The cleans on this amp are simply the best I have ever used. They truly inspire me to play a lot more in clean mode than I ever had before. The reverb is so lush - and it is very easy for me to get a good sound at a low level. The issue I was having was more in the Burn/Blues mode. I live in a townhome and my wife is uber-paranoid about me turning it up too loud. That is what led me to the Express in the first place - the 5 watt mode. Prior to this, I had all the digital modeling stuff - Line 6 Vetta/VOX/Tech 21 etc... And while that stuff has a place in the music world, it simply is not very inspiring to me. When I play through tubes, there is that 3 dimensional goodness and rich harmonic complexity that only tubes can deliver. I get that feeling of being fifteen years old again where you hit a chord and just listen to it sustain. You are right - if I can turn it up to say 7 or 8 o' clock I have all the overdrive goodness that Mesa is known for. I can do that on the weekends or when the Mrs. is not around. I had been playing that game where I am sitting directly in front of the amp, adjusting the volume centimeters at a time to get the saturation I want at a level that is tollerable. I had no idea that 5 watts is as loud as it is! I tried a Dr Z Airbrake - nope. Better, but not worth the $325 they charged me for it. Then I tried the ZVEX Box of Rock. Better still, but not really what I wanted. So after work I took back the ZVEX and some more cash and went home with the XOTIC BB Plus. BINGO! (Shout out to the folks at Old Town Music here in Portland - the nicest music shop in town)
This pedal is doing exactly what I want it to do - allowing me to saturate the tubes while having better control over the volume. The Boogie retained all of its natural characteristics. This pedal has 2 separate channels to it, so when combined with the 4 already in the Express, it really expanded my tonal palette. Even the wife said "you sound just like the guys on the record"! I played for 3 and a half hours - something that digital modeling or solid state amps rarely (if ever) motivated me to do. In the end, that is what it is all about for me. To be able to get into that mental state where I stop thinking about anything other than being a conduit for the music. Before, I was so busy tweaking this, adjusting that. I would always feel compelled to cycle though all of the presets - I didn't want to miss anything! It was like the gear was playing me instead of me playing the gear. I am 43 and have played guitar since I was 11. I do not gig or have a band. I do not harbor dreams of getting the old band back together for a one off reunion gig (well, okay - maybe a little... :roll: ) I play because playing the guitar allows me to express myself in a way that nothing else can. For anyone reading this who is on the fence about getting this amp - just do it. Especially if you are running a digital modeling rig - you will rediscover why you started playing guitar in the first place! Sorry for rambling and getting off topic.
