The Trem-O-Verbs of 2008 - tell me about your amp

[jakehop]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a Trem-O-Verb soon, as one of my favorite tones were recorded with it - Mike Einziger from Incubus, on their first three albums. How many TOV-users are there in here? Are your amps reliable? Did you have one, but sold it for something else? Do tell me all I need to know. 6 years ago I owned two Dual Rects, which I then sold again, due to my lack of being able to dial out the bee-hive inside them. I hear the Trem-O-Verbs sound different.

Thanks in advance!

Kind regards, Jake

 

[Jmango]

Yea, the TOV to my ear has always been the most usable recto out there.

I owned two and moved on to the Stiletto for the tone I have always had in my head.

 

[jakehop]

Thanks for your response!

What kind of tone did you move on to? I tried out the Stiletto, but something about it didn't work for me. I also play PRS'es by the way, a '88 CE24 and a '01 Custom 22.

//J

 

[Elpelotero]

Mike's guitar tech (larry) tells you all you need to know (even settings)---> http://www.incubusview.com/messboard/search.php?search_author=larrytech

 

[jakehop]

Hey friend,

Thanks for your response - believe me or not, but I've read the **** thing! What I really wanted from this thread was to hear from current/former TOV-owners, and maybe connect with a few Einziger-fans, if any.

Keep posting guys!

Kind regards, Jake

 

[UltraGary]

My main amp is a T-Verb combo. I love the sounds & versatility they have. Maybe it's just me....but I think they cover the in-between sounds better than most rectos (though I haven't owned any others, so I'm no expert).

My biggest turn on that got me on this amp was how much easier & faster it is to get great sounds up compared to other Mesas. Maybe I'm just retarded.......but it takes me too **** long to get good sounds dialed in on the Road Kings, Roadsters & MkIVs, where on the T-Verb I was able to get good sounds going within 2 minutes of meeting the amp for the first time.

I run mine through an over-sized recto 4x12 at most shows, but it's not really necessary unless I want to move more air in a bigger venue. Being in a trio, the added cabinet just seems to move more air and cover more sonic space, but unlike most combos....the T-Verb can really do just about anything without the extra cab.

It's LOUD...and it weighs a **** TON......but it's an amp I'll never sell because it's so **** useful.

 

[mefgames]

I've owned mine for over a year, and am still impressed with the versatility of this amp. It gets the cleanest cleans right down to a killer crunch, and virtually everything in between. The fact that it has reverb puts it ahead of the rest. The tremolo I really don't use that often. I would suggest getting the head and a cab due to the EXTREME weight of the combo.


On a preventative note, check with Mesa on the serial number. Seems they had some trouble with LDR's in certain SN's. They replaced mine N/C under warranty even though I am not the original owner. There are some that say it can be a little fussy about tube selection as well. I run JJ's throughout from Eurotubes.

Good Luck !!!
Mike

 

[Griz]

My main amp is a T-Verb combo. I love the sounds & versatility they have. Maybe it's just me....but I think they cover the in-between sounds better than most rectos (though I haven't owned any others, so I'm no expert).

My biggest turn on that got me on this amp was how much easier & faster it is to get great sounds up compared to other Mesas. Maybe I'm just retarded.......but it takes me too **** long to get good sounds dialed in on the Road Kings, Roadsters & MkIVs, where on the T-Verb I was able to get good sounds going within 2 minutes of meeting the amp for the first time.

I run mine through an over-sized recto 4x12 at most shows, but it's not really necessary unless I want to move more air in a bigger venue. Being in a trio, the added cabinet just seems to move more air and cover more sonic space, but unlike most combos....the T-Verb can really do just about anything without the extra cab.

It's LOUD...and it weighs a **** TON......but it's an amp I'll never sell because it's so **** useful.

Count +1 as TOVs as well as ROVs are highly underrated and are among Mesa's best offerings. I don't mean to steal this thread, but you should listen to UltraGary's offerings on his link. Perfect examples of pure Mesa tone and some very nice playing as well. Very nice Ultra!

 

[jakehop]

Wow, great inputs - thanks guys!

That's also my experience from what I've heard. Not to sound too much like a fanboy (which I am however and I do have a silver-sparkle PRS Custom), but I can totally relate to what you write, when listening to Incubus' first three albums, as well as the live-stuff from that period. I've been using a Marshall Plexi with a hotplate, and a SuperReverb for cleans, and the TOV seems like to perfect replacement, as I'd like to have the reverbey-cleans, but with a more compressed and 6L6-ish distortion to it.

I'm scouring eBay for amps at the moment. I guess the combo's are too heavy and difficult to send from the US, but the heads looks promising.

Any experience and comments are appreciated!

Kind regards, Jake

 

[gooberizer]

I'm on my second Tremoverb, a head on a 4x12 Recto cab. My first one was the combo, which got destroyed in an electrical fire. I recommend the head over the combo just for the sake of the weight. I think the combo was well over 100 lbs. Not that a Mesa 4x12 isn't heavy! In the 25 years I've been playing I've owned dozens of amps from the big companies, and for me the Tremoverb does everything I need in a single amp. I bought a Dual Rec when they first came out and really liked it, but when the Tremoverbs came out I traded the Dual because I wanted the reverb and tremolo. I found the Tremoverb was also much better for leads, just a different voicing, a lot smoother. I play mostly metal with a smattering of surf of all things. :lol: I wouldn't necessarily consider the Tremoverb a replacement for your Plexi and Super Reverb, though. It is amazingly versatile, but I don't think you'll get those two tones out of it. Unless of course you just don't want them any more. The reverb and tremolo are good enough, but not like a Fender.

 

[jakehop]

Hey Goob, thanks for your response!

No, I'm not looking to replace those two with one amp - I'm looking for something different. I think versatility is only good to a certain point. To have something that just does a couple of thing, and does them very well is in my book much better. I think the Dual Rec-cleans were a little boring, and I think the reverb might help that, and the TOV's I've heard, all sounded amazing distorted.

Alright, I'll try to check out the heads. They're also easier to ship to Denmark!

Which cab are you using? Standard or over-sized?

Kind regards, Jake

 

[jakehop]

Ohh, and what should I pay for a head?

Some guy offered me a almost mint TOV head with new tubes, for $1600 including shipping and insurrance. That seems a little pricey to me, as that's about what a TOV sells for here in Denmark, used. With added taxes and customs, that wouldn't make sense. What would be a good price for such an amp?

Kind regards, Jake

 

[UltraGary]

My main amp is a T-Verb combo. I love the sounds & versatility they have. Maybe it's just me....but I think they cover the in-between sounds better than most rectos (though I haven't owned any others, so I'm no expert).

My biggest turn on that got me on this amp was how much easier & faster it is to get great sounds up compared to other Mesas. Maybe I'm just retarded.......but it takes me too **** long to get good sounds dialed in on the Road Kings, Roadsters & MkIVs, where on the T-Verb I was able to get good sounds going within 2 minutes of meeting the amp for the first time.

I run mine through an over-sized recto 4x12 at most shows, but it's not really necessary unless I want to move more air in a bigger venue. Being in a trio, the added cabinet just seems to move more air and cover more sonic space, but unlike most combos....the T-Verb can really do just about anything without the extra cab.

It's LOUD...and it weighs a **** TON......but it's an amp I'll never sell because it's so **** useful.

Count +1 as TOVs as well as ROVs are highly underrated and are among Mesa's best offerings. I don't mean to steal this thread, but you should listen to UltraGary's offerings on his link. Perfect examples of pure Mesa tone and some very nice playing as well. Very nice Ultra!

Hey, THANX for checking out our page and the kind words! You've already made my day!

 

[UltraGary]

Ohh, and what should I pay for a head?

Some guy offered me a almost mint TOV head with new tubes, for $1600 including shipping and insurrance. That seems a little pricey to me, as that's about what a TOV sells for here in Denmark, used. With added taxes and customs, that wouldn't make sense. What would be a good price for such an amp?

Kind regards, Jake

$1600 does seem a bit steep. I see them for $1000-$1200 pretty regularly.

 

[gooberizer]

It's the oversized 4x12. I paid $1000.00 for the head almost two years ago and it's in perfect condition. But given where I live it's fairly easy to come by a Mesa at a reasonable price. $1600 sounds a bit high unless it has one of Mesa's amazing custom wood options or something.

 

[Fixxer6671]

Get a trem o verb. I own a pre 500 dual rec and a roadster along with this guy.

the rub on the trem o verbs are they need some more love than other amps, but god are they freaking huge sounding. Its definitely its own thing, not like the old 2 channels, and not like the Roadster.

I love my roadster for what it is.

Nothing sounds like the Trem-o-verb. Killer cleans, GREAT Blues channel, GREAT modern gain.

Nothing sounds like an old pre 500 dual rec. KILLER gain, and thats it.

The Roadster comes closest to any of the modern amps I have heard.

Good luck, and let us know when you get you your T-verb.

 

[jakehop]

Wow, thanks a lot for the response!

A friend of mine has a TOV combo that he might sell to me for 9500DKK (around 1500USD) with new tubes. A Dual Rec costs 20000DKK (a bit over 3.000$) here in Denmark, so the price isn't all that bad, and I wouldn't need to haul around a 110V->220V transformer everywhere.

I'll be checking eBay regularly for a head, if the combo doesn't work out for me. One of the big problems however is the danish customs. Everything is +40% import tax and +10% import customs. Everything is expensive here. I'm a student and to get by, I work as a guitar teacher, and I'm taxed 49% of every dime I make.

Enough ranting, this is about music and having fun. It's just too much of a jungle out there, sometimes.

Kind regards, Jake

 

[jakehop]

Hello again everyone,

I borrowed the TOV from my friend, and I am NOT disapointed! Very cool amplifier, and as you said every feature is useable! I've been wondering about which tubes you guys use?

I've been a major tubegeek for some years, since I started using the Super Reverb and the Super Lead, but as I found out when I read the manual and checked the schematics, the amp's bias isn't adjustable. It has it's pro's and con's, but I think I'll live with it. I've looked around for different tubes, and my supplier sells either 425's or 440's. However, I belive that Watford Valves here in Europe can provide me with the unbranded versions of the Mesa-tubes I need, at the correct bias-level. Especially the STR-454 sounds very good, and I was very fond of the Winged C EL34's for my Marshall. http://www.watfordvalves.com/product_detail.asp?id=1814 I'll send him a mail to see if that's possible.

In the preamp I've heard that some people are using JJ ECC83/12AX7's with great results. It's a cheap tube, that I've also had good experiences with, if it had to be in the cheaper side of things. I guess it's like most modern amps I've tried, that are designed around new tubes, which in return won't profit from good NOS-tubes, besides the added reliability.

I'm currently running the amp with a PRS Custom 22 or a Fender Telecaster Japan '85 with Suhrs into a Deluxe Memory Man and straight into the amp. I've never been an effects-loop kinda guy, and I really like the way the amp responds to having the delay kicked into the distorted channel. Cleans are awesome by the way!!!

Kind regards, Jake

 

[Silverwulf]

Well, not to derail your thread, but I wanted to give you an FYI that I have an excellent condition 1994 Mesa Tremoverb Head I'm selling at the moment. Here's the scoop:

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31031

I don't have a problem shipping to Denmark to help out a fellow Boogie Board member and I've probably shipped 10+ amps abroad before (England, Germany, etc). I just do so with a few stipulations.

I usually ask for Paypal fees (2.9%) if that's the method of payment (or just factor it into my overall cost). In that vein, I also note that I wait until shipping money has cleared the bank prior to shipping, because let's face it...explaining to the wife why I need to front $200+ to ship something isn't exactly on top of my "to do" list... :wink:

I ask for actual shipping charges + packing, since I would need to get a box and other materials that would meet size requirements for Denmark (79" I would assume like most over that way).

Anyhoo, total shipping and packaging would likely run around $225. So, I could probably so it close to $1300 shipped. Just a head's up if there's interest.

 

[jakehop]

Hi Mr. Wolf,

Thanks for your reply! I'll be checking out the combo for the next couple of weeks, and if that doesn't work out, I'll be sure to give you a holler. My only problem is, that the amp will cost me $1300 x 1,4 = $1820 if it hits danish customs. Let me get back to you!

To all others, please do post any tube experiences you have with the Mesa's, as I'd be glad to hear 'em!

Kind regards, Jake