Hey guys, I have a sound-related issue with my 5:50 that I hope y’all can help solve. First I’ll try and describe it. When I’m playing a lead (5W, not loud), using the crunch or burn channels (gain not cranked to max), when I get to around the 9th fret and above on the high E string (10 gage strings) the individual notes are very shrill and most unpleasant. I don’t know how else to describe the sound other than use the word shrill. I need to figure out how I can use the same, or higher, gain level and get a smoother, cleaner sound without so much nasty bite. I’ve read in other threads that new tubes (from Doug’s, for example) really improves the overall sound but I don’t’ know if this is a tube thing or just a vagary of the Black Shadow speaker. Has anyone else experienced this issue? If so, is it a characteristic of the amp? Do different tubes fix/make this better? Thank you in advance!!!
assistance with my 5:50 please
- Thread starter vbf
- Start date
Help Support The Boogie Board:
MidWestBoogie
Member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2009
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 0
I have had the same issue with this amp myself. I have been playing since 1975. And I have been playing gigs since 1982. I know its not me. It is a frequency somewhere between 2.5 and 5 k and it can be down right painful at a high volume. And I find it hard to smooth out. I got the replacement set of tubes from Doug and it did help. Lately what has helped the most is a Boss GE-7. I get as close as I can on the amp and then I dial in the rest with the EQ pedal. I was told a long time ago that Mesa's can be finnicky and the amp will need dialing in every time you set it up.
One thing that helps is to realize the tone nobs do not respond like you would think ( and they are very touchy). They work in conjunction with each other. A change in treble will effect the mid and then the bass slightly and so on and so on,, The bass knob really just becomes too much at about 10 o' clock . A few people say they had a positive change with a Tone Tubby speaker replacement.
On a positive note, there have been times when I fiddled with the settings during first set that I have had some of the best tone ever. But the problem is I have to do this on every gig. I have a '73 Twin I had modded to Blackface specs that I used for 15 years and I barely touched the nobs the whole time. Bottom line is this is a high end and complex amp. It is capable of a VERY wide range of tones. But it is also very touchy and moody. I believe it is an excellent studio amp and a powerful live amp but be prepared to fiddle with the settings on every gig.
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Mesa Express 5:50 ( Doug's tubes)
Voodoo Lab pedal switcher
Keeley Cry Baby Wah
EH Small Clone
MXR Carbon Copy
Boss GE-7 EQ
One thing that helps is to realize the tone nobs do not respond like you would think ( and they are very touchy). They work in conjunction with each other. A change in treble will effect the mid and then the bass slightly and so on and so on,, The bass knob really just becomes too much at about 10 o' clock . A few people say they had a positive change with a Tone Tubby speaker replacement.
On a positive note, there have been times when I fiddled with the settings during first set that I have had some of the best tone ever. But the problem is I have to do this on every gig. I have a '73 Twin I had modded to Blackface specs that I used for 15 years and I barely touched the nobs the whole time. Bottom line is this is a high end and complex amp. It is capable of a VERY wide range of tones. But it is also very touchy and moody. I believe it is an excellent studio amp and a powerful live amp but be prepared to fiddle with the settings on every gig.
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Mesa Express 5:50 ( Doug's tubes)
Voodoo Lab pedal switcher
Keeley Cry Baby Wah
EH Small Clone
MXR Carbon Copy
Boss GE-7 EQ
The Express manual says that the gain control is the most powerfull control on the amp. Lower gain setting are brighter and thinner, while higher gain will sound warmer and thicker. My amp is the 5:25, though both amps share the same manual so it should this should work for you too.
I often find I can't get the sound I want with just the EQ and need to play with the gain. If I can't get the gain I want for an overall tone then I change to another mode with more or less gain to get the balance right.
So, instead of using crunch/burn you could try Blues/crunch with the gain set higher and crunch now being your lead tone.
The other thing I find is that the 5W setting seems to naturally sound brigher and thinner than full power. More gain and bass help pull things back in check.
I often find I can't get the sound I want with just the EQ and need to play with the gain. If I can't get the gain I want for an overall tone then I change to another mode with more or less gain to get the balance right.
So, instead of using crunch/burn you could try Blues/crunch with the gain set higher and crunch now being your lead tone.
The other thing I find is that the 5W setting seems to naturally sound brigher and thinner than full power. More gain and bass help pull things back in check.
GD_NC
Well-known member
First let me say I don't have a 5:50 so this advice is only worth what you paid for it... 
Do you have the "shrill" notes problem in 50w mode? Generally more wattage and slightly higher volume can do a lot smooth things out. Changing the power output settings on my Mark IV has a huge impact on the overall sound. Secondly as you start to turn up the volume to go from Bedroom to Band Practice levels the overall tone, sustain and smoothness improves greatly. It if really drives you nuts, pick up an attenuator so you can run your amp a little hotter while using the attenuator to keep a leash on the volume. That might work better than trying to optomize the amp for the 5w mode.
Do you have the "shrill" notes problem in 50w mode? Generally more wattage and slightly higher volume can do a lot smooth things out. Changing the power output settings on my Mark IV has a huge impact on the overall sound. Secondly as you start to turn up the volume to go from Bedroom to Band Practice levels the overall tone, sustain and smoothness improves greatly. It if really drives you nuts, pick up an attenuator so you can run your amp a little hotter while using the attenuator to keep a leash on the volume. That might work better than trying to optomize the amp for the 5w mode.
