Couldn't take it anymore!

[Sling Blade]

Bought my first Mesa last March. I bought the 550 Express. The sales guy told me that it would be perfect for playing Metallica and other sorts of music in that vein. For the last few months I have been tweaking on that thing and just could not find a happy spot. I even bought a OCD overdrive hoping this would help. No dice.

I was unhappy. You know how hard it can be talking the wife into letting you buy a silly $1200 amp. An amp to discover that you don't like. Boy-o-boy what pickle. Please all of you happy Express owners. Don't get upset. I am not saying that the Express is a bad sounding amp. It sounds great for what it does. I just didn't feel like I had enough gain at hand. It just could not get me where I wanted to go.

Yesterday I called Lang Music. Wanting to know if they ever had in stock any of the famous Mark Series amps. I realized I was just going to have to bite the bullet, trade my amp in for what ever they would give me for it and buy something I was happy with. I had had enough.

After talking with the gentleman on the phone and explaining my horrible predictement. He said, "Pack up your Express with all of the paper work and stuff and bring it up here. I have two amps right now, I have not seen any for awhile and I think they may me perfect for you."

He was right! Yesterday I traded the Express straight up for a 2x12 Trem-o-verb. This amp sounds fantasic. I love it. It has all of the gain I could ever need and it was a snap finding a tone on it that I liked. I have never owned an amp with two 12"s what a difference.

I told a close friend about it and later on he called to tell me that he found a link showing Metallicas current touring gear. 2x12 Trem-o-verb was listed at the top of James amp list. It was In Kirks too. How perfect is that.

 

[art_n_music]

Congrats on finding something with the sound you love. I think you will be enjoying the amp for some time to come. The guy at the store was right, you don't see them on the market very often. I won't be getting rid of mind for decades, now go take the wife to dinner.... :wink:

 

[Sling Blade]

I checked ebay just see what they were going for. I could find every Mesa amp but the T-verb. People must really hang on to these babies.

 

[Elpelotero]

yea, finding a used tremoverb in a store is pretty difficult these days. they are one of the best (if not best in some's opinions) rectos mesa ever made.

James and Kirk use them almost exclusively in the "jam room" where they warm up right before the shows. You can see them using them in lots of vids online where they are warming up on songs.

It also happens to be the amp Mike of Incubus used to record from SCIENCE through Morning View.

 

[Moot]

Wow. Good trade!

I'd take a TOV over most other Mesa's, esp. an Express. Like the others have mentioned - Hold on to that amp!

 

[Sling Blade]

Since it is used I would like to re-tube it. Any idea on how much this will set me back?

 

[treelifeUK]

not that happy, then...

 

[art_n_music]

http://www.thetubestore.com/

Try here for pricing...not bad. But, I'm not sure you need to retube unless it doesn't sound right.

 

[JAZZGEAR]

never tried a tremoverb, but heard good things.

i owned a brand new express 5:50 for a short time recently and upgraded to a brand new stiletto deuce II. great amp. express has good clean and that's it for me...

+1 on the Stiletto II...great rock sound. I had the 5:50 too...While I loved it all around, I returned it becaus it was too similar to my Mark IV and Lonestar.

Wow the Stiletto II is an awesome awesome amp.

 

[LaneMeyer]

Since it is used I would like to re-tube it. Any idea on how much this will set me back?

I got a TOV used and when I wanted to retube it, I wanted to try some EL34s because, quite frankly, I wasn't sure I was completely happy with the amp. Plus, so many people were pimping the EL34s to tighten up the bass and add some upper-mids to the overall tone. Sounded like what I was looking for, so I made the plunge (only bought 2 and decided to run the amp in 50 watt mode).

Anyway, what a difference! The EL34s gave me exactly what I was looking for. The vintage mode absolutely kills and the blues mode is also incredible. If you have 6L6s and you're 100% happy, then you probably don't want to change. But if you're up for a little experimentation, give EL34s a shot.

 

[Sling Blade]

not that happy, then...

Oh no! I love this amp. But it is an older one. Don't even know if it has been re-tubed. Just want to take care of it.

 

[Sling Blade]

http://www.thetubestore.com/

Try here for pricing...not bad. But, I'm not sure you need to retube unless it doesn't sound right.

I have know idea if it does or not. It sounds great to me. I love the distortion. It is nice and smooth and fat if that makes any sense. Anyways I have heard many people state on the forums here that when they buy a used Mesa they have it re-tubed as a general rule. Not sure if I should or not. I do know that when I look at the back of the amp two of the 6L6's are not glowing orange nearly as bright the others.

 

[clutch71]

The guys at Lang are great. I've bought a lot of gear there myself.

If your happy with the tubes I wouldn't worry about anything but back ups. I have some Sovteks power and preamp, stock Mesa pre amps and some groove tubes Groove tube EL34's and 12AX7 - R's if you'd like to try them out.

I'm not interested in selling any of them just thought it might be a good opportunity for you to try some stuff out. I live in Hilliard so PM me if your interested.

 

[Sling Blade]

Since it is used I would like to re-tube it. Any idea on how much this will set me back?

I got a TOV used and when I wanted to retube it, I wanted to try some EL34s because, quite frankly, I wasn't sure I was completely happy with the amp. Plus, so many people were pimping the EL34s to tighten up the bass and add some upper-mids to the overall tone. Sounded like what I was looking for, so I made the plunge (only bought 2 and decided to run the amp in 50 watt mode).

Anyway, what a difference! The EL34s gave me exactly what I was looking for. The vintage mode absolutely kills and the blues mode is also incredible. If you have 6L6s and you're 100% happy, then you probably don't want to change. But if you're up for a little experimentation, give EL34s a shot.

With my 550 Express I would spend an evening fiddling with it until I got a tone or sound that I could enjoy. Only to wake up the next day,plug in and find that I didn't like my settings any more. Drove me crazy! I just wanted to find my tone and leave the knobs be.

With the T-verb it is the total opposite. I wake up the next day, plug in and it still sounds great. No fiddling required. In fact as I am still learning the amp so the tone just keeps getting better and better. Some times darker and smoother, sometimes I will set it up with some hair and a little edge. It is going to be hard to find my tone because they all sound so good to me.

A friend of mine told me that he bought a fender (not sure the model) some years ago and he loves it. It's as if the amp was made just for him. That is what I wanted. Hopefully this is it.

I have heard good things from those whom switched over to the 34's. I am sure I will try it. Just to see what it sounds like.

 

[Sling Blade]

The guys at Lang are great. I've bought a lot of gear there myself.

If your happy with the tubes I wouldn't worry about anything but back ups. I have some Sovteks power and preamp, stock Mesa pre amps and some groove tubes Groove tube EL34's and 12AX7 - R's if you'd like to try them out.

I'm not interested in selling any of them just thought it might be a good opportunity for you to try some stuff out. I live in Hilliard so PM me if your interested.

That's crazy! I live in Hilliard too. Right off of Hubard RD. Yes I would like to check those out. Not to sound dumb though but what is PM?

 

[clutch71]

The guys at Lang are great. I've bought a lot of gear there myself.

If your happy with the tubes I wouldn't worry about anything but back ups. I have some Sovteks power and preamp, stock Mesa pre amps and some groove tubes Groove tube EL34's and 12AX7 - R's if you'd like to try them out.

I'm not interested in selling any of them just thought it might be a good opportunity for you to try some stuff out. I live in Hilliard so PM me if your interested.

That's crazy! I live in Hilliard too. Right off of Hubard RD. Yes I would like to check those out. Not to sound dumb though but what is PM?

Private message. Check your e-mail through the forum. I sent you one.