New mesa subway amps and cabs!

[BOOG]

@Al Kraft I was just finishing up all 159 pages of this thread and reread my reply to you and I thought it worth saying, I am in the neophyte stages of mastering this amp.
I received it at the end of the holiday season and have had very little time for music related activity or to explore the WD (confounded work) other than plugging in a couple of times. At this point I’m just experimenting (somewhat systematically) and fiddling about with the knobs.
For one, my ears I’m guessing, are not as refined as yours and some others. Also, I have not had it above home volume. Actually targeting a specific tone isn’t quite where I am yet with this. Regardless, I am having a blast plugging in different bass’s and hearing the nearly endless range of tones this is capable of.
Which makes me think about your comment of “WD800 tone”. Do you really think it has a signature tone? From what I’ve read and what little experience I have with it, it seems to be more like a chameleon and has the ability to take on just about any tone. I would think cabinet voicing is more a factor.

 

[staccatogrowl]

Until Al chimes in, congrats on receiving your amp and taking time to learn about it. Things will become clearer as you progress, especially if you get to play in a band context, at gig volume. That's where many Walkabout features become useful and especially valuable. Enjoy the trek, and your opportunity to find your signature tone.

 

[BOOG]

Until Al chimes in, congrats on receiving your amp and taking time to learn about it. Things will become clearer as you progress, especially if you get to play in a band context, at gig volume. That's where many Walkabout features become useful and especially valuable. Enjoy the trek, and your opportunity to find your signature tone.

Hi and thanks for the reply. Fortunately yes, I will eventually be able to let it stretch it’s legs with a band I started to put together last summer. Unfortunately, I won’t have any time from work for it until this spring. Strangely, all five of us are busier during the cold months. We are all looking forward to freed up schedules and getting underway with gigs by late spring.
At any rate my cabs are going to gravitate toward a more “modern” sound just by the nature of their design and materials. I like that.

 

[Al Kraft]

Being someone with a lot of experience with Mesa bass heads in recent decades (my profile page lists my gear) I do think the WD has a distinct "all controls at neutral tone" of its own. It is centered around the latest Subway series (being a bit naturally brighter and more harmonically rich/interesting esepcially in its mids), but has distinct Walkabout and and a few Carbine chracteristics as well. To me it defienitely has its own tone, but has so many options for re-voicing that I think most people tend to cite that as its "tonal strength".

I'm glad you're enjoying the head and expect you'll be impressed with how nicely the controls can help you dial in just the right sound for a venue and/or specific band mix. When you start to use the head at gig volume, those controls really shine in a way that you only get a hint of at home volumes. IMO this is a bass amp that only gets better with time as you learn how to combine features/control settings to get closer to "that sound in your head".

 

[Al Kraft]

I would think cabinet voicing is more a factor.

I wanted to answer this on its own Boog. You have hit on something that I think we often overlook. Cab choice, bass, strings, your technique, and effects/pedals all play a part in the overall tonal equation. Once you get to this total system look at what's going on, many would argue that a bass head that can simply act like a wire with gain is the best option. You hear phrases like, I just want to hear my bass louder, not with extra coloring and voicing from my head or cab(s).

I would suggest that any combination of feelings/preferences here is valid if it gets you your sound. It's also why it's a great idea to play lots of gear before settling for what others say is the best choice. In my case, the WD provides a good home base sound with controls at neutral (relatively flat enough for me and not too heavily colored/voiced or overly sterile). This leaves me lots of "plus or minus room" on lots of controls to adjust for all the other variables.

My approach is to never buy a head that requires me to almost max out any control (or controls) to get to a good starting point/home base tone for me. I like having that felxibility to fine tune for different cabs, basses, rooms, music styles, band mixes, etc. While the Mesa SW line and WD in particular aren't the only heads that work for me in this regard, they are among my favorites.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Being someone with a lot of experience with Mesa bass heads in recent decades (my profile page lists my gear) I do think the WD has a distinct "all controls at neutral tone" of its own. It is centered around the latest Subway series (being a bit naturally brighter and more harmonically rich/interesting esepcially in its mids), but has distinct Walkabout and and a few Carbine chracteristics as well. To me it defienitely has its own tone, but has so many options for re-voicing that I think most people tend to cite that as its "tonal strength".

I'm glad you're enjoying the head and expect you'll be impressed with how nicely the controls can help you dial in just the right sound for a venue and/or specific band mix. When you start to use the head at gig volume, those controls really shine in a way that you only get a hint of at home volumes. IMO this is a bass amp that only gets better with time as you learn how to combine features/control settings to get closer to "that sound in your head".

I dig this! As people compare it, WD 800 with the Walkabout, which I don't know, played through one once for about 30 minutes. I do own a B15n and I can get out of my WD 800 a tone that to me, is reminiscent of the things I like about the B15 without the stuff I don't like, lack of power for bigger gigs. Kinda like the Walkabout situation, more power with most of the tone of the venerable Walkabout

I am also working with more of the tube sound. I am one who didn't care for a heavy drive, grind sound. One thing I didn't like about the B15. To play louder gigs to keep up in my youth, the B15 was always driven to distortion.
With the WD, I can get a little fur on the notes without full-blown distortion if I want and yet, be at gig volume.
Thanks, Obama err Andy!

 

[DJ Bebop]

I wanted to answer this on its own Boog. You have hit on something that I think we often overlook. Cab choice, bass, strings, your technique, and effects/pedals all play a part in the overall tonal equation. Once you get to this total system look at what's going on, many would argue that a bass head that can simply act like a wire with gain is the best option. You hear phrases like, I just want to hear my bass louder, not with extra coloring and voicing from my head or cab(s).

I would suggest that any combination of feelings/preferences here is valid if it gets you your sound. It's also why it's a great idea to play lots of gear before settling for what others say is the best choice. In my case, the WD provides a good home base sound with controls at neutral (relatively flat enough for me and not too heavily colored/voiced or overly sterile). This leaves me lots of "plus or minus room" on lots of controls to adjust for all the other variables.

My approach is to never buy a head that requires me to almost max out any control (or controls) to get to a good starting point/home base tone for me. I like having that felxibility to fine tune for different cabs, basses, rooms, music styles, band mixes, etc. While the Mesa SW line and WD in particular aren't the only heads that work for me in this regard, they are among my favorites.

Speaking of cab choice. I have an extra b15 cab, double baffle, and an Eminence 15", 3" voice coil joint. I think it's a Kappa pro. Anyway, I'm thinking of dumping that 15 into the B15 cab and running the WD into it to see if I get a super B15 sound out of it

 

[BOOG]

I wanted to answer this on its own Boog. You have hit on something that I think we often overlook. Cab choice, bass, strings, your technique, and effects/pedals all play a part in the overall tonal equation. Once you get to this total system look at what's going on, many would argue that a bass head that can simply act like a wire with gain is the best option. You hear phrases like, I just want to hear my bass louder, not with extra coloring and voicing from my head or cab(s).

I would suggest that any combination of feelings/preferences here is valid if it gets you your sound. It's also why it's a great idea to play lots of gear before settling for what others say is the best choice. In my case, the WD provides a good home base sound with controls at neutral (relatively flat enough for me and not too heavily colored/voiced or overly sterile). This leaves me lots of "plus or minus room" on lots of controls to adjust for all the other variables.

My approach is to never buy a head that requires me to almost max out any control (or controls) to get to a good starting point/home base tone for me. I like having that felxibility to fine tune for different cabs, basses, rooms, music styles, band mixes, etc. While the Mesa SW line and WD in particular aren't the only heads that work for me in this regard, they are among my favorites.

Well said and thank you for the reply. Albeit, I do not have your experience level I’m in complete agreement with all that you wrote.
One of the first things I noticed about this head as I set everything “neutral” for the first time plugging in was, It just sounds, DARN GOOD !
I may, over time consider other cabs but for now, they’re good for me and I like them. As you said, you’ve been at this for decades and I’m sure early on what you heard sounded good but, as your senses evolved and tastes changed you ended up where you are today in regard to your choices. My mere five years of learning and working on this stuff (all inclusive of...music, gear, gigging, band, learning what to learn, learning how to learn etc...) as a passionate interest while the rest of my midlife keeps driving forward pales in comparison to yours and most others on this forum. Even so, I do what I can and keep learning more everyday thanks to you and a lot of others like you. Thanks!
I am amazed though, during this “getting to know” period how much range the controls have.
I may end up with other (additional) cabs at some point but this amp head is not going anywhere. I really appreciate the quality of it.

 

[Al Kraft]

When a new peice of gear comes out I think we all start back at square one to some extent. Those of us with lots of experience may bring old exepctations/biases that could prevent us from truly imagining what the new capability offers. There is something to still being at that stage where you are learning what you like, what you want your sound to be, and how the gear choices can help you get there.

I'd also say that you're right BOOG that my peferences and tone goals have changed (for honesty sake I hesitate to say evolved or matured) over time. Some of that was driven by the music itself, some by my growing in technical skill as a musician, and some was influenced by new gear/new capabilities. I'd say if we're not learning everyday, we're missing out...and if we're not open to learning from everyone (young and old), we will definitely miss out on some cool stuff along the way.

 

[Al Kraft]

Speaking of cab choice. I have an extra b15 cab, double baffle, and an Eminence 15", 3" voice coil joint. I think it's a Kappa pro. Anyway, I'm thinking of dumping that 15 into the B15 cab and running the WD into it to see if I get a super B15 sound out of it

While it could work out well (and I hope it does), if you want a sure thing, Andy already did the math and fine tuning to come up with the SW115 which is a perfect match for the WD. However, the project does sound interesting and since you already have all the bits and pieces, it would be a shame not to at least give it a shot. Let us know how it works out.

 

[DJ Bebop]

While it could work out well (and I hope it does), if you want a sure thing, Andy already did the math and fine tuning to come up with the SW115 which is a perfect match for the WD. However, the project does sound interesting and since you already have all the bits and pieces, it would be a shame not to at least give it a shot. Let us know how it works out.

Yeah, I wasn't looking for an SW 115 substitute Besides the SW would sound more sophisticated than what I am looking for in this application Looking for a B15 cab sound with more watts going through it.

It was just a lot of junk around the house I figured I would cobble together, I have time on my hands

 

[dbase]

Still liking the Hartke's with the WD? I ask because I use a pair of HD210's.
More importantly, do you have a link for that cart? That looks nice and compact. I assume it's sturdy enough to get the job done.

Link Removed

 

[BOOG]

Link Removed

TY

 

[MTN.bass72]

Oh yeah! Things they are a happnin'
And fast too.. shipping within four hours of ordering ... stand by y'all
View attachment 3686795

WOOHOO!!! .. YABBA DABBA DOO!!! GIDDY UP!!!

IT CAME TODAY!! well, the SW115
I'll say this... color me impressed... I'm coming from a Fearless F112, that I absolutely loved. It was perfection for me..
BUT... I was pleasantly surprised at how friggin' good this sounds... and LIGHT..
Unboxing it, I prepared to lift it... I about slung it to my ceiling ..
I'm gonna really dig this, me thinks..
Now to decide what to add... another 115, 112, 210 maybe???

Don't slam me over the milk crate, it's what I had at the moment

 

[Michael Eisenman]

...Don't slam me over the milk crate, it's what I had at the moment

It’s not a milk crate. It’s a gig tote.

 

[MTN.bass72]

It’s not a milk crate. It’s a gig tote.

 

[dbase]

WOOHOO!!! .. YABBA DABBA DOO!!! GIDDY UP!!!

IT CAME TODAY!! well, the SW115
I'll say this... color me impressed... I'm coming from a Fearless F112, that I absolutely loved. It was perfection for me..
BUT... I was pleasantly surprised at how friggin' good this sounds... and LIGHT..
Unboxing it, I prepared to lift it... I about slung it to my ceiling ..
I'm gonna really dig this, me thinks..
Now to decide what to add... another 115, 112, 210 maybe???
View attachment 3689006
Don't slam me over the milk crate, it's what I had at the moment

Sweet rig

 

[BOOG]

WOOHOO!!! .. YABBA DABBA DOO!!! GIDDY UP!!!

IT CAME TODAY!! well, the SW115
I'll say this... color me impressed... I'm coming from a Fearless F112, that I absolutely loved. It was perfection for me..
BUT... I was pleasantly surprised at how friggin' good this sounds... and LIGHT..
Unboxing it, I prepared to lift it... I about slung it to my ceiling ..
I'm gonna really dig this, me thinks..
Now to decide what to add... another 115, 112, 210 maybe???
View attachment 3689006
Don't slam me over the milk crate, it's what I had at the moment

Very nice! One of these days, maybe I’ll get a chance to demo those cabs. Truthfully, I’m not in a hurry to but, I’m curious. (that’s what killed the cat, though )
At first glance I thought that was one of the new Ashdown bass”s. They looked familiar so I looked them up and I guess they’re being done in some sort of collaboration with Dan Lakin.
Congratulations on the cab!

 

[MTN.bass72]

Very nice! One of these days, maybe I’ll get a chance to demo those cabs. Truthfully, I’m not in a hurry to but, I’m curious. (that’s what killed the cat, though )
At first glance I thought that was one of the new Ashdown bass”s. They looked familiar so I looked them up and I guess they’re being done in some sort of collaboration with Dan Lakin.
Congratulations on the cab!

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back..

Nope, that's my Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn... love it..
I did have a D Lakin JO.. great bass..
But that had nothing to do with the new Ashdown basses he helped with..

 

[BOOG]

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back..

Nope, that's my Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn... love it..
I did have a D Lakin JO.. great bass..
But that had nothing to do with the new Ashdown basses he helped with..

Well, it’s a beauty and I bet you’re enjoying it and the amp/cab setup.
Cheers!