The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    I have a Mesa Boogie Mk V25 and it is great. I run it through a open back pine cab with a 12" Celestion A.
    It can do spanky Fender cleans too rich jazz to Marshall to liquid boogie elads al Santana. And it weighs under 20lbs. It's also loud if need. It is not a cheap amp but it takes the place of a number of amps I had. Built like a tank. Albeit, a very small tank.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #52

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    The Maverick footprint is not much bigger than a Princeton but the one I've had has provided an articulation and attack that only a class A amp can. It's unique in that respect, dual rectifier. It' packs a punch that, while it's got jazz within its range, has so much in reserve that I tend to favour my Princeton II instead. Truth be told, it's heavy. Boogies are heavy. In the end, shlepp factor takes priority.
    But the Maverick, I love it. But I may end up selling it for practical reasons.

    David

  4. #53

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    Great sounding amps, many with too many knobs for me to figure out...but that Maverick sounds like a heck of a lot of fun.

  5. #54

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    Well Danny, you brought it up....what about the black face Tremolux? My 64 Tremolux was my first good amp and I still have it. This wouldn't the first veer around here.
    Thanks John

  6. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Great sounding amps, many with too many knobs for me to figure out...but that Maverick sounds like a heck of a lot of fun.

    Too many knobs? That's crazy talk.


  7. #56

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    I gigged with a Mark III head and cab for years.

    The amp could give you Santana's sound, but it could also give a great classic jazz sound.

    Here are the negatives:

    Weight.

    Fan noise can be noticeable in a quiet environment.

    It can be tricky to dial in. Want a tiny bit more treble? You may need to move every knob. But, once you get it dialed in, it's great.

  8. #57

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    Quote Originally Posted by powerwagonjohn
    Well Danny, you brought it up....what about the black face Tremolux? My 64 Tremolux was my first good amp and I still have it. This wouldn't the first veer around here.
    Thanks John
    I told you not to ask about the Tremolux!!!

    That amp belonged to the bass player. The photos are 26 years old and I don't remember why I had it onstage. Probably as a guitar monitor for the keyboard player, but it might have been just a drink stand.

    Quote Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar
    I gigged with a Mark III head and cab for years.

    The amp could give you Santana's sound, but it could also give a great classic jazz sound.

    Here are the negatives:

    Weight.

    Fan noise can be noticeable in a quiet environment.

    It can be tricky to dial in. Want a tiny bit more treble? You may need to move every knob. But, once you get it dialed in, it's great.
    I first tried a combo MKIV at the appropriately-named Daddy's Junky Music in Salem, NH. No one in the store knew anything about it. After about a half-hour of futile fiddling around I found the handy settings template still inside the amp. Using that I set the controls and liked the results so much I was ready to take it home, until I tried to lift it. With an EV-12L it was about 90lbs and felt like it was nailed to the floor. I decided that a stack would be more manageable, but Daddy's seemed to have no interest in ordering that for me, so I ordered it through my regular dealer, with a Thiele bottom. That sounded too boomy, so I ordered an open-back cab. That sounded too thin, but together they sounded pretty amazing, so for ten years I hauled around 135 lbs of stack.

    I always kept the settings template on top of the amp, in case something got turned and I couldn't figure out what it was.


    Quote Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
    Nice pictures of a cool rig, Danny.

    A Mk IV wide body combo was my main gigging amp since bought new the mid-90's. Still have it in a corner of the garage, along with a Mesa 1x12 Black Shadow loaded Ext. Cab, ready for any un-miked outdoor gigs. Thank God it isn't needed more than once a year these days. My aging back couldn't take much more of that drama.
    Thanks, my wife was the photographer.

    In 2002 I was thrilled to replace the stack with a Raezer's Twin-8-Tower and Clarus 1A, losing 100 lbs in the process. I use a modeler if I need to rock and roll.

    Danny W.
    Last edited by Danny W.; 10-31-2018 at 09:23 PM.

  9. #58

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    I recall that the Mark III combo unit was so heavy it could bend light around itself and then you could hear it , but you couldn't see it.

    That may be a slight exaggeration but I did buy the separate head and cab. The cab isn't too bad, but the head feels very heavy.

  10. #59

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    lets face it tho...those ev speakers sounded great..huge and clean..and with the thiele cabs!!...it was hi-fidelity audio tech reaching into the guitar industry!

    not that i would ever carry them around these days..they weigh tons...but i dont deceive myself into believeing a twin 6.5 " speaker cab is gonna sound (& feel!!) anything near as good!! hah


    cheers

  11. #60

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    I was gigging a few for a while years back (a mark I and a caliber 50), and i had a studio 22+ for a good decade, gigged that one a lot. My favorite things about boogies are the great projection with the tight mids and the bulletproof construction, they kind of scream quality amp. But i realized that what i was looking for was the fender mids sound, and simple no frills amps, so i sold the boogies and bought fenders.

  12. #61

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    Here are mine. I have always had a Mesa around for Jazz gigs. The outdoor gig was from a couple of Sundays ago...Luckily I brought it...the client didn't hire a sound company and my amp was all I had to be heard. It worked GREAT. The closeup of the Heartbreaker stack is from last Friday. The small stack in my studio is a mesa Studio 22 with a 112 extension cab. I almost never run the extension. The studio is like a deluxe and the Heartbreaker is like a twin. I have been using Mesa stuff since the early 90s and have never had to take one to the shop. Their stuff is built to last.

    Mesa Boogie Amps For Jazz-park-show-jpgMesa Boogie Amps For Jazz-44810181_2480788048603493_2750382367846694912_o-jpgMesa Boogie Amps For Jazz-18645953_1746548598969954_1125163556174561280_n-jpg

  13. #62

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzjames
    Here are mine. I have always had a Mesa around for Jazz gigs. The outdoor gig was from a couple of Sundays ago...Luckily I brought it...the client didn't hire a sound company and my amp was all I had to be heard. It worked GREAT. The closeup of the Heartbreaker stack is from last Friday. The small stack in my studio is a mesa Studio 22 with a 112 extension cab. I almost never run the extension. The studio is like a deluxe and the Heartbreaker is like a twin. I have been using Mesa stuff since the early 90s and have never had to take one to the shop. Their stuff is built to last.
    Up to the mid 90's, I had always used Fenders and Polytones for jazz and Marshalls and Randalls for Rock. In 96, a deal came up for a Mark4 combo with an EV speaker. It weighed about 85 pounds but sounded great for Jazz, Blues and Rock so I bought it and used it as my only amp for about 6 years. As I reached my mid 40's the weight was too much so I sold it. That was a truly great amp. I tried a lighter speaker (Mesa branded Celestion) but the jazz tone was not there, it needed the EV.

    A few years after that I came across a good deal on a Mesa Subway blues, but could never get a good jazz tone with it, so away it went.

    But the right amp from Mesa can do jazz all day and all night for sure!

  14. #63

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    Up to the mid 90's, I had always used Fenders and Polytones for jazz and Marshalls and Randalls for Rock. In 96, a deal came up for a Mark4 combo with an EV speaker. It weighed about 85 pounds but sounded great for Jazz, Blues and Rock so I bought it and used it as my only amp for about 6 years. As I reached my mid 40's the weight was too much so I sold it. That was a truly great amp. I tried a lighter speaker (Mesa branded Celestion) but the jazz tone was not there, it needed the EV.

    A few years after that I came across a good deal on a Mesa Subway blues, but could never get a good jazz tone with it, so away it went.

    But the right amp from Mesa can do jazz all day and all night for sure!
    The Studio 22 is about 28lbs with a Celestion alnico gold in it. The Heartbreaker head is 50lbs and the cab is about 50lbs as well. I wasn't interested in a 100+ Lb combo! The Heartbreaker doesn't leave the house very often! I play about 250 gigs a year and 90% of it is on the Studio 22.

    The Heartbreaker took a long time to get MY sound out of...meaning, it ALWAYS sounds great playing alone in a room...but on the bandstand with an upright bass, sax, and a drummer it took quite a bit of experimentation! I took a photo of the settings when i found it and now use that setting as a start at a gig. It was a real struggle until I figured it out! Now it's always a fraction of a turn away from where I need to be depending on the room. Of course, I am about to put a pair of Celestion Alnico Creams in the cab (another $600...ugh) and will probably have to start over!

  15. #64

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    Lee Ritenour has used a Mesa Road King for many years...along with Twins other cool amps.

  16. #65

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    Here is a review of my experience with Mesas compared to other amps I own.

    My experience: mostly with pop, blues and rock.

    Early nmv silverface Fender Bandmaster Reverb Head with 2x12 jbl k120s and JJ 6v6s. One setting works for all my guitars. T8.5 M7 B4.5. Set it forget it. Enjoy. Great amp like this. 9/10. But 6.5/10 with 6L6s.

    Musicman RP65-12: bright airy dynamic chimey. A single great sound with the right guitar. Not great with dirt pedals. Hard to rate because its a one trick pony. Hit or miss. Thinking a Cannibas Rex speaker replacement is the answer on this one.

    Mesa Heartbreaker: woolly and dark and flat toned but sometimes rich. Needs a treble boost pedal in front to sound ok. Big disappointment compared to what it ought to do. Good candidate for tech mods. 5/10.

    Mesa Nomad 100 pristine but clinical cleans 6/10, lead channels are gross. 4/10. Good pedal platform.

    Mesa Maverick 2x12 sweet toned, open, airy, chimey, and dynamic. My favorite live amp ever both clean and lead channel are excellent. 9.5\10

    Marshall JCM800 with 4x12 Celestion G12-65s. Clean channel is gorgeous. 9\10. Lead channel on this is not my thing but "sounds like the album".

    Peavey Heritage VTX 2x12 w\6L6s multi instrument amp that can be dialled in extremely well with many instruments. Jack of all trades. Acoustics, electrics, pedal steel allsound great tgrough it. Only Peavey I know I would not sell. 9/10. Best value for $ ever. I paid $100 used.

    Mesa Formula Preamp through Peavey Heritage power amp. Nice cleans and very nice blues ch3 lead. 7/10
    Last edited by Tommy_G; 11-02-2018 at 09:41 AM.

  17. #66

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    I have played lots of Mesa Engineering amps. From the Studio 22 to the Triple Rectifier and in between. As a group, they exhibit lots of mid-range oomph. For jazz, and especially for archtops, this is a good thing. You don't really benefit from the good old Fender/Marshall/Vox mid-bass/mid-treble humps when working with archtops, IMO.

    My only complaint was too derned many knobs. I can get this midrange timber easily from an early Fender Pro Junior and only have to turn a volume and tone knob. Yeah!

    Still, I can fool around for a few minutes and make a Mesa do fine.

  18. #67

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    Ha! Too many knobs again! Mine has less knobs than a Deluxe.

    Nice to see some Mesa love. Seems like I might as well post a pic to the collection. This is my Studio 22+ that I bought in about '91 at Manny's NY. Try to ignore that bit of blasphemy on the left. That's just an old guy trying something different.

    I put a Cannabis Rex in this and it really solved the harshness described in earlier posts. With that it weighs in around 21lbs according to my bathroom scale.(oh, and that thing under it is really just an expensive amp stand :)
    Attached Images Attached Images Mesa Boogie Amps For Jazz-_dsc6663-jpg 

  19. #68

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    Mesa had this little combo amp called the Subway Blues. It was a great little amp...sounded good and was light for a Mesa. I hauled around a Mark III for years. Best it ever sounded was in high school gym where I could open it up.
    too many knobs

    a Carr Rambler would have been nice back then

  20. #69

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    Subway was/is a good amp.

  21. #70

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tommy_G
    Here is a review of my experience with Mesas compared to other amps I own.

    My experience: mostly with pop, blues and rock.

    Early nmv silverface Fender Bandmaster Reverb Head with 2x12 jbl k120s and JJ 6v6s. One setting works for all my guitars. T8.5 M7 B4.5. Set it forget it. Enjoy. Great amp like this. 9/10. But 6.5/10 with 6L6s.

    Musicman RP65-12: bright airy dynamic chimey. A single great sound with the right guitar. Not great with dirt pedals. Hard to rate because its a one trick pony. Hit or miss. Thinking a Cannibas Rex speaker replacement is the answer on this one.

    Mesa Heartbreaker: woolly and dark and flat toned but sometimes rich. Needs a treble boost pedal in front to sound ok. Big disappointment compared to what it ought to do. Good candidate for tech mods. 5/10.

    Mesa Nomad 100 pristine but clinical cleans 6/10, lead channels are gross. 4/10. Good pedal platform.

    Mesa Maverick 2x12 sweet toned, open, airy, chimey, and dynamic. My favorite live amp ever both clean and lead channel are excellent. 9.5\10

    Marshall JCM800 with 4x12 Celestion G12-65s. Clean channel is gorgeous. 9\10. Lead channel on this is not my thing but "sounds like the album".

    Peavey Heritage VTX 2x12 w\6L6s multi instrument amp that can be dialled in extremely well with many instruments. Jack of all trades. Acoustics, electrics, pedal steel allsound great tgrough it. Only Peavey I know I would not sell. 9/10. Best value for $ ever. I paid $100 used.

    Mesa Formula Preamp through Peavey Heritage power amp. Nice cleans and very nice blues ch3 lead. 7/10
    I think the Heartbreaker takes time to dial in but I have a bright, full sound with it now that I’ve dialed it in. It took some time. The controls are so damn sensitive! I found the best sound is on the love channel, bold setting (rather than curvaceous), trim switch (instead of fat), 1/2 power, tube rectifier, volume at 1:00, treble at 2:00, mid at 9.5 (on the face of a clock), bass on 8:00, channel master on 1:00, presence on 9:00, then set the amp master whreever youneed for the gig. This works pretty well for me. I’m playing an L-5 Wes, 50s wired with 500k pots, and a Kent Armstrong handwound (6pole) PAF. I have full bass, mid, and treble. These settings are where I start to play a gig and I adjust to whatever room/ ensemble I’m playing with. For me, I ended up just setting mostly treble, slightly less mid than treble, and less bass than mid. I had to be careful of the presence because too little hides your effects and too much makes all of your high notes too tinny sounding. It took a couple of weeks of knob adjustment (at gigs because in a room by yourself, many more settings sound great...). Also, the speakers make a HUGE difference! I have settled on a Celestion Alnico cream (because the Alnico golds sound great in it now.). A british type speaker will have plenty of low and mid but bring the treble needed for this amp. I think they voiced it for a British style speaker. Since I did this work I carry it to more gigs. I don’t use any distortion whatsoever. The LUST channel for me was pretty much useless for what I do. My advice is keep turning knobs on the Heartbreaker until you can find it because the traditional amp settings are NOT going to work (at least not for me). I agree with your assessment that it can be a thick, wooly sound! I guess when you make an amp that can do so much, the controls have to be super sensitive? The mid-range is not normal...check out the manual if you haven’t already. Many of the sample settings I think are geared for strats or Les Pauls but not so much for fat-ass hollowbodies.
    Last edited by jazzjames; 11-03-2018 at 05:35 PM.

  22. #71

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    Since we're sharing Mesa love, I'll add a photo of my Mark V 35:
    It has 35, 25, & 10 Watt settings.





  23. #72

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    @jazzjames

    I have heard the Celestion Golds are indeed likely a good match for the Heartbreaker.

    I haven"t brought it out of storage for a few years now. But I should at least give the college try with my new2me 2x jbl K120 fender bandmaster cab.

    A 4x10 mesa heartbreaker cab with jensen 10 inch alnicos was for sale locally a few years back.. For cheap...That would have been a good one to try too. If it wasnt 6 hours round trip to buy.

    One of the better british lust channel tones I got was through a Scumback pre rola greenback clone. M series.

    I would like to spend some time modding that amp. Some treble bypass at the input. Maybe a pull out bright switch across gain pot... and bass rolloff cathode bypass along the way also. Bypass the effects loop and maybe change the lust channel specs to the modern bluesbreaker component values. Transformer and power filter change to 6v6 sizes. I think the dullness might be from the output transformer.. Just a bad match that sucks all the air and jangle out.

  24. #73

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    I don't have the real thing, but the Trans30 emulation in Amplitube 4, with the EVM-L cab gives an outstanding "Jazz" sound.

    YMMV.

  25. #74

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    These hardwood Mark IIIs were beautiful jazz amps, supplied with free herniated discs.
    Attached Images Attached Images Mesa Boogie Amps For Jazz-18909667643_3f91d4d385_o-jpg 

  26. #75

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    I'll take it! Wait, what was the question?

    Andy Timmons gave an excellent demonstration/ mini concert that I attended in 2010. The venue was a large music store, and he brought several Mesa amps to the gig. All of his gear was top notch, as was his playing. His 'Mesa' sound was well worth remembering!