DesolationBlvd
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- Dec 18, 2018
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I just picked up a .50 Caliber+ cheap enough, so I could compare it to my DC-5 lead mod project - which since the video I posted, tweaked further and ended up further from the Mark. Played it in the store and knew it was the sound I wanted right out of the box, so the mod project is on the back burner.
It's missing its logo plate - rectangular plate saying "Mesa/Boogie" from the late 80s / early 90s, also used on some Mark III - and it turns out this is one of the few logos Mesa no longer carries. Does anyone have a spare? In the meantime, I took the logo plate from my DC-5. The extra screw hole is hidden anyway.
Editing to avoid a double post: That said, it seems the presence knob does almost nothing. I got a hold of the 50 Cal+ schematic, and it looks like the presence knob is a tone pot that interacts with the master volume, having little effect unless the volume's up. In the NFB circuit, there is only the 56k from the 8-ohm, and 1.5k to ground.
I was considering the Lead Drive mod, and also putting both the rhythm/lead and EQ on one footswitch so I would have room for the new pot, but it looks like it doesn't add any more gain in lead mode, so it's of little use to me. If I ever needed less gain in lead mode, I'd stick a 12AY7 in V1.
Editing with results: I bypassed the old "presence" control, and replaced the 1.5k resistor to ground with a pot, cap, and resistor to make a real presence control. Knowing that zero on the new presence control was equivalent to ten on the old one, I got myself dialed in right away. Turns out, a dash of presence made all the difference, especially at low volumes. Cleans sparkle and leads cut the way I want them to.
Oh, and here's how the DC-5's logo plate looks on the 50 Cal right now:
It's missing its logo plate - rectangular plate saying "Mesa/Boogie" from the late 80s / early 90s, also used on some Mark III - and it turns out this is one of the few logos Mesa no longer carries. Does anyone have a spare? In the meantime, I took the logo plate from my DC-5. The extra screw hole is hidden anyway.
Editing to avoid a double post: That said, it seems the presence knob does almost nothing. I got a hold of the 50 Cal+ schematic, and it looks like the presence knob is a tone pot that interacts with the master volume, having little effect unless the volume's up. In the NFB circuit, there is only the 56k from the 8-ohm, and 1.5k to ground.
I was considering the Lead Drive mod, and also putting both the rhythm/lead and EQ on one footswitch so I would have room for the new pot, but it looks like it doesn't add any more gain in lead mode, so it's of little use to me. If I ever needed less gain in lead mode, I'd stick a 12AY7 in V1.
Editing with results: I bypassed the old "presence" control, and replaced the 1.5k resistor to ground with a pot, cap, and resistor to make a real presence control. Knowing that zero on the new presence control was equivalent to ten on the old one, I got myself dialed in right away. Turns out, a dash of presence made all the difference, especially at low volumes. Cleans sparkle and leads cut the way I want them to.
Oh, and here's how the DC-5's logo plate looks on the 50 Cal right now: