• 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 6

Status
Not open for further replies.
#361
Chef said:
#239:
You're at about the limit of output with your gain structured as you have it; don't expect much more.
Click to expand...

Chef, As you say, I always found with the Scout combos that once gain and master were at about noon, pushing either knob farther just got me more compression and grit without more volume. (In fact, on loud stages, pushing the Scout combo much beyond noon has been counterproductive for monitoring IME, as the squishier tone is less distinct.)

Driving a bigger cab, though, the head gets louder past noon. On top of either a Schroeder 21012L or a Bergie AE212, (with gain at noon) the master continues to increase the volume until just past 3 o'clock--or almost all the way up.

I'm curious if you don't find this so when you pair the WA with other cabs.
 
#363
I recently tried the Walkabout combo amp in a local store and was quite impressed. I've noticed that there are a fair number of you running the head into a different speaker cab (or cabs) and I'm wondering if most of you do that for tone issues, or to get more volume? Any input is welcome. I feel my credit card wanting to leave the wallet. ;)
 
#364
Well, it could be both, depending on the user and scenario.
The Scout cabs lean towards "darker," but, so does the head, really.

So, if you want a more modernish tone, different cab.
If you need more than the Scout cab offers, different cab/s.
 
#365
+1 tone &/or volume.
Ain't nothing wrong with the Scout combo's tone, but it's nice to have a change & I, for one, like to use my other 'fave' cabs sometimes.
The Walkabout Scout 12" pairs nicely with my Bergantino AE112 imo, the aggressive nature of the AE balances out with the darker Scout cab.
The WA head alone also works wonderfully well into other cabs.(I've not found a cab I don't like it with) & can sound as 'modern' as you like with a twist of it's extensive eq
 
#366
Chef said:
Well, it could be both, depending on the user and scenario.
The Scout cabs lean towards "darker," but, so does the head, really.

So, if you want a more modernish tone, different cab.
If you need more than the Scout cab offers, different cab/s.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Chef. I liked the smooth, creamy tone with nice, clear highs that I got when recently auditioning the Walkabout combo at a local store. Right now I'm using a Markbass CMD 121P combo, with a Sansamp BDDI in front of it. That set up sounds great, although the highs could be a little less clanky, and the BDDI introduces just a little noise to the signal.

As usual, I'm probably over-thinking things. ;)

rodl2005, that's good info. Since the head is removable from the combo cab, I guess you can really have the best of both worlds. :)
 
#367
[QUOTE/ rodl2005, that's good info. Since the head is removable from the combo cab, I guess you can really have the best of both worlds. :)[/QUOTE]
Yep. I was taking it in & out of the combo so much...... 'I liked it so much I bought the company' .......
actually, I bought another Walkabout. One stays in the combo, other in it's headcase & sometimes goes out on the town in it's gig bag :)
 
#368
Yeah, WA head into another bigger cab really opens it up, both tonally and volume-wise. Everyone's tastes are different, but WA into a GB Uber 212 has been working for me for several years now. That's MY tone. So many good cabs to try, and this little head sounds great through any of them. Pick a favorite, and let it rip.
 
#370
I have used my Walkabout with some larger cabs with great success. I just picked up a pair of Mesa PH112 cabs so am really looking forward to giving this little mini stack a serious burn in! Pics will follow!
 
#371
So I decided to have some fun rolling tubes in my little wonder. I have 2 stock Mesas, a JJ, a Sovtek and 2 vintage 1963 Raytheons. I will soon have a couple of Amperex tubes as well, but not until next week.

I was much more concerned with maxing my headroom than tone. I used a single passive bass with its' volume dimed, adjusted my eq as I always do these days (slight bumps at 200 and 1200 Hz, slight cut at 50), and found the point at which the overdrive was creamy, without delving into the buzz-saw, compressed range that I have no use for. I quickly found that the tube that drives the Mosfets is not the one limiting headroom, and it also has less influence on tone (but still some). I concentrated mainly on the preamp tube (the one closer to the jack). I realized I had oversimplified things in my head, thinking that each tube would shift from clean to OD at a certain gain level, but what I learned (as a real newb) was that the most significant difference between tubes wasn't where they transitioned from clean to furry, but rather how long each stayed in the creamy, useable (for me) zone before getting wildly hirsuit.

The Mesa tubes were the worst. They OD'ed early and shifted into wild buzz saw the quickest. The JJ was a little better but not much. The Sovtek and the Raytheons were the best. They both allowed me to push the gain to the 2 o'clock position easily and provided a lush, beautiful harmonic distortion that I dig. The Sovtek sounded bigger throughout the midrange and seems to have higher volume output (maybe 'cause it's new, although the Raytheons test near new). I'm not sure if I prefer the Sovtek or the Raytheons (BTW I have 2 of those and they sound and behave the same). However, they are both a significant upgrade over the stock tubes IME/IMO.

I'll wait for the Amperex pair and do another round of this next weekend.
 
#372
That's good info Lomo! I have never changed the tubes in my Walkabout and my new head version sounds exactly like the older one.

On an un related note, my Powerhouse 112 cabs have arrived and I was able to try out my little "mini rig of doom" briefly tonight. Its huge sounding! The cabs will likely need some break in time and I'm not pushing them too hard yet, but the rig sounds fat, growly, open, aggressive, loud and bigger overall then the sum of its parts!

I spent a fair bit as the cabs were both brand new but I managed to avoid a 12-15 week wait from Mesa buy scooping the only two PH112's in the country according to the two big national Mesa dealers. They are sweet little cabs and really easy to carry.

I was surprised to see that they both have serial numbers under 300 but are confirmed as being brand new stock. I thought Mesa would have sold more then 300 of these bad boys by now! The serial numbers are only 5 digits apart and they came from different cities. One cab came with a plain single layer Mesa nylon slip cover and the other came with the newer style much fancier padded cover. Not sure why the different covers on two brand new cabs that had must have left the factory at the same time. They seem to weigh the same, sound identical and are beautifully made. This is the rig i have been dreaming of putting together for a couple of years now and so far it is as good or better as I had hoped: :)


P1030489.jpg


P1030493.jpg
 
#373
Lomo....so sweeeet.Two 1 x 12's sound so good and they will handle any gig even the loudest stuff! I use two 2512 deltaLite cabs with the WA all the time. Love those Ray's too. Will being using my SR5 tonight with the WA.
 
#377
I was torn as I could have bought pretty much anything to go with the Walkabout head, but I do have a soft spot for matching gear and really wanted a portable rig as I just can't take my PH412 with me everywhere. I had considered going for super lightweight cabs or a lightweight 212 but am happy I stayed with all Mesa gear. The difference in tone between the 2 ph112 cabs and the Schroeder 212 I recently sold are staggering.

The Schroeder was insanely light and portable but despite having added insulation to the cab, it sounded boxy and super compressed. My initial impression of the ph12 cabs are that they are very well balanced tonewise with a nice open sound, growly mids, full lows and good controllable highs with no shrill ugliness. The "player control network" on the back is pretty sweet although I have both cabs set to the standard 3k setting with the horn controls at noon. They are fun to tweak but sound pretty much perfect like this to my ears.

I am surprised that there isn't a larger market for the 2 112 stack. I guess the fact that two small 112 cabs costs as much as a 410 makes them seem like less of a bargain. But even though the Mesa 112's are considered fairly heavy, they are a breeze to carry. The website listing of 48 pounds is not accurate. I plan to try them on my scale but they feel a lot closer to 40 pounds each.
 
#378
Crabby, that mini stack looks fantastic! I myself am eyeing the PH2x12. I'm wondering if there is enough of a sonic difference between the PH2x12 and 2 PH1x12s. I think there is a price difference.
 
#380
MarkusBass said:
Yeah....looks so awesome! I've kicked around swapping out my scout cabs for two of these bad boys just like that.
Click to expand...

I've kicked around getting the headcase and scout cabs. I'm a little nervous to take the PH112 plunge b/c I love the sound of the Scout so much. Great looking rig that I'm sure sounds just as fantastic!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back