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Another Mesa 400+ question.

Norre

Norre

Jan 5, 2001
465
49
51
Antwerp, Belgium
users.telenet.be
#1
Hi again,

I've been told that the early models of the 400+ (not the 400!) had a non-detachable powerchord. Is this true?
I also wonder if they changed something in the amp (design) during the time that is was produced. Or is the first 400+ that was made exactly the same as the last one?

Thanks in advance,

KN
 
#2
The very first ones had a 6-band EQ, like the 400. Also, the fixed power cable existed mostly throught the 90's, I believe. Finally, and this is kind of benign, but the older 400's and 400+'s seemed to have a different paint finish than the newer amps. It was "bumpier" and seemingly more durable.
 
#5
I currently own an '89 Bass 400, but I used to have a 2006 Bass 400+. It had the detachable power cord, which was extremely handy. My current Bass 400's cord is a pain in the ass because there's no prongs to wrap it around, so unless it's in a rack case, it's a bit of a hassle because it's so long.
 
#8
When I first went to the Mesa factory store in 1991, I remember the 400+ heads sitting there all having the 7-band eq. Although the literature at that time still pictured the old 6-band eq.

The only changes I remember:
-the 6-band to 7-band eq.
-the detachable powercord came in around the late 90's.
-the rear toggle switches for fan speed and ground-lift changed to rocker style switches.
-the shape of the power and standby switches used to be square edged, and in the late 90's had a little oval shape to them.
-old serial numbers used to just be stamped right into the metal chassis, then they got fancy with a silver stick-on label.

Really it's all been cosmetic changes, the amp is functionally the same.
 

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