NEW! Mesa STR 448 (EL34)

[Tommy_G]

Anybody know what manufacturer and brand that mesa is getting their new STR 448 series from ? SED Winged C ? Tungsol EL34Bs ?

 

[swbo101]

448? I don't see them on their web site, Only the 447 and 450. Am I missing something?

 

[J.J]

according to http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Product_Guide/2012-ProdRefGuide.pdf The STR448 is new. Scroll way down to the tube section to see it :wink:

I guess we will have to wait until someone gets some and figures out where they come from.

 

[swbo101]

Just called boogie. They are not in stock yet. Expected in the next 2 - 3 weeks. Price point should be around the 447's. Not sure of the manufacturer though. Said the 447's are Russian. I have the 447's, pulled them after and hour or so, not really happy with the sound. They just don't sound like EL-34's. The 450's are great, had those years ago, but now the price has more than doubled from when I bought them. Been using SED =C= EL-34's and love them.

We'll see what happens.

 

[Tommy_G]

Thanks for the followup with mesa, swbo...

I put a pair of 447's in my Heartbreaker and swore I'd never use 6L6's in an amp...ever again. EL34's just have what I've been looking for in tone and feel. They just have a magic to them.

So if 447's aren't even good EL34's (I think they are ElectroHarmonix) and I'm loving them, you can be sure I can't wait for the news on who the OEM is for the 448's.

450's are 2.5x the price of a 447 where I'm at. That's more for a quad than I paid for my Heartbreaker head! Not going there.

 

[Tommy_G]

Has anybody figured out which OEM tube is the basis of the new Mesa STR-448 series of EL34?

 

[swbo101]

They are still not for sale on their site, and when I called Boogie weeks ago they still didn't know. I'm sure they do know, but are not ready to release that info until they they actually ready to sell.

 

[G Thor]

Mesa says the el34 448's are 25 -30 yrs old, if ya find a pair GRAB'em !! found a pair on eBay , gunna put'm in my Badlander50 soon, we'll see compared to 447's.. Their selling 446's now , cross between an eL34 and 6l6 they say !!

 

[Mike Lamury]

Mesa says the el34 448's are 25 -30 yrs old, if ya find a pair GRAB'em !! found a pair on eBay , gunna put'm in my Badlander50 soon, we'll see compared to 447's.. Their selling 446's now , cross between an eL34 and 6l6 they say !!

I found two pairs on eBay and snatched them up for my Mark V. I posted a separate thread on the "tubes" section discussing this very topic with alot of info in that thread if you want to check it out.

 

[bandit2013]

Mesa says the el34 448's are 25 -30 yrs old, if ya find a pair GRAB'em !! found a pair on eBay , gunna put'm in my Badlander50 soon, we'll see compared to 447's.. Their selling 446's now , cross between an eL34 and 6l6 they say !!

Yep, STR446 is the TAD red base EL34.
I could not tell the difference between them and the STR447 with the TC100. However, I did notice a difference in the Badlander 100. Since I have two BADS I was able to do a side by side comparison. I felt the STR446 had more detailed characteristic compared to the STR447.