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Help me pick a rig? TH500/Mesa 800/TF.5/Rumble 800
- Thread starter Tonecaster
- Start date
The cab is a game changer IMHO. THE BEST 15 I have ever played. Deep tight full, not muddy. The Array speakers handle mids and highs. Very smooth. Not as harsh as some tweeters can be in some cabs. As some have mentioned, dispersion factor of the Array allows you to be heard better. Every body that hears the cab loves it. Weights about 38 pounds. Best cab I have ever owned. No need for more for what I play. If I need more add another BA-15 or the BA 210-3. These cabs really are something unique. Worth trying if you can. I can not see myself playing anything else, really! The Magellan head is awesome as well as some have stated. Got the Mesa because I have history with Mesa products. I intend to get the Magellan head though as a back up or just another SLIGHTLY Different head as the two heads are similar in my opinion as far as their designs.
Actually, now that I've done some research I would go with the Mesa 800 assuming it's the TT model. Didn't realize that one has a tube preamp circuit in it.
I purchased my Mesa pieces blind based on personal "practical" logic. Very happy with my result, but found out after the fact that the engineers at Mesa were actually going for something specific with each option. I'm sure I would have been happy with any of the Mesa line, but I got lucky my practical choices lined up with what they designed those pieces to do.
Not a bad idea to peruse the Mesa Subway thread to see what they were actually going for so your choice is a bit more deliberate than mine was.
I'm coming out of the desert after decades of not playing every day. New gear is far different that what I teethed on in the 60s. 
Without auditioning the entire line with the appropriate Mesa cabs, reading these threads and listening to sample tracks doesn't inform me. I just ordered an SW115 because of the overwhelmingly consistent praise it's gotten here.
I've received PMs with sound from guys who are happy with their choice. So that's great. But then someone else comes along with an entirely different opinion/experience.
What I know I don't want is a modern hi-fi sound. If each of the line can provide both clean and overdriven, and include settings that can be adjusted for the room, then I'll grab any one of them. The price differential isn't enough to sway me one way or the other.
I'll roll the dice when stock is back in the pipeline.
Without auditioning the entire line with the appropriate Mesa cabs, reading these threads and listening to sample tracks doesn't inform me. I just ordered an SW115 because of the overwhelmingly consistent praise it's gotten here.
I've received PMs with sound from guys who are happy with their choice. So that's great. But then someone else comes along with an entirely different opinion/experience.
What I know I don't want is a modern hi-fi sound. If each of the line can provide both clean and overdriven, and include settings that can be adjusted for the room, then I'll grab any one of them. The price differential isn't enough to sway me one way or the other.
I'll roll the dice when stock is back in the pipeline.
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Your a retiree from advertising and you want us to sell you a rig? Interesting.
Having played through Rumbles, Tone Hammer, I think you will like the Mesa rig, but I'd opt for the WD-800 (better EQ) or latest head they came out with recently.
r
Good one dbsfgyd1!
But during that tenure, I hired and relied on the best people to help me accomplish my goals.
And in this case, that would be you fine folks!
All The Best!
Ed
Good one dbsfgyd1!
But during that tenure, I hired and relied on the best people to help me accomplish my goals.
And in this case, that would be you fine folks!
All The Best!
Ed
Still honestly don't think Tonecaster can really go wrong with any of these choices and I'd still lean toward the TT-800 with SW 115, then 210 as I said previously and I am planning to do also, but just to muddy it up.....
If really considering tone and money no object, I think the SVT VR to a heritage 810 or two is still the holy grail, especially when the channels are jumped. Now I don't want to lug that mess around to gigs, but if money no object, I'd hire a roadie to lug that mess around even if playing at a small venue to 10 people!! I'd be smiling the whole time.
I still do love my SVT 7 Pro though too. Lightweight, great tone and thump, tube pre, 1,000 watts. Not planning to get rid of it.
If really considering tone and money no object, I think the SVT VR to a heritage 810 or two is still the holy grail, especially when the channels are jumped. Now I don't want to lug that mess around to gigs, but if money no object, I'd hire a roadie to lug that mess around even if playing at a small venue to 10 people!! I'd be smiling the whole time.
I still do love my SVT 7 Pro though too. Lightweight, great tone and thump, tube pre, 1,000 watts. Not planning to get rid of it.
You owe it to yourself to read the genzler thread and watch these two videos…
I - like you had a long hiatus. Had svts and trace elliots in the past but ended up with genzler in 2018. Very happy with my choice.
honestly - your list is filled with good choices and happily there are many more available to us today.
I - like you had a long hiatus. Had svts and trace elliots in the past but ended up with genzler in 2018. Very happy with my choice.
honestly - your list is filled with good choices and happily there are many more available to us today.
Hi Treblefree,
Thanks for your reply.
Leaning toward that exact setup at this point. I might also pick up a TH to A/B against, then sell whichever I like less. But as you said, no bad choices here. Also as Bherman pointed out, I really only need something small as a BU, or just a DI and my IE's.
But no to the SVT. Once in a lifetime was enough for that. Unless of course someone specs it for a backline. Then I'd happily plug in.
All The Best,
Ed
Hey Loring,
Nathan Navaro never fails to bring a huge smile to my face.
Thanks for sharing. More food for thought.
All The Best,
Ed
+1 what @Loring said! That vid with Nathan Navaro shows the versatility of the Magellan head and pretty good representation of the BA cabs. I have the Mesa D800+ head which I chose over the Magellan head for certain reasons but it was so close, and I still plan to get the Magellan head. Anxious to see what your final choice will be.
jdthebassman
play to live live to play
I would go with a audiokinesis 1506 cab. I use a TH 500 nothing else comes close.
I'm in the neighborhood of your rig. My cab is a TC112. The Tone Hammer sound really shines with AK cabs.
Hi Folks,
I want to thank all of you for taking the time out of your days to craft your well-considered responses!
I've decided to try and get some time with the Mesa 800+, TH 750, and Genzler setups. As you've all made eminently clear, there are no bad setups in the bunch.
I'll report back with my final choice.
Again, thanks for all of your time!
All The Best,
Ed
I want to thank all of you for taking the time out of your days to craft your well-considered responses!
I've decided to try and get some time with the Mesa 800+, TH 750, and Genzler setups. As you've all made eminently clear, there are no bad setups in the bunch.
I'll report back with my final choice.
Again, thanks for all of your time!
All The Best,
Ed
If you have trouble finding a genzler to test drive just @Jeff Genzler and he will point you to the nearest dealer.
I have always found him very attentive to his customers and I suppose potential customers as well ( I dealt with him after I had his gear)
Hi Loring,
Looks like there is a dealer 40 minutes south of me that stocks all three!
All The Best,
Ed
Hi All,
Circling back around finally...
After borrowing testing, etc. I finally settled on a ToneHammer 700 with 2 - SL112's.
While I found I liked the TH's "baked-in" tone, I can also see where that would be limiting to many.
The weight, and sound, of the SL112's were also a deciding factor. At 66 gigging with anything much heavier would be a drag. That said, if I need to get larger cabs down the road, the 700 will handle with no problem.
Thanks again for all of your time and input. I valued it highly!
All the best,
Ed Taylor
Circling back around finally...
After borrowing testing, etc. I finally settled on a ToneHammer 700 with 2 - SL112's.
While I found I liked the TH's "baked-in" tone, I can also see where that would be limiting to many.
The weight, and sound, of the SL112's were also a deciding factor. At 66 gigging with anything much heavier would be a drag. That said, if I need to get larger cabs down the road, the 700 will handle with no problem.
Thanks again for all of your time and input. I valued it highly!
All the best,
Ed Taylor
Super cool! Congrats, Ed! That's a smokin' stack!
And you can just add a 3rd SL112 later if you need more volume, but unless the Rolling Stones need you to fill in on a date, I doubt that'll be a concern. Enjoy your new rig!
And you can just add a 3rd SL112 later if you need more volume, but unless the Rolling Stones need you to fill in on a date, I doubt that'll be a concern. Enjoy your new rig!
