Questions about headroom(Express 5:50)

[SongsForTheDeaf]

So I'm currently trading a Traynor YGL2 which is 30 watts El84 cathode biased for a 5:50... I have had issues with even the fender Hot rod deluxes and getting loud cleans... they are always distorted and I was curious if this Mesa amp at 50 watts 6L6 has much headroom... also if I changed the tubes to winged C SED 6L6s do I need to bias... I have a Lonestar Special 4x10 aswell which I know when changing tubes I don't need to bias but is the Express the same ?

I find with combos now that I can never get a BIG enough sound so I'm hoping with the Express and the contour knob that I can get some big loud cleans..

Thanks for the time!

 

[Heritage Softail]

A Roland Jazz Chorus is a superb loud clean amp. A good old fashioned Fender Twin will rattle our pant legs.

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

does this amp get rehearsal (heavy stonerish rock) loud without breaking up too much ?

I hate when my amp breaks up so much that when I kick on a distortion pedal or fuzz there is no OOMPH and punch its just all sloppy and muddy

 

[Newysurfer]

So I'm currently trading a Traynor YGL2 which is 30 watts El84 cathode biased for a 5:50... I have had issues with even the fender Hot rod deluxes and getting loud cleans... they are always distorted and I was curious if this Mesa amp at 50 watts 6L6 has much headroom... also if I changed the tubes to winged C SED 6L6s do I need to bias... I have a Lonestar Special 4x10 aswell which I know when changing tubes I don't need to bias but is the Express the same ?

I find with combos now that I can never get a BIG enough sound so I'm hoping with the Express and the contour knob that I can get some big loud cleans..

Thanks for the time!

1) No modern Mesa amps need re-bias after Tube change.

2) Headroom - Ex 5:50 has more headroom than Hot Rod Deluxe & Lonestar Special imo.
I've never got close to breaking up the 5:50 clean channel but can't say if it will have enough for you.

For max headroom for people who play in extreme loud clean bands the best pick imo is Lonestar CLASSIC.
Fender Twin also but I prefer the more versatile LSC :mrgreen:

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

So I'm currently trading a Traynor YGL2 which is 30 watts El84 cathode biased for a 5:50... I have had issues with even the fender Hot rod deluxes and getting loud cleans... they are always distorted and I was curious if this Mesa amp at 50 watts 6L6 has much headroom... also if I changed the tubes to winged C SED 6L6s do I need to bias... I have a Lonestar Special 4x10 aswell which I know when changing tubes I don't need to bias but is the Express the same ?

I find with combos now that I can never get a BIG enough sound so I'm hoping with the Express and the contour knob that I can get some big loud cleans..

Thanks for the time!

1) No modern Mesa amps need re-bias after Tube change.

2) Headroom - Ex 5:50 has more headroom than Hot Rod Deluxe & Lonestar Special imo.
I've never got close to breaking up the 5:50 clean channel but can't say if it will have enough for you.

For max headroom for people who play in extreme loud clean bands the best pick imo is Lonestar CLASSIC.
Fender Twin also but I prefer the more versatile LSC :mrgreen:

Thanks a bunch ! I think I'll just trade for the 5:50 and take my chances... I feel like it will have enough headroom for me, I don't need crystal clean cleans but just enough clean headroom that when I get a boost in gain and volume when I kick on a dirt pedal. I'm sure a tube upgrade to winged C SED 6L6s will help with that too

 

[ifailedshapes]

The LSS is cathode biased. The Express is fixed bias. Just FYI.

 

[David Garner]

You'll have a REALLY hard time getting that clean channel to break up. I use the blues setting on channel 2 for cleans, and I get some grit if I really dig in, but the clean channel is just straight pristine Fender-ish clean. Great reverb. If I could get a passable sound out of the blues or burn settings for dirt I'd use the clean channel a lot more, but the crunch channel is the bulk of my tone, so I have to use blues. That's fine for my use.

The clean channel on these amps is phenomenal. If that's what you're after, you'll get it. I'd pull the trigger.

 

[Authorized Boogie]

So I'm currently trading a Traynor YGL2 which is 30 watts El84 cathode biased for a 5:50... I have had issues with even the fender Hot rod deluxes and getting loud cleans... they are always distorted and I was curious if this Mesa amp at 50 watts 6L6 has much headroom... also if I changed the tubes to winged C SED 6L6s do I need to bias... I have a Lonestar Special 4x10 aswell which I know when changing tubes I don't need to bias but is the Express the same ?

I find with combos now that I can never get a BIG enough sound so I'm hoping with the Express and the contour knob that I can get some big loud cleans..

Thanks for the time!

1) No modern Mesa amps need re-bias after Tube change.

The vast majority of MESA amps are fixed-bias - so unless you modify the amp there is no way to re-bias them! If you use tubes with the correct rating, the amp will operate in the proper bias range. MESA tubes are selected to operate in the correct range, and those outside those tolerances are rejected. Thanks!

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

You'll have a REALLY hard time getting that clean channel to break up. I use the blues setting on channel 2 for cleans, and I get some grit if I really dig in, but the clean channel is just straight pristine Fender-ish clean. Great reverb. If I could get a passable sound out of the blues or burn settings for dirt I'd use the clean channel a lot more, but the crunch channel is the bulk of my tone, so I have to use blues. That's fine for my use.

The clean channel on these amps is phenomenal. If that's what you're after, you'll get it. I'd pull the trigger.

Thanks this is great news!!! I'm doing the trade this weekend!