So why does everybody dog the formula pre?

[bduersch]

Maybe I'm asking for it here but I just picked up a formula pre to add to my rack, if only because it was a heck of a deal. Based on reviews I was kinda hesitant, but now that I've got it in my hands, I'm really digging it. For what it's worth, I'm basically using it to serve up three different blues tones... bright & clean(er) on the first channel, warm & thick on the second channel, and kinda gritty on the third channel. I can tell already that it's gonna get a TON of use in the studio. (Heck, it got a ton of use today... my wife pretty much had to drag me away from it to eat dinner tonight.)

So what's the deal... is it just that it doesn't have one of the typical Mesa (either Mark or Recto) tones? Or not enough gain for some folks?

--B

 

[Griz]

I think you hit the nail on the head. "It's not a Mark or a Recto." They are a really nice preamp. Highly useful. Enjoy!

 

[daveyboogie]

I really like my Formula, too. I found that the clean and blues channels have very usable tones. I only stopped using the Formula because the lead channel was not completely to my taste ...and dragging about a 220-110V step down transformer in my rack was doing my head in.

I would be interested to know what you think about the 'Andrew' mod if you ever did one.

 

[bduersch]

I think you hit the nail on the head. "It's not a Mark or a Recto." They are a really nice preamp. Highly useful. Enjoy!

Maybe that's why I'm digging it so much... I've got the Formula in a rack with a Studio pre and Recto pre, so "different" is exactly what I wanted.

--B

 

[lionel69]

the formula has the best cleans of any mesa preamps and i got them all....

 

[CudBucket]

I guess if it isn't high gain, it does rate so well with the typical Mesa user. I think the Lonestar gets a bad rap too. In fact, alot of shred type players don't even look at it because, I don't know, maybe the name of the amp makes them think of Texas blues. But it's a high-gain amp. The lead tone is stellar and very similar to a Mark.

Back on topic though... I've never played a Formula but I've often thought of picking one up because they're so affordable. It's worth it if you even just use it for the cleans.

Dave