F-Series reliable for high gain?

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mwrenne

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Hi,
I love the tone of the F-series for crust punk/D-Beat. My settings are gain 100%, tone controls in the ball park of 50%, Volume 70-80%.

I have had nothing but trouble with my first F-50 which shut off at random, and now my F-100 seems to be a beast that eats through tubes. I only play at full volume 4-5 times a month with my band but I am having to replace my power tubes every 3 months and its almost a given that I will have a microphinc pre-amp tube every month or two. Almost always during a gig.

Does anyone else have problems with reliability? Anyone else playing with these types of settings? I sent the amp to mesa and I was told by a tech that I shouldn't have any knob past 1 O'clock. I played the music with even more extreme settings on my DC-5 for 15 years without any issues.
 
Wow... Gain maxed and 70% to 80% volume. Doesn't the guitar turn into a feedback monster at those levels? Are your drums mic'd up? If the drums are not going through the PA don't you drown out the drums? That is soooooo :shock: LOUD!!!!!

I have an F-30 and even on outdoor gigs I hit maybe 50% at half gain. It is a Bi-amp system with amps on both sides of the stage. They are effects loop Stereo chorused together.

My suggestion would be to get a microphone in front of your amp, back down your volume to about 50% and let the PA do the work.

Or... Get a Mark V head and a couple 4x12 cabs. The Mark V is a more midrange tone punchy amp. ( I have one )

Sorry I just cannot imagine playing that loud. I always get told to turn up and I use 2 vertical 2x12 cabs and 2 compact 2x12 cabs with my Mark V...complicated rig... but it's awesome.
 
I can't believe a mesa tech told you that. there's no reason you can't run all the controls on 10, other than perhaps the police and perhaps a surgeon general's warning about sounds over 105db causing deafness.

Have you used the FX loop master trick?

Plug a blank (non connected) guitar plug (technically a 1/4" phono plug) into the FX send. Then take another of the same type of plug and ground it's tip to the ring on the back (just bend the connectors together, or use a wire, but solder them).

Now your FX return is an overall master for the amplifier, and it is much more usable, and you can run your channel masters at higher levels.

I think that's what most F series users do. I have an F-100 and honestly I wouldn't be able to use it without that. I think it might one of the loudest guitar amps ever made.
 

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