Mesa Boogie Walkabout Part 5!!!

[lpdeluxe]

Here's an interesting sidelight to the SR/P debate: In 2009 I was looking to replace my Hartke HA2500/Transporter 210/Transporter 115 with something a little more musical. I talked to a local bass player who plays an SR5 and he convinced me to check out the Walkabout Scout. I found one 200 miles away, at a dealer, and took my wad of cash from the sale of my Les Paul, the Hartke rig, my AV '57 P, and another bass playing friend there. After checking it out, I had to have it! I started gigging with it right away and fell in love with the tone of that combination of bass (with TI Jazz Flats, of course) and M/B amp. I began getting compliments on my bass tone at outdoor gigs from non-players in the audience, it sounded so good.

A couple of months ago, I attended a function where the original guy's jazz combo was playing, and I finally had an opportunity to hear his StingRay through his own Walkabout.

I didn't like it.

 

[Doodaddy]

How many of you guys have changed out the tubes or is it customary to stay with the originals instead of experimenting?

 

[bowthing]

Does it hurt the amp at all to unplug the speaker load and run just the DI?

 

[wellso74]

bowthing- no- you can use it as a DI without a speaker load

 

[lomo]

How many of you guys have changed out the tubes or is it customary to stay with the originals instead of experimenting?

Search the previous parts of this megathread. many have joyfully rolled tubes in the WA with varied results. I plan on trying this shortly as well. From what i have read, it DOES respond quite differently to different tubes.

 

[P. Bass]

Here's a couple of scans from a Mesa catalogue from a few years back. Just some eye candy for those interested in coverings & wood finishes. I've converted the pics to low file size if you wish to copy.
B.

The 12" combo cab has an 8" passive radiator & the extension cab has the 10"

 

[wellso74]

Nice! I think a simple tan or brown vinyl and tan cloth grill would be awesome!

 

[emor]

How many of you guys have changed out the tubes or is it customary to stay with the originals instead of experimenting?

http://bowlusblog.blogspot.com/2005/02/preamp-tubes-in-mesa-walkabout.html

 

[someparts]

Yeah, I figured as much. I like USA made stuff, and it seems there are VERY few combos left made in the States. Still not sure about the 12 vs 15 though.....I really favor 15s in general.

If you want impartial advice you've come to the wrong place

Hyundai v. Mercedes.

 

[DrDAV14]

Yeah, I figured as much. I like USA made stuff, and it seems there are VERY few combos left made in the States. Still not sure about the 12 vs 15 though.....I really favor 15s in general.

I think the Radiator Scout 12 will fill your ears with lowend normally only found on 15's. The 15 Scout "to me" wasn't much thicker than the 12, it was less focused. I went with the 12"

 

[CElton]

I think the Radiator Scout 12 will fill your ears with lowend normally only found on 15's.

+1...IMO, the Scout 12's are just about everything you would want in a 15" cab. I think they behave very similarly.

Note: I'm talking about other brand 15's. Not the Mesa Scout 15's.

 

[lomo]

Yeah, I figured as much. I like USA made stuff, and it seems there are VERY few combos left made in the States. Still not sure about the 12 vs 15 though.....I really favor 15s in general.

Another vote for the 12 here. The only situation in which I'd recommend the 15 is if yoiu want a 1 cab solution for loudish gigs. The 4 Ohm 12 cannot handle the full volume of the the head, but the 4 Ohm 15 can. Overall, I favor the 8 Ohm 12 and an ext cab.

 

[RickenBoogie]

what lomo said.

 

[ishouldbeking]

beyond sonics even, the 15" cab is pretty beastly to schlep. one place that seems like a serious error in design is that they went with the single top-mount handle on the 15" combo. Personally the 12" combo is about as much as I want to carry with one hand, and its not the lightest thing in the world. Make the box quite a bit larger and somewhat heavier and you've got a seriously unfun piece of gear to move around.

as for the sound of the 12" cab... lets just say that this feels beefier and more pillowy than my Orange 115, which was a great cab to begin with. the single 12 might not be as loud on its own, but played at a similar volume the 12 is actually tuned a bit lower. 2 of the 12s in a stack hits my sweet spot just right.

 

[Chef]

The 15'' combo is not easy to move.
In fact, the 12" combo was always a 2 handed carry for me...

 

[lpdeluxe]

Mine is the 15, and I second the opinion that it needs serious handles on the sides. But, damn! does it sing!

 

[kaiser_sosea]

Should be on the way to me by the end of the day!

I've had a Walkabout before and loved it but never the Scout let alone the extension. This should sate my GAS for a while as the Walkabout is my personal favorite amp.

 

[Chef]

that will be *awesome*

 

[kaiser_sosea]

Quick question, is there a grill over the passive radiators as the literature above doesn't show one?

 

[Chef]

yes