My 89' Studio .22 combo

[AstronautPen]

Just got registered here and this is my first post.
About 3 months ago I picked up this amp. I'm a tele/country guy (spend most my time on tdpri) so when it was time to buy a new amp I thought the Fender DRRI was a no brainer. That's what 10 out of 10 guys I saw playing on Broadway in Nash were using so I went and tried several. Literally like 30 different ones and didn't bond with any. Ended up buying a used 65' princeton reverb RI, go figure. I loved it but knew I needed something louder for gigs. I'd been seeing this Mesa on Craigslist for months so I finally went and checked it out. Turns out the guy had sold it two days before and the person told him he couldn't afford to keep it so he bought it back. I, and everyone I show it to, doesn't believe it's an 89'. It's mint. It was bought and put in a road case for 20 years. He gave me a great deal and I jumped on it and returned the PRRI. Now as I'm sure many of you guys here know, these early studio 22s have a volume disparity that makes channel switching impossible without the lead master mod. But I didn't mess with it. The clean channel is so sweet, I just run a small pedal board in front of it.
It was so unused, when I got it it still had the stock tubes from 89' and the speaker wasn't even broken in yet' I retubed it and it sounds great. Never though of Mesa for country stuff but I don't think I'll ever go back. Heres a pic:





What I'm really GASing over now is that Rectoverb 25. I like that it's switchable from 10-25w instead if 5-25w. I've played both and would vs happy with either one. My question is this:
I'm moving back to Nash in July and I need an amp that will be solid and reliable night after night. As well as loud enough (but they usually mic everything anyway). Would it be crazy of my to sell/trade my studio 22 towards one of these newer mesas? (Rectoverb 25 or Express 5:25)

 

[tonejam]

Nice to see somebody else playing country through a Studio 22. I have a 22+ that I got around 1990. Still some volume disparity when switching to overdrive, but a 12AY7 tube in V1 helps tame it. I've also put a full-size reverb tank in it, and a Weber Blue Dog speaker (30w).

A while back I bought a 25watt Express amp, with the intention of selling the Studio 22+. The 22+ is still here, while the Express is long gone. It just didn't have the same sweetness. My advice is hang on to the 22, and maybe get the overdrive volume mod, the lead channel is superb.

 

[dodger916]

Hard to say, as it's a matter of personal preference. For ME, I do not bond well with most of the Mesa amps designed in this century, with the exception of the Lonestars. I much prefer the voicing and feel of the "vintage" Boogies. I got to play through a Studio 22+ (with graphic eq) once at a party and thought it was fantastic: great feel, very expressive, and easy to find great tones. It was every bit as fun to play as my Mark IIC+, and I didn't need to crank the volume to get there. I've been semi-longing for one ever since.

Lately I've been drifting toward EL84 amps, having purchased an Orange Dual Terror and a Laney Cub 12R. Hoping the new Trans-Atlantic 30 would fill multiple bills and allow me to sell an amp or two, I picked one up on a 30-day trial. During this time I purchased a DC-3 (4xEL84s), and was able to A/B the amps. I returned the T/A. There's just something about the circuitry of the older Boogies that I prefer, and something about the T/A that was bothering my ears...literally! Maybe it's the simpler signal path or just the voicing, but I can't quite bond with the later Boogies.

If it were me, I'd keep the 22 while looking for a 22+ with graphic eq. Although you can run a graphic in the loop, but it's nice having it onboard. As has been mentioned, there are mods you can do to enhance these amps.

 

[AstronautPen]

Thanks for the feedback. I really love my studio 22. It's so lightweight as well. I swear it weighs less than the blues jr I used to have. But man that Rectoverb 25 is tempting. It sounded so good on the 10 watt setting and I usually don't like amps on their lower power mode if they have that option. This would be great because I live in an apartment. I've gotten a few calls from the office about noise with the studio 22 and I have it as low as I can with all the tone still being there. That's usually: Master at 4 and Volume at 3 (not o'clock). I also thought the reverb was quite a bit better on the RV25. I really like the express amp too, I just wish the newer mesas didn't have sooooo many knobs and channels. That's what I like best about the 22. One modest row of knobs. I wish it was even simpler. Like, I'd love it if there was no master volume and no "lead" channel.

 

[igfraso]

Talk to Mike Bendinelli at Mesa Boogie. He offers a mod that allows you to erase or minimize the channel volume disparity.

I know the mod is very much recommended for the Studio .22+ but I don't know if it applies for the Studio .22

 

[Buster Leggs]

Just took mine out of the box. I'm mainly C+'s up to this point but wanted something lighter for practice's. I feel like I'm constantly moving a small army. I won't get to play it until tomorrow. I bought the 22 PLUS thinkin volume balance between L/R mode was not an issue but I'm hearin differently. Dose the lead master not bring the lead volume up high enough? Anyway guess I'll find out tomorrow. At least there's a fix for it if need be. I was just hoping to plug in and play.

 

[tonejam]

@DODGER916
You've described my experience almost exactly. I heard someone playing through an Express 5:25, and thought I had to have one, but there was just SOMETHING I can't quite describe: I couldn't quite dial in MY tone, on either channel. I turn the Studio 22+ on, and its there.
Been eyeing the Electra Dyne lately, for a more powerful amp. From what you say, sounds like a Lone Star would suit me better.
cheers, Bill.

 

[igfraso]

I sent my Studio .22+ to Mike Bendinelli for him to add a fourth volume pot at the back of the chassis.
With this "Lead Drive" pot, you can dial the gain of the clean and the lead channels independently (it resembles more of a Mark II and III).

It is a very common mod in these amps.
Daniel


Also check:
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=60775&hilit=studio+volume

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=62060&hilit=studio+volume

 

[Don]

I added a Lead Drive pot on my '89 .22+. I moved the Reverb control to the rear of the amp. It was easy to do and cost well under $10 using Mesa parts.

I also added a switch to the tone shift cap that's engaged in the lead mode. When the switch is on, the cap is automatically engaged in the Lead mode. When the switch is off, it is not. I used a switch that's small enough to fit in a cooling slot on the rear of the amp without any modification.

 

[Buster Leggs]

Just took mine out of the box. I'm mainly C+'s up to this point but wanted something lighter for practice's. I feel like I'm constantly moving a small army. I won't get to play it until tomorrow. I bought the 22 PLUS thinkin volume balance between L/R mode was not an issue but I'm hearin differently. Dose the lead master not bring the lead volume up high enough? Anyway guess I'll find out tomorrow. At least there's a fix for it if need be. I was just hoping to plug in and play.

I get it now, Its not necessarily that you cant get the lead mode loud enough, it's when you dial in a clean rhythm sound, the lead mode won't have enough gain. And when you dial in a screaming lead tone, the clean is no longer crystal clean. It's still a screaming little amp and I'm using it just for practice and the occasional jamming at a buddy's house Sun. afternoon so I'll probably just do a few tube swap suggestions and be done with it. I'm hoping for some B/Board advice with a different issue. When it arrived, the reverb didn't work. (bought it off of e-bay). I replaced V4 no improvement. So I took a different reverb tank, hooked it up and now we have reverb. The seller said he would pay for a new tank, he suggested sending me back $30.00 to buy an Accutronics reverb unit. Any thoughts on the accutronics reverb units for a studio 22+? OR... WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD REPLACEMENT REVERB UNIT FOR THIS AMP?

 

[Bob Anthony]

I've said it many times. The lead drive mod turns a good-to-very good amp into a great-to-very great amp with a quite workable channel switching setup and more versatility. I also keep it in the 'EQ In' setting all the time, giving it more of a beefy boost to a better clean tone. The .22+ is a fine amp that is a bit fussy, but works well in many situations. I want to do something about the reverb, though.

 

[selectortone]

I've said it many times. The lead drive mod turns a good-to-very good amp into a great-to-very great amp with a quite workable channel switching setup and more versatility. I also keep it in the 'EQ In' setting all the time, giving it more of a beefy boost to a better clean tone. The .22+ is a fine amp that is a bit fussy, but works well in many situations. I want to do something about the reverb, though.

Absolutely. I LOVE mine, especially with the lead drive mod.

 

[Don]

I want to do something about the reverb, though.

After over 30 years of setting my Fenders' reverb to about 2-1/4, I actually like the reverb on my .22+!

 

[amrose57]

A question to you 22+ guys - does your amp hiss? Mine hissed like a snake, which is why I finally got rid of it. Awesome amp otherwise, and I wish I still had one. I bought a CD2 to replace it, and I like the separate tones stacks.

Al

 

[Don]

Mine hisses a little. Not enough to be a problem. I think my 5:50 hissed more.

 

[tonejam]

Same here, some hiss, no big problem.

 

[Mesa.22]

Here's my Mesa Studio .22+ and Thiele Cab (C90). I played a MK IV combo for 20+ years and the weight was not working well with my aging back. I sold the MK IV and picked up this .22+. It's half the weight and gives me the signature Mesa Mk sound that I always enjoyed on the MK IV.

This amp delivers. I did the lead gain mod and it's really quite usable now. The clean channel is to die for and the amp has no hiss issues at all.

 

[GottaBoogie81]

The clean channel is to die for

Second that on the clean tone! How do you like the Thiele? I've been thinking about building a TL806 cab before I re-tolex my .22+ so I can cover them both with matching western black, but I'm concerned that it might make things a little too bassy. The combo already has such a nice low end...

 

[Mesa.22]

The clean channel is to die for

Second that on the clean tone! How do you like the Thiele? I've been thinking about building a TL806 cab before I re-tolex my .22+ so I can cover them both with matching western black, but I'm concerned that it might make things a little too bassy. The combo already has such a nice low end...

The Thiele cab works great with the .22+. I like the 2x12 combo with one open and one closed. It really adds a nice dimension and punch to the sound. I have used my Thiele for years with a MK IV combo so I am very used to this setup.