I need help with Express tone!!!!

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ocs_josh

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Ok, so I am a new member as I just purchased an Express 5 50... I am freaking out though because I have never owned a Mesa before and I am simply unable to dial in a good tone. I use a gibson V and I am looking for a good overdriven tone. Everything I'm getting is really abrasive distortion. Does anyone have any suggestions? Any tone settings I could try? The samples in the manual just aren't cutting it..
Thanks
 
ocs_josh

What EQ settings are you using? Are you setting them by sight ie. putting them where youve set them on other amps or are you setting them by ear?
 
Words of advice with the Express when dialing in a distorted tone: Bass is your enemy!
 
My best advice (coming from a guy who hates metal distortion and loves creamy smooth classic rock sounds):

1. The less distortion you want, the more the bass knob is your friend. The bass tone (to my ears) actually has a lot of the low mid control, whereas the mid knob sounds too much like high mids to me.

2. Use a good EQ pedal to get finer control over the tone than what you get from the tone knobs. If necessary, use a clean boost like the Boosta Grande.

3. Dont assume that you have to have your guitar knobs set on 11 the whole time you are playing.
 
Thanks guys so much! This has been really helpful! I'm still searching for "my" tone but I think I am getting a better understanding on how to use a Mesa....it's quite different from all the other amps I've used. I'm so excited now!
josh
 
ocs_josh said:
Ok, so I am a new member as I just purchased an Express 5 50... I am freaking out though because I have never owned a Mesa before and I am simply unable to dial in a good tone. I use a gibson V and I am looking for a good overdriven tone. Everything I'm getting is really abrasive distortion. Does anyone have any suggestions? Any tone settings I could try? The samples in the manual just aren't cutting it..
Thanks

Are you talking overdrive or distortion here.
For humbucker PUP's I luv the burn channel tone of
gain @ 3-4 oclock
bass @ 8-9 oclock
mid @ 11 oclock
treble @ 1 oclock
reverb @ 2 oclock
contour wherever
5W or 50W

The 5:50 has a lot of bottom end (so does the Lonestar) so with everything else as long as you keep the bass below 10 oclock I've found it impossible to dial in a bad tone in any channel with any guitar.
 
When you have a tone that you think you like write it down with a note on how it sounded. Better yet, if you have a digital camera, take a pic and put it in a document for future reference.
 

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