Been offered a Mesa Boogie 400 Plus ... any thoughts?

[Nickthebass]

I've got the chance to buy a Mesa Boogie for £850 (US$1,400) in a shock mounted flight case. Amp has just been serviced by the an official Mesa service bloke.

I've found a few that were sold in the last couple of years at £800 - £1000 so it seems like a good deal price wise.

I'm looking to go an give it a blast in the next couple of days (with my bass and cab) ... what should I expect?

I'm not looking for a grinding rock tone, something much more like Paul Turner from Jamiroquai is what I'm looking for. From the posts I've managed to find on here the Boogie sounds cleaner than an SVT and doesn't break up when you crank the gain. Does that sound fair?

Cheers for any input.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

That seems like a great deal of money to me... $1400! Yikes!

Is that what they go for (VAT factored in)?

 

[kosmicwizard]

Great price for being in your neck of the woods, and the flight case inc? Nice! It will be cleaner than an SVT, warm, fat, round, etc. ... Enjoy! Cheers.

 

[Nickthebass]

Wow ... quick responses guys ... thanks.

From what I can see of the other 400+s sold in the last couple of years ... yup it doesn't seem like the top end. (Apparently the retailed at over £2k new in the UK.)

It's second hand so no VAT!!!

Fat, warm and clean is good. Not looking for flabby though (tight but warm J bass is where I'm heading).

 

[Road Hat]

I ran a 400+ for a number of years matched with a Mesa 1516 road-ready cabinet, and no matter how loud I turned it up, I wasn't really able to find that elusive 'grind'. However, for straight-up, punch to the stomach, knock glasses off the back of the bar bass sound, I've not heard better. However, a 120lb cabinet and an 85lb head in a road case eventually proved too much for the clubs we played. Also, I did feel that it was a little stiff at lower volumes. IMO, it takes some sustained decibels to get the twelve 6L6 power tubes cooking and sounding their best.

 

[Matt Dean]

I think it's too much. Here in Northern Cali, one of the most expensive places in America, there are two 400+s for sale on CL, one for $850 and the other $990... both include nice head cases.

But, maybe they are harder to get across the pond, hence the premium price.

 

[mikeddd]

@Matt: I'm an American temporarily living across the pond. Everything is harder to get and way, WAY more expensive. Heck, plastic zip ties go for $5.50 each! Slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.

 

[BassBob1]

At a jam room I frequent with some other musician friends of mine there is one. The guy who owns the place has it as the main bass rig there. It sits a top a PH115 and PH410. IT is definitely a pretty clean sounding amp (I also don't think the SVT is a really dirty amp i have never played one totally cranked though) I have noticed the 400+ is very punchy i wouldnt mind one of them.

 

[Matt Dean]

@Matt: I'm an American temporarily living across the pond. Everything is harder to get and way, WAY more expensive. Heck, plastic zip ties go for $5.50 each! Slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.

If that's the case, then you could probably sell it for what you put into it when you leave.

 

[mikeddd]

Very true; but the stuff I bought I want to keep...though it's resale value will never be higher stateside than it is now. It stinks being a gearhound sometimes.

 

[ilovenofrets]

I played through one with the original road-ready 4x10, very sweet tube-tone. Not grindy at all, very warm, very punchy, and smooth. Sir Paul still rocks his, so you may want to use that for tone reference.

 

[Nickthebass]

Thanks for the input guys. I've decided not to go for it though. I'm not gigging nearly enough to justify dropping that sort of money on an amp.

Got a Sei bass on the way as well so that's more than enough stupid spending for the minute I think.