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Post new topic Mesa Boogie Mark I reissue
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Author Topic:  Mesa Boogie Mark I reissue
Lefty


From:
Grayson, Ga.
Post  Posted 18 Jul 2000 2:58 pm    
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This is probobly not an amplifier you assosiate with steel. I had wanted one of these since the 70's (being a guitar player who started in the mid 60's) so I bought one for my birthday (thanks Sheryl, honey). I was a little skeptical at first when I got it. I changed the tubes to groove tubes, and changed the celestion 90 to a EVM-12L. The reverb is not for the pipeline crowd, but very subtle. I have been playing guitar through it for a few months now, and I am starting to appreciate it more. I hooked it up to my Sho-Bud the other night for some practice. The sound in the 100 watt mode channel 2 (clean) gives a nice, old, mellow vintage sound for the steel. I am use to my Session 500 (which I love) but the tube sound and 12" speaker are nice for old-time tunes and such (nice Garcia tone, or L. Green). If anyone out there uses these, please give me feedback on what you think. I would appreciate feedback from other owners.
Thanks
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Bobby Lee


From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
Post  Posted 18 Jul 2000 9:29 pm    
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Do you really prefer the Groove Tubes to Mesa's stock tubes?

The Mark 1 is a classic rock-and-roll amp, definitely a vintage sound. I imagine that it would sound as good for steel in the 100 watt mode as any tube amp of the era, except maybe a Fender Twin Reverb. It's a very simple design, and as such it is also very rugged.

In the "lead" (distortion) mode, the Mark 1 really sings on single note lines. It's the original Santana sound. Very pure.

------------------
Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)
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Bill Leff


From:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jul 2000 9:03 am    
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I've had the Mark I Reissue for about 10 years (I bought it when it was introduced). Mine also has the EV-12 speaker, which is
a better choice for that amp.

I personally don't think the amp sounds good for clean playing. Its voice lacks the brilliance and dimensionality of a Fender amp. To put it a little differently, the amp sounds kind of flat and boxy. It is very bass and mid heavy, and to get a decent sound you really need to set both the bass and mids very low.

My amp sounds pretty good with my Gibson 335 through Input 1, and I can get close to the early Larry Carlton sound with that setup (before he switched to a Strat with EMGs and a Dumble amp).

I find the reverb unusable. I've had good luck with a Line 6 DL-4 Delay pedal though.
Using the Tube Echoplex model gives the amp more shimmer and life.

I have a Fender Stringmaster D8 and to my ears the sound of that guitar is not served well by this amp. These guitars sound much better to me through a Fender amp. Of course all this is subjective.

On the plus side, the amp is built like a tank and I've never had a problem with it. And it is very loud!

I've often wondered if the tone would be improved if the power tubes were replaced
with NOS 6L6s (Sylvania or other). I'm not
sure the sound would be much different unless
they were overdriven.

I've replaced the stock Boogie 6L6s with Sovtek 5881s and that didn't have much of an effect. I've also retubed the whole preamp section with the top of the line Ruby Silver STRs that came highly recommended. Those work well.

Lastly, as I'm sure you know, the amp is a heavy little brute!

-Bill
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Lefty


From:
Grayson, Ga.
Post  Posted 19 Jul 2000 3:19 pm    
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Yes, I guess this is condidered a rock amp. It does the Santana voice even with my Les Paul special (mini-humbucker pickups) which has always served as kind of a fat tele in clean mode. I replaced the mesa tubes with Groove tube grade #7's (slovokian) which have more clean headroom. It works really well with my G&L ASAT with a little slapback Echo and some compression for the hot tele or rockabilly sound, good headroom (channel 2). I had a 1971 twin (non-master volume), and a 70's vibrosonic reverb. I liked these amps, but out playing they never seemed clean enough. Maybe I would have the same problem with the Mesa at higher volume. Back when I played steel, electric guitar, dobro and acoustic guitar I was always looking to cut down on my luggage, but somthing was always compromised. This amp will never be a Session 500, but it will good for recording, and it was small enough to carry on vacation. It was nice to have a real amp to play through on vacation.
Like Bill says though with the EVM-12L it is still heavy enough to throw your spine out of place.
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