All user reviews for the Mesa Boogie DC-5 Head

I'm just a budding guitarist. Been playing around 8 years and in that time I've done a few gigs. I'm into all kinds of music: rock, blues, jazz, metal, pop etc!

Bought this amp second hand for £600. I was studying a performing musicians course at the time and needed an amp. Mesa have a huge reputation and my local shop had this one up for sale so I bought it!

THE TONE! There is no end to this amp. Firstly you have two channels each with there own set of controls. As well as the gain, bass, middle and treble, they also have their own presence, reverb and master volume.
The clean channel is up there with the cleanest of clean amps. You got crystal clean to warm jazz to edgy blues. There is also the pull boost on the gain just to crank things up a little. It has it all.
The gain channel is pure heaven. Anything from rock to metal. Set the gain low and turn up the master to push the valves and I swear, pure tube tone. Set the gain high and its a wonderful liquid overdrive. It's so sweet.
To top things off, you've got a footswitchable five band equaliser. If you want to add more colour to your tone then use the eq for a more tonal spectrum. You couldn't be happier really!

My only little niggle about this amp is that the pull boost on the clean channel is not footswitchable. It's ashame really because it offers a completely different sound and would be useful to have when needed. I dont want to have to turn around durin a gig and pull and push the switch when needed. Other than that, nothing at all.

The amp is well built, like a tank. The reverb unit is wrapped up and tied down in the back of the amp. Kept safe unlike some amps. I haven't had a problem since I bought it. That was well over a year ago.

You want tone, here it is! These amps were built around 1992/3 - 15 years ago. I played through a mesa boogie combo (i think it was the F series) a few months ago in a shop on Denmark Street in London and I was disappointed. I mean really disappointed. My DC-5 blew it away!!! If you ever get the chance to buy one, do it, you wont regret it. They don't cost the earth and it's ironic really, because mine is priceless to me!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Playing for many, many years. Gigged. Recorded. And evolved musically. Currently living 12 miles from NYC and working on original music. I love tone.

I bought the amp new in 1993. It was a prototype complete with the type written owners manual. Since buying it I have taken it with me to auditions, sessions, you name it. PAID: $1100 USD

The amp is incredibly versatile and built like a tank. It has shimmering clean channel capability as profound and unadulterated as anything out there and on par with some vintage Fender Amps. It grinds with superb overtones on the overdriven channel to provide the type of crunch usually associated with hard rock or metal music. I can play everything from country to rock with this fairly compact little combo and then plug in a cabinet and keep up with anyone or anything out there !

I have never had any problem with the amp -- but I have gone though a few speakers. Being a tone junkie I have tried several different speakers including a greenback that I keep around for low volume stuff and a heavier capacity Celestion that I can slap in there for louder gigs....I was never wild about the Mesa speaker that came in the amp.

I love the way they built this amplifier..the knobs are tight and after 12 years or so they work as well as the day it was purhased. This unit has the unique black push button switches and not the silver toggles on the control panel. I like that feature. It is a very solid feeling piece of equipment.

I wrote this review to contrast the first review of this amp which I found uninformative and somewhat slanted. I run a custom shop Stratocaster with staggered pole pickups through this amp and it chimes, I crank up my Les Paul with it's hand wound Lindy Fralins and it crunches and breaks up with a majesty and beauty that blows aways seasoned professionals who hear it. I also find it capable of handling a very customized Telecaster and provide that all important twang. These are bargains if they have been taken care of and are available used. It is really the one amp that you can use to record and gig with. One amp that will provide any sound you need without employing any effects.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I purchased the amp at MARS in Houston, TX. The DC-5 was around $740 (after tax).

The DC-5 has unreal gain, totally evil sound. The lead with the built-in eq allows you to just grip and rip. Just plug it in and plug your guitar in and your off. Simplicity ws what I was looking for and I found it with the Mesa DC-5. Loud as HELL and only 50 watts.

The only downfall is the footswitch for the eq and channel switching could be longer. The DC-5 I don't think is available as a stock amp. I think that you have to order them from Mesa.

The DC-5 has pretty good construction, but be careful of the knobs are plastic

If you are looking for a solid heavy tone that covers most rock, try the DC-5.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

It is a full amp lamps (2 X 6L6 X12AX7 and 6).
50W of power (attention is the Watts lamps and Mesa-Boogie - trs is powerful)
effects loop with MIX FX, among footswitch reverb and equalizer-channel output recording (with the possibility to cut or not the speaker) output 2 HP 4 Ohm and 8 Ohm output, an output driver for a slave Another amp and finally between a guitar!

UTILIZATION

The handling of the amp is simple but the equalizer (depending on whether or not BTAC) is a little less. The easiest way is to rfrer the manual that contains many examples of sounds. By grinding a minimum rglages have come to get a more than valid.
The manual is disponbible online for those who would not have received with the amp (www.mesaboogie.com)

SOUNDS

I use several guitars: a Tom Anderson Drop Top, an American Standard Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul Studio. The DS-5 fully respects the personnailt of each guitar. I think it is a guarantee of quality for an amp. Each guitar keeps the sound it must have: the mesa does not color frquences instruments.
The clean sounds are warm and crystalline (like those of a Boogie Mark IV), the crunch is perfect for rhythmic well supported. The lead channel alone is worth the dtour. The sound is the Dual Rectifier (I know: I had a dual head grinding and I did not care because I had the same sound with the DC-5). It allows you to have a solo but its powerful trsdfini. The sound does not bleed like some Marshalls, it's clean and prcis. In rhythm with a lot of gain we get the big sound of Korn, Limp Bizkit ..
.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought my amp new in 1996 it still works as well (if not better, it gets better with age!).
I changed lamps amplification two times (I'm thirty concerts per year). Never prampli lamps (not ncessaire unless you want to change the texture of the amp - ask Mike Soldano)
When purchasing j'tais party to buy a Marshall JCM900 combo ... and I flash on the DC-5. A little more expensive but so much better ...
The report price quality is unquestionable. In the era for the price we could find no better (about 1400 euros today).
If mine broke down and silent irrparrable I will seek a DC-5 APRS ...

I have the Combo version of the DC5. The series of Dual Caliber (DC) is no longer in the catalog Mesa, which is a shame because c'tait good stuff.

Pramplificateur 12AX7 + 2 x 6L6 amplifier lamps (50W).
The Watts are the trs is powerful.
- Front Panel: 1 between guitar, from a footswitch (included)
- Rear panel: effect loop (send + return) mix with wet / dry. 1 x HP supplmentaire

Two channels completely indpendants (rhythm, lead) with all the same rglages:
- Gain, treble, mdiums, bass, volume, prsence, reverb.

For both channels:
- A 5-band EQ (see below)
- A master gnral

A switch allows you to use or not EQ: trs big influence SETTING THE tone or EQ on the sound.
A push / pull button rhythm channel gain can boost the sound on that channel: effect guaranteed.
The footswitch has two switches (clean / rhythm and EQ / no EQ)

Speaker Mesa (12'').
Construction trs consquent solid weight (> 30 kg). Careful kidneys, prvoir smoothly.

UTILIZATION

The setup is relatively simple (two channels), but with the little extras:
- Boost the clean channel
- Start or not to EQ.

We need to focus its trs rglages frequency drives: they have an influence on the standard and its saturation (h yes ...). I do not know if it's a gnralit Mesa amps, but the little doc that comes with the trs bte is clear that. In addition, a very well defined.
The use of EQ or not (possible footswitch) is so influential on the sound that was almost a case of three channels.

Because of these possibilities particulires the rglage dlicat and may be less intuitive than some competitors.

SOUNDS

The clean sounds are clear, it looks like the Fender.
The distorted sounds are such that the Mesa is waiting, I can not compare with a Mark IV or Rectifier (I never jou on Rectifier). The DC seems more civilians but may be to do with the style of music I play.

Start with the clean sounds are cut for the blues: it's right, but if you want to tweak a little, has no twists problem. With a Gibson LP, but is also possible: jazz, blues, everything.
In Lead, a range from almost no saturated saturation Mesa, but not extreme, finally, I think. However, I think that Metal is possible the above but it is not my thing, never did.

OVERALL OPINION

My first real amp lamps true, I m'tais pleasure: the pleasure is always after a half-dozen years. I do not regret my purchase, and I had tried era amps (of known and unknown as well), c'tait one on which I had the flash (h las for my wallet ("/> (" />).

The only real problem is that the DC-5 needs to speak volumes: low, the sound is still a little deaf in Lead (my apartment problem: on a scale of 1 10 I play with volumes and a Master 1.5 !!!). Now, everyone knows, lamps, need a heater to sing: it must stir the bowl 12''. And it is far too powerful for home use: low noise, the sound is not saturated height.
For cons, the time o I could push a little, a fuse, agmit is good (note, I have not t flight: the seller had good pr he had come potato)

The verdict:
Fall clean sounds: attention addiction, you get used to quickly plbiens quality we are.
Saturated to play: you have to play with the volume, otherwise dcevant.
In any case, try the SETTING THE littralement frequencies and to sculpt the sound to have fun.
I use it with effect before the pre-amp or in the loop (best). I saturations of pdalier Digitech for big sound, was going well together.

Two BIG problem remains: the weight ("/> (" />, the price (Mesa, it's expensive ("/> (" />).

The conclusion: advice for anyone who can play hard and have a banker accommodating.
-----------------

Addendum 05/10/2003
I rsolu my problem of low volume noise Lead! => I play harder, and fuck the neighbors!

2nd Addendum
Notice that the notes are not for obvious they mean anything from a total of 10.
The 10/10, I leave a Marshall Valvestate fans!

...

UTILIZATION

...

SOUNDS

...

OVERALL OPINION

I possde a DC5 combo since 1998.

He Entire satisfaction given until 2001 from when he manifest an intermittent failure ...

The symptoms are:

- Failure occurring only with qualiser activbr />
- Grsillement of all sound clean, crunch, saturated ....
I went through several rparateurs, including the workshop of the distributor (Camac ).... It changed me a lot of stuff on it ....... I lch a lot of money for nothing ....

The failure has never t rpar. May be because it has never t given the opportunity to show the failure to rparateurs (emphasizing same). A small critical from distributors and rparateurs amp ........

Finally, the dcouragement was right in my efforts and takes the DC5 dusts ....

I take this opportunity to call ............... If someone had a hose to the rpar ....

Otherwise I am the same prt resell ..............

Ironically, I took care, the amp is nickel, like new ..... by the failure ...

email: @ renaud.darboux equipement.gouv.fr

Amp: 2 lamps
Power: 50 watts but beware c 50 watt lamps at all in power and pramplification
Pramplication I really know (I lalflemme to look behind) but must treau least 8 I believe.
pplein and then other stuff (the manual is now on the web I think).

UTILIZATION

No problem, I say finally but has made longtemeps I have, I confess I do not remember if I took time to get the sound I was looking for, but I think not.

SOUNDS

A test you if you get a chance and you will see a high volume sound (bright, saturated crunch) is magical.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought a DC-5 in the Combi version in June 1996.

He normment rained for four years in a home or living in BPS:
- The saturated soft non-aggressive;
- Or good rock crunch;
- Or with effects, guitar solos that sound serious heroes;
- Or else clear sound out of this world already without qualizer but it can no longer be enabled to play so s'arrter mlodieux everything sounds;
- And I prcise in my case, for even when the possibilities are quite large.

Finally everything c'tait before living in an apartment and when I could still push the volume (no neighbors).

Yes, because that low level, and yes the sounds are not standards, and c all relative because he must confess that after t used to playing a large volume; parrait forcment sound much worse.

Nanmoins, in my case from 96 g 2 times already changed my 2 power tubes, because every time a grid. And oddly since I played "low" volume. And more n'tant not play a fury for hours on the amp. I was told the era "Rue de Douai" PARIS, c'tait as normal, as c'tait not made for low volume.

So I "solutionnquot; the problem. I bought in 2001 by a POWER BRAKE (Marshall, who Y'en a talk on the forum). And no more problem of lamps. Just put the powerbrake and really do not need a background, and to mount the master and volume of the mesa. forcment In addition the sound is magnified because many heat lamps and the power amp works well above r regime. Finally, it should Modre what I said by what he already grown well but it is not ecstasy.

And yes, it would have to take a DC-2. Dja ample cause tube amp.
Voila.

And yes, and then I almost forgot my rverb did not work I had done in Paris rpar also Pigalle, among many rputs specialist in pretty good, and everything worked nickel (y 'intrt had seen the amount of the invoice). And then again more rverb (c not a cable problem, I have a look and get drunk just so I did not do it and I use a rpar collection outdoor reverb (that of my effects rack).
Even when I put a note because even if I admit trs honntement albeit with pay, or I felt like I have some concern that I expected to have and that I should not have seen the quality of frabication mesa amps, but not good bowl of p'as I come across a good model.

Yes so I put a good note because despite everything it sounds so much wonderful that you forget the little problem or default of manufacture.

Of pure sound.
Those who have never used Mesa-boogie can not understand.
Like all dual Mesa, you can connect two speakers and take full advantage of stereo effects.

UTILIZATION

Warning! 2 x 50w adchire in mesa.
You will get a better sound louder volume.
Do not agree at all flat.

SOUNDS

I use it personally with a Gibson Nighthawk SP3 and void.
Ideal for punk rock but also suitable for the rock.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years but unfortunately I can not use it at home (too strong)
I tried all kinds of amps before that the (lamp Fender, Marshall, Vox, Aria, etc ... Good and bad), but the one I made them all forget.
Of course there's always a catch. It's expensive!
It was worth 2400 euros was released, expect another 600 euros for the mini or baffles, or a total of 3000 euros!
It's like a, the quality has its price.