F-50 vs Express 5:50

How do these two combos compare to each other? I can get a good deal on an F-50 and sell my Express for quite a bit more. All I really need is a good clean and a nice crunch so tone is the most important thing. Thoughts?

Johnny

I think they're both pretty close on tone and circuits, though the 5:50 has more switching for the contour and of course you can dial the contour freq. I'm looking for an F-50 myself - I play a F-30 religiously and just need a little more head room for some larger gigs.

The 5:50 has much better reverb than the F-50 (it's tube driven rather than solid state driven). I think the 5:50 has a much nicer clean tone and I like the medium gain tones better as well. The contour is also more usable bacuase it can be adjusted. I also prefer the 5:50's serial effects loop.

The F-50 is capable of more gain.

When I bought my 5:50 I tried it side by side with a used F-50. The new 5:50 cost 50% more than the F-50 and I chose it over the F-50 without regret.

I would not trade the f50 for the 5:50...
The f50 beats the 5:50 in crunch and in clean...
Just my 50cents...
The f50 high gain kicks ***...
I looked for an f50...or 100... tried the 5:50 and 25... Went on to order a Mark...
I believe the F series was probably one of the best series Mesa made... The f100 combo 212 is a monster!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, y'all.

Johnny

If could get an F-100 head... I would buy it. Just because the f-100 is, like one said before, a monster and one of the best amps Mesa made. I prefer its high gain to Dual/triple recs... not over Mark series!

Well, it took a while, but today I picked up a very clean F-50 combo. What a great amp! The F-30 may sit for a while...

A guy at GC told me that the F50 and the Express 5:50 are virtually the same amp, spec by spec.

But I'd never part with my F50. It sounds so amazing... I'm in love with it.

Triple said:

A guy at GC told me that the F50 and the Express 5:50 are virtually the same amp, spec by spec.

But I'd never part with my F50. It sounds so amazing... I'm in love with it.

Click to expand...

lulz... a guy at GC?