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Finally took the leap...Mesa D800+ on the way (and building my dream rig around it)!

MustangMan78

MustangMan78

Supporting Member
Mar 20, 2021
186
340
Douglassville, PA
#1
The impetus for this is the fact that I'm now auditioning for a couple of different bands and hope to soon be gigging regularly again. At 44, I think it's time to build my dream bass rig. The missus is probably going to kill me, but I'm hoping to justify this by selling a bunch of my other music gear that has just been sitting around the house (she'll appreciate the cleanup effort).

I've been a huge Mesa fan for years, and have owned a couple of their guitar amps over the years (Nomad 45, Mark V 25), as well as several of their effects pedals. After watching many demos online, I settled on the D800+. It has "the sound" and all the features I'm looking for to build my setup. I'll be using my existing Rumble 210 cabinet with it for now, as the Subway 15" cabs seem to be on backorder everywhere. I'll start off with one once they're available again, but eventually plan to stack a second to reap the full 800 watts. This is going to be EPIC by the time everything is done!

The Rack:
I'm building a lightweight (relatively) 6 space custom rack, with external connectors for a locking IEC, and DI out, as well as a locking input as a backup (main input will be via wireless). A Black Lion Audio PG1 MkII will provide clean power for the whole rig. The D800+ will be mounted on the bottom and secured with a lock down shelf. A Golden Age Project Comp-54 will be mounted in a 1/2 width adapter above that and connected though the effects loop. The power conditioner will sit above that, followed by a Shure BLX14R Wireless system, and a Korg Pitch Black Rack Tuner to top off the works. I estimate the whole rack will weigh in around 30lbs or under. Not bad. At this point, I have everything I need or it is on the way. Pics definitely to follow!
 
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#11
I bought the head first, but it was not until I gigged with it (volume) that it really opened up and sang. I bought the SW15 shortly after, and later bought a second one. However....

The SW2x12 is simply outstanding. Plenty of volume to gig without p.a. support in many situations. A little more mid-forward, and imho, a little more clarity. Nothing wrong with the 15, but the 2x12 is quite excellent.
 
#12
I made a couple of tweaks to the final setup. The rack weighed more than I anticipated, so I switched to the BLA PG-X power conditioner (which is several pounds lighter). The GAA Comp-54 was a good several pounds and only went up to a 6:1 ratio, so I sent it back and found this 1999 vintage, Ted Fletcher designed, Joe Meek C2 compressor. I fell in love with Ted’s Joe Meek compressors the first time I used a VC6 back in college and here we are 20+ years later! I’m still waiting on my clamping rack, as well as the punch out plate for the connectors, but they should be here soon.

She was christened this past Saturday at an outdoor gig for around 350 people. I was filling in for my buddy’s band once again, and had an absolute blast! More than a couple of people (including bass players) came up and commented on the sound, the rig itself, and my playing (which helped boost my confidence, given that bass is relatively new in the grand scheme of my musical experience). It was the best time I’ve ever had outside of playing drums, and now there’s talk that it could lead to a full-time gig!

AE3E4BAA-2D32-4D6D-8F91-8D07A45A6C78.jpeg
 
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#17
MustangMan78 said:
I like feeding clean power to the compressor and digital devices though. My house has bad power (it typically runs as high as 124-127 volts), let alone some of the questionable sources you can get at a gig.
Click to expand...
Your power conditioner does nothing to the line voltage. Absolutely zero.

124-127 is no problem for any quality, safety approved product.
 
#18
I second what @agedhorse says above - just for grins, you might try running the D800+ by itself (no power conditioner, no compressor). It’s a mighty amp on its own, you might find that the need for the rack would go away. That’s one of the major advantages of this new generation of amps, they work great by themselves. Either way, enjoy the heck out of it!
 
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#20
I got the 1x15 cabinet from Zzounds back at the end of December. 2x10s came in, but were immediately gone. I'm not going to let that happen again!

I revamped the rack a bit. I went back to the PG-1 mkII for the staged power on and power off. One switch, and everything comes alive in the proper order. I got the clamping rack to mount the D-800+ and filled in the gaps on the sides with air conditioner foam (looks professional). I also swapped in a BLA Seventeen compressor for the JoeMeek (going in my home studio rack). I ran a WA-76 with my Rumble 500 and there's just something about that sound. Besides, who doesn't love analog level meters? I lost the wireless to make room for the Seventeen. I haven't decided if I'm going to try to mount it in the back of the rack, sell it, or just save it for my guitar rig. It was chewing up two AA batteries every gig, so meh. Lastly, I got rid of the ridiculous looking PitchBlack Pro 3D tuner, and went with a proper, vintage DTR-1000. Playing outdoor gigs last Fall, it was very hard to see unless it was dusk or dark. Overall, I picked up a couple of more pounds, but that's what roadies are for!
 

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