I thought it was a great deal also.
I have to tell you I have had Fender most all my playing life starting with a Super Reverb 410 back in the early 70's. Then a Fender Twin that was a absolute monster....I followed that, when the Twin got to be more than I wanted to carry, with a Ampeg ReverbaRocket and then I got a wild hair and bought the Fender ProSonic. Had that ProSonic for 10 years and really loved it. The only problem was it was loud as hell, I got married, had kids, bought a house, got a real job, found out what it really means to be in debt, got divorced, remarried and realized no one wanted to be in the room when I played the ProSonic. So I sold it and bought a Fender SuperSonic, which I still have today.
Since the SuperSonic was only to play at home....LOL, I needed something to play on stage that was relatively easy to transport with a almost decent tone. And yes, at the time it needed to be cheap. So I bought a Behringer Vampire 112.
Well about three weeks back, on stage, the amp squealed, smoked a bit and gave up the ghost altogether. It gave me the perfect excuse, at least the one I gave my spouse, to buy something new. I told my wife I was going to find a really good amp that had certain qualities that up to now had alluded me. First it needed to be light, to the point where I could carry it with one hand, and it had to play well at bedroom volumes and it had to have two channels with separate EQs that included a great clean and gains.
Well that led me to the Mesa line of amps. In all the playing and contact with other players I over the years I have only heard a handfull of Mesa amps. I knew that the players were loyal to the line and often wondered about it. I had not until now ever played one. So two weeks ago I stopped at a local music store and saw a 5:25. Although I did not play the amp the sales guy did give it a tour and explained what it did.
Following that I went online and researched the amp and found out it did, indeed, cover my requirements. Now the only thorny issue was the $1149.00 that the 5:25 cost. (I never looked at a 5:50 because of the extra weight.) I then started following eBay and seeing what used were going for. I also called Mesa and cleared how the warranty transfer worked. Here is a note for anyone looking for a previously owned Mesa amp. Make sure you find out if the warranty card has been sent to Mesa they have to have it in their system, get the sales receipt and make sure it has the serial number of the amp, it has to have been bought at an authorized Mesa dealer and a note or Bill of Sale indicating the original owner has sold to you and is transferring the warranty. The last two things are to fax all the paperwork, within 10 days to Mesa, and do a followup call to let Mesa know you are the new owner and to place it under your name for the warranty. This is exactly what I did.
Now the 5:25 is simply the most expressive and articulate instrument I have ever owned....period. My family said just the other night that I never sounded so good and how much they liked listening. That was a first for me!!!
I am going to put my SuperSonic up on eBay and just play the 5:25. With a Sennheiser E906 or 609 microphone it will be the best sound ever....without pedals.
I will report what the band thinks after Easter.....
Nubbs