New Amp Day, IIC+ Coliseum

[zodiac272]

hey,

got my chassis back from mesa today... Mesa just started charging $20. for "new" return shipping boxes...

I get the box from UPS, and it seems kind of small for my amp, but I figure it's mesa and they know what they are doing, so no worries. So I look at the box a bit closer and it looks kind of beat with different layers of tape and a few other blacked out shipping labels. Still no big deal. Then I open the box, and I'm staring at the power transformer and it was contacting the lid of the box, and there really wasn't much of a packing buffer after two other small boxes holding the output and preamp tubes were stuffed in the box. I have had two other amps shipped from mesa,and they were perfectly packed. This was by far the worst packed, and it was by far the most valuable amp. Is that what I paid $20 for? a beat up box that doesn't fit? Before this, two weeks ago, monday, Rich called and left a voicemail to tell me it was ready to ship, so I emailed him my credit card and shipping info, and asked for the tracking number when it was ready. He replied by email right away that he would do that and get it shipped. 8 days pass and no tracking number. I email rich and ask for it and he called me back right away saying it didn't ship and that he was waiting on me for something, but he didn't know what he was waiting for, and then acted like it was my fault that it didn't ship, and he hoped it would ship by the following thursday, which it did. So here I am with my amp... Am I a being a douche or is this kind of messed up... I mean i did get it safely, but still...

Scott

just in case someone wanted to see "before" pics

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53022

 

[Supersonico]

Hey Scott,

I don't think you're being unreasonable about the packing job.
Hope it checks out okay for you.


Juan

 

[bigmouth]

hey scott ... leave it packed and ship it on ... to me ...

 

[FreeFormFunkified]

Naw no way your being a douche bag, UPS has a bad rep for banging stuff up, Im sending my amp up to petaluma today for service and while it was away I was going to build a curly maple hardwood cab to put it in when it got back! Im just saying this because just like most guys on this board i take extra good care of these little vintage gems, this comin from a guy who attacked his beloved pomeraian with a leafrake for sneaking into the garage and taking a whiz on the '77MKI of which I speak :shock: :x :arrow: :arrow: 8) im cool now, anyway im kinda concerned now, I hope they do better with mine when they ship it back.

 

[DaveP]

That box was way to small for that chassis. You have a right to complain especially if you paid 20 for a new box. I received my chassis back yesterday
in a new box with the chassis packed so well it could have fallen off the UPS a couple of times and still been OK.
The only time they send it back in something like that is if you didn't request a new box. They will send it back in whatever it was shipped in.
But I wouldn't suspect you shipped it in that way.

 

[zodiac272]

Haha Bigmouth, what's your address?

Yeah I packed it with plenty of space all around to allow for any box crunching or dropping. Does this happen more often than I think at mesa? I couldn't even get the foam out of the box without cutting it and the corners of the box open. I'm gonna ask for my $20 back (for the box).

Scott

 

[RR]

MESA's Rich guy is beginning to piss me off.

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53188&start=15

 

[zodiac272]

Yeah, he is...


I called mike b. to thank him for his work, and I asked him about Rich, and he put it in perspective. There are so many guys out there trying to pull a fast one on rich, and he deals with more than enough a-holes to explain his behavior. Mike was pretty surprised about the pack job though.

I'm over it, it is what it is...

rock on 8) 8)

Scott

 

[Freefall]

Thanks for posting this. They'll be shipping mine back shortly, and I'm going to call and make sure that doesn't happen to me. I shipped mine double boxed with insulating material in each layer, and I expect a similar level of protection on the way back. I'd have been pissed too if I saw that packing job, particularly if you paid for a "new" box.

As for Rich, the last time I sent an amp there I found him to be disorganized and needing reminders to get stuff moving... and rather than be apologetic, he was rude. I don't know the guy personally, but based on my previous dealings I don't think he's representing Mesa very well. As always, YMMV, but be advised.

 

[zodiac272]

Thanks for posting this. They'll be shipping mine back shortly, and I'm going to call and make sure that doesn't happen to me. I shipped mine double boxed with insulating material in each layer, and I expect a similar level of protection on the way back. I'd have been pissed too if I saw that packing job, particularly if you paid for a "new" box.

As for Rich, the last time I sent an amp there I found him to be disorganized and needing reminders to get stuff moving... and rather than be apologetic, he was rude. I don't know the guy personally, but based on my previous dealings I don't think he's representing Mesa very well. As always, YMMV, but be advised.

yeah, I've had similar feelings....

I emailed rich a pic, and he said he had no clue what happened, shocker, and he apologized! even bigger shocker... hehe


scott

 

[bigmouth]

so, but when do we hear about the first test drive ... :twisted:

 

[b0nkersx]

and rather than be apologetic, he was rude. I don't know the guy personally, but based on my previous dealings I don't think he's representing Mesa very well. As always, YMMV, but be advised.

Honestly, I had this exact same experience with him. It was rather off-putting.. especially since it was my first dealing with an amp company that was supposed to have world class customer service.

 

[bigmouth]

and ? are the neighbours def now ?

 

[zodiac272]

and ? are the neighbours def now ?

hehe... I love it. I'd say it's pretty awesome to totally awesome. At first I was afraid it lost it's mojo after the service. I think maybe the tubes. Before i used all 6L6gc, and after I put STR 450 EL-34 in the center sockets, and it sounded fizzy. I put 6L6 back in and it seemed back to normal. I have STR 416 for the center two and I'll try them with STR 415's.

The limit knob is still scratchy and really only seems to work from 0-4 on the dial, but I'm not too worried about that. The attack is in your face and so responsive, it's like an instrument. Each note in the chords really ring out with clarity, even with heavy distorted tones dialed up. Tons of tight low end, and the classic boogie lead, kicked up just a notch. When I play a chord and let it ring it puts a smile on my face.

It has more than enough power, but it's totally controllable. I can get heavy or super clean at any volume. The medium gain tones are great as well.

one thing that mike b. said wasnt stock is a small cap bridging the lead master and V3 i think. H put tape on it so i could snip it, but he said it will change the tone, and we both thought it was great as is. I'll include a semi good pic of that. ok it's a bad pic, but it is the small blue cap between the orange drop and the grey wire, and the cap has a long thin lead going to the leasd drive knob

I still have to try some other tubes all around, but I love it. more to come...

scott

 

[zodiac272]

After playing some more, and some more tweaking I found a GEQ setting that I really like for high gain. The first/last sliders just touching the top line with the 6600 just a bit higher. the 240 and 2200 sliders just barley above the middle line, and the 750 slider almost half way to the bottom line, so there are plenty of mids, and it sounds really full, and it's a great metal tone. I think I don't like chopping the mids anymore, at least with this amp. Even on my HRG, I have been moving the 750 slider up a bit.

I'm not deaf yet, I only cranked it a little.


scott

 

[>Photi G<]

Maybe it's just me, but I can't see the rest of the unboxing/after pictures.

 

[dodger916]

Thanks for posting this. They'll be shipping mine back shortly, and I'm going to call and make sure that doesn't happen to me. I shipped mine double boxed with insulating material in each layer, and I expect a similar level of protection on the way back. I'd have been pissed too if I saw that packing job, particularly if you paid for a "new" box.

As for Rich, the last time I sent an amp there I found him to be disorganized and needing reminders to get stuff moving... and rather than be apologetic, he was rude. I don't know the guy personally, but based on my previous dealings I don't think he's representing Mesa very well. As always, YMMV, but be advised.

+1. In several dealings with him I've been less than impressed, certainly least impressed than any other Boogie employee I've dealt with. But he does seem to get the job done.

 

[zodiac272]

Maybe it's just me, but I can't see the rest of the unboxing/after pictures.

I didn't take any "after" pics yet.... I stuck it back in it's shell and have been playing it. I'll do it sometime... a ton of new caps!

scott

 

[>Photi G<]

Maybe it's just me, but I can't see the rest of the unboxing/after pictures.

I didn't take any "after" pics yet.... I stuck it back in it's shell and have been playing it. I'll do it sometime... a ton of new caps!

scott

Good, so my browser isn't messed up. I would imagine there are a lot of shiny new blue cans in the chassis. If I could take a guess, I'd say 30. :lol:

 

[zodiac272]

oh, and anyone getting an amp shipped back from mesa,

please don't be like hey I know this guy just got his coliseum back and the pack job was not so good. I will feel like such a tool the next time I call them. I already showed them pics and brought it to their attention, and hopefully it won't happen again

I did get two amps shipped from them perfectly though, as meat loaf said 2 out of 3 ain't bad.


thanks,

scott