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Topic: Mesa-Boogie Dual Purpose |
Frank Sprague
From:
Custer , Washington, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2009 8:28 am |
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I've noticed on various threads that some guys use Mesa-Boogie amps . I have a Lone Star Special that I use for 6 String electric (SG and Les Paul)and I think it has a great sound . I stumbled across a MB Nomad 55 , and I'm curious how it would work for Pedal Steel ,and Electric 6 string ? Maybe with a couple of good 15" spkrs under it ? Anyone have an idea of a price? Any info would help . . . Thanx . . Franko
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The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 16 Mar 2009 11:10 am
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I have a Nomad 45 1-12 combo which I sometimes use for pedal steel for gigs that aren't real loud with either a very laid back or no drummer. I swapped out the 12AX7 in the first preamp position for a 12AY7, which cleaned it up quite a lot. I just cut the midrange back a bit, run it PSG => VP => Tubefex => amp and it sounds quite good. I think it has more beef than, let's say, a stock Deluxe Reverb, and that's with 4-EL84 output tubes. The 55 has two 6L6 output tubes in class AB, I believe, and my understanding is that it is more loud and clean.
Mine has a Celestion Vintage 30 in it. I'm confident that if I put a heavy duty speaker like an EVM-12L, it would have mo' clean if I needed it. But even with this speaker, it does the loud and clean thing pretty well - OK, it's not a NV 1000 by any means, but there are situations where I want tubes instead of, let's say, a NV 112, and it does the trick. I also like it pretty well as a guitar amp - there are three progressively higher-gain channels, and if the gain isn't pushed mercilessly, that 2nd channel sounds pretty good. I very rarely use highly distorted guitar these days, but sometimes push a tube amp a bit.
The recent price guides list the 55 - any configuration, head, 1-12 or 2-12 - in the $800-900 range, but I think one can find some pretty good deals on these since they stopped making them. I'd shop for a bargain in this market, and I'd also listen to it carefully before doing anything based on something anybody - including I - say. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2009 12:45 pm
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I use a Mesa Boogie Maverick prototype with 2 12" Tone Tubbies. I really like the sound. I can't say anything about the Nomad 55 because I've never tried it.
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2009 11:06 pm
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I have a Lonestar Special 1-12" combo that I use on low-volume, limited-space, and/or miked-through-PA gigs for both steel and guitar, with an A-B switch in front to switch instruments when I switch channels--Channel 1 (the cleaner one) for steel and Channel 2 for guitar. I think it sounds great for both instruments--the EQ is very flexible.
My main complaint: I don't currently use any outboard effects, so I sure wish they hadn't put the reverb controls on the back! But the reverb sounds great. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 17 Mar 2009 7:22 am
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| The Maverick has a separate reverb for each channel - on the front. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 17 Mar 2009 8:19 am
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The Nomad 45 has three separate reverb levels, one for each channel, but they're on the back. I'm pretty sure that's the same for the entire Nomad series, which I believe shares the same front end. To my understanding, the only differences are in the power section.
My biggest issue with the amp is that it's hard to see the knobs and their labels onstage. I need to do something to make it easier to see what I'm doing - paint white pointers on the knobs, or something like that. The interface design issue is that there are 18 small dark brown knobs on the front panel - two rows of 9 knobs each. There's just not enough real estate there to be able to see any labels, and nobody I've talked with can detect the knob position by looking at it without a contrasting-color pointer. But these are issues that can be dealt with pretty easily. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 17 Mar 2009 8:31 am
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I see what you mean, Dave.
click here
The Nomad series has been discontinued, btw. I think the Maverick's been discontinued too. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 17 Mar 2009 12:04 pm
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Yup, the Nomad, Maverick, and Blue Angel have all been discontinued - they all sound good to me. Warmth and tonal flexibility, but still plenty of clean juice if you want it.
The Nomad was replaced with the ultra-portable Express 5:25 and 5:50, which are also very nice sounding guitar amps. I've been pondering the 50 watt Express with 12" speaker, but I think the Nomad has more juice for clean steel. All those knobs are what gives it that flexibility. |
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Frank Sprague
From:
Custer , Washington, USA
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Posted 18 Mar 2009 10:26 am Mesa-Boogie Dual Purpose
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Thanx guys for the feedback , I like the concept of the 3 channels , Use one channel for Steel, and two others for guitar . . . I see what you mean Dave about the knob setting being hard to read, but they are shaped to a point so you could "feel" where the setting is . . . And I agree , it will give a little more flexibility than the Twin I'm using now . Decisions , Decisions - ain't it great!
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The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 23 Mar 2009 8:20 pm
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This thread prompted me to take my Nomad out for last night's gig. Small club with a lot of ambient noise - singer/songwriter with amplified acoustic guitars, amplified upright bass, amplified keyboard and accordion, and me on pedal steel and electric guitar - no drummer. Setup was Zum U-12 with Lawrence 912 pickup into old Sho Bud volume pedal into Peavey Tubefex set very clean and bright (Tony Rankin's "Dickie Overbey setting), and then into Nomad.
It sounded really great, and I could have gotten lots more clean power out of it. The high-end was noticeably sweeter than with my regular solid-state rig, although it had somewhat less low-end to my ears. Not a problem for this gig, but might have been if I had wanted thump out of the low strings. But remember - this is the 4-EL84 version with a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker in it. I'm dying to pop an EVM-12L into this.
I assure you, the boys in the band were psyched with the way this sounded for this type of gig, as was I. But I would never buy something like this just based on someone else's recommendation.
On the knob pointers - good luck feeling the tip of those knobs on a darkened stage. I'm getting a white Sharpie and going at it before I use it again this weekend. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2009 6:42 am
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Hi Dave,
My Maverick Prototype has 4 EL84's in it too. I played it for a decade with an EVM-12, but now I use a pair of Tone Tubbies instead. They have a smoother high end than the EVM, and they're much lighter.
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 24 Mar 2009 7:38 am
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Yup - I might well like the Tone Tubby for steel. I tried one in an amp I was using for Tele - overall it sounded good but the high end was a bit strident with the Tele lead pickup, so I opted for something else in that amp. But it had a nice bottom end and a clean midrange (sounds like I'm describing a woman's figure). I think my buddy has one of them at his shop, I probably should try it.
I'll say that the Vintage 30 sounds surprisingly good in this amp for steel - the high-end is real sweet. But it doesn't have the classic Fender-style low-end. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2009 8:03 am
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At first I didn't like the Tone Tubbies because I was using my old EVM tone settings. After tweaking the Boogie's tone controls to match the speaker response, I came to the conclusion that it was a richer, more balanced sound.
I prefer the alnico model, but I have the ceramic in the combo cabinet because it can handle more power. I don't want to risk blowing the speaker if I'm in a loud situation with only one speaker. The extension cab has the alnico, and it's the one I mike.
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-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Frank Sprague
From:
Custer , Washington, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2009 8:48 am Mesa-Boogie Dual Purpose
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I went ahead and got that Nomad ,Cleaned her up , Put a pair of fresh 6L6 tubes in , hooked up to a couple of 15" BW's ,a little DD3 through the effects loop, and yow! - Absolutely jawdropping with my steel on the clean channel . And when the band shifts into another gear , It sounds mighty fine for guitar too . I'm curious why they discontinued this model ? Like you said Dave , channel #2's about right , a little drive goes a long ways anymore ! bOb - Enlighten me on these "Tone Tubbies" your're talking about - i'd like to check them out - Thanks again for the response guys!
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The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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