New DC-3 Owner Here & New Forum Member..UPDATE!

[My Guitar Weeps]

First off I'd like to say hello to everyone and I look forward to all the info here on the forum. Thanks for having me. I'm more of a reader than a poster and I'm full believer in the search function for answers....

I just picked up a used DC-3 head here in Atlanta yesterday (Sat. 8th) I didn't really get filled in on the background of the amp. It seems to be in great shape. I don't really have any experience with Boogies except for a short courtship with a triple rec head a year or so ago.

I've been to the Mesa site looking for some info on the DC-3 but can't find anything except the manual. It's not even listed in the "no longer in production amps" (unless I missed it somehow).

What years were the amps produced? I'd really like to date the amp (serial# DC3-02709). Where there different versions? Mine, unlike the manual, has the toggle switch on the back for the EQ instead of the rotary knob. I read over a few of the Harmony Central Reviews (I take those with a grain of salt) and there was no category under a 9.

I'm just looking for a little history lesson on the DC-3's and a general overall view of how they stack up with the rest of the Boogie amps. If you guys could spread a little light on them for me I would greatly appreciate it. I play mostly Classic Rock (Stones, Free, Allman Bros.) and a little country now and then. I also bought an older Theile Cab several months back (112 closed back 200watt Ev) with the intentions of getting a small head later on to go with it. Funny how things happen sometimes. Now I have a great match for it!!

Thanks so much! (oh....I hope I've posted in the correct section of the board)

Robert from Atlanta

 

[tetsubin]

Take a look a few threads below (Last year for DC-5).

 

[Fxrs]

I use a DC-5 for a classic rock cover band, but I don't worry too much about getting the original tones, we play it a little heavier than original usually.

 

[edward]

Hi Robert,

The DC series was born out of the .50caliber line at about 1990 or so (someone with real history please chime in). And the .50cal was a "simplified" version of the Mark, which was the MarkIV by that time.

While the .50 cal is a great sounding amp in its own right, I think Mesa really answered many tone prayers with the DCs with the two discrete gain sections and tone stacks. The versatility these offered over the single row of knobs in the .50 really made them much more user-friendly and much more "giggable" for the channel-switcher players. Not to mention a tube preamp layout that was really conducive to personalizing specific aspects of the amp's voice (no idea if the latter was an object of theirs, but nevertheless, the tube layout is excellent for tone/tube tweakers, IMHO).

I remember speaking to a Petaluma Mesa tech who told me that the cleans on the DCs were modeled after the MarkIV whereas the Lead channel is more modern and "Recto" flavored. This makes sense to me as the cleans are bright, vivid, and lush ...very Mark like. But the OD certainly has a more modern voice than my MKIII, for example. Perhaps they were looking to make the amp a "tweener"??

As you know, your DC3 departs from the DC5 and 10 with the use of EL84s ...a decidedly different voice from the 6L6 power section's girth. Perhaps that, too, was a decision to fill a marketing "gap" (speculation on my part), as quite a few of the then-growing market of Boutique builders (and mainstream amps) sported that EL84 sound.

Hope this helps you somewhat.

Edward

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

Thanks guys.... Thanks for the history lesson edward! I did some more searching on the forum here and found that I'm not alone in the "dating" of the amps and the lack of info on the Mesa site. I guess I'll give them a call and see if they can help out. It looks like it still has the original tubes in it.....sovtek 84's and Ruby 12ax7's. They are all coming out. Also edward, I believe I tracked down a thread over on TGP for the resistor mod on the output pot that you were involved in????? I'm going to give it a try also. I bought the amp as a back up. It's got some pretty good cleans. I don't play much high gain music so I'm going to spend a little time getting the lead channel dialed in. Thanks again guys!

 

[edward]

You are most welcome. And the output vol pot mod is WELL worth the 15 minutes it may take you to perform the procedure.

And if you're replacing tubes, check out some of the discussions regarding preamp tube swaps ...much there to tailer your tone. Enjoy!

Edward

 

[Fxrs]

It looks like it still has the original tubes in it.....sovtek 84's and Ruby 12ax7's.

If they were the OEM tubes they'd say Mesa (the AX7's would probably say SPAX7 and have a rubber cover over the end.My DC-5 had 6 of them when it was new.)

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

Yeah the 84's are Mesa labeled Sovtek's. I'm bout to pull the chasis and the pre's so I'll get a better look at them too.

Thanks for he heads up tho

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

Well I'll be honest. Last night I ran the amp thru it's paces for a couple of hours and I felt "Well, I got a Boogie...it's gonna be a good backup for my Orange". Really, I wasn't too awfully impressed. I did get a decent deal and I did need a baack up. As I mentioned before, I already had a older Theile cab I picked up some time back. I love the cab. It's got the Ev in it. Actually from my research (could be wrong) it seems to be an odd transition Theile. It's got the old tolex (like the older chrome corner theiles) but it has the newer leather corners. It also has the old BOOGIE logo. It's kind of a half breed.

Anyway...I'm getting distracted here.

So tonight I pull the chasis, do the Output Volume mod (snip the 220k resistor on the board for a more even taper). I found the board stamped 1993 (I'd been wanting to date the amp) and replaced All the old tubes. All the pwr tubes were Mesa labled Sovtek's and all the pre's were sovtek's with the exception of V5&6 which were RUBY's.

After spending about 3 hours going over old threads here on the forum and taking some hints from edward (thanks edward!) I put in all jj84's and in the preamp put jj ecc83s' in V1-V3, nos GE 5 star 5751 in V4, Tung Sol re-issue 12ax7 in V5, & nos JAN Phillips 12at7 in the PI/V6 slot.

HOLY ****!!!! Man did this little beast come to life..............
I love to tinker. That's what some of us do....you know, the search for the ultimate...blah blah. I feel cheated right now. I've had the amp only 3 days, only played it 2-3 hours. Now I don't need to mess with it anymore. What am I going to do??? I know what I'm going to do, I'm taking this thing to rehearsal Thursday and wait for he compliments to come down like rain. (and leave the Orange at home) ha..ha..ha

Seriously...I'm VERY pleased and inspired to play this thing. Thanks everyone for the direction. All the old DC threads really helped me out and saved me alot of time as well as answered many questions. What a great AMP!

Now I hope she holds up ok. It's a little nervous buying an amp that you have no idea what it's history is...kind of like buying a used car if you think about it.

Thanks Guys!

Robert

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

I do have one question for you DC head owners. How far tightened down do you have the reverb tank. I removed it....it was very loose. It's got the 4 little white rubber washers. Do you tighten enough so the srews are snug and the washers are squished a little, or do you leave them finger tight. My screws were very very loose.

 

[edward]

LOL!!!
Glad you like it, Robert. As we all know, every amp has its own character, and that character has to jive with it's player. Some hate Boogs, others are simply ambivalent. You, friend, have seen the light!

What a diff tubes make, eh? While I did love my DC5 for almost 10years (rock-solid reliable under duress, and extremely versatile BTW), I too had the "Oh crap what an amp" epiphany when I decided to experiment with some tube swapping. Turned an amp I already loved into an absolute keeper!! FWIW, I was underwhelmed with my recent acquisition of the much lauded MKIII. But given my DC-revelation, I figured I'd better try some tube swaps to be absolutely certain before I turn it around ...WOW again!!! I am afraid that I now have two keepers ...I really can't afford to try another one

And you already have love for the thiele cab. In concert with my DC (albeit with the MC90 Celestions), the combined tone is nothing short of huge, punchy, bold, yet still sweet up top. Glad you're digging the Mesa side!

Oh, the reverb tank. Slightly tighter than finger tight is fine. The rubber grommets are supposed to isolate it from shock and vibration, especially in a combo cab. Tighten it too much and you stiffen/defeat the shock absorption. Enjoy!
Edward

 

[Russ]

Glad to see you got some answers.

Welcome to the Board

 

[markiivi]

Hi folks

I am a new member of the Boogie Board although I have been doing some research whilst buying a DC-3 and a Mark IVa (both second - hand obviously!). I play in a 13 piece covers band and I am a partner in an African funk and jazz type band called Afunja (www.afunja.com). These amps are a revelation to me as a muso and I am amazed and delighted by the informative posts on this forum.

I was very interested to hear of a master volume mod for the DC-3. would you guys mind pointing me in the right direction to read up on this please?

many thanks

 

[Calamity]

Hi folks

I am a new member of the Boogie Board although I have been doing some research whilst buying a DC-3 and a Mark IVa (both second - hand obviously!). I play in a 13 piece covers band and I am a partner in an African funk and jazz type band called Afunja (www.afunja.com). These amps are a revelation to me as a muso and I am amazed and delighted by the informative posts on this forum.

I was very interested to hear of a master volume mod for the DC-3. would you guys mind pointing me in the right direction to read up on this please?

many thanks

Here's the link to the original:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=229027

Here's the link to a recent discussion. There's some pictures in there that show the resistor in the newer DC-3s

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=16565

 

[markiivi]

Many thanks Calamity. Those links are spot on.

Took the Mark IVa out to a county show today and used some settings Shep sent me. It was a blast!

I will take some time to go over the informaton in those DC threads, some really in-depth stuff in there. I think I need to get more familiar with these amps before I embark on immediate chopping and changing. I will be getting to grips with the DC-3 over the next while. It seems to have a different character to the clean sound when compared to the Mk IV, but very appealing in its own way. I did notice that the clean channel seems to get more raunchy over the course of a gig unlike the Mk IV which has the fan. However it is nowhere near as pronounced as the Mk I which I mistakenly took out on a jazz gig some years ago! Are the little tubes in the DC-3 less affected by heat than the 6L6s? Mine are EL84s in the DC-3, bit like those in the Vox AC30.

It seems from the experiences you guys on the forum have that tubes play a really big part in fine-tuning your boogs to suit individual playing styles.

Anyway, 'nuff said for now.

 

[My Guitar Weeps]

So now that I've had the DC-3 a week or two I'm noticing a big volume difference between the channels. Of course the clean channel is lower. I saw some threads with the same concerns.....gonna read over them again. I need more volume out of the clean channel.

Think it's because of the AT7 in the PI or the 5751 in V4 ?

Edward....you out there man? :lol: