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Mesa Boogie Walkabout Part 5!!!

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#921
Yeah, IME that's a great combination, but for my needs/band it'd never fly outside without PA, and in a loud bar I'd have to crank the gain more than I like. Add a Neox 112 on top, however, and it's plenty for any bar or party I'd play.



nemo said:
The Walkabout head with my three weeks new GB NeoX 212T is a great rig. I used the Berg HS410 before (now it resides in the rehearsal room) but for last six outdoor gigs with or without PA support I used the NeoX 212 - what a difference in uniform spread of sound across the stage and in audience this cab makes! Great warm and clear presence everywhere. Me and my bandmates love it.

Definitely loud enough for outdoor gig without PA support.

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#922
Datsgor said:
I used my walkabout with a Neox212 yesterday at an outdoor gig with no PA support for the bass and we were heard over 300 yards away. The people said they could hear everything cleary and the band sounded good. Yet, there were people dancing and listening just in front too. So, it wasn't crazy loud. It was at a shopping center with the sound going over a parking lot of cars and trees etc. My gain was at 1 oclock and volume at 10 oclock. I guess my point is that the Walkabout through a 2x12 is capable of things that some people would say you need alot more speakers for. That's good to know, because I wouldn't have thought 2 12's could project that far and it is a good reference point for people wanting to know just how well their rig can perform. I won't ever have any doubts about my rig anytime soon. :)
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The M/B Walkabout has a tone that really cuts through the mix. I can be heard at an outdoor gig at a much lower lever than other amps I've owned. It's not about blasting: it's about singing.
 
#923
I jammed last night with my Walkabout head through my Powerhouse 410 and I could not have been happier with my tone. It was so punchy and warm at the same time using either a 4 string Stingray or my 5 string Bongo. This amp never fails to impress me.
 
#924
ishouldbeking said:
I finally started experimenting with my Walkabout head with other cabs... so far I'd only used it in the scout stack. With my sealed 610 this thing is a monster! I used to think my 610 was especially dark (due to no tweeter, sealed cab design, etc), but I'm thinking it was my Ashdown head that was sounding muted now... with the Walkabout, this cab really came to life. For my pickstyle rock stuff I was getting this crushing SVT vibe... 300 watts really is MORE THAN ENEOUGH wattage if you've got a tower of speakers behind you. Good to know!

Think I'll take the WA along to practice at our rental space tomorrow, plug in through the old Ampeg 810 they've got there. With my new ESP/LTD Surveyor in tow I expect to get some pretty powerful rock tones...
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I've mostly used my Walkabout paired with a Bergantino NV610, and I think it is as good a pairing as any of my old tube amps in the past through the same cab. I won't make the claim that it'll fool me into thinking I'm playing through an all-tube rig, but I like it just as much in its own way, and I find its EQ and all around character much more versatile than any of the tube amps I ever had. Its all about that RICH midrange- I've never played another solid state amp that had so much on tap without the corresponding honkiness or muddiness! I sometimes find I could use a bit more headroom even with the 610, but fortunately the Walkabout sounds good even when pushed pretty hard, which I can't say is true of the past SS heads I've owned, giving far more volume than would be expected from 300 watts...
 
#926
Mastermold said:
All these posts about larger cabinets; does anyone gig their Walkabout with just the Scout 12" cab? (That's why I ordered mine--small gig grab & go)
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I do! I've also run it through an Epifani PS210, Epifani PS115, and 2 GK NEO 112 II's. Right now, I have it mounted in the Scout cab. It has really been doing the job for me! Love the tone of the cab and the low end from that little box with the down firing radiator.

My only complaint is that mounted in the cab makes it kind of heavy and awkward with that one little top handle. At least, that is the case for me and my bad neck. I've been thinking about getting the headcase for it and switching the combo cab for the single extension cab. Easier to move in 2 pieces and the head would then be free to sit on top the GK's if need be or anything else for that matter.

Chef, great idea on the headbag for cables. I think I might do just that as it is sitting unused in the closet!
 
#927
Mastermold said:
All these posts about larger cabinets; does anyone gig their Walkabout with just the Scout 12" cab? (That's why I ordered mine--small gig grab & go)
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I've been gigging my 1x12 combo steadily since I bought it last year. The bands I play in now don't have crazy stage volume, so it's worked out fine, and for larger venues I use the D.I. into the P.A.

I'm also looking at cabinet options, mainly because I'm afraid of putting too much pressure on the speaker and possibly blowing it. Volume hasn't been a problem, but sometimes I'd like a sound that's a little more comfy rather than pushed.
 
#928
Mastermold said:
All these posts about larger cabinets; does anyone gig their Walkabout with just the Scout 12" cab? (That's why I ordered mine--small gig grab & go)
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I use my Scout by itself for one of my bands, a world jazz band that can be anywhere from 4 to 7 pieces or more sometimes. The scout has always been plenty loud for that gig.

For my reggae band though the scout is just not loud enough and I have to use an extension cab.

Which leads to a question I have. I just got an Avatar TB153 and a Crown xls1000 power amp, which I used for a reggae gig this weekend along with a channel strip preamp. I wanted a little more headroom than I was getting, so I am thinking of using the Walkabout Scout on top and running the DI to the Crown amp for more clean power. Is there a problem with this idea?
 
#931
It should be fine but sometimes you'll get phasing problems depending on the design of the power amps input and the DI out on the WA. You'll have to do a simple test to confirm it will be o.k.
Just pluck a low note with the power amp cab all hooked up and while the note is ringing have someone insert the 1/4" combos speaker connection into the WA's output.
You should hear a good gain in bass. If you're not sure you heard much of a gain you'll need something to invert the phase of the signal to the power amp.
 
#932
HotelX said:
To clarify: I want to use the Scout powered up. That is run the combo on top of the TB153, so I would gain 300 Walkabout watts plus the 12" combo speaker.
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Output of the fully driven long-throw 3015LF in the 153 will so completely dwarf that of the 112 (which will only transduce about 150 watts anyway, regardless of what the WA head has on tap) that you`ll gain precious little by lugging the combo. If the 153 driven to its`limit is not enough, IME you need a fridge type cab.
 
#933
I read a comment in another Mesa amp related thread that Walkabout amps are rather responsive to Tube rolling.

I wonder if anyone has tried any NOS (new old stock) or vintage tubes such as RCA's, Mullards, GE's, Amperex etc and which tube in the Walkabout, if not all seem to make the most difference?

I seem to recall people liking Telefunkens perhaps. What about new current issue tubes? JJ's? Electro Harmonix, Sovteks?

thanks!

Or
 
#934
Mastermold said:
All these posts about larger cabinets; does anyone gig their Walkabout with just the Scout 12" cab? (That's why I ordered mine--small gig grab & go)
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Yes, but I often use a 2X10 8 ohm Hartke along side on stage for both monitoring ( deaf drummer) and a bit more headroom. I've never run the master volume above 1/2 throttle, with the preamp runnign at just over 50%.
 
#935
I have JJ long plates in mine now. I want ''clean as it will get."
I've heard the TungSol reissues are nice, but, you probably need to define what you want?

More headroom/cleaner? Skankier breakup? What?
 
#938
BuffaloBass said:
Yes, but I often use a 2X10 8 ohm Hartke along side on stage for both monitoring ( deaf drummer) and a bit more headroom. I've never run the master volume above 1/2 throttle, with the preamp runnign at just over 50%.
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I was just going to ask about this! Do you find that adding a 2x10 along with the 1x12 combo adds some punchiness to the sound?
 
#939
Chef said:
You're gonna have to put your personal 'loud' in context.
One man's loud is another man's not so much.
Define what you need it to do....
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+1. It`s an honest 300, but still 300. If you need very clean and very loud, there are better bets. If you want some peach fuzz and you don`t have to level buildings, a sensitive 410 should be fine and provide some head room, at least IME with 2 loud guitars, heavy rock drummer and usually no PA support in small to medium bars.
 
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