Paradox916
Well-known member
Damn guess a little luck and being nice to my amp has paid off... thank you for enlightening us.!
Mesa Cali Tweed?
- Thread starter Dan0h
- Start date
jjjimi84
Well-known member
I have owned a few Mesa Boogies in the past and did own a Fillmore 50 for a long spell. It do high gain but did have a beautiful clean sound. Ultimately it was very under used in my hands because i only ever used one channel with a big clean sound.
I think the tweed would be pretty great, the ta-30 i have has a great tweed sound in it along with a ton of cool shit.
I think the tweed would be pretty great, the ta-30 i have has a great tweed sound in it along with a ton of cool shit.
Harry Klippton
Not Interested
Never heard of psionic audio before now, cool
wintercept
Well-known member
As to which brands are, I’d say a lot of older amps are better built and more accessible to work on.
By reading and watching Psionic’s videos, I’ve gotten a feel for which brands and amps suck in terms of quality or repair ability; namely Friedman, Morgans, Mesas, Blackstar, some newer and older Fender, Marshall, Vox. The Crate Blue Voodoo, that thing looks like a Mesa inside, chock full o’ vactrol’s and fets.
New amps that are high quality are faulty cost prohibitive, think Fuchs, etc. Psionic holds Suhr stuff to a pretty high standard, but always discloses that he is friends with the guy.
It’s pretty bad nowadays, where $2000 amps are built like crap and need to be serviced the same as $500 amps. The Friedman stuff really surprised me, looks no better than a Blues Junior inside those things.
By reading and watching Psionic’s videos, I’ve gotten a feel for which brands and amps suck in terms of quality or repair ability; namely Friedman, Morgans, Mesas, Blackstar, some newer and older Fender, Marshall, Vox. The Crate Blue Voodoo, that thing looks like a Mesa inside, chock full o’ vactrol’s and fets.
New amps that are high quality are faulty cost prohibitive, think Fuchs, etc. Psionic holds Suhr stuff to a pretty high standard, but always discloses that he is friends with the guy.
It’s pretty bad nowadays, where $2000 amps are built like crap and need to be serviced the same as $500 amps. The Friedman stuff really surprised me, looks no better than a Blues Junior inside those things.
When Fender SF amps were cheap, I used to tell people to get one of those, put a little money into it to get it running right and the amp will practically last forever. Unfortunately, SF amps are no longer cheap.
As for modern made amps that are built right... There are many boutique amps that are built like the old ones (pre 1980) but they aren't cheap either.
As for modern made amps that are built right... There are many boutique amps that are built like the old ones (pre 1980) but they aren't cheap either.
Harry Klippton
Not Interested
You can totally do it. If you can build a pedal, you can build an amp. Just do your homework on working with high voltages in an amp and you're good to go
Yeah, if you're handy with a soldering iron, this is the way to go. Mojotone makes really high quality kits and they are affordable for what you get. Lots of times if someone wants me to build them an amp, I just tell them to buy what they like at MT and I'll build it for them. This saves me so much time in having to hunt down all the parts, get the faceplates made, etc.
And yes, I can't stress enough, do your homework on working with high voltages. Amp voltages will lay you out. A good way to start is working with one hand in your pocket.
wintercept
Well-known member
The more you watch, you’ll see he isn’t trying to scare people away from any amps, just make sure guitar players are well informed about their gear, and what to expect from their amps and their techs.
There are also some gems out there to be had a good price vs quality.
Dan0h
Well-known member
Right. I love channels like this. I use to watch this other amp repair guy, he also did a lot of random old radio stuff too. Can’t remember his channel. I enjoy listening to the knowledge just spewing out. This absolutely painted Mesa in a new light in my mind. An aspect I never would have considered if it wasn’t for this thread.
Rock on forum dudes.
SillyOctpuss
Well-known member
I had a ta15 for a while. There was a lot to like about it and it had a ton of different tones but the lack of reverb and no effects loop was a dealbreaker in the end. It was fine when I was running it kinda cleanish with a reverb pedal at the end of my pedalboard but it sounded so good driven I was always frustrated having to run a reverb in front which ended up mushing up the tone of the amp. If it had the reverb from the ta30 I'd have kept it.
I hate to say it but once I worked out how to make a decent tube amp I haven't heard an affordable production amp I want. Once you get used to the next level in sound it's really hard to go backwards! And I'm no amp genius. I never even studied electronics. I just learnt how to build 'em from reading a lot in books and online and yes, from youtube videos from Uncle Doug and Psionic and the like, and worked out how to get the sounds I wanted.
So now any Marshall or Fender which isn't handwired sounds like crap. The old ones can be amazing but modern amps can be so poorly built that they are noisy, thin and easy to destroy! And the issue I have with swiss-army-knife amps like Boogies is that you might get one decent sound but then getting the next decent sound becomes harder and harder. I've gone to amps with few controls, no bells and whistles, just a good, tight, fat basic tone and do the rest with pedals.
My advice to anyone thinking about a Boogie is to go into the store and pick it up first. That should put anyone off.
So now any Marshall or Fender which isn't handwired sounds like crap. The old ones can be amazing but modern amps can be so poorly built that they are noisy, thin and easy to destroy! And the issue I have with swiss-army-knife amps like Boogies is that you might get one decent sound but then getting the next decent sound becomes harder and harder. I've gone to amps with few controls, no bells and whistles, just a good, tight, fat basic tone and do the rest with pedals.
My advice to anyone thinking about a Boogie is to go into the store and pick it up first. That should put anyone off.
Speaking of tech videos, here’s a good 3 part series on a repair to a catastrophic failure in a triple rectifier. He goes over some of the questionable design and construction decisions made in the amp.
I have a dual rectifier from the same era, absolute beast of an amp and my favorite sound ever but I dread the day something goes wrong with it. Also the FX loop is terrible.
I have a dual rectifier from the same era, absolute beast of an amp and my favorite sound ever but I dread the day something goes wrong with it. Also the FX loop is terrible.
Dan0h
Well-known member
No longer interested in the Mesa.
Instead I believe I want to try and make a 25 watt version of my West. Very straight forward components. I have the schematic. Just have to figure out how to half everything and add a solid reverb tank. The cab is no problem as I built my last cab out of walnut and love it, stuck a super Champ head and a 12” Jensen in it and sounds great but you know how it goes, always wanting the next thing to build.
Instead I believe I want to try and make a 25 watt version of my West. Very straight forward components. I have the schematic. Just have to figure out how to half everything and add a solid reverb tank. The cab is no problem as I built my last cab out of walnut and love it, stuck a super Champ head and a 12” Jensen in it and sounds great but you know how it goes, always wanting the next thing to build.
fig
Village Idiot
Why would you hate to say that?I hate to say it but once I worked out how to make a decent tube amp I haven't heard an affordable production amp I want. Once you get used to the next level in sound it's really hard to go backwards! And I'm no amp genius. I never even studied electronics. I just learnt how to build 'em from reading a lot in books and online and yes, from youtube videos from Uncle Doug and Psionic and the like, and worked out how to get the sounds I wanted.
So now any Marshall or Fender which isn't handwired sounds like crap. The old ones can be amazing but modern amps can be so poorly built that they are noisy, thin and easy to destroy! And the issue I have with swiss-army-knife amps like Boogies is that you might get one decent sound but then getting the next decent sound becomes harder and harder. I've gone to amps with few controls, no bells and whistles, just a good, tight, fat basic tone and do the rest with pedals.
My advice to anyone thinking about a Boogie is to go into the store and pick it up first. That should put anyone off.
( turn of the phrase
).I don't want to cause derailment but you just detailed what I am looking for. Would it be okay to PM you with some follow-ups sir?
Harry Klippton
Not Interested
Dan0h
Well-known member
Are you buying kits similar to MojoTone stuff or are you building from scratch? I have been on an uncle doug and psionic watch a thon.I hate to say it but once I worked out how to make a decent tube amp I haven't heard an affordable production amp I want. Once you get used to the next level in sound it's really hard to go backwards! And I'm no amp genius. I never even studied electronics. I just learnt how to build 'em from reading a lot in books and online and yes, from youtube videos from Uncle Doug and Psionic and the like, and worked out how to get the sounds I wanted.
So now any Marshall or Fender which isn't handwired sounds like crap. The old ones can be amazing but modern amps can be so poorly built that they are noisy, thin and easy to destroy! And the issue I have with swiss-army-knife amps like Boogies is that you might get one decent sound but then getting the next decent sound becomes harder and harder. I've gone to amps with few controls, no bells and whistles, just a good, tight, fat basic tone and do the rest with pedals.
My advice to anyone thinking about a Boogie is to go into the store and pick it up first. That should put anyone off.