Mesa Strategy 500 Question

[psychodave]

Do you think this deep mod could be added to a Mesa 295?

Yeah. why not? Likely they are the same design, but one has more power.

 

[Stony T N2]

I recently acquired a Mesa Strategy 500 to pair with my Mesa Studio Preamp and I noticed when the deep switch is off it doesn't have much bottom end, to the point where you could say the top end is pretty harsh regardless of where the presence controls are set. I can turn the bass up on the Studio pre, but I end up having to go way beyond where people normally set the EQ (normally the bass knob is typically set to 3 or less from what I've read) - but something sounds a bit off. When I turn the deep switch on then it becomes too boomy and the bottom end is really overkill.

When I switch to my Mesa 2:90 that issue goes away, even with the modern and deep switches disengaged it still sounds fuller and more natural sounding for the guitar. Does this sound like my S500 has an issue, possible tube change needing? Everything I had read about these amps is that they kill all other Mesa power amps, specifically for guitar rigs.

Also the Strategy 400, which is what Hetfield and many other players back in the day were using, doesn't have the deep switch option. Does that mean in comparison to a 2:90 it too has this strident top end? Appreciate any feedback.

I've owned two of the Strategy 500's and oh my, I'd keep coming back if I needed to. The Deep Extend is a switch that is always on for me. This amp has given me my signature tone that I can't find in any other amp.
All the Cab Sims, plugins, Kempers, AxeFX's etc, can't even come close to the low end and "chug" I get out of my tubed pre-amp and power amp. And get this, I haven't changed my tubes in at Least 20yrs. Lol!
I know, I know, it's due time, but I've always lived by ...if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It still sounds like an AbsoFkinLutely AmazeBallz powerhouse!
But, as a matter of fact, I was just going to price the shitload of tubes needed to re-tube both my Strat500 and my Tri-Axis preamp...(yup, I'm old school).
Anyone have an 'in' on where to go for new tubes for both?
I love getting 'good/great deals', or I'd just Google and/or Amazon search em and buy em.

Back to your original question:
I don't get any undesirable hums or noise. The only undesirable noise I'm getting is an am radio background noise when the dirty channel is active. Definitely annoying, but goes away when I change patches to a clean tone ??
I'm pretty sure that the noise I'm getting is attributed to bad/old cables, hence why, a few days ago, I purchased all new high quality patch cables and instrument cables for my whole rig.
Hopefully that eliminates the radio interference. If it doesn't, I'm gonna track it down and kill it!
Basically, if you're getting unwanted noise or issues with the Deep Extend switch switched on, I'm with the others on here that are saying, it's probably time to re-tube, but even more..it's time for a servicing.

Just in case anyone wants to know...
My rig consists of a Boogie Tri-Axis preamp, Boogie Strategy 500 power amp, and for Years it's been a TC Electronics G-Force FX unit. All ran with/thru a midi pedalboard. Recently the G-Force took a ROM dump showing the dreaded message 'ROM Corrupted' and no matter how many new batteries I'd change out in it, the 'ROM Corrupted' message would eventually happen, wiping out all my Hard AF to program user presets, again n again.
Ugh!!!
So, I think I solved the problem. I just purchased the TC Electronics Plethora X5 effects unit, and oh my does this thing sound amazing!

The plus sides and minuses...
It's fairly easy to program, swap boards around via the app, and make adjustments of the pedals via the app, and all the tone print add-ons are super cool!

Now the minuses...
I'm not the best 'deep diver' of new tech, especially this new tech. So I've been fighting the Plethora X5 to get it to be ran by my Ground Control Pro midi controller instead of its own stomp buttons. I wanna run it off my Ground Control Pro because not only is the Ground Control Pro a badass midi controller, but it also controls my Tri-Axis. I don't want to be tap dancing all around different devices to get things going and this Ground Control Pro can do anything and everything I'll need it to do...I just gotta figure out how to do it. Haha!

Another minus with the Plethora X5 is the lag time between presets. Ugh!
I've been chatting with a couple of 'in the know pros' about this issue, and they have tried to get me to understand a few different ways to run it that could eliminate some lag time, but I refer back up to my statement of..."I'm not the best deep diver of new tech" type of dude!
If anyone wants to or can help me, I'd truly appreciate it. Please feel free to throw me ideas or even better, throw me solutions.
Rant complete!
Back to y'all's regular scheduled programming!
Rock On!
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