New Mesa Amp Advice Needed..........Super long post, sorry!!

[rabies]

I am currently Mesa-less (again). Last Mesa amp was the Mark V. It's a decent amp but I'm content for now with the Marshall 2205 (a la Morello).

Have you heard/tried the Peavey 6534+, I was eyeing that for a while. They're hard to find used/cheap.

 

[mdortona]

LOVE old U.F.O. !!!! It doesn't get too much better than Strangers In The Night, Andy! 8)

Matt

 

[nomad100hd]

You could try an MTS amp and modded modules they are designed by egnator and were licensed to randall for a while. Pick up the EV trilogy by jaded faith and the lone clean from salvation. This would give you the 5150 sound and the lone stars clean channel.

 

[Tommy_G]

I talked with babow2 about his RA100 combo.
He said that his Monsta-modded Heartbreaker is the one he's keeping and the RA is for sale. I forgot why he chose the HB over the RA though.

Wow. I'd like to know the reasons. I love my HB's lust channel (low and high gain side) and would have thought the RA would have been the ultimate in a Lust channel 'variant'. However, my tone with the HB amp lives on the edge of breakup, and just a bit beyond. It takes pedals well, and pairs perfectly with an OCD on the high gain side. In the end, I can't help but feel that I am chasing a Marshall JMP or JCM tone with this amp. I don't like gobs of gain. I like a light dynamic crunch.

I can't help but suggest to an amp guru like Monsta-tone, that if you like clean tones, crunch tones, and "gobs of gain" (not to mention getting into an amp and modding it to your personal taste!) and have regrets letting go of your Heartbreaker, then perhaps you should seriously consider a Nomad 55 with EL34's and do some of the suggested mods to the amp. The Nomad borrowed heavily from the tonality of the Heartbreaker and Rectifier (Ch3) and seems to be a platform that would suit your needs for cleans through gobs of gain, and can be found cheaper than Heartbreakers.

The Nomad Ch1 in clean with its parallelled v1a+b gives anything from Heartbreaker's Love Channel Clean, all the way to cloning the Heartbreakers Ch2 (High Gain) at mid-gain.

The Nomad's channel 2 is an improved version of the Heartbreaker's lust channel on high gain. I can only go to about 1:00 gain on the Heartbreaker before it stop sounding right to me, and I can go all the way up on the Nomad.

Then, the Ch3 Rectifier-ish channel- as ****** as it sounds to me (stock)- is where this amp can be transformed into a classic keepsake with a little bit of ingenuity. The Nomad Mod's thread is awaiting this final piece of the puzzle. (There's some thinking that this channel in stock form needs to be matched with a v30 rectifier cab to sound it's part).

Conclusion, if you're after the channel switching flexibility of a MkV with a lot of HB+Rectifier-ish tones at 1/3 of the price of a MkV with lots of modding fun to boot, this amp may be a nice challenge for you. The bright mods, the reverb mods and getting rid of the presence filter in the NFB are required to move this amp into pro-tone, and the forum would love your input on Ch3 mods.

Finally, a separate head and cab is the only reasonable way to purchase amps. Anything else is a PIA.

 

[Natman]

Andy, can I be the tool who just says go and build what you want? Honestly, when you know Mesas so well and have half the schematics for all your favorites, couldn't you just order parts and put one together from scratch? I don't have 10% of your know-how but I've built 5 amps. You could handwire the thing and make it even more reliable than any Mesa. Just throwing it out there. I visited the Stephenson shop (pretty sure they're defunct now) and their amps looked like Mesas inside but everything was handwired, no PCB. They had lots of features with switching out the wazoo. The hardest part will be getting the chassis cut/drilled (one word: Unibit). You already get Mercury Mags then sockets, wire, caps and resistors you got, a few things from Mouser and you've got an awesome project! HEck, start marketing them as Thomas originals! Wait, is that a conflict of interest with Mesa? You might lose your repair license.

 

[mdortona]

Y'know Andy, Natman has a bit of a good point. Lord knows if anyone could pull it off, it's YOU!

Matt

 

[Monsta-Tone]

You mean like this:

That was the 1st amp I ever built. 2 channels - AC/DC & Metaltronix
50 watts, 2 x EL-34, footswitchable 5-way mid selector like your amp Nate, Drake power transformer.

I thought about building another one for myself, but they always get sold off. Someone hears it and just has to have it, but then I won't sell another one for years.
When I tried building them as custom shop amps, it was about 11 years ago. Not that many guys were doing it, and all of the kits were pretty expensive.
Now, there is just no way to compete.
Plus, the contracting business has been keeping me so busy that I just don't want to work on amps on the weekends.

I did toss the idea of gutting a Nomad 100 and building:
Fender clean channel
Fender reverb - clean channel only
Metaltronix lead channel
SLO lead channel
Nomad/Mark series graphic EQ
I thought that would be awesome!

 

[mdortona]

Now that's what we're talking about!!!! Nice.

Matt

 

[212Mavguy]

.......Monsta!

Can relate to selling my Mesa, still have my namesake, but I'd sell it and miss it right now for the right offer. With the tubes and speakers in it, won't be cheap.

Have to say that I'm surprised by your post topic. If I had your knowledge of amp tech-ing I'd be building someting... variant of a D-clone, Wreck, or Marshall and tube fx loop buffer on eyelet boards. The tube loop buffer thang really opened my eyes in surprise as far as how an amp behaves with it in the loop even with no effects running through it. Shockingly good, and worked the same with my Mav as it did with the Dumble circuit it was originally designed for.

Monsta, have you spent much time at the amp garage?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I just don't have the time. I know I could build something, but then I would never stop messing with it.
It's the same for me as when I listen to myself play. I get so hyper-critical and anal that it stops being fun.
I would much rather play than solder anyway!


I've never been to Amp Garage, thanks for the tip! I'll check it out.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I just don't have the time. I know I could build something, but then I would never stop messing with it.
It's the same for me as when I listen to myself play. I get so hyper-critical and anal that it stops being fun.
I would much rather play than solder anyway!

That's why I stopped modding my gear and ditched most of my boutique stuff for generic mass produced stuff.

Spent way too much time listening to my tone and not enough time actually playing.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

That's why I stopped modding my gear and ditched most of my boutique stuff for generic mass produced stuff.

Spent way too much time listening to my tone and not enough time actually playing.

That's exactly it! I spend so much time tweaking my amp that I don't practice, so I never get better.
I want to just plug in and go!

:lol: On a goofy side note.....I picked up a really old Mark IV this morning. :lol:
I really want a newer amp, but this was just a great deal and the guy really needed the money.
If I like it a lot, I'll keep it as a backup once I get a Mark V or Roadster.

I love the single note clarity of a Mark, but the raw power of a Recto just can't be argued with! Especially since my all time favorite distortion was my old 5150 (original version) head. I hated everything else about the amp, but kept it because the distortion was just incredible!