The honeymoon's over: I'm not digging the F-30....

[GibsonV05]

I REALLY like the rich lead tones, but I can't coax a tight, punchy bottom-end, even into an extension V30-loaded 2X12 cab..

I've tried:

1. MXR 10-band, in front, and in the loop - no dice...
2. Rackmount EQ, also in the loop - no dice...
3. Boss GE-7 - in front, and in the loop. Sounds OK in front, but colors the tone, almost like an OD pedal, and adds too much hiss!
4. JJ EL84's, and have experimented with JJ ECC83's, ECC803's, (one in V1 sounds best), 12AX7EH's, and Ruby 12AX7 C9's.

I'm tempted to take it back and get my DSL100 back I traded, or gat an Engl Fireball head..

Give me reason to keep it/help/suggestions...PLEASE!

 

[andershoeg]

well; get a 4x12" marshall cab. I have that, and i can get PLENTY of bottom end!!! Really! Try it on someones 4x12 cab, think you will like it.

B.R. anders

 

[tele_jas]

two words.....Rectifier series..... I know this doesn't help you now, but that tight punchy sound you're looking for is in the rectifier series. I have a Triple Rectifier and a Rectoverb and both sound great in any speaker configuration you can run them through, you don't need a 4x12 to get that sound but it sure makes more of a thump when using a 4x12.

I tried a F-30 when I was on my amp hunt and I liked the clean better than my Rectifiers, but I couldn't live with that distortion - it just wasn't tight enough.

 

[mesa115]

I am assuming you are using the contour mode. That is a given.
Then do not turn the midrange down past 10:00/10:30. Treble at 12:00 mids at 10:00, bass pegged 5:00 in contour mode.

Even with the 12" Blackwidow, without a 4/12 you should have nice low end.

Unless you are playing a tele or something very trebly. Let me know if you've done all this. I'll be bummed out.

If you have done this and still have no low end, your amp needs to go back to Boogie, you have something wrong.

 

[GibsonV05]

I am assuming you are using the contour mode. That is a given.
Then do not turn the midrange down past 10:00/10:30. Treble at 12:00 mids at 10:00, bass pegged 5:00 in contour mode.

Even with the 12" Blackwidow, without a 4/12 you should have nice low end.

Unless you are playing a tele or something very trebly. Let me know if you've done all this. I'll be bummed out.

If you have done this and still have no low end, your amp needs to go back to Boogie, you have something wrong.

It's the F-30 with a 12" V30.
I use the contour mode exclusively, and settings are as follows:
Gain 12:00
Treble 1:00
Mids 11:00
Bass 10:00

I play a Gibson V - It's not as thumpy as a Les Paul, but it's mahogony!
It has some bottom, it's just flabby.

 

[GibsonV05]

Update...

I tried another little experiment, and have gotten good results....
Same settings, except:

I boosted the front end with my Wylde Overdrive, and ran my GE-7 into the loop. Good results, except the GE-7 sucks. I need to take it back, and get another MXR.

 

[no soul]

two words.....Rectifier series..... I know this doesn't help you now, but that tight punchy sound you're looking for is in the rectifier series. I have a Triple Rectifier and a Rectoverb and both sound great in any speaker configuration you can run them through, you don't need a 4x12 to get that sound but it sure makes more of a thump when using a 4x12.

I tried a F-30 when I was on my amp hunt and I liked the clean better than my Rectifiers, but I couldn't live with that distortion - it just wasn't tight enough.

I couldnt disagree more with you. Im a long time recto lover and owner, but "tight" doesent even begin to remotely describe the recto series. Its low end is very very loose and open, which is exactly why a lot of metal players who want that traditional tight metal distortion sound dont like these amps. If you arent careful with your bass settings its really easy to make these amps get flubby and farty thanks to the massive low end response they have.

I happen to believe that its very open and loose sound is what gives it that very grand sound that its so famous for, but certainly not tight.

If you want a tight and quick low end sound out of a Mesa, get a MkIV.

 

[tele_jas]

I couldnt disagree more with you. Im a long time recto lover and owner, but "tight" doesent even begin to remotely describe the recto series. Its low end is very very loose and open, which is exactly why a lot of metal players who want that traditional tight metal distortion sound dont like these amps. If you arent careful with your bass settings its really easy to make these amps get flubby and farty thanks to the massive low end response they have.

I happen to believe that its very open and loose sound is what gives it that very grand sound that its so famous for, but certainly not tight.

If you want a tight and quick low end sound out of a Mesa, get a MkIV.

Hummmmmmm..... But did I mention that mine goes to 11?

 

[no soul]

I couldnt disagree more with you. Im a long time recto lover and owner, but "tight" doesent even begin to remotely describe the recto series. Its low end is very very loose and open, which is exactly why a lot of metal players who want that traditional tight metal distortion sound dont like these amps. If you arent careful with your bass settings its really easy to make these amps get flubby and farty thanks to the massive low end response they have.

I happen to believe that its very open and loose sound is what gives it that very grand sound that its so famous for, but certainly not tight.

If you want a tight and quick low end sound out of a Mesa, get a MkIV.

Hummmmmmm..... But did I mention that mine goes to 11?

Heh heh, no arguments here on that one, I mean thats 1 more than 10, isnt it?

 

[Surfcaster]

You know, I set out to buy an F-30, but when I got to the music store, I tried it side by side with an F-50, and while they were surprisingly similar, one of the big differences was the bottom end, my buddy and I both felt the F-50 held together better, and just had slightly better overall tone and didn't get spongy quite as quickly, so that made my decision for the F-50.

The other thing I've come to realize since then is that I much prefer the C90 speaker over the V30...I've got both...a V30 in a home built 1x12 Recto cab, which has since been moved to an open back 2x12 with a G12H30, and while I think I may prefer it in the open back cab, I still like the C90 better. The V30 is so midrangey...I like the response of the C90 better for the F-50 and I think it has more bottom end...so you might just try swapping out the speaker.

 

[HammerBros.]

two words.....Rectifier series..... I know this doesn't help you now, but that tight punchy sound you're looking for is in the rectifier series. I have a Triple Rectifier and a Rectoverb and both sound great in any speaker configuration you can run them through, you don't need a 4x12 to get that sound but it sure makes more of a thump when using a 4x12.

I tried a F-30 when I was on my amp hunt and I liked the clean better than my Rectifiers, but I couldn't live with that distortion - it just wasn't tight enough.

I couldnt disagree more with you. Im a long time recto lover and owner, but "tight" doesent even begin to remotely describe the recto series. Its low end is very very loose and open, which is exactly why a lot of metal players who want that traditional tight metal distortion sound dont like these amps. If you arent careful with your bass settings its really easy to make these amps get flubby and farty thanks to the massive low end response they have.

I happen to believe that its very open and loose sound is what gives it that very grand sound that its so famous for, but certainly not tight.

If you want a tight and quick low end sound out of a Mesa, get a MkIV.

+1

Rectos are pretty far from being tight and punchy........well maybe the rectoverb, those are alot better but a triple recto, no way. If you want tight MARK IV!!!!