Who here uses an outboard EQ with their Mesa?

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Hey guys!

Doing a lot of rig tweak...the Stiletto is a beast, and I feel like the more I dig, the more I get from it

I'm curious to try an EQ pedal with it, but have never really delved into that route with any amp.

What is the general opinion here on using additional EQ pedals with amps? Does it help? Does it let you bring your amp to a new level? Or do you guys find you can get better tones without them?

What models are you using?

Appreciate it!

Eric

 

[hoobafrank]

This is a good question. I was wondering the same thing.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Jmango]

I use an MXR 10 band in the loop of my Ace head. It can make your Stiletto go from crunchy punchy goodness to raw scooped anger in the click of a switch.

I have used this EQ in a DV5, Mark IV and Tremoverb for different sounds. It really adds a great option for tones outside of the awesome tones the Stiletto already pumps out.

The MXR 10 band in addition to the 10 EQ frequency sliders has a volume and gain slider as well to help augment and cut /balance /boost your signal.

Really great option and really great product (EQ).

Hope this helps.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Personally I think Mesa does a very good job with their built-in EQ capabilities. I use a Stiletto Ace Combo and find that I really have no desire to augment the EQ.

 

[jab]

I'm sold on the EQ. I use a Boss GE7 for no other reason than I had one sitting around and wanted to try it in the Ace loop. I just give it a slight "smile" curve, barely up and the Ace really filled out nicely. I blind tested all my band members too whether it sounded better off/on and all voted on. When you increase the smile just a tad more on all levels, it starts to get pretty big sounding. There's a cheap mod for it too that people seem to rave about that I'll try.

In fact last weekend, my Ace/Tele combo was so fricking huge I swear the windows were shaking in the bar from my chords. I had to reach down and decrease the smile on my EQ from my usual rehearsal setup for fear I was going to hurt someone. I don't know what it was: the combo of the EQ, my 2-12 Roadster cab on a hardwood floor, and being mic'd in a PA which includes a subwoofer was almost overwhelming. I thought I was in Creed or something, and that was with my output/masters only at 10:00.

 

[t0aj15]

I been using an MXR 10 band in the loop of my Mark IV head for years.

 

[Machine Gun]

Hey Eric, I use an ART 31 band EQ in the loop of my RK. The amount of tones I can pull out of that thing seem endless! Tightens it up alot too and remains extremely quiet. It is fun to play with. The 31 band single channel is extremely affordable too. $140 or so, can't remember exactly.

I tried it with the Mark IV, and it almost tightens it up too much. Probably a great addition to a Stiletto.

 

[Nomad100]

I used an old mxr eq on my Nomad 55.

Just using the eq made the amp sound more like my Nomad 100, which has the built in graphic and is a monster.

I like to set all the tone controls half way up, then adjust the graphic, then do some final tweeking with the amps tone controls.

 

[xnatex]

I also have a MXR M-108 that I use with my Stiletto. But instead of using it in the loop I slammed it in front of my amp. It simply sounds amazing to me. At the time I had an old japanese Boss GE-7 that I A/Bed with the MXR. The Boss sounded like garbage compared to the MXR.

 

[Blue Fin]

When I got my LSS the equalizer went into the drawer. I seem to get what ever I need from the controls on the amp.

 

[jdurso]

Maxon GE601 in the loop of my Roadster. Let's me get a little more aggressive tones when i need it. In the past i always had it on but sat down with the amp a few months ago, got the eqs there perfect for a hard rock/classic rock tone, and now use the maxon for a little more bite and a little more chug.

 

[155]

I dont ever turn mine off, it just completes an already awesome package allows you to dial in freq. that the knobs dont address

 

[kingster911]

On my RKII I use a Boss GE-7 to really tighten things up and un-mud the boom a little bit (it IS an open back combo) and am usually using it on Ch.4 modern with 2xEL34's. I use it while playing Metallica pretty much or anything palm muted, and sometimes I can hear a strange coloring through the pedal but all in all it sounds pretty good. Turn it off for the more vintage sounds or for punk songs. As for using it with a Stiletto, after finally discovering what a Stiletto can do via sound clips and youtube I'd think an EQ on a stiletto would rip your face off.

 

[phyrexia]

I have used a Danelectro Fish'N'Chips with great success with an F50 and the Mark III.

I found the $30 Dano pedal quieter than the $80 Boss pedal.

 

[Steve P]

I bought an MXR 10-band eq for use with my Express 5:25 a few months ago.

Although it has other applications, I mostly use it in front of the amp with a "frown curve" to boost the mids and tighten the bass, plus a small gain boost. (It is a little hissy when using higher gain settings, but not enough for me to stop using it. I don't have a noise gate.) It makes my Ibanez s470dxqm sound huge and thick. I guess I'm using it as an alternative to a tubescreamer. I use the contour control on the amp to scoop some of the mids out after distortion. This method greatly improves the chug of palm muted power chords, and makes lead notes through the neck pickup sound very rich and full.

I've put it in the loop to try scooping mids for a more metal sound, or for a beautiful glassy clean tone, but I mostly use it in front of the amp as described above. It is a really versatile tool if you are a tweaker :wink:

 

[primal]

I use a Ge7 on my Roadking.

I don't alter the original tone much, but it definately tightens up channels 3 and 4. Really good for sculpting the tone,

I don't use it for channels 1 and 2.

 

[Newysurfer]

My MXR 6 band EQ pedal has a permanent place on my board.
It adds a huge amount of variety and boosting options to any amp.

 

[Laskyman]

I recently upgraded a Dano Fish and Chips to a MXR 10 band with my Roadster. Believe it or not, the Dano is a good pedal (provided you use the DC- batteries get VERY squealy fast...), but the MXR is a MONSTER.
Tons of headroom if you so desire, and quite a few frequencies to cut or boost. It is necessary in my opinion with a Roadster. Turns a real great amp into a life-long musical partner.
Throw down a couple bucks on the Danelectro if you just to get a sample of what a EQ will do, then when you hear what you've been missing, upgrade to a more "gear worthy" pedal.
Once you hear it and dial it in, you wont go back.

Laskyman

 

[Roaster]

I bought an ACE head about a year ago and really was digging on it - but I couldn't quite get exactly where I wanted tonally. Put my MXR 6 band GEQ (one of the old blue models) in the loop and instantly was able to dial right in what I needed. Really allowed me to tighten up the low end, scoop my mids, and take out some of the shrill ACE highs. Can't recommend it enough if you haven't tried it yet. I've read some posts from the "tone purists" that claim putting a GEQ in your signal is tonal sacrilege - but it works for my ears, and that's all that counts.

 

[EleventhHour2139]

I use a Boss Eq 20 10 band in the loop of my Mk III, and it makes a world of difference!

I use it to remove the a lot of the flub and overly-prevalent mids, and it works like a charm. It's also nice to be able to have 3 eq settings available (and 8 others stored!), one for each channel. It doesn't make me miss one bit the fact that my Mk III doesn't have the GEq.