TC50 first impressions and argument to buy

[JPBoogie]

Hello everyone, first post here, I could not resist to share how amazed I am with my TC-50.
First I got to say that I have been reading a lot of your comments before and after I bought mine (around a month ago) and thank you all for sharing your thoughts on it.
OK so I decided to treat myself with a brand new Mesa a few months ago and first got a RectoVerb25 head with a 1X12 Thiele cab. Awesome tones and fantastic high gain. Not so much on the versatility of it, especially when it comes to play it at low volumes. Ya, no band for now so pure house rockin' unfortunately.

Anyway, after a little while (and after reading many great comments about it here and elsewhere) I thought I'd give a try to the TC-50. I started with the combo and fell off my chair to say the least. WOW. Took me one visit to my favourite store to bring the RectoVerb back and order a TC-50. If I had more funds I would have kept it but oh well, you got to make choices sometimes!
I thought I would be better off with head and cab so I ordered it with the 1X12 widebody to later realize that it was completely different than the combo in terms of tones. IMHO the combo can be way more VOXish on channel 1... am I off here?
Yes call me dumb, I did not realize the combo came with a Vintage 30 and the cab with the C90. I knew open back vs. closed back would be different but not that much. Regrets? Nope, not at all and if I want to make any changes one day I will simply add an open back cab with a V30 in it (Lone Star 23 for example). One on top or beside each other, just pure fun to play with.

Now the amp. So if you read this and hesitate to buy one, let me say this: get one asap, you will not regret! Seriously. If you really consider getting one it's because you heard it, tried it and maybe read stuff, saw videos, etc.
Basically everything you read is true: versatile, easy to use, awesome 3 channels -all independently fantastic- and nothing really comes close to it... this is some mix between Marshall, Vox, Fender and obviously, Mesa greatness. Yes it can have that British feel but make no mistake, it does not mean it's only that. In a few words, there is not much you won't be able to play with the TC50. Not just a Jack of all Trades, no, it does not do all half way... it does all of them very well. Oh and yes, as stated by some folks here, it does get better with time (some said it "blossoms" yes it does).
For now, my settings are all at "normal" (not tight or drive), channels 2 and 3 are at 1 o'clock for gain and it's plenty. The clean channel gain is turned all the way up. This will most likely change with time, it just seems to work great with both guitars I use (Ibanez Roadstar II series with single coils + 1 Seymour Duncan humbucker and a Gibson ES-137 Custom).

I owned a DC-10 head with a 4X12 Marshall TV re-issue (Greenbacks), played with different gears and set-ups, I AM IN NO WAY Mr. KnowItAll and far from it, but I can certainly appreciate great sounding. This is it for me. Buying was painful on the wallet at first but it really makes more and more sense now. What is cool is that I have not tried the 6V6 yet or the FX-Loop, just factory and I can't stop thinking about it!!! This amp makes me play more guitar than I ever did.
If you look for another convincing argument to buy and your only hesitation is budget related, here it is: just like anything else, you get what you pay for. If you cheap out and buy an amp for its price tag, it will either suck or will cost you more on the long run. The TC50 looks so well built, it will most likely outlive any of us here. Buy it, take great care of it and if you ever have to sell it, you will be able to get most of your money back.

Take care everyone that's it for me

 

[bandit2013]

Good post. Enjoy the amp. Don't forget to explore the clean channel for what it is worth, drive mode with the gain maxed out, raise the treble just a bit and drop the bass. So far I cannot duplicate that tone with my other amps except the TC-100. The Royal Atlantic does get close but not quite.

 

[jnoel64]

Yes, with the stock tubes this amp is awesome. Do yourself the favor of at least trying the 6V6 tubes. It's definitely worth the cost of the tubes and then some.

 

[JPBoogie]

Ya I got a pair of 6V6 ready but just didn't get to try them yet. Outside of cutting the power in half, how would you compare the sound with the EL34?
Thanks

 

[bandit2013]

The stock Mesa EL34 seem to be the ideal tube for the TC-50 and TC-100. Mesa did a good job at making use of those tubes with the TC series. On the flip side, the 6V6 has its own characteristics. Yes, it does cut power to half but sounds really good. The aggressiveness is still there but has a bit more bottom to the tone and retains the mids and treble of the EL34. I much prefer the 6V6 over the 6L6 as those tend to flatten the tone. 6V6 is more like a rich 6CA7 ( a true 6CA7, the type with beam forming plates vs screens) surely not the same as a 6CA7 but has some similar characteristics. Also the 6V6 leans more on the vintage side a bit with a modern twist. I fail to put into words how I feel about the 6V6. Still they are awesome in the TC-50, probably much better for recording purposes. It has been a while since I ran the 6V6 tubes in the TC-50, now I have to go back to those and enjoy it all over again. I should get another pair so I can use them in the TC-100.

 

[jnoel64]

I would love to hear your take on 6V6s in the TC100. The extra girth from the 100 combined with the mojo of the 6V6 tubes is so tempting...but I seriously do not need another amp.

 

[JPBoogie]

I will definitely try them out... they look at me and call my name!
But honestly, how can it get better??? I know it will be awesome, just trying to get use to my current settings. Each time I turn this thing on I just can't believe how f***ing nice it sounds!!!! I could strike the same note or same chord every 10sec and sit in front of it all day. I'm not kidding.
I will of course give it a go with the 6V6 soon, just not ready to pull the EL34s yet with no rationale. I hope I'll get to try this with a band at high volume soon too. For now the masters are around 1 or 2 o'clock and the output at 9 o'clock...

Just want to add, if there is anyone that works at Mesa that reads this, bravo and thank you for the TC serie, seriously.

 

[bandit2013]

The 6V6 will definitely reduce the volume, but the experience is worth it. I should get another set of 6V6 as I am curious how the TC-100 would sound. At least it would be on par with the TC-50.

Note that the 50W setting on the TC-100 with the same settings as on the TC-50 is not as loud as the TC-50. Perhaps that is one reason why I still have the Royal Atlantic rig. I think the TC-100 would have been a better amp if they did the 100W/50W power switch and kept with the dB settings vs Watt settings which is how the RA100 is set up. I would say the RA is similar to the TC but with some differences. TC series is much tighter on the bass response. Also the independent channels is a huge plus on the TC as is the midi control features.

 

[BluzCruz]

I love my TC-50. With either EL-34's or 6V6's. Currently running the 6V6's.

I managed to get a really killer deal on mine...it was a demo marked way down, plus I managed to get an ebay coupon on top of that. Stole it at $1360. Worth every penny, and totally mint - not a mark on it and performs flawlessly.

I'd probably do the TC-100 if I were buying now. I like the power knock down options plus the extra clean headroom...at least that's what I've found with my Mark V.

 

[JPBoogie]

Me again, 7 months later. Same extremely positive impressions... or better.
I did put the 6v6 in it for a few minutes yesterday, went right back to factory ones, I just can't get over that sound guys.
There is a pair of STR442 Winged C (SED) waiting on my shelf but I am in no rush for now, maybe I will give them a try during the Holidays.

Honestly, if anyone is hesitant to buy the TC-50 or the TC-100 I say go ahead eyes closed, you cannot regret this purchase!!!

Take care everyone and thanks again for all the good posts!
Cheers,

 

[user 83592]

Me again, 7 months later. Same extremely positive impressions... or better.
I did put the 6v6 in it for a few minutes yesterday, went right back to factory ones, I just can't get over that sound guys.
There is a pair of STR442 Winged C (SED) waiting on my shelf but I am in no rush for now, maybe I will give them a try during the Holidays.

Honestly, if anyone is hesitant to buy the TC-50 or the TC-100 I say go ahead eyes closed, you cannot regret this purchase!!!

Take care everyone and thanks again for all the good posts!
Cheers,

Still got your TC-50?

 

[JPBoogie]

Still got your TC-50?

@tayistay Yes I do! Still love it and use it multiple times/week. Do you own one? What do you think of it?

 

[bandit2013]

After 5 years, good to hear. I guess you are hooked on it. Still running the stock tubes?

Also, have you ever tried the Mesa 6V6 in it yet. Power does drop to around 22W but that is one sweet sound.

I have not used mine for some time though. I did get the TC-100 out for a while. Found the issue I was having and why it was not as loud as it should be. Simple fix was the V5 tube was on the way out or just not up to par. I am sort of itching to get the TC-50 out and try swapping the V5 12AT7 with the same JAN Phillips 12AT7. I never had the volume issue with the TC-50 but could not hurt to try the alternate tube. I will more than likely set up the two TC in tandem since I can control both with just one footswitch controller by using a midi cable between the two amps. That is a nice trick.

 

[rarebitusa]

Time to dust it off, I'd say !!!!

 

[bandit2013]

Gave it some thought. Was going to get it out that morning, was already too late to do so. Never happened last night either. Perhaps this weekend. It has been a while. Debating on whether to use the vertical 212 cab or move one of my amps off one of the 412 cabs. May end up doing a speaker swap in the Vertical 212. Before they were great but now seem super bright. I got hooked on the 412 sound and it is hard to go back to the smaller cab. The only drawback is they take up too much space. I could set up 4 amps on vertical 212s in the same space taken up by three 412s.

I need to let go of the RA in my head. Awesome amp even if they sound almost the same, they are different when comparing the TC to the RA. RA has that 3D effect when driven hard. Sure, it is all tube related. The two amps do share the same DNA in tone but gain characteristics, the RA just sounds better to me. In the band, we did use the TC amps a lot since it fit the style of music we play. The MW dual rec seemed to fit better. Then came the Badlander and that is all we use now. On my own, it is the pair of RA100s in stereo. Note, when I play the drums in the band (if you want to call 3 guitar players a band).

I will need to spend more time with the TC and other amps I have. For some reason or another, I gave up on the JP2C as my ideal sound. The Royal is it for me or the Badlander (the poor man's JP2C as they almost sound similar).

 

[bandit2013]

This drum kit takes up more floor space than the old one. The Bass rig also takes up more floor space than the old one.
Yeah, I did set up all 4 amps so I could run them at the same time.

There is one amp that sounds the same as the Royal or Triple Crown. Marshall Silver Jubilee but lacks a reverb. Not trying to show off my stuff but it sure looks that way. My apology for going off topic. One issue you get with having so much gear. Hard to use it all at the same time. Also, the room I use for music is now too small to have all my rigs out and set up for use. I need a bigger place.

 

[bandit2013]

Finally got to the TC-50. Still sounded the same. Had to get used to it as I still had the Royal stuck in my head.

 

[bandit2013]

Ok now. Found my old post as a response to tubes. Was it the Ryby EL34 BHT or the Tung Sol EL34B. Apparently, I liked the Ruby EL34BHT. Tried it them again and it seems they are the bliss factor in the TC-50. To bad the Chinese tube factory caught fire a few years ago. Reason why you cannot get the Mesa 6L6 STR440 any more. May also be the reason why the TT-800 had the Tung Sol 12AT7 instead of the Chinese 12AT7.

The BHTs definitely bring out the low end with the TC-50. I normally had boosted the bass with hi and lo gain channels Now have to dial it back. Sounds great too.

 

[bandit2013]

Last night I ran the TC-100 with the 6CA7 along with the TC-50 with the BHTs. Now that was fun. I can get used to that easy. That was as much fun as the RA rig I have set up.

 

[rarebitusa]

That was as much fun as the RA rig I have set up.

Blasphemy I say LOL

I went to 6CA7's in the Ace, would like a bit more bottom end, Rubys are hard to find.