• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Guitar Center dumping Mesa or new models?

It wouldn't turn me off to see an Asian built boards in a Mesa. There are very few manufactures of circuit boards in the U.S. anymore. If Mesa is using all U.S. sourced internals that explains why they cost so much. However, don't be discouraged by Chinese manufactured boards because sooner or later everyone will be using off shore built boards if they plan on staying in business.
 
my ampeg was built in the usa. i bought it in 1998.

orange is made in london, england.

AFAIK only the very high end of Orange and Ampeg are made in their domestic factories, now. And only those excessively expensive Heritage units are US made these days, costing several times what a comparable Mesa would (if the Strategy ever sees the light of day...).
I'll be honest I was just being snarky...

What is not cool is bashing on local music stores because "their prices are too high".
Yes compared to monolithic companies like Musicians Friend/Guitar Center their prices may be higher. But then again I do not go to Musicians Friend/Guitar Center to get advice or repairs. I DO got to local mom and pops for such.
Besides what will happen if all the mom and pops go out of business?
Then you will only be able to buy Rogue basses "deltalab" pedals and "Acoustic" amps. :bawl:

I've seen several EXTREMELY GOOD local stores go under in the last few years.
Leo's Pro Audio in Oakland was a little more than the best prices I could find on the internet, but they would price match. They did not have everything in stock I wanted. But they did carry parts and adapters for just about anything you could possibly push audio through. They also had people who had worked in their respective positions for DECADES. The accessories counter guy Mark was the frickin' Yoda of audio engineering.
He often found me a better solution than I was looking for, and many times at a lower price!
 
Ampeg makes 2 amps in the USA, and one of them is nearly five grand.

Mesa makes all of them here (and it's quite the product line, ranging from $800 guitar amps to $2k monsters).

I'm not typically one to buy based on origins (price range and tone are my criteria) but if you're going to draw arbitrary distinctions, you might as well be consistent :)
 
Mesa's factory tour on the Premier Guitar YouTube channel clearly documents their use of an in-house wave soldering machine for their boards.

I got to see it in action on my tour, they definitely do it themselves. :cool: They rotate production, too, just like Rickenbacker does; while we were there one of the items they were making were Triaxis preamps. The folks at Mesa were the best, very kind and showed us around to every department, very impressive place. :cool: :cool: :cool:

Keep buying Mesa products, we really need companies like this to stay the way they are in our country! :bassist:
 
Ampeg makes 2 amps in the USA, and one of them is nearly five grand.

Mesa makes all of them here (and it's quite the product line, ranging from $800 guitar amps to $2k monsters).

I'm not typically one to buy based on origins (price range and tone are my criteria) but if you're going to draw arbitrary distinctions, you might as well be consistent :)

Yeah, and how many units does Ampeg put out of their "US made" amps??? - probably less than 5% of their overall numbers, if I were to guess... Comparing Ampeg to Mesa in regards to being "US made" is pretty laughable...


- georgestrings