Mod Kits for Mesa Amps????

[Monsta-Tone]

Just a poll:
How many of you guys would want to see mod kits for your Mesa amp?
I know that shipping is a mother and there are lots of DIY guys here.


What kits would you want to see???

 

[kiff]

that sounds like a good idea. any particular mods you have in mind?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Well...
It's sort of a double edged sword. If I sell them all, I won't have any business. Plus, people get mad when they order a mod kit for $30 and it only has 4 or 5 parts in it, but they are also paying for the tech support and the knowledge.


I'm definitely thinking about the following though:
Variable NFB
Bias Pot
Better Reverb
More Gain
Less Gain
Bright/Fat Switch
5-way Mid Switch

Not sure what else to do, but these would work on almost any Mesa amp. Each one would probably need to be tailored to each individual amp though.
Some of the other ones, like the SLO mod for the HB are really hard and I wouldn't want to sell something that only a few guys could do.


If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them.

 

[jimsz]

Well...
It's sort of a double edged sword. If I sell them all, I won't have any business. Plus, people get mad when they order a mod kit for $30 and it only has 4 or 5 parts in it, but they are also paying for the tech support and the knowledge.

As well, you most likely test the parts you send out so that the mod will work, which is a cost to you. I know that if you buy parts from electronic stores, there's no guarantee they will all work and finding the problem afterward is a big pain in the ...

Even the little kits that electronic stores sell are rather expensive as the above applies.

 

[Old BF Shred]

Actually a pretty good idea, MT.
Of course you would primarily aim this at the "after warranty" crowd.
I plan on doing a couple things to my Ace, but after warranty expires.

Adjustable bias is the best idea for all Mesa's IMO. I plan on it myself, but post warranty.......
If you do this may I suggest making external pot access and test points?
Finding precision 1 ohmers may be the expensive part, but lots of newer amps are going this route. I think there's a market.
Heck, I might even buy one if it's done neatly enough (I got a feeling you would)

Keep us posted!
Good luck!

 

[MJ Slaughter]

I always thought it would be nice on the DC amps to have a footswitch to engage the pull boost on the clean channel with the ability to level the boost volume with the other modes.

Here is a tall order-make an ordinary amp able to be midi controlled. Am I dreaming?

 

[Facelift]

The mod I would like to see is one that clears up the distortion on the clean channel when switching from the lead channel on my mark III when the gain is cranked.

Its a pain in the *** to switch to clean and roll back the volume knob on my guitar in order to get a good clean sound. You should be able to have the gain cranked on the lead, switch over to clean and be good to go. The way it is to get a good crunch out of the lead channel you have to sacrifice the clean channel. To me, thats rediculous. If other amps can be good to go when switching channel, theres no reason why this one cant.

 

[ryjan]

I'd have no problems paying for your R&D time if the mod worked as advertised no matter how few parts were included. What would you have available for a Mark IV?

 

[lockbody]

I'd have no problems paying for your R&D time if the mod worked as advertised no matter how few parts were included.

Same here. I'm fairly handy with a soldering iron, but looking at a schematic and a circuit board are two seperate things. It would be nice to have a kit with some parts and instructions that said something like "remove and replace the resistor with the yellow, brown, and black bands next to the blue wire with the included part.".

 

[GD_NC]

I always thought it would be nice on the DC amps to have a footswitch to engage the pull boost on the clean channel with the ability to level the boost volume with the other modes.

Here is a tall order-make an ordinary amp able to be midi controlled. Am I dreaming?

I think that's a good idea. I used to have a Schultz Midi Octopus I used with my Mark IV. It just had a bay of 8 midi programmable footswitch ports. It was simple, easy to use, cheap and worked like a charm. I don't know of anything on the market like that for a reasonable amount of $ today. Just add a few extra foot switches, plug it into the controller box and you are good to go.

 

[ncdb07]

The mod I would like to see is one that clears up the distortion on the clean channel when switching from the lead channel on my mark III when the gain is cranked.

Its a pain in the *** to switch to clean and roll back the volume knob on my guitar in order to get a good clean sound. You should be able to have the gain cranked on the lead, switch over to clean and be good to go. The way it is to get a good crunch out of the lead channel you have to sacrifice the clean channel. To me, thats rediculous. If other amps can be good to go when switching channel, theres no reason why this one cant.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[tony777]

A separate treble pot for lead and rhtyhm channels for MKII and MKIII is pretty much all I could wish for, other than that I love my amps to death.

Maybe a cap replacement kit would be a good idea?

A 1/2 speed swith for the fan for quiet studio playing.

 

[madryan]

Sign me up for a Bias Pot mod for my DC-5. I don't have the cash to send the amp to you but I do have the skills to do it myself if I had some good directions. I just can't read schematics worth a ****.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Those are great suggestions! Keep them coming!

I am thinking that I can take some good pictures to go with the mod kit, but this will only work for the amps that I have in stock.

This might be a win/win for all of us. I love doing the work itself, but I also know what a pain it is to pay for shipping both ways.

 

[silentrage]

I nominate the Mark III R2 Gain mod.
With that we'd have virtually 3 separate gain controls. One for each channel.

 

[JOEY B.]

I nominate the Mark III R2 Gain mod.
With that we'd have virtually 3 separate gain controls. One for each channel.

That rolls off the tongue quite easily. Let us see if Andy can come up with the fix. I'm ALL IN, if he can.

 

[fluff191]

High End Fizz Remover for the 3channel Recto.

 

[tony777]

I nominate the Mark III R2 Gain mod.
With that we'd have virtually 3 separate gain controls. One for each channel.

Maybe more gain at R2 in MK IV.

What about GEQ kit for a non GEQ IIC+ (I have a spare MKIII faceplate)

 

[kmanick]

more gain in R2 would be great for my Mark IV (or a III)

 

[#2121313]

Mark V Mod in C+ Mode:

- Push/Pull pots or switches which will allow for the "Pull Shift" (Treble pot), "Pull Shift" (Bass pot), "Pull Deep" (Master 1 pot) as the original C+'s have

- What does the "Bright" switch on the Mark V do, is it the same as the "Pull Bright" (Volume 1 pot) or "Pull Bright" (Lead Master pot)?

- A mod to allow you to use 6L6' and EL34's at the same time. Some say here that you can already do that but I have called Mesa several times and each person has told me that it's either or.

- I understand the circuitry in the Mark V C+ mode is designed after the original "DR" C+ a mod to change it to the circuitry of the "DRG" C+. I understand that there are a few caps which are different (as per the Mark V manual).

- a C++ mod for the Mark V C+ mode

Basically a Mark V C+ mode mod to make it EXACTLY the same circuitry and push pull options with same tube options as the DRG model C+.

Thanks.