roadster complaints and praises

[rainsong86]

I am posting this listing of complaints not to disparage the mesa name but just to make sure that the quirks of MY roadster are inherent with the amp itself and not some malfunction from it being a Guitar Center floor model.. ok besides these complaints I have to say I love this amp through my mesa traditional cab, specifically the Tweed mode and the modern mode in Channel 4

1. the biggest problem is that the switching system is SLOW.. I'm not a lead guitarist (and if I were I wouldn't be playing a recto) so this isn't an end-all problem but it does kind of blow... I want to just hit the switch and go instantly from say channel 1 tweed to channel 4 modern tone for a dynamic effect.. but there's that miniscule delay that basically cuts out the first chord I play whenever I change channels

2. another big issue is how it takes almost 3 seconds for the reverb to come in when turning it on or switching channels.. this is pretty rediculous because you have a perfectly unaffected tone then all of a sudden the reverb just comes rushing in.. pitiful.. it almost pisses me off that this occurs in a 2 thousand dollar amp.. mesa switching is one of the worst on the market

3. there is sometimes a loud pop when switching channels.. also the amp itself does make a bit of noise when plugging straight in, and more noise with the reverb engaged.. nothing the NS-2 can't solve

4. I can hear the spring sounds of the reverb through the speaker cabinet when I play at loud volumes.. say that I have channel 2 up as loud as possible before it starts to break up and I have the reverb turned up to about 9 o clock.. the reverb sounds full and lush but I'm guessing that the loud volume causes my half-stack to shake and I can hear the springs jangle through my Mesa Traditional cab

5. Another problem with the spring reverb.. when I let notes ring out too much while using a lot of reverb in the clean channel the reverb causes the channel to feed back uncontrollably until I turn the reverb off

6. My final complaint.. which is rather odd.. involves the clean mode (which I use in channel 2) at high volumes in diode.. I use diode instead of rectifier tracking because it allows for more headroom (since I use a lot of effects).. problem is that at high volumes the speakers start to go crazy and push in and out rhthymically in kind of a pumping movement.. This is about the weirdest thing I've experienced with a tube amp

7. I don't like the spongy/off/bold switch.. I wish there were simply an on/off switch and a standby, with a bold/spongy maybe on the back.. I don't like the idea of having to turn off the amp itself before putting it in spongy mode.. I practice the "cold start up" method but I'm not really sure the order of turning off the amp.. I usually put it in standby first then turn it off.. is this correct?.. if it is indeed best to put the tubes on standby before turning off the amp then it would be a bad practice to switch between bold and spongy without flipping the standby switch

besides the 7 complaints the mesa roadster is in my opinion the perfect rhthym head (unless you can afford a bogner ecstasy or maybe diezel vh4).. on a side note I AB'd this with my old 2 channel dual rectifier (each amp got to push two of the 12's in my traditional cab at 4 ohms.. I would never be so stupid as to AB at the speaker cables) and I can honestly say that I was able to EQ the EXACT same modern high gain tone which I loved my 2 channel recto for.. the vintage gain tone on the roadster was close but I must say the 2 channel recto trumped the roadster in that category.. but then again the 2 channel recto can't do a decent tweed

 

[alongcameandroo]

1. the biggest problem is that the switching system is SLOW.. I'm not a lead guitarist (and if I were I wouldn't be playing a recto) so this isn't an end-all problem but it does kind of blow... I want to just hit the switch and go instantly from say channel 1 tweed to channel 4 modern tone for a dynamic effect.. but there's that miniscule delay that basically cuts out the first chord I play whenever I change channels

backed!!! this winds me up more than anything!

 

[barneyc4]

1. the biggest problem is that the switching system is SLOW.. I'm not a lead guitarist (and if I were I wouldn't be playing a recto) so this isn't an end-all problem but it does kind of blow... I want to just hit the switch and go instantly from say channel 1 tweed to channel 4 modern tone for a dynamic effect.. but there's that miniscule delay that basically cuts out the first chord I play whenever I change channels

How can there be a delay???! Is not a Marshall MG series amp we're talking about here, its a $2000 amp... and theres delay when switching channels!?!?!

 

[GazPots]

A very small one. It leaves a noticable gap in the sound.

 

[barneyc4]

Does the Road King II also have this?

 

[rainsong86]

I'm not sure about that one.. but I am starting to think that the series 2 road king would be better for me.. that progessive linkage would be nice because I'd prefer EL34 tubes for my crunch tone (I always thought marshalls were better for this) and also the A/B/A+B speaker options would be great so that I could play channels 1 and 2 (which are usually tweed and clean mode for me, respectively) through an open back cab and my crunch and modern high gain tones (channels 3 and 4) through a closed back.. only problem is that I probably wouldn't like the Road King cab because it has the same dimensions as the rectifier oversize cab.. I'd prolly have to go with a stilleto or roadster 2 by 12 with another lonestar or 3/4 back 2 by 12

now that I think of it, all rectos with more than 2 channels will probably have this channel-switching delay.. I would like for people to confirm this, but I'm pretty sure there's no reason for the old 2 channel models and the current solo rectifier models to have switching delays

 

[rainsong86]

as you can see other than the switching problem the reverb (which is a very good reverb) presents a lot of issues... I don't even use the reverb in my live set-up because I use the roadster with a Boss GT-8.. this is a complicated set-up where I effectively put the roadster pre-amp in an effects loop of the Boss GT-8 (which allows me to place my mesa preamp anywhere in the boss effects chain)... because of where the reverb is in the signal chain of the roadster (I'm guessing right after the pre-amp and just before the power amp) the noise suppressor (similar to NS-2) in my GT-8 considers it feedback and any trailing off reverb is suppressed.. so I just use the reverb in my GT-8 for band applications

btw I have also heard that the triaxis has this switching delay.. I think we should compile which amps have it because it really is an end-all problem for lead players who switch channels often.. I know a local guitarist who sold his series 2 solo 50 rectifier because he said it had the switching delay

 

[jdurso]

i dont have the switching problem or the reverb or popping..... have you talked to mesa about this? or finding a local mesa repair shop to see if anything is wrong? how old is the amp?

 

[Blake37]

I seem to recall hearing that the switching delay was there on purpose, to smooth out the transition or something. Still a pain.

 

[rainsong86]

i dont have the switching problem or the reverb or popping..... have you talked to mesa about this? or finding a local mesa repair shop to see if anything is wrong? how old is the amp?

it's a brand new roadster.. other roadster owners have said that they have the switching problem as well.. which makes me believe that it's a problem inherent with the amp design and not just the particular amp I own.. so you say you own a roadster that doesn't have any of those problems I listed?.. lucky you lol

 

[barneyc4]

I have one question. Are you still happy with your Roadster?

 

[SimpleMind]

you wrote that if you were a lead guitarist you wouldn`t play the Roadster? WHy is that? I want to buy me a Roadster because i like the Rectifier sound but i am doing a lot of stuff ala Malsmteen, Vai, Satriani, SRV etc. Got confirmed here on this site that the Roadster is good for Vai and Satriani but maybe not for Malmsteen. So i thought i could get that sound out of the Amp with a POD XT. What do you think?

 

[rainsong86]

I have one question. Are you still happy with your Roadster?

well it would have been nice to be able to use the reverb for live applications but then again I like using my Boss GT-8 for reverb because I can make a different reverb for each patch, or none at all.. I use an Axess CFX4 to switch the 4 channels of the roadster so I wouldn't have been able to switch the mesa reverb on and off

and I can deal with the switching delay.. but not being able to instantly switch channels does take a little bit of life out of my playing.. I now have to premeditate switching the channels for each of my parts and give an extra second of down time

I'm sure every amp has its drawbacks.. and now that I think of it 1899 isn't overpriced for an amp with 4 great channels and only a couple flaws.. because of the variety of tones I use in my band I need at least 3 channels and the 3 channel DR's just weren't cutting it for me.. I would advise anyone to buy a roadster, but I would warn them about the channel switching flaw.. the reverb is a bit quirky too but I'm starting to think that's something I need fixed.. maybe it got jostled somehow

 

[lockbody]

...and I can deal with the switching delay.. but not being able to instantly switch channels does take a little bit of life out of my playing.. I now have to premeditate switching the channels for each of my parts and give an extra second of down time

I can't see how any amp that does the amount of switching the Roadster and RK does can't have a little delay. I play in a hardcore/thrash band where I need lightning fast changes and mine has never bothered me. My Triaxis was worse by far.

It's different than an amp like a MK I/II/III where all you're doing is adding more gain stages.

Re: The reverb
Mesa states very clearly in the manual their reasons for doing it the way they did. It's not a flaw and I would use my Roadster's reverb before the GT-8's plus I know from owning one and reading Gt Central that not many people use the GT-8's noise suppressor because it really degrades your tone (Of course, that's just my opinion and YMMV).

 

[lockbody]

you wrote that if you were a lead guitarist you wouldn`t play the Roadster? WHy is that? I want to buy me a Roadster because i like the Rectifier sound but i am doing a lot of stuff ala Malsmteen, Vai, Satriani, SRV etc. Got confirmed here on this site that the Roadster is good for Vai and Satriani but maybe not for Malmsteen. So i thought i could get that sound out of the Amp with a POD XT. What do you think?

Ch 3 Vintage is a great lead sound.

You just gotta remember that Malmsteen has always played Marshalls. If you want that sound, buy a Stiletto or a Marshall (or any number of boutiques/copies/etc...). Nothing is stopping you from playing Yngvie on a Roland Jazz Chorus with a Dist+, but if you gotta sound just like him... Well you gotta get what he plays.

In fact, everybody you mentioned used Marshall's early on (and probably still do tho record with). Maybe you just like that "Marshall sound".

 

[rainsong86]

you wrote that if you were a lead guitarist you wouldn`t play the Roadster? WHy is that? I want to buy me a Roadster because i like the Rectifier sound but i am doing a lot of stuff ala Malsmteen, Vai, Satriani, SRV etc. Got confirmed here on this site that the Roadster is good for Vai and Satriani but maybe not for Malmsteen. So i thought i could get that sound out of the Amp with a POD XT. What do you think?

Ch 3 Vintage is a great lead sound.

You just gotta remember that Malmsteen has always played Marshalls. If you want that sound, buy a Stiletto or a Marshall (or any number of boutiques/copies/etc...). Nothing is stopping you from playing Yngvie on a Roland Jazz Chorus with a Dist+, but if you gotta sound just like him... Well you gotta get what he plays.

In fact, everybody you mentioned used Marshall's early on (and probably still do tho record with). Maybe you just like that "Marshall sound".

yes I actually do use the Ch 3 Vintage for leads.. I don't play many solos in my band but when I do the Channel 3 vintage mode definitely does the job.. if I were a lead guitarist I would be playing a more tight amp though.. the rectifiers are too boomy for lead work for my tastes.. I'd consider the bogner ecstasy with EL-34s to be an ideal lead amp.. they actually have a pretty low resale price compared to the lofty sale price

 

[SimpleMind]

Yes i understand that. The thing i would love to have is both a lead sound with a good definition and the option of a rectifier growl when playing rythm guitar. I don`t just want to sound like Malmsteen or Satriani or whoever. So i thought to myself maybe the Raodster in combination with the POD XT could do the job. I think the Stiletto would be a good choice too, but its maybe not that good on the high gain side.
I know one can`t have it all. But when investing such a huge amount of money without the possibility of testing it before i want to do as much as possible research by asking you guys before buying. The Roadking isn`t an option because its too expensive. I like both the rythm and the lead sound of the Roadster. The only things besides the things mentioned in the others threads earlier are that its leadtone is not as thight as a Marshall or Stiletto. But on the other hand the Marshall doesn`t have that Rectifier sound. Maybe i should do it vice versa buy the Marshall and get the Rectifier sound from the POD. Sorry but not an easy decision if you basically don`t have that much experience with amps. Another possibility would be to get me the Stilleto now and buy the Rectifier preamp later on.
The Bogner is not an option because its way too expensive you don`t get that stuff used where i live. Imptorting from the US would mean that i had to use a transformer which i don`t want.

 

[SimpleMind]

P.S: I think i would have gone for the Stiletto long ago. The only negative thing i can see with this one is: Ace: Looks fantastic, Deuce and Trident: Sorry but what where they thinking when designing that amp. It looks just horrifying IMHO. I could get both the Deuce and Trident to absolutely favourable prices but not the Ace which i would have to pay as much as the Deuce. :roll:

 

[Rocco Stiletto]

I highly recommend trying the Stiletto. It can do a little of everything. No switching, popping, or reverb issues (no reverb circuit). Great for rhythm & lead. If you're into Satriani, Vai, & Malmsteen but would prefer to invest in a Mesa Boogie as opposed to the above artist's signature/Marshall amps then the Stiletto is the way to go. Checkout the review on www.guitarworld.com

I tried the Carvin Legacy combo on two separate occasions (a few years apart) and experienced poor customer service, a six week repair turnaround, and four separate exchanges before I gave up. Their shipping/packing on the combos is poor and the amps can be easily damaged in shipment. The reverb added noise to the signal (Vai doesn't even use it). No local repair centers doesn't help either.

The JSX is great, but I had the combo and think the head/cab sounds much better. The open back cab loses the "thump." It's a bit more amp than the Stiletto, but the Stiletto Ace Combo offers a better build quality, and IMHO a better tone. They're close in price. Both companies offer great customer service (in my experiences).

I hope this helps.

 

[SimpleMind]

I highly recommend trying the Stiletto. It can do a little of everything. No switching, popping, or reverb issues (no reverb circuit). Great for rhythm & lead. If you're into Satriani, Vai, & Malmsteen but would prefer to invest in a Mesa Boogie as opposed to the above artist's signature/Marshall amps then the Stiletto is the way to go. Checkout the review on www.guitarworld.com

I tried the Carvin Legacy combo on two separate occasions (a few years apart) and experienced poor customer service, a six week repair turnaround, and four separate exchanges before I gave up. Their shipping/packing on the combos is poor and the amps can be easily damaged in shipment. The reverb added noise to the signal (Vai doesn't even use it). No local repair centers doesn't help either.

The JSX is great, but I had the combo and think the head/cab sounds much better. The open back cab loses the "thump." It's a bit more amp than the Stiletto, but the Stiletto Ace Combo offers a better build quality, and IMHO a better tone. They're close in price. Both companies offer great customer service (in my experiences).

I hope this helps.

Thanks a lot for the information. Yes i read a lot of positve reviewa both about the Stiletto and the JSX. The JSX got some mixed feedback but seems to be a good amp for the price. As mentioned the thing i want is basically a Marshal sound with a little bit more punch. How would you consider the Stiletto for Metallica, Korn or Jerry Cantrell like stuff. Does it match the Rectifier?
How does the Stiletto High Gain mode sound compared to the JSX High Gain mode?
How is the Stiletto at bedroom level. Is it a noisy amp? With regard to trying i out: I don`t have the possibility here. So i have to read the reviews, listen to some soundclips and buy it after the impression i get from that.
The cause why i won`t buy a Marshall 1987 reissue (the closest thing to Malmsteen) is that i find the sound a little thin and don`t think its a very versatile amp. The JSX sounds a lot like Satriani but i find it a little muddy and noisy (bad noisegate). Correct me if i am wrong, because most of what i am writing here is based on things i heard or read on the Internet.