Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Part 10

[ImTheOnlyOne]

Thanks, will look into further troubleshooting.

Posting this info here for the curious:

The L pad attenuates the signal by having two separate rheostats connected in an "L" configuration (hence the name). One rheostat is connected in series with the loudspeaker and, as the resistance of this rheostat increases, less power is coupled into the loudspeaker and the loudness of sound produced by the loudspeaker decreases. The second rheostat is connected between the input and ground (earth). As the first rheostat increases in resistance, the second rheostat decreases in resistance, keeping the load impedance (presented at the input of the L pad) constant. The second rheostat usually has a special taper (function of resistance versus rotation) to accommodate the need for constant input impedance.

 

[markjazzbassist]

Looking into the 12 vs 15 WA scout debate and had a question for y’all. I’m playing a hofner club bass (fully hollowbody) with flatwounds and tuned down a half step (Eb). I have trouble with some speakers farting out due to the lower tuning then the inherent hofner tubby low end and the flats. Would a 12” WA scout be able to handle what I’ve got or would it be best to go 15”?

I’m just looking for clean low end from the speaker. I’m ok if it’s not super bassy sounding, I don’t need thunder low end, I just don’t want speaker fart out.

 

[agedhorse]

I would recommend the 15" version and the 8 ohm not 4 ohm cabinet.

 

[markjazzbassist]

I would recommend the 15" version and the 8 ohm not 4 ohm cabinet.

i bought a 15” but I’m not sure if it’s 8 or 4 ohm. We will see when it arrives. Thanks!

 

[StayLow]

Looking into the 12 vs 15 WA scout debate ...

Neat! Where’s this? I was probably involved bit it doesn’t ring a bell.

Good luck with the new cab (or combo)!

 

[Gnarledlowend]

i bought a 15” but I’m not sure if it’s 8 or 4 ohm. We will see when it arrives. Thanks!

How do you like the WA 15?

 

[markjazzbassist]

How do you like the WA 15?

gets here friday, i will let you know then, i have gigs saturday and sunday.

 

[Mastermold]

gets here friday, i will let you know then, i have gigs saturday and sunday.

I still gig my WA 112, love that little amp.

 

[Gnarledlowend]

I still gig my WA 112, love that little amp.

Same. My fav amp!

 

[Heavy Blue]

Goodday everyone. I was going to post a new thread but decided to post my issue here instead.

I've had a used Silverface Walkabout Scout since 2007. Since the day I bought it, it has been rock solid if a touch boomy at times. It is also my #1 gigging amp. I always get compliments on the tones that I get out of it. I last used it about 4 months ago. I'm not in a gigging band atm and it's overkill at home even though I regularly used to use it as such. Fast forward to today when I figure the house is empty so I'll play the Mesa today. I go get it, turn it on, & nothing. The power light is off. Not even a flicker. The main fuse is good. I think there are some more fuses inside too so I'll check those and go from there. Are there any long term issues with the Walkabout? I know about not running a 2 ohm load and do not. I heard something about the power mosfets being no longer manufactured or not available.

Also, are there any factory updates for it and if so what are they? It has started to sound a little tired in the last year.

What say ye?

 

[agedhorse]

If the internal fuses have failed, do not replace them. This means that there is a catastrophic failure in the power amp and replacing them can cause additional damage that can be so expensive that it makes the repair uneconomical.

This is an amp that I recommend giving our factory service manager a call on. There are so many revisions that I don't know where your amp may fall, but there's most likely many. You will need the serial number when calling.

 

[markjazzbassist]

Got the combo today. It is a 15” and I’m guessing 4 ohm because there is a black 4 sticker on the quarter inch switchcraft old style Jack.

First impressions - it is large, it is heavy, it works and sounds good so far. Tons of low end, so much low end. Wow. I’m thinking I may buy a 12” one and A/B them, because this sucker pumps that low end. Just massive.

I am doing soul and jazz gigs with reasonable musicians so I don’t need a ton of volume (my previous amp was 30 watts all tube, no issues being heard and I was never at full volume). I’m thinking the 8 ohm 12” would be plenty.

regardless this big boy will get stage time tomorrow and Sunday.

about the eq, the parametric obviously center detent is no boost or gain. The other eq bass is shelving so flat is center detent, treble is shelving (I believe) so that is center detent flat as well. But the mid is boost only? So fully counter clockwise is flat if you will?

I just want to establish the closest to flat for a starting point before I start to have fun with the eq. Probably gonna roll off bass and probably drop that first para eq band to 30hz and pull out some of the woof to start. That mid boost control seemed cool as you increase the “woodyness” tonally, a great way to get some clarity. The gain control has been fun, full on overdrive past noon which is cool and fun. I like a tighter punchier soul tone ala jamerson or Babbitt at Motown so it will be fun to dial that in.

so far so good. Thanks all

 

[donhank]

But the mid is boost only? So fully counter clockwise is flat if you will?

I just want to establish the closest to flat for a starting point before I start to have fun with the eq. Probably gonna roll off bass and probably drop that first para eq band to 30hz and pull out some of the woof to start. That mid boost control seemed cool as you increase the “woodyness” tonally, a great way to get some clarity. The gain control has been fun, full on overdrive past noon which is cool and fun.

Yep . . . sounds like you've already got the gain, passive mid control, and "poor man's HPF" pretty well figured out. ENJOY !!

 

[sunbeast]

Got the combo today. It is a 15” and I’m guessing 4 ohm because there is a black 4 sticker on the quarter inch switchcraft old style Jack.

First impressions - it is large, it is heavy, it works and sounds good so far. Tons of low end, so much low end. Wow. I’m thinking I may buy a 12” one and A/B them, because this sucker pumps that low end. Just massive.

I am doing soul and jazz gigs with reasonable musicians so I don’t need a ton of volume (my previous amp was 30 watts all tube, no issues being heard and I was never at full volume). I’m thinking the 8 ohm 12” would be plenty.

regardless this big boy will get stage time tomorrow and Sunday.

about the eq, the parametric obviously center detent is no boost or gain. The other eq bass is shelving so flat is center detent, treble is shelving (I believe) so that is center detent flat as well. But the mid is boost only? So fully counter clockwise is flat if you will?

I just want to establish the closest to flat for a starting point before I start to have fun with the eq. Probably gonna roll off bass and probably drop that first para eq band to 30hz and pull out some of the woof to start. That mid boost control seemed cool as you increase the “woodyness” tonally, a great way to get some clarity. The gain control has been fun, full on overdrive past noon which is cool and fun. I like a tighter punchier soul tone ala jamerson or Babbitt at Motown so it will be fun to dial that in.

so far so good. Thanks all

My understanding about the Mid control is that the amp is voiced pretty mid-forward, so to get “flat”ish it seems like the Mid needs to be set around 11 o’clock or so. That can be said of most of the old-school Mesa solid-state/hybrid heads (the control is technically passive and cut only on most Mesa heads but the mid-forward voicings of the amps mean that the closest to “flat” is with some mids attenuated).

In any case, the Walkabout is not a transparent head, so just set the controls (in particular that Mid control) where they sound best!

 

[Gnarledlowend]

Yep . . . sounds like you've already got the gain, passive mid control, and "poor man's HPF" pretty well figured out. ENJOY !!


View attachment 5190943

That’s a really cool extension cab. Do you mind sharing the details of it?

 

[lomo]

Got the combo today. It is a 15” and I’m guessing 4 ohm because there is a black 4 sticker on the quarter inch switchcraft old style Jack.

First impressions - it is large, it is heavy, it works and sounds good so far. Tons of low end, so much low end. Wow.

I just want to establish the closest to flat for a starting point before I start to have fun with the eq.

A HPF will make it a much better amp IMHO/IMHE!!!! Flat for the passive mids is 10:00-11:00, noon for the rest. Enjoy.

 

[donhank]

That’s a really cool extension cab. Do you mind sharing the details of it?

My extension cab is an old Avatar 112 cube - a guitar cab, not a bass cab - which I rebuilt as a cheap, fun project during the first covid related shutdowns. It is now loaded with an eight ohm Eminence Deltalite 2512-2. (same as my WA Scout) The metal grills came from Reliable Hardware.

My WA has ample volume for my purposes; the extension cab is really more useful to elevate the Scout's tweeter so I can hear it better. Having said that, my "rescue" extension cab actually performs MUCH better than I could have expected.

 

[terlewine]

Nice job!

 

[agedhorse]

Don’t drive your extension cabinet very hard with that open back or you will damage the driver.

 

[StayLow]

My extension cab is an old Avatar 112 cube - a guitar cab, not a bass cab - which I rebuilt as a cheap, fun project during the first covid related shutdowns. It is now loaded with an eight ohm Eminence Deltalite 2512-2. (same as my WA Scout) The metal grills came from Reliable Hardware.

My WA has ample volume for my purposes; the extension cab is really more useful to elevate the Scout's tweeter so I can hear it better. Having said that, my "rescue" extension cab actually performs MUCH better than I could have expected.

View attachment 5191099
View attachment 5191097

You altered the combo? The grill and screw pattern look unfamiliar.