ED Combo?

[YellowJacket]

How does the OD pedal work with it? Should I think about getting one sometime in the future?

It's a useful tool. I don't necessarily like using OD pedals and usually try to avoid them however some amps like them better than others and the ED seems to be one of them. The comments about it being similar to the 1987 make sense as most people would've been boosting their Plexi for more dirt... I know channel 3 is supposed to perform the modded Marshall function... but even modded Marshalls didn't have the same sound as a boosted Plexi.

I think it's because the amp is naturally dark and rounded by nature, so giving it a bit of a boost makes it sound a little more edgy and ups the aggressiveness a step without going over the top at all. The OD808 and TS808 are probably the warmest ODs I've used. They roll off a lot of treble response and give a push to the midrange to produce produce a really slow/soft clip that isn't as aggressive as a TS-9/SD-1 style of clipping. With certain amps the OD808 folds into the amps tonality such that it doesn't feel like you have a separate pedal going on. It'll do this with my Rev F and the Mark V when I have the treble/presence rolled way back for use as a rock amp. It doesn't like my Roadster or the Mark V when it's dialled in for metal. It does like the ED.

Good to know these pedals mesh well. I tried opening up my ED today since everyone was out of the house. I just wanted to get a 'feel' for what the amp would sound like at gig volumes with a drummer.

I
WAS
FLOORED!



I can see why people rave about the 'cranked' Electra Dyne which is really with the volume around 8:30 on this amp. It is crazy how it behaves like the power section is responding as such :lol: 'low' :lol: volumes. I happen to like the non fizzy bedroom tones as well but once you crank this sucker it is AMAZING! I can't wait to get it out and gig it.

The 45 vs 90 watts is a very interesting feature. I have concluded it has nothing to do with volume and everything to do with sound, response, and playability. The 45watt setting is much more elastic and feels like it bends and flexes with the guitar. The tone seems lighter, more mid-rangey, and less thick. When I put it on 90watts, the tone is a bit more firm and heavier which is great for harder styles. I think for the classic rock band, I'll be using 45watts a lot.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I agree on the 45w vs 90w. It's not about volume as both are really f*ckin' loud. There is a pretty substantial difference in feel/response and a shift in tone however. 45w seems to have a bit more of that thinner, slightly more reedy/hollow early Marshall sound, whereas 90w feels like a Super Lead inspired sledge hammer.

Once again I'm surprised at the amount of bass this amp has. I ran it into my Recto 2x12 - the same Recto 2x12 that's been beaten up by both a Dual Recto and a Mark V for the last year - and it stressed the speakers out enough that I could smell the paper particles being shed by them... and that was with the bass on 11:00 (90w, MV at 10:30).

On that note, the ED sounds really good through the Recto 2x12. It's a little brighter and a little clearer than the combo's C90 with more punch and better definition. The V30s handle the ED's higher gain settings much better than the C90, which tends to kind of smear everything together. I think I'd choose this cab if I were looking for a good, versatile rock tone that can cross into metal provided your into a more old school/less modern metal sound.

The combo's built in C90 speaker also sounds great. I find it's a little more chunky with less upper mids and a bit of a dark/swampy response. It produces a nice low mid thunk when you're muting on the bottom 5 or 6 frets. I think I'd choose this cab if I were looking for more of a thick and swampy rock and roll sound reminiscent of the the 60s and 70s as it gives me more of a Plexi vibe. It's obviously more versatile than playing 70s classics, but that's the vibe I get from this cab/speaker.

I'd love to be able to jam both speaker setups with a band and compare how they sound in a mix, but I'm bandless at the moment so I can't.

 

[YellowJacket]

Yes, the high gain tones tend to 'smear the notes together' a bit. I think as I open up the ED, I'll for sure pull the gain back.

I happen to really like the combination of the c90 with the v30 since it offers the best of both worlds. I like the low mid thunk and meaty nature of the c90; it really gives that phat modern rock type tone when I need it. As usual, I have discovered that most of my 'tone' are really in the hands much more than the amp. Sure the ED is not as aggressive and heavy as a Dual Rec, but I can still get thick chunky rhythm tones unboosted, even on the Blue channel. I am actually beginning to really appreciate the blue channel for rhythm crunch. I just enlist the red channel when I need the 'over the top' type tones.

 

[J.J]

The biggest issue with the ED for me is the bass. I have been running it down around 8:30 to stop the muddy woof, but doing that can thin things out to much at the same time. I really wish Mesa had added a switch or something that turns the upper bass boost off.

My experiment closing that back of my open 1x12 (c90) has helped a lot and I can now run the bass up to about 11:00 without the mud stepping in. The sound is also more rounded and full. Still for clean blues like SRV I miss the spaciousness of the open cab.

 

[YellowJacket]

The biggest issue with the ED for me is the bass. I have been running it down around 8:30 to stop the muddy woof, but doing that can thin things out to much at the same time. I really wish Mesa had added a switch or something that turns the upper bass boost off.

My experiment closing that back of my open 1x12 (c90) has helped a lot and I can now run the bass up to about 11:00 without the mud stepping in. The sound is also more rounded and full. Still for clean blues like SRV I miss the spaciousness of the open cab.

Try adjusting your pickup heights. If you drop them a bit at a time, you can adjust the response to give you less lows.

 

[J.J]

I've tried adjusting the pickups a number of times. I've also played with the pole slugs, but have still not been able to get what I want. It really is the neck pickup that is the issue for both my les Paul (Burstbucker 1 and 2) and the SG (Barenuckle Mules). The bridge pickups sound great.

I think the C90 in the 23" open back cab is possbily the biggest part of my problem, sound much better with back closed now. Trying another bridge pickup with less bass like the BK Riffraff or Vintage hot could also be a good idea.

 

[YellowJacket]

I've tried adjusting the pickups a number of times. I've also played with the pole slugs, but have still not been able to get what I want. It really is the neck pickup that is the issue for both my les Paul (Burstbucker 1 and 2) and the SG (Barenuckle Mules). The bridge pickups sound great.

I think the C90 in the 23" open back cab is possbily the biggest part of my problem, sound much better with back closed now. Trying another bridge pickup with less bass like the BK Riffraff or Vintage hot could also be a good idea.

Right, bassy neck pickups! **YUCK**

I have a Bare Knuckle Rebel Yell set in my Gibson Les Paul. The natural low frequency roll off is very handy with this amp as it is with most Mesa Boogies. I have a Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro in my Godin LG but the tone is somewhat brighter and skinnier than a Les Paul so it doesn't mud up badly.
With the stock Burstbucker Pro pickups in my Les Paul, the bass on my Dual Rectifier would mud up badly too. It would get woofy and tubby, totally unpleasant. It was when I swapped out the Burstbucker Pro pickups for the Rebel Yells that the Les Paul's tone really evened out.

 

[J.J]

Right, bassy neck pickups! **YUCK**

I have a Bare Knuckle Rebel Yell set in my Gibson Les Paul. The natural low frequency roll off is very handy with this amp as it is with most Mesa Boogies. I have a Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro in my Godin LG but the tone is somewhat brighter and skinnier than a Les Paul so it doesn't mud up badly.
With the stock Burstbucker Pro pickups in my Les Paul, the bass on my Dual Rectifier would mud up badly too. It would get woofy and tubby, totally unpleasant. It was when I swapped out the Burstbucker Pro pickups for the Rebel Yells that the Les Paul's tone really evened out.

Thanks for that. Glad it is not just me having the issue. I can see some Bare Knuckle pickups (probably Riff Raffs) being fitted to my LP before much longer.

I also just discovered to my embarassment that the heavy and hard picks I have been using are really bringing out the mud. Switching to a light dunlop has now much improved things

 

[boogieman60]

Cograts on your combo...I would really like to have a T 30 combo 1 12 speaker...maybe someday..

 

[YellowJacket]

Thanks for that. Glad it is not just me having the issue. I can see some Bare Knuckle pickups (probably Riff Raffs) being fitted to my LP before much longer.

I also just discovered to my embarassment that the heavy and hard picks I have been using are really bringing out the mud. Switching to a light dunlop has now much improved things

It is hard to find a balance between a hard thwack for heavy gain tones and the gentleness need for great clean tones. My cleans can also get quite bassy if I really start to strum hard. Gotta take it easy, hombre!

 

[dodger916]

I've tried adjusting the pickups a number of times. I've also played with the pole slugs, but have still not been able to get what I want. It really is the neck pickup that is the issue for both my les Paul (Burstbucker 1 and 2) and the SG (Barenuckle Mules). The bridge pickups sound great.

I think the C90 in the 23" open back cab is possbily the biggest part of my problem, sound much better with back closed now. Trying another bridge pickup with less bass like the BK Riffraff or Vintage hot could also be a good idea.

You could also try lowering the cap value on vol/tone pots for the neck pup to like .015 or .010 from the standard .022. This will help clear up a muddy neck pup.

 

[YellowJacket]

Weird story.

I was swapping around speakers today because I wanted a 1 x 12 to ditch in our rehearsal space. I swapped a Hellatone 60L out of my Thiele for another G12m Heritage and I put the 60watt speaker into the Peavey. I recall it sounding thin, papery, and generally really buzzy with the Dual Recto, but somehow the Hellatone 60L and the Electra Dyne just worked with it. They shouldn't but they do. It's weird, mang.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Been visiting family for a couple weeks and fired up my ED again with a fresh set of ears. As an added bonus, I blew one of the original 6L6s that came with it and retubed it with EL34s the night before I left with no chance to crank it up and hear how the EL34s change things.

First off, I'll start by saying that I really like the 27" wide 1x12 combo w/ C90.... however I'm not sure if I like the way it sounds with EL34s. The EL34s take away the bit of a Fender vibe channel 1 has and replace it with a thicker, more mid heavy British flavour of clean. It's still good... but it borders more on Plexi than Fender... which could be a pro or con I suppose.

Also, the two dirt channels seem to loose some of their definition... and they didn't have a whole lot of excess definition to begin with. I think it's the high end roll off of the EL34s in combination with the high end roll-off 3/4 back combo.

That said, I plugged it into my Recto 4x12 today and the results were impressive. The V30/closed back design seems to handle the ED's big bottom end much better... so much that I was able to roll the bass on the amp from 10:00 to 12:00 without the woof I was getting from the combo. The V30s also provide more definition in the upper mids and a bit more chime to the clean tones. Overall I liked the result.

The combo format is still a super cool sound that I really like, but I think the closed back Recto cab will sit better in a band. It just seems to insert the mids into the right spot.

Once I get ahold of some replacement 6L6s I want to repeat this test. I remember liking the combo speaker better than the Recto cab when it had 6L6s in it and I want to hear if I still think the same way now.

 

[YellowJacket]

The Stiletto 4 x 12 is absolutely KILLER with the Electra Dyne. If I could afford it / wanted to deal with the hassle of having a 4 x 12, it would be EPIC!

 

[screamingdaisy]

A Stiletto 4x12 will probably be my next major gear purchase. I've always wanted the ability to directly compare the Recto and Stiletto cabs.

I need a few months to sort out my finances however. The ED combo purchase was an unexpected expense and I have to cool off my credit card from the family vacation.

 

[YellowJacket]

Well, I bet your jamspace looks like a guitar store with all the amps you have! I've always been a fan of the Stiletto cabs over the recto cabs even though I owned a rectocab for the longest time. The tighter bass and added midrange punch is awesome!

 

[screamingdaisy]

Well, I bet your jamspace looks like a guitar store with all the amps you have!

A Gibson/Mesa guitar store that only carries one size of picks and two sizes in strings. In some ways it's a source of pride and in others it approaches embarrassing.

I've always been a fan of the Stiletto cabs over the recto cabs even though I owned a rectocab for the longest time. The tighter bass and added midrange punch is awesome!

That's what I've heard. The Traditional/Stiletto cabs have always gotten such mixed reviews that it's made me leery of them.... but I'd really like to give one a go.

 

[YellowJacket]

Well, I bet your jamspace looks like a guitar store with all the amps you have!

A Gibson/Mesa guitar store that only carries one size of picks and two sizes in strings. In some ways it's a source of pride and in others it approaches embarrassing.

:lol: If I had the means, I could see my collection becoming quite similar. I still want a PRS one day, not that their popularity is dying down a bit.

I've always been a fan of the Stiletto cabs over the recto cabs even though I owned a rectocab for the longest time. The tighter bass and added midrange punch is awesome!

That's what I've heard. The Traditional/Stiletto cabs have always gotten such mixed reviews that it's made me leery of them.... but I'd really like to give one a go.

Well, the Stiletto cab sounds VERY similar to the Marshall 1960vintage 4 x 12. The real difference is that the Mesa cab design is stiff and punchy, while the Marshall has more flex to it. It 'breathes' more. If you want the uber scooped numetal tone the Stiletto cab is not for you, but if you want a more midrange focused 'punk' crunch, the Stiletto is awesome! I found that vintage mode on a Recto works far better with the Stiletto while modern mode works far better with the Rectocab.

 

[screamingdaisy]

:lol: If I had the means, I could see my collection becoming quite similar. I still want a PRS one day, not that their popularity is dying down a bit.

I'd like a Navarro. I'm not really a Navarro or Jane's Addiction fan... I just really like the way that guitar looks.

That, and I'd really like to test the PRS -> Mesa hype for myself.

Well, the Stiletto cab sounds VERY similar to the Marshall 1960vintage 4 x 12. The real difference is that the Mesa cab design is stiff and punchy, while the Marshall has more flex to it. It 'breathes' more. If you want the uber scooped numetal tone the Stiletto cab is not for you, but if you want a more midrange focused 'punk' crunch, the Stiletto is awesome! I found that vintage mode on a Recto works far better with the Stiletto while modern mode works far better with the Rectocab.

Cool. That's good to hear. I primarily want one to test with my Mark V. If I'm right the Stiletto cab should shift the bass up out of the sub-bass region and more into the high bass, which in turn should warm up the overall sound of that amp and give it a more vintage flavour.

The ED I actually want to try with G12T-75s. The amp is voiced with a lot of mids and doesn't have a lot of top end sizzle, so I'm thinking the G12T would produce a really chunky breakup without the typical G12T icepick. The lower speaker sensitivity might also aid in bringing the ED's volume down a notch or two.

 

[YellowJacket]

PRS + Mesa really is an iconic sound. PRSs really do jive with Mesas in a way that Gibsons simply won't. I was actually choosing between a PRS and a Gibson for my #1 axe and I went with the Gibson, but it was tough NOT to get a PRS. I think I like the rounder and ballsier tone of the Gibson, but the PRS bonds with a Mesa in a way no other axe can.

The ED I actually want to try with G12T-75s. The amp is voiced with a lot of mids and doesn't have a lot of top end sizzle, so I'm thinking the G12T would produce a really chunky breakup without the typical G12T icepick. The lower speaker sensitivity might also aid in bringing the ED's volume down a notch or two.

I'm trying to remember if I tried the Electra Dyne with a Marshall 4 x 12 or not. I was at the guitar store one day and I was trying a bunch of stuff. I recall the Orange Tiny Terror sounded amazing with the Marshall 4 x 12 but I can't recall what I thought of the Electra Dyne with it. I mean it 'should' work. Those Marshall cabs sound great.

Hot tip, turning up the presence on the Electra Dyne adds top end 'sizzle'.