Which Mesa combo?

[enuenu]

I want a Mesa guitar combo amp. However I am finding the range a little overwhelming and confusing. I tried an F50 in a store and loved it (they had a limited range of Mesa gear). However the F-Series does not seem to be detailed in the latest (2007) online Mesa catalogue (although there is info on it on the Mesa Website). Has this model been superseded?

Please help me choose a Mesa combo. I will of course try before buying, but I want to go into the shop armed with a better knowledge of the range.

Here is my criteria in order of importance;

1) Growling dark overdrive for metal/rock riffage and power chords. It's the Mesa OD that blew me away when I first heard it. Are there particluar Mesa valves I should seek?

2) Some versatility in tone, I will turn the jackhammer off at times as I am not a one-tone metal player (OK, almost). However point 1) above rules all and I want to be able to go black and evil at will.

3) Enough grunt to cut through heavy drums and bass at small gigs (150 person rooms approx).

4) Ability to switch down power level for studio recording/bedroom practice while maintaining the rage in the tone. Most of my playing will be garage jams and solo practice in my shed/bedroom.

5) Price is a consideration, but I won't be quibbling where my Mesa is concerned. However if one suggestion costs twice that of another it would be a consideration.

Stiletto, Lone Star, F-Series, Express, Roadster, Mark XYZ. What's new, what's old, what scares old ladies? I am confused as to what Mesa combo is best for what application.
Thanks.

 

[jdurso]

Mark IV combo should do the trick.... not as saturated as the rectos but can cover the most ground out of any mesa amp out there..... if the rectos are more your style i'd check out the roadster or roadk king combos..... again both are very versatile and chock full of tone..... if you only need two channels i would try and get yoiur hands on a dual rec tremoverb combo..... awesome amp with great distortion thats a little on the darker side.... also you may want to check out a dc-10.... more on the mark iv side of the tracks but still kicks a lot of ***......

so if your looking for versatility:

- mark iv
- roadster
- road king

for simpler amps with great tone:

- tremoverb or rectoverb (depending on what type of power you want)
- dc-10

 

[mrmax]

DC 10!! 8) 8)

 

[Lopp]

1) Growling dark overdrive for metal/rock riffage and power chords. It's the Mesa OD that blew me away when I first heard it. Are there particluar Mesa valves I should seek?

2) Some versatility in tone, I will turn the jackhammer off at times as I am not a one-tone metal player (OK, almost). However point 1) above rules all and I want to be able to go black and evil at will.

Caveat: I owned a Rect-o-verb and now own a Mark IV. I do not have extensive experience with the other combos, such as the DC-10. From my experience and based on your needs:

The Mark IV is extremely versatile. You can get pretty heavy and turn the jackhammer off with some great tones... However, going back and forth "at will" is a little more difficult as you may have to adjust a bunch of knobs to get the perfect tone for each setting.

The Rect-o-verb seems more suitable in that you can switch between jackhammer black and evil Modern and jackhammer-off Vintage at the flick of a switch on the lead channel, albeit while keeping the same settings. The more expensive Raodster adds additional channels so you can keep the settings for each and switch between them with a footswitch. Also, depending on your definition, the Recto's will get more "dark and evil" than the Mark IV.

 

[yohimbe2]

1) Growling dark overdrive for metal/rock riffage and power chords. It's the Mesa OD that blew me away when I first heard it. Are there particluar Mesa valves I should seek?

2) Some versatility in tone, I will turn the jackhammer off at times as I am not a one-tone metal player (OK, almost). However point 1) above rules all and I want to be able to go black and evil at will.

Caveat: I owned a Rect-o-verb and now own a Mark IV. I do not have extensive experience with the other combos, such as the DC-10. From my experience and based on your needs:

The Mark IV is extremely versatile. You can get pretty heavy and turn the jackhammer off with some great tones... However, going back and forth "at will" is a little more difficult as you may have to adjust a bunch of knobs to get the perfect tone for each setting.

The Rect-o-verb seems more suitable in that you can switch between jackhammer black and evil Modern and jackhammer-off Vintage at the flick of a switch on the lead channel, albeit while keeping the same settings. The more expensive Raodster adds additional channels so you can keep the settings for each and switch between them with a footswitch. Also, depending on your definition, the Recto's will get more "dark and evil" than the Mark IV.

Weird, I've owned a rectoverb for over a year and hardly ever touch those two channels. I use channel one clean and pushed, and channel 2 raw for most of my playing. It's funny how two people can own the same amp and use it so differently...

 

[chennie]

and for me: I never touch Raw. Don't know what to do with it.

 

[rizboog]

roadster or roadking, but the roadster has the better speakers with a closed back!!!!

 

[fishyfishfish]

If I were you, I would look for a good condition used F-50, you can get screaming good deals on them. They are loud enough for most applications, it can go bedroom quiet, and the clean channel loves pedals. If latter on you need more umph, just add a cab.

 

[ToneAddictJon]

Another one to consider is the mark III, absolutely killer for metal!!! If I played more metal, it's the amp I would of kept.

 

[enuenu]

Thanks again all. I might try to get a good deal on an F-50 as Mesa have superseded them, and they sound good. I will try out a Mark IV also and see what they are going for.

 

[enuenu]

What are the advantages/disadvantages of the new Express combos when compared to the F-Series combos they superseded?

 

[Steve P]

What are the advantages/disadvantages of the new Express combos when compared to the F-Series combos they superseded?

The Express amps are best used for their amazing cleans, tube reverb, blues and classic rock crunch. They also have a great lead tone. But they won't get you the dark & growly recto-ish tone you are looking for. I own the Express 5:25 and love it, but I know many recto fans and F-series fans have been disappointed by it.

The F-series will get you a little closer to the darker tone you describe. Their sound is a little heavier, but their cleans are nowhere near as nice as the Express series.

 

[enuenu]

Thanks Steve P, just the sort of advice I am after.

 

[Geiri]

I have an express 50 and have to disagree with those who say it does not go over to the dark side. With a little tweaking you can take the tone anywhere and with a distortion pedal in front it's pure evil. Plus you get the famous searing boogie lead which can cut through walls. It's the closest thing to a MK IV I've ever heard. I'm so impressed with this amp I'm buying the head also. I use a Zakk Wylde mxr overdrive in front and this thing goes from zero to pure evil in no time.

 

[enuenu]

Thanks, still researching and deciding. Many different opinions out there.

 

[Geiri]

I've also hookedd this thing to a 4x12 cab a higher end line6 vetta cab I own and it's brilliant. Thick and crunchy. And just on the blues channel it will go evil with the pedal in front. If you would like me to post the settings I use just let me know ; )

 

[edward]

My recommendations will be limited to old-prod amps. That said, I think the F-series sounds good, but is handicapped by that stinky "Contour" switch. If you like the F-series tone (which I do), the DC series from which it spawned is a far more versatile amp, and has the same luscious cleans, thick bluesy crunch, and much better crushing OD (should you want that) than the F's ...and of course every tone in between.

As for Marks, I tried a IV and really like it. But for my dough, I'd go MkIII in SimulClass with GraphicEQ. This is such an incredibly versatile amp, I can't even begin to gush. There are so many great tones in there ...a few choice tube swaps and some judicious learning and you've got a serious tone machine. Honestly, from country spank to barely-clipping sweetness to scooped crunch, and nearly every variance in between. And the one thing that I like better about it over the IV is that the Lead channel is capable of a more "rude" in-your-face overdrive than the more polite (but excellent) MKIV. Come to think of it, that's one of the reasons I will never part with my DC5 as it gives me prob 95% of MKIV-ness, while my III-Simul delivers that "smack" that is pure vintage Boogie in flavor.

Of course, all IMHO

Edward

 

[alex1fly]

Don't count out the F-30... it may be the smallest but it growls and screams just like the big boys

 

[phattskis]

Don't count out the F-30... it may be the smallest but it growls and screams just like the big boys

Exactly! I dig the growl of my f-30. For a small combo, it is a little beast. I have owned this amp since Jan 2006 and it has definitely gotten better with age. I spent the summer back home on the farm and had literally countless hours outside rocking out for the horses with my volume completely cranked. Great breakup and classic tone on the clean channel and awesome crunch on the dirty channel. Since it is a discontinued model, I bet you could find a new/floor model at a guitar shop for significantly less than I paid new or get a used one on eBay or something.

Of course, your mileage may vary, but **** do I dig my f-30.

 

[Hobo]

Another F-30 fan here.
I bought one around June of this year (my first and only Boogie) with the intention of reselling it for a little profit but this thing is AWSOME.
No way would I sell it.