jetdriver":2sgmobl1 said:
Alright Gooseman.
I have a Roadster now. I like it a lot, it's a good amp, but I've found that I primarily only live on two of the channels. I basically just want a good clean, and a good gain channel. Often times, I will just roll off a little volume of the guitar to get some in-between grit. I like lots of different music, from classic rock/70's up to modern metal. I've noticed that when I play alone, I like more thumping lows in my sound, but of course in a band setting that is not practical. I figure that if I can get a nice round Fenderish clean, and a good solid crunch, I don't need all the in between flavors and options. I'd rather just plug in and rip.
I owned a Stiletto Deuce II for a couple years and never really bonded with it. Loved the lead tones, but otherwise it was too bright. So, here I am GASsing for a new/different amp. Not sure what to do. Since you came from a Roadster, I thought I'd ask you what (if anything) you miss about it. I can tell you somethings that annoy me are (and they're nit picky) the knobs - I can never tell where they are set, and the giant footswitch. I use an Amp Gizmo and a generic 4 button MIDI switcher to save real estate on my pedalboard. I'm lovin' the RA's nice little 2 button switch.
I haven't had the chance to actually demo one yet, and I know that's really the only way to be sure. Still, I would appreciate your feedback.
Boy, you hit the nail on the head about the Roadster. Alone, I too loved to set the amp up with lots of bass and low end. Then you play it with your band and you sound like utter shit. You don't cut, while your sound becomes stiff and anemic.
I wasn't going to sell my Roadster UNTIL I started messing around with an Orange Tiny Terror at practice. I couldn't believe how much better I sat in the mix with my other guitarist. The Roadster is a fantastic amp, but for my playing ability and style I could never get it to sound quite right with the band. At home there were no problems. Anyways, that is what really started me down the path of searching for a new amp. I tried a TON of amps. I finally settled on four - Goldfinger 45, /13 (some 31 watt model), Vox Handwired, and the RA-100. For my tastes, all the amps had what I wanted -- great cleans, great gain tones, and no need for biasing after tube swaps. I can't really afford bringing my amp to a tech every time I swap out a tube, so that part of the equation was essential. The reasons I went RA-100 over the others is:
1) The attenuator/Multi Soak feature is REALLY GOOD. Very transparent and very easy to cop some interesting power tube crunch/purr.
2) The clean channel is VERY, VERY fuckin' beautiful sounding. I just got done playing my amp actually. Even with a Gibby SG Standard, the amp just oozes f-ing tone. Seriously. I feel like I just had the best sex ever. I have the 'verb at about noon, and I've just got nice and spanky clean tone going. The slightest breakup if I dig in, tons of usable low end, and more sparkle in the top end. The used to run my Roadster cleans on Tweed because I wanted some more shimmer in the top end of my cleans.
3) While I love the chimey and complex mid gain/crunch tones of the amps I listed, I felt I could get the same from the RA by just adding my OCD to the front end. I am a BIG fan of the OCD set with little gain.
4) The RAs lead tones are just very smooth and easy IMO. I never could get GREAT lead tones from the Roadster. Looking back, the Roadster was just a touch too dark for what I was/am doing musically.
5) The RA had a great hi gain channel that the other amps lacked. I don't really use super saturated high gain for rhythm tones, just for searing leads. The hi mode on the RA just sang for leads and doesn't need to be boosted at all. The lo mode also afforded me the chime I loved about the other amps I listed, only with more wattage behind the sound. I do love the Bogner Goldfinger though!
Pros of the RA:
Great cleans
Great grit
Great power tube crunch
Great lo mode (this channel shines)
Good hi mode
Amazing loop (none of that dialing in mess that the Roadster has. The Roadster was such a better amp with the loop disengaged IMO. amp output + channel masters + overall output = a huge tone mess and too much crap to dial in)
Cuts through the mix without being bright
Cons of the RA:
Great high gain tones, but nothing like the Rectifier chunk we all love (this was a huge mental hurdle to get over).
The amp is MID-Heavy. As in upper midrange heavy. You will always dominate the mix, unless you are in the hi mode.
Reverb isn't as lush as say the ED or the Goldfinger 45
All in all, I really find little fault with the Royal. I personally don't like to go overboard in reviewing an amp. You just caught me at a bad time. I just got done posting to FB how much fun I've had with the Royal over the past two hours. The thing just rocks. The Roadster is a great amp. I really can't knock it. It has it's share of pros and cons just like any other amp in Mesa's line. None of their amps are the end all, be all. Personally, I think the RA is the closest though. Great leads, great cleans, built in attenuation for power tube clip (A Mesa that's designed to clip the power tube section), good reverb, and very easy to dial in.
Here's something weird - I rarely use the Royal outside of the 100 watt mode. I just don't. I really like the clean tones more on 50. There is more sparkle and dynamics with the lower wattage to my ears.
