I recorded some clips to test some tubes in the V1. After I posted it I realized I set the Mid Control @ 12:00 thinking it was flat. If all else fails - throw the manual away and make it up as you go.
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Mesa Boogie Walkabout Part 6
- Thread starter BassyBill
- Start date
- Status
Chef
In Memoriam
Gig Report:
I used the Walkabout thru the GK 2x212 stack last night.
I knew this sounded good at home, but it was really great on the job.
And: with that much cab, headroom is not a factor.
With input gain at about noon-one oclock and master at about nine oclock, it was uber vintage, squishy and had more grit that I wanted.
So, I reversed them and set master at two oclock, and input gain at about 9-10 oclock, and was right where I wanted.
I used the Walkabout thru the GK 2x212 stack last night.
I knew this sounded good at home, but it was really great on the job.
And: with that much cab, headroom is not a factor.
With input gain at about noon-one oclock and master at about nine oclock, it was uber vintage, squishy and had more grit that I wanted.
So, I reversed them and set master at two oclock, and input gain at about 9-10 oclock, and was right where I wanted.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,942
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Chef
In Memoriam
@Tom:
In the continuing trend of working for BGM costing me money, I see needing to buy a pair of thsoe 212's.
@Lomo: I ordered both a TC112 and 115 for the Mega-Walkabout Super Stack.
In the continuing trend of working for BGM costing me money, I see needing to buy a pair of thsoe 212's.
@Lomo: I ordered both a TC112 and 115 for the Mega-Walkabout Super Stack.
After suggesting it before you, I just may have to follow you there after the fact, if ya know what I mean
Chef
In Memoriam
Whatever it takes
TC112 for small/med stuff, and DB use.
TC115 for bigger stuff, and maybe DB?
Stacked, for big stuff, and cause I like a lot of cones even for smaller jobs anymore.
The footprint won't be large.
TC112 for small/med stuff, and DB use.
TC115 for bigger stuff, and maybe DB?
Stacked, for big stuff, and cause I like a lot of cones even for smaller jobs anymore.
The footprint won't be large.
A quick update on my "Life with a Walkabout". I find I'm liking this amp way more than I thought I would. For the last 15 years, I've played modern, quick amps. Think early SWR, Mesa M6, Mesa M9, GB Shuttle 3.0 and 9.0. But I ended up getting a blackface Walkabout and really like how musical it is.
I've used it on a few practices and it seems to fit in very well. This Saturday will be the test to see if it becomes my number one. My larger/louder five piece has a gig that night. It's a big sound with electric guitar, a couple of keyboards, brass and woodwinds and drums and multiple vocalists.
My concern is that I have enough power. I normally like lots of headroom (hence the Mesa M9 and GB 9.0). I'm finding with the Walkabout, the more you push it, the more musical it becomes so excess headroom with this amp may not be a good thing.
My other concern is being heard. Everybody goes thru the board so I think FOH sound be fine. And on stage, I'm usually pretty close to the amp itself so I don't think that'll be a problem. This just might work!
My other decision is what cab to bring. I was surprised how loud the single 15 is in the Scout cabinet. I generally like a tighter bass and that cab borders on too much for me. My other choice is a Bergantino stack with an AE112 / AE210 pair. I really like this combination for it's tone. I'm just not sure which will cut more or be louder.
On a final note, I have a box with some old preamp tubes so I tried doing some swapping. I was hoping to find some JAN Phillips or JJ's. The only Phillips I had were 12AT7 (or might have been 12AU7?) and they dropped the volume too much. I did happen to find a pair of Telefunken tubes. Popped both in and the amp went crazy. The tube I put in the V2 slot was definitely microphonic. I put the Mesa tube back in V2 and left the Telefunken in V1. It was a noticeable difference. The bass was a lot tighter. Overall volume might have been a little less but the note definition was better. I'll probably still try the JJ's or Phillips with my next tube order but I am pleased with the Telefunkens.
I've used it on a few practices and it seems to fit in very well. This Saturday will be the test to see if it becomes my number one. My larger/louder five piece has a gig that night. It's a big sound with electric guitar, a couple of keyboards, brass and woodwinds and drums and multiple vocalists.
My concern is that I have enough power. I normally like lots of headroom (hence the Mesa M9 and GB 9.0). I'm finding with the Walkabout, the more you push it, the more musical it becomes so excess headroom with this amp may not be a good thing.
My other concern is being heard. Everybody goes thru the board so I think FOH sound be fine. And on stage, I'm usually pretty close to the amp itself so I don't think that'll be a problem. This just might work!
My other decision is what cab to bring. I was surprised how loud the single 15 is in the Scout cabinet. I generally like a tighter bass and that cab borders on too much for me. My other choice is a Bergantino stack with an AE112 / AE210 pair. I really like this combination for it's tone. I'm just not sure which will cut more or be louder.
On a final note, I have a box with some old preamp tubes so I tried doing some swapping. I was hoping to find some JAN Phillips or JJ's. The only Phillips I had were 12AT7 (or might have been 12AU7?) and they dropped the volume too much. I did happen to find a pair of Telefunken tubes. Popped both in and the amp went crazy. The tube I put in the V2 slot was definitely microphonic. I put the Mesa tube back in V2 and left the Telefunken in V1. It was a noticeable difference. The bass was a lot tighter. Overall volume might have been a little less but the note definition was better. I'll probably still try the JJ's or Phillips with my next tube order but I am pleased with the Telefunkens.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,942
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Chef
In Memoriam
1) more musical; to a point. then, it goes into breakup grit and grind
2) to tighten it up, trim at 50hz on the para eq.
2) to tighten it up, trim at 50hz on the para eq.
+1 to this!
I have been obsessively comparing my Walkabout to the Genz Benz Streamliner the last few weeks trying to squeeze a more Walkabout-esque tone out of the Genz. It has a similar dynamic attack, but with way less midrange and way more bass naturally. I'm getting in the ballpark by boosting the 2.5k mids nearly all the way on the STL and cutting Bass nearly all the way, but the one thing missing vs. the Walkabout is the ability to cut out those super low lows, which I've been doing on the Mesa parametric based on Chef's recommendation awhile back. Even with the Bass control all the way down on the Streamliner, there is still this cushiness to the low end that I don't like- I realized that without the parametric bass cut at the 30Hz I do on the Walkabout, it can sound equally as unfocused to me in the low end.
I think the musical way the Walkabout is driven for me has a lot to do with it's tightness- I bet the first thing most of us would say about a 900 watt Walkabout is that it sounds kinda big or less focused in the low end compared to the lil Walkabout. That lack of extra headroom seems to make the Walkabout tighten up when you crank it, which is one of its big strengths vs an amp like the Streamliner or the Mesa M6 I had. It does run out of headroom eventually, but due to its character I have rarely heard anything that sounded like a nasty solid-state clipping even when I've had it cranked pretty much to its max...
Chef
In Memoriam
I disagree with your thoery on a 900 watt Walkabout being too big down low.
I'd wager the first one off the production line on it.
Three things:
1) para eq trim at 50hz (or, 30, if that's where you like it.
2) trim shelving bass a bit too
3) input gain and master volume interplay.
done
I'll add a '4' for doubters:
spin the middle para eq to the other low freq of your choice and trim that too.
It won't come to that though.
I'd wager the first one off the production line on it.
Three things:
1) para eq trim at 50hz (or, 30, if that's where you like it.
2) trim shelving bass a bit too
3) input gain and master volume interplay.
done
I'll add a '4' for doubters:
spin the middle para eq to the other low freq of your choice and trim that too.
It won't come to that though.
I dunno about how a 900w WA would go, myself not needing more juice than the Walkabout has 95% of the time.
I totally agree with the comments re the STL tho. I couldn't dial out ALL those lows & the consequences were a very muddy onstage sound that no-one liked in my circles.
Otoh, I've always had a great sound using the WA. Everyone says the same.
I totally agree with the comments re the STL tho. I couldn't dial out ALL those lows & the consequences were a very muddy onstage sound that no-one liked in my circles.
Otoh, I've always had a great sound using the WA. Everyone says the same.
I disagree with your thoery on a 900 watt Walkabout being too big down low.
I'd wager the first one off the production line on it.
Three things:
1) para eq trim at 50hz (or, 30, if that's where you like it.
2) trim shelving bass a bit too
3) input gain and master volume interplay.
done
I'll add a '4' for doubters:
spin the middle para eq to the other low freq of your choice and trim that too.
It won't come to that though.
No doubt- I should have added "at the same settings". Kinda what people said about the Thunderfunk when he made it more powerful- all the sudden it sounded like it had a whole lot more bass extension and people were like "gimme that old Thunderfunk tone back"...
Chef
In Memoriam
I can relate to that
Also, there's this:
The GK212's I have are 8 ohm.
So, I could, like, ya know, stack 4 of them.
So really, who needs more headroom.
Just pack a separate trailer full off bass bins.
More room in the Scion for chics.
Also, there's this:
The GK212's I have are 8 ohm.
So, I could, like, ya know, stack 4 of them.
So really, who needs more headroom.
Just pack a separate trailer full off bass bins.
More room in the Scion for chics.
OK, I'm late to party.
I've got a Walkabout on loan while my head is getting some bench time. I used it a couple of nights ago in a Jazz setting with a four string J into a fearful 12/6.
I'm in love. Once I found the right gain setting, the Mesa had a B15 run hard tone. I just had a ball playing with that band having that bit 'o snarl on tap. The Mesa is a wonderful amplifier!
Jim
I've got a Walkabout on loan while my head is getting some bench time. I used it a couple of nights ago in a Jazz setting with a four string J into a fearful 12/6.
I'm in love. Once I found the right gain setting, the Mesa had a B15 run hard tone. I just had a ball playing with that band having that bit 'o snarl on tap. The Mesa is a wonderful amplifier!
Jim
Chef said:I can relate to that
Also, there's this:
The GK212's I have are 8 ohm.
So, I could, like, ya know, stack 4 of them.
So really, who needs more headroom.
Just pack a separate trailer full off bass bins.
More room in the Scion for chics.
Well, ain't they already neo? ;-?
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