Hi everyone, I was looking into mesa boogie bass heads and heard they were great! Any recommendations?
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Best Mesa-Boogie Bass heads
- Thread starter direwolfvt
- Start date
Plenty of info on this site. Just search. My vote is for the WD800.
I run a Mesa Subway D350 with two 8 ohms 12" cabs for the last 3 years and can’t imagine anything better and more user friendly than that.
No fan, no noise, no hiss, no hum and more than enough power on tap to play with any style of drummer and dead quiet when practicing silently at home.
No fan, no noise, no hiss, no hum and more than enough power on tap to play with any style of drummer and dead quiet when practicing silently at home.
Wish I still had my D800 it was the most fantastic piece of bass amplification I’ve ever used. I’d pony up for the TT800 if I were in the market today
If your asking about the latest Mesa Subway bass amps, (for my ears), the 800+.
If your asking about earlier Mesa Boogie bass amps, (once again, for my ears), Mesa M-6 Carbine, specifically the Fathom version.
If your asking about earlier Mesa Boogie bass amps, (once again, for my ears), Mesa M-6 Carbine, specifically the Fathom version.
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Thanks! To clear things up, I am asking about all mesa bass amps, whether they still make them or not doesn’t matter
Begin by ordering whichever amongst "the three" (D800+, WD800, and TT800) can get delivered the soonest to you, once you have the first one hooked up to an appropriate cab you are considered to be "safe," and now you may calmly proceed with purchasing the rest.
It is that simple!
: )
The current Subway series is an VERY safe bet; they all have different sounds and features, but share the same build quality and ease of use.
Pick whichever one suits your tone and budget.
I’ve owned several older Mesa amps; Bass 400+, Basis M-2000, M6 Carbine, M-Pulse 600.
Of that group, the 400+ and M6 were my favorites…with the M-2000 squarely in last place.
I bought a D-800+ a couple years ago and it’s a really well-designed amp; loud, dependable and intuitive to use. But the sound didn’t excite me.
A few months back, I bought a WD-800 and it has the tonal “it” factor I was looking for.
It’s also a musical “get out of jail free card”:
Whenever I’ve been in bad room, boomy stage, or dodgy backline cabinet situations, the WD-800 has had enough EQ flexibility and control to get me a very usable sound and keep the gig fun.
Pick whichever one suits your tone and budget.
I’ve owned several older Mesa amps; Bass 400+, Basis M-2000, M6 Carbine, M-Pulse 600.
Of that group, the 400+ and M6 were my favorites…with the M-2000 squarely in last place.
I bought a D-800+ a couple years ago and it’s a really well-designed amp; loud, dependable and intuitive to use. But the sound didn’t excite me.
A few months back, I bought a WD-800 and it has the tonal “it” factor I was looking for.
It’s also a musical “get out of jail free card”:
Whenever I’ve been in bad room, boomy stage, or dodgy backline cabinet situations, the WD-800 has had enough EQ flexibility and control to get me a very usable sound and keep the gig fun.
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I don't think you can go wrong, it's just a matter of which features you value most. Personally, I'm not into overly complex EQs, so I'd lean away from the WD800 and towards the TT800. The latter seems to have the right mix of simplicity and variety for my tastes, but in the ends you have to use your ears.
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I think what everyone will tell you is, they’re all great amps. It depends on your wants/needs and budget. Pony-up, spend some mullah, plug in, and likely, you’ll be satisfied. Good luck with the hunt 
Side note: after you go down the Mesa rabbit hole of amps/cabs, look into Genzler Magellan
Side note: after you go down the Mesa rabbit hole of amps/cabs, look into Genzler Magellan
I am biased. D-800+ for me. The adjustable HPF is amazing in cleaning up mud. I never use the bright switch nor the low switch, but it is good to have them.
M9 Carbine. Tube preamp, Fender stack eq + graphic eq, compressor, amazing tone and enough power to blow any SVT out of the water.
My Bass 400 will always be my favorite amp ever.
This is what I have been using for 5 years now, a D-800+. It’s a great bass amp.
Can't go wrong. I went with the TT, but I would love to have the D+, WD, and 350, too. I'm sure I could find great sounds in all of them.
Ditto for all of the Subway cabs I don't have... yet.
Ditto for all of the Subway cabs I don't have... yet.
I've owned a few Mesa heads. I had a Big Block 750. I loved the sound of it, just got tired of carrying it around.
Of the Subway series, which I would highly recommend, my first was the D800+, which I still have. A great amp right out of the box. Fell in love with it right away. Clean, punchy and so easy to get a great sound out of.
I also have a TT800. Once I got rid of the Big Block, I wanted some more tube deliciousness. This one took me a bit of time to play with and get dialed in, but it's fantastic. It's the only one out of the Subway heads with 2 channels, so it can be very handy, but I mostly use the Subway channel.
Of the Subway series, which I would highly recommend, my first was the D800+, which I still have. A great amp right out of the box. Fell in love with it right away. Clean, punchy and so easy to get a great sound out of.
I also have a TT800. Once I got rid of the Big Block, I wanted some more tube deliciousness. This one took me a bit of time to play with and get dialed in, but it's fantastic. It's the only one out of the Subway heads with 2 channels, so it can be very handy, but I mostly use the Subway channel.
On that note, in the used market also look at Genz Benz Class D heads. I have a Shuttle 6.0 and it is amazing.I think what everyone will tell you is, they’re all great amps. It depends on your wants/needs and budget. Pony-up, spend some mullah, plug in, and likely, you’ll be satisfied. Good luck with the hunt
Side note: after you go down the Mesa rabbit hole of amps/cabs, look into Genzler Magellan
I have aD800+, love its design and its flexibility. Would like to add TT800
You’re just going to get a bunch of people listing everything they’ve made. There aren’t really any bad ones to avoid. It’s a matter of if you want a big tube head or a small class D, or one of the hybrid designs. You’ll get more helpful answers if you can provide some details of what you’re looking for and how you’ll use it.
