Mesa Royal Atlantic

[Gooseman]

It cuts more. A lot more. With the RA, you dominate the mix. Other guitarists have to get used to it, unless you dial the mids almost off. You can get close to a Recto sound with the Hi mode. Just turn down the mids and the treble, and ride the bass high. You won't get close to the Recto low end, but that is to be expected. The Royal is not a low mid gain focused amp -- it is sort of a weird take on a high gain British amp -- sort of like an Orange (with more mids, less grain) and a Marshall -- yet, being in a class all by itself.

Don't compare it to a Stiletto. They are so different. The Stiletto is great, but notoriously bright sounding.

I have one and have rocked it since July. I love it. I used to have a Roadster, which I ended up parting ways with.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Yup, they're great amps. Waiting for the used prices to drop.

 

[Gooseman]

Yup, they're great amps. Waiting for the used prices to drop.

Smart move. Considering how some people are insecure and need their purchases to be justified by hype and popularity, I imagine these will make their way to the used market eventually. The bad thing though is that the market for these amps is almost totally nonexistent. They really aren't on people's radar -- not like the Electra Dyne was back in 2009/early 2010. I also haven't felt the urge to get people into them, mainly because I don't like owning what everybody else has.

 

[Gooseman]

Mesa makes great new amps, but they are largely ignored. Too much competition and a bad economy. The last great Mesa to come out was the Lonestar. Everything else hasn't been so successful. I think the RA is on the same path, even if the thing completely rocks. I am just hoping Mesa doesn't try to soup it up some, and make it more "Mesa-like." The beauty of the RA is in the simplicity of the design. I think that is why it sounds so fabulous. There aren't all the usual bells and whistles that litter the chassis's of most Mesas. I find all the dialing and possibilities of most Mesas to be complete overkill. I spend more time trying out all the possibilities, instead of playing. The RA is just a plug and play beast.

 

[cujo]

Ra clips of the clean are beautiful. I just hoping the hi gain has that Mesa sig grind to it. I don't want an orange or a Marshall. I want a Mesa. There sig tone n build quality is amazing. Other than that I'm a Diezel man!

 

[moltisanti]

I have an Electra Dyne which sounds similar to this, with a little less gain, and even fewer knobs

I think Mesa is putting out some great stuff at the moment, these amps are totally different than the MK or Recto stuff in tone and functionality, great for simple minded Limeys like me who like good tone with minimal tweakage

 

[Gooseman]

I have an Electra Dyne which sounds similar to this, with a little less gain, and even fewer knobs

I think Mesa is putting out some great stuff at the moment, these amps are totally different than the MK or Recto stuff in tone and functionality, great for simple minded Limeys like me who like good tone with minimal tweakage

I've played both -- they are not alike. The ED is a great amp, but just so tonally different. The ED is more like the Rectos, in that it is voiced strongly in the low mids. It also has much more lows too. That is something I don't particularly enjoy about some Mesas. I don't get the extended low end -- you can't use it in a mix. It just sounds nice when a guitarist is playing by themselves.

I wouldn't compare the ED and RA. They just look similar. The ED is more in-line with Mesa's American voiced amps. The RA is very much on the same side of things as the TA and Stiletto -- brighter voiced, tighter lows, and crunchy.

The other difference between the RA and ED is that the RA has dedicated channels for dirt and clean tones. That difference is HUGE, especially in terms of playing LOUD. I wouldn't choose one amp over the other though. They both serve different sounds and players.

 

[blackba]

Gooseman you are not helping my GAS. Not going to try a RA, till I have money to buy one, which may be a very long time away.

In order to make room for another amp, that means I will have to kick one out, so it would be competing against my Vox AC50, Marshall 2553, and Mesa mark IVA. If it can get me some of the tones of my Jubilee without the quirks of the Jubilee, that would be ideal.

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

Imagine Mesa does better than we forum nutjobs know about.

Mesa is still the big deal to most people of aren't trolling the internet, and the fanciest amp at most retail places.


And really if use nutjobs had any sense we'd be supporting and/or bothering Mesa to give us what we want. Atleast thier prices seem fair compared to the over priced crap that we all seem to like.

 

[Gooseman]

Gooseman you are not helping my GAS. Not going to try a RA, till I have money to buy one, which may be a very long time away.

In order to make room for another amp, that means I will have to kick one out, so it would be competing against my Vox AC50, Marshall 2553, and Mesa mark IVA. If it can get me some of the tones of my Jubilee without the quirks of the Jubilee, that would be ideal.

Don't get rid of the Mark! That is a classic amp!

 

[ericb]

Imagine Mesa does better than we forum nutjobs know about.

Mesa is still the big deal to most people of aren't trolling the internet, and the fanciest amp at most retail places.


And really if use nutjobs had any sense we'd be supporting and/or bothering Mesa to give us what we want. Atleast thier prices seem fair compared to the over priced crap that we all seem to like.

I like this post A LOT!!!! I very much agree

Eric

 

[stephen sawall]

Imagine Mesa does better than we forum nutjobs know about.

Mesa is still the big deal to most people of aren't trolling the internet, and the fanciest amp at most retail places.


And really if use nutjobs had any sense we'd be supporting and/or bothering Mesa to give us what we want. Atleast thier prices seem fair compared to the over priced crap that we all seem to like.

I like this post A LOT!!!! I very much agree

Eric

+1

 

[cujo]

Yeah people are fucking anal about amps. Instead of bitching about an amp that doesn't do what you want buy one that does. All in all fender Mesa n Marshall rule the fkn planet.

 

[Mudder]

Do the two smaller Transatlantics come close to the same tones as this monster?

 

[Gitfiddler]

Yup, they're great amps. Waiting for the used prices to drop.

i can't even find them new. the local shops have lots of mark vs, rectifiers, and trans siberian atlantics..no royal atlantics though

hopefully mesa will start pumping them out so people can start flipping them

 

[Gooseman]

Do the two smaller Transatlantics come close to the same tones as this monster?

No, they are totally different sounding. The TA-30 is the only I am experienced with, and it is world's different than the RA. That amp is the complete opposite of the RA and the usual Mesa sound. LIke most EL-84 amps, the TA just has this very wide-open sound to it. Great highs, great mids, and lacking a bit in the lows (like most EL-84 amps). You can get very comparable Vox chime from it, as well as some interesting Tweed grit. Much more believable than the Tweed modes on other Mesa's IMO. There is just too much bass in other Mesa amps that don't lend itself to a comparable Tweed tone. The TA has a great high gain channel too, but it really wasn't my cup of tea. More gritty and grainy. I like more smooth sounding gain. I think it has to do with more than a lack of compression. That's what I heard when I played it at least. I know many love the TA30. I am very intrigued by that amp nevertheless. Did you see what Andy Timmons did with that amp? Amazing ...

 

[stephen sawall]

Yup, they're great amps. Waiting for the used prices to drop.

i can't even find them new. the local shops have lots of mark vs, rectifiers, and trans siberian atlantics..no royal atlantics though

hopefully mesa will start pumping them out so people can start flipping them

I have a feel this is going to be my next Mesa .....

 

[cujo]

Does it sound like a Marshall or a Mesa?

 

[Mudder]

Do the two smaller Transatlantics come close to the same tones as this monster?

No, they are totally different sounding. The TA-30 is the only I am experienced with, and it is world's different than the RA. That amp is the complete opposite of the RA and the usual Mesa sound. LIke most EL-84 amps, the TA just has this very wide-open sound to it. Great highs, great mids, and lacking a bit in the lows (like most EL-84 amps). You can get very comparable Vox chime from it, as well as some interesting Tweed grit. Much more believable than the Tweed modes on other Mesa's IMO. There is just too much bass in other Mesa amps that don't lend itself to a comparable Tweed tone. The TA has a great high gain channel too, but it really wasn't my cup of tea. More gritty and grainy. I like more smooth sounding gain. I think it has to do with more than a lack of compression. That's what I heard when I played it at least. I know many love the TA30. I am very intrigued by that amp nevertheless. Did you see what Andy Timmons did with that amp? Amazing ...

I saw a demo with Timmons, and he sounded like himself. It sounded like a really versatile amp, I guess I'll have to check one out in person.

 

[stephen sawall]

Does it sound like a Marshall or a Mesa?

What model Mesa are you thinking ? The different lines of Mesa amps sound nothing like each other in my ears...