All user reviews for the Mesa Boogie Subway Blues Combo

this is all with lamps on the front and a 2-position switch "bright" and "fat", volume, treble, middle, bass and reverb plus, of course, the two switches 2 positions "standby" and "power" .

UTILIZATION

ben my old, simple, you die!
and that's what I love about this amp!
on the other hand, no saturated sound, nada!
can boost the sound enclanchant switch 2 positions "fat", then the sound becomes "bold" and can saturate more easily.

SOUNDS

it is more jazz and blues for me to touch the guitar makes all the difference ...

OVERALL OPINION

here was months or years that intrigued me and I saw the bottom of a secondhand music store, and today I threw myself to try and I was not disappointed !
I really liked the clear sound of this amp and it is rare!
I loved the look and its control panel reduced to their simplest expression for me, besides, it is the essence of a good amp, you most simple and better! !
but the only problem is that I love too hard rock that sends the ball, with this amp, no saturated channel, snif!
but hey, here remains that I really enjoyed ...

Amp lamps (2xEL84), 20 or 25 watts. Channel! Effects loop, taken Recording. HP twice 4 ohms, plus uses the HP 10 inch Black Shadow. Rverbe spring. An input mode with a fat and a bright mode (depending on the output del uses a guitar). Volume, equalizer (TREB, med, bass), rverbe level. The level of mdium becomes a gain level halfway. Finish and quality construction perfect.

UTILIZATION

Ultra simple. As mentioned a single channel. Manual in English, but trs prcis with examples.

SOUNDS

IDAL is an amp for blues and rock. Diabolique with any good guitar "classic" tlcaster in my case. There is only one channel, but the sound is unbelievable warmth. Claitrs sounds are beautiful, and high volume, the crunch also. attention: 20 watts shown are misleading: for the crunch sounds, you have to play really hard trs. In rptition in a closed room I can hardly put the volume more than 2 or 3, and trs Subway Blues is plenty tough to play in bar or club, with drummer without being Sonoris . I use a TS9 to go into overdrive. It is a combination trs effective: the pedals vritablement married to the sound of the amp without altrer. I have a good rsultats Sansamp also. Of course, forget the mtal has not made for a.

OVERALL OPINION

I have over 10 years. With the subway Rocket, Mesa offered the era two real good amps no compromise on quality unbeatable prices (around 5000 FF). For blues, rock, funk, Subway is really hard Galer.

Well then, ultra simple, all-tube amp, 20w, 2EL84 and 4 12AX7, connectivity options for a small combo: returm and effect send, tuning the mix, the HP switch to record alone.
level adjustment, it can not be simpler:
- Volume
- Treble,
- Middle,
- Bass,
- Reverb (reverb and how!)
I put 9 because it is very simple but in this case, there is not need more, everything is there!

UTILIZATION

Not complicated, you plug it sounds, the régalges are very effective and wickedly accurate, no need for manual although there are small subtleties: the middle turns and gain from the 1 / 2 and suddenly the fact cruncher amp, a treat. Good is already well up the volume to make it crunch!
I put 10 because it gets its its very easy but there are plenty of shades to find even with so few settings

SOUNDS

Then there is a 10 without hesitation. slap! How accurately, what a difference with my 50 classic, yet I liked him c't'ampli. but there are no pictures, its just madness ....
I mount the volume to 1 / 3 (though it's "just" a 20w), and I put the knob of theft. my tele-bottom, I could not believe my ears, the harmonics in every sense, and always this accurate settings and sound, all played under the fingers (a bit like a AC 30). You scratch it sounds, you attack, it takes off altogether. I rediscovered my Micor free!!
With a distortion pedal (DS1 in my case) it mind-blowing, sound and personality of the guitar are well respected, a lot of personality

And what power to 20 W, I really can not believe ...

The sounds are warm and crystal clear at once (!), It snaps, it's good

OVERALL OPINION

I have a few days ago, and I'm not ready to part with it for that. This amp is, I think, quite versatile blues, rock, reggae, funk, jazz, anything goes. My favorite is the precision of sound, clear sound with distortion, we control everything "fingers". I tried an F50 and an Mark3 but they were too expensive for me ... for me it against his awareness of the mesa. Well with this little subway, I find that sound. I found the sound, my sound!
I do it again this choice with his eyes closed, except that it is rather rare in OCCAZ
I highly recommend it

20W tube amp: 2 * 3 * 12AX7 and EL34
An input channel, an effects loop on the back with adjustable mix, exit 4 HP and 8 Ohms
1 volume, bass, middle, treble. The adjustment knob is also used as mediums of overdrive adjustment from 1 / 3 of the race.
A mode change switch Bright / Fat Manual
What we need no more no less

Note: I have the model without reverb with HP Celestion Black Shadow 10 "

UTILIZATION

The manual is very simple, some examples of settings but ... I did open out of curiosity!
The sound delivered is round and warm, very bluesy / jazzy, as opposed to a Fender, for example. The settings at the beginning are not simple because of the knob medium / OD. To take a shot, but then we get great sounds from blues / jazz well-rounded addition to sounds Rock (and roll) FAT mode. With the help of a good OD pedal you can play on registers SRV / Led Zep / ACDC to the limit. More disto refrain is not his record but said in the name.
It has a good dynamic, and transmits all the subtleties of the game, and largely cover a 20W standard rock drummer in a pub or a studio.
Can be blamed a lack of versatility, but you can not have everything!

SOUNDS

I use it in a register blues rock, 70's rock and it fits perfectly.
I mainly play a Start US, and marvel at Fulltone pedal, the mosfet fulldrive II, and easily j'obtient sounds crunch / OD way SRV, Rolling Stones, and pushing a little Led Zep / ACDC.
It is a very versatile little amp typed blues rock, but has a dynamic and excellent sound MESA that delight the ear.
Terrible in these records, to avoid if you want a Fender clean sound and distortion Sepultura !

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years and I am delighted.
I particularly appreciate its dynamics (thank you and the heavenly lights), and it delivers the grain. It is a very hot amp, which comes from the Delta!
It is very well made - it's a Mesa Boogie is no doubt - impeccable finish and durability over time.
Its main asset is its texture and warmth, and it is also probably the main drawback if you search an amp for clean sounds clear and distos of death!
I would do this choice given the book in which I play.

Several models exist.
There are 20 or 25w (the very first, rare) and the hp is not always a Mesa Boogie Black Shadow (general case, however). In addition, there are those with or without reverb, those with a guitar input and inter bright / fat, those with 2 inputs guitar but without the cross (the 2 inputs play this role) and those with or without output 1 / 2 power for the hp.
Mine is the model with inter, reverb and output 1 / 2 power, hp Mesa Black Shadow 10 ". It dates from 2001.
The effects loop is a "parallel range. This means that only part of the guitar signal not the power (the other party directly involved in the amp). A knob dose the percentage who pass through this loop. At bottom, the loop behaves like a loop-type "serial" (the entire guitar signal passes through the loop). The advantage of such "parallel range" is that if your effect is not very respectful of your guitar sound your final sound will remain good.
Another peculiarity, no adjustment of bias is necessary. The manual devotes a large part, explaining that this setting is factory unnecessary. I changed my game 6 times lamps, sometimes staying at Mesa Boogie, sometimes by testing other brands, I never had the slightest concern.

UTILIZATION

I play mainly jazz and blues, and I do a lot of studio.La configuration is simple. Yet, as always with Mesa Boogie, interdependence settings can be confusing at first. Already, the volume knob will have a big influence. I do not speak of his or light but velvety crunch / soft / aggression. Then comes the treble knob. Again its operation may be surprising because the more one rises less those of middle and bass have influence to do more and have at all when the treble is at 3 / 4. The middle button, meanwhile, does not work as such until the 11h position. At zero we obtain a special round (my favorite position with my jazz box) the higher you go the more the sound hardens (great for rock). Beyond it behaves like a presence or as an additional gain, depending on the position of the volume button. That bass has a normal behavior as the highs do not exceed 3 / 4 position because in this case, it is totally ineffective! Reverb, for its part, allows subtle nuances really but will never give the effect that allows a Twin Cathedral Reberb, for example. She rounds the sound. However, with the reverb to zero, we get a great jazz or rock his style 1950.
The inter bright / fat influences "aggressiveness" of the amp. The position will give bright softness to the sound. That of fat will be more rock (especially with a stratovolcano or a telecaster).
That, in my opinion, a little amp that will please fans of "I connect, I play" on the other hand, those who like spending time to concoct a great sound will not be disappointed because this is not a but they will find a host, especially if they have several guitars.

SOUNDS

In fact, the sound of the amp will deeply depend on the time you spend on it. This can range from abysmal to the sublime, depending on whether you know what you are looking for and how to find it. I've had almost 10 years, I use every day (stage, studio, home) and yet I can not get enough.
Another advantage of this amp: a cross gives the possibility to cut the hp. We can then use the output of which the sound recording is really excellent because of its good speaker simulation (practice at 3 am, when mum and baby sleeping in the next room and it is imperative that damn solo work tomorrow ... yeah, it feels lived !!!).

OVERALL OPINION

As stated above, I since 2001. Before I had a Fender Super Reverb, a Fender Twin Reverb, a Fender 59 Bassman RI. All had one or more drawbacks. The weight, size, power too much, etc. ... Speaking in the studio I saw pass a myriad of amps of all makes, few are gathered all the benefits of Subway Blues, namely:
- Extraordinary quality of sound when you know the deal (if the majority of Boogie)
- Adaptability / versatility as it does not do metal,
- Easy transport (weight, size)
- Loop can be changed from "series" to "PARALLEL" through use of a knob,
- Full and half power outputs, and additional hp and 8ohm 1 x 2 x 4ohms,
- Possibility to cut the cramer hp without the amp,
- Relamping without bias adjustment, therefore, without intervention of a technician and immobilization of the amp, just do it yourself.

As for the blast (noise) is talking about the poster PREV I'm surprised. Of course, like any tube amp, it is noisier than a transistor amp. But to say that the noise makes use of the amp can not ... If this were the case, I'm not a studio (where silence is golden) and I'll never kept this material so long.
My only regret is that he has no choice of class A or AB as some Boogie.
The Subway Blues is not a boogie at a discount. Mesa Boogie understood before anyone else that all the guitarists did not need a cabinet Norman 100w to exist on stage, let alone in the studio! 20w is sufficient in 95% of situations (I know something) and pushed to 3 / 4 volume quickly cause a riot in your building ...
Alas, the amp has been discontinued since long and opportunities are relatively rare. on the other hand discount it too quickly. I paid my own (new) 950 € in 2001 and it sells, in general, around 700 € as specified in the header of this page.

I got two, one in 95 and another ten years later.
Although manufactured easiest I've ever seen in mesa.
HP 10 inches a little soft, a ElectroVoice suited her much better than the original.

Very simple, effective, intressant options but in vain, the machine is plague by background noise.

The concept is excellent.

UTILIZATION

It's cool to use, and the loop or PARALLEL series allows all Facts. Except that noisegate can do absolutely nothing against the background noise standard that my two copies taient achieved.
Anyway, great to use.

SOUNDS

Sound dlivr is quite exceptional, especially for an amp that small. It's very very hot and full, without breaking the ears, there is a fantastic mellow notes. I used to clean, since later it's still the same thing with the single channel amplifiers (ie bovine flatulence) ... well the ones I had or tests.

What is the relative cool cat cub2r REFERENCES bad is that the volume is much smaller so we will appreciate better the sound, then when you play not as a group.
Therefore presents 18watts but not garish, it's a great Russianness dynawatt. When you think that the current recovery is not LED lamps, but is very strong from mesa.

The rverbe along MODEL passes just in the combo indeed, and sounds very very good.
So I think it's perfect level.

In short this would be my dream amp, with clean rverbe, hot sweet not too strong, so this problem n'tait background noise. I really want mesa, because a lot of lives would have cost and dconvenues by buying other amps, and it is unfortunately not finished.


OVERALL OPINION

The two I had made so much noise (after half an hour had covered everything) ... Nothing did, change all the lights, put a less effective hp A noisegate in the loop, change the filter capacitors, nada.
Forums us somebody said that these amps are simply wrong conus and can not be otherwise if the problem arises, what I had to admit.
I even think I had a bad horse, or my repeat offenders.

Council any buyer, let it run the amp at least three quarters of an hour, because when you do not use it for months the noise disappears. on the other hand ds he returned more way to play, just the APRS PERIOD non-use is 45 minutes before the noise, then 40 and 35, for after a week of use Daily no longer make that noise.

Bizarre, bizarre ... I want mesa, because I was under my ideal amp. To avoid absolutely