.50 Caliber Question...

[thunderkyss]

I downloaded the .50 Caliber manual from the mesa boogie website. I was curious as to how the Lead Master was supposed to work.

The Lead Master only works in the lead mode..... the volume & Master work in both modes.

In the lead mode, I expected it to work like a Gain knob on most amps. But it doesn't.

It doesn't affect gain, but works more like another volume control.

Now the manual for the .50 doesn't say anything about the Lead Master Control.. but the .50 + manual does.

Mine works like it says it does in the .50+ manual.... so I'm guessing that's the way it is supposed to work.

Now the Gain is set more or less with the Volume Control.

So, If I'm playing with my volume at 5, on the rhythm mode, when I switch to the lead mode, there is too much gain. I can turn down the lead master, but that only changes the overall "volume" of the amp, not the gain.

I can readjust the gain, by turning the volume down to 2... but as you would expect, the volume is a lot lower than I'd like.

So, how do you other .50 amp owners deal with this?? or if the other boogies work this way, how do you cope??

 

[scottcrud]

The Lead Master is only to match volumes with the clean channel, not to lower gain like you're thinking. I'm a metal player so I primarily use the Lead channel with EQ engaged. My clean channel does not have the EQ engaged because it's too dark and bass-y sounding. In fact my clean channel sounds like Angus and Malcolm Young's tone from AC/DC. I've owned my .50cal+ since 1991 so I'm fairly confidant in my comments. I've never been able to get a great tone out of both the lead and clean channels, it's either one or the other and I opt for a great tone on the lead channel. Good luck.

 

[user 7737]

weird... the lead master is only on the + version... this is just a volume for the lead channel... very practice in fact to balance lead and clean...

about getting good both clean and lead, i think it's a matter of taste... and it's maybe true for metal player... i thought like that the first time i played with the cal... but now i think i have a god **** good clean and lead... but i'm not into metal stuff...

so thunder, what do you think about your cal 50 ?

personaly, the more i play with it the more i like it... the thing i like the most about this amp it's its simplicity... this amp got personnality, he don't adapt to the player, this is the player who have to adapt to it... i think it's cool... he seems to say : "that's the way i am, if you don't like me go f*** yourself" :mrgreen:

 

[thunderkyss]

weird... the lead master is only on the + version... this is just a volume for the lead channel... very practice in fact to balance lead and clean...

My .50 Cal has a lead master, it's just not mentioned in the owners manual.

about getting good both clean and lead, i think it's a matter of taste... and it's maybe true for metal player... i thought like that the first time i played with the cal... but now i think i have a god **** good clean and lead... but i'm not into metal stuff...

I do get into heavy music.. Metallica, Megadeth, Down, BLS, Ozzy.... none of that death metal stuff.

But I also get into other things as well, Southern Rock, Blues, Jazz, Pop.

so thunder, what do you think about your cal 50 ?
:mrgreen:

I like it just fine, it's really very versatile, except so far for me anyway, it's going to be a one trick pony at a time... which is fine. I've got other amps. I like the fact that if you look at this amp, it's pretty mild mannered. You wouldn't think it's got as much gain as it does.

It's a keeper, I had thoughts of moving it, since it covers some of the same territory as my other amps, from Sothern Rock to classic rock, I've got a Marshall Vintage Modern, and that is perfect for that. For the Metallica, Megadeth stuff, I'll probably use the Boogie.. the .50 Cal. For the clean stuff, I've got a Blue Voodoo, which has a really nice, bubbly clean channel, very fenderish... But that Blue Voodoo will do the high gain stuff as well as I like as well.

The only place the .50 shines over my Blue Voodoo, and my Vintage Modern, is for smooth high gain Carlos Santana like leads.

 

[MrMarkIII]

The "50 Cal" has four EL-84 tubes, the "50 Cal +" has two 6L6s. I have the "Plus".
The Volume knob controls the amount of gain for both Rhythm AND Lead. The Masters control the loudness level. Pretty sure only the "Plus" has a separate Lead Master.
RTFM...
50 Cal+ Manual (6L6):
http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/50%20Caliber%20Plus.pdf
50 Cal Manual (EL-84):
http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/50%20Caliber%20Series.pdf

 

[thunderkyss]

The "50 Cal" has four EL-84 tubes, the "50 Cal +" has two 6L6s. I have the "Plus".
The Volume knob controls the amount of gain for both Rhythm AND Lead. The Masters control the loudness level. Pretty sure only the "Plus" has a separate Lead Master.
RTFM...
50 Cal+ Manual (6L6):
http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/50%20Caliber%20Plus.pdf
50 Cal Manual (EL-84):
http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/50%20Caliber%20Series.pdf

RTFM??

Did you read my freak'n post?? I said I read the manual, and I read the .50 Cal + manual. & I still had questions.

If it is a problem for you to reply to posts, don't reply. If it's a problem for you to read the posts... well, can't be a problem since you obviously didn't read the freak'n post to begin with.

as a side note, regardless of what you are pretty sure about, my .50 Caliber with the four EL84s has a lead master control, like I stated in an earlier post you obviously didn't read, since that would have explained why the manual didn't completely satisfy my concern.

 

[MrMarkIII]

I refuse to get into a battle of wits with you, as I won't fight an un-armed man.

 

[thunderkyss]

I refuse to get into a battle of wits with you, as I won't fight an un-armed man.

Now, we're slinging insults.

I suggest we both take a step back, look at the posts in this thread, and admit that you were wrong, and shouldn't have included the RTFM comment in your post. We should also admit that your "smarter than you" attitude was not necessary.

Then I'll admit I was wrong in the way I replied. I'll even apologize(I'm sorry) if I hurt your feelings. I shouldn't have done that, I should have replied to your post with the same respect I'd expect someone to reply to mine. Even though you did not, I should have.

 

[scottcrud]

Thunderkyss, does your .50Cal have the 5 band EQ?

 

[thunderkyss]

yes it does have the 5 band EQ

 

[scottcrud]

Then you're set. Have fun with it.

 

[thunderkyss]

The tunes on your myspace, is that you with your .50 Cal+ ?? or is there another guitar in there??

What kind of mods are you talking about when you say heavily modded??

 

[scottcrud]

every song except Deceit is done with just me and the .50Cal+
It's got 100 watt trannies and is powered by two 6550's. But it was stock back then.

 

[user 7737]

RTFM... what does it mean ?

 

[Alivefor5]

Read the f***ing manual.

 

[user 7737]

:lol:

crazy... anyway... the F was not necessary indeed...

 

[user 7737]

is the cal 50 really "vintage" ?

 

[scottcrud]

It can be, or it can be pretty modern. Depends how you set it up.

 

[user 7737]

i mean is he old enough to be consider as "vintage"... i didn't is he sound vintage... i know it can sound vintage :wink:

 

[thunderkyss]

Mine was made in 1989..