Mesa Guys in Here

[Markedman]

When I had my Rev F Recto I played it against my friends Rev C Recto. I liked my Rev F more. The C is super bright to my ears.

Some of us like bright amps.

One person's bright... is another's focused and articulate. YMMV.

Every time I play with another guitar player, his Fender or Marshall amp is waaaaaaaaay brighter than my Boogie. Diezels and Orange amps are similar to Boogies.

I was at an Eric Johnson concert and the lighting guy exclaimed, "his tone is too bright" and I laughed. He didn't laugh with me so I asked him if he was serious? He said he was. There you go, one man's,.....

 

[311boogieman]

This thread is of interest to me.

But my new to me Rev F Triple takes the cake...it's very close to the 2 early Rev G Triples I owned but with more warmth and brightness, and the clarity is a big step above the G Triples I owned, both of which were in the 4000 range serials.

How can an amp be warm AND bright at the same time?

Just messing around a bit but I was thinking of starting a thread for the names and descriptions we give to tone

 

[Racerxrated]

This thread is of interest to me.

But my new to me Rev F Triple takes the cake...it's very close to the 2 early Rev G Triples I owned but with more warmth and brightness, and the clarity is a big step above the G Triples I owned, both of which were in the 4000 range serials.

How can an amp be warm AND bright at the same time?

Just messing around a bit but I was thinking of starting a thread for the names and descriptions we give to tone

Do you think warm=dark? I don’t. Warm to me is a pleasing midrange that isn’t honky. Brighter is more sweep with the presence and treble knobs, vs the other amp. The G Triples had less upper mids, more lower vs the F triple that has its midrange centered a bit higher on the frequency scale.
That’s my interpretation anyway. YMMV.

 

[JCDenton6]

I would do it tbh, you can hear the difference in clips but it's more apparent in the room and at volume.

I did it some years back and can never go back to the stock config, it just rips!

 

[Beyond Black]

I had a bad ass 2 channel Dual recto and my reborn triple. Too similar to keep both for sure. Kept the triple. I dig the beastiness of the triple. Has the edge. Personal preference of course.

Try EL34’s before you dump one.

I think I’m gonna keep both. I can’t sell this Rev F Dual, it’s just too good.

 

[Beyond Black]

When I had my Rev F Recto I played it against my friends Rev C Recto. I liked my Rev F more. The C is super bright to my ears.

That said Mike B can easily mod to anything for cheap.

I’d have
But can that brightness be dialed down and managed, or is it always there? I had an Aldrich that was extremely bright and I just couldn’t manage it. It was either too dark or too bright. Does Mike B do any other mods?

The Rev C mod is 80% of the way there; from guys who have a real C and a modded G to a C. There are some differences; I don't think the modded G to C can get as bright as the original. But it's close. This is from someone who has both. But he loves the huge low end in combination with the improved tightness and cut/brightness.

That’s what I want, that jackhammer, tight, low end with some nice cut.

 

[Beyond Black]

I would do it tbh, you can hear the difference in clips but it's more apparent in the room and at volume.

I did it some years back and can never go back to the stock config, it just rips!

I’m doing it. I called Mike B. today and left him a voice mail. Hopefully be shipping it Thursday or Friday.

 

[Beyond Black]

I had a bad ass 2 channel Dual recto and my reborn triple. Too similar to keep both for sure. Kept the triple. I dig the beastiness of the triple. Has the edge. Personal preference of course.

Try EL34’s before you dump one.

So I just tried EL-34’s in the Rev F Dual, and holy shit. I replaced the Mesa 440’s with TAD EL-34B’s, and it was like awakening a beast. First off, the amp got probably 50% louder. Is that supposed to happen on the EL-34 setting? Also, they made it considerably more aggressive, with more growl, harmonics and a much more 3D sound. I swear it’s even got more grind to chords. It got a tad looser, but it’s still tight enough with low end to spare. I absolutely love how you can flick a switch on these Mesas and experiment with different types of tubes without biasing.

 

[bubbastain]

Man, Mesas have always fried my brain. So many versions and revisions. I'm scared of Triples. So many tubes!!!!! But man they can sound huge and killer.

 

[skoora]

I had a bad ass 2 channel Dual recto and my reborn triple. Too similar to keep both for sure. Kept the triple. I dig the beastiness of the triple. Has the edge. Personal preference of course.

Try EL34’s before you dump one.

So I just tried EL-34’s in the Rev F Dual, and holy shit. I replaced the Mesa 440’s with TAD EL-34B’s, and it was like awakening a beast. First off, the amp got probably 50% louder. Is that supposed to happen on the EL-34 setting? Also, they made it considerably more aggressive, with more growl, harmonics and a much more 3D sound. I swear it’s even got more grind to chords. It got a tad looser, but it’s still tight enough with low end to spare. I absolutely love how you can flick a switch on these Mesas and experiment with different types of tubes without biasing.

Mesa only guarantees that with their tubes as they are looking for tubes with a certain inherent current draw for consistency in their fixed bias design. If you use another brand you need to ask the seller if they have them in a range that is Mesa friendly.

 

[Beyond Black]

I had a bad ass 2 channel Dual recto and my reborn triple. Too similar to keep both for sure. Kept the triple. I dig the beastiness of the triple. Has the edge. Personal preference of course.

Try EL34’s before you dump one.

So I just tried EL-34’s in the Rev F Dual, and holy shit. I replaced the Mesa 440’s with TAD EL-34B’s, and it was like awakening a beast. First off, the amp got probably 50% louder. Is that supposed to happen on the EL-34 setting? Also, they made it considerably more aggressive, with more growl, harmonics and a much more 3D sound. I swear it’s even got more grind to chords. It got a tad looser, but it’s still tight enough with low end to spare. I absolutely love how you can flick a switch on these Mesas and experiment with different types of tubes without biasing.

Mesa only guarantees that with their tubes as they are looking for tubes with a certain inherent current draw for consistency in their fixed bias design. If you use another brand you need to ask the seller if they have them in a range that is Mesa friendly.

Yeah, I’ve read about that. You can only damage the tubes though, not the amp, right?

 

[stephen sawall]

I had a bad ass 2 channel Dual recto and my reborn triple. Too similar to keep both for sure. Kept the triple. I dig the beastiness of the triple. Has the edge. Personal preference of course.

Try EL34’s before you dump one.

So I just tried EL-34’s in the Rev F Dual, and holy shit. I replaced the Mesa 440’s with TAD EL-34B’s, and it was like awakening a beast. First off, the amp got probably 50% louder. Is that supposed to happen on the EL-34 setting? Also, they made it considerably more aggressive, with more growl, harmonics and a much more 3D sound. I swear it’s even got more grind to chords. It got a tad looser, but it’s still tight enough with low end to spare. I absolutely love how you can flick a switch on these Mesas and experiment with different types of tubes without biasing.

Mesa only guarantees that with their tubes as they are looking for tubes with a certain inherent current draw for consistency in their fixed bias design. If you use another brand you need to ask the seller if they have them in a range that is Mesa friendly.

Yeah, I’ve read about that. You can only damage the tubes though, not the amp, right?

You can damage the amp.

There should be virtually no volume change when using 6L6 or EL34.

The bass is tighter with EL34. You probably have tubes that are way too hot a bias..you can blow the output transformer if the tube goes. You might have done damage already. But unlikely.

Did you check to see if it has the proper fuses ?
They usually go first....if your lucky.

I'm only guessing from your post. Without actually being there I have no idea what has happened.

 

[Beyond Black]

I had a bad ass 2 channel Dual recto and my reborn triple. Too similar to keep both for sure. Kept the triple. I dig the beastiness of the triple. Has the edge. Personal preference of course.

Try EL34’s before you dump one.

So I just tried EL-34’s in the Rev F Dual, and holy shit. I replaced the Mesa 440’s with TAD EL-34B’s, and it was like awakening a beast. First off, the amp got probably 50% louder. Is that supposed to happen on the EL-34 setting? Also, they made it considerably more aggressive, with more growl, harmonics and a much more 3D sound. I swear it’s even got more grind to chords. It got a tad looser, but it’s still tight enough with low end to spare. I absolutely love how you can flick a switch on these Mesas and experiment with different types of tubes without biasing.

Mesa only guarantees that with their tubes as they are looking for tubes with a certain inherent current draw for consistency in their fixed bias design. If you use another brand you need to ask the seller if they have them in a range that is Mesa friendly.

Yeah, I’ve read about that. You can only damage the tubes though, not the amp, right?

You can damage the amp.

There should be virtually no volume change when using 6L6 or EL34.

The bass is tighter with EL34. You probably have tubes that are way too hot a bias..you can blow the output transformer if the tube goes. You might have done damage already. But unlikely.

Did you check to see if it has the proper fuses ?
They usually go first....if your lucky.

I'm only guessing from your post. Without actually being there I have no idea what has happened.

Ok, they’re coming out immediately. Thank you, SS. I didn’t play it for very long like that. I think I’m gonna score some new ones though. Mesa EL34’s? Eurotubes JJ’s? Anybody try KT77’s?

 

[stephen sawall]

Mesa would be my preference. But any decent vendor if you ask would get you tubes in the proper range. Just let them know what amp.

I run 6L6 in my Tremoverb. EL34 can be better for the heavy stuff because of the upper mid-range and tighter bass.

To be honest any Tube Screamer makes the bass tighter than a tube change.

 

[skoora]

To be honest any Tube Screamer makes the bass tighter than a tube change.

This. EL34's will change the characteristics of the mids and top end more. A slight reduction in bass but very slight. It's enough of a change in my T-Verb I wish I could have two amps just to have the change in sound ready to go. But I do think for all the sounds a T-Verb can do I've found 6L's the best overall choice. Love playing surf rock on the clean channel with the reverb up.

 

[Beyond Black]

I ordered a quad of JJ KT77’s from Eurotubes. I’ve liked those in every amp I’ve tried them in, so we’ll see how they are in a Dual.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I ordered a quad of JJ KT77’s from Eurotubes. I’ve liked those in every amp I’ve tried them in, so we’ll see how they are in a Dual.

I ran jj kt77s in the MW dual I had...sounded good. Preferred the Mesa with 6L6 TBH.

 

[Beyond Black]

I ordered a quad of JJ KT77’s from Eurotubes. I’ve liked those in every amp I’ve tried them in, so we’ll see how they are in a Dual.

I ran jj kt77s in the MW dual I had...sounded good. Preferred it with the Mesa 6L6 TBH.

I’ll be comparing both. I like the little extra grease that EL34 type tubes provide.

 

[GJgo]

Mesa 440 (Chinese) or 445 (JJ- my preference because they are tighter) in Grey. That puts your bias in the high 30s to 40mA with a 2 channel Rec. Done.

 

[311boogieman]

This thread is of interest to me.

But my new to me Rev F Triple takes the cake...it's very close to the 2 early Rev G Triples I owned but with more warmth and brightness, and the clarity is a big step above the G Triples I owned, both of which were in the 4000 range serials.

How can an amp be warm AND bright at the same time?

Just messing around a bit but I was thinking of starting a thread for the names and descriptions we give to tone

Do you think warm=dark? I don’t. Warm to me is a pleasing midrange that isn’t honky. Brighter is more sweep with the presence and treble knobs, vs the other amp. The G Triples had less upper mids, more lower vs the F triple that has its midrange centered a bit higher on the frequency scale.
That’s my interpretation anyway. YMMV.

I typed up a big response that is now gone

I don't feel like retyping it. I WILL create a Tone definition thread soon.

Safe to say I prefer warm and cold and bright and dark descriptions. You could have a bright bass tone just like a you could have warm treble. That's all I was getting at. That's why I had a hard time wrapping my head around warm AND bright tone. All good. We can catch up on this later


Yeah - I prefer EL34s in my Recto Carry on