Need help with TA-15!

Hi guys, i´m from Brazil and new here.
I wrote an email to mesa support. It explain my problem:

"Hello, my name is Percy and i´m a costumer from Brazil.

I bought the TA-15, great amp, great tones, good volume for gigs.
There is 1 thing that is driving me crazy: i cant boost the amp for solos!

While in the "dirty" channel, hi 1 or hi 2, when i use a clean boost pedal to raise the volume, the amp simply gets more saturated.

So, i cant raise the volume for solos... i´m a solo guitar player, i need that kind of dynamics... i think everybody needs.

My question is: is there any solution for my problem or i´ll have to sell the TA-15? cause i have to play the solos at higher volume than rythm.
Does the same problem occurs in TA-30?

Regards,

Percy"

Can anybody help?
Thanks!

One thing you could try is an EQ pedal. Use it to boost the high-mid frequencies to help cut through the mix. For my own uses the last thing I want when playing is a volume jump. I usually am working with a soundman though. In the cases where I'm not the rest of the guys I play with all work together to let each others playing come through (backing off a bit when one of us has a more prominent part).

Are you using the 25 watt power setting?

Yes, i´m using 25w and use a BOSS EQ pedal to boost. Sometimes i just need more volume for solos or heavy rythms, i think everybody needs it.

Here is the answer for the email i´ve sent to mesa with the issue:

"Thanks for your email. Unfortunately because of the real estate and the stripped down nature of the TA-15 there is no solo boost on the amp. Also, what would benefit you is using the clean boost through the FX loop, however....the TA15 does not have a loop on it. Using the clean boost on the gain channel will just hit the preamp tube harder and not really increase your volume. Unfortunately because of the limitations on the amp you may need to look into using the volume pedal or on the instrument a bit more to get your desired results.
Thanks
Kris"

Even mesa says that it will not work. Very Disapointed
I know that its not a Mesa TA-15 exclusive issue, but all the tube hi gain channel amps.

I´m a pedal user, its the 1st time that i´m tryin to use an amp drive. Usually i use my Blackstar HT DUAL (with boost at the end of chain), than sounds great, but not as good as a tube amp drive.

If you really like the sound of the amp, you could get the TA30, which I believe has an FX loop, which would allow you to hook up a boost pedal in the loop for your solo's.

Thanks for the advices!

The only thing that really surprises me is the fact that nobody ever complained about this in here or in other boards. I mean, how can ANY GUITAR PLAYER live without the possibility of raising the volume with a boost? It´s the base of guitar dynamics at live gigs...

This amp doesn't respond any differently than other amps, if you have a distorted channel and you put a boost in front of it, it will just get more distorted. A boost only gives you more volume if you are boosting into a clean channel.

I don't know if this is already being done but use the volume and tone knobs on your guitar. Set your playing level to edge of breakup at 75% volume. Crank up up when time to solo. Same for tone knob if you want. :roll: If you are already maxing distortion, you are going to need to boost the master and back off the distortion to come out front. Distortion and stepping out from the mix are opposites. A 15W amp has its limits, but nearly ideal for lower gain sounds.