So... I can't trust my Mesa 400+ anymore...

Ant1977 · #1 07-15-2010, 03:49 PM

I've had my Mesa 400+ for almost 10 years now and I have probably spent a few thousand dollars on repairs in that time. The head sounds like God (when it works) but it just can't handle the road. It is a very delicate head.

Now it has died on me yet again... Off to the repair shop.
Now, please understand, I don't take it to Daddy's Junky Music, or Guitar Center, or any chain that just sends the gear out. I go to a reputable licensed Mesa repair guy. He fixes the problem... I rock for a few months to a year... It dies again with a new problem.

I take it to all my gigs. And 9 out of 10 times I need to go to my back-up head (a Little Mark II) 'cause the Mesa fails.

I have decided to retire my Mesa 400+ from the road and just keep it at home. My question is...

If money is no object... What head will give me the balls and tube-driven dirt of the Mesa 400+... What is the new "God Of Thunder" head.

Any recommendations you could give me on this would be appreciated.

BigOldHarry · #2 07-15-2010, 03:50 PM

I know this doesn't help you... but what keeps failing on it? Tubes? Trannys? Caps?

ridgeback · #3 07-15-2010, 03:53 PM

wow!! i have mine god know how long at this stage and never once had a thing go on it..i had a few different ampeg heads go with all kinds of silly stuff ..when i got the 400+ i bought it with the boogie shock cover maybe thats something but its without question the best amp i have ever had..

Ant1977 · #4 07-15-2010, 03:54 PM

It's something different every time. Last time it was one tiny little resistor. I have owned a lot of different heads. But this one, by far, is the most temperamental. I would never dream of parting with it, I just want it to work.

ridgeback · #5 07-15-2010, 04:30 PM

who is doing the repairs?? have you mailed messa themselves to explain the situation..
the wrong parts going in at repairs could be causing other parts to go..

Ant1977 · #6 07-15-2010, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ridgeback

who is doing the repairs?? have you mailed messa themselves to explain the situation..
the wrong parts going in at repairs could be causing other parts to go..

Guys... believe me when I say, my repair guy is 100% on the money.
He has repaired a lot of my gear as well as a lot of gear from my friends on major tours. Dude knows what he is doing.

dDaddybass · #7 07-15-2010, 04:42 PM

You could sell it to me.........for cheap

faulknersj · #8 07-15-2010, 04:48 PM

I would recommend selling that particular head in order to help fund the purchase of a 'newer' 400+ because there is a good chance you just have a lemon? I played a 400+ for about 8 years without ever having one issue. In 2002. I toured the entire U.S., Canada, and Japan (about 225 shows) and never had an issue. Do you have a could case for it?

ridgeback · #9 07-15-2010, 04:49 PM

must be annoying alright...i had the same with ampeg..nice amps but forever going wrong on me tried a few different heads,same deal..friend put me onto the 400+ and never once had a problem..and its been in and out of vans and trucks countless times...nothing worse than having something you like not doing what it should..
as to what to replace it with..thats going to be tricky.i love the 400+ and nothing i have ever tried comes close!!(not even ampeg)

seamonkey · #10 07-15-2010, 04:53 PM

Bookmarked!

hrgiger · #11 07-15-2010, 04:53 PM

hey guys, he asked what should I get as far as a new head, not how to fix it.

on that note i am not positive but i see that a lot of big professional world-tour bassists using an Ampeg SVT-2PRO (rob trujillo, gene, etc.) Rob Trujillo may be said to use other ampeg heads in ads, but when you look in his racks you see several SVT-2PROs...

Robs racks

Ant1977 · #12 07-15-2010, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ridgeback

as to what to replace it with..thats going to be tricky.i love the 400+ and nothing i have ever tried comes close!!(not even ampeg)

I agree...

I'm taking it into the shop next week, so we'll see how it goes.
Hopefully I CAN gig with it again.

This head and my '77 P-Bass are like my children.

danomite64 · #13 07-15-2010, 04:58 PM

My friend Tim had similar problems with his Mesa Heartbreaker head. I've had a 400 and a 400+, gigged with them regularly, and both were always good to go. I bought mine used, Tim bought his new. Tim ended up sending his back to Mesa for repair, and it's worked ever since, but he hardly gigs anymore. The first thing that was found was the power cord only had 2 of the 3 wires soldered on the board at the factory; there was copper shielding covering it that presumably made it get missed in QC. Anyway, I was told by a tech that the late 90's were a time where Mesa was trying to keep up with demand, and things like that slipped by. I was told that the early ones with a detachable power cord were the ones to watch out for.

That being said, I'd still rather have a 400+ than any other head in the universe.

AwkwardLoudness · #14 07-15-2010, 04:59 PM

My #1 recommendation would be a Weber MYWATT 400, which is a modern quasi-clone of the original 400 watt Hiwatt DR405.
http://www.weber-amps.de/en/index.html

This amp definitely has the balls of your 400+, though I'm not sure about the tube dirt. The Mesa 400+ has twelve 6L6 power tubes (I think) compared to the six KT88 tubes in a MYWATT/Hiwatt 400, so there will be differences in the drive characteristics. You'll need to be loud as sin to get any dirt without an added preamp or pedals. The MYWATT would be very reliable, but seeking repairs may be difficult since the builder is in Germany. I'd like to get one of these myself, but I still have my vintage Hiwatts to keep me busy while I save up some pennies to buy more amps.

The modern Hiwatt company (Music Ground) makes a DR405 clone too, but I wouldn't trust the reliability of these. The MG Hiwatts have a reputation among some amp techs for problems with loose or cold solder joints.

I hope you are able to keep playing the Mesa after the latest repair, but it makes sense that you would want another big go-to amp.

ridgeback · #15 07-15-2010, 05:22 PM

old mate of mine uses an early 70s marshall superbass (mk2 i think) head with his p bass sounds sweet.nothing like the power or the tone of the 400+ but with the p.bass it just kicks ass..dont have a clue as to cost,doubt they are expensive these days..dont think he has even changed the tubes! having said that he is the only person i have seen use a marshall amp since the 80s..works so well with his p bass..and its something different..

Foz · #16 07-15-2010, 05:50 PM

You have an amp that you describe as the voice of God... but its a lemon. Given that reliability is the general case with 400+ amps and there is something wrong with yours that your tech can't fix - either it is cursed, or he's got a blind spot.

So get another one.

As to what to do with the lemon... maybe it needs to go back back home for a while and let the Mesa guys pick at it. In the mean time use your new one to walk with voice of the Lord at your back.

snowblinder · #17 07-15-2010, 06:01 PM

A great, cheap, and always reliable setup to have on hand if you are playing on the road extensively is any high wattage solid state power amp and a Tech 21 VT Bass pedal.

I have an early 80's MTI-era Ampeg SVT and, to borrow your description, it sounds like god. Perfect in every way, and I love it. However, there have been times when the SVT has died at shows. It happens. I have a rackmounted Acoustic 1100 watt power amp that I always take with me on tour as a backup, just in case the Ampeg decides to crap out. When used in conjunction with the VT pedal....honestly, I can't tell much of a difference. So, for a few hundred bucks, you'll always be covered in case your Mesa fails, and the tone won't be much, if any, different than the real deal. I kind of hate saying that, but...seriously, this pedal impressed me greatly on every level. It's a lifesaver.

I don't know if that helps, but that's my two cents.

Growly Lytes · #18 07-15-2010, 07:49 PM

A great, cheap, and always reliable setup to have on hand if you are playing on the road extensively is any high wattage solid state power amp and a Tech 21 VT Bass pedal.

Yes thats right.I reccomend the BASSMAN 300pro if you want all out balls in your face bass with that dirty sound if you want it mixed in.You cant go wrong with that amp.
And people try to say that tube amps are reliable.....i dont think so.They may have the ultimate sound but how does that compare to reliability ????? Fragile as a babys bottom.
SANSAMP-RBI/RPM

Tim1 · #19 07-15-2010, 08:59 PM

18 months ago I changed from a reliable 400+ to a new made in Vietnam SVT VR. The SVT has been just as reliable and has had some pretty heavy gigging and travel without a single problem, plus for me the sound is far more Godlike than the 400+. I guess you can get a lemon whatever you buy and sounds like you unfortunately got a lemon, if you know the 400+ is the sound you want I would just buy another from someone reputable where you can trust its history.

logicman69 · #20 07-16-2010, 03:30 PM

It's tough to replace the 400+. It has such a unique sound that anything else you get is just not going to sound right to your ears. I would probibly recomend getting your 400+ fixed (again), and then look for another 400+ to have as a backup.