F-30 for crunchy metal sound

[Jaroslav]

Hi all,
I am very satisfied with my rackmount DR. But nearing is the time, when I will have the money to buy another MESA I am looking for something lower in wattage and possibly lighter to carry around. I was considering an F-30 head or maybe RectoPre + 20/20. My style needs good cleans (I like the bell-like tones of modern clean channel) and brutal distortion, not fizzy, but crunchy and singing at one time, red channel of the DR does this very well. I will most probably buy the amp second-hand, because MESAs are here hard to get new and the prices are skyhigh...So suggestion for out of production models are also welcome!

 

[boogiemon]

the F30 would be worth checking into: great cleans, brutal crunch.

 

[tele_jas]

F-30 would be a great amp, but if you can handle a few more $$$ I'd go for the F-50. It's a Class A/B amp and I thought the cleans were a bit warmer and the distortion was more 3-D and it has more low end. But both are great amps. The distorion channel with the contour switch on is a great hard rock/metal channel and can chunk pretty good too.

 

[bigsethmeister]

I didn't like the clean sound of the F-30. I find the 6L6's used in the F-50 make for a sweeter fuller clean than the el84's used in the F-30.

But I'm spoiled by Fender cleans; you might like it. Give it a listen and see.

 

[no soul]

F-30 would be a great amp, but if you can handle a few more $$$ I'd go for the F-50. It's a Class A/B amp

what makes you think the F-30 isnt AB either?

But yeah, Id take the 50 over the 30.
I didnt the find the 30 to have the same amount of agression in the lead ch as its 6l6 brothers do.

 

[Jaroslav]

Thanks for the opinions. The price is not a problem. If I really want something, I can get the money together, even if it takes a long time.

Well, i kind of like EL84 poweramps and also i opt for less headroom than my DR has (loud as hell. 15 W is still very loud, but the sound gets "juicy" sooner How about the Subway Rocket or Studio 22+ (there is one for sale here...)

Or maybe a preamp with custom made low power amp. Is the Formula same as F-series amps? I have heard many negative things about Formula...

 

[no soul]

I have heard many negative things about Formula...

nope

 

[tele_jas]

what makes you think the F-30 isnt AB either?

Oops, my bad..... I just assumed that the EL84 meant class A.... When I tried them out, I had just played a Lonestar with EL84's and it was a class A and the Lonestar with the 6L6's was class A/b and the same with the Crate I played, the 30 was class A with EL84's and the 50 was class A/B (6L6's or EL34's) and then I tired the F-30 and F-50 and just figured they followed the same rule of EL84 being class A while 6L6 and EL34 were class A/B.

So I'm not really sure what class the F-30 is, or if it's one of Mesa's "out of the box" class amps...... Now you've got me courious, what class is it?? :?: I seen on the website it was Dyna-Watt... Is that is?

 

[Jaroslav]

Well, none of the amp you have mentioned is strictly class A. All of them are class A/B. Maximum, which you can get from a pair of EL84 in class A is around 10 W.

Class A is a hype. Most of the cathode biased amps with EL84 are mistakingly called "Class A".

And I am quite sure, that DynaWatt is nothing more that a cold biased class A/B power amp with fixed bias...

Don't care about hte classes as long as you like the sound 8)

 

[jbird]

F-30 for crunchy, metal sound? I don't think so!

 

[hal9000]

what makes you think the F-30 isnt AB either?

Oops, my bad..... I just assumed that the EL84 meant class A.... When I tried them out, I had just played a Lonestar with EL84's and it was a class A and the Lonestar with the 6L6's was class A/b and the same with the Crate I played, the 30 was class A with EL84's and the 50 was class A/B (6L6's or EL34's) and then I tired the F-30 and F-50 and just figured they followed the same rule of EL84 being class A while 6L6 and EL34 were class A/B.

So I'm not really sure what class the F-30 is, or if it's one of Mesa's "out of the box" class amps...... Now you've got me courious, what class is it?? :?: I seen on the website it was Dyna-Watt... Is that is?

The F-30 is Class A/B as are the rest of the F-series. Dyna-watt refers to a patent Randall Smith obtained that pumps up the volume in overdrive to seem like it's a 30 watt amp. In reality, the clean of the F-30 is rated for 22 W out of (2) EL-84s in class A/B. Regardless of the power rated, the F-30 is silly loud, partly due to the V30 and partly due to the dyna-watt power section.

 

[Sanchez]

I'm with you jbird. :roll:

 

[no soul]

F-30 for crunchy, metal sound? I don't think so!

yeah, thanks for sharing and explaining why :roll:

 

[Jaroslav]

I'm with you, no soul 8)

 

[jbird]

F-30 for crunchy, metal sound? I don't think so!

yeah, thanks for sharing and explaining why :roll:

Do I need to explain why I don't feel a 30 watt EL84 based amp would be my 1st recommendation for a "crunchy, metal" sound? And why I also would'nt recommend it when the poster would prefer a lower wattage amp akin to the RED channel of a Rectifier! I don't think so!

 

[Surfcaster]

You asked about the Subway Rocket and Studio +22. Don't know much about them but what I do know is that they are the pre-cursors to the F-Series, but I believe they have a fair bit of noise issues from what I've heard. One thing that Randall was very proud of with the F-Series was how quiet he was able to make them.

As for doing metal, I'm not really a metal player, (though I like to throw down some 80's metal riffs on occasion) it really depends on what kind of metal you're talking about. I feel I can easily get good 80's metal tones out of my F50, and with a boost pedal in front of the amp and a EQ pedal in the effects loop I can get pretty close to nu-metal (by my ears anyway). If you play almost exclusively nu-metal, the F-Series may not be the amp for you, unless you don't mind using a OD/Dist/Boost pedal in series with the amp and an EQ pedal in the loop.

 

[Jaroslav]

Jbird, I already have a "custom made" 15W EL84 based tube amp, it's preamp section is "inspired by Mesa". And it plays very well what I need at lower volumes, so I wanted to know, if F-30 is more modern or "vintage". Mesa says it can do all...but I am interested in peple's experience. I just want to add a new Mesa Anyway, your opinion is welcome, asi I like to hear different views. But some aguments, why you think what you think, would be great.

Surfcaster, nu-metal - no, not at all. I am from the old school, my definition of metal is different My sound is hard to describe, singing and crunchy at the same time, no scooped buzzsaw, no dull buzzy nu-metal...

I would like to have an easier-to-carry alternative to my current "heavy" setup for different occasions 8)

I once played a Crate VC3112, which was supposed to be vintage-voiced, but I liked the sound of this small combo...they are not manufactured any more and there are not many of them here...

I am also open to other brands...but Mesa is my preference no.1

 

[TheRazMeister]

Jaro....Guitar Center sells the V32 Palomino which is a VERY nice small combo. It has nice cleans and excellent overdrive for Non-Metal type distortion. I looked at the VC3112 and was impressed but I feel like the newer V32 (or V3112) are improvements over the original. We bought a V32 for our Church amp and I get compliments all the time on my tone.. (we jam out 8) )

Jbird, I already have a "custom made" 15W EL84 based tube amp, it's preamp section is "inspired by Mesa". And it plays very well what I need at lower volumes, so I wanted to know, if F-30 is more modern or "vintage". Mesa says it can do all...but I am interested in peple's experience. I just want to add a new Mesa Anyway, your opinion is welcome, asi I like to hear different views. But some aguments, why you think what you think, would be great.

Surfcaster, nu-metal - no, not at all. I am from the old school, my definition of metal is different My sound is hard to describe, singing and crunchy at the same time, no scooped buzzsaw, no dull buzzy nu-metal...

I would like to have an easier-to-carry alternative to my current "heavy" setup for different occasions 8)

I once played a Crate VC3112, which was supposed to be vintage-voiced, but I liked the sound of this small combo...they are not manufactured any more and there are not many of them here...

I am also open to other brands...but Mesa is my preference no.1

 

[jbird]

I don't feel there is an explanation to be made for someone looking for a low wattage amp with "brutal distortion, while singing, and crunchy at the same time, like that of the Red channel Recto's"! Nobody even claims to make this mysterious amp, why would I make an argument? Sorry!

 

[Jaroslav]

Jbird, this is what M/B says on the pages of F-30:

Footswitching to Contour infuses a double dose of steroids and pumps up the gain to fiery proportions producing one of the most hellacious crunch sounds around. This grinding wall of gain was inspired by our mighty Dual Rectifier and creates a unique and luscious harmonic spread slightly different, but every bit as menacing as the Recto.

So Mesa claims they make an amp like this! Do you own an F-30 and have you ever tried to make it sound like a DR?