MESA Bass 400 not 400+ ($650)

crapshack · #1 01-06-2011, 05:19 PM

Thought I'd throw this out there. I own one. Love it. Not a bad price. I'd probably buy it if I had $650 laying around.

Ditch those damn 6L6's and throw some 6550's\KT88's in her and you'd have a beast!

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/msg/2145876226.html

dave88 · #2 01-06-2011, 05:34 PM

Entertaining read: he threw out the new tubes and the amp is "infamous"

Jeez, you can put 6550's into these?

crapshack · #3 01-06-2011, 05:43 PM

Yeah - the 400's were designed to run 6550's. The 400+ were put out as a result of a lack of a source for cheap 6550's.

The 400 is a much different amp than the 400+ .. at least to my ears.

NecroticImbecil · #4 01-07-2011, 08:15 AM

They sound great either way, but different. If you like distortion, it doesn't get much better than a 400 with 6L6s with the volume cranked. When I tried KT88s it sounded close enough to my ears to a 400+ that I doubt anyone would notice in a band setting.

I have simultaneously owned a 400, +, and D180 and preferred the 400 to the + for this versatility. Tried getting the + to distort at similar volumes with preamp gain, but it sounded like a broken fuzz pedal in comparison.