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Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Part 10

#3,521
Hey everyone

Proud owner of a walkabout for about 5 years now.

I'm having an issue with my head recently that I hope you all can shed some light on. My volume cuts in and out intermittently... some times all signal.. some times the low end. I have heard that the effects loop can sometimes be the culprit, also the input jack itself. I did clean them with deoxit about a month ago just as a routine yearly clean out.

Figure I would see if anyone else has suggestions for issues... tough to find a good tech around my parts.

Thanks!
 
#3,522
If jumping the effects loop doesn't help, it may be tech time. Give customer service a call and they can help you find a qualified tech or possibly send your amp back to the factory depending on where you live.
 
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#3,524
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Played a small auditorium last weekend with the WA 15 combo. Had headroom, even played some Cream and Beatles which we play our own way, and pretty heavy. I was very pleased. Big room, 30hz cut at 11 oclock.
 
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#3,525
#3,528
I gotta a question for the agedhorse. :bookworm:
Can I safely use a power attenuator for home use? I'm an apartment dweller and I'd love to be able get that gig level WA tone at home without getting evicted. :cautious:
I'm not talking about cranking it, per se, just getting more in the zone. :bassist:
If so, what would you recommend? :)
Thanks Andy! :thumbsup:
 
#3,529
bumble yeti said:
I gotta a question for the agedhorse. :bookworm:
Can I safely use a power attenuator for home use? I'm an apartment dweller and I'd love to be able get that gig level WA tone at home without getting evicted. :cautious:
I'm not talking about cranking it, per se, just getting more in the zone. :bassist:
If so, what would you recommend? :)
Thanks Andy! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
On the Walkabout, yes but it's east to exceed the safe power handling of any attenuator that I know of.
 
#3,532
What is the best way to piggyback off the WA? I want to plug my bass into the WA115 combo, then out of the WA post eq if possible into a RH450/112. If I use the effects send it disconnects the speaker in the 115. I guess I could use the direct out but I'll need it to plug into the 1/4 in input on the RH, or will that disconnect the 115 speaker also? As it is I have to go to the RH first then pre-out from there to the WA input. Any suggestions?
 
#3,533
There is (or was) a factory modification of the effects loop, depending on the version you have. Does your amp have the bypass switch?
 
#3,537
agedhorse said:
The DI out isn't going to be easy to work with going into an unbalanced input. Unbalancing may result in noise or unsolvable ground loops.
Click to expand...

Well, it sounded like crap either way. :D

I just set up a test with the Walkabout (final version with the switches) in a 210 cab, and a separate Marshall bass combo amp.
The bypass switch on the WA eq send had to be left in bypass to get any signal, otherwise the speaker cuts off if you flip it to loop.
Now the signal is pretty low volume; I had to crank both the input and master volume knobs on the Marshall combo to 3/4 of way up, which you can guess, adds unwanted hiss in the sound.
I tried the xlr out, and it was the same result, had to have the input and master knobs on the marshall amp set 3/4 up.
This means there is no headroom left in amp B.

The control test: used a Lehle splitter box. result: of course the input and master knobs on amp B can be brought back to 'normal' levels and no unwanted hiss, and amp B has it full range of volume knob to use. And better tone.

So for slofut, get a splitter.
 
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#3,538
mikeswals said:
Well, it sounded like crap either way. :D

I just set up a test with the Walkabout (final version with the switches) in a 210 cab, and a separate Marshall bass combo amp.
The bypass switch on the WA eq send had to be left in bypass to get any signal, otherwise the speaker cuts off if you flip it to loop.
Now the signal is pretty low volume; I had to crank both the input and master volume knobs on the Marshall combo to 3/4 of way up, which you can guess, adds unwanted hiss in the sound.
I tried the xlr out, and it was the same result, had to have the input and master knobs on the marshall amp set 3/4 up.
This means there is no headroom left in amp B.

The control test: used a Lehle splitter box. result: of course the input and master knobs on amp B can be brought back to 'normal' levels and no unwanted hiss, and amp B has it full range of volume knob to use. And better tone.

So for slofut, get a splitter.
Click to expand...
Why not just get a bigger cab for the walkabout? Having two amp sources isn’t going to improve the fidelity of your bass sound...
 
#3,539
Abrahampost said:
Hey everyone

Proud owner of a walkabout for about 5 years now.

I'm having an issue with my head recently that I hope you all can shed some light on. My volume cuts in and out intermittently... some times all signal.. some times the low end. I have heard that the effects loop can sometimes be the culprit, also the input jack itself. I did clean them with deoxit about a month ago just as a routine yearly clean out.

Figure I would see if anyone else has suggestions for issues... tough to find a good tech around my parts.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
That happens to me too sometimes.
I think it’s just dirty jacks.
 
#3,540
mikeswals said:
Well, it sounded like crap either way. :D

I just set up a test with the Walkabout (final version with the switches) in a 210 cab, and a separate Marshall bass combo amp.
The bypass switch on the WA eq send had to be left in bypass to get any signal, otherwise the speaker cuts off if you flip it to loop.
Now the signal is pretty low volume; I had to crank both the input and master volume knobs on the Marshall combo to 3/4 of way up, which you can guess, adds unwanted hiss in the sound.
I tried the xlr out, and it was the same result, had to have the input and master knobs on the marshall amp set 3/4 up.
This means there is no headroom left in amp B.

The control test: used a Lehle splitter box. result: of course the input and master knobs on amp B can be brought back to 'normal' levels and no unwanted hiss, and amp B has it full range of volume knob to use. And better tone.

So for slofut, get a splitter.
Click to expand...
This is not my experience (low/poor signal level) running the WA output to another amp.
I recently went through this exercise (which I reported on up thread) by running the WA DI Out into the FX Return on a Mesa D800+ as well as a Demeter VTBP-M-800D.
I did have to run the WA DI level all the way up, and I did have to run the WA Master at least at 11:00 ... but it worked fine, sounded good and was not especially noisy.

As I have reported, ultimately I ended up running the WA/D800+ amp section into two Berg CN cabs. I let the Walkabout drive a CN112 and the D800+ slave ran a CN212. Pretty seriously loud and wonderfully WA flavored tone.
 
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