who owns a mesa express amp?

[mesaluckystrike]

I was just wondering how many people have a mesa express amp (either 5:25 or 5:50). I got a 5:25 (1x10) a few months ago and really am happy with it. I hooked it up to a mesa 1x12 3/4 back extension cab and it sounds even more incredible. My favorite channel is the crunch channel.


Has anyone bought the 5:25 (1x12) that just came out?

 

[Rudee]

I have the 5:50. I've tried the 5:25 1x10 and recently noodled on the new 5:25 1x12. The 1x12 definitely opens up the sound and I would certainly recommend it over the 10" version.

 

[Newysurfer]

I've had my 5:50 for 8 months now.
Couldn't be happier with it. Great amp

 

[vermillion]

I play an American Strat, Les Paul studio, and Chandler lap steel through my express 5:50 1x12 -- it is a decent amp for all 3 instruments. I keep finding new tones and the EQ section is great (less is more). If you search around on this board, you'll find some posts about tube replacements on the 5:50 and how the sound changed. Good luck.

 

[Steve P]

Congrats on your Mesa Express purchase!

I bought the Express 5:25 1x10 last summer and have been really happy with it. I wasn't initially shopping for a Mesa, but the Express won out after much comparison with Vox, Traynor, Fender and Marshall tube amps.

It is perfect for me because I wanted a high-quality, versatile amp -- my musical tastes are very diverse, ranging from strumming/finger picking on the clean channel, Brit invasion stuff with the crunch channel at low gain, and classic rock and 80s metal on the crunch channel, blues channel or burn channel. It may not be enough for those who want a "modern" metal tone, but it has plenty of gain for my applications.

I do most of my playing at my home or at jams with friends -- its small size and portability are ideal for this use, especially when I get the chance to crank it using the Class A 5W setting.

I occasionally lust after an extension cab, but, since most of the time I want good tones at a lower volume the 1x10 is fine for now.

 

[mesaluckystrike]

Steve P-I got a pretty good deal on the 1x12 mesa ext cab on ebay for my mesa 5:25. It is one of the wider body cabs and its fun experimenting around with different speaker combinations (1x10 alone, 1x12 alone or both). I also have a 1x12 valve jr ext cab that i sometimes through into the mix. Those cabs are pretty cheap and sound good. I think last I checked they are around 129 new at guitar center.

I also think the reverb is incredible on the mesa 5:25. Its not overly bearing, just right i would say. Now I'm thinking about getting a decent tremolo/vibrato pedal to hook up to it. The only pedals I use through it now are a Boss RC2 loop station and TC nova delay. I'm thinking about the fulltone supa-trem. I just saw one at guitar center which is less than a mile away from me - kind of good and bad at the same time.

 

[marzzz]

I have heard that the Express amps are a bit on the noisy side, is this the case for anyone?

 

[Don]

The clean channel on my 5:50 makes a slight "ssssssssshhhhhhhh" type of sound. It's nothing that's annoying or can be heard with a band, even when we're quiet.
It doesn't do it in all modes. I suspect it's a preamp tube.

 

[Newysurfer]

I have heard that the Express amps are a bit on the noisy side, is this the case for anyone?

The 5:50 has a hummmm when the gain is cranked on the burn channel but it's no worse than most other tube amps. It can easily be cut by about 60% by changing tubes to low noise ones recommended by doug at www.dougstubes.com. This also increases the amps gain and improves tone overall. Well worth $US100.

I like a totally silent rig so I've added an MXR Smart Gate pedal in the loop and this has cut white noise by over 95%. It kills feedback too. I can only hear a faint hum in a dead silent room now when the gain is max'ed.

I can post my tube swap info if anyone asks

 

[mesaluckystrike]

I have noticed the 'shhhhhhh' noise when the gain is cranked past 12 oclock. I would be interested in the tube swap you are talking about.

 

[rwil]

I'm using the 5:25 (1x10) since last september and still love it here in my small studio. I tried last week the 1x12 in a hurry and the setup/guitar was not maybe ok (combo over another one and in sandwich), so I'll have to go back again with my guitar and ask to move the combo on the floor and having nothing each sides. So far I'm still happy with the 1x10.

 

[Steve P]

I got a pretty good deal on the 1x12 mesa ext cab on ebay for my mesa 5:25. It is one of the wider body cabs and its fun experimenting around with different speaker combinations (1x10 alone, 1x12 alone or both). I also have a 1x12 valve jr ext cab that i sometimes through into the mix. Those cabs are pretty cheap and sound good. I think last I checked they are around 129 new at guitar center.

Thanks for the GASoline on my lust for more gear :lol:

What speaker did you choose for your 1x12 extension cab? What sounds were hoping to emphasize with it? Does it improve your distorted palm muting, for e.g.? I believe you when you say it sounds even more incredible than just the combo alone -- I'm just curious if you have more juicy details.

I also think the reverb is incredible on the mesa 5:25. Its not overly bearing, just right i would say.

I agree. I particularly like some reverb with my cleans and low-gain crunch channel voices, especially when I am playing at lower volumes and don't have natural reverb from the room I'm in. Some reverb on the crunch channel is great for dialing in a Revolver-era Beatles sound.

I also use a bit of delay with the Express. I use an EHX Deluxe Memory Man in front of the amp at lower gain settings, and in the loop for higher gain settings. I can get some great vintage U2 tones (the cool stuff from their first two albums) from low-gain settings on the crunch channel with the delay pedal.

I've experimented a bit with a phaser (experimenting with funk, and hearing how it sounds with solos), but haven't tried other pedals with it yet (although I'm tempted to try some kind of OD pedal on the crunch or burn settings to see what it would do to the sound, especially the bass).

 

[MrMason]

I just got am Express 5:50 2x12 combo last Tuesday. So far I'm really liking it! I got the amp because I loved the blues mode. At first I had that mode set up and the crunch mode set up simultaneously. Now I found an AWESOME lead tone, almost akin to a Mark IV, on the burn mode. I hate sacrificing the blues tone I had, but have managed to get something pretty close on the clean channel. The amp does have too much bass, but just turn it down and it's fine. I'm using a Boss SD-1 so I can start with medium gain, kick in SD-1 for more gain, kick contour to push it over the top. VERY versatile amp!

 

[mesaluckystrike]

Steve-The mesa 1x12 cab that I got has the C-90 black shadow speaker. From my experience with it so far it seems like it opens up the sound more; makes a warmer, fuller tone. It also looks great with my combo stacked on top of it. Lately I have been using the mesa cab and valve jr cab and leaving the 10 inch combo speaker unplugged.

By the way I got the supa-trem tremolo pedal from Fulltone yesterday and hooked it up in the FX loop of the express. Wow! This thing sounds incredible; nice vintage tone. I have a 74 princeton reverb too and I think the supa-trem matches or surpasses the sound of the princeton trem.

In terms of OD pedals, I have a pro-co rat and blues driver. Since I got the mesa I haven't used them much. When I do hook them up to the express, it sends the burn channel into outerspace; lots of feedback and sustain.

 

[Room3]

I got a 5:50 1x12 two days ago and I'm having a blast with this. Just tried it with my old Fulldrive 2 pedal last night and got some more cool overdrive sounds. The real test will be in a band or gig situation but so far, so good!

 

[John Vasco]

I got a 5:25 (1x10) a few weeks ago. Already have an F-50. Here's the 5:25:



On gigs I use the LP Custom through the F-50 for soloing, and the Deluxe through the 5:25 for cleans. Perfect combination.

 

[rwil]

Cool! 8)
Nice guits!

 

[soundchaser59]

I bought the 10 inch 5.25 Express back in November 07. It sounds great thru a 2x12 Tone Tubby alnico cab, or some 12 inch alnico Blue Dogs.

I was a bit disappointed that the contour control behaves/sounds different than the contour control I had on my Subway Rocket. That was a super nice amp, but I got rid of it because it was used and had repair issues inside. I sold several amps and the Express got rid of my regrets about selling the other amps.

The only other amp I have been craving and saving for is a THD Flexi-50. I'd love to have both, then I would feel 99.999% complete as far as guitar rig goes. But my next door neighbour has a Super Champ I cant talk him out of!

 

[mesaluckystrike]

Hey Soundchaser - How would you say the 2x12 changes the sound of your 5:25? Do you use the 1x10 combo speaker with the 2x12 cab?

I found that the 1x10 speaker alone in the combo seems to breaks up faster compared when I have the combo hooked up to my 1x12 C90 mesa cab. Also, the 1x12 widebody mesa cab adds more depth and bass to the sound.

 

[pd335]

Hey Fellers,
This is only my second post but my dad has had a 5:25 for almost a year and I just bit the bullet today and did what I should have done for awhile, I got one myself!

We both got the single 10 combos. I love the 10. I cant believe the tone that comes out of these things! Its so focused and full and just freaking sweet! My pops got a matching 12 3/4 cab and it has brought out the distortion side of things a lot more while giving more of a full and huge round tone to the cleans.

Also, I have a 2x12 cab with a lot brighter speakers in it, Celestions G12T75, that I hooked my new Express to today. Those speakers and a completely closed back cab were really something else! Lots of punch and bright more Marshally type sounds were available.

I gotta be honest though, thats not the sound that draws me to the Express and Mesa in general and its cool to know I can tap into that if need be, but I am ditching this 2x12 and getting a cab with something more like the C90.

Oh and about the noise... I have played my pops for a long time loud and low and gosh I really dont think this thing is that noisy. I do not have a lot of experience with Mesa stuff but I have had a few other amps, Fenders, Marshalls, Randalls, all tube and they were either noisier or about the same.