Driving trio

Summer driving - that's right folks, MESA has released a trio of OD pedals. That MESA name alone would ignite some GAS among us gear dweebs. These look like they are more affordable than the other series of MESA pedals, the Flux Drive, Throttle Box & co. My take on this is, & has always been, MESA pedals are unnecessary if you already own an amp with the drive you like. For those who rely on clean amps & a lineup of go-to pedals, these might have something for you. Tones from the MESA camp:

Triple consideration

This might be on the to-get list for 2017; MESA's TC-50. The head version lists for USD1,799 (MSRP). Worth it?

New gain

Mesa has a new baby. For gain junkies? For clean mongers? For both, actually. The TC-50 is touted to be both headroom-friendly for cleans & a gain monster once you switch channels. Add to that the ease of swapping power tubes for some voicing variety (bias select switch at your fingertips). I'm sure many amp geeks out there are good with their Mark V 25 but in my opinion this is worth checking out. Something to look forward to in 2017 😉

Cover

The good thing with MESA amps is that it comes with a cover. It's a practical inclusion because the first thing we need to do in terms of care & maintenance for our amps is that it should be dust free. Not referring to the ones that settled on the exterior but those that crept into the amp's innards. I've recently removed the housing of one of  my amp heads & the amount of dust in there required attention. So thumbs up to the MESA dweebs for this.

Boogie in the house (3)

Besides the inherent drive voicing, in my opinion, the Mark V 25's EQ section is quite the make-or-break factor here. You'd be surprised that the sweep isn't as wide as many of us would expect. In fact, I wasn't convincing in terms of detail.

That's where the other EQ section comes in. The slider range here is like the EQ's equalizer; an internal check of what's already there to begin with.Without hearing the amp in action, many of us would consider this an overkill but this is an important feature in ensuring the amp doesn't stay bland when only the rotary EQ is in use. I particularly fancy the fact that I can tailor my top end to make it sound more pronounced without sounding excessively screechy. On that note, the slider set can be activated via foot switch so it means you have the option to use this as a 'boost' so to speak, especially handy if you are the type who favours some solos via the neck pickup.

Boogie in the house (2)

I'm not a MESA fan. Just like I'm not a Gibson fan, I make it a point to own a Gibson (& then some) in appreciation of guitar workmanship & tone philosophy. I bought the Mark V 25 here because it's the most likable tone in my books & acknowledge the fact that it's one of the landmark amp tones out there in terms of drive/distortion. I also like the fact that it says 'Boogie' there instead of 'MESA' so I believe I'm not drawn to hype but more to functionality & tone. If the Mark V 25 isn't available in this smaller construction, I wouldn't have bothered. Whatever Rectifier models came thereafter, they simply failed to draw me to whatever believable American-esque tone there is to behold; I'm just not a fan of this kind of voicing. Don't remind me the fact that some of the most commercially celebrated bands out there had their tones made by a MESA rectifier of some incarnations, I'm not obliged to tread their paths.

Boogie in the house

Finally, my birthday present. But my birthday is over...

2015: Targets

2015 is here. In a few weeks' time, there's gonna be a list of new releases by manufacturers & that'll keep our adrenalin pumping. I'm keeping my to-get list minimum, I intend to add more playing time instead & half of that time will be devoted to (forcing myself) playing clean.

First on the list is an amp. It will highly likely be this little Boogie Mark V here, if I have to wait till the year's end to acquire it online, then it shall be done. Amps play a big part in shaping what I play & triggering ideas so it's a practical move- spending good money on an amp.

Guitar-wise, I'm looking at the ESP range. I have a soft-spot for ESPs & I have a feeling there's something special for me this year especially so when the company celebrates its 40th anniversary with some interesting releases (in the mean time, I'm seeing too many mundane LTDs...). It will definitely not be a Mystique- it's all about that headstock. On that note, keeping a close watch on the Ibanez offerings; 2015 might be the year I won't give them my money at all despite being a big fan.

Despite not being a pedal fan per se, I do keep a look out for interesting ones that add value to my set up. Majority of them are drive pedals because these go well with an already driven amp & I'm more amp-inclined. I think I missed the dual booster when it was here not too long ago but I have another Maxon on back order. Ibanez's Tube Screamer mini is also on my list.

Finally, I have something that I want Seymour Duncan to look into. It's an interesting fusion of existing models. It's gonna be a little costly but I'm a fan of what these guy are doing & I know they'll do it well.

Mesa/ Boogie: MARK V 25W

Naturally, if you are a high gain fan, you'd like that crushing drive tones coming from a Mesa Boogie Dual/ Triple rectifier. The amp simply offers another perspective to the ferocious American-type aggression. After a personal audition, the Dual/ Triple rectifiers were more hype than impressive (to me). I wasn't into what these amps had to offer; they sound like something wasn't turned up right, it lacks the terrifying bite of a VHT/ Peavey 5150 (those were the standards back then). Upon close listening, the only Mesa/ Boogie tone I liked was that of John Petrucci's early Dream Theater releases but those were not Dual/ Triple rectifiers doing the job, it's the bigger brother of the amp you see here.

The Mark IV/ V had always been the definitive Mesa Boogie drive tone but it wasn't in the limelight. Everyone who's been with the Mark V kept it their little secret; it's a worthy discovery & shouldn't be something to shout about. The prices were arguably prohibitive anyway. This fall, the Mark V is re-introduced as a little menace (25W + 10W option available) by the manufacturer with some extras to boot. For instance, it has its siblings tone gutters in there to make it a worthy value-for-money purchase- you get the amazing cleans from the Mark IIC as well as the tasty crunch from a Mark IV. The Mark V channel completes the amp in terms of aggression (the most extreme coming from the amp). The key attraction to the 'Mark's is its slider EQ section which was lifted off the bigger brother unadulterated (go ahead & measure the dimensions). Hear this one in action & understand why the Mesa/ Boogie drive is one of the most sought after in terms of amp overdrive:

MESA stomp

We begin December with the news that MESA has released the above pedals for our considerations. The last time MESA released a pedal, it was tube-driven & was adapter-only when it comes to power. It's good to know the ones above are our preferred standard-sized, pedalboard friendly makes. Are they gonna get here soon?

Mini ME(SA)

They say if you can't beat 'em, join 'em so MESA did just that. This is a fresh fall offering, a small, 25W (with a 10W option) head you can hide from you Mom or disapproving spouses. 

This is the Mini Rectifier 25 in context, note the slanted cab there is a 1x12"... Being an EL84 skeptic, I'd like to hear if this mini has anything in store for me (tone-wise).

What's the point?

I was talking to a friend today who owns the GT-10. He likes it very much & I could see the enthusiasm every time the opportunity arises to share his experience & opinion on the subject FX unit.

He then told me he'd like to own MESA's Dual Rectifier amp which would be paired with the GT-10. I asked if he'd run the GT-10 through the amp's clean channel, the answer was: Of course.

What's the point of spending good money on a renowned amplifier, only to utilize its clean channel? Many players can't seem to accept the fact that big name amps are good stand-alone units; they don't require a multi-FX supplement to manifest good tones. If one wishes to provide good amplification for one's favourite multi-FX unit/ effects pedals wouldn't it be more practical to just invest in a superb clean channel, say from a tube head? Hmm...