• 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.

Double Bass Mesa WD-800 for DB?

Chris Fitzgerald

Chris Fitzgerald

Student of Life
Staff member
Administrator
Gold Supporting Member
Oct 19, 2000
27,572
38,458
Louisville, KY
www.chrisfitzgeraldmusic.com
#1
Just curious if anyone has used one of these for DB? Yes, it's large, but other than that it has the usual features we would want: 1 MOhm input impedance, sweepable HP filter, parametric and caveman EQ (dealer's choice), and power amp damping, which is a great feature to play with. It also has a tube preamp section, which is basically like what I am running now with a Noble in front of a class D power amp.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...EhcXs6bKczS-45YOCuJcpIKRGs-LOtWhoCQvUQAvD_BwE

I'm perfectly happy with my current amp and will keep using it as long as it lasts, but it's a discontinued model and I'm less in love with the current lineup of products from the same company. Just curious on a lunch break and thought I'd ask.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbsfgyd1 and LSM07
#3
I find there to be a distinct, baked-in sound to the WD-800, kind of a high mid “gank” to the tone. It strikes as something designed to cut through a heavy rock mix, not what I’d want to amplify a DB with. The EQ is extensive enough that I could dial out the aforementioned gankiness, but I personally prefer an amp that is clean and clear when set flat.

It generally felt like a quality piece of gear, though, and I found the power amp damping feature to be really fun to play with as well.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: REV, b1644, SteveFromBerlin and 3 others
#4
For me, it would be the usual bugaboo of a piezo pickup into an amp/preamp expecting typical wound magnet pickups. Back in the day, the first Ovations and Takamines with the Ovation piezos routinely sounded like clavinets through a regular guitar amp due to their output and output impedance, and could often be a handful through a board and full range PA bins.

I could easily see a Subway head with a single 10 or 12 Subway cabinet doing just fine with an upright, depending on how the above is solved, whether the 800's have enough latitude to handle something like this or if it would need an acoustic preamp like an AD8 or AD10 BOSS pedal to be the go-between.
 
#6
I have been using a D800+ for some time but just recently switched over to their brand new 800D, which has an integrated tube preamp. I havent had a chance to use it out in the wild yet (next week), but was really impressed with how full and warm it sounds. I'm probably a 60-70% electric bass player, but enough upright that I need an amp that can handle both well. For small, quiet gigs I am ok with a Warwick Gnome into a simple 110 cab, but always need to bring an external hpf. Yes the head is fairly large (same size as the WD800), but its only 6 lbs and really not that large. I did try a WD800 but found the controls too bewildering for my neanderthal brain. The D800+ is a fantastic amp and tends more towards the clean side of things, but the new 800D sounds a bit warmer and fuller.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fat bob, TomB, Jazzdogg and 1 other person
#7
I can't answer for the WD-800, but the old M-Pulse WalkAbout works great for upright. I gotta' think with the same access to the parametric equalizer you could do a lot of shaping.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wasnex
#8
I've played them several times at JGravity Strings here in St. Louis, but alas only with EB not DB. What I'll say is that they are very
high quality builds and can be repaired. My guess is that along with the RedEye Twin the could sound great, that said I'm only guessing.
If you're looking for an all in one box. My take is the GR Bass AT Cube Acoustic is ideal for Double Bass, no question in my mind. Some folks
aren't comfortable dealing with of shore warranty issues should they arise and I respect that. Since I purchased mine used of the TB Classifieds I
have no "skin in the game" regarding any perks from the manufacture.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jazzdogg
#9
Buy used and budget in the flat rate *very reasonable) and send it to Andy. It will be good as new functionally. As a jazz bassist you are probably not put it in as much stress as a loud metal band with 12 pedals before the input and should last a long time

Avishai Cohen uses and SVT and 810, so a WD and some choice 12 and or 10's should be no issue.
 
#10
I have the TT-800 which shares many of the same features and general tonal profile of the other Subway amps on the Subway channel (IMO the amps don't sound as different as the marketing would imply). To be honest I've never plugged the upright into it but I think it would work well. I like it quite a bit on electric bass. I'll give it a try tomorrow, I do need to have a more powerful upright rig on hand if necessary. Chris you're welcome to borrow it sometime if you want to try it out, I'm usually just using my Gnome on gigs right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wasnex
#11
Jeff Kissell said:
The Mesa bass amps are made in California and have a 5 year warranty. Probably not as good as Acoustic Image was (since they’re owned by the Gibson) but that’s not bad. One of the designers is a TB member.
Fwiw, I have a Subway D-350 but it’s a simpler design and lower power.
Click to expand...
Member @agedhorse can tell you everything you need to know about using a piezo pickup,(and probably some other stuff) if you want to play DB through a Subway amp.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: dylanjohnson, Sam Reese and james condino
#12
Ultimately,
The only way to know (after reading through the thread) is to try it ( preferably on a gig)
These days there are fewer and fewer retail music stores where you can just walk in, plug your DB into
the amp and check it out. Our local long time Mesa dealer bailed once Gibson took ownership. What
their reasons for that were I don't truly don't know. I guess Sweet Water would be one way.
 
#13
Hoochie Coochie Man said:
Member @agedhorse can tell you everything you need to know about using a piezo pickup,(and probably some other stuff) if you want to play DB through a Subway amp.
Click to expand...
All Subway preamps have an input impedance >1meg, work well with all but the tiniest piezo crystals.

In the old days, there were preamps with input impedances in the 50k-200k range, those are problematic.
 
#14
ole Jason said:
I have the TT-800 which shares many of the same features and general tonal profile of the other Subway amps on the Subway channel (IMO the amps don't sound as different as the marketing would imply). To be honest I've never plugged the upright into it but I think it would work well. I like it quite a bit on electric bass. I'll give it a try tomorrow, I do need to have a more powerful upright rig on hand if necessary. Chris you're welcome to borrow it sometime if you want to try it out, I'm usually just using my Gnome on gigs right now.
Click to expand...

logdrum said:
Buy used and budget in the flat rate *very reasonable) and send it to Andy. It will be good as new functionally. As a jazz bassist you are probably not put it in as much stress as a loud metal band with 12 pedals before the input and should last a long time

Avishai Cohen uses and SVT and 810, so a WD and some choice 12 and or 10's should be no issue.
Click to expand...
An SVT is still my favorite amp for upright or electric of all time. Nothing comes close except a B-15. That’s tied with the SVT. Not practical though unless I’m doing something at same venue for a long duration of time
 
#15
I gig my Kay through a WD-800 regularly. I usually use Bag End S15 cabs. It works fine but I EQ out some mids with two of the semi-parametric bands. I do that to a lesser extent for bass guitar too. I agree that the baked in tone of the Mesa is better suited to bass guitar but the feature set is very practical so I have no complaints.
 
  • Like
Reactions: REV and Jazzdogg
#16
koricancowboy said:
An SVT is still my favorite amp for upright or electric of all time. Nothing comes close except a B-15. That’s tied with the SVT. Not practical though unless I’m doing something at same venue for a long duration of time
Click to expand...
That's not too shocking. My take on the SVT design is that it's essentially a high fidelity amplifier, albeit tube-based. It's likely to be relatively uncolored until you push it to its limits.
 
#18
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Just curious if anyone has used one of these for DB? Yes, it's large, but other than that it has the usual features we would want: 1 MOhm input impedance, sweepable HP filter, parametric and caveman EQ (dealer's choice), and power amp damping, which is a great feature to play with. It also has a tube preamp section, which is basically like what I am running now with a Noble in front of a class D power amp.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...EhcXs6bKczS-45YOCuJcpIKRGs-LOtWhoCQvUQAvD_BwE

I'm perfectly happy with my current amp and will keep using it as long as it lasts, but it's a discontinued model and I'm less in love with the current lineup of products from the same company. Just curious on a lunch break and thought I'd ask.
Click to expand...
I haven't tried it but it is interesting in that it has a tube pre and a power amp damping control... never seen that before... and it's still only 7 lbs. I've been using a Grace Designs Felix 2/Aguilar Tone Hammer 700/Acme B2 setup for a while now and I'm happy enough for now.

One thing I've become wary of with all these modern amps is... how loud is the freakin' cooling fan? The Aguilar's fans (yes, it has two!) were very annoying but I upgraded them with a kit made by a guy in Germany and they are very quiet now.

- Martin
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris Fitzgerald
#19
I wonder if the fan sound could be attenuated by putting the amp (as the only device) in a light-duty road case that had enough internal volume to dampen the objectionable noise?

A basic ducted baffle franestat.

OK, franestat is a fake word. And I have no idea if it could be done. :cool:
 
#20
b1644 said:
One thing I've become wary of with all these modern amps is... how loud is the freakin' cooling fan? The Aguilar's fans (yes, it has two!) were very annoying but I upgraded them with a kit made by a guy in Germany and they are very quiet now.
Click to expand...

That’s a really great point. Most DB amps don’t have a fan. The last time I encountered a cooling fan was a student who had one of the little Elf combos, and while it sounded good, the fan noise even at low volumes would have driven me nuts.

Are the fans on units like this an always-on feature, or are they intermittent or variable depending on the internal temperature?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back