Mike Bendinelli at MESA/Boogie No Longer Doing Mods **UPDATE**

[Mikeyboyeee]

Who else is brave enough to work on a Mesa Boogie. Rare indeed

My tested tech loathes working on them.

 

[gtrwun]

My tested tech loathes working on them.

Most techs don’t like working on Mesa’s. Lots going on under the hood.

 

[raybarbeemusic]

My tested tech loathes working on them.

Most techs don’t like working on Mesa’s. Lots going on under the hood.

I don't mind working on them, at least the older ones. The new ones have 50 relays that require removing the PCB, yuck. Changing a 2C to a + or a ++ wouldn't be that hard I'd think, if one knew the component differences.

 

[Snave]

Lol no more mods…

It's not a "true" mod like those which Mike B. would bill for separate from Mesa Boogie (e.g., C++ or Rev G to C conversion). It's akin to a parallel to series loop mod. If he's still servicing amps, he'll do basic things like this.

 

[JimAnsell]

Who else is brave enough to work on a Mesa Boogie.

the r2 mod on a mark III is super easy.
All of the marks up until the V aren't THAT crazy to work on. just tight.

 

[blackba]

I will work on Mesa's, but due to a number of factors (like putting reference designators UNDER the components), they just take more time and therefore are more expensive to repair.

I will say I would rather see a mesa than a SS amp.

 

[Metlupass2]

Who else is brave enough to work on a Mesa Boogie. Rare indeed

Any competent amp tech. Just had my Mark III recapped locally.

 

[cardinal]

Apologies if I missed it, but what did you send it in for?

I've got a mark III with a few little quirks, I've been thinking bout sending to them, and have just put it off for way too long.

It had bad ghost noting going on.

 

[Shreddingisweating]

It's not a "true" mod like those which Mike B. would bill for separate from Mesa Boogie (e.g., C++ or Rev G to C conversion). It's akin to a parallel to series loop mod. If he's still servicing amps, he'll do basic things like this.

I wrote Mike and he said that is still doing C+ mods.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

I will work on Mesa's, but due to a number of factors (like putting reference designators UNDER the components), they just take more time and therefore are more expensive to repair.

I will say I would rather see a mesa than a SS amp.

That's interesting. Are SS amps that much more difficult to work on?

 

[blackba]

That's interesting. Are SS amps that much more difficult to work on?

Solid State amps are either a super easy fix or they are a cascading failure in the power section.

I have seen them be a bad input jack, cap, or op amp. What is the hard part is when there is a cascading failure in the power amp and so you have to replace the not only the power mosfets, but the transistors upstream and many times these are hard to find and no longer made. The other risk with many older SS amps is that when the power mosfets short they can short the -50V or +50V DC rail to the speakers and fry the voice coil.

Of the techs I know in the area, most will not work on SS amps. I will work on them, but check the value before I agree, cause those out of production silicon can get expensive. Like a Fender Frontman 212R is just not worth looking at, nor are all the transistors available for that model.

 

[mooncobra]

Yikes. Those “engineers” sound like rookies. Cap job is pretty simple. Nick, dawnofadream, posted here how easy it was to do.

Viva la dawnofdreams!!!