Mesa Boogie Big Block Club (750/TitanV12)

[locisbrelm]

Hey I just wanted to start a club for the owners of these wonderful amps! Post your pictures, stories, settings, and even tone samples! To start off here's mine!

[onegunguitar]

I just picked up a V12 and have a gig this week,can't wait to crank it up through my PowerHouse 4x12! I usually use my M6 but I couldn't pass up the deal on this Titan. It's a silver faced model made in 2008 with all the current mods and updates done in Nov.2011,the invoice says $1600.00 parts and labor,paid $950 for it. I used to own a Big Block,I wish I would of kept it.I know one thing,the V12 sure sounds sweet at a lower volume running everything just under flat with the OD about noon,it gives it a nice smooth purr!!! Should sound killer at stage volume!!

[locisbrelm]

Oh what a steal! I'd love to get a Titan. What do you think of the 412?

Where's all the Big Block owners and lovers?

[dukeisdog]

Originally Posted by onegunguitar

I just picked up a V12 and have a gig this week,can't wait to crank it up through my PowerHouse 4x12! I usually use my M6 but I couldn't pass up the deal on this Titan. It's a silver faced model made in 2008 with all the current mods and updates done in Nov.2011,the invoice says $1600.00 parts and labor,paid $950 for it. I used to own a Big Block,I wish I would of kept it.I know one thing,the V12 sure sounds sweet at a lower volume running everything just under flat with the OD about noon,it gives it a nice smooth purr!!! Should sound killer at stage volume!!

I'd love to see a pic of your rig! Mesa Rig pics make me very jealous!

[Krügmeister]

I too have a V12 (silverfaced inside a head case) and a PH412.. I CANNOT imagine a single case where I would need more power at ANY time... as far as the sound? AMAZING!! swapped out the pre-tubes for some gold JJ ECC803's best tube combo I have rolled.. i HIGHLY recommend

[rekesbass]

I have a big block and love it...I run it with a Genz-Benz neo-x 212 and its heavenly..I've been playin the BB since it was released. my first generation one had issues and Mesa took good care of me but, the issues continued, and again, Mesa took care of me by sending me a brand new one...I have nothing but praise for Mesa..my settings are real simple,gain at 1:30-2:00,everything else is a 12:00 and master to whatever is needed...this head sounds great through any cab I've ever ran it through,always delivers the goods...

[Crabby]

I had a Big Block in a head case and foolishly sold it off. I guess I slightly prefer my M9 Carbine and I freakin adore my Walkabout so the BB750 ended up being sold but I miss the simplicity and fat tone of that amp.

[Kwin Smith]

I have my extra Titan and 4 ohm PH4x12 up for sal....

In a different part of TB.


(can I post that here?)

[dukeisdog]

Originally Posted by Kwin Smith

I have my extra Titan and 4 ohm PH4x12 up for sal....

In a different part of TB.


(can I post that here?)

With the amount of Mesa gear you own, I think you can post that just about anywhere .

When I show people my rig (Peavey Tour 700 and Mesa PH412) they're surprised I play such a big rig. Then I show them a pic of your gear (your 3 PH412's and all of your rack gear) they're literally shocked. It's awesome!! I'd love to have a rig like that.

[Kwin Smith]

Originally Posted by dukeisdog

With the amount of Mesa gear you own, I think you can post that just about anywhere .

When I show people my rig (Peavey Tour 700 and Mesa PH412) they're surprised I play such a big rig. Then I show them a pic of your gear (your 3 PH412's and all of your rack gear) they're literally shocked. It's awesome!! I'd love to have a rig like that.

It's a luxury. I admit it. Unfortunately, I play that other 6 stringed instrument, and I can't carry my Roadster 1/2 stack around like I used to.

I have no issues toting around my Walkabout Scout w/extension cabinet.
I have to give something up to be able to grab a Mini Rectifier for my electric guitar needs.

I have NO intention of giving up the other Titan and 2 (8 ohm) 4x12's. I just really have to balance the load a lot better. Spinal cord problems are no joke!

...and THANKS! You flatter me!

[Kwin Smith]

Originally Posted by dukeisdog

With the amount of Mesa gear you own, I think you can post that just about anywhere .

When I show people my rig (Peavey Tour 700 and Mesa PH412) they're surprised I play such a big rig. Then I show them a pic of your gear (your 3 PH412's and all of your rack gear) they're literally shocked. It's awesome!! I'd love to have a rig like that.

I've never tried one of those Peavey heads with a PH4x12. I bet that's pretty massive, too!

[onegunguitar]

I'll try to get a picture up soon. I got to use it last weekend at stage volume...sounded fantastic!! I run the OD just enough to give just a small amount of "wool" and run the eq just below flat. I was messing around the other day with more gain on the OD channel just to see what I could get with it,after a certain point it I didn't care for what it sounded like.Maybe I needed to work with the eq more or maybe different tubes would sound better. But overall it is a great sounding amp with alot of versatility.

[locisbrelm]

Dont know bout you guys, but I love these heads. They are, imo, the best heads out there. If i had a Titan and "Mini Block" (Mesa needs to make one!), I'd be in the center of amp heaven with some nice property near the lake.

[projectapollo]

Guys - i just got a BB750 and am getting used to the tone shaping. I have to admit i am quite puzzled with how the overdrive works. The manual says the overdrive control sets the blend of overdrive to clean. But in reality, it seems to function as the amount of tube saturation and operates in series from there, no blend.

I think of blend as the blend control on a Tech 21 sansamp where you can truly mix affected signal with straight. The Mesa Overdrive does not seem to operate this way.

Also, the ovedrive signal path drops a lot of fundamental, correct? Solo it sounds odd, but in the mix is sounds much better. Am i on target?

Clarifications?

[projectapollo]

And my report and observations after lots of fiddling with the BB750. I found that the overdrive channel needs WAY different EQ to make up for its natural mid-focus, lack of fundamental and sheen. When I apply EQ liberally to the overdrive channel it sounds much much better. That is the upside -- this overdrive channel can sound very wooly and musical, not necessarily metal distortion, if you want the Walkabout sound. But the downside it that once its EQ'd properly, footswitching over to the "clean" sound provides too much of the EQ. So, it seems like an either/or proposition on the overdrive channel on the 750 to me.

I've also heard that the BB750 is not as loud as other Mesa products. I think I have concluded that the pre-amp section is setup for HUGE dynamic range. So, in clean mode with the Gain at Noon, the master needs to be much further up than you might expect -- and the amp seems to run out of gas. But that appears to just be a lower pre-amp gain feeding the amp. If you set the Gain up to 3 o'clock, the amp really cranks. Kick in the overdrive section and there is even more pre-amp gain to be had -- and the OD master needs to run at only 8-9 o'clock. Thus the huge dynamic range operating inside the pre-amp section.

As a test -- I patched and fed the BB750 amp section with the effects output from my M6 Carbine. The BB750 amp section was every bit as loud as the M6 amp, it seemed to me. This confirms that the BB750 pre-amp level out is highly dependent on the mode and gain controls.

Lastly, I've read in these pages that the BB750 is a metal-oriented rock amp. It can certainly do tons of distortion, but tweaked well - I found the amp to be very well suited for pocket playing, finger-style, etc. Can be much smoother and tubier than the M6. I think comparisons to the Walkabout are very much right-on.

My conclusions? So far, anyhow.... 1) The BB750 is not a one-trick pony and not a metal niche amp. 2) The BB750 has lots of dynamic range in the pre-amp and the amp section is very powerful when fed well from the pre-amp. 3) The Overdrive feature needs a lot of EQ to make it sound like the wooly version of the clean channel. 4) Overdrive settings past Noon are strictly for a special effect type distortion sound, which I will probably never use. Around Noon and below its tube-ey and wooly when EQ'd properly (a lot).

[dukeisdog]

Originally Posted by Kwin Smith

I've never tried one of those Peavey heads with a PH4x12. I bet that's pretty massive, too!

Yup, it was until I picked up a M-Pulse 360 and matching PH610 I've been very happy with this rig so far and can only imagine how great a BB750 would sound through through these cabs

[pickles]

Originally Posted by projectapollo

And my report and observations after lots of fiddling with the BB750. I found that the overdrive channel needs WAY different EQ to make up for its natural mid-focus, lack of fundamental and sheen. When I apply EQ liberally to the overdrive channel it sounds much much better. That is the upside -- this overdrive channel can sound very wooly and musical, not necessarily metal distortion, if you want the Walkabout sound. But the downside it that once its EQ'd properly, footswitching over to the "clean" sound provides too much of the EQ. So, it seems like an either/or proposition on the overdrive channel on the 750 to me.

I've also heard that the BB750 is not as loud as other Mesa products. I think I have concluded that the pre-amp section is setup for HUGE dynamic range. So, in clean mode with the Gain at Noon, the master needs to be much further up than you might expect -- and the amp seems to run out of gas. But that appears to just be a lower pre-amp gain feeding the amp. If you set the Gain up to 3 o'clock, the amp really cranks. Kick in the overdrive section and there is even more pre-amp gain to be had -- and the OD master needs to run at only 8-9 o'clock. Thus the huge dynamic range operating inside the pre-amp section.

As a test -- I patched and fed the BB750 amp section with the effects output from my M6 Carbine. The BB750 amp section was every bit as loud as the M6 amp, it seemed to me. This confirms that the BB750 pre-amp level out is highly dependent on the mode and gain controls.

Lastly, I've read in these pages that the BB750 is a metal-oriented rock amp. It can certainly do tons of distortion, but tweaked well - I found the amp to be very well suited for pocket playing, finger-style, etc. Can be much smoother and tubier than the M6. I think comparisons to the Walkabout are very much right-on.

My conclusions? So far, anyhow.... 1) The BB750 is not a one-trick pony and not a metal niche amp. 2) The BB750 has lots of dynamic range in the pre-amp and the amp section is very powerful when fed well from the pre-amp. 3) The Overdrive feature needs a lot of EQ to make it sound like the wooly version of the clean channel. 4) Overdrive settings past Noon are strictly for a special effect type distortion sound, which I will probably never use. Around Noon and below its tube-ey and wooly when EQ'd properly (a lot).

Yep, that's the real advantage of the Titan ... Different eq for the dirt.

[projectapollo]

Guys.... I have a BB750 listed for sale if anyone is interested.

Big Block 750