Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Pt 7

[Jim C]

+1; please report back

[Alexander]

I had the opportunity to play a WA through my NV412 today and it was BY FAR the best bass tone I've been able to get out of any rig EVER. Big smile on my face throughout. Fat, big/tight low end, punchy smooth, clear - just really solid all around. And loud. I'd like to get a tube that doesn't break up as soon, but other than that it's all good. If you happen to be the guy I ran out of the Kirkland GC bass department with this rig, my sincere apologies...

[Phyzzbin]

Anyone ever tried a Gold Lion 12AX7, RCA 12AX7A short gray plate, or a Ei 12AX7?
I emailed tctubes.com and these are what they recommended. Little to alotta pricy though...
This whole tube rollin' thing has me hooked right now. Yeah, it's not a night and day difference but this current combination has got me thinkin'...
I gotta say the Ruby 12AX7AC5 HG+ paired with the Tung-Sol reissue ain't bad for a "Chinese firecracker" and "others econo tube" and it ain't a bank-breaker either - under 40 bucks.

[Phyzzbin]

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

Decided to try a little tube swap. Just ordered a Telefunken 12AX7 (Dynaco branded) off ebay to try in the preamp tube slot.

I'd love to know your impression! What are you putting in the driver position?

[lomo]

Pondering the Walkabout signal chain, I tried comparing the WA DI>>power amp vs WA FX send>> power amp yesterday and they are very similar, but I think the DI sounds better when the master is cranked to noon. I haven't done this blindly/objectively, but it was pretty convincing. So......we all know the master afftects DI output on this unit.....but is it electronically feasible that BOTH tubes are playing some role in the tone of the DI, but not of the FX send???

[Chef]

Dunno...complicated question.
You'd need a schematic, and someone much smarter than I.

[Chef]

Walkabout>2xGK212Neo:

Set 1 with the Lakland ash/maple P5(Nord NP5 pup) it was ok.
Set 2 with the Sadowsky ash/maple MV5JJ; it was pretty dang ok; and I actually turned down twice.
Ended with input at 1 oclock, master at 10 oclock; eq more or less flat

Set 3 I swapped in the GK700RBII (biamped) and never looked back.
Cuh-rushing headroom.
I had input at 9 oclock, woofer at 9 oclock, horn at 10 oclock, boost a 10 or 11 oclock.

I never pulled the P5 back out either.
Sadowsky>GK...that's really working for me at the moment

But, I will now concede that the Walkabout can be loud enough for me, at a loud gig, with no PA support. It's a flavor I seem to be moving from though.

[lomo]

Too much box bulk and weight to carry considering other options, IMHO (YMMV). It sounds like you are ripe for a GK defection......gotta follow your ears.....

Originally Posted by Chef

Walkabout>2xGK212Neo:

But, I will now concede that the Walkabout can be loud enough for me, at a loud gig, with no PA support. It's a flavor I seem to be moving from though.

[Chef]

The GK 212's are smaller than many 410's, and 50lbs per.
Easy on a hand truck.

The TC experiment should be realised next week, if all goes well; though I'm off next weekend.

[NOLA Bass]

Originally Posted by Chef

Walkabout>2xGK212Neo:

Set 1 with the Lakland ash/maple P5(Nord NP5 pup) it was ok.
Set 2 with the Sadowsky ash/maple MV5JJ; it was pretty dang ok; and I actually turned down twice.
Ended with input at 1 oclock, master at 10 oclock; eq more or less flat

Set 3 I swapped in the GK700RBII (biamped) and never looked back.
Cuh-rushing headroom.
I had input at 9 oclock, woofer at 9 oclock, horn at 10 oclock, boost a 10 or 11 oclock.

I never pulled the P5 back out either.
Sadowsky>GK...that's really working for me at the moment

But, I will now concede that the Walkabout can be loud enough for me, at a loud gig, with no PA support. It's a flavor I seem to be moving from though.

Chef, the last statement is blasphemy!!! ; )

As you know, I have the GK and Walkabout. I like the tonal ground I can cover w them.

Curious your thoughts on the NEO 212 vs 2 NEO 112's. Big diff in sound with the larger box?

[Chef]

"GK212 v 112"

Not much diff tonally, but a lot of diff in SPL with double the cone area....

[RickenBoogie]

I'm not jumping ship, but you gotta follow what your ears tell your brain. Sounds like the 700RBII is giving you exactly what your brain wants, it's not blasphemy, because I suspect the WA goes nowhere.

[Jim C]

Originally Posted by Chef

Set 3 I swapped in the GK700RBII (biamped) and never looked back.
Cuh-rushing headroom.
I had input at 9 oclock, woofer at 9 oclock, horn at 10 oclock, boost a 10 or 11 oclock.

I'm going to pretend that I never read this.
All these years of dedicated love, and now this....
Was she younger and thinner?
Maybe you find her more attractive.
Perhaps these old tubes just don't give you wood any longer.
And to think you were a dedicated partner to your mate; when did the communication fail?

(So, can you get that wide, deep, full, 3D soundstage?
How about subtle nuances, touch sensitivity, and all-tube like compression?
Other than power and headroom, what's the same or better?)

[NOLA Bass]

Originally Posted by Chef

"GK212 v 112"

Not much diff tonally, but a lot of diff in SPL with double the cone area....

Sorry, I meant using 2 112's vs the 212 cab.

[NOLA Bass]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

I'm not jumping ship, but you gotta follow what your ears tell your brain. Sounds like the 700RBII is giving you exactly what your brain wants, it's not blasphemy, because I suspect the WA goes nowhere.

RickenBoogie, it is absolutely more fun to charge Chef with Walkabout blasphemy!!!

Don't worry Chef, you know we still love you! I know you like it to stay clean. The GK is def that with plenty of headroom. Now if Mesa would just make that mythical Walkabout 600, you'd be set!

All kidding aside, I have found having the Walkabout and 1001RBII a really good pair of amps to have. In fact, each one works perfectly in my two different bands, but I can swap them out no problem and get by just fine. The GK's power and tone really cut through nicely in my metal band with a Marshall half stack on each side (and two guitarists that don't understand the phrase "turn down"). Conversely, I love the Walkabout with my blues/rock/new orleans band. It sits so perfectly in there. Yet, my metal band did an all Black Sabbath show about a year or so ago. I brought the Walkabout and dialed in a bit more grit than usual. Perfect for that tone that gig.

It is kind of like me having Sadowsky/Lull/Lakland on one side but then two Spectors. I love both and just use the one that is right for that situation.

[Chef]

NOLA:
Ah.
Different differences then
2x112 gets you two horns, so there's that.
2x112 gets you 4ohm vs 8ohm with the 212; so, there's that.

With the horns set to "equivalent," I'd pretty well "dare you to hear a diff blindfolded."

[Chef]

"Blasphemy"

They're two different things, as anyone would suspect

Walkabout: pretty vintage, kinda squishy, lovely eq. Sure wish it had more power.
I'll keep it for double bass, if no other reason.
I'm sure I'll come back for other uses.

GK: immediate, "modern" if you want, otherwise, crisp, clean, clear, and hard hitting, with a huge surfeit of clean headroom

Walkabout: like getting hit with a Nerf bat
GK: like getting hit with a lead-filled Louisville Slugger.

[Jim C]

GK tone and response characteristics similar to SWR or TE?

[Chef]

SWR: not a fan, really.
I had the BBII 2x8+5, and the Super Redhead, both of which I used for DB.
The rest of their stuff always felt too scoopy for me.
TE: never had any.

[Jim C]

I've never owned GK except for this really old monoblock thing
Can you compare to some other brand?
Sounds like your current groove is for a tigher, faster, transistor tonality.
Maybe original Acoustic or old Peavey 400 series?