I'm a newly activated Boogie Board member. Just placed an order a few days ago for an "Express 5:25+ 1x12" combo in Emerald Bronco/Black Jute.... Reading this board was very informative and helpful as I was getting ready to pull the switch on this, my first Mesa. Until now, my amps have mostly been various flavors of Vox & Fender, as well as a Music Man and a Tech 21, so this will be a completely new experience. My musical taste tends to revolve around what I grew up with in the 60's - and most of my guitars are pretty "vintage voiced" - Fender Tele & Mustang, LP, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Trussart. I'm really looking forward to experimenting with the 5:25+'s great range of flexibility - its ability to be tweaked to (non-digitally) evoke the sound and feel of some classic amps, but with a definite character of its own.
Mesa Newbie here...
- Thread starter rgordon7
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screamingdaisy
Well-known member
Welcome 8)
Welcome to the Boogie Board!!
I have a 5:25+ as well, so if you have any questions feel free to pm me.
A word of wisdom - read the manual first, as the tone stack on a Boogie is nothing like a Fender or Vox. If you start with everything straight up you'll be fighting it for a while. I tell new folks start with all the tone controls down, master at 9 o'clock, gain at 10 or 11. Turn up the treble until it has enough high end, then the mids, then the bass. Don't be surprised if you end up starting with treble on 10 or 11, mids on 10, bass on 9 (all o'clock numbers). Not what you'd expect. As most here on the boogie board will tell you, dial it in with you ears, not your eyes.
The 5:25+ Express is a great amp, with lots of options! Have fun!!
Al
I have a 5:25+ as well, so if you have any questions feel free to pm me.
A word of wisdom - read the manual first, as the tone stack on a Boogie is nothing like a Fender or Vox. If you start with everything straight up you'll be fighting it for a while. I tell new folks start with all the tone controls down, master at 9 o'clock, gain at 10 or 11. Turn up the treble until it has enough high end, then the mids, then the bass. Don't be surprised if you end up starting with treble on 10 or 11, mids on 10, bass on 9 (all o'clock numbers). Not what you'd expect. As most here on the boogie board will tell you, dial it in with you ears, not your eyes.
The 5:25+ Express is a great amp, with lots of options! Have fun!!
Al
Thanks, screamingdaisy & Al. With a month - maybe closer to two - before the amp's delivery, and with the manual available online, you can be sure I'll be spending plenty of anticipatory time with it, as "the next best thing" until the real thing arrives... ;-) I never would have intuitively started with all the tone controls down, but looks like that's how I will give it a try on day one. Any suggestions for starters with the EQ and/or the Preset Depth?
rgordon7 said:
I started with the EQ flat. Once I felt like I had dialed in the tone controls I then pulled the center slider down a few db, then boosted the low end up some. Sounded good to my ears. Now, I have the classic "V" shape, with the outside sliders almost to the top, and the center slider down 2 lines or so. That gave me more bass and high end without flubbiness and too much hiss. Again, use your ears to tell you. I will say that if I feel I have too much low end I'll pull the GEQ down before the bass tone control. As they say, YMMV and all that. The Express series are great amps with a ton of good tones.....you'll just have to see what works for you. Here's mine:
Al
Newysurfer
Well-known member
rgordon7 said:
Welcome
I see you have a Gretsch - Mesa amps & Gretsch guitars = a match made in heaven :mrgreen:
My MB Express 5:25+ 1x12 Combo in Emerald Bronco/Black Jute (ordered last October) arrived today. I've only had it for a few hours, but already, I do believe we've bonded - I'm very, very pleased! It's the most responsive and flexible amp I've ever played through.
Though, here's an odd question... (one that's not related to the amp's use or operation...) Where is the Serial Number on the amp? It arrived with a hangtag on the power cord that has the Serial Number (along with all the sign-off initials for the various assembly and inspection stages), but unelss I'm missing something very obvious (and if so, it wouldn't be the first time...
), the Serial Number doesn't seem to be on the amp's back panel, nor does it appear to be anywhere visible inside the amp's cabinet. There is a plaque inside the cabinet, but the plaque only has tube layout info, not the Serial number. I bought it new from Sweetwater and it was a special order with MB due to the Emerald Bronco covering, so there's no doubt about its pedigree, but it does seem a bit odd for the Serial Number to not be visible on the unit itself...)
It deserves much better photos than this, but here it is...
Though, here's an odd question... (one that's not related to the amp's use or operation...) Where is the Serial Number on the amp? It arrived with a hangtag on the power cord that has the Serial Number (along with all the sign-off initials for the various assembly and inspection stages), but unelss I'm missing something very obvious (and if so, it wouldn't be the first time...
), the Serial Number doesn't seem to be on the amp's back panel, nor does it appear to be anywhere visible inside the amp's cabinet. There is a plaque inside the cabinet, but the plaque only has tube layout info, not the Serial number. I bought it new from Sweetwater and it was a special order with MB due to the Emerald Bronco covering, so there's no doubt about its pedigree, but it does seem a bit odd for the Serial Number to not be visible on the unit itself...)It deserves much better photos than this, but here it is...
