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Mesa amp…….do it?

NYgiant

NYgiant

Sep 22, 2023
628
1,327
Virginia
#1
Probably a stupid question to ask here because I know how you all like to spend other peoples money…. but I’m gonna do it anyways. Have the opportunity to buy a Mesa D800+ for $750 shipped.

Had started a thread a few days ago that a lot of you posted in about possibly getting a Mesa amp I was asking some questions about it. Currently have the GK MB500. Haven’t been able to get a tone. I absolutely love out of it. Tried out the Aguilar tone hammer DI and just sold that yesterday because I can only get a decent tone on my fender jazz bass but nothing else.

I have a Broughton high pass filter on my pedal board so I know that’s something I can sell too if I get the Mesa since it has one built-in.

Should I pull the trigger on the D800+? Is it THAT good?
 
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#2
I’m new to the Mesa D800+ myself. Only had it 24 hours. It’s glorious. I played many different Mesa flavors for guitar and loved hem all. When I went back to bass I settled on Orange until I just stumbled on the 800. All I can say is it’s worth it the price even at bust-out-retail.

I was trying to avoid Mesa to try to cleanse my palate, as it were, but so glad a deal rolled my way. Be advised, when it comes to adjusting the knobs, with every Mesa I’ve played, a little goes a long way and there is a lot of interaction between them all. Use some of the recommended settings in the manual to start. Adjust accordingly from there.

Good luck
 
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#3
CaptainRuss said:
I’m new to the Mesa D800+ myself. Only had it 24 hours. It’s glorious. I played many different Mesa flavors for guitar and loved hem all. When I went back to bass I settled on Orange until I just stumbled on the 800. All I can say is it’s worth it the price even at bust-out-retail.

I was trying to avoid Mesa to try to cleanse my palate, as it were, but so glad a deal rolled my way. Be advised, when it comes to adjusting the knobs, with every Mesa I’ve played, a little goes a long way and there is a lot of interaction between them all. Use some of the recommended settings in the manual to start. Adjust accordingly from there.

Good luck
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wow! That’s awesome man. Thanks for posting that. Again it seems anybody that posts has nothing but rave reviews for it. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say, it’s not for me or I sold it. You just having it one day I’m looking at that much is crazy.

Looks like these things go for what brand new? Around 1100? Even used I think 750 seems to be pretty dang good.
 
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#5
Nebadon2000 said:
It is $1099 Good:)

Has great tone hunting features Deep/Bright switches, para Midrange EQ, Voicing [not just a contour] HPF as mentioned, Solid build quality, first rate DI even a great user manual and Designer is Active member here

Worth a shot
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My only hesitation is, I have a perfectly good GK MB500. But on the other hand……I have 3 perfectly good bass’s and just bought a 4th last week. :laugh:
 
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#9
upload_2024-5-17_15-55-51.jpeg
 
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#10
Came from GK as well. Very serviceable gear. Sounded sweet when I gently caressed the strings. Unfortunately, I'm ham fisted and that rig did not do pretty things when I leaned into it. Is what it is. Suppose I could have tamed it with a compressor, but I was just kinda over the tone.

Mesa was an "ahhhhhhhhh, THERE it is" the moment I powered it up. Fair warning, that amp may be the tip of the iceberg. Mesa cabs make bass sound even better. They are as much worth their price as the amp is.
 
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#14
Verb the Noun said:
Came from GK as well. Very serviceable gear. Sounded sweet when I gently caressed the strings. Unfortunately, I'm ham fisted and that rig did not do pretty things when I leaned into it. Is what it is. Suppose I could have tamed it with a compressor, but I was just kinda over the tone.

Mesa was an "ahhhhhhhhh, THERE it is" the moment I powered it up. Fair warning, that amp may be the tip of the iceberg. Mesa cabs make bass sound even better. They are as much worth their price as the amp is.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah that sounds like what I want to feel like. Also, I DO have a Mesa Subway 410 that I purchased back in February and LOVE IT!!
 
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#16
NYgiant said:
My only hesitation is, I have a perfectly good GK MB500. But on the other hand……I have 3 perfectly good bass’s and just bought a 4th last week. :laugh:
Click to expand...

Your basses are winning 4-1.
Not good.
Get the Mesa. Probably an Ampeg next. Then pull the goalie and look for a good bounce.
We’re with you all the way.
 
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#19
They are well-engineered, solidly built amps, with a big tone range and useful features. And as pointed out, the Design Engineer (@agedhorse, the poster above) of all the Subway heads and cabinets regularly hangs out and has been a generous wealth of knowledge about his gear, and all kinds of other questions he solidly answers from a lifetime of experience. That Randall Smith brought him to Mesa tells me just about everything I need to know.

But, like each man's idea of a pretty woman or the perfect steak, it's very subjective and you'll never know until you get a chance to drive one. But you could not go wrong from any other aspect of it, they're built to a very high standard of performance and reliability.
 
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