# NAD: Mesa Roadster!



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Hell yeah guys, my weekend has been amazing! Got my Agile on friday,and my best friend delivered my near-brand-new MINT Roadster head 5 minutes after I got home yesterday!

First thoughts: my god, this thing is clean!!! Case for the footswitch, mesa slip cover hadn't been unfolded until friday lol, and the stock tubes were swapped out as the owner was experimenting, and now they're back in. Minty 6L6's!
*This amp is incredibly versatile, and within an hour I was getting my 4 much-loved sounds out of it!*. I am head over heels - I've wanted a mesa boogie dual rectifier since before I was in highschool (I'm 7 months away from graduating college), and now I own a roadster!

Specs: 4 channels, effects loop, reverb, 3 modes per channel, FS, tuner mute, other fun stuff - www.mesaboogie.com for more! I got: head, footswitch, slipcover, manual, mesa boogie sticker, original receipt, and paper signed stating that I bought the amp. 4 years left of warranty!!![ b]And the owner stuck a Tung Sol 12AX7 in V1 because he lost the original mesa tube![/b].

What can I say? I love this amp! I have barely touched on all it's features, just wanted to get it up and running to my tastes - which really didn't take long. 

Channel 1 is the clean channel, which sounds best with my guitar in Fat mode - I like a nice warm clean, and that's what this delivers. I can see Tweed getting used when I start to learn some country licks haha. I'm running 100W and diode rectified here, IIRC.

Channel 2 I have set up for my dirty sound that I like to jam on for the medium gain stuff. I actually use clean mode here, with the gain almost dimed, and my tubescreamer for some extra push. Fat mode sounded good, but had too much warmth for what I wanted - so clean mode w/ the gain way up gets a similar sound, but with a bit more clarity and less oomph - perfect! Brit mode here is very bright, very marshall - I almost wanted to bust AC/DC out when my buddy put me on that mode! I'm running 50W and tube rectifier settings for this channel.

Channel 3: Vintage mode, 50W, diode rectified, lots of mids = biiig smooth leads here! If I take the tubescreamer off, it sounds very low gain. I'm using this as my lead channel, and have it set up a touch louder than the other 3 channels. I'm very impressed here! It's a great lead sound, I really enjoy it. I'm going to try it 100W modern later on hehe.

Channel 4: 100W, modern mode, diode rectified. I use this for high gain rhythm, which the tele actually does a good job of. I am going to try this channel in 50W vintage mode and Ch3 in modern mode 100W, just to compare the lead tones. I get that recto thump, and it is a thing of beauty!!! And that's with single coils, kids!

I run it in Bold mode - the standby switch is also the bold/spongy switch, threw me off real well when I went to turn it on.

Spring reverb is great, I use it most prominently on the first 2 channels. Solo boost is a cool feature, may use it at some point! I haven't touched the effects loop yet - My RV-5 seems kind of useless since I have onboard reverb now. I may keep it, but I will probably try to trade it for a delay pedal. I wish I had an A/B/Y and still had my 2nd speaker cable so I could run a stereo rig until my halfstack is sold *sigh*.

There is a lot left of this amp for me to explore, and I am EXCITED! Once my customs get in, there will be even more tweaking to do. I am satisfied! This weekend was one of the best!

After:



























Thanks guys!


----------



## Guest (Sep 27, 2009)

That's awesome Budda. My ears bled a little just LOOKING at those two half stack setups!

Have you tried running them in stereo yet for some mind-altering fun?


----------



## seadonkey (Feb 9, 2008)

Congratulations! It's exciting when you finally acquire an amp that you've been wanting for years and even better when it exceeds your expectations.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

iaresee said:


> That's awesome Budda. My ears bled a little just LOOKING at those two half stack setups!
> 
> Have you tried running them in stereo yet for some mind-altering fun?


Ian, i somehow lost my 2nd speaker cable so i cant run them both even if i wanted to . I also don't have an A/B/Y.

It would be hella fun though


----------



## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

The roadster is a nice amp. Try EL34s in yours. Gives the amp a nice snarl.


----------



## dufe32 (Feb 5, 2007)

Clips or it didn't happen! :rockon2:

Congrats dude!


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Archer said:


> The roadster is a nice amp. Try EL34s in yours. Gives the amp a nice snarl.


I'm going to skip the EL34 part and get straight to the goods - KT77's. They did wonders in the JSX!

Dufe, I do need to make clips! I haven't recorded in ages. None of my JSX recordings ever really captured the room sound well at all 

Turned it up a bit again today, hot damn it sounds huge with the telecaster!


----------



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

What kinda speakers are in these Peavey cabs?...

And congrat on the new amp.. Hope you bought your folks ear plugs..LOL


----------



## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

al3d said:


> What kinda speakers are in these Peavey cabs?...
> 
> And congrat on the new amp.. Hope you bought your folks ear plugs..LOL


It's his roommates he has to worry about, and maybe the neighbours. :smile:

Congrats Budda, you're going to love it.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

al3d said:


> What kinda speakers are in these Peavey cabs?...
> 
> And congrat on the new amp.. Hope you bought your folks ear plugs..LOL


Peavey puts Sheffield 1200 series in their high gain USA stuff, I think it may be blue marvels? that go in the classic series. My straight 412 has the stock sheffields (100W each, i think they're all rated at 16 ohms) but my slant cab has WGS British Leads in there. My roomies are pretty cool about my playing - 3 of us upstairs, my one roomie was here last year, and the new guy is very tolerant and wants to get a beater acoustic for therapy and use in school (he's in child and youth worker, im in social service worker).



davetcan said:


> It's his roommates he has to worry about, and maybe the neighbours. :smile:
> 
> Congrats Budda, you're going to love it.


Love it I do! I'm going to call mesa tomorrow to see if i can email the warranty info required to transfer it to me, instead of mailing it - or I could fax it to them on wednesday, if my placement co-workers let me.

I have your clean channel for ch1 in here, don't I? What settings do you use on your lonestar? I'm getting some great cleans from it right now.

I feel almost guilt - 25% of my sound is coming from a little $70 modded tubescreamer out front LOL


----------



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Man...i love students now a days..LOL...in Colleges, own places, buying 1600$ amps, custom build guitars..ahaha. I could barely eat 3 times a day in college and was working all year round..LOL


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I don't have OSAP, and I'm paying the parents back when i get the career job thing going.

Sell stuff to pay for stuff, work, find deals... yup, I consider myself lucky!!!


----------



## vds5000 (Apr 14, 2008)

I'm happy for you J, but seriously, not enough knobs on that amp. NEEDS MORE KNOBS!!! :smile:


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

It's got 6 or 7 more on the back, if that helps anything!

I know most people are daunted by these things, but it was my 3rd time using one when it got here and it was a breeze to set up. A couple of things x4, nothing too complicated 

I really want to crank the snot out of it sometime this week, with a bucker-equipped guitar


----------



## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Budda said:


> It's got 6 or 7 more on the back, if that helps anything!
> 
> I know most people are daunted by these things, but it was my 3rd time using one when it got here and it was a breeze to set up. A couple of things x4, nothing too complicated
> 
> I really want to crank the snot out of it sometime this week, with a bucker-equipped guitar


Ahhh but much like a woman, what works today won't necessarily tomorrow .... the Mesa Mystery ....... :smile:


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

It's been reliable for me so far .

My friend is over to check out the new toys, and while i was playing there was a very odd woofing sound - we dont know what caused it. powered down and turned it back on, everything was fine. I hope there's no more unexpected suprises!


----------



## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Ahh man! Another nice amp.. Are you going to school in London?

If so are you at western or fanshawe?


----------



## sadowsky13 (Feb 26, 2007)

Congrats! as I have said before having owned one, They are great amps and you will get good use out of them. Wait till you get a chance to get them at gigging volume. I ran mine through a roadster 2x12 cab and it sounded great! I also used it live when we played at Victoria Park on New Years Eve (just before 5 man electrical band) through a Marshall 1960 cab (shared gear with the other band because 5 man took up most of the channels on the board and would not let the other bands move the mics from their stuff) and it also sounded awesome.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

the-patient said:


> Ahh man! Another nice amp.. Are you going to school in London?
> 
> If so are you at western or fanshawe?


Fanshawe .

I am going to be bringing it to my buddy's jamspace on thursday, where we will run a 92? les paul custom into it, boost with a tubescreamer, into a recto 412, cranked.

I can't wait to rattle some paint!


----------



## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

Budda said:


> I'm going to skip the EL34 part and get straight to the goods - KT77's. They did wonders in the JSX!


I hated KT77's in my roadster. made the amp sound....weird. I dropped in a quad of the Mesa relabeled Siemens EL34's (they are a nice NOS EL34 Mesa sold as the STR 450) and the amp was awesome.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I'm still going to try them, they played nicely in the JSX as I said. Perhaps it sounded weird because the mesa's are fixed bias, and the KT77's weren't in the range?

does mesa still sell the STR 450's?


----------



## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

Budda said:


> I'm still going to try them, they played nicely in the JSX as I said. Perhaps it sounded weird because the mesa's are fixed bias, and the KT77's weren't in the range?
> 
> does mesa still sell the STR 450's?



THey were JJ's and sat right in the bias range for the Boogie...for what it is worth the Roadsters tend to sit right in line with Groove tube 77s with a hardness of 6. The 77's that GT sells are relabeled JJs. I didnt like them, you may.

The STR 450's are hard to find. Mothers Music in Calary had 4 duets until last saturday when I bought them all.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I take it Mesa still sells EL34's, but under a different moniker then?

I'll keep the GT ones in mind, although I may email the tube store or tube depot (the canadian one, damn it!) and see what they suggest for KT77's.

For now, I'll keep using the stock 6L6's because the amp sounds amazing, and the tubes are fresh!


----------



## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Awesome man, I'm at UWO, the popped collar side of town. xD.

You guys don't happen to jam at the place on Princess and Adelaide, do you?



Budda said:


> Fanshawe .
> 
> I am going to be bringing it to my buddy's jamspace on thursday, where we will run a 92? les paul custom into it, boost with a tubescreamer, into a recto 412, cranked.
> 
> I can't wait to rattle some paint!


----------



## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

Budda said:


> I take it Mesa still sells EL34's, but under a different moniker then?
> 
> I'll keep the GT ones in mind, although I may email the tube store or tube depot (the canadian one, damn it!) and see what they suggest for KT77's.
> 
> For now, I'll keep using the stock 6L6's because the amp sounds amazing, and the tubes are fresh!



Mesa EL34's now have different STR numbers. I am not sure what they are at currently. Rich at Mesa is a friend of mine. Groove Tubes between 4 and 6 sit in the Mesa Bias range and 6 is generally the safest bet.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

the-patient said:


> Awesome man, I'm at UWO, the popped collar side of town. xD.
> 
> You guys don't happen to jam at the place on Princess and Adelaide, do you?


I think that may be where Terrorhorse practises - I say that because I've seen Richard and Cam in the terrormobile driving up adelaide as I've been waiting for the 16 lol. I don't have a jam space (need one), nor do I currently have a band  - even though I have a great drummer and killer bassist.



Archer said:


> Mesa EL34's now have different STR numbers. I am not sure what they are at currently. Rich at Mesa is a friend of mine. Groove Tubes between 4 and 6 sit in the Mesa Bias range and 6 is generally the safest bet.


Thanks for the info! To clarify, you'd suggest the GT's over the new STR's? And you wouldn't sell a quad of the STR 450's you picked up, would you...? :wave:


----------



## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

I'd use the GTs or buy from a dealer that knows the requirements of your amp, or at least the range of your amp type. 

I can't find STR 450's anywhere right now so the new quad I bought is not for sale. Mesa still has them listed on their site but I have heard that they are out of stock. Remember that Groove tubes buys most of their stuff from the same factories that most places do, they just test them and grade them. ON a fixed bias amp like a Mesa that can be a nice thing because you can try diffreent makers tubes and not have to worry about running hot or cold. Mesa and ENGL also grade their tubes for bias range. Mesa uses a color code and ENGL used a numerical grading scale.


----------



## Deef (Nov 5, 2006)

Nice Amp Choice!!! I totally love my Roadster, the cleans are great and it takes my pedals well.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Thanks Archer! Deef, my tubescreamer set to 0 drive and level at 7.5, and the tweed mode with the gain up, with the tele, lights out... sounds amaaazing.


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Budda said:


> Fanshawe .
> 
> I am going to be bringing it to my buddy's jamspace on thursday, where we will run a 92? les paul custom into it, boost with a tubescreamer, into a recto 412, cranked.
> 
> I can't wait to rattle some paint!



Coincidentally, that's just about exactly my setup. '77 LP Custom through a TS-808 into my Roadster (in this case, 2X12 combo on a 2X12 cab, the cab soon to be replaced by 2 1X12 Thieles). And it rattles the paint that hasn't already peeled........

Sounds like there are a few Roadsterererers here. We'll have to compare some settings. I'm liking what I've got with Ch 1, 2, and 4 but I'm still coming to terms with channel 3. It seems quite a bit darker than the others and with the LP I'm having a hard time getting a classic crunch that I really like (which is what I'm hoping for with the way I'm currently using ch 1, 2 and 4).

I don't know why people talk about the complication or confusion - I think it's less confusing have discrete controls for each of the channels than a) sharing controls like a Mk 4 or b) having 'preset menu' type controls that are set, stored and then recalled for each setting. Really hard to a/b settings with b) and hard to get exactly what you want in each channel with a). I think, although looking like a mittful, the front panel of the Roadster is mechanized beauty.


Another coincidence - I nearly took the recording engineering course at Fanshawe in 1980. Ended up more involved in live SR instead.

.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I look at the roadster, and it looks simple to me. It's a bunch of stuff repeated 4 times, and then you have tons of jacks on the back for if you don't want to use the footswitch.

HD, what mode do you use for ch3? I'm using a tele, but i discovered with a lot of presence and treble (but not too much - put your face in front of the combo to see if it's piercing or just right) in vintage mode gets a pretty good gritty crunch. Haven't tried w/ buckers yet though. My settings scare me, but i'm sure they'll change when my singlecuts arive lol


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Anyone who's ever used a mixing console should find the Roadster concept extremely simple. At least that's my take.

I'm using the Raw mode (thinking it will be the lowest gain and thus the most likely to get me that not-too-overdriven crunch 70s heavy crunch I'm looking for). 

Off the top of my head (as I'm at work hwopv) the gain is about 11 - 12 o'clock. So I'm adjusting the combination of gain, treble, mid and presence to try and get what I want. I just find that I have to have the treble and presence up quite high to remove the darkness of the channel - but it's a fine line between removing the darkness and getting into the sizzle.

I haven't really tried any other modes on that channel - my logic being the Vintage setting would be just that much more gain, which I don't think is what I'm looking for. Maybe that's what I should try next?

Also, ch 3 and 4, although nearly identical, have different ranges to their presence control. I guess I should also try messing around with that - same settings from ch3 but on ch4 instead. But I'm happy with 4 as my current metal setting (using Modern mode) so I haven't wanted to change it. 

The great thing about these amps is there are just so many different settings available. I'm sure I will eventually get what I want - it just takes the time (and does anyone here have enough of that!!!). I've come up with a couple crunch settings on 3 that I liked just noodling on my own, but once I jam with it, it just isn't quite there. But its not like trying new things is painful or a hardship, eh? Just a little hard on the ears, I suppose!

.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I use vintage mode in ch3, and I am willing to bet that you can find what you're looking for there - diode rectification and 100W to reduce darkness of the channel as well 

I have to wait far too long to try a mahogany bodied maple capped humbucker guitar through this thing *sigh*


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Thanks, Budda. I'm going to try that. 

Sometimes I get so hung up on "how I think things should work" that I forget to deviate from my hardheaded ideas (like trying to make the Raw voicing work when I have two others to try). 

And it's not like this amp doesn't have options, eh? It's just the time to do it - and then the time to try it in a real situation. Winter's coming - soon there will be lots of time for woodshedding and experimentation. 

Cheers!


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

hey man, those things happen.


----------



## hfisher3380 (Mar 5, 2006)

Hey there Buddha, I'm the guy who sold you the Roadster and I'm glad you're enjoying it! Ended up selling my other amp as well to fund a 20th Anniversary Bogner Ecstasy which I'm loving as much as you're probably loving the Roadster!

Anyways, few things which may help. I consider myself more of an EL34 kind of guy (even though my XTC has 6L6s!) but I was never crazy about EL34 in the Roadster. Made my channel 2 British Crunch sound a bit better but compromised the other channels. Of course, YMMV and there are many people who love DR-series amps with EL34s.

If you want to try tubes which are the same as Mesa STR450s you can order them from the tube store in Hamilton - http://thetubestore.com/nos-el34-siemens.html. I've never been able to find the actual Mesa "version" of these NOS tubes but my understanding is that they are the same tube that Mesa just re-brands.

If you'd like to try EL34s for a bit cheaper I have a quad of =C= SED and/or a quad of Svetlana that I could sell you for a reasonable price. The STR450s are supposed to be better but I've never tried them - and at US$120 plus tax and shipping per pair they ain't cheap!!


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Budda said:


> I use vintage mode in ch3, and I am willing to bet that you can find what you're looking for there - diode rectification and 100W to reduce darkness of the channel as well
> 
> I have to wait far too long to try a mahogany bodied maple capped humbucker guitar through this thing *sigh*


So I tried what you suggested - Channel 3 Vintage - and got very close to what I was looking for. Played with the different power levels and rectifiers but found the best for me and what I'm looking for was moving all the settings to Channel 4 instead. 

Since Ch 4's presence control is a bit different than Ch 3, I prefer it for that crunch tone and now have to mess with Channel 3 in Modern to get the high-gain lead thing happening again. Its close but still needs a bit of tweeking. 

Good suggestions though, thanks again.


----------



## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

Congrats! The Roadster is a killer amp. Had one on a demo for a bit. People say Mesa's are tough to dial in but I had it where I wanted within a few minutes.

For me channel 3 vintage mode was DA SHIT! Could have played through that for days. I was really surprised with how lively channel 1 was too. Wasn't in love with channel two, but it could have uses. Channel 4 was a little too over the top for me personally, but again in context it would be awesome I'm sure.

I preferred the amp in bold with SS rectification for the high gain stuff.

I don't know if I'd go with EL34's, primarily because I like the openness & thump of the 6L6's in that amp. KT-77's might be interesting - kind of a middle ground. I have them in my 2204 & live them, but that's an entirely different beast.

Really, for what I'd want out of this amp I could get by easily with a 2-channel DR. But as a tool kit for a cover band it would be great.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

hfisher3380 said:


> Hey there Buddha, I'm the guy who sold you the Roadster and I'm glad you're enjoying it! Ended up selling my other amp as well to fund a 20th Anniversary Bogner Ecstasy which I'm loving as much as you're probably loving the Roadster!
> 
> Anyways, few things which may help. I consider myself more of an EL34 kind of guy (even though my XTC has 6L6s!) but I was never crazy about EL34 in the Roadster. Made my channel 2 British Crunch sound a bit better but compromised the other channels. Of course, YMMV and there are many people who love DR-series amps with EL34s.
> 
> ...


I saw that you joined up, and grabbed a Bogner and had something else for sale!

If you're in no hurry to move those SED's, I'll buy them off you at a later date. I'd like to at least try the EL34 thing myself and see what it's like, as well as KT77's.

Had the amp at a jam practise yesterday, luckily it was only aimed at the drummer hehe. I can't wait to run the customs through it... when I get them!

So far so good


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Thought I'd update this after experimenting over the xmas holidays.

I've found a very useful clean sound in Channel 3. If you take the gain to 0, it doesn't kill the channel, just cleans it up. Very similar to one of the clean channels. and you've still got a nice reverb and settings for power and rectification. 

So now I've really got what I wanted - my Tweed sound on Ch1, my Brit on Ch2, my clean on Ch3 and mayhem on Ch4. Previously I was giving up either the Tweed or Brit sound for a clean, and had one more mayhem channel than I really needed. 

This is, so far, the best combination I've come across for what I'm doing (mostly classic rock covers). To think I was thinking about going a different way in mid-December, now I'm happily back to tweaking and fine-tuning in live situations, being pretty happy for the most part. Considering the constant GAS pains we all go through.

Not perfect, but getting there. 

Cheers.


----------



## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

High/Deaf, what mode is Channel 3 on, Raw, Vintage or Modern.
I'm very happy with my settings at: 
Channel 1- Clean- Nice clean, very slight breakup when pushed
Channel 2- Brit-Crunchy rhythm
Channel 3 -Vintage- med/high gain
Channel 4 - Modern- Mayhem

I will have to try this clean setting on 3!


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I've got it set to Raw, with Gain at absolute minimum. 100W, ss rectifier. 

I compared it with my "then" clean channel, which was Ch1 set to Fat. And with some tweeking I got them pretty similar. Then I could use Ch1 in Tweed.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I use:

Ch1 tweed: clean
Ch2 brit: Clean with a faint hint of dirt on just neck pickup vol at 3, and crunchy w/ both or bridge pickups
Ch3: Vintage - I have it set up to sound very full and smooth, meant mostly for leads but does rock rhythms quite well too.
Ch4: Modern: high gain metal rhythm. Cuts very nicely, fairly tight (I run the bass almost off to get it as tight as I want), and does the heaviest stuff quite well.

I'm curious about ch3 raw to get a clean tone.. may try that on my friends 2ch triple later tonight!


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I really like both the Tweed 'slightly gritty' sound and the Brit 'slightly gritty' sound - they are my "go to" classic rock sounds. I hated to give one up for a clean channel. So this is working really well for me now. I played with Ch3, trying to get a nice girtty mid-gain sound (as per your suggestion) but found it consistently too dark. I'm pleasantly surprised at how well its working for me as a clean channel. Of course, YMMV! 

Also, I wonder what I would ever do with those reverb knobs for Ch3 and Ch4 (I'm not really much for reverb on heavy gain). Now that Ch3 knob is very useful.

These amps definitely have alot of variety. Its been over a year for me, and I'm still learnin'! I just wish I could carry the thing up a flight of stairs on my own.


----------

