What Mesa amplifier for blues

[newholland]

not a fan of the express unless its LOUD. that amp may err too modern for blues and the ones ive been around were kinda grainy. just play it first.

i will say, just be prepared for the learning curve regardless of what mesa amp. theyre fantastic once you crack the code.. but it hurts sometimes getting there

 

[paisleywookiee]

i will say, just be prepared for the learning curve regardless of what mesa amp. theyre fantastic once you crack the code.. but it hurts sometimes getting there

Generally that's true, but the Fillmore is as easy as any other amp.

 

[Richard_G]

Yeah. My Blue Angel is not like a Mk VII in that regard (even less so than the Fillmore).

 

[dignlivn]

Thanks Paisley
That was my thinking, Fillmore is first
Pick.
Bad time to have GAS,

 

[dignlivn]

Off subject

I've always thought a soldono astro verb
Would be nice too???
Thank y'all

 

[FuzzyAce]

Off subject

I've always thought a soldono astro verb
Would be nice too???
Thank y'all

That thought crossed my mind earlier today when you mentioned Haynes. Never played one but was very tempted myself at one point. They seem to get a lot of love and have enough of the SLO dna to please most.

edit: I mean the newer Astro 20, not the Astroverb.

 

[EOengineer]

Blue Angel or Maverick. Had a Maverick, shit 25 yrs ago. Wish I still had it.

I missed a Maverick head a couple weeks ago and I’m still mad about it.

I had this amp until recently. It's a great little amp but not very bluesy. Pretty high gain actually.

That would be a much better choice for blues.

I agree, that’s definitely an aggressive amp. The Subway Blues might be a better option.

 

[MatrixClaw]

FWIW, if you play any heavier music, I've been really, really surprised with the Fillmore 25. No one talks about the drive on that amp and it's always about the bluesy tones, but I played it the other day with another guitarist and a drummer at my place and it hung with my Bogner Twin Jet playing metal just fine in Drop C. It doesn't give you a super saturated tone, but it is now my preferred amp with my headless Valravn, which tends to sound a bit darker - the Fillmore balances it nicely.

Of course, the cleans and mid gain are fantastic on it as well!

 

[EOengineer]

FWIW, if you play any heavier music, I've been really, really surprised with the Fillmore 25. No one talks about the drive on that amp and it's always about the bluesy tones, but I played it the other day with another guitarist and a drummer at my place and it hung with my Bogner Twin Jet playing metal just fine in Drop C. It doesn't give you a super saturated tone, but it is now my preferred amp with my headless Valravn, which tends to sound a bit darker - the Fillmore balances it nicely.

Of course, the cleans and mid gain are fantastic on it as well!

Interesting. How are you setting up the tonestack? Typical overdriven Fender settings with low bass and pushed treble?

 

[paisleywookiee]

Interesting. How are you setting up the tonestack? Typical overdriven Fender settings with low bass and pushed treble?

Yeah you can run the bass at like 9 o’clock, treble and mids at 1 o’clock, then hit the lead mode with a TS or Klone. Especially into a closed back, it’s awesome.

 

[MatrixClaw]

Interesting. How are you setting up the tonestack? Typical overdriven Fender settings with low bass and pushed treble?

Depends on which Drive setting I use. I have channel 1 set up on the CLN setting like this. Channel 2, I use the HI setting with highs about middle, bass scooped, bass almost cranked and then the presence around 3 o'clock. Take those high gain settings with a grain of salt though cause I was using it with my EarCandy 2x6" cab last time I plugged in. I tend to have to EQ a bit more extreme with that cab for high gain - cleans generally sound great at more normal settings.

 

[mavrick102000]

For that budget I don’t think you can get a mark amp, but I might be wrong.

I remember liking the F30 and F50 for the kind of thing you’re describing, and they are generally pretty affordable when they pop up.

D

F30 will definitely get there for a lower priced Mesa. I had one around 2010 that I bought primarily for the clean channel and pedal platform. It surprised me for an EL84 amp. It has a decent built in reverb tank.

The F50 takes 6L6's IIRC cleans can have a bit more of the Fender "bounce" feel, but can go to higher gain levels like a more raw/modern 90's-2000's Mesa.

On the F30 Dialing up dirt is more like a Mark series, but it is very simple to get classic rock - blusier, dirt settings like Warren. If you want a little more drive and cut, hit it with a boost or your favorite drive pedal. And it's easy to build a very simple boost to put into the loop, and use the Loop level as master to drive the amp harder but keep the volume at reasonable levels.

Cleans were Fender-ish and the drive/crunch channel can deliver a vintage Marshall tone. It has more gain on tap almost to a heavier Mesa level, but it's a bit more raw - would need a pedal up front to tighten things up - for my tastes.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Basically, any Mesa will be fine.
Blues is a state of mind, not an amp.

 

[dignlivn]

Basically, any Mesa will be fine.
Blues is a state of mind, not an amp.

I think tone is in the hands,alot

 

[paisleywookiee]

Played the new Cali we got in stock today.

 

[dignlivn]

Played the new Cali we got in stock today.

View attachment 56821

How was the test drive????

 

[paisleywookiee]

How was the test drive????

Really good…..once I connected a better speaker.

 

[LCW]

Don’t know about “The Blues”, but this does “The Blue”

Aka “The Blue”:

 

[TSJMajesty]

Bad time to have GAS,

Why? It's a buyer's market.

 

[László]

If I’m looking for a blues amp, Mesa is seldom my first choice. That said, I think my Mesa Blue Angel is a wonderful blues amp—but that’s kind of an odd bird in Mesa land.

I had a Blue Angel, and it's a great amp, especially for recording. However, playing with a full band ( another guitar player, drummer, bass and Hammond) you'll have to mic it up. I found mine needed that.