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Mesa Boogie"s...what do they sound like?

#2
I think you're mixing things up here. As far as I know there is no Big Block 400/400+. There's a Big Block 750 and the (Big Block) Titan V-12, both hybrid heads. And then there is (or should I say "was" because they are out of production) the Bass 400 and the Bass 400+, both all-tube amps. There's also the new M6 Carbine, the M-pulse and the Walkabout. It's kinda hard to tell you how a Mesa sounds because all of these amps are different. I'm not really good at describing sounds so I let someone else do that ;-) All I can say is, if you really want to know, go and try some amps yourself.

Ciao.
 
#3
The sound totally varies depending on which head you are talking about, the M-Pulse stuff sounds relatively tubey to my ears (owned one as well), the Big Block stuff is a bit more aggressive to my ears.

Cant you find any places in CA?
Should be easier than here, I have to drive 2 hours to get the closest Mesa dealer.
 
#6
I have a 400+. Not for long so I can't give in-depth views (or sound clips) but so far I like it very much. Very very loud, lots of warmth in the sound and plenty of tonal variation. Good punch and note definition even in the lower registers (I play in drop-A tuning often). Plenty of grit/grind/growl if you want it, and can sound very aggressive. I need to experiment more with finding warm, clean round tones though - it does rock/metal superbly.

Weird EQ/tone controls though. Worth finding a copy of the manual.

It's also a strangely satisfying experience to look in the back and see 16 tubes glowing happily away. :D
 
#7
I can only speak to the Mesa M-Pulse 600....in a nutshell and assuming you have decent speakers...They're gorgeous !

In combination with my Yamaha BBNE2 the Mesa has this Huge, Fat sound........No boom, no wool, no mud....Just a deep clean zingy thunder that can fill any space without obliterating the rest of the band.
The Mesa 600 has more tonal variations than any other amp Ive used. I cant say enough good stuff about them, and no I dont work for Mesa.
They aint cheap thats fer sure but this is a classic example of "getting what ya pays for" :D

Yes sound is subjective but IMHO My Mesa 600 beats out my old Trace Elliot, Hiwatt, H&H, Marshall, Fender amps....Hands down ! Playing through a Mesa is an experience every Bass player needs to experience at least once in their lives...

After my first gig with it, you couldnt have scrubbed the grin from my face with a belt sander :D


Rob
 
#10
400 plus and 400 tube rigs are amazing. It may be blasphemy to some, but I would take the 400 over an SVT any day. They are amazing on an SVT box at slightly below cone destruction level.

The new hybrid stuff I have not really listened to. There is a pretty eclectic list of endorsees though which would make you think they are not one trick amps.
 
#11
If you're willing to travel, there's a big Mesa-Boogie dealer in Dublin called Hertlein Guitars. I came across it by pure coincidence a while back, and they have an expansive variety of Mesa guitar and bass gear. They have a website, too.

The price tags are, not surprisingly, pretty scary. But no matter where you go for Mesa gear (unless you're looking for used gear), the prices won't get any lower. That's the biggest drawback of going with Mesa... I leave it to you to decide whether you can find an amp of theirs that justifies the cost.

I personally think they make awesome-sounding stuff for rock and metal, but just from playing around with a few of their hybrid heads for a few minutes, I know they're flexible for other genres.

Other places to check out for Mesa bass gear include Guitar Center (the Sacramento, Concord, El Cerrito, and San Jose locations usually have something, and I'm sure the San Francisco one does too), and Guitar Showcase in San Jose (one of my favorite shops in the South Bay). The bass amp options are slim at most GC locations, though - they're too busy trying to push those Triple Recs...
 
#12
Robster22 said:
I can only speak to the Mesa M-Pulse 600....in a nutshell and assuming you have decent speakers...They're gorgeous !

In combination with my Yamaha BBNE2 the Mesa has this Huge, Fat sound........No boom, no wool, no mud....Just a deep clean zingy thunder that can fill any space without obliterating the rest of the band.
The Mesa 600 has more tonal variations than any other amp Ive used. I cant say enough good stuff about them, and no I dont work for Mesa.
They aint cheap thats fer sure but this is a classic example of "getting what ya pays for" :D

Rob
Click to expand...

Here's my nutshell experience - bear in mind I own a Titan V12:
The BB Titan V-12, BB 750 and M-Pulse are hybrid amps.

(1) BB Titan V-12: Essentially two BB750s (a two channel, not a bi-amp):
"Growly yet refined; a Gentleman's SVT" Great amp, expensive and powerful! Has a "pull out" overdrive engage that can dial up a warm purr to a snarling ripped cone fuzz sound.
(2) BB 750: Same tone as the V-12; however, less power and only one channel. Great amp!
(3) M-6 Carbine: A tad more "hi-fi" than the Big Block 750 and V-12; lighter weight and considered more flexible for varied styles. "The Mesa for folks that don't like the traditional Mesa sound."
(4) M-Pulse 600: Read the above! Probably someplace between a BB750 and M-6 Carbine ion the "warm/growl" scale.



After that, you've got the combos - and of course the 400 and 400 + (both all tube, and both discontinued).

I can't say enough good things about the BB V-12; through Mesa cabs it's incredibly warm and fat, yet surprisingly articulate without being SWR-ish "hi-fi." It makes even my reharsal/back up Avatar Neo 2x12 sound incredible (much warmer than the LMII as an example).

Tell us what you are familiar with and someone will use that as a point of departure to describe the Mesa sound - but my simplistic "Gentleman's SVT" (SVT-4 Pro) I think is an accurate depiction.
 
#13
They sound like heaven, pure bass heaven. I've got a MP-600 and a BB750 and two PH1200s, I love the sounds I can get with my Mesa stuff, most of all, I use very little eq on my amps, they don't need much. I also owned a WA15 scout combo, awesome for its size. It's great stuff, get out and play some to see for yourself.
 
#15
The only Mesa I've played is the M-Pulse Venture 600 combo. I loved the sound of that amp. It was really loud for a combo amp and was only playing at 8 ohms too. I thought it reminded me of a blend of Eden and GK. It had the warmth of Eden but the modern sound of a GK, with a tweak of the EQ. I really loved that amp but I didn't have the $1500 it cost to take it home. Oh well, it's a really good amp IMO.
 
#16
To the OP: I may have a clip somewhere of a 400+; the recording and playing aren't exactly spectacular so I'm not going to post it. PM me if you like.

In a nutshell, the tube Mesa bass heads sound like Rock and Roll.

Of the others, it seemed to me the M-pulse amps sounded closest to the 400+. I wasn't thrilled with the Big Block or M2000; haven't tried the newest ones.
 
#17
The first two tracks here, Crazy and Truck Driver, were recorded when I was playing my Mesa BB750 head. I run it into a pair of Aggie GS212's, and then ran direct out the back of it to the PA.

Unfortunately, it is kind of buried, especially on tiny laptop speakers. I was only able to get a "whole mix" recording, so couldn't do any knob-twiddling on it.

But it is there, and there is a break in Truck Driver toward the end, where the guitar stops long enough, and you can hear the crispy top I have dialed in...

http://www.manik.us/samples.shtml

And forgot... the bass is a '78 Gibson Ripper.


.
 

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