Heartbroken over my Heartbreaker...Help!

[imyurhuckleberry]

I have been a self described "Marshall" man most of the 20 years I've been playing. Until I heard this cat playing a Heartbreaker Combo in a Club in Chicago and the tone was blowing my mind. I asked him what he was running through it, and he said a guitar cord! I searched high and low, and found my own Heartbreaker combo in a Boutique amp shop in Nashville. I had some challenges dialing in "the sound" and had it for a bit, and lost it....and repeat. Here's what I'm dealing with.

As I'm sure you all know, it has 12AX7's and 6L6's, and mine has the Black Widows that come with it. I have been very disappointed with the sound, but I know it's just either something wrong or something needing to be changed, whether it's pre-amp tubes, power tubes, or speakers I'm not sure.

I'll try to describe this best I can briefly. It has a very Bass-y, muffled tone. I can dial base to 0 and treble all the way up and it still sounds like it is loaded with way too much bass and no "tone, articulation, clarity, or real punch." All the tubes are original Mesa Boogie, and they all light up and glow, none seem to be bad, and the speakers do not seem to be blown at all either. I just can't get this thing to sing, and it's breaking MY heart. No pun. Help! Any suggestions are much, much appreciated.

Thanks! Brian

 

[fredmullegun]

Mine has V30's I have a feeling that would solve alot of that problem.

If you have it at bedroom levels you need to tilt it back.
When cranked it opens up a bit also.

Might want to try to dial down the volume and crank the master. When you turn up the volume it gets darker. This is another reason they sound better at gig levels, you can get the same gain with a lower volume knob setting.

 

[boogiemon]

Sounds like tubes to me. i would recommend a new set of mesa 6L6's & a set of the new tung-sols for the preamp. Not cheap, but good tone rarely is these days. Also use a good quality patch cable for your guitar(s). i dunno if the heartbreaker can take EL34's but if it can (check the manual) that will tighten up the bass a bit.

good luck

I have been a self described "Marshall" man most of the 20 years I've been playing. Until I heard this cat playing a Heartbreaker Combo in a Club in Chicago and the tone was blowing my mind. I asked him what he was running through it, and he said a guitar cord! I searched high and low, and found my own Heartbreaker combo in a Boutique amp shop in Nashville. I had some challenges dialing in "the sound" and had it for a bit, and lost it....and repeat. Here's what I'm dealing with.

As I'm sure you all know, it has 12AX7's and 6L6's, and mine has the Black Widows that come with it. I have been very disappointed with the sound, but I know it's just either something wrong or something needing to be changed, whether it's pre-amp tubes, power tubes, or speakers I'm not sure.

I'll try to describe this best I can briefly. It has a very Bass-y, muffled tone. I can dial base to 0 and treble all the way up and it still sounds like it is loaded with way too much bass and no "tone, articulation, clarity, or real punch." All the tubes are original Mesa Boogie, and they all light up and glow, none seem to be bad, and the speakers do not seem to be blown at all either. I just can't get this thing to sing, and it's breaking MY heart. No pun. Help! Any suggestions are much, much appreciated.

Thanks! Brian

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Why does it have Peavey speakers?

I wouldn't put Black Widows in anything except a P.A. system.

Somebody in here likes Peavey speakers, but it's not me.

Best of luck.

Murph.

 

[boogiemon]

oh, that's another thing. "black shadows" can be EV's, celestions or eminence. All have a different timbre.

Why does it have Peavey speakers?

I wouldn't put Black Widows in anything except a P.A. system.

Somebody in here likes Peavey speakers, but it's not me.

Best of luck.

Murph.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

It says "Black Widows."

Maybe he just typed it wrong. I'm just not a Peavey fan.

Best to ya.

Murph.

 

[fishyfishfish]

I would go with the power tube option. Old hard rode power tubes can make your amp sound "Flat and dull." If that doesn't do the trick, swap the speaker with one that you know sounds good. A worn voice coil or a speaker that has been abused can sound like doo doo too.

 

[212Mavguy]

Think that speakers are not as easy to mess with as tubes are, yet they have more effect on tone. If the output tubes are old, they could use changing out anyway. So do what needs to be done first. If the output tubes' getters (the silver looking stuff in the top of the bottle) are still bright silver or lightly browned looking at the INSIDE of the bottle then those tubes might not be all that hammered. If the gettering is fairly dark brown on the inside of the tube or you can see where it has eroded away lots on the edges of the deposits you might wish to replace and keep the first set for spares. If they are relatively new/fresh looking then go for the speakers.

Preamp tubes are important, they don't wear as fast as output tubes do but they do become microphonic and perhaps some have been replaced already with something less than optimum. I saw that a friend's Heartbreaker came originally with Mesa labeled EI long gray smooth plate preamp tubes, copies of the Telefunken ecc83 smooth plate... It takes a relentless application of logic, persistence, and dollars to chase your tonal "Dulcinea" but keep the faith! Peace to all that post here, and best of luck to you!

 

[fredmullegun]

If it does have "Black Widows" then speakers should be your first concern. If they are the stock C90 "Black Shadows" then I would still change them first because mine sounded loads better with the V30's.

However like others have said the tubes could be dead so changing them won't hurt anything but your wallet. Frankly I just know how this sucker sounds and its kinda a darker sounding amp.

Trying the settings I suggested or the speakers changes will make WAY bigger difference then just new power tubes.

 

[Tweeked]

Hopefully you downloaded the manual at the Mesa site(?)It's a complicated amp if you don't know what you are doing.If it has PV speakers thats's a big problem.Try turning the presence(on the back) all the way up.If you use high gain don't turn the bass up past 9 o'clock. Read the manual and try the test settings in there.You can use 6L6,EL34's or 6v6's each will make a big difference in sound.Sounds like you haven't found the presence control........The amp has tons of top end.
I've had mine quite a while and I love it.Good luck!