To trade or not to trade...

[beasleybodyshop]

I have a mid 90s Sovtek MIG 50 in good shape. I recapped it, and new 6L6s/rebias. One of my customers came to me with his Mesa Boogie dual rectifier 100W head, and needed it repaired quick. He basically told me that it kept blowing fuses, and essentially told me both rectifier tubes died (His words "They like, had a mushroom cloud going off inside them bro...")

Hey was eyeing my Sovtek, and said that he would trade me straight across.

The sovtek brings maybe 500 bucks on a good day, i know the mesa repaired would bring more, but would it really? The market is flooded with these things. Other than said power supply meltdown, i know the amp to be in good shape - i tested all 5 bajillion preamp tubes/power tubes, they tested strong.

Any thoughts or opinions?

[Leo_Gnardo]

Were you able to get the Mesa working right? Couple of months ago had a Triple Recto in, it simply had a shorted 1n4007 BUT the bozo owner stuffed a 20A fuse in and melted down his PT. Turned a $20 repair into a $400+ one. Most expensive fuse I've ever seen. You'll want to make sure there's no expensive hidden defects should you choose to make the swap.

Far as $ value & saleability, both are not easy sells. Prices have risen a bit on the Sovteks but they're still "sleepers" to me - darn good amps that fail to fetch a high price. And the Recto, an overcomplicated amp that's flooded the market as you noted.

[beasleybodyshop]

Leo, I havent touched the mesa yet. Im going to convince the guy to leave it with me for a few days so I can assess if its going to be a bigger headache than its worth.

[Gibsonman63]

Personally, I am not crazy about Mesa Boogies. The ones I have been in are a PITA to work on. Even with all of the channel switching, knobs and switches, it takes a lot of tweaking to get a nice clean sound and be able to switch to a convincing dirt channel.

... at least in my experience.

[beasleybodyshop]

I found out that the Mesa doesn't come with the foot switch either... Hmmm....I think I'm gonna pass.

[Blindog]

I've owned 3 Mesa amps over the years, a 100W Tremoverb 2x12 combo, a Lonestar 1x12 combo (the original 6L6), and most recently an Electradyne 1x12 combo.

Never had any problems with them other than tube issues, and I gigged with them pretty regularly. I've never been inside one for repair, so I can't comment on that aspect, but the folks in tech support have always been extremely helpful when I had the occasion to talk to them.

Also, I never had any problem selling or trading them when I had my fun and it was time to move on

I'd have to respectfully disagree on the cleans vs dirt switching. It takes a bit to get to know the amp, but once you do it was fairly easy to dial up some great tones. My 2 cents anyway...


I'd go for it...a quick ebay check showed 4 or 5 that went between $750 and almost $900.

Mark

[KellyBass]

I agree. Go for the Mesa. I think it would be lotsa fun (well if you don't mind cramped spaces) experimenting with such a beast...especially the gain structure. No telling what you might come out with. Usually, one of these showing up on your bench is kind of a downer. Mesa guys usually want their amps left just as they are!...just fixed!...yesterday! They mean well, though.

[beasleybodyshop]

He agreed to leave it with me while he was on tour, said he would be willing to trade 100%.

I think im going to go through it completely and make sure there is no bugbears lurking in the corners.

Any particular weak points in these amps?

[KellyBass]

Seems like I remember my old amp tech had one (possibly dual, but i'm 80% certain it was triple) on his bench at some point. He was modding the FX loop in some way. He said he didn't know "what Mesa could have been thinking".

Might be worth checking out.

[jestaudio]

Seems like I remember my old amp tech had one (possibly dual, but i'm 80% certain it was triple) on his bench at some point. He was modding the FX loop in some way. He said he didn't know "what Mesa could have been thinking".

Might be worth checking out.

I've had a few DC series Mesa,s. Great amps once you mod the effects loop, Mesa have a habit of using parallel effects loops but I have always found that you can never get a 100% wet signal hence every one I've owned I've modded to series

[Leo_Gnardo]

The parallel "sidechain" FX loop is intended for time delay effects & digital reverbs. It's a disaster for just about anything else - compressor/limiter, EQ, overdrive/fuzz. For those you need a serial loop that completely interrupts the signal chain so you can insert your effect. There's a purpose for each and rare the amp that has both.

[beasleybodyshop]

Another thing I don't get - why run recto tubes in a high gain amp? Most metal guys like the thump and response of something with a bridge recto - im just speculating as i have never actually played one. Mesa literature totes the who "sag" thing but i thought you wanted firm, chest pumping tone with a fire breather like this one?

[Leo_Gnardo]

why run recto tubes in a high gain amp?

Nine and a half out of ten dual/triple rectifiers arrive on this workbench with the switch in the solid-state position. The rectifier tubes are there just for decoration. The owners are astounded their amps work just fine without them.

[beasleybodyshop]

So you can run it sans recto tubes? or do they *have* to be in there to run Diode?

[Coyotesgator]

I have a mid 90s Sovtek MIG 50 in good shape

Do you still have it?