Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread part Four!

[tombowlus]

TomBowlus, I understand you probably shouldn't divulge much or get hopes up, but would you at least say if you got any indication when what you're hinting at might come to market?

Thanks.

I got the impression that they hear the demand for a higher powered head using the WalkAbout front end, and they do intend on meeting that demand. That being said, they have a couple of very cool things already in the pipeline for us bass players which they're probably going to crank out first.

Still, they seemed to definitely "get it."

 

[bikeplate]

HI

Ull love it, Whatso. I love my WA. As a matter of fact, if they decide to do a more powerful version, my M9 would prolly be on the block

Rob

 

[Chef]

In my talks with folks at Mesa, the one big reason they haven't done a WA6/9 (other projects aside) is that the WA chassis is stuffed.
There's no room for a bigger powerplant.
This means, aside from adding the bigger powerplant, and then making sure The Mojo Remains, it's gonna take an entire chassis re-work, and everything that goes with that.

Bikeplate;
a WA9 might get me to ditch my M9 too...hard to say. I really like the more modern treble extension that amp has. If a WA9 could have that; and be able to tame it "to vintage" via the shelving treble...well, I'd be a one amp guy.

Imagine that...

 

[dmwynn]

I got the impression that they hear the demand for a higher powered head using the WalkAbout front end, and they do intend on meeting that demand. That being said, they have a couple of very cool things already in the pipeline for us bass players which they're probably going to crank out first.

Still, they seemed to definitely "get it."

I feel a 600-750 watt WalkAbout might be one for the ages.

Here's my question. After searching this forum and Mesa's online store, I'm having difficulty finding rack ears for the head. I feel like I'd have success if I called them, but I wonder how I would extend those to fit a standard sized rack. Forgive me for my lack of rackmounting knowledge. I always associated racks with the Jackson- (no insult meant, great instruments) tapping virtuosos and not for me. So this is a new venture.

 

[sfarnell]

What a great day...I woke up without any bass gear and I'm going to bed having bought a Walkabout head, then a Scout cab, and then a MIJ Fender Jazz Bass. Not bad for one day.

I'm a guitar player and want to be able to record basic bass tracks. I've learned a lot even in the few days I've been on TB. You guys are great.

I was in a band a couple of years ago and the bassist had a Walkabout Scout. I can still hear that tubey tone in my head. I live near Mesa and have owned at one time or another five or six of their guitar amps. I like the tone of the Walkabout even more.

There's something about glowing tubes....

 

[GregC]

What a great day...I woke up without any bass gear and I'm going to bed having bought a Walkabout head, then a Scout cab, and then a MIJ Fender Jazz Bass. Not bad for one day.

I'm a guitar player and want to be able to record basic bass tracks. I've learned a lot even in the few days I've been on TB. You guys are great.

I was in a band a couple of years ago and the bassist had a Walkabout Scout. I can still hear that tubey tone in my head. I live near Mesa and have owned at one time or another five or six of their guitar amps. I like the tone of the Walkabout even more.

There's something about glowing tubes....

Sweet! That's a great setup right there. TB is an incredibly helpful place. Sometimes too helpful!

 

[Jim C]

In my talks with folks at Mesa, the one big reason they haven't done a WA6/9 (other projects aside) is that the WA chassis is stuffed.
There's no room for a bigger powerplant.
This means, aside from adding the bigger powerplant, and then making sure The Mojo Remains, it's gonna take an entire chassis re-work, and everything that goes with that.

A new layout for an existing product seems like a reasonable engineering task for any amplifier manufacturer. If Mesa feels that there truly is limited demand then the repackaging effort might not be worth the trouble. I can see 4 possible scenarios:
* They just don't think the market is there and not worth pulling resources (both humans and cash) from making guitar amps
* They have poor marketing / forecasting abilities and/or cash flow/staff problems
* They've tried and adding a pile of MOSFETS to up the power and lost the mojo
* They realize there was a great opportunity based on their competitiors sales and are scrambling to get back in the game

All very reasonable possibilities although no guarantee that my speculation is correct.

 

[Chef]

It needs a bigger transformer.
No more room at the Inn.
Complete makeover in a bigger chassis.

 

[lomo]

Agree. Frankly, if their main goal is profit, it might make more sense for them to market a Mesa preamp bass pedal of some sort (with multi-tubes) and-or a featherweight micro. That seems to be where the markey is, regardless of our desire for a mightier Walkabout.

A new layout for an existing product seems like a reasonable engineering task for any amplifier manufacturer. If Mesa feels that there truly is limited demand then the repackaging effort might not be worth the trouble. I can see 4 possible scenarios:
* They just don't think the market is there and not worth pulling resources (both humans and cash) from making guitar amps
* They have poor marketing / forecasting abilities and/or cash flow/staff problems
* They've tried and adding a pile of MOSFETS to up the power and lost the mojo
* They realize there was a great opportunity based on their competitiors sales and are scrambling to get back in the game

All very reasonable possibilities although no guarantee that my speculation is correct.

 

[bassjam]

It needs a bigger transformer.
No more room at the Inn.
Complete makeover in a bigger chassis.

Didnt they try this with the MPulse.I realize the MPulse and WA dont sound the same but,I understood that was their goal with th MPulse.

 

[Vic]

We spoke to Mesa at the booth about a "bigger" WA, again , and of course the first thing that came up was that it would be pretty much impossible to keep it in the same form factor. Our comments were that folks would expect this, and it wouldn't be a problem. We generally would assume it would be in a 2 space rack mountable package. They seemed to be pretty receptive to the ideas we shared, so let's see if they act on it. TB'ers aren't the only ones asking for a more powerful WA, so IMHO, it's just a matter of time anyway.

 

[peterwsmith]

I feel a 600-750 watt WalkAbout might be one for the ages.

Here's my question. After searching this forum and Mesa's online store, I'm having difficulty finding rack ears for the head. I feel like I'd have success if I called them, but I wonder how I would extend those to fit a standard sized rack. Forgive me for my lack of rackmounting knowledge. I always associated racks with the Jackson- (no insult meant, great instruments) tapping virtuosos and not for me. So this is a new venture.

Sent you a PM.

 

[Buzz Grim]

As someone who knows nothing about amplifier design it is hard for me to believe that it would be difficult for Mesa to build a 600 watt Walkabout on an Mpulse 600 chassis. The problem would be that they would then be offering 2 items that would be directly competing with each other, unless of course the new creature allowed both Mpulse 600 tone and Walkabout tone in one box.

 

[Chef]

Having owned both, I don't see them at all as competing with each other.
They don't sound the same, the eq layout isn't the same, the MP600 has some bells the WA doesn't have...and they don't sound the same

 

[StayLow]

I don't see what's difficult or costly, in regards to manpower or re-tooling, about putting the same WalkAbout guts into a larger shell with a larger transformer.

Maybe it'd need a larger fan and maybe larger heat sinks. All those are off-the-shelf parts except for the amp shell.

Anyone motivated could do it themselves easily enough, I believe. Maybe a good project for one of the pedal modding companies or another amp maker on a piece-by-piece basis.

Another option would be to rack the WalkAbout with one of the new lightweight power amps. 3u, ~20 lbs, done.

I don't believe there's much of a market for a larger WalkAbout, and what sales it'd garner would likely be at the expense of sales of other Mesa Boogie amps.

 

[Vic]

...it is hard for me to believe that it would be difficult for Mesa to build a 600 watt Walkabout on an Mpulse 600 chassis.

That's because it IS viable.

The problem would be that they would then be offering 2 items that would be directly competing with each other, unless of course the new creature allowed both Mpulse 600 tone and Walkabout tone in one box.

Nope.

Just as Chef says, the amps would be different. In fact, I'm surprised to hear you say this because Mesa has been "ripped" many times here and elsewhere by folks who had the expectation the MP600 WAS supposed to be a "bigger WA", but then were disappointed when they found out it's tonal target was different.

Bottom line is, the reason folks want a more powerful WA, is because there currently is NOT such a product in their line.

 

[Vic]

Another option would be to rack the WalkAbout with one of the new lightweight power amps. 3u, ~20 lbs, done.

Risky, likely to fail to meet expectation. If you want the same sound, you have to use the same designs and just scale them up as needed. IMHO, this would end up being a "fail" tonally.

 

[Chef]

StayLow;
at least part of the Walkabout Mojo is in it's tube driven, mosfet power section. I've tried feeding the Walkabout fx send, and DI out to lightweight qsc power amps, and, "it ain't the same."

 

[Vic]

StayLow;
at least part of the Walkabout Mojo is in it's tube driven, mosfet power section. I've tried feeding the Walkabout fx send, and DI out to lightweight qsc power amps, and, "it ain't the same."

I win, I beat you to it.

 

[Chef]

I'm a loser