Help me choose the right MB...

[sw686blue]

Hi,

I'm new to this board and need some help from MB lovers. I am currently looking for a new amp and do not really know what to choose in terms of model. Let me give you folks a bit of background history that will help you in helping me choose the right MB.

My music style is blues (SRV), rock (AC/DC) and metal (Metallica). The majority of my guitars are Hamers equipped with P90s or humbuckers. Here is a major concern for me. I am looking for a MB that 75% of the time will be used in the house to practice. It has to sound good at low volumes since I have a 7 month old baby girl. So, I can't exactly blast away when she's sleeping. The other 25% of the time, the amp will be used to jam with friends.

The amp can be a head or a combo. I've read some cool stuff about the DC-3 and DC-50. What do you guys recommend? I'm open to all your suggestions and comments.

Thanks in advance.
Nick

Soon to be a Mesa owner!!!

 

[ned]

Great question. You could go with any wattage amp and a HotPlate/Weber attenuator. Otherwise the Lone Star Special is the only Boogie that will sound good at low volume with the 5/15/30 watt selector - of course 5 watts is still loud.

The DC-3, LSS or LoneStar are probably good choices for your style. Mark IV might be the best as the others might suffer on the Metallica type sounds.

Ned

 

[mesa115]

My advise for your first Boogie is find all the music stores within driving distance that have a used Boogie. Then go shopping. Look for the best deal, I wouldn't get crazy about the model. I've had a Subway Rocket that was extremely loud. A DC 2 (rare) that was great, and my current Nomad 45. Be open minded and listen. The good news is that the used boogies hold their value well. You won't loose any money if you find one you like better in a year or two. I've made money when I re-sold mine.

I bought my Bass Amp 400+ new, with no thought of ever trading it in, but you are still deciding what you want.

Chances are, if you play it before you buy it, you'll love what ever you get.

 

[cheekymonkey]

I've got similar music tastes and wanted an amp for mostly playing at home but will want to jam with friends too. I've been really happy with my F-30, really nice tone (clean and dirty) even at low low volumes.

Maybe you'll be impressed as much as I am.

 

[G.I.G.]

I agree with cheekymonkey. The F-30 sounds killer. You can get a great tone out of it at low volumes but it still has enough power to rock out in a band setting.

I have a Rect-O-Verb that I bought for similar reasons as you. I wanted an amp that I could play in my apartment at a decent volume but something that I could rock out with in a band setting and the Rect-O-Verb fits that bill. I also have a dual rec that I can get some killer blues tones out of (and of course Metal) but that might be a little too much power for your situation. If you really like the sound of the dual rec though, you can make it a 50 watt head by taking out a pair of power tubes and one rectifier tube.

If you're leaning toward blues though I would go with the F-30 or the Rect-O-Verb because of the built in spring tank reverb and the modest (but not weak) power ratings. The best thing to do is just go to a Mesa dealer and try everything you get your hands on. Good luck in your search.

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

Great question. You could go with any wattage amp and a HotPlate/Weber attenuator.... Mark IV might be the best as the others might suffer on the Metallica type sounds.

Ned

+1 Mark IV with a HotPlate. All the amps mentioned here are great amplifiers if you use them for what they are designed for. For the kind of versatility/diversity you are looking for nothing will touch the Mark IV except maybe the RoadKing.

 

[SeasonOfPain]

+2 on the Mark IV. I actually picked it up for the articulated heaviness it could achieve (I traded a Rectifier for it because I couldn't dial out the low end), but have discovered that the Rhythm 2 channel has one of the best bluesy tones I could find in an amp. The combo is also great in that you can use it to practice at lower volumes at home and then plug it into a larger cabinet if you need or want to. It's so much more portable (though still heavy!) compared to my Triaxis+50/50 rack and cabs, and I'm finding myself liking the tone better than any amp I've yet owned.

 

[sw686blue]

Yesterday I stopped off at a local MB dealer. I tried a couple of amps. The first was a F50 head going through a 4x12 bottom. I liked the crunch channel and the clean channel was not bad as well. Unfortunately, there was a moron playing so loud that it was hard to get a real feel for the amp at low volumes. I will probably go back with my own guitars and try it again. Btw, after unplugging and looking at the back of the F50 chassis, I noticed that a 6L6 was missing. When I mentioned this to the sales guy he was shocked as well. The second amp was a Maverick combo with 2x12s. I loved the clean channel, more than the F50, but the gain channel was not as crunchy. And that one was very price-prohibitive.

There is another dealer in my area and I will try some there too. I've seen on e-bay and on this board too, sales for the DC-5 (in combo or head format). What is your opinions on this amp? What kind of prices are they going for? What years were they manufactured?

I wish I could get my hands on a DC-5 or even a DC-3 to take it for a test drive. On e-bay there's a DC-3 going for $480, seems like a decent price.

So, let me hear what you guys think of the DC models since I'll probably be able to pick them up at a better price. I will try a F-30 once I can locate one.

Thanks again,
Nick

 

[mesa115]

Look at the Pre-1991 Forum on this site. There are several discussions on DC's versus F series Boogies. You can even e-mail the owners directly and see how they like their older Boogies.

 

[cheekymonkey]

Howdy,

I've got an F-30, I've only had it for 2 months. I've played through a few amps but this is by far the nicest sounding amp I've ever played through. It uses EL84s vs. 6L6s in the F-50. It's plenty loud for 30W and achieves great tones (clean and dirty) even at low volumes.

I was thinking about checking out an F-50 (more head room) but I love the tone too much.


Oops, sorry for the second post.

 

[gp]

The DC-3 and DC-5 are Great Amps.

 

[CudBucket]

When you need a versatile Boogie that has great cleans and can do Metallica type gain...

You need a Mark IV.

 

[vulture2600]

id say go f30, its the best all around amp ive ever heard. low or high volumes!