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Aguilar or Mesa Subway D-800
- Thread starter grooveguru
- Start date
I only briefly owned a TH a few years ago, so my experience with it is limited, but I remember it being a pretty good head. My Mesa D-800+, incredible! So much tonal variety on board and takes pedals/preamps really well-my Sansamp MP40 sounds stellar through it.
I was making a similar choice a couple years ago, but between the ag700 and D-800+. I was able to get them both next to each other and compared them on my own regular cab, and although I was blown away by both, the Aguilar really spoke to me and I ended up going for it. The controls and features worked very quickly and intuitively for me and my taste, but there are countless people for which the Mesa has the advantage, just to their taste.
I don't know if there's any way to give real specific advice between two great products, and to be clear I've never played the Tone Hammer myself, but if you can find any way to get at them in real life, the decision becomes easier to make. Apologies for the obvious advice, but it really helped me make my choice! At the end of the day I'll bet you wouldn't be let down by either of them.
I don't know if there's any way to give real specific advice between two great products, and to be clear I've never played the Tone Hammer myself, but if you can find any way to get at them in real life, the decision becomes easier to make. Apologies for the obvious advice, but it really helped me make my choice! At the end of the day I'll bet you wouldn't be let down by either of them.
I play TH500 and AG700 amps. I bought and sold the D800. Maybe I'd have kept the D800+.
Al Kraft
Supporting Member
- May 2, 2016
- 10,776
- 40,458
- Disclosures
- Mesa Boogie beta product tester and player support
Picking a favorite will be a matter of personal taste and tone goals IMO. To me they are very different heads. While I like them both, I think the D-800 may be a bit more versatile and SS sounding voicing-wise. To get an even far more versatile amp voicing-wise (for a small price difference) I would look at the D-800+ instead the D-800. For a Mesa option closer in voicing to the TH I would look at the WD and TT-800 models.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,045
- 5
- 220,998
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
IMO, this is where playing both would help you determine which amp works best for YOUR personal tastes.
Yea, those are two very different-sounding amps. What kinda stuff do you play and what are your tonal goals?
Aguilar is more "wooly" sounding whereas the Mesa is a cleaner amp. I've had both and opted for Mesa because I need a cleaner tone most of the time.
Both excellent! This simply comes down to personal taste. In a perfect world you'd want both.
We are all different. I could not get along with the Tone Hammer but love the Mesa 800+. The Tone Hammer is not going to give you bright and snappy. As an other said, the Tone Hammer is wooly. I still use a Tone Hammer pre amp.
A better line-up would be the TH-700 versus the WD-800. Both of these heads will provide dirt. I ended up with the Mesa, but the Aguilar is also a great amp. I found the Mesa to be easier to set up the sound I was looking for compared to the Aguilar.
If you only want clean tones, the Mesa D-800/800+ or Aguilar AG-700 would be better picks.
If you only want clean tones, the Mesa D-800/800+ or Aguilar AG-700 would be better picks.
I own a TH 500 band a mesa d800. The tone hammer has more of a baked in sound to it. If that's the sound you're going for, you'll love it. The mesa has more "authority" if that makes sense (it doesn't, i know). It's got the "heft" that i hear folks say class D amps lack. Neither amp is particularly "bright" but you'll be able to coax way more usable treble out of the mesa.
You've really got to play both to see which you like best. They are two really nice amps... it's going to come down to personal preference.
You've really got to play both to see which you like best. They are two really nice amps... it's going to come down to personal preference.
Both different flavors, both excellent amps. Cannot provide any advice to someone else in a vacuum. Try both if you can, only way to determine which would suit you better.
I also have the TH500 and the D800. I agree with much of what has already been said, including that the Aguilar is generally thicker sounding and the Mesa generally cleaner. You do need to try them, even better if you can try them with the speaker(s) you intend to pair the amp with.
I tend to use them for different purposes. The Tone hammer is good for vintage, fat, passive P bass sounds, and the Mesa good for active, modern J bass sounds and upright bass. Of course, you can use them however you want. I run both through Genzler cabinets and am happy with what I can get out of either. If pressed to get only one, I’d probably lean towards the D800, and then get the Tone Hammer preamp pedal so I could still get both sounds.
I tend to use them for different purposes. The Tone hammer is good for vintage, fat, passive P bass sounds, and the Mesa good for active, modern J bass sounds and upright bass. Of course, you can use them however you want. I run both through Genzler cabinets and am happy with what I can get out of either. If pressed to get only one, I’d probably lean towards the D800, and then get the Tone Hammer preamp pedal so I could still get both sounds.
I found the TH500 rather difficult to dial in a sound that I liked. Sorry, but I don't remember exactly why. But the D800 was immediate and really satisfying. Great amp.
