I know nothing about Mesa D-800 amps. I drummer friend is selling one, in excellent condition, for a friend of his. He's asking $650. Is that a good, fair, or ridiculous price?
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Mesa D800 Bass Amp
- Thread starter Ben Esparza
- Start date
Based on the classified postings, it's a "fair" price. You might be able to get it a bit cheaper, but if it's in excellent condition, could also sell for a bit more. Reverb prices seem slightly higher, as always.
Price seems fair, and it's an excellent amplifier.
I chose the D800+ over the D800 around... 9 years ago, mostly due to the built-in HPF [1] and 'bright' switch, but to be honest a D800 would have served me well too, and it's smaller.
[1] I use the HPF all the time, so it's handy to have it on the amplifier itself, but you can always use an external unit for that.
I chose the D800+ over the D800 around... 9 years ago, mostly due to the built-in HPF [1] and 'bright' switch, but to be honest a D800 would have served me well too, and it's smaller.
[1] I use the HPF all the time, so it's handy to have it on the amplifier itself, but you can always use an external unit for that.
A great buy, IMO. I have one as a spare amp and for smaller gigs. However, this could handle larger ones as well.
It has been known to as having a “darker” tone than it’s other Subway brethren, but I like it. I play Jazz basses, so I don’t really miss the bright switch as much. Yes, I do have an external HPF unit, but I rarely need it for my situations.
It has been known to as having a “darker” tone than it’s other Subway brethren, but I like it. I play Jazz basses, so I don’t really miss the bright switch as much. Yes, I do have an external HPF unit, but I rarely need it for my situations.
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D-800 has fixed HPF built in in 30-35Hz range I believe
Agree. It's a great amp. Almost everything on TB is sold with shipping costs baked in. $550 local sale is a sold price point.
Buy it. You wont regret it. It's solid and amazing.
Is the treble dial adequate to get it sounding the way you want? I assume the amp being darker at noon is only an issue if the EQ won't work for you.
The treble dial is enough for me. I get plenty of treble from my pickups (Bart B-Axis passive) and my fingerstyle tends to use my fingernails as "picks" so I get plenty of top end from my attack. I can get this on my fretless easily. When I switch to fretted, it's a no brainer.
It's hard to explain the "dark" of the D800. It's naturally bossier, but not boomy. I like it over the D800 plus, (which I used to own, but sold) but that's my druthers. I just like it. Hmm. Maybe I can get @Al Kraft to weigh in on the D800's dark quality. He can describe it much better than I.
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That's an amazing amp and I've had mine for over ten years since they came out with no complaints. That's also a good price and the past couple years usually over 700. If you need an amp that's a great choice. It's solid with one cab, but when I play with two it surprises me every time with the additional power.
I use one of these with two 1x12 Subway cabs. It's a no nonsense amp that is easy to dial in with any of my basses. That price is fair. I paid $675 for a used one off Reverb four years ago.
Al Kraft
Supporting Member
- May 2, 2016
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I have owned mine since they first came out. For many of us coming off of Carbines and Walkabouts the D-800 is inherently a little warmer sounding which many of us refer to as darker. IMO it's not a limitation or issue, more of a comparative statement. I also owned GK heads and still have my GK MBs. Once again they are a bit brighter with EQ controls set at noon.
I'm a finger style player with big hands and find plenty of top end in the D-800 using the head's tone controls. I think that because the head only has a deep switch (no bright switch) and the mid EQ points are a little lower (but very nicely chosen) than on many heads, it tends to give the impression that it is only focussed on lows and lower mids (i.e. being darker sounding).
FWIW, the unusual mid EQ points were chosen by players in blind experimentation and not even Andy knew the specific frequencies until the testing was done. It's true that the follow on Subway heads are a bit brighter/more inherently open up top (to varying degrees), but the EQ on the D-800 should get most players pretty much everything they'd want.
The fact that I still own and like my D-800 with all the other SW heads I have can rightfully be interpreted as meaning I don't see it as limited in voicing. One last thing that I have always enjoyed about that head is how live performance freindly the simple but effective control set and features are.
I hope that helps, and as always, we all hear things differently and have different tone goals.
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Safe purchase if it’s in good shape. Great amp and good price, with great service if needed. I bought mine in 2019 for about the same price, and have had zero regrets. It’s served well in coffeehouses with a 110 to outdoor gigs using 2 subway 115s without PA support. Plenty loud, great tone, easy to dial in—and I’ve always been able to get it as bright or deep as I need. Then again, I typically play a p-bass with flats, so my needs for brightness are pretty low.
Yes, this. I paid $525 for a used one in 2018 and it served me very well until I got the WD-800. Offer him less for sure.
Depends when seller got it if recent cost 1K+ if 10 years ago cost $700
If it's truly in excellent condition cosmetically and functionally, I think that's a very fair price. Heck, a new one is $999. Maybe he'd take $600 but I think his asking price is on the money, no pun intended.
