Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
1200 Watt Mesa - Bout Time!
- Thread starter Bridge Cables
- Start date
Sunn 1200S minus 20 pounds, + a chorus and octave up or subbass, maybe an easier to use overdrive/boost....
800-900 watts at 4 ohms, 1200 at two, 10 band graphic, high and low compression with several balancers, adjusters, and other er's, some useable cuts and boosts, volume on the graphic, 4 output jacks in parallel in the back, tuner out.
And under $1000.00 BUT, wrist and finger injuring when put in a rack. It's just too heavy. It weighed more in the rack than my epifani T212!!!,,,welll.......almost!!!
The sunn 1200s/fender 1200 may not be known for as high a quality as a GB or a Mesa, but this heads got more useable features and just as much real power as either of the newer ones, granted it doesn't LOOK as pretty, lots of red lights rather than blue!!!! not brushed aluminum shinny front panel, jsut plain black. But look, it's been out for what 6 years already. Same with the GK 2001 RB...I used one almost 10 years ago in a band. Peavey had 750-1000 watt heads right around then too....So did SWR sm900? Why did it take Mesa so long to catch up....now Snomanbass says that he doesn't feel that Mesa's power numbers are "realistic"...again his opinion...I have no idea. Their 400+ is very loud but is it as loud as an Aguilar 728 or a Demeter or Eden, or SVT 2 pro or classic? But in the ss world, I just don't feel Mesa bass amps are much more than playing ketchup....another 1200 watt follower. Doesn't mean, Ken or Tom, that either of you or many others, or even lkaye won't buy one or a GBE1200.
Just feel these guys are behind the marketing curve here.
So Ken....that's my point,,,,why aren't the big boys, the quality head makers leading the way here rather than following. On the bass guitar side, the big boys (I mean more expensive, higher end ones) are the ones leading the innovation, introduction, quality, not the lower/mid enders.
Lkaye
800-900 watts at 4 ohms, 1200 at two, 10 band graphic, high and low compression with several balancers, adjusters, and other er's, some useable cuts and boosts, volume on the graphic, 4 output jacks in parallel in the back, tuner out.
And under $1000.00 BUT, wrist and finger injuring when put in a rack. It's just too heavy. It weighed more in the rack than my epifani T212!!!,,,welll.......almost!!!
The sunn 1200s/fender 1200 may not be known for as high a quality as a GB or a Mesa, but this heads got more useable features and just as much real power as either of the newer ones, granted it doesn't LOOK as pretty, lots of red lights rather than blue!!!! not brushed aluminum shinny front panel, jsut plain black. But look, it's been out for what 6 years already. Same with the GK 2001 RB...I used one almost 10 years ago in a band. Peavey had 750-1000 watt heads right around then too....So did SWR sm900? Why did it take Mesa so long to catch up....now Snomanbass says that he doesn't feel that Mesa's power numbers are "realistic"...again his opinion...I have no idea. Their 400+ is very loud but is it as loud as an Aguilar 728 or a Demeter or Eden, or SVT 2 pro or classic? But in the ss world, I just don't feel Mesa bass amps are much more than playing ketchup....another 1200 watt follower. Doesn't mean, Ken or Tom, that either of you or many others, or even lkaye won't buy one or a GBE1200.
Just feel these guys are behind the marketing curve here.
So Ken....that's my point,,,,why aren't the big boys, the quality head makers leading the way here rather than following. On the bass guitar side, the big boys (I mean more expensive, higher end ones) are the ones leading the innovation, introduction, quality, not the lower/mid enders.
Lkaye
rockstarbassist
Inactive
All I know is, compared to every other amp I've had or played, my ex- M-Pulse blew them all away. "Catch-up" or not, or whatever the hell that means in the musical world (like Mesa needs to "catch up" with anybody.. please!), this thing will still kill.
Larry Kaye said:
SnoBassMan said:What?
Allow me to elaborate on this incase there was confusion....I imagine there was since my post included all of one word.
Before obtaining my Walkabout I did a fair bit of research, mainly searches here on TB, to find out which product would suit me best. While reading on the BigBlock 750 I found many people were not happy with the wattage that Mesa gave it.
The big block is 750@2ohms 550@4ohms and 280@8ohms
With the M-Pulse 600 having slightly higher ratings at both 4 and 8 ohms, the BigBlock just didn't seem to be as BIG of a block as it should have been.
From what I've read their appears to be a notable difference in the tones from the Bigblock series and the standard M-pulses...but it still seems odd that mesa put out those two products with such similar power ratings.
I believe, and several persons who talked on it before, that the BB750 would have been more popular if it had initially came out with a larger power supply...like a BigBlock1000 for example. With the BB750 you're basically choosing between it and the Mpulse600 on grounds of do you want the one that looks more complicated or the one with fewer knobs.
Now with their new release, those players who want a pure power product have a choice that they can go with under the Mesa name.
(to clarify any opinion I have on Mesa's given power ratings....I've found their products to be quite loud and the ratings to be more than adequate)
gregbackstrom
These aren't stock curves--things move around!
Larry Kaye said:
It's been kinda fun reading everyone's opinions regarding the design and marketing of integrated bass amps. As a 52 year old, I'm becoming more aware of the weight of my gear every year. When I was young, I never seemed to think about how much this stuff weighs, but now ....
That's what led me to my latest purchase: a 26 lb, 1,200 watt Eden WT 1205. The amp has enough power to drive a couple of Acme Low B2's, which I could never do cleanly with my 17 lb Stewart World 2.1. (Mind you, I don't currently own any Acmes, but it could happen again!) The channel switching with dual compressor threshold controls allows me to set up a fingerstyle sound and a slap sound and switch them with a footswitch. Or a loud channel and a soft channel. Or, I can set up an F Bass channel and a Mike Lull channel if I decide to bother with two basses at a gig. This amp is significantly lighter than my Demeter / QSC PLX 2402 combination and the form-factor (two space rack mount) is easier to handle, and requires only one AC jack.
But most importantly, my sound is the best it has ever been, thanks entirely to whatever's going on in that Enhance circuit. That is still the most important consideration to me. I really like the Demeter pre, but the sound is sometimes too thin. My Read Custom seemed to make the highs go away. I didn't like the sound of my Mesa Walkabout, except with my Fender P. On the other hand, my 400+ is one of the best all-around amp I've had, but it's not a one-hand carry (it's more like a one hand-truck carry).
I hope the gear continues to get lighter, too. As I watch the market, it's obvous that many designers are building their gear for younger, stonger players than me. But it's cool that some designers are really pushing the light-weight, small form-factor envelope, too. I guess that gives me new stuff to look forward to!
- Greg Backstrom
As you can see I'm a Schroeder dealer now and the absolute main reason I pushed doing so was because of weight vs the volume/tone/money. But it's a weight thing.
I also bought an Eden but couldn't afford the 1205....went with a 550 Traveler even though I already own an Acoustic Image focus. I want to be able to run 2 4 ohm cabinets (want to be able to demo 2 Schroeder 4 ohm stack) for some of the loudest rock & rollers this side of Chicago. So having a single head with 750 watts @ 2 ohms did it for me, also it's priced right $899 delivered....just waiting for it....20 pounds. might be able to get away with no added outboard EQ for a change, maybe won't need the Sonic Maximizer either. Those two effects taken outta my rack will make up for the added weight of the Eden vs the Acoustic Image.
We'll see, but at 57 years old myself, and generally at an age where I can afford more for equipment, I'm just glad that we older of body but younger at what we play folk have consumer advocates out there like Schroeder and Epifani and Eden who understand the importance to us of lighter, high volume capable equipment and why we need it.
Lkaye
I also bought an Eden but couldn't afford the 1205....went with a 550 Traveler even though I already own an Acoustic Image focus. I want to be able to run 2 4 ohm cabinets (want to be able to demo 2 Schroeder 4 ohm stack) for some of the loudest rock & rollers this side of Chicago. So having a single head with 750 watts @ 2 ohms did it for me, also it's priced right $899 delivered....just waiting for it....20 pounds. might be able to get away with no added outboard EQ for a change, maybe won't need the Sonic Maximizer either. Those two effects taken outta my rack will make up for the added weight of the Eden vs the Acoustic Image.
We'll see, but at 57 years old myself, and generally at an age where I can afford more for equipment, I'm just glad that we older of body but younger at what we play folk have consumer advocates out there like Schroeder and Epifani and Eden who understand the importance to us of lighter, high volume capable equipment and why we need it.
Lkaye
gregbackstrom
These aren't stock curves--things move around!
Larry,
Are the Schroeder cabinets really as good as many say they are? I'd love to find a couple of really light cabinets that put out the decibels of a D-410 XLT. Or perhaps a single cabinet that's significantly lighter.
I'm playing mostly (almost exclusively) 5-strings these days. My main bass is a Mike Lull M5V, but I play an F Bass BN5, a Lull P5 and a Stingray 5 a bunch, too. I don't want another midrangy cabinet. I'd like to find something that can produce a 31 hertz note at a decent volume. The Acmes I used to have could do that, and I know that AccuGroove has that reputation as well.
I'd appreciate your feedback!
Cordially,
Greg
Are the Schroeder cabinets really as good as many say they are? I'd love to find a couple of really light cabinets that put out the decibels of a D-410 XLT. Or perhaps a single cabinet that's significantly lighter.
I'm playing mostly (almost exclusively) 5-strings these days. My main bass is a Mike Lull M5V, but I play an F Bass BN5, a Lull P5 and a Stingray 5 a bunch, too. I don't want another midrangy cabinet. I'd like to find something that can produce a 31 hertz note at a decent volume. The Acmes I used to have could do that, and I know that AccuGroove has that reputation as well.
I'd appreciate your feedback!
Cordially,
Greg
