Mesa Deserves More!!!!

[inmyhands]

Does anyone else here think that Mesa doesn't get respect in the historical sense that it deserves. When you check out articles on vintage amps, etc. it's all about Fender and Marshall. Fine. They came first. But!!!!
When you consider the use of High Gain tone in guitar music from the late 70's to modern day what amp company played a bigger role than Mesa Boogie. The Cascading Preamp has been the key to more Hard Rock and Metal legends than any other single item I can think of. Whether the amps used were designed and made by Mesa or by somebody who took Mesa's ideas and ran with them is moot. Modern Rock Guitar Tone all started with Mesa. When will the guitar magazines and amp profilers finally give Mesa the credit that's due. Long Overdue!!!

 

[metalblitz84]

HELL YEAH!!! I'm always thinking that. When you look back at all the original ideas and what they revolutionized- first fx loop, first three channel, progressive linkage, etc. you just can't ignore what they've accomplished! I would never limit myself to just playing one particular make of guitars or amps or whatever, but honestly, what can REALLY compete with Mesa?

 

[phyrexia]

Randall was modding and designing amps when Peter Diezel was learning to string his guitar.

 

[6L6C]

Your right it’s like being a member of an exclusive club (which I’m a proud member)

 

[stomper]

They are known to tech's as "idiot fuses". The one you have access to is probably rated for 2 amps while the one inside is 3 amps. The 2 amp blows first, of course. When an "idiot" puts a 5 amp fuse in because that is all they have on hand, the internal 3 amp fuse blows to save the transformers.

The Ampeg SVT has resistors which are designed to burn out when a power tube fails. The other power tubes keep right on playing to let you finish the gig. This is a great idea.

 

[edward]

They are known to tech's as "idiot fuses". The one you have access to is probably rated for 2 amps while the one inside is 3 amps. The 2 amp blows first, of course. When an "idiot" puts a 5 amp fuse in because that is all they have on hand, the internal 3 amp fuse blows to save the transformers.

The Ampeg SVT has resistors which are designed to burn out when a power tube fails. The other power tubes keep right on playing to let you finish the gig. This is a great idea.

OT alert:
Mesa uses a "Varistor" (looks like a disc cap to me) that blocks out high-volt spikes ...apparently it is in every amp they make. At least the whole power section is "protected" from a full roast should something go awry. Yet, having two fuses does sound like a great idea to me for exactly the purpose mentioned: so one can finish out the set/gig. Wonder if this is an easy and/or worthwhile mod? Thoughts??

As to the orig post, heck yeah Mesa deserves better IMHO. But remember that most everything comes/goes in cycles. Now that "boutique" is in vogue, you must spend mega bucks for a hand-wired turret board or it ain't worth a snot ...besides, we all know that a Mesa is really a PCB mass-produced POS anyway, right?? Not to mention that Fender et.al really are putting together lots of PCB "merde" that simply rides on the coattails of their heritage ...those names will always sell.

So long as *I* have great tone, really, who cares how others perceive all my Boogie "crap" ...besides, it helps keep the prices down.

Edward

 

[Boogiebabies]

VH-4 Gone.

Dual Rectifier, IIC+, MK III, MK IV, RK II Still here.

The Diezel is a PCB amp and is nothing really special.

 

[edward]

VH-4 Gone.

Dual Rectifier, IIC+, MK III, MK IV, RK II Still here.

The Diezel is a PCB amp and is nothing really special.

Funny you mention the Diezel. A workmate of mine is just gaga over his Diezel Herbert. So this thing is over $4K, he's been raving over it, and I am truly impressed, honestly. Then I play it. Uhhh... I don't get it. Around 30 honest minutes if fiddling and I'm thinking the cleans are thin and almost SS sounding, mids are too scooped even when dialed up, and mild clip was fizzy and unattractive. Sure the high gain was there, but in a shred-metal fashion that simply lacked indiv note detail and was like a sonic overload w/o soul ...kinda like getting smacked by a wave instead of riding gracefully atop it.

So I smile and tell him it's kind of a cool amp (didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I hated it, irrespective of the price). Then went home and plugged in my "lowly" DC5 and EV-Thiele and swear it sounds better in absolutely every respect. Then plugged into my MKIII Simul with Thiele + MC90 ...again, simply awesome with rich harmonic content and detail. I guess I am just not a Diezel guy

Edward

 

[kirk19]

I live in europe so, Mesa rectifiers and Diezels cost about the same here. I prefer the mesa triple rectifier above any diezel!!! Diezels are just not my cup of tea, plus there midi sucks *** ( I hear that if you have a problem with a diezel amp that 9/10 its a midi problem ). The only other brand of amps I like besides mesa is elmwood

 

[ytse_jam]

I live in europe so, Mesa rectifiers and Diezels cost about the same here.

yeah, I can't understand all that hype surrounding Diezel amps... maybe you who live in US are victims of the $4K fashion. They are good amps, but you can't compare them to a boogie imho, they lack that all-tube-amp feeling when you're playing (I honestly tried only a VH4).

 

[adrenaline junkie]

"When you consider the use of High Gain tone in guitar music from the late 70's to modern day what amp company played a bigger role than Mesa Boogie."

70's up? Marshall.

 

[Racerboy44]

"When you consider the use of High Gain tone in guitar music from the late 70's to modern day what amp company played a bigger role than Mesa Boogie."

70's up? Marshall.

Mesa is the first to create "high gain". Marshall was not making "high gain" before Mesa. Marshall amps did have gain early on but nothing like what Mesa implemented.

 

[ytse_jam]

"When you consider the use of High Gain tone in guitar music from the late 70's to modern day what amp company played a bigger role than Mesa Boogie."

70's up? Marshall.

Mesa is the first to create "high gain". Marshall was not making "high gain" before Mesa. Marshall amps did have gain early on but nothing like what Mesa implemented.

it depends on how you define "high gain"... talking about overdriven guitar in general I must say Marshall played a bigger role.

 

[Jarrod]

70's and 80's, Marshall played the lead role in overdrive(and back then, it was considered they high gain sound). The defined rock n Roll and heavy metal of that era.

Now if you want to bring in the 90's, by far and wide, Mesa/Boogie.

 

[inmyhands]

No, No, No. I must disagree. A JCM800 on 10 sounds like the middle channel on a Mark III. I've done both and it's one of the reasons I love my Mark III. It's R2 sounds like a JCM800 giving all the gain it's got.
Channel 3 had more gain, (back in the mid 80's) than Marshall has come up with to date,(2007).

I'm not downing Marshall. I Love them. But, in the high gain world, they don't even have resident status.

 

[inmyhands]

Deeper Yet.

Marshall excels at crunch tones. Probably the best to date. High gain can deliver a smoothness to the tone that Marshall can not. This is Mesa's territory.

In a perfect world I'd have a Fender Dual Reverb for clean tones, a Marshall JCM800 for crunchy rhythms and medium gain leads, and a Mesa Mark III or IV for smooth high gain leads.

 

[JOEY B.]

There were many modded Marshall amps that defined the '80s tones. Note that I said "modded". :wink:

 

[adrenaline junkie]

There were many modded Marshall amps that defined the '80s tones. Note that I said "modded". :wink:

So were the Mesas that Metallica used.



I love my Mesas and I think they deserve tons of respect but in terms amps that defined the 70's and 80's rock and metal Marshall ruled that with no contest whatsoever.

 

[Jarrod]

No, No, No. I must disagree. A JCM800 on 10 sounds like the middle channel on a Mark III. I've done both and it's one of the reasons I love my Mark III. It's R2 sounds like a JCM800 giving all the gain it's got.
Channel 3 had more gain, (back in the mid 80's) than Marshall has come up with to date,(2007).

I'm not downing Marshall. I Love them. But, in the high gain world, they don't even have resident status.

No one is saying that the Marshall has more gain. This is about impact on the industry as a whole. Back in the 70's and 80's, how sterotypical was it to see a wall of marshalls? Or some sort of Marshall? Super leads, JCM 800, Plexi etc. Those amps ruled the 70's to 80's as far as influence in the genre.

Don't get me wrong, the Mark series of amps have something very magical about them. They never really cought on though to make as much of a impact as the marshalls in their era.

 

[Racerboy44]

"When you consider the use of High Gain tone in guitar music from the late 70's to modern day what amp company played a bigger role than Mesa Boogie."

70's up? Marshall.

Mesa is the first to create "high gain". Marshall was not making "high gain" before Mesa. Marshall amps did have gain early on but nothing like what Mesa implemented.

it depends on how you define "high gain"... talking about overdriven guitar in general I must say Marshall played a bigger role.

Overdrive, or an "overdriven guitar" is not high gain. There is some room for debate here, but the general consensus is that a Marshall by itself does not produce "high gain". At least not until the JCM 900's came out. Before that you would need a pedal in front of the amp to get into metal territory. If you agree with that, then Mesa was the first company to make an amp that could get metal tones or "high gain" all by itself. I have owned JCM 800's, 900's, and several Mark's and Recto's. JCM 800's are not high gain in my opinion. They have gain, but nothing like what any Mesa can produce. Doesn't mean I don't like Marshalls, but it's just reality.