Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Mesa Boogie Walkabout Part 5!!!
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
- Status
Here's the rub: the tube stage in the master volume section affects not just the DI volume but also its tone, and this mod takes the master stage out of the DI.
I've been checking out the 1X12 Walkabout Scouts lately.
Can anyone give me a rundown on the newer models vs. older models? I know the new ones have Player Control Network, and seem to have a better venting design, but I'm not sure how either on those quite translate or what other differences there might be. Something about active/passive switching too...
My idea was for a one handed combo amp type thing, although it is a little bigger and heavier than what I expected when I was checking one out in person. Still totally manageable though.
Can anyone give me a rundown on the newer models vs. older models? I know the new ones have Player Control Network, and seem to have a better venting design, but I'm not sure how either on those quite translate or what other differences there might be. Something about active/passive switching too...
My idea was for a one handed combo amp type thing, although it is a little bigger and heavier than what I expected when I was checking one out in person. Still totally manageable though.
I actually bought one but I didn't want to drill holes in the cream vinyl. Now I carry the head by itself and it's easier all around.
Player control thang allows 3 different tweeter xover points. The newest 2011 models have more vents in the top panel. Other than those factors, new ones are the same as old ones dating back to silver face/blk lettering with a toggle for active/passive and an FX loop defeat switch. Before that, the earlier silver/blk and silver/brn ones had 2 inputs (rather then the toggle) and no FX defeat toggle. Some of those older ones had these 2 upgrades done by Mesa. They all sound great and have a loudish fan that can be swapped out if it irritates you.
One more difference is Mesa changed the design of the output board, heatsink and cmos transistors compliment. I posted pics in this thread about it.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/mesa-boogie-walkabout-part-5-a-740503/index25.html#post10819754
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/mesa-boogie-walkabout-part-5-a-740503/index25.html#post10819754
The fan is noticeable in the bedroom but with a band you'll never notice much less hear it.
Yep. The old style is a pic posted by Vin*Tone. It looks like the change happened in 2005 by the date on my board.
Has anybody ever mic'd their Walkabout Scout? I'm curious how the fan noise would pan out with something like that.
It looks like I'll be picking a 1X12 combo up and I'll probably be interested in doing the fan swap. Without reading through hundreds of posts to find the info, does anybody happen to have it handy? What about the rest of the "mods"?
It looks like I'll be picking a 1X12 combo up and I'll probably be interested in doing the fan swap. Without reading through hundreds of posts to find the info, does anybody happen to have it handy? What about the rest of the "mods"?
The amp is in the back, far from the speaker.
On stage, this is not an issue.
In an iso room/studio, I'd put the head elsewhere.
fwiw: the di sounds great, and I'd use it before i'd mic the speaker.
ymmv.
On stage, this is not an issue.
In an iso room/studio, I'd put the head elsewhere.
fwiw: the di sounds great, and I'd use it before i'd mic the speaker.
ymmv.
I was thinking for studio work. I've got a few nice DI's and I've heard this one sounds great as well.
I just possibly wanted to mic it for a different, more old school type vibe.
a ways back in this thread I was posting recordings that I used the Walkabout on. the first batch were recorded through the DI and the rest were through the combo played at low volume into an expensive condenser mic. the fan wasn't an issue in the slightest, but I preferred the tone of the DI personally. my engineer said he had to EQ out some of the clank (I'm a pickstyle roundwound player, after all), but after the usual studio treatment it came out sounding really good.
An aside: I saw the new Incubus video playing on a TV somewhere the other day, and what did I spy with my little eye but a sweet looking Walkabout stack. I knew their bass player uses Mesa stuff, but in the video they were going for a vintage kind of vibe (tweed guitar amp, old school drums) and the WA fit right in. Pretty cooooooool, even if I'm not a fan of the band myself.
IIRC that stack was pictured in this thread a while back. A stack of 4 WA's & ext cabs Niiiiice!
FYI I just got off the phone with Mesa CS. They will not change handle placement or add another handle to a WA. They "do not want to open the door to design changes" :-(
Still my favorite (if somewhat quirky) combo.
Still my favorite (if somewhat quirky) combo.
I just came across this last week by accident:
Smashing Pumpkins - Drown (acoustic) on Radio 94.7 KKDO - YouTube
I haven't listened to the Pumpkins for years, but looooved the original version of this song in the 90s (Corgan is the only remaining original member!). This bassist gets a pretty gnarly tone out of a Walkabout Scout combo on this track- sounds like she might have had the gain nearly dimed! I think she plays a Titan normally...
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/touring-rigs-stars-543692/#post7382727
Link to the Walkabout Scout stack. Pretty awesome looking. Wish I had the money and space for that.
- Status
