New to Boogie's and need help! 2X12 MESA Roadster owner.

[davidfloyd]

I'm a long-time Marshall player into a range of classic rock, 80's, and contemporary rock/heavier sounds. I've owned at one time or another just about every variety of "great" or "holy grail" Marshall. While I have loved many of those amps, I did long for more flexibility. The Roadster is the first amp that has satisfied me 100% in this quest, though I did have to make some changes to suit my own ears/needs.

A couple of notes regarding semi-clean/partial-dirt tones. Channel 2 is where you want to be as was stated earlier, but Brit Mode is SO dramatically different of a tone voicing that I found it didn't mix well when switching other channels - almost a "shock" to the ears so to speak. So I eventually forgot about Brit Mode and was actually able to dial in a nice transparent overdrive tone with either clean or fat modes.

Now as far as Spongy vs. Bold, the feel of the amp to me really does best in Spongy mode. Seems to make the high-gain channels feel a little warmer too and not as stiff. And an added benefit is you'll get longer tube life all around. That said, I run spongy, but also in the context of a band choose to run 100w mode for all the channels. Most channels I keep on diodes as well except channel 2 will run the rectifiers. Quite honestly for me, it's tougher to really feel as much of a difference of the rectifier choice, but spongy and bold are definitely more dramatic to me.

The last thing I had to change out were the speakers. As was stated by someone here earlier, the speakers and cabs will make a huge difference. If you're typically a Marshall kind of guy as I was, the V30's may not give you what you want to hear. I don't like them personally for the clean or semi-clean tones. I swapped my 2 x 12 recto cab's V30s and put in G12K 100s. That gave me everything I needed. Since that time I've added another 2 x 12 to create a stack and have left the V30's in that one. Actually, I've got to say that blending the two sets of speakers is probably the best thing I've done overall. There are some characteristics of V30s that are nice, but they can also grate on the ears with some of the mids,etc. A pair of V30s and a pair of G12K-10has been working out really well.

Last thought is with regard to the compression. The Roadster is not a high-compression amp like the Mark series. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The Roadster maintains a lot of note separation and clarity even at high gain - if anything for solos, I could see in some cases where pushing it with a clean boost or using a compressor would be ideal.

 

[metalhd77]

David,

Thanks for your input! I really do think the Roadster is a very good amp in general. Especially the build quality and attention to detail. Way more aesthetically pleasing to look at than any Marshall ever made.

I thought about maybe a speaker swap to be honest. I have heard a LOT of good things about the G12K100's, especially when I owned the Line 6 Spider Valve combo. Almost everyone on the Line 6 forum was saying they swapped out the V30's (actually chinese made V30's to Celestions specs. BTW, thanks line 6 for not clarifying that before us suckers bought your P.O.S.!!) and put in the K100's, or also I heard some liked the Eminance Swamp Thang's.

The thing with the V30's that I have noticed, and that everyone was saying is that they are way too shrill and treble happy. I think V30's sound good in a 4X12 cabinet--haven't heard one that I haven't liked yet--, but for low end punchyness and for high end that doesn't cause that "icepick" effect, I may have to change the speakers.

I am glad I finally found someone who actually put the K100's in their amp so I can get some opinions. Have you changed tubes at all? If you are a Marshall lover, I assume you switched the tubes out for EL34's to get close to that sound? I have read that a lot of people like the winged =C='s. I also heard about this 12AX7 Cocktail preamp tube upgrade from Doug's tubes. It is really supposed to add some more definition to the sound and clean up the muddyness. I am just sick of tone hunting. Actually, I think with these few upgrades I will be okay with the tone. It's the actual feel of the amp that I can't get used to yet. I am coming from the world of solid state/hybrid/digital technology where the amps are really forgiving as far as being able to help hide mistakes. Basically being able to solo and miss notes, but it hides it well because there is so much digital compression that it isn't as noticable.

Now I have a high end tube amp that is the real deal, and I am scrambling because I am trying to find that sound again, or completely change the way I play and learn. I can't be sailing lazily through gigs anymore, cuz to make solo's sound good on this machine takes some very careful and precise playing. Maybe I am just not that good of a player, but I feel like I just started learning to play guitar. Been playing for almost 20 years BTW. Not always serious though, and only been gigging for 7 years.

I really want this amp to work out, but I don't know if it's worth sticking new speakers and tubes into it, if it doesn't work out for me. It sounded good in the store, and looked good on paper as far as versatility. I am just one of those guys who is looking to get the best bang for the buck, and try to get that all-in-one amp that does good tones, good built-in effects, and cheap.

That is how I got hooked into the Line 6. They had some pretty bitchin' tones, new effects that were all tweakable and computer interface for editing and storing patches. However, I found out that I am more of a hands on type of player and really don't want to have to hook a laptop up to my rig at gigs to operate it. Or run through the complicated user interface on the amp and scroll through all these menus and ****.

That's why I traded it in for this. I didn't want to have to haul around a half-stack between home, gigs, and rehearsals.

Do you run traditional analog pedals with your rig? Have you ever used any multi FX processors such as TC Electronics, Digitech, etc? I so fricken hate doing the tap dance on 2-3 different pedals during solos, etc. I was thinking about trying out the TC Electronic G-major 2 rack processor for effects. I am not really a huge effects savvy person and don't want to spend a ton of money on a ton of pedals if I really don't know what I'm buying. I figure with a rackmount, you are getting a **** ton of moderately good effects (especially TC electronics) and get it for a fraction of the cost of all the pedals individually.

I tried the Line 6 M13 processor, but I didn't really like the results. I think all of line 6's stuff is great for the kid at home just learning about how to add effects into music, and who just screws around after school to impress his friends. Although, some people have great luck with them. Dave Mustaine from Megadeth had line 6 build some custom modeling amps for his rig some time ago, and also tons of bands use the pods exclusively. Static-X has a ton of dummy cabs on stage to make it look impressive and bad ***, but they use the pod pro's for most of their tones.

Anyway, if you can think of any more suggestions besides PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, I'd like to hear them.

Yes, I like the creamy saturated tones that Marshalls can get, but I always thought they lacked the bite and characteristics that the MESA dual recs had for playing metal and modern rock. Even the JCM800's can seem a little weak if not dialed in correctly. Thanks again!

-Jason

 

[screamingdaisy]

Do you run traditional analog pedals with your rig? Have you ever used any multi FX processors such as TC Electronics, Digitech, etc? I so fricken hate doing the tap dance on 2-3 different pedals during solos, etc. I was thinking about trying out the TC Electronic G-major 2 rack processor for effects. I am not really a huge effects savvy person and don't want to spend a ton of money on a ton of pedals if I really don't know what I'm buying. I figure with a rackmount, you are getting a sh!t ton of moderately good effects (especially TC electronics) and get it for a fraction of the cost of all the pedals individually.

The trick about Mesa's effects loops is that they are typically very hot in terms of signal. I've found that a number of stompbox type effects don't work well when trying to process that much signal. Most of the higher end pedals will work fine... the trick is to find ones that are designed to work at both instrument (-10db) and line (+4db) levels. Good quality, line level pedals will be able to handle and retain the full dynamic range of a hot effects loop. Lower quality units will clip and/or compress the signal, producing less than stellar results (muffled, muddy, loss of volume, loss of punch, etc).

For myself, I don't use a lot of effects so I went with an Eventide TimeFactor delay. I have it set up so that it automatically comes on with my lead channel and I can use the amp's footswitch to manually turn it on with my clean or rhythm channel if I choose to do so.

 

[davidfloyd]

Hi Jason,

About 6 months ago I did a quick demo video for a Charvel and I used the Roadster w/2 x 12 G12K-100 loaded. This is just a camcorder clip, but may be worth a listen. And it's only at moderate volume - so everything changes with a band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGHPIUwzXRs

As far as the feel and your playing style struggles with the amp revealing things, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. I can plug into a Vox Valvetronix, crank up the gain, and if I keep it at bedroom level especially I can just tear it up on leads - it's easy and forgiving. The tradeoff that I've found is that those amps don't cut through live on their own (they can to an extent if running through a pa though, but then there's also that digital artifact/sterility that's tough for me to deal with especially when you add gain).

Going back to the G12K-100's, I was turned on to these because they're equipped in the Diezel's and I knew that I liked G12T-75s but needed more lowend power handling capability in a 2 x 12.

Now not sure of the Mesa dealers near you, but if you have an opportunity to try out the 3/4 back 2 x 12 cabs, those are loaded with C90s - Not quite the same as the G122K-100's, but they're probably 80% there in terms of response.


It's interesting that you're asking about multieffects and the pedal tap-dancing,etc. because I'm going through some searches right now for solutions to that.
I don't want to make my rig overly complicated so I'm trying to stay away from a rack setup and really only need a little bit of effect colors. What I would like ideally is something that can switch not only my channels but also specific pedals at the same time. So for example, when I step on Ch 1, I want clean with mild chorus and some delay. Then I want to be able to go to Channel 3 or 4 with one touch of a button and turn off the chorus and delay and maybe hit another effect. So even if I had a multi-effect processor, I'd want to be able to switch it along with my channels at the same time. That usually means a complicated MIDI setup. There's a company called GigRig and they make a MIDI-8 switcher device that looks like it will do what I want. Not cheap, so I need to think about that,but it's again an area that I'm checking out right now. It also is competley floor-based so no rack is needed. I can integrate it and still use my old Phase 90, some delay, chorus, etc. etc.

Going back to the amp situation, I think what's really helped me in making the amp more friendl/forgiving is using either a compressor pedal or a clean boost. I know it seems weird using a boost when the amp already has so much, but pushing the front end helps enable the amp to compress on its own further and that's really useful when it's time for leads. The key to maintaining the tone IMO is to make sure you're not adding dirt from the boost device. That will tend to make th tone smaller and feel a little boxy. So if you use a Tube Screamer for example, run the drive all the way down and hte level up 3:00 or higher. In fact, you probably should experiment with a boost first before you even touch the spekers. I use my Time Machine Boost (made by Keeley), but certainly a Tube Screamer or similar pedal will do the trick no doubt.

As to the tube swap, I like EL34s in non-master volume Marshalls, but in the master volume series, the big bottle 6550s gave those amps some nice lowend beefiness to the tone. In much the same way, the 6l6's that are stockreally work well for me in a Mesa. The EL34s tend to thin out the feel for what I'm trying to do with the amp. And if you crank it for EL34 compression, I still don't like it as much. I think the fact that the amp was really designed around a very finely tuned preamp section means it works best when having a bit more headroom.

FWIW though, I really prefer the Roadster running in Spongy mode too. All just personal preference, but it just feels righ!

 

[davidfloyd]

Do you run traditional analog pedals with your rig? Have you ever used any multi FX processors such as TC Electronics, Digitech, etc? I so fricken hate doing the tap dance on 2-3 different pedals during solos, etc. I was thinking about trying out the TC Electronic G-major 2 rack processor for effects. I am not really a huge effects savvy person and don't want to spend a ton of money on a ton of pedals if I really don't know what I'm buying. I figure with a rackmount, you are getting a sh!t ton of moderately good effects (especially TC electronics) and get it for a fraction of the cost of all the pedals individually.

The trick about Mesa's effects loops is that they are typically very hot in terms of signal. I've found that a number of stompbox type effects don't work well when trying to process that much signal. Most of the higher end pedals will work fine... the trick is to find ones that are designed to work at both instrument (-10db) and line (+4db) levels. Good quality, line level pedals will be able to handle and retain the full dynamic range of a hot effects loop. Lower quality units will clip and/or compress the signal, producing less than stellar results (muffled, muddy, loss of volume, loss of punch, etc).

For myself, I don't use a lot of effects so I went with an Eventide TimeFactor delay. I have it set up so that it automatically comes on with my lead channel and I can use the amp's footswitch to manually turn it on with my clean or rhythm channel if I choose to do so.

For the longest time, I disliked the loop when engaged, even with no pedals running through it. I'm coming around though and the ability to patch in an effect and then set the channel to control it on or off is definitely a nice way to go (and saves money by eliminating the whole MIDI thing).

 

[screamingdaisy]

For the longest time, I disliked the loop when engaged, even with no pedals running through it. I'm coming around though and the ability to patch in an effect and then set the channel to control it on or off is definitely a nice way to go (and saves money by eliminating the whole MIDI thing).

I make it a point to avoid A/Bing anything if I can avoid it. It's way too easy to get caught up in sitting at home and examining your tone through a microscope when most of the nuance is lost is a band mix anyway.

 

[YellowJacket]

Hot tip: You don't HAVE to like this amp. It may not be what you need. Don't simply acquire gear because the media or some salesman says you should like it. I'll tell you some simple tone troubleshooting tips that don't cost any $$$s. You SHOULD NOT invest money into something you are not already happy with. If it is a niggling little problem, THEN it is worth the investment. If the whole package is a complete turn off, you're best to dump it and move on.
Consider my plan a last ditch effort . . .

It's like all I can get out of the amp is shrill high end no matter what I do. And forget about sustain! And no I don't play a toneless guitar, unless you guys think Les Paul's are toneless! I have a 2002 Epi LP black beauty with Gibson studio pickups. I've seen vids of dudes playing bone stock PRS SE customs and it sounded awesome.

Ugg, 2002 EPI? That was back when I bought my Gibson Les Paul Standard. I think around the end of the 90s and the early 2000s, the EPI quality control had reached an all-time abysmal low. This was back when some great budget guitars such as Godins and Schecters just came out on the market. I remember hearing an EPI SG of that vintage and the thing was loaded with Duncans. It sounded like ABSOLUTE ***. My backup axe (Godin LG) simply destroyed it without mercy. Mesas have nearly infinite sustain and they sound super phat. Your experience seems off to me.
The last time I was guitar shopping, I noticed that the new Epi guitars have increased exponentially in quality. Better hardware, better tone, and they play far better.

Consider this: I was fighting with my tone day in and day out several years back when my brother made the astute observation: "Maybe it is your guitar you don't like, not your amp." Well, I went and tried every guitar in a Long and McShaft and I tried them all again. I eventually settled on a Gibson Les Paul and I was very happy for a long while after that.

My advice: It won't cost you any money except maybe a bit of $$$s for Gas (petrol or Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

Homework: Look up several great roadster tone settings at the boards here and write them down. Take them with you on a trip . . .

1) Take your amp and guitar to a music store

2) Try many guitars with it. Try some PRSs, Fenders, Gibsons, NEW Epis, maybe a Godin if they have one, Carvin, etc. You'll know VERY quickly if the guitar is the problem or not. You say PRS SEs sound killer with your amp, so you should try some for yourself.

3) After you find your favourite guitar, try different cab types until you find one you are happy with. Find out what speakers are in it.

Based on this test, you should be able to get 80 - 90% the way there ASSUMING this is the amp for you. The BASE tone should be awesome. If you cannot get what you want, sell the amp and find the one that works for you.

TUBES will only tweak it further. Icing on the cake. I would definitely be HONEST with yourself about the guitar. Some GIBSON Les Pauls are absolute DOGS and most of them are pretty mediocre. Mine was a good one but it was much improved by putting in some Bare Knuckle Pickups and changing all the electronics.



There is another possibility. Maybe something is wrong with the amp and needs repair. A tube(s) may be going on you or it might be something else. To test this, try your amp next to another Roadster. If there is a discrepancy, there is a problem. Get thine amp to a technician.

 

[volatileNoise]

Ugg, 2002 EPI? That was back when I bought my Gibson Les Paul Standard. I think around the end of the 90s and the early 2000s, the EPI quality control had reached an all-time abysmal low. This was back when some great budget guitars such as Godins and Schecters just came out on the market. I remember hearing an EPI SG of that vintage and the thing was loaded with Duncans. It sounded like ABSOLUTE ***. My backup axe (Godin LG) simply destroyed it without mercy. Mesas have nearly infinite sustain and they sound super phat. Your experience seems off to me.
The last time I was guitar shopping, I noticed that the new Epi guitars have increased exponentially in quality. Better hardware, better tone, and they play far better.

I agree 100 percent, I have an old Epi LP from about 92 or 93, even with a Gibson pickup in the bridge it is an absolute waste of time plugged into my DR, has NOTHING on a decent Gibson LP, but my Epi is still better than any more current Epi, man haven't they made a piece of junk, though I do agree the quality is not all that bad these days.

And I must say, I have never played an amp that will reject a cheap guitar being plugged into it more than a Mesa, they are very honest amplifiers when it comes to presenting a true sound of the guitar itself.

Having said that, I am also much impressed with what a set of different powertubes can achieve, without even changing any settings.

 

[dtrax]

There is another possibility. Maybe something is wrong with the amp and needs repair. A tube(s) may be going on you or it might be something else. To test this, try your amp next to another Roadster. If there is a discrepancy, there is a problem. Get thine amp to a technician.

Glad someone else pointed this out, because as I glanced through the thread it was my first thought. The buzzy/thin tone from a Recto is usually because you're not juicing the power section (it doesn't take that much, but it's hard to get a full warm tone at bedroom volumes), but you said you've played live with the amp so that's a moot point. Definitely find out if there's something wrong with the amp first.

Secondly, I personally never liked the 2x12 roadster. The cab design to me is very unflattering for high gain, it too found it buzzy and just not very good. Have you tried running into a 4x12 closed back cab and bypassed internal speakers?

Third, coming from a SS or modeling amp, it's going to take some time to get used to the response and feel of an all tube amp. It WILL feel choked and lacking in sustain compared to a Line 6, but that isn't because there's a problem with the amp. It's just that your playing style has adapted to the more compressed SS/modeler feel. Of course this is all my opinion, so no offense if I'm off base.

FWIW I own a Triple Rec and it absolutely slays. I don't use any FX pedals, A) because it doesn't really suit my style of music, and B) I don't want all that **** in my signal path screwing with the natural tone of the amp. What I'm saying is you should be able to plug straight in and find a kick *** tone without the help of FX or EQ's, boosts, etc. If not, then the amp isn't for you.

Good luck bro!

 

[Bruno Petrucci]

Hot tip: You don't HAVE to like this amp. It may not be what you need. Don't simply acquire gear because the media or some salesman says you should like it. I'll tell you some simple tone troubleshooting tips that don't cost any $$$s. You SHOULD NOT invest money into something you are not already happy with. If it is a niggling little problem, THEN it is worth the investment. If the whole package is a complete turn off, you're best to dump it and move on.

That's what I've been trying to point out. This guy is doing exactle the same mistakes I did before. The Roadster is the best amp in the world... for some!
If all the people liked the same amp, then wpuldn't be more than one company and one model of amps.
I tried the tubes, the overdrive in front, the EQ in the loop.... never was happy with the result. Because what I had in my mind I could't get from the Roadster. That's why there is so many amps out there. They're different from each other and they will get you there, if you choose them carefully for what you need.

I also tried to like the Roadster. And I liked it fairly well. But, again, it couldn't let me put into music what was going on in my mind and soul... that's the best way I can put it for you

 

[pokerrules47]

I am shaking my head at this whole thread... Seriously, if you can't manage to squeak good tone out of a roadster, after months of ownership, I suggest that you sell all the gear you own and get into cross-stitch or something.

Seriously, either your amp is broken, or, you are out of your element. I've owned a TON of amps and never been fully satisfied. I can coax a ton of usable tones out of each and every channel/mode on my roadster. Apart from changing out the cathode follower tubes, and using el34's (mesa everything), my amp is stock. NO MODS. In fact, I have a hard time coaxing a bad tone out of this amp.

Ch1 I have setup for spanky cleans (using the manual as my guide). Ch2 I have setup for SRV / ZZTOP type tones. Ch3 is my main lead tone (modern) and Ch4 is my main rhythm tone. I have NEVER had complaints about my tone, and usually, during/after a show, other guitar players approach me to find out what I am using. In fact, a good number of the guitar players in town have asked me to help them dial in their amps.

For someone to say that they can't coax a good "low gain" sound out of channel two ... quite simply... boggles my mind. I play in a 60's/70's cover band. We play the stones, the beatles, and wings amongst other bands. The roadster REALLY shines for this type of stuff. There is plenty enough gain in that channel for that type of stuff. Also, characterizing ch2 as thin, is quite simply insane. You must have a serious problem with your amp to characterize ch2 as "thin".

That isn't to say I haven't had issues with this amp. On my very first gig, in spongey mode, I had a serious volume drop out issue, and I blew a couple tubes once. Other than that, it's been a champ.

I'd really like to know what amps you are comparing the Roadster to, in order to have such a low opinion of it.

 

[YellowJacket]

=-o

Well, that was a strong reaction. I would like to point out that testing an amp with TWO NOISE GATES and an army of pedals is going to mess with the signal a lot. DITCH THE PEDALS at least for the sake of dialing in tones. This eliminates MANY tone sucks. It would be terrible if one of these $100 demons is neutering the roadster.

From reading the guys posts I think the biggest problems are:

1) Listening to a Guitar Centre Salesman.

2) He wants to play GNR ACDC etc. Lots of 80s MARSHALL tones. The Mesa Roadster is much more comfortable doing 90s and modern tones. It makes me wonder why he got a Mesa in the first place. When I read that, I'd HIGHLY Recommend the Electra Dyne with a Boost (for metal). I think he'd like it WAY more.

3) Crappy Guitar. I am NOT sure as there is a lot of variance from one piece of wood to the next. He did replace the pickups but that won't fix everything.

4) Possibly the speakers but numbers #2 and #3 have to be fixed first.

5) Going from a modelling amp to a Tube amp. This is a possibility but I think numbers 1 - 4 really play into things.

6) Power tubes. This is last on the list because it won't change much.

Solutions: (assuming he goes and tries gear like I told him to)

1) Don't listen to chumps who don't know what they are talking about. One Guitar Salesman is much richer at the expense of this guys relationship with his wife AND his amp. Don't these assholes have a RETURN POLICY?? Check it out!

2) Try the following amps: Marshalls, Orange amps, Mesa Stiletto and Mesa Electra Dyne. When you find what you want, track it down used and be sure to have a tech go over it. There is the opportunity to trade the Roadster + Cash.

If keeping the amp is the only feasible option (To keep the peace in the home)

3) Buy a new Guitar. I know $$$s are tight so it might not be possible. Heritage makes great Les Pauls, for instance. You'll want to throw Slash Edition Alnico II Pro pickups in whatever guitar it is you get. Pickups have a HUGE impact on tone!
Get a setup on the existing guitar. Check the pickup height. A little trick I figured out for bridge position pickups. Crank the pole pieces DOWN in the bridge position and raise the pickup. This will reduce the piercing highs and phatten the tone immensely. To get the height right, raise the pup up until it touches the strings and lower it a bit of a time until the weird harmonics disappear.

4) For the tones you want, I'd suggest mixing Celestion v30s with Greenbacks. WGS Green Berets are fairly inexpensive and in my experience WGS are incredible quality speakers MADE IN USA! You can probably sell your v30s and cover the cost. Now the power handling of two of them is only 50watts so I'd strongly suggest getting a 2 x 12 extension cab to use for gigs. I'd get this with v30s or with greenbacks, depending on what sort of tone is desired.
If you go this route, definitely put the greenbacks in the combo and have the louder v30s in the extension cab.

5) Practice Practice Practice.

6) After items 3 - 5, the amp should be in the ballpark of what you want. At this point, I'd recommend EL-34 tubes. In my experience, when I run my thiele 2 x 12 with my Dual Rectifier with a Les Paul and EL-34s the tone gets much more marshally. What is in my thiele? Surprise, surprise, a greenback and a v30.
Back to tubes. I carry a case of tubes that I swap out for various applications. In this arsenal, I have YellowJackets and EL84s. This drops the power way WAY down to >20watts with two tubes and >40watts with four. These are great for the low wattage stuff and give a really nice warmth and vibe to the cleans. I also have a full arsenal of high quality EL-34s for epic crunch and 6L6s for metal. On top of that, I have two different cabs with two speaker combinations and dimensions. The Thiele does the crunchy stuff and my oversized 2 x 12 does all the super phat BRUTALZ stuff.

 

[Bruno Petrucci]

I am shaking my head at this whole thread... Seriously, if you can't manage to squeak good tone out of a roadster, after months of ownership, I suggest that you sell all the gear you own and get into cross-stitch or something.

Seriously, either your amp is broken, or, you are out of your element. I've owned a TON of amps and never been fully satisfied. I can coax a ton of usable tones out of each and every channel/mode on my roadster. Apart from changing out the cathode follower tubes, and using el34's (mesa everything), my amp is stock. NO MODS. In fact, I have a hard time coaxing a bad tone out of this amp.

You just have to understand that different people have different tastes... Nobody is out of his element
I bet many people out there love the amps that you were never satisfied with
And I don´t have a low opinion on the Roadster. Great amp and great tones. Just not what I was after.

Tone is subjective, period.

Peace
Bruno V.

 

[YellowJacket]

Different tones for different people . . . I have to remind myself of this every time I try a Fender amp. I've never found one that *I* like the sound of. Same with Celestion G12T 75 speakers.

Oh well, the thing that grinded my gears the most about this thread was the Guitar Centre Employee comment. Here is a guy who GENUINELY needs help and all the salesman does is fleeces him. Caveat Emptor and all that!

 

[pokerrules47]

No salesman in the world has ever sold me anything music wise. It's the way a guitar feels in my hands, the way an amp reacts to my touch, and the feeling I get when I play an instrument (amp or guitar, or effect etc) that sells it to me.

The only time a salesman ever had any influence on me was when I bought a guitar and he said to me, you'll be back in a month to buy new pickups for it... and yes.. I was...

 

[metalhd77]

Actually guys, I only got the Roadster after going on the MESA site and watching all the videos, watching youtube videos daily, and reading as many reviews on it as I could possibly read. I then went to guitar center and played some MESA's and Marshalls. I don't bother asking many questions to the salesmen there, cuz a lot of them are just stuck up and think they know everything there is to know about amps etc. So, who first turned me on to the Roadster was my Sweetwater rep. Also, the only way he was going to give me $800 trade in for my Line 6 was to buy an expensive amp like the MESA. Guitar center was only going to give me like $700 (with the footswitch!).

After playing the Marshall JVM's that I was interested in, I really like the dual rec sound a LOT better. The marshalls just looked cheap, and sounded cheap too! There were a few very useable tones in them, I have to admit, but the Dual Rec just sounded way better to me through the 4X12 cab than the JVM410H. I tried the 50 watt JVM combo as well, and that was just horrible! The low end was non-existant, and I didn't like how they had the first clean channel set up. Having to use the gain as the master volume for that channel? Gay!

Anyway, I saw the Roadster in person and I was pretty much blown away as far as how big and bad *** it looked next to my little Line 6/Bogner spider valve. I played it for like 10-15 minutes, and it sounded pretty sweet in the room I was in. Definitely seemed like it had a little better tone than the one I received from Sweetwater.

Maybe the tubes or something else really is to blame?

I just ordered the preamp tube upgrade kit from Doug's tubes, and also a set of hard to find 16 ohm Celestion G12K100's brand new off of ebay. I haven't seen one bad review, or heard one video clip of them that I didn't like. It really makes sense that MESA uses the V30's in the oversize 4X12 cabs. However, in a combo, they are a little "boomy" or "flubby" in the low end, and also the highs are way too harsh for my liking. I've eq'd it, and tried different settings on the individual channel eq's, and I can't get rid of that nasaly high end that makes your ears pop for a second when hitting a note.

Hopefully I'll have it all put back together for band practice this Sunday! And hopefully I like the sound!!

 

[YellowJacket]

=-/

Seriously, try some different guitars . . .

 

[volatileNoise]

=-/

Seriously, try some different guitars . . .

+1

Like I said earlier, I actually own an Epi with Gibson pickup too, and it pretty well sounds like mud plugged into my Mesa compared with my Gibson LP Custom....

And don't say "oh but this guitar was cool with other amps" (I used to think this once upon a time too) I answered that question earlier as well - Mesa's are a very honest amp, and if your guitar sucks, a Mesa will certainly let you know about it more than any other amp I have played will.

Good luck with all that other stuff anyway.

 

[Frank Lesko]

I found my Roadster very easy to set up for my basic tonal palette, I did have a friend play while I tweaked the channels.
I like channel 2 for the FAT clean,100 watts ,tube rectifiers. For Chapman Stick ,this is the most flexible amp I have ever played .I did do a lot of research before I bought it though and made sure it was going to work with my instrument.

 

[pokerrules47]

metalhd77

How old are you, and how long have you been playing guitar?