Help, Not all the thrilled with my roadster combo

[JLL115]

I have owned a roadster 2x12 combo and am not thrilled with it. Maybe its me. I play pop and classic rock, no punk and no metal. I need two sounds, clean and classic crunch. My axe is a PRS custom 22. I can get some pretty good crunch tones out of channel 2 and 3 although both seem to have too much low end rumble no matter what I do. The real issue is the crean channel. I find I cannot get a really good "Fenderesque" clean tone out of channel one. I have tried different pick up combinations on the guitar, and have tried adjusting bass treble mid etc on the amp, but there always seems to be a low level of crunch or distortion present.

Maybe I bought the wrong amp for my needs, but, for $2200, I should be able to dial in any tone I want. I own a Fender Blues Deville and have no trouble getting good clean and classic overdrive rock tone with that. Some people have spoken of adding an equalizer to the effects loop. Is this the path I should take? If so can someone suggest a good eq unit?

After spending this much money, I am now willing to give up on my mesa so soon. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Jay

 

[mrd]

If you want a good clean sound, set your wattage as high as it will go, keep your gain low (start below 10 o clock I'd say) and keep your master output up there. Keep this in mind: treble and mid knobs add GAIN. Start with everything at 12 o clock, and work from there. The treble and gain knobs are the most powerful knobs on the amp. Turning them even 5 degrees will change your tone quite a bit. Furthermore, the treble knob feeds its signal to the bass and mid knobs, so if you jack that way up, the other 2 knobs hardly get any say in the over-all signal. To see what I mean.... set everything to 12, then play an open string as you slowly dial the treble down to zero. See how not only does the high end disappear, but the mids and bass suddenly jump out? Use this to find a happy medium between the two. For my cleans I usually run my treble between 10-12o clock.

Also, your presence knob will have a good say in what comes out of the amp. If you want a nice jangly chord sound, set it up pretty high, around 2-4 o clock area, if you want a good single-note clean sound, turn it down, even all the way OFF. This will lend tons of character to single note or double stop styles. Experiment, use your ears. This is a big amp with tons of variables, you can't learn it in one day, one week, or one month. I've had my Road King (very similar to Roadster) for over 2 years, I've read the manual over 20 times, and I'm still learning how all the knobs, switches and buttons interact with each other. Have patience man... the tones you seek are in there, you just have to find them.

 

[jdurso]

nice post mrd

JLL i would definitely look into an eq.... i think it might be the best route (and possibly the cheapest) to get you where you want..... its definitely a must IMO with a recto.... keep in mind fender-esque can vary from one persons ears to another... i can get a pretty sweet fender tone out of channel one on tweed with the gain down and the volume up with 100 watts on diodes.... that with the eq in the loop i get a killer clean.... definitely try the eq and/or a clean boost infront

at the end of the day if your fender gets you what you want then maybe a roadster just isnt the amp for you.... have you played the lonestars??

 

[gnarwailnmt]

i found the fat switch on the clean channels to be heavenly...
I agree that mesa's can be very bass responsive, but also remember, their tone controls work according to what the others are set to, not on an individual basis, at least thats how my mesa dude broke it down to me.

 

[Laskyman]

I am going to second the Fat mode on either clean channel (although I keep ch. 1 to tweed for creamy blue tones). By far, hands down, the best clean amp I have ever played.
I run the gain at 12, with all other EQ below 12 (varies with single coil or humbucker), 100 watt diode- also with an EQ in the loop.
It is easy to find a great dirty flavor (if your amp doesn't have it, there are 1000's of stomps and preamps), but an amp is really only as good as the clean channel in my eyes- I dont have the cash or carry to haul 2 amps everywhere, so the Roadster is really *my* perfect amp.
Keep working with your Roadster- when I second guess my tone- its NEVER the clean channels....I am sure *your* tone is in there...


Laskyman

 

[JLL115]

First let me say thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions. I welcome continued responses. I have never tried the lone star. Today I will start trying out some of the ideas in this thread to see if I can get that great clean tone.

As far as an external eq goes, can you suggest which device works really well? Also, should the eq go into the loop, or in front.

 

[JF Omalycat]

First let me say thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions. I welcome continued responses. I have never tried the lone star. Today I will start trying out some of the ideas in this thread to see if I can get that great clean tone.

As far as an external eq goes, can you suggest which device works really well? Also, should the eq go into the loop, or in front.

I prefer the loop, but it's subjective.

 

[jdurso]

First let me say thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions. I welcome continued responses. I have never tried the lone star. Today I will start trying out some of the ideas in this thread to see if I can get that great clean tone.

As far as an external eq goes, can you suggest which device works really well? Also, should the eq go into the loop, or in front.

depends what your after.... in front of the amp eq's your guitar tone before the preamp can even add any gain.... so in front you can make a humbucker sound like a single coil .... in the loop your eq'ing the tone of your preamp basically making it a post eq similar to amps like the mark iv or the VHTs.... i like it in the loop but im also considering another one infront to create a single coil type sound

as far as which eq pedals i tried the boss, mxr and maxon... i went with the maxon because it was the most transparent

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

Are you using the single coil settings on the guitar for clean sounds ? I have a PRS Custom 24 (much more powerful pups than the 22) and the clean sounds through a Recto on single coil positions sounds heavenly ! I actually don't like the sound of the Custom 22 pups, they tend to be quite bassy and with no real bite either.

 

[phyrexia]

You'll never get fender cleans with a closed back cabinet.

 

[Zoomzilla]

I have a DR and my cleans were awful at first. Then I bought an MXR 10 band eq and threw it in the loop. Good god! It has fender type cleans now. Amazing! I need to get a second EQ, one for clean, one for 2 and 3 channel.

 

[jdurso]

Are you using the single coil settings on the guitar for clean sounds ? I have a PRS Custom 24 (much more powerful pups than the 22) and the clean sounds through a Recto on single coil positions sounds heavenly ! I actually don't like the sound of the Custom 22 pups, they tend to be quite bassy and with no real bite either.

agreed the dragon pickups blow .... the hfs and vintage bass pups in the custom and ce 24s are so killer.... i cant wait for the day i bring a prs home to call my own.... i had one custom ordered a few years ago which was suppose to only take 2 months (i wanted different hardware and a satin finish).... long story short 2 months turned into 6 and then was going to turn into 12 until i called off the order and went with a fernandes ravelle which is a cool guitar but i regret not waiting

 

[kramerxxx]

I had the same complaint with my Dual Rec. Your Mesa amp is not really like a Fender circuit so it is a stretch but you can get that chimey, open sound of a Fender, if that's how you set the amp up. As with most channel switchers, you have to compromise for live shows but for recording or trying to get 'that sound', you can do it pretty darn close with a few extra pieces of gear. An EQ has already been mentioned, I agree with that. Certain speakers, cabinet designs and tubes will make a difference too. You will have to experiment.

Take your amp to a dealer an test your amp directly against the sound of the amp you want it to sound like.

You have to remember that typically a combo style amp is a little of a compromise and a closed back combo is going to be less open and 'airy' than a open backed. I have never seen a closed back Fender combo so getting the Mesa to sound exactly like that might never happen.

All rooms sound different and they change depending on how many people you add or subtract so having the two together is going to give you the best recollection.

Here are a few things to try at the dealer.
1. Get an open back extension cab with the speakers that you know sound like you want with the Fender of your choosing. Set the Ohms selector correctly on the back of the Mesa to match the cab and unplug the Combo speaker, only using the extension cab.
2. Set the Power for the channel to 100watts, Bold, Modern
3. On Channel 1, set the Bass to 9 o'clock, Mids at Noon or lower, and the Presence and Treble All the way up.
4. Bypass the loop OR set the Output All the way up. (*you are going simulate the Fender best by turning the Loop off)
5. Set the Channel Master All the way up, use the Gain to increase volume
6. You should try the same thing with the 50 watt option - this will drive sooner but will get some more Power tube ambience sooner. (*swell, bloom, blossom, etc)

This will give you the Cleanest sound this amp has to offer.

This will also give you the best apples to apples test on what your amp sounds to a Fender -( fill in the blank).

Remember this:
All Fenders don't sound the same. Most lower watt amps are not going to give you Really Loud crystal clean sounds above a certain volume.
Most Fender aren't really good at Gain sounds AND Clean sounds. They typically do one of the other very well

And my last Point:
I have never owned an amp that does everything I want it to do well, and I have owned a bunch of amps in the last 35 years. A channel switcher is like any other amp: It will do one or two things REALLY well and the other stuff it does so you don't have to carry multiple amps to a job. With a radical tweaking of the amp settings you can get it to do what you want better, but it may not be enough, forcing you to buy an amp that is exactly like what you want it to be - For THAT thing. You can't get your car to do what a pickup or van can do and vice versa. You may have to 'settle' with some things not being exactly like you would want them to be. That is why there are so many different amps out there. I like having more than one for this very reason. I get tired of my Mesa? I unplug it and play another amp for a while. I have played Mesa amps for many years. YMMV

I hope that helps.
Steve

 

[MusicManJP6]

dang kramer! that was a mighty post!

The first thing i thought of was the pups in the PRS too. I had a PRS with Dragon II's and they were just not defined enough to get a good overdrive tone compared to the pups in my JP. The cleans were glorious though!

 

[kramerxxx]

My recommendations were to give you the opportunity to do Apples to Apples between the 2 amps. You could also try this at home with the Fender you own, and the speakers you own.

Changing your pickups, tubes, buying an open-backed cab, adding an EQ, etc., could be options but they add to the expense.

Another test I wanted to recommend to.

Try a Strat with your Mesa. Single coils sound Really good clean, usually. Maybe you want a sound from that amp that your guitar won't do.


After considering the steps/recommendations that most folks here have offered you may very well find that the Mesa Roadster is not for you. You'll be the only one that can decide that.

 

[jdurso]

My recommendations were to give you the opportunity to do Apples to Apples between the 2 amps. You could also try this at home with the Fender you own, and the speakers you own.

Changing your pickups, tubes, buying an open-backed cab, adding an EQ, etc., could be options but they add to the expense.

Another test I wanted to recommend to.

Try a Strat with your Mesa. Single coils sound Really good clean, usually. Maybe you want a sound from that amp that your guitar won't do.


After considering the steps/recommendations that most folks here have offered you may very well find that the Mesa Roadster is not for you. You'll be the only one that can decide that.

+1 .... kramer is hitting it on the head

 

[JW123]

I have a Triple rec and had problems, I finally got the manual out and used the factory settings as a starting point.

I have a humbucker loaded Strat and my primary guitar is a 1960 Classic Reissue Les Paul which has ver high output pickups.

On the Triple I run my master on the clean channel real high, 3 oclcock to wide open, my gain around noon. To start tayloring a clean sound I turn the presence and the mid totally off. Put the bass and treble at noon. I roll of the volume knob on my guitar to keep from getting a crackle with the master up. I ussually then back off the bass to around 10 oclock, the mid winds up 9 oclock or lower and the presence gets in the 9-12 oclock range.

Im not real familiar with the roadster. but maybe start sculpting your tone with the bass and treble controls and then bring in the mids and presence, it seems to work for me.

I also use a Weber Mass for overall attenuation. Best thing I ever bought for my amp.

 

[jdurso]

I have a Triple rec and had problems, I finally got the manual out and used the factory settings as a starting point.

I have a humbucker loaded Strat and my primary guitar is a 1960 Classic Reissue Les Paul which has ver high output pickups.

On the Triple I run my master on the clean channel real high, 3 oclcock to wide open, my gain around noon. To start tayloring a clean sound I turn the presence and the mid totally off. Put the bass and treble at noon. I roll of the volume knob on my guitar to keep from getting a crackle with the master up. I ussually then back off the bass to around 10 oclock, the mid winds up 9 oclock or lower and the presence gets in the 9-12 oclock range.

Im not real familiar with the roadster. but maybe start sculpting your tone with the bass and treble controls and then bring in the mids and presence, it seems to work for me.

I also use a Weber Mass for overall attenuation. Best thing I ever bought for my amp.

thats the way i did it too with my roadster and is seriously the best way to start off when sculting each channel.... the manual settings might not be dead on for what you wnat but it shows you how the controls interact with each other

JW, did you try any other attenuators? does the weber allow for two cabs like the hotplates??

 

[adolfo]

Wow, I am glad I joined the boogie board!. I think the people that posted on this topic did an excelent job and I am learning so much from you! . I am not very knowleadgable with gear but what I can say about the Roadster is that it can dial any tone you can imagine if you take the time to search, there are so many options you know?... For the "fender" sound I think you need a strat to know if this is "THE" amp, but I can get really close with my S series Ibanez with a couple of middle pickup combinations. Try channel one on tweed mode... I found that for me 50 watts, spongy, recto tracking and most knobs around noon (prescence and treble around 2 pm) will get you there! Good luck and let us know if the amp did it! Adolfo