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Mesa 200 Buster club

#122
While I'm asking questions:
If anyone has had Buster!, and Walkabout, I'd be curious to know if you find the Buster significantly louder than the Walkabout...
From what I've read, the Buster sounds "more modern" than the Walkabout; brighter and less vintage...is that accurate?

thanks
 
#123
Chef said:
While I'm asking questions:
If anyone has had Buster!, and Walkabout, I'd be curious to know if you find the Buster significantly louder than the Walkabout...
From what I've read, the Buster sounds "more modern" than the Walkabout; brighter and less vintage...is that accurate?

thanks
Click to expand...

Hey Chef, I have both a Buster head and a WA 1x12 combo. A stock Buster is 6x6L6's which would commonly translate to 150w tube power, though Mesa claims it's closer to 200w. Having previously owned an Ampeg V4B (4x6L6) way back when, the Buster is definitely louder than that, naturally.

Given equal cabinets and ohm load, I would say the Buster would be 'louder' than a WA and surely more capable if you had some hard, late distortion power tubes. Tonewise, I would easily state it's closer to a 400+ than a WA. The Buster is super responsive to preamp tube changes, again late distortion tubes will keep it tighter.

I run mine with two 8 ohm Mesa 1x15 cabs loaded with the 400w EVs and yes it runs pretty warm at 4 ohms total. Then again, mine is modded for 6550's (think, if an SVT had a baby with the 400+) and quite a bit louder than a stock Buster. I'm pushing closer to 300w on the stock tranny, etc with no issues for about 8-9 years now. So I think it could handle 2 ohms, but you'd have to just watch for excessive tube wear or marathon sessions with poor ventilation, etc.

The graphic EQ is a nice option and should help you shape your tone well enough (bright/dark), but it will sound like a Mesa no matter what. I would not consider it a 'vintage' tube tone (B15) but to call it a 'modern' tube tone is safe. I use the Buster primarily for live shows, and the WA for recording/rehearsal and enjoy them both equally.

Plus, if you happen to be looking at a 1x15 combo, I have an extra Mesa gold grill and Tuki cover for it. Crappy cell phone pic:

Walkabout.jpg
 
#124
I'm looking at a head only version. It's on ebay, if there are any other shoppers out there. It has about 1.5 days left.
There is a Buster 210 combo here at TB, but that's not a form factor I think I'd enjoy.
 
#125
Chef said:
I'm looking at a head only version. It's on ebay, if there are any other shoppers out there. It has about 1.5 days left.
There is a Buster 210 combo here at TB, but that's not a form factor I think I'd enjoy.
Click to expand...

The combo is a great but a beast to move around even with the luggage handle/wheels. Great amp all around, I hope somebody on TB picks that one up that's for sale on ebay.
 
#126
Chef said:
I'm looking at a head only version. It's on ebay, if there are any other shoppers out there. It has about 1.5 days left.
There is a Buster 210 combo here at TB, but that's not a form factor I think I'd enjoy.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking about letting my Buster head go. I love it, but I have the 1x15 combo which I seem to use more.

Hard decision... it sounds great and I do love it, but I just don't use the head often enough. Its at my amp tech right being gone-over for sale (pots cleaned, etc.). When I get it back I'm gonna plug it in & then decide if I can bear to part to part with it.
 
#128
scotch said:
I'm thinking about letting my Buster head go. I love it, but I have the 1x15 combo which I seem to use more.

Hard decision... it sounds great and I do love it, but I just don't use the head often enough. Its at my amp tech right being gone-over for sale (pots cleaned, etc.). When I get it back I'm gonna plug it in & then decide if I can bear to part to part with it.
Click to expand...


That is a fine specimen you have there too!
 
#129
Chef said:
While I'm asking questions:
If anyone has had Buster!, and Walkabout, I'd be curious to know if you find the Buster significantly louder than the Walkabout...
From what I've read, the Buster sounds "more modern" than the Walkabout; brighter and less vintage...is that accurate?

thanks
Click to expand...


I have both. Haven't pushed the WA for big volume yet.

Buster isn't exactly modern sounding. It can sorta get there, but it is still very Mesa-y. Perhaps between an M6 and a WA. I've heard the D180 is mor like the Buster than not like it.
 
#130
Chef said:
various Buster Qs
Click to expand...

The Buster IS a very bright amp, with crisp, modern sounding highs. It's also mid-rich in typical Mesa fashion. You'll have no trouble dialing away the brightness, with or without the graphic EQ.

Don't get the 2x10 wedge unless you get a great deal and know someone who can pull the amp and re-house it. I'm told the original 10" speakers are desirable. But don't plan on moving the wedge. it is terribly balanced and very awkward to move, as others have stated.

The transformer is massive, serious big iron. There's no fan but there's also no reason you couldn't do a set running it at 2 ohms... though I haven't tried and I'm not sure why you'd need to: it gets awfully frikkin loud with one 15" speaker...
 
#133
Chef said:
While I'm asking questions:
If anyone has had Buster!, and Walkabout, I'd be curious to know if you find the Buster significantly louder than the Walkabout...
From what I've read, the Buster sounds "more modern" than the Walkabout; brighter and less vintage...is that accurate?

thanks
Click to expand...

Hey Chef... I've had both at the same time and I think the Buster is louder; certainly it has more headroom. Re: more modern sound I think that one might say that, but I think it sounds like a mesa and that it stays clean to a very loud volume. It also takes pedals very well. I honestly do not have much GAS for the new mesa tube heads because the Buster just sound so good to my ears.
 
#134
"stays clean to a very loud volume"

Yeah; the Walkabout doesn't. Love that thing at low volumes and as a studio head/tube DI; but to get to gig volumes, well; it's just too squishy and gritty by then, for me. It's of limited use to me.

However, if the Buster is a bit shinier, and a bunch cleaner with less squish, I could find space for one in my toolkit.
 
#137
Chef said:
"stays clean to a very loud volume"

Yeah; the Walkabout doesn't. Love that thing at low volumes and as a studio head/tube DI; but to get to gig volumes, well; it's just too squishy and gritty by then, for me. It's of limited use to me.

However, if the Buster is a bit shinier, and a bunch cleaner with less squish, I could find space for one in my toolkit.
Click to expand...

I use the Buster with 2 Diesel 115s as my main gigging rig and I just haven't heard anything better for what I do, which is play in small to medium size bars. When I play larger venues, I rely on FOH sound and use the Buster stack for a stage monitor. Regarding adjectives... I use glassy and moist to describe it's "finish." And regarding grit and grind, etc, I use effects pedals, which the Buster takes to very well because if it's cleanness.

I think you should give it a try... I'd like to know what you think.
 
#138
I'm with Matt Dean: Buster's thing is clean, powerful and bright! It still has typical tube 'warmth' and dynamic response, but a little less squishy than other tube amps. It DOES take pedals well! Overdrives sound great despite the brightness (which is easy to tame of course) and the extra headroom means that octave down effects and other "big" sounds don't peak out or wither.

It's pretty unique in the all-tube class. Plenty of volume for big gigs- I've done loud festival stages (full pa multi-thousand crowd size) and the Buster doesn't sweat filling the stage! It does not overdrive as easily as many other tube rigs, it seems to want to stay clean. I actually had my tech mod my Buster combo to break up earlier.
 
#140
The Buster is pretty clean, but I never had any trouble getting a dirty sound out of it, just crank the gain! A clean boost will easily push it into heavy distortion territory, and yes, dirt pedals sound great through it, but IMO reports of the buster's cleanness are somewhat exaggerated. Crank the gain and it gets hairy. Play a high output bass through it (like a G&L) and get ready to feel some heavy gauge grit with no dirt pedal!

Now, re: sag, the Buster IS a pretty fast and responsive tube amp. I like the feel but if you compare it to some of the vintage amps favored in doom metal etc, then yes, it seems snappy. I don't think that's such a bad thing.

@Chef, I have a feeling you'll like it.
 

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