Express 5:50+ ....nothing but issues

Well....the honeymoon is over!

Loved this amp when I got it....then, the contour EQ controls stopped working...
At roughly the same time .....got static/spitting sound hissing out of both channels...all modes.

Amp was at the authorized Mesa repair centre here for about a month.... got it back ....they said only V1 tube needed replacing ( I had already replaced it with a brand new tube ....made no difference ).
Plugged in the amp at the shop when picking it up.... sure enough.... same noise on all channels/modes .... no difference...still not fixed. Contour controls now work even though the tech did nothing to 'fix' them.....hmmm?

A month later .....I call for an update ..... tech is on holiday great.....

So Fri .....finally got the amp back again...... seems like all is well ( "3 plate resistors replaced" says the repair paperwork ) .

Amp sound good....no static .......BUT
Tried the reverb ..... not working ....both channels... Gawd!!
So replaced V5 .....still nothing ......check connections at the tank and chassis....all look ok ....still no reverb ....

Back it goes to the repair centre...

I hate this amp now....cant stand it.
I have tube amps that are 30+ years old with zero issues ...this thing is not yet 2 years old and it is just a lemon IMO..

At this point I just want to get everything working so that I can SELL IT!!!!

Rant....

So.....just thought I would give it one more try before lugging this thing to the repair shop. Still no reverb ......the EQ countour controls are not working again... Sic!

Sounds like you need to find a new repair shop, not a replacement amp!

Kind of sounds like its actually a small problem, nothing major.

I would contact Mesa and just send it back to them. One time when I was having issues with my 5:25 plus I shipped it back to them. I asked why not just go to a local authorized place, and the Mesa guy said he didn't trust most of those places! I sent the head back to them after that!

I would contact Mesa and just send it back to them. One time when I was having issues with my 5:25 plus I shipped it back to them. I asked why not just go to a local authorized place, and the Mesa guy said he didn't trust most of those places! I sent the head back to them after that!

DannyB_KY said:

Sounds like you need to find a new repair shop, not a replacement amp!

Kind of sounds like its actually a small problem, nothing major.

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I had a similar reverb failure with my 5:25+ head (not my current combo) and it was a few resistors that needed replacing.. it happens. I'm not sure about your EQ controls - that's new to me.

I would probably send it back to Mesa though, they're great to work with!