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Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread part Four!

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#101
Chef,

I've got an opportunity to pick up a five year old (8ohm according to the owner) Mesa Scout 15 combo for a real steal. But I've never been able to try the 15 and the 12 side by side to compare the sound (I have the 12" 4ohm combo... and I absolutely LOVE the tone that I get out of it!).

I'm not looking to replace one with the other, I'd probably leave one at our rehearsal space, and use the other for gigging. I'm just wondering how the two amps compare tone-wise.

Have you ever had the pleasure of A/B-ing a 12 and 15 combo?
 
#104
I bought my 15 new, and I love it. It makes my AV '57 P sounds like it ought to. I've never tried a 12, but I suspect I'd love that, too. I think you should buy the thing, especially if it's a really good deal. It's hard to imagine being disappointed in one.


Here's an interesting thing: I get killer tone with everything essentially flat, tweaking only to deal with problem rooms.
 
#107
Yango said:
Thanks, I may just go and take that pesky thing off his hands...
Click to expand...

The 15 kills, but is more of a "dragabout" at over 60 lbs IMO. One thing to note is that if you're using it alone, swapping the driver for a 4 Ohm will milk significantly more volume from it (if you need that).
 
#108
terlewine said:
I've just started getting a fuzzy distortion from my Walkabout. a similar sound to having the gain turned high, but it's there even if the gain's backed way way low. It's not a crazy-extreme fuzz distortion, but it's not normal.

It wasn't there one day, was the next.

I guessed it was preamp tubes, since I'd tested a preamp pedal into it the day before, and thought maybe I'd overdriven the preamp. Put a new Mesa tube in each socket individually, but nothing changed. Haven't tried two new tubes at once though... guess I should try that.

The speaker isn't the problem because I get the sound regardless which cabinet I run the amp through.

I've put a short patch cord across the effects send/receive. I've sprayed DeOxit onto a plug and plugged it into the various jacks, too.

Any ideas? I'll call Mesa when they open today, but maybe there's a clue here among other WA owners.
Click to expand...


I bought a blackfaced, pretty much new, 12" scout here on TB at the beginning of summer and mine had simmilar symptoms. It was sorta strange in that the buzz was particulary bad while playing certain notes. I PM'ed back and forth with a number of other inmates that had simmilar issues, even same note buzzing. There is a Mesa service center literally 1/2 a block from my home which is where it spent about a month and a half. Sounds great upon return and oddly enough the fan is now waaay quieter than it was. Cannot remember exactly what was replaced but it was all under warranty. Thanks Mesa!!!
 
#109
Yeah, I'm aware of the 4ohm 8ohm thing... and I have a very sneaking suspicion that the amp is, in fact a 4ohm. Just because that's the standard, and you only get the 8ohm if you specifically ask for it... this guy just sounds like he's shooting in the dark. It's just a gut feeling.
 
#110
Yango said:
Chef,

I've got an opportunity to pick up a five year old (8ohm according to the owner) Mesa Scout 15 combo for a real steal. But I've never been able to try the 15 and the 12 side by side to compare the sound (I have the 12" 4ohm combo... and I absolutely LOVE the tone that I get out of it!).

I'm not looking to replace one with the other, I'd probably leave one at our rehearsal space, and use the other for gigging. I'm just wondering how the two amps compare tone-wise.

Have you ever had the pleasure of A/B-ing a 12 and 15 combo?
Click to expand...

I have the Walkabout 12 and a Scout 15 (see pic). I use the WA 12 about 90% of the time and just love this amp for its tone, volume (for size) and portability. I add the Scout 15 for larger gigs where I do not get FOH, or where I simply want more kick-in-the-pants sound/volume.

I would just warn you that, with the WA 15, you will need to tame the lows on your bass and the amps very flexible EQ section. The 15 can tend towards the flabby side if you drive too much low-end in its direction. OTOH, if you EQ pretty flat and work the mids more than the low end, you will get a great, punchy and full tone from the 15.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=183569&stc=1&d=1286489537

enjoy!
 

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#111
pfschim said:
I have the Walkabout 12 and a Scout 15 (see pic). I use the WA 12 about 90% of the time and just love this amp for its tone, volume (for size) and portability. I add the Scout 15 for larger gigs where I do not get FOH, or where I simply want more kick-in-the-pants sound/volume.

I would just warn you that, with the WA 15, you will need to tame the lows on your bass and the amps very flexible EQ section. The 15 can tend towards the flabby side if you drive too much low-end in its direction. OTOH, if you EQ pretty flat and work the mids more than the low end, you will get a great, punchy and full tone from the 15.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=183569&stc=1&d=1286489537

enjoy!
Click to expand...

I tend to run everything pretty much flat, with a slight boost on the bass and mid on my Stingray/Sterling, so it certainly wouldn't be a big adjustrment for me.

BTW, very nice rig you have there! Is that two combos, or is it a 12" combo and 15" extension?
 
#115
peterwsmith said:
So my latest GAS seems to be wanting to try out some 12s. I'm currently running my WA through the SVT 210AV, and I'm thinking about getting another one for a vertical stack, but before I do that, I want to weigh some other options. I'd more than likely get two seperate 1x12s for modular reasons.

What 12s would be a good match for the WA head? Excluding the Scout cab of course, because I've already heard all the goodness there is to hear about it! One in particular I've considered is the Aguilar DB112.
Click to expand...

I run a pair of DB112s and they do sound really good. However..... They are heavier than the scout cabs. I've never actually heard a Scout combo (they are hens teeth in OZ) so can't give any comparison but I would probably go with the Scout and extension if I had the choice. It's hard to imagine that the DBs would outdo the Scout for that extra weight. The Combo is 50lb - so subtracting the amp weight - the cab is 37lbs. A single DB112 is 46lb.
 
#116
Yeah...I do like the punchiness of the sealed 210s. I was thinking that the WA with two of them would make a great Micro VT sounding rig, but with added rubber band effect tube sound. With the Ampeg, the lows are a little lacking...I would like a little rumble, but I'm thinking two of them would get me there. But a WA stack would be pretty sweet too.:confused:
 
#117
I've had and used both, and liked both.
Ultimately, the 210 AV cabs aren't my personal thing as they're neither deep enough, nor shiny enough on top without a horn...great sound tho, if they meet your needs, and dang, they're uber-light.
 
#119
Well, this thread worked on me. I picked up on it a few weeks ago and read the whole thing. I also had the pleasure of a live demo from Chef one night with my LeCompte and his Walkabout/Powehouse stack. Left nice impressions on my ears. :bassist: Gear curiosity syndrome finally overcame me and I ordered a Bronco Cream, eight ohm, 12" Scout. JUST missed the end of their free color upgrade, but oh well, it had to be creamy. So, I put up the current mini-rig for sale. It moved quickly and my living-room amp went to church. Now I'm relying on old Cafe Walter and (mostly) patiently awaiting news of a Scout landing! Thanks gentlemen, and you too, Chef. ;)
 
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