Hi there
I just got a Mesa DC-3 combo that is a great little amp but this one is weird on several points that I noticed when comparing it to another DC-3. The other one is a revision B and the weird one a A:
1/ I wonder if the cab is the original one or if it's coming from a Mark combo as the tolex and grill cloth do not look like ones that are usually found on a DC-3 and also there seem to be a gap between the chassis and the baffle filled with some foam, which is not the case on the other DC-3 (see pictures) and doesn't look like a nice finition as I would expect on a Mesa. Also there are some holes on top of the cab where the screws to fix the chassis are fitted. Do you think this is the original cab?
so here is the link where the pictures are: http://s1077.photobucket.com/albums/w471/nisatis/
with
my DC-3 (with holes on top):
close up for the gap with foam in it:
same close up with the revision B one (no gap):
2/ the gain available on the lead channel is really weak, when I put the gain on 10 it more or less corresponds to the gain on 5 on the other one. All the preamp tubes are 12AX7 while on the revision B one, there is a 12AT7 in the PI, so it should be the opposite, mine should have more gain than the revision B? The rythm channel sound about the same on both amps. I doubt that the difference of gain in the lead channel is due to the difference of versions, I am not a high gain player but there is definately not much gain on tap for this one and it doesn't seem to be a tube issue (I swapped all the 12aX7 in turn with another one to make sure the culprit was not one defective preamp tube), so what else could it be, could the amp have been modded somewhere?
Also, I don't know if this could be linked to the lack of gain but the blue lamp indicating that the amp is on is much weaker than on the revision B one
Thanks for any help
Nils
I just got a Mesa DC-3 combo that is a great little amp but this one is weird on several points that I noticed when comparing it to another DC-3. The other one is a revision B and the weird one a A:
1/ I wonder if the cab is the original one or if it's coming from a Mark combo as the tolex and grill cloth do not look like ones that are usually found on a DC-3 and also there seem to be a gap between the chassis and the baffle filled with some foam, which is not the case on the other DC-3 (see pictures) and doesn't look like a nice finition as I would expect on a Mesa. Also there are some holes on top of the cab where the screws to fix the chassis are fitted. Do you think this is the original cab?
so here is the link where the pictures are: http://s1077.photobucket.com/albums/w471/nisatis/
with
my DC-3 (with holes on top):
close up for the gap with foam in it:
same close up with the revision B one (no gap):
2/ the gain available on the lead channel is really weak, when I put the gain on 10 it more or less corresponds to the gain on 5 on the other one. All the preamp tubes are 12AX7 while on the revision B one, there is a 12AT7 in the PI, so it should be the opposite, mine should have more gain than the revision B? The rythm channel sound about the same on both amps. I doubt that the difference of gain in the lead channel is due to the difference of versions, I am not a high gain player but there is definately not much gain on tap for this one and it doesn't seem to be a tube issue (I swapped all the 12aX7 in turn with another one to make sure the culprit was not one defective preamp tube), so what else could it be, could the amp have been modded somewhere?
Also, I don't know if this could be linked to the lack of gain but the blue lamp indicating that the amp is on is much weaker than on the revision B one
Thanks for any help
Nils