Epic Fight: Mesa vs Bergantino!

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by Taustin Powers, Jun 3, 2020.

  1. Mesa Amps & Mesa Cabs

    40 vote(s)
    33.1%
  2. Mesa Amps & Bergantino Cabs

    36 vote(s)
    29.8%
  3. Bergainto Amps & Bergantino Cabs

    43 vote(s)
    35.5%
  4. Bergantino Amps & Mesa Cabs

    2 vote(s)
    1.7%
  1. So these two brands seem to have huge followings on TalkBass. Both their amps and cabs seem to be outstanding engineering masterpieces. I was wondering which combination of amps and cabs of those two brands most of you would view as the ultimate best bass rig.

    I am sure there is no wrong choice in this poll! :)
     
  2. Recipe:- Any combination of gear listed, go with YOUR taste. It's all quality
     
  3. howardf

    howardf

    Jan 28, 2020
    I've been struggling with these two brands, plus Darkglass, for my next amp purchase. I can make a two hour trek to Sweetwater and try Mesa and Darkglass head to head, but no Bergantino anywhere near here.
     
  4. Interesting. Looks like Mesa is winning in amps, and Berg is winning in cabs right now. Only 9 votes in though.

    I have a Mesa D-800 and love it. Never played any Berg stuff though, and never played either companies speaker cabs.
     
    Element Zero likes this.
  5. msb

    msb

    Jul 3, 2002
    Halifax,N,S. Canada
    I picked up a couple of Bergie cabs last year . And I became a believer .
     
    Franz975 and Frankie Fender like this.
  6. Killing Floor

    Killing Floor Supporting Member

    Feb 7, 2020
    Austin, TX
    No wrong choice there. I think I could be a member of both of these cults.
     
    lomo, Haroldo, Kijuer and 1 other person like this.
  7. mobeme23

    mobeme23 Supporting Member

    Aug 27, 2018
    NorCal, Coastside
    yeah, no wrong choices here, and i think any combo will give excellent results.
    For me, the tone shaping of Mesa gear is exactly what i am after, and i really love my Berg cab.
    i wish i had enough money to try out all of the combination in your poll, so i can't speak to all the options listed.
     
    Zbysek likes this.
  8. I wish I could test drive the...

    ...Mesa WD-800
    ...Bergantino Forte HP
    ...Mesa Subway 212 cab
    ...Bergantino NXT212 cab

    As it is here in Berlin, I would have to mail order everything to try it out. I have the D-800, so my next step will probably be to pair it with a Berg NXT212.
     
  9. shoot-r

    shoot-r

    May 26, 2007
    Illinois
    My old Berg NV610 has NEVER sounded better till I started using my brand new Mesa D-800+.

    Wow! Great combination.
     
    MJ_Sotti, msb, Heavy Blue and 4 others like this.
  10. mmbongo

    mmbongo I have too many basses. Supporting Member

    It depends what cabs, but I'll say this...the Mesa Subway 115 is a marvel of engineering.
     
  11. Eddie LeBlanc

    Eddie LeBlanc

    Oct 26, 2014
    Beaumont, Texas
    Don't create no problem, won't be no problem.
    Berg is best.... period.
    And this is the reason why.
     
    shoot-r, Frankie Fender and SJan3 like this.
  12. Eddie LeBlanc

    Eddie LeBlanc

    Oct 26, 2014
    Beaumont, Texas
    Don't create no problem, won't be no problem.
    It's all about my great grandma's chicken cacciatore. It's all about the love and the heart. Jim knows that.
     
  13. Al Kraft

    Al Kraft Supporting Member

    May 2, 2016
    Northern Virginia
    Both brands are top of the line in every regard and that starts with exceptional engineers at the heart of the design process and carries right through manufacturing to outstanding customer suppport IME. This choice is purely a matter of personal preference based on style, feature set, and voicing/tone preference. Everthing else about the products IMO is the best the industry has to offer and in most cases represents industry benchmarks.

    On any given night I could easily be playing any combination in the poll and wanting for nothing.
     
  14. So I finally gave in and bought the NXT212. Wow, what a beast! It sounds massive with the Mesa D-800 driving it.

    At some point, I will try and compare the D-800 with a Berg amp, either B-Amp or Forte HP.
     
    kevk and mattwear like this.
  15. Bassndrums73

    Bassndrums73

    Mar 13, 2018
    Ohio
    Love my WD-800 but have no experience with either manufacturer’s cabs. That being said I tend to like matching my heads and cabs from the same manufacturer and one day would like to own either a Mesa Subway 215 or a pair of Subway 115’s. Right now I am using the WD-800 with a pair of Ampeg PF-115LF cabs and it sounds great. That and money are the only reasons I haven’t bought Mesa Subway cabs yet.
     
  16. beans-on-toast

    beans-on-toast

    Aug 7, 2008
    Support is a very important consideration. When a product is retired, the company should maintain a good stock of replacement OEM speakers for those that need them down the road. When they do run out of parts, is there a suitable off the self speaker available that they recommend. It’s common for people to be asking what speaker they can use in a cabinet when original parts are no longer available.

    In general, a cab and cab that are designed to work well together is desirable. You can’t go wrong with an amp and cabinet from the same manufacturer.
     
  17. Bassdirty

    Bassdirty

    Jul 23, 2010
    CT
    I think that we'll find that there are more mesa owners, than Berg owners, therefore there will be more votes for straight up mesa.

    I wonder how it would look (if there was a way- and there is not) if the poll was: "Out of people who have played all of the following combinations, which would you choose..etc.."


    My guess is that at least half of the Mesa voters, never played a Berg., however, Id wager that Most (if not all) of the Berg voters, have played a Mesa.

    But this is the internet.

    T$
     
    Oldtimer and Eddie LeBlanc like this.
  18. Eddie LeBlanc

    Eddie LeBlanc

    Oct 26, 2014
    Beaumont, Texas
    Don't create no problem, won't be no problem.
    I agree with your wager. These days Mesa is a very common amp and widely available. Bergs are a rarer bird. But seems almost every year Bergs at NAMM get some pretty wide ranging praise, and a few times get mentioned as the Best Of NAMM. Just saying.
     
  19. msb

    msb

    Jul 3, 2002
    Halifax,N,S. Canada
    Mesa is much larger , Bergantino is just a little boutique shop by comparison . And both make stellar product . But , far more people are familiar with Mesa although it's amazing to see how many have tried , and love Bergantino .
     
  20. jeff7bass

    jeff7bass Inactive

    Apr 9, 2009
    I tend to go with boutique cab builders for cabs and old, strong amp builders for heads. Amps are more complex so companies like Mesa and GK have an advantage IMO. So Berg cab with Mesa head for me.
     
    Geomancer likes this.