# Mesa Boogie love?



## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

After the fave amp/guitar combo thread, it seems like there's not a ton of Mesa owners or fan here?
I looked at a few recently but did not pull the trigger as they are currently out of my reach without getting into payments. (I wont pay interest) The frugal side of me says, "don't drop $2K+ on an amp, when I can get other decent amps at half the price, leaving the rest of the coin for other stuff (Like a LPJ with p90s or a nice jazz box etc)

The spendy side says, "do it...its a lifetime purchase and has all the features and ones I'm after"
And the careful side says, "do more research...because there may be more GAS shortly after the honeymoon ends and because of a negative comment I read somewhere"

Is there any Lonestar, LSS, 5:25 or 5:50 owners here that have had good or bad experiences? Anyone had any bad experiences with Mesa?


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I had a 5:25 that sounded fantastic in the shop until I put it up against my /13 CJ11. The CJ11 with a pedal out-mesa'd a mesa. 

Sometimes you can find them for cheap(er) - they are fantastic - especially at around $1200


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## bigboki (Apr 16, 2015)

Scotty said:


> After the fave amp/guitar combo thread, it seems like there's not a ton of Mesa owners or fan here?
> I looked at a few recently but did not pull the trigger as they are currently out of my reach without getting into payments. (I wont pay interest) The frugal side of me says, "don't drop $2K+ on an amp, when I can get other decent amps at half the price, leaving the rest of the coin for other stuff (Like a LPJ with p90s or a nice jazz box etc)
> 
> The spendy side says, "do it...its a lifetime purchase and has all the features and ones I'm after"
> ...


look here:
http://www.long-mcquade.com/promo/BoxingWeek2015/North-York-Boxing-Week-2015-Flyer.htm

look at this line:
*Mesa/Boogie *ELECTRADYNE-H Electradyne 15/90W Simulclass amp head 300872 1 1 1950.00 *875.00*

if they still have them - be happy 

hope this helps
yours truly
Bojan


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## chill75 (Dec 6, 2015)

Mark V head with a 3/4 open 2x12 cab. Requires a little tweaking but the more I play it the better it gets. I'd check out the new mark 35 if I was in need of a new amp. I never use the 90watts on the mark V. Channel 2 on the mark V is excellent.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Thanks guys, and BB, that is tempting, however I have my heart set on a Lonestar/LSS or 5:25/5:50.

I'm still scratching my head at one particular model I saw that defied reason (with me anyway). It was a Transatlantic combo with the control panel along the rear edge of the cabinet.
What puzzled me was that the panel was designed to be read from the BACK side of the amp...Totally counter-intuitive in my book, and made me doubt the "engineering" of the company a little.
I mean, who uses an amp from the rear? Am I missing something? Anyway, I want a model with front controls, so it really wasn't an option...just thought it odd

Edit; Chill, you posted as I was writing...I looked into those and I'd have to sell my wife, errr, my car to afford one of those! Wow though


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Never had a bad Mesa experience. I've owned at least one for the last 7 years and my Royal Atlantic has been my #1 for the last 3 years. I haven't been swayed by anything else in that time which is a minor miracle for me. Mesa's have a signature thump to them that is kind of a staple across all their ranges... there's a push in the lower mids. It's everyone's cup of tea but it sure sounds good to me. As far as popular opinion goes (which is a bullshit way to view gear), I believe they have a stigma for being the "amp du jour" among nu-metal and the limp bizkit generation of power chord flogger crap. You couldn't escape the scooped Rectifier sound for many years and that turned a lot of people off. If you can get an Electradyne for under $1000 you'd be crazy not to. They make Marshalls (and pretty much everything else lol) sound straight up reedy and thin. Can't say anything bad about Lone Star's either. Express line is ok, but I wouldn't wait in line for one. Electradyne is something special tho, shame they didn't catch on. Same to be said about the Royal Atlantic as well. If you enjoy the tone and feel, buy with confidence. They're an elite level manufacturer.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

LOL the Transatlantic control panel was a tribute by Mesa to the old Vox designs (which were upside down). I'm sure somebody can shed some light into the thought process of those old Vox engineers?


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## danielSunn0))) (Dec 28, 2015)

I know this isn't about the particular Mesa's you're looking into Scotty, but I have a 90's Triple Rectifier and it's incredible. As Garrettdavis said, it has a wrap (that and the dual rec especially) for being the numetal, uber-breakdown head, but it really has so much more to say. The thing is a crazy analog computer of sounds, and it's a shame most people only know them for the red channel with modern gain switch and scooped mids, because it's so much more. It even has an automatic re-bias switch to allow el34's or 6l6's without ever having to take it in to a shop.


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## BEACHBUM (Sep 21, 2010)

With five other amps I know I shouldn't have spent the bucks on this one but I'm still glad I did. Very good stuff.


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

I owned a Mesa Express 5:25 1x10" combo for a while. I bought it used from a local store and it developed an issue immediately, it was very noisy and it wasn't (just) the tubes. The store got it fixed on their dime. It worked fine afterwards. It was a very complete and flexible amp and also a very good pedal platform. It was very heavy considering its size. Like with virtually all Mesa amps that I've played I had a hard time dialing my sound (and it would sound different the next day!)

The Electra-Dyne was one of the simpler Mesa amps. It sounds great and is the easiest to dial in.


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## Stonehead (Nov 12, 2013)

Mesa's are built like tanks and their customer service is great. I've owned 2 5:50's a Mark V and currently own an Electradyne. Great amps. If you going to keep the amp and not sell it in a few months then go for it and take the plunge.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Currently a Dual Rec as #1 with my band, and a MarkV at home. Many prior Mesas mostly good.


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## qantor (Nov 19, 2014)

I have a TA-15 and a Mark Five:25 with a 1x12 closed cab. Very good products. No bad experiences here. I had to spend more time tweaking the 5:25 to get the tone I wanted then with the TA-15 which is more straightfoward. In my setup, I consider these as "long term" and not new flavor of the month. Good luck in your shopping.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I had a recto roadster (4 channel) and it was fun and reliable. I just grew to realize I prefer the tone of a hot rodded marshall and went exploring that rabbit hole.

I recently saw a shorthead Mark IV for $1400 - that is what I'd be going for if I were in the market haha.


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## soldierscry (Jan 20, 2008)

bigboki said:


> look here:
> http://www.long-mcquade.com/promo/BoxingWeek2015/North-York-Boxing-Week-2015-Flyer.htm
> 
> look at this line:
> ...





garrettdavis275 said:


> The Electra-Dyne was one of the simpler Mesa amps. It sounds great and is the easiest to dial in.


As a Electra-Dyne owner I can echo these statements. I had been GASing for an ED ever since I first played one and finally had the chance this year to pick up a 1x12 combo. I couldn't be happier with it and it's the first time in a number of years that I haven't needed a dirt pedal to get the sound I want ed out of an amp. I Really like the way they designed the amp to look like a single channel amp for simplicity and the way the eq changes slightly as you change the channel really compliments the different voices.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Scotty, L&M PoCo has a minty LSS head for $1100. Tempted me, but I'm kinda amped out right now, with the PS. 

I was hoping Mk IV's would get cheaper when the Mk V came out, but they're holding their own. Another great Mesa I will own some day. Had a Mk III and a Roadster, and love my LSS.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

I have a Lonestar Special and a Mark V. The Mark V is my main and I keep the Lonestar as a backup/practice amp. I've been using Mesa Boogies since the early eighties, always had great tone (IMHO) and never had any issues.


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## Boogieman (Apr 6, 2009)

Got a Mk. IIC. Bought it brand new. It cost a small fortune back then. Took forever to get it (working part-time while in school to save enough money for it, plus the factory wait time). I did not think I would (or could) own more than one amp, so if I could only have one amp, that was it. Great amp and still running strong after 30 years.

Also got a used Mk. I 1x15. This one's clean tone is quite Fender-like, but it weighs a ton. I ain't gettin' any younger and my bad back would concur.

If I were to get another Boogie Mark series amp, it would be a Mk. IV. I like them better than the Mk. V.


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

Ive got my traynor on the block cuz i want to try a Single Recto Solo...
I want to join the party...


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

ezcomes said:


> Ive got my traynor on the block cuz i want to try a Single Recto Solo...
> I want to join the party...


They're awesome units. I'll have a Rectifier again someday.


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