New Express 5:50 Owner

[kevin_jazz]

Hi everyone,

I am now a proud owner of a beautiful tan Express 5:50 that I purchased recently at the Mesa store in North Hollywood. I'm also a new member of the Boogie Board.

As posted by others, which I read exhaustively before my purchase, the Express is an absolutely fantastic clean channel with great crunch, blues, and rock tones to boot. The reverb is beautiful and very effective--particularly at modest settings. However, I come from the guitar modeling world (line 6, adrenalinn, VG-88 ) and I finally started thirsting for some real tone. A play a wide range of styles from big band jazz to pop/rock so this amp really is fit for my style.

However, one thing that modeling has spoiled me is the ability to change settings and tones with just one footswitch. So, having only two channels is something is still trying figure out how to use effectively. I mean, there are so many different sounds you can get from the Mesa Express, I want to go through *all* of them in one gig!

Having said that, I'd be interested in how others manage their tone selection during the gig. Do you generally just stay with two tones and use your pedals to create the textures, or do you constantly fiddle with the knobs between songs??

For the Express owners, I'm sure the Clean/Crunch is a bit discomfiting since I want both on (foot) tap. Are you using the Blues channel for alternate clean or crunch??

Best!

Kevin

 

[Pyro]

I learned a lot from having a Single Rec and a Laney GH.

The Single Rec is a pain when you have to set a clean sound alongside a Modern distortion. You have to get the EQ correct on the clean so it does not distort but is still loud enough to match the volume jump of the Modern channel. This kinda forces you to work harder with the Amp settings and the guitars volume which ultimately teaches you to know how to unlock all you're tones off the top of you're head, instantly between songs.

As for the GH head. Its just one channel with Drive so it really really makes for a hard lesson in changing tones.............but, its all possilble with practise and the realationship you get with you're amp in the end is based on respect for it. Respect that modeling equipment with never earn.

I am using the Express now and its my favorite Amp. I dont think you will be having any trouble at all in a couple of months. The chances are, you wont need all 4 pre-amp voices in one song and you will know where to set the knobs if you need quick change between songs.

Just enjoy it. Its the next stage in you're playing and progress and it will all work out for the best. For you and you're listeners.

 

[Pyro]

Oh......and the Clean to crunch thing can work. The Blues mode with a small amount of gain and a bit of contour will almost clone the crunch channel which is plenty good enough.

If you really need more voices per song after that then i would suggest a good overdrive. I use a MXR Zakk cause its quite transparent and just adds to the the tone rather than kill it.

 

[BENNY]

express is an awesome amp. good pick up. a cool thing about the amp is it is very different where the tone comes before the gain. so when looking for you sounds set you vol first. with all other controls on 0 slowly move them up to what sounds good. Bass then treble then mid the gain. i usually use the crunch cannel 1 with moderate gain and the burn for soloing.

now....i've said it millions of times and i get all the little death metal head kiddies all worked up...PLEASE BUY A GOOD GUITAR ! there is a reason why a guitar is 400 dollars and it isn't cause it has stock pickups. if you set the express up for mid rythm and lead tones and you have a good guitar you can use your vol and tone knobs to get everything in between. believe it or not a clean tone with a hit of gain buzz sounds real cool in a live setting.

have fun go crazy.