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Mesa 200 Buster club

#202
EduardoK said:
Still no help....
I am looking forward to retube my Buster head but don't know much about tubes.
Saw this set @ eBay :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mesa-Boogie...188?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c64abedec:
Mesa Boogie Buster Bass Primo Tube Set 6L6GC
Your advise please! Are these the right tubes to buy? Any specific brands you recommend? A dedicated trusty tube dealer perhaps? Amp and preamp tubes?
Click to expand...

Thought I would offer my limited experience. I bought a used Buster head recently from a fellow TB member. Excellent transaction and the head was in very good condition. One tube was damaged in shipping due to no fault of the previous owner. It was packaged very good. I looked around and "thetubestore.com" was mentioned as a source of tubes. I had more $$ than brains at the time (not now) and purchased from tubes directly from MESA. Kind of pricey but they were good tubes. I also purchased a set from "thetubestore. com". They recommended Tung-Sol 7581. Very reasonably priced and are very good tubes. Maybe just a tad hotter than stock from MESA. Still working like a champ. Love this amp btw.
 
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#204
Brief check-in and comments.
Moved my 8x10 out front and power it with my Kilo (bridged). Much easier to take advantage of the Kilo's many routing and tone options this way. I then run the Kilo output 'signal' into the Buster input and adjust for stage mix. I have the Buster powering a 2x10 on stage. Sort of the best of both worlds. We are doing cover tunes (mostly 70's music) so I assume you folks would have limited interest in those, but you might like to see some pics someday..?
 
#207
monsterthompson I apologize for the delay in responding to your suggestion. When I was checking it I was testing the DI I did have the master volume up some. I was trying to find a configuration that would allow me to chain my guitar signal from the Kilo to the buster and avoid the ground loop issues. The old DI I had been using recently died. Never found a reliable way though.
Doesnt matter now. This past weekend I went ahead and used just the Buster into an 8x10. I'm hooked on that now. Damn fine head. Don't need anything else really.
 
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#208
FWIW, used Buster through 8x10 this weekend and the Kilo through the 4x10. Both continue to be flawless (except for the Buster DI). Was able to solve the ground loop hum by taking the effects send from the Buster into the Kilo.
Yeah, it's overkill, but my what excellent sound.
 
#211
Kevan Campbell said:
Has anyone here experimented with using different pre and power tubes in their Buster? If so, what did you use and how did it sound compared to stock Mesa tubes?
Click to expand...
I retubed with JJ 803's in the pre ("long plate") and JJ in the power. Worked out great. I was trying to add a little more warmth/lushness to it since it's so clean and direct.
 
#212
Kevan Campbell said:
Man, y'all are making me jealous! A Buster through an 8x10 would be awesome!

Has anyone here experimented with using different pre and power tubes in their Buster? If so, what did you use and how did it sound compared to stock Mesa tubes?
Click to expand...

Yup. Lots of tubes!

I ended up loving TungSol reissue 12ax7's in the pre for their nice highs and extended lows.

While not the tonally 'richest', I now use Sovtex 6l6wxt's for power. Mainly because I tour hard (busses, trailers) and these tougher tubes seem to hold up better to abuse and sound pretty great overall. Less creamy than some of the better tubes I've tried like TungSol and Svetlana, but a good balance and great reliability!
 
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#214
Checking in. For several weeks I have been using the Kilo and Buster head into some through some configuration of either an 8x10 or 2x10 and 4x10. Last Saturday I used the Buster exclusively and I must say it is still a workhorse. No problem at all finding a useful tone.
I think I will be using the Buster through the 8x10 from now on.
 
#215
Well, my Buster 15" combo has been my touring go-to this year. Even on the largest stages. Starting to get some touring wear & tear and with about 20 truck shows booked through the end of the year I decided it was time to protect the ole' girl...

It's not light (thankfully, I don't have to move it!) but should keep 'my precious' from getting wrecked on the road.

20141016_131710_zps44vj0k0w.jpg


20141016_131818_zpsex3oh54c.jpg


I'm kinda regretting selling my Buster head earlier this year now, lol!
 
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#216
Hey guys. I searched around on a few forums and TB but couldn't really find what I wanted. I think my preamp tube(s) went. I never replaced them (bought the amp August 2013). I got a deep hum last Sunday at church right at the beginning of the service. I think it's the preamp tube(s) but correct me if I'm wrong. The power tubes are about a year old with probably less than 100 hours.
Anyways, I don't know what tubes to get. I want distortion. But everything online is super confusing (like low gain = higher voltage = more distortion). I was wondering what tubes you guys use in yours and how it sounds. I forget what's in them now. I think a sovtek in v1 and JJ's in v2 and v3 but I'm not sure.
 
#218
It came out of nowhere and has never done it before. I've never changed them either. It still works it just has that hum. No DI was plugged in either. And it did stop after I turned it off for a minute or two. I'm hoping it's just a tube that's why I think it is. ;)
And from the troubleshooting videos of tube amps on YouTube, I think it's a tube.
 
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#219
Yeah, could be a tube or perhaps a capacitor. Usually the noise source is preamp V1. It would be worth swapping out a known good tube to test...

As far as getting more crunch from the pre of the buster- the only way I got more was having my tech change out some component values on the board. Just putting in a different brand tube probably won't get you there.
 

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