My Mesa d180...

dazminiimp · #1 07-30-2011, 02:39 AM

I would say this is more of a story than a general question and just wanted to share this on the forum!

So, a about 4/5 years ago I decided I was due an upgrade in amps, I must have been 17/18 at the time, this would be my first move from practice/gig worthy combo to a real 'stack'. I spent a while looking round local shops and searching on the internet, when my bass playing friend turned round and said he wanted to sell his amp so I went round his house and tested the rig out, it happened to be a Mesa D180 with an Ampeg 4x10 cab. He said he wanted £600 ($985) for the pair but I knocked him down to £450 ($740) for the pair.

I've been in love with it ever since and I have added a 1x15 ampeg to rig also.

Looking round the forums and searching for a Mesa D180 this seems to be a bit of steal?? What do you all think?

Cheers!

JimmyM · #2 07-30-2011, 03:18 AM

I'd say it's a pretty darn good steal. Nice amp...I played one for about 6 months through a 215 in the 80's.

Sartori · #3 07-30-2011, 04:59 AM

That is quite a steal, yes. My D-180 was $800.

gbarchus · #4 07-30-2011, 06:12 PM

I got an M-180 (for $400) that I paired up with an Alembic F2B (for $300). Sounds like a Fender Showman with a little more umph. I'd still like a D-180 though, more preamp tubes.

Gale

NecroticImbecil · #5 07-30-2011, 11:08 PM

Mine was $250 a few years ago. With flight case. I think somebody got fired at the Guitar Center I bought it and my $150 Sound City (complete with its $700 original tubes) within 2 months of each other.

$500 - $800 is more in line with what I've seen here, I would imagine higher outside of the US.

When I was 18 I was upgrading from a tiny Gorilla combo to a 3 ton Peavey combo the size of a bus. I think you did pretty well.

Randall · #6 07-31-2011, 03:59 PM

New from the factory they were in the 1700$ (Canada) range. Cannot remember the exchange rate back then.

Randall · #7 07-31-2011, 04:04 PM

Still have mine.

dazminiimp · #8 08-12-2011, 04:07 AM

I don't think I would/could ever sell mine. It's so good and loud!!

Sartori · #9 08-12-2011, 06:16 AM

Recorded with mine last night. May post the recordings in a few weeks.

It really is a great sounding amp.

tombowlus · #10 08-12-2011, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NecroticImbecil

Mine was $250 a few years ago. With flight case. I think somebody got fired at the Guitar Center I bought it and my $150 Sound City (complete with its $700 original tubes) within 2 months of each other.

Wow! Those were some screaming deals!

Oh, and let me pile onto the D-180 love.

Caca de Kick · #11 08-12-2011, 02:46 PM

I had one for many years. An old friend was the original owner, and it was the first Boogie I'd heard early on and never got the sound out of my head. Several years later when he went through a divorce, I managed to snag it (and it's matching 2x15) and kept it as a backup to my Bass 400.
I stupidly traded it for a Warwick here 6-7 years go, what a mistake that was, wish I'd never let it go.

bassplayer9512 · #12 01-19-2012, 10:00 PM

the d180 is an amazing amp. It is so loud that i have never gotten the volume past 5-6 with master at 10-9.5. I have it paired with an older ampeg 4x10 svt he cab. I have been thinking about getting a second cab to either use together or replace what I have. was thinking about a mesa 2x15 or a 1x18. any suggestions?

Randall · #13 01-19-2012, 10:08 PM

I have run my D-180 through my 4ohm Berg nv 412 at 5-6 volume also and it sounds

Not bad for 180/200 watts.

Sartori · #14 01-19-2012, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randall

Still have mine.

I just looked at that picture again and realized that your settings in that photo are almost exactly the same as mine, ha ha.

Sartori · #15 01-19-2012, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassplayer9512

the d180 is an amazing amp. It is so loud that i have never gotten the volume past 5-6 with master at 10-9.5. I have it paired with an older ampeg 4x10 svt he cab. I have been thinking about getting a second cab to either use together or replace what I have. was thinking about a mesa 2x15 or a 1x18. any suggestions?

You should try it a bit louder than that eventually. It's glorious. It loves EV 15"s. I'm running it through a Sunn 2000S cab with EV's. I want to build a second one eventually and wire them to run in series to be absolutely devastating.

Downunderwonder · #16 01-19-2012, 11:19 PM

What's special about EV 15's to this amp?

someparts · #17 01-19-2012, 11:45 PM

Mesa designed the amp using the basic TL-606 ported 15" cab design that EV themselves made for the EVM-15L.

A D-180/400/400+ into a Diesel 2x15 is perfection for that clear and agressive Mesa tone.

Sartori · #18 01-19-2012, 11:48 PM

Just sounds great with them.

Downunderwonder · #19 01-20-2012, 01:13 AM

Maybe my memory is failing but I thought I was reading recently about a lack of xmax in EV 15's. Throwing all the 180w at low mids and above is necessary then?

BogeyBass · #20 01-20-2012, 02:52 AM

LOL!! thats funny a D-180 with a EV loaded 2x15 doesn't lack a thing. you dont have to "throw" a thing at it.
As for the people who say it lacks anything, you should throw something at them.

congratulations dazminiimp a very wise purchase, and yes one heck of a deal