anyone who has a Triple Crown Combo?

JST8908 said:

…of money spending thousands of dollars on gear if you’re only going to use it in your house?

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My fellow musical explorer let me tell you that I am long in the tooth, battled and scarred from the [selfish *******] path of so-called "G.A.S.", and have untold stories of wrath wielded upon me by those that... "knew of the better". At this point I can only say this... I am a bad-*** musician and my toyz played a meaningful and impactful part of my journey. Does it bring you joy...? Does it bring you joy without totally screwing everything and everyone else around you...? Then go for it, my fellow musical explorer! Do what brings you joy

JST8908 said:

Do you have any experience or know anyone who has a Triple Crown Combo?

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Well. I have only briefly tested one as a head and would like to have one but have no pressing need for another channel switcher. Enjoyed the effortless feel of ch 2 and ch 3 but hard to say as I had no familiar guitar or cab with me..

JST8908 said:

Do you have any experience or know anyone who has a Triple Crown Combo?

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FWIW... the TC50 sub forum has alot of related Triple Crown info. Plus

This TC Thread

has numerous comments that may be useful.

Not at all. I probably have a good $1000 just in cables here. At least $20,000 invested in the living room studio. None of it ever leaves the house, but the music I create with it does:
DECEMBERmusic.org

DECEMBER said:

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Not at all. I probably have a good $1000 just in cables here. At least $20,000 invested in the living room studio. None of it ever leaves the house, but the music I create with it does:
DECEMBERmusic.org

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Listened to your song you posted on FB, it was great!

Nope. I never made enough money at music for it to be a profession or a job. Even so, music and making music is a large part of my life. I can spend hours relaxing by playing. I can even spend hours toying around with one of my amps, getting different sounds from, even using different pedals with it.

In retirement, it is one of the things I plan to enjoy.

No, it is not a waste of money. We all have differences in our priorities, responsibilities and such. Do not make a choice that would strap you into poverty. Financing or using a credit card is not an option as that is a waste of money. Save up funds over time to buy yourself what it is you desire. That is what I did.

Something like that $5k to $10k private reserve PRS or Gibson Les Paul, that may be too much for one thing. If you can afford it without thinking much about that expense, go for it.

When it comes to the guitar amps, they are not cheap either. I have no regrets in what Mesa gear I have bought. I do not use it outside of my home. I do not see that as being a reason not to get something. I did not buy my gear for someone else but myself. Doing the gig thing would be lots of fun. Did that back in the 90's but not on the same level as many in the forums. I had the amp and guitars first long before I did any gig stuff. Now, it is just me and a few friends that come over to jam at least once a month. Still all my gear though. They have no need to bring anything unless they want too. I did not stop at just guitar stuff, bass and drums also became a need and desire for me. I was the one who took the picture, so I am not in it.



Sure, I did go overboard in the past decade. I was filling a void that could not be filled. After my wife passed away, it was a reminder there is no guarantee how long will be living. She died at a young age, never made it to 50. She made me promise I would take up playing the guitar again after hearing me play though the Mark III combo while I was getting it ready to sell to a friend I work with. It took me a while to get back into playing as I had an injury to the left arm that sort of ended things 8 years prior. this picture was taken at least five years after she had passed. Well I got back into music again, that fueled the need for more stuff, and it almost became a mental issue.



I doubt I will recover from my wife's passing, but I am no longer filling the void. I am now buying gear because I want to have it. And yes, it all gets used. I will rotate stuff out of storage to once in a while if there is room to set it up. Most of it is under its covers stored in a conditioned hallway between two rooms that has another entry way.

Mesa / Boogie 4 Life!!!

JST8908 said:

Thanks all for the responses. Reason asked is because I have been wanting the Triple Crown combo, but it’s pricey and loud, although it sounds great. I have currently been playing through a Peavey Delta Blues 115 and hate it lol. I’m tired of having to fight the volume and fight it to get the tone I want. When I do, it’s still seeming to lack something. I’ve tried pedals as well. It’s bass heavy and I just don’t like the thing. It seems to me, the kind of rhythm and lead tones I like is from something like the Triple Crown Combo.

To my ears, Oranges distortion sounds too fuzzy, Fenders are too clean, Vox is chimey, and while Marshall has a great distortion sound, I’ve never really been able to get a good sound or tone out of them. Just because your “heroes” played them, doesn’t mean you’re going to gel with them.

For a while, I was looking at a Blackstar HT Club, but then heard a Triple Crown online and decided it was the more superior. It seems like it has the tones I was looking for without having to use pedals or without having to fight the amp.

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

The Triple Crown is an interesting amp. TC50 carries a dry tone to it. The TC100 is a bit more low end saturated. Both are great amps. If you needed an accurate reference to the Triple Crown, that would be the Marshal Silver Jubilee 2555x. That amp practically sound the same but yet not as refined as the Mesa product. The only thing the 2555x is missing is a reverb. I sort of fell for the RA100 as it was the predecessor to the Triple Crown amps. One is a half stack and the other is the RA100 Combo.



Not sure what the going prices is for the TC50 combo amp. I picked up the RA100 combo for $750 but that was before covid-19 and the inflation of Mesa gear on the used market. OK, I have many amps in my collection, call that a sickness but I do not collect them to have them, I play them and those I admire the most like the RA100, it gets played the most. I have more guitars than amps.

The RA100 combo is also three channels, non-midi, has reverb and sound similar to the Triple Crown but with a bit more dynamic character on the gain channels. Call it the deserted island amp as I can easily get lost with it for hours on end. The Majic Mojo may require some NOS tubes to get it to its full glory. Sure the stock STR447 are ok, a bit too forward sounding in the RA. SED =C= EL34 are the bomb in that amp!

Bought the TC50 first. Then Mesa announced the TC100 thinking it would be closer to the RA100. It is similar but no cigar. Both TC and RA are on the same page, just different characteristics. For me, the best feature is the clean channel on either amp. Has that vintage vibe thing going for it when using the drive mode. The RA comes close but a bit warmer toned. What advantage the TC50 has over the TC100, how it sounds when using the 6V6 tubes. Cuts the power in half but sounds great. I can say this, Mesa did a fine job with the power section of the Triple Crowns. They may start off as harsh sounding with a fresh set of the STR447 EL34 tubes but when they mellow out it sounds really good. No limit on what power tubes to use either, any of the current production EL34 and its variants will work well with the Triple Crown more so than the RA100 as that amp runs only 400VDC plate voltages. TC runs at 450V so it is more suitable for a wider range of power tubes.



Triple Crown will go a long way for sure. I still have mine as they are fun amps to play through.

There is one amp that blew me away and took my attention away from the RA and TC amps, it also captivated my desires in ways I did not expect. The Badlander. It has no reverb though, that would be a nice feature. Mesa did a really great job in the marriage of the STR447 power tube and that amp. The clean channel, crunch and crush are all excellent. You can get vintage tones to high gain mayhem with that amp. It is also available in the BAD 50 Combo too. I would consider trying one out and compare it to a TC50 combo. They are different animals but there is so much more that meets the eye with the BAD. I opted for the BAD100 so it is a head only, much like the TC100.



For amps lacking a reverb, use the FX loop to add that. I rarely use the spring reverb anymore after I got my hands on a Strymon BigSky.

There are other amps made on the planet that have some really cool mojo. One that comes to mind is the Fender Blues Deluxe. That one sort of falls into the TC arena a bit as well as the California tweed. The Fender BD may look too much like the Peavey amp you already have. I never played through the Peavey, but I have played through the Fender on several occasions. Almost bought one too. It was missing one thing, MESA. I opted for the California Tweed because of the features that amp had with it. That is one sweet amp too but will not get into the higher gain arena without any pedals (it takes pedals quite well). Other than the RA100 combo, it is the next best combo amp I have. I use it once in a while. Mostly without the pedals though but it can get into Mark territory with the Flux Drive pedal. The 5band GEQ was not needed. I was exploring the potential of the CT4:40 so I may have had a few other drive pedals out. Talk about a lush sounding reverb.




There are many great amps Mesa has made in the past decade. Even the Filmore is interesting. I sort of liked the blues characteristic of the CT4:40 as it was different than the Filmore.

I waste more time deciding what amp to run. They all sound great. I cannot buy anymore as I have run out of room. Never claimed to be a musician but I enjoy playing the guitar, drums and bass.

Just follow your passion. The TC50 is a great amp. Not sure how the combo sounded, I looked it up on youtube. I could buy that.
I gave up on combo amps some time ago, but the CT4:40 and RA100 combo amps were the exception. If I still had the Mark III combo, then I would also include that one too. Regret ever selling it.

There is yet another that falls into the TC arena. Mostly in a combo format too, Stiletto ACE. Different but also on a similar page as the TC tonal pallet. I never bought one but have heard many recordings of it. Almost forgot to mention the Electra Dyne.

It was never my intention to have this many amps. Mesa kept coming out with cool stuff that I could not refuse or put into the back of my mind and forget about it. I had to convince myself to stop buying stuff. However, if Mesa came out with a new Road King I may have to get it.