RickHart99
New member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2013
- Messages
- 3
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I purchased a used DC-5 1x12 combo on ebay. (Scary) because it said it was in new condition. When I finally received it I was surprised at how new it actually looked. (seriously, I don't think it was ever used). I thought it might be fake. I took it to my local amp tech to check it over, make sure the tubes were good and all the electronics were clean. (and make sure it was a Mesa) He said it was a Mesa and it was perfect. He asked how much I paid and I told him $600 and he smiled and said I just stole that amp. I guess I got lucky.
I really love the amp, it sounds great and it inspires me to play more, but I have a question. It seems as though the gain is pretty intense even at the lower settings. Is there a way to calm down the gain. I talked to the local Guitar Center guy and he suggested I switch the tubes and rebias the amp. I kind of like the sound of the amp now, so I don't know if I want to go that route. I play mostly classic rock type music, but I still like ability to turn up the gain for meatier stuff. For playing rhythm stuff like Joe Walsh or something I can only turn the gain up to about 1. Not a lot room for adjustment. If I set the clean channel for the lower gain crunch then I lose the super clean channel that this amp is awesome at accomplishing. I like the sound of the higher gain. It is great for playing something like Cult of Personality, but I run out of channels too quickly. I have been trying adjustment with the guitar volume to reduce gain, but that is somewhat limiting as well.
I really need 3 or 4 channels, but I haven't experimented with my pedals yet. I have a few overdrive pedals like (Barber Small Fry, TS-9, Quantum Overdrive etc.) but I like the response of the amp's tube gain.
I still have my Stiletto and I really like the two channels and a solo boost making it 3 channels, but that amp, even though it is a bad ***, is too raw for some types of music.
I may have to buy another amp and use an a+b selector. Maybe a Maverick. That might be a nice companion to the DC-5. Of course this may be going overboard.
I really love the amp, it sounds great and it inspires me to play more, but I have a question. It seems as though the gain is pretty intense even at the lower settings. Is there a way to calm down the gain. I talked to the local Guitar Center guy and he suggested I switch the tubes and rebias the amp. I kind of like the sound of the amp now, so I don't know if I want to go that route. I play mostly classic rock type music, but I still like ability to turn up the gain for meatier stuff. For playing rhythm stuff like Joe Walsh or something I can only turn the gain up to about 1. Not a lot room for adjustment. If I set the clean channel for the lower gain crunch then I lose the super clean channel that this amp is awesome at accomplishing. I like the sound of the higher gain. It is great for playing something like Cult of Personality, but I run out of channels too quickly. I have been trying adjustment with the guitar volume to reduce gain, but that is somewhat limiting as well.
I really need 3 or 4 channels, but I haven't experimented with my pedals yet. I have a few overdrive pedals like (Barber Small Fry, TS-9, Quantum Overdrive etc.) but I like the response of the amp's tube gain.
I still have my Stiletto and I really like the two channels and a solo boost making it 3 channels, but that amp, even though it is a bad ***, is too raw for some types of music.
I may have to buy another amp and use an a+b selector. Maybe a Maverick. That might be a nice companion to the DC-5. Of course this may be going overboard.