Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Part 10

[Al Kraft]

It barely qualifies as Walkabout content, but here is a shot of my band's happy hour gig in Denver on Saturday. You can sort of see the lamp next to my forearm in the pic. Used it with a Berg CN212. Great tone with lots of grind and occasionally, distortion. It was enough for the smallish room, no pa support for bass, but it ran very hot. I also have an NV610, which has always been enough cab, but it was just too big for this stage.View attachment 3098557

IMO a WA and Berg CN212 is one of the pairings that has allowed the WA to live on so successfully. For me it definitely has "the sound" and let's the WA speak in its big boy voice without getting too woolly. It's the perfect rig for tight stages too with that minimal Berg footprint, and the height puts the head at a very convenient level for me.

 

[metron]

IMO a WA and Berg CN212 is one of the pairings that has allowed the WA to live on so successfully. For me it definitely has "the sound" and let's the WA speak in its big boy voice without getting too woolly. It's the perfect rig for tight stages too with that minimal Berg footprint, and the height puts the head at a very convenient level for me.

I agree Al, it's an outstanding pair. The rig was actually sitting on the step behind me and I was almost touching it it, all the while making sure I knew where me headstock was so I didn't hit the keyboard player in the head. Definitely a tight space. It was enough bass for the room though and we were loud! There were a few times where the tone was so good with the Lakland, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

That said, it's still better with the NV610. Unfortunately, It's just not very practical to use such a big cab most of the time.

 

[pfschim]

+1
Walkabout + CN212 is my rig of choice, has been for the past 5 years. Such a great match. I am with both of you on the life extending qualities of the CN212 for the WA, tames the WA's low end, wonderful projection of the mids and the adjustable tweet seals the deal for me.

I've got an NV610 too, and the WA kills through that cab too, but as you say, it's a lot of cab for many gigs and ups the haulage significantly.

as an add on comment, I have use for the sealed cab sound/vibe and have been strongly considering grabbing one of Jim B's smaller sealed cabs ... NV212T or HG310, to see if they work as well as the CN212.

 

[metron]

+1
Walkabout + CN212 is my rig of choice, has been for the past 5 years. Such a great match. I am with both of you on the life extending qualities of the CN212 for the WA, tames the WA's low end, wonderful projection of the mids and the adjustable tweet seals the deal for me.

I've got an NV610 too, and the WA kills through that cab too, but as you say, it's a lot of cab for many gigs and ups the haulage significantly.

as an add on comment, I have use for the sealed cab sound/vibe and have been strongly considering grabbing one of Jim B's smaller sealed cabs ... NV212T or HG310, to see if they work as well as the CN212.

I'm interested in hearing about it if you choose to go that route. I very much considered the NV212 but I just can't do it. Not enough weight savings for the amount of cab I would have to give up. The HGs on the other hand...

 

[BassPilot]

I just happen to have a new HG310 and gigged it with my D800 Saturday night:

Club Bergantino! Let's See Those Rigs!

What an excellent cab!! Punchy mids and bloomy on the bottom. I got compliments on my sound from both the guitar player and drummer Saturday night.
I have a gig This Saturday night and I’m planning to try a couple of amps withe the HG310. I’ll report back afterwards.
One thing about the HG310 is that it’s a 5.3 Ohm cab. So if you’re not getting enough volume out of the Walkabout with a CN212, it will be somewhat further diminished with the HG310.

 

[pfschim]

I just happen to have a new HG310 and gigged it with my D800 Saturday night:

Club Bergantino! Let's See Those Rigs!

What an excellent cab!! Punchy mids and bloomy on the bottom. I got compliments on my sound from both the guitar player and drummer Saturday night.
I have a gig This Saturday night and I’m planning to try a couple of amps withe the HG310. I’ll report back afterwards.
One thing about the HG310 is that it’s a 5.3 Ohm cab. So if you’re not getting enough volume out of the Walkabout with a CN212, it will be somewhat further diminished with the HG310.

good point, thanks for that reminder. I also see that the NV212T is 8ohms ... well, there goes that idea.
Looks like only the HG410 is 4ohms in the Berg sealed cab product range (aside from the NV610)
Dang, guess I'll have to stick with the NV610

 

[Al Kraft]

good point, thanks for that reminder. I also see that the NV212T is 8ohms ... well, there goes that idea.
Looks like only the HG410 is 4ohms in the Berg sealed cab product range (aside from the NV610)
Dang, guess I'll have to stick with the NV610

8 Ohms is just not a low enough load impedance to get the WA to its sweet spot in terms of tone+volume. I would imagine for single driver combo rig type expectations the 8 Ohm Scout set-up is okay, but to really fill a bigger venue and sound powerful without being too loose, 4 Ohms and two drivers are the ticket for me.

 

[two fingers]

8 Ohms is just not a low enough load impedance to get the WA to its sweet spot in terms of tone+volume. I would imagine for single driver combo rig type expectations the 8 Ohm Scout set-up is okay, but to really fill a bigger venue and sound powerful without being too loose, 4 Ohms and two drivers are the ticket for me.

I know you're not "supposed to". But you haven't lived until you run a 4 ohm WA 15" combo and a matching 4 ohm cab. I ran mine Saturday night at an outdoor gig. I had the master at about 1 1/2 and the stage was "eat up" with bass. It's a thing of beauty.

I run that 2 ohm stack all the time and it kills.

 

[Al Kraft]

I know you're not "supposed to". But you haven't lived until you run a 4 ohm WA 15" combo and a matching 4 ohm cab. I ran mine Saturday night at an outdoor gig. I had the master at abouy 1 1/2 and the stage was "eat up" with bass. It's a thing of beauty.

I run that 2 ohm stack all the time and it kills.

Sometimes living on the edge has it's great moments and you get to skate on the consequences!

 

[two fingers]

Sometimes living on the edge has it's great moments and you get to skate on the consequences!

I sent the head back to Mesa for a routine once over a year or so ago. They didn't mention anything being out of sorts.

That sucker really does shine with those two cabs. It's clear, warm, and moves a ton of air.

I'm going through some gear changes. Nothing I'm about to sell worries me more than the possibility of selling that rig. I'm still on the fence. I keep changing my mind.

 

[metron]

I sent the head back to Mesa for a routine once over a year or so ago. They didn't mention anything being out of sorts.

That sucker really does shine with those two cabs. It's clear, warm, and moves a ton of air.

I'm going through some gear changes. Nothing I'm about to sell worries me more than the possibility of selling that rig. I'm still on the fence. I keep changing my mind.

Be pragmatic, but obviously do whatever it takes to keep that stack

 

[agedhorse]

Running at 2 ohms won't show any damage or indication of failure. If the situation is right, failure will simply happen.

 

[pfschim]

I know you're not "supposed to". But you haven't lived until you run a 4 ohm WA 15" combo and a matching 4 ohm cab. I ran mine Saturday night at an outdoor gig. I had the master at about 1 1/2 and the stage was "eat up" with bass. It's a thing of beauty.

I run that 2 ohm stack all the time and it kills.

Years ago, I used to run my 4ohm (special order) WA 12 with either an 8ohm Scout 12 or 4ohm Scout 15 ... so 2.67 and 2ohms respectively.
I never had a problem with the 2.67/2.0 ohm loads, and it did sound good, but I also was not pushing the WA to its upper limits.

I recently reported here that, based on that experience, I decided to run the WA into a 2.67ohm Berg "CN312" stack (8ohm CN112 + 4ohm CN212). I did this with full confidence because I had run this type of load many times before .... but, in this case I was also driving the heck out of the WA in a power trio type band, and sure enough, at the end of the last set this load and level settings managed to trip the WA's thermal protection and I lost stage sound. Good news is that the WA DI still works when the thermal protection otherwise shuts the amp down (nice touch Mesa ) so I was able to finish the gig with just the FOH coverage.

So, after assuring people for years that the WA was totally safe below 4ohms, I have now modified my thinking and have worked out other approaches to using the WA in louder gig situations like sending the WA's post everything DI signal to another amp and letting the WA power one of the cabs in a 2 cab stack. I am also waiting patiently for Andy and Mesa to bring us an up-powered WA (at least WA-like) amp solution.

so, my take on the 2ohm capabilities of the WA is a bit more cautious these days.

 

[amper]

Well, I've never really had any intention of running mine below 4 ohms, but that's good to know. But, with 300 W into 4 ohms, I don't really see myself as ever needing any more power than that. I've got my Scout, and when I get around to it, I'll take two of the drivers out of my Trace Elliot V-Type 4x12 and stuff them into a Mesa 2x12 Horizontal Recto cab, for a 400 W/4 Ohm vertical 2x12 sealed cab I can use with the Walkabout head. I don't really see myself ever wanting to carry anything heavier than that ever again.

 

[Al Kraft]

I don't really see myself ever wanting to carry anything heavier than that ever again.

+1...or really needing to in order to get great tone and decent volume.

 

[amper]

+1...or really needing to in order to get great tone and decent volume.

Yeah, I played a pretty good-sized hall with mine, and it was more than enough. That venue now has been renovated and has a killer PA system.

 

[husky123]

Played my first ever country gig last night (a mix of stuff including George Strait, Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam, Kenny Chesney, Brooks n Dunn, etc.). Played my Sadowsky strung with flats into the Walkabout and my Scout 15. I came super close to selling the Scout recently, but sure am glad I hung on to it. It is both a perfect cab "in-between" my Berg 112 and 212 while producing such a solid fundamental tone perfect for a gig like last night. After a rehersal playing through my little Markbass Nanomark, it is a great reminder of just what an incredible sounding amp the Walkabout is.

View attachment 3097863

So Rob, you inspired me to plug back into the WA after they’ve (I have 2, of course) been on hiatus. I’m on record numerous times in this thread but every time it do, the amp just reminds me of why it’s an absolute icon....it just sounds like a bass amp should. So, what should a bass amp sound like? The Walkabout.

Unlike every amp I’ve ever owned (a ton), the WA sounds good no matter what I plug it in to.

The other insanely cool byproduct is how it makes every bass I own come to life. God, I love this thing.

 

[bumble yeti]

So Rob, you inspired me to plug back into the WA after they’ve (I have 2, of course) been on hiatus. I’m on record numerous times in this thread but every time it do, the amp just reminds me of why it’s an absolute icon....it just sounds like a bass amp should. So, what should a bass amp sound like? The Walkabout.

Unlike every amp I’ve ever owned (a ton), the WA sounds good no matter what I plug it in to.

The other insanely cool byproduct is how it makes every bass I own come to life. God, I love this thing.

Amen!

 

[pfschim]

So Rob, you inspired me to plug back into the WA after they’ve (I have 2, of course) been on hiatus. I’m on record numerous times in this thread but every time it do, the amp just reminds me of why it’s an absolute icon....it just sounds like a bass amp should. So, what should a bass amp sound like? The Walkabout.

Unlike every amp I’ve ever owned (a ton), the WA sounds good no matter what I plug it in to.

The other insanely cool byproduct is how it makes every bass I own come to life. God, I love this thing.

totally in love with mine.
man, husky123, if I had two WA's, I would run them both into separate cabs (when I needed the juice).
Right now, when I need the big stage volume, I am running the WA "post everything" DI into the FX Return of the D800+. Then I let the WA drive a CN112 and let the D800+ drive a CN212 which pretty much results in a 965w WA driving a CN312 stack. It's about as much of a higher powered WA that I've heard. Don't need it too often, but when I have used it lately, it's very satisfying.

 

[pfschim]

Well, I've never really had any intention of running mine below 4 ohms, but that's good to know. But, with 300 W into 4 ohms, I don't really see myself as ever needing any more power than that. I've got my Scout, and when I get around to it, I'll take two of the drivers out of my Trace Elliot V-Type 4x12 and stuff them into a Mesa 2x12 Horizontal Recto cab, for a 400 W/4 Ohm vertical 2x12 sealed cab I can use with the Walkabout head. I don't really see myself ever wanting to carry anything heavier than that ever again.

you know, I kind of thought that too, and had been very happy with my primary rig being a WA driving a Berg CN212.
But, for the past 5 years I had been in 2 primary bands that always provided (or the venue's did) solid FOH and monitoring for bass and 300w into a 212 was just fine for me too. Then, both of these bands broke up (no drama, just natural evolution of musical projects) and I found myself back in the subbing pool and doing live auditions and such .. and discovered that not all bands provide good PA support for bass (naturally) and now there are times when I need to cover the stage and the house, and 300w into 212's does not always cut it.

So, out come the bigger (or multiple) cabs and the search for ways to fill the needs of the new situations.
Just part of the biz and I'm happy that I have great options.