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PurposeToMelody « Love it...with tweaking »
Published on 04/02/11 at 12:33The Mesa Dual Rectifier 2 Channel Head Features:
- (4) 6L6s in the power section @ 100w
- (5) 12AX7s in the preamp
- (2) 5U4 rectifier tubes
- Bias Select switch (6L6/EL34)
- Fixed bias for consistent, maintenance free performance
- 2 fully independent channels with channel cloning
- Independent Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence and Master Controls per Channel
- Output Level Control (over all channels, when Loop is activated)
- Selectable Rectifier switch (tube or solid state)
- Bold/Spongy "Variac" switch
- Assignable parallel effects loop with Send and Mix Level controls
- Slave Out with level control
- Single button channel footswitch (must be set to Orange channel on back to work)
- Single button effects loop footswitch (must be set to external switching on back)
- (1) 16 ohm, (1) 8 ohm & (2) 4 ohm outputs
- Handbuilt in Petaluma, California
UTILIZATION
If this is your first time using one of these amps, you'll definitely want to read the manual. it's pretty confusing if you've never played it. there is a lot to work with for sure.
It's pretty hard to get TERRIBLE sound out of it contrary to popular belief. but it IS hard to get a great sound.It's always just OK to me until you sit and tweak for a while, it really is great, it just takes a lot of time and a little bit of know how to make it sound really good, and I personally recommend a EQ.
SOUNDS
Les Pauls and Strats mainly is what I use, oh, and this amp LOVES V30s.
Clean: its ok, its kind of sterile, typical mesa clean. It's kind of boring, but with a little bit of chorus you can get some good sounds. With a strat with the gain up you can get some pretty cool mid gain tones, but don't expect to have an AMAZING clean channel with this amp, just expect passable and you'll be good.
Dirty: Well, it's dirty, thats for sure. It's very raw and agressive. I LOVE this amp for pretty much anything mid-high or high gain. it does punk tones gloriously and you want metal? it does it. very well. It's great by it self, but throw a boost in front and you have a metal machine. if you get the chance to get it turned up it really opens up well also. It's very fat sounding. almost too fat in a mix, but it fills up everything so well, its a great rhythm amp and lead amp, I prefer it for leads though, either way it sounds great and I highly recommend it for anything between punk and and pretty much any genre of metal!
OVERALL OPINION
If you take the time to work with it and want it for a very specific thing (high gain stuff) do it and you won't regret it, just don't go get it expect a tone of versatility!
- (4) 6L6s in the power section @ 100w
- (5) 12AX7s in the preamp
- (2) 5U4 rectifier tubes
- Bias Select switch (6L6/EL34)
- Fixed bias for consistent, maintenance free performance
- 2 fully independent channels with channel cloning
- Independent Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence and Master Controls per Channel
- Output Level Control (over all channels, when Loop is activated)
- Selectable Rectifier switch (tube or solid state)
- Bold/Spongy "Variac" switch
- Assignable parallel effects loop with Send and Mix Level controls
- Slave Out with level control
- Single button channel footswitch (must be set to Orange channel on back to work)
- Single button effects loop footswitch (must be set to external switching on back)
- (1) 16 ohm, (1) 8 ohm & (2) 4 ohm outputs
- Handbuilt in Petaluma, California
UTILIZATION
If this is your first time using one of these amps, you'll definitely want to read the manual. it's pretty confusing if you've never played it. there is a lot to work with for sure.
It's pretty hard to get TERRIBLE sound out of it contrary to popular belief. but it IS hard to get a great sound.It's always just OK to me until you sit and tweak for a while, it really is great, it just takes a lot of time and a little bit of know how to make it sound really good, and I personally recommend a EQ.
SOUNDS
Les Pauls and Strats mainly is what I use, oh, and this amp LOVES V30s.
Clean: its ok, its kind of sterile, typical mesa clean. It's kind of boring, but with a little bit of chorus you can get some good sounds. With a strat with the gain up you can get some pretty cool mid gain tones, but don't expect to have an AMAZING clean channel with this amp, just expect passable and you'll be good.
Dirty: Well, it's dirty, thats for sure. It's very raw and agressive. I LOVE this amp for pretty much anything mid-high or high gain. it does punk tones gloriously and you want metal? it does it. very well. It's great by it self, but throw a boost in front and you have a metal machine. if you get the chance to get it turned up it really opens up well also. It's very fat sounding. almost too fat in a mix, but it fills up everything so well, its a great rhythm amp and lead amp, I prefer it for leads though, either way it sounds great and I highly recommend it for anything between punk and and pretty much any genre of metal!
OVERALL OPINION
If you take the time to work with it and want it for a very specific thing (high gain stuff) do it and you won't regret it, just don't go get it expect a tone of versatility!