# The Mesa is going away for a bit



## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

I am currently waiting on the younger brother to get here with the truck then we are heading down to drop it off with @loudtubeamps too see exactly what is going on . It seems like something small but I’d rather not take a chance in case there is something serious going on . At least I have my twin to play even though I much rather my old Mesa than the fender 😂


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)




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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

Paul Running said:


> View attachment 404995


Yeah leaving Doug’s place I feel it 😂


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

In good hands I'd say.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Hadn’t it been looked at not long ago? I had thought the trouble you described likely tubes.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

keto said:


> Hadn’t it been looked at not long ago? I had thought the trouble you described likely tubes.


Buddy didn’t do anything with it just put the tubes. Even Doug noticed a few things wrong with it when we took it over.
Lack of gain, volume and a grounding issue.

i guess the best way to explain it as multiple people have told me “ it has no balls” even my friend who doesn’t like Mesa boogies said “ that amp is sick and needs to gone through and looked at really closely to find out what’s wrong with it “


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

glad that you took it to a shop instead of sticking valuable fingers inside ... 
it's in good hands now, I'm sure.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

oldjoat said:


> glad that you took it to a shop instead of sticking valuable fingers inside ...
> it's in good hands now, I'm sure.


Yeah and you get what you pay for lol


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

So my lead channel has been modded and it will be nice to have it back to stock .









and the filter caps date 78/79


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

It will also be getting a recap job


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

may as well while they are in there.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

oldjoat said:


> may as well while they are in there.


Yeah. Get it all done while it’s open then it will come back like a new amp . No offence to fender lovers but I’m sure it’s going to blow my my fender out of the water


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## Paul M (Mar 27, 2015)

silvertonebetty said:


> Yeah. Get it all done while it’s open then it will come back like a new amp . No offence to fender lovers but I’m sure it’s going to blow my my fender out of the water


I disagree..... nothing sounds as good as the cleans on a high power fender, unless you prefer the cleans of a JC120; and the crunch/leads on a Mesa are unbeatable, unless you prefer the sound of a Tweed Deluxe turned up to 11.

I think you actually have the best of both worlds with the Fender and the Mesa. In your shoes I would be tempted to get a pan pedal, so you can blend to your hearts, (scratch that, _ears_), desire. Mostly clean with a bit of Mesa crunch to thicken it up..... nice!!!!! Lots of Mesa crunch with a bit of Fender clean to add clarity and definition to the notes...... nice!!!!!


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

Paul M said:


> I disagree..... nothing sounds as good as the cleans on a high power fender, unless you prefer the cleans of a JC120; and the crunch/leads on a Mesa are unbeatable, unless you prefer the sound of a Tweed Deluxe turned up to 11.
> 
> I think you actually have the best of both worlds with the Fender and the Mesa. In your shoes I would be tempted to get a pan pedal, so you can blend to your hearts, (scratch that, _ears_), desire. Mostly clean with a bit of Mesa crunch to thicken it up..... nice!!!!! Lots of Mesa crunch with a bit of Fender clean to add clarity and definition to the notes...... nice!!!!!


Thanks an awesome idea then I can use my wet effects for the fender and the dry effects for the Mesa .


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

I’m not going to talk about pricing but I was given a quote on what all the caps would cost and it’s surprisingly less than I expected. I bet she’s gonna scream when it comes back .


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

silvertonebetty said:


> I’m not going to talk about pricing but I was given a quote on what all the caps would cost and it’s surprisingly less than I expected. I bet she’s gonna scream when it comes back .


You know when you say things like you aren't going to talk about it, then tell me it is less than you expected... it screams at me that "now I need to know". Somehow this just seems unfair 
You sir, are a tease


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

Brunz said:


> You know when you say things like you aren't going to talk about it, then tell me it is less than you expected... it screams at me that "now I need to know". Somehow this just seems unfair
> You sir, are a tease


Well it’s not the first time I was called a tease lol and do you think I should do a video of it after it comes back


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

silvertonebetty said:


> Well it’s not the first time I was called a tease lol and do you think I should do a video of it after it comes back


....if I say yes does that mean you wont??


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)




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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

Brunz said:


> ....if I say yes does that mean you wont??


I’ll have to do it and one take lol mistakes in all 😂 


Paul Running said:


> View attachment 405815


Lol I like that !


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

don't forget the sound checks .... a la "up in smoke" cheech & chong


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

oldjoat said:


> don't forget the sound checks .... a la "up in smoke" cheech & chong


Hahahaha


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

I was talking to Dan today from dr.Dan since we’ve talked before about the Mesa’s issues a few times over the years . He’s been a great help trying to help diagnose some issues over the phone.

he was happy that I finally found someone close but wasn’t impressed with the photos I sent and basically “ don’t go back to the last guy who looked at me Mesa”

it’s discouraging because the fella I originally took my Mesa too looked at my fender twin and “supposedly” recapped it but couldn’t bother fixing the tremolo? So that has me a little concerned knowing the mess of the Mesa that the Mesa is in .

dan also told me that the filter caps normally only have a shelf life of 10-15 years and mine date back to 78/79 That’s 42/43 year old filter caps in my Mesa. No wonder I’m told “it has no balls”.

so this tells me my Mesa hasn’t been serviced by a real technician in a really long time or very possibly never in its 40 some years .

this also make me really excited to get it back on a clean bill of health!

I bet it’s gonna scream like a demon after this . And with the new knowledge from Dan I know a little more on how to properly look after my beautiful pieces of art 😂.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

One step closer to being done !


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

WCGill said:


> In good hands I'd say.


 Thanks Mr. Gill.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Out with the old and in with the new.
Back to factory fresh and stock wiring with a couple of mods that I have added to make the lead drive / master controls more user friendy.
I like perfection so...Chasing down a hum/ ground issue introduced by the geaphic eq.
Looks like a design flaw..hopefully we can make it quiet and useable.
We? Just spent an enjoyable half hour brainstorming with.......
The Boogieman.
@nonreverb
Thanks Richard


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

'79 MK II A series.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

loudtubeamps said:


> View attachment 407150


That’s so much cleaner!


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

Well it’s all finished . Now to wait till pay and find my down to pick it up .

I will have a video about it when it gets home


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Lead dress / relocate made a significant improvement.
Why would anyone lay high z audio send and return right tight against the p.t.
Shielded or otherwise? 
As well...inherent design problem with PT EMI entering audio chain via the graphic eq coils.
Shielding with steel plate reduced hum by 50 % but it required thickness of 1/8" plate to make any difference.
Not practical in this circumstance.
Reverb tank orientation was bass - akwerds as well .....doh.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

And in good conscience, I had to move the B+ away from the footswitch jack.








Less than 1/8" clearance between 450 v and ground.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

loudtubeamps said:


> And in good conscience, I had to move the B+ away from the footswitch jack.
> View attachment 408134
> 
> Less than 1/8" clearance between 450 v and ground.
> View attachment 408135


1/8” is not a lot of space .


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## m7flat5 (Nov 4, 2014)

I love my Mark I Reissue. I play it in stereo with my Mesa .50 Caliber.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

m7flat5 said:


> I love my Mark I Reissue. I play it in stereo with my Mesa .50 Caliber.


When did they do a reissue?


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## m7flat5 (Nov 4, 2014)

silvertonebetty said:


> When did they do a reissue?



Mark I Reissue*Nov.* *1989* - Jan. 2008H0001 - H2503


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

m7flat5 said:


> Mark I Reissue*Nov.* *1989* - Jan. 2008H0001 - H2503


Oh ok .


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Ha.... good eye there @silvertonebetty !
Jared wondered about the disconnected ground wire at the graphic eq amplifier board...all part of the ground loop discovery and elimination process.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

silvertonebetty said:


> 1/8” is not a lot of space .


Less than 1/8" when you factor in the movement of the ring contact on the chassis mount when a jack plug is inserted.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

loudtubeamps said:


> Lead dress / relocate made a significant improvement.
> Why would anyone lay high z audio send and return right tight against the p.t.
> Shielded or otherwise?
> As well...inherent design problem with PT EMI entering audio chain via the graphic eq coils.
> ...


Great work Doug!


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

Tomorrow’s going to be an exciting day


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

nonreverb said:


> Great work Doug!


Thanks Richard...it does help keep one sane...does it not?


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

loudtubeamps said:


> Thanks Richard...it does help keep one sane...does it not?


...or drive one insane depending on what one's faced with on the bench.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

nonreverb said:


> ...or drive one insane depending on what one's faced with on the bench.


From my understanding Richard, Mesa boogie amplifiers are enough to drive most technicians crazy.

There definitely doesn’t look to be alot of space to work with .


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