Using a Mesa head without speakers

[slhguitar]

I have the old dual rec. I need to use it in a no-live-volume situation, as well as a very limited space. I do not have a dummy load or a power soak. I need to know if it is possible to A) Make a dummy load. or B) use the head with only headphones or the like attached. I know that my fender can be used with only headphones in the speaker jack. Help me please, I need this set up for tomorrow!

 

[tele_jas]

No, you definately don't want to run headphones in the speaker jack!!! It won't hurt anything for a minute or two (if you're lucky), but it will eventually burn something up.

As far as a dummy load, I don't think there is a way to do that without a power soak or a device designed for that, but I could be wrong.

 

[slhguitar]

Alright, Thats what I figured. I just thought I would check.

 

[necrophonic]

Don't EVER plug ANYTHING other than speakers or a load (attenuator) into the speaker jacks - they carry a much higher current than normal line leads (such as from the guitar).

The closest you could get is to maybe plug headphones into the FX loop send (as that's line-level). HOWEVER, you still need a load connected to the speaker jacks or you risk seriously damaging the transformer.

As to making one, I doubt it's a simple job - you need something the THD Hotplate which can be set to purely "load" (i.e. no speaker output) - it also usefully has a line-out jack that you could use for headphones I guess (I use mine for DIing into the mixer)

 

[macaddict]

You don't have a speaker bypass switch?

 

[jbird]

You don't have a speaker bypass switch?

There is no speaker bypass switch, nor is there a line-out jack to use with headphones or a DI! The slave-out jack on the rear is for running to another power amp! It is basically a "padded" signal! Not good for phones, recording, or to a mixer!

 

[Brewski]

One other option is to get an isolation box with a speaker mounted inside. The microphone would go into the enclosure and you'd be able to record at very low room volumes. I've seen them out there, but never used one, so I can't vouch for tone or just how much volume would escape into the room.