Why does Steve hate Mesa Boogie amps?

So I took my switchblade to Steve in Burbank (roc n roll doctor). He has toured with Aerosmith as amp tech for 2 yrs in the past!

This guy knows his tubes and amps, etc.

He hates Mesa amps. The cold biasing, etc. He says, "just take it to Mesa hollywood for servicing".

He called my H&K Switchblade "an abortion". I almost started laughing hysterically.

He said the preamp is a "computer" and on the oscilloscope it was stepping up in the sine wave, not a normal smooth movement that analog tube preamps exhibit.

Anyways, for the price, that H&K is pretty **** good.

He like fenders, vox, marshall (JCM800 doesn't like much). Guess he's more into tone than gain.

any comments?

I think that he knows older, simpler amps quite thoroughly, but if you throw any complexities into it, he hasn't a clue. Could be that he's tried in the past to understand the designs, but spent far too much unproductive time. He has his comfort zone, and that's OK.

What does he say about Fractal :lol: ?

-AJH

MesaENGR412 said:

What does he say about Fractal :lol: ?

-AJH

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So AxeFX is what you're probably referring to and I can almost guarantee you he'll say it's a "holocaust", "genocide" or something else that's derisive.

Fact of the matter is that the Animals as Leaders guitarist runs AxeFX into a VHT 2/50/2 (or was doing so) and has some pretty badass tones IMHO.

What about the SS Randall amps that White Zombie and Pantera used?

He's apparently not into metal, b/c if he was, he'd probably think that Meshuggah SS (Line 6?) gear is ok.

I can tell you he's into all tube, all analog signal.

He told to get off the forums and pick a band (and/or album) that you what to mimic the tone and focus your efforts there.

Most people do that, but the problem is that I like many different styles of music, so I end up with something like the Mark V that's pretty flexible.

Less knobs = better tone?

simpler circuit = better tone?

who knows... it's all subjective and I'm sure mesa has some complex circuits like Mark 5 and Road King, and less complex ones like maybe Electra Dyne.

he did tell me that the Vox AC30 class A he has in the shop "that you can't afford" @ $4500 (which I can afford actually) has the best overall tone of most amps he's heard. And a Marshall JMP 100 half stack that is "way too loud for most clubs around here" I'm paraphrasing.

but the point is, who would use an AC30 class A amp for hard rock or metal? that's more of a jazz (scofield) or classic rock (tom petty) amp.

whatever, but he's so hardset in his opinions.

he also highly recommended JJ tubes (which is what I've been using in the power section for years).

Sounds like a pretty professional dude.

I forgot to mention to him that John Scofield (yes jazz/fusion guitar GOD) used/uses Mark I.

there's so many Mesa artists, it's almost laughable that he completely rejects Mesa to the point he has no clue about the features or existence of Mark 5.

totally is not interested at all. very obvious.

cold biased? oh really? eurotubes told me that the EL34 bias mode in Mark V is very hot biased so that they have to sell cooler graded EL34's for that amp.

I've never "denounced" any professional level amp as long as it's reliable.

It's almost like he had a bad personal rep with Randall or something in the past...

rabies said:

It's almost like he had a bad personal rep with Randall or something in the past...

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That's pretty much what I figured. He was rubbed the wrong way somewhere along the way.

I never like working with guys like that. If they think they know everything, then they won't listen to what the customer actually wants. Having a strong opinion doesn't make people experts. I hate Dimebag's tone, but HE liked it.

rabies said:

Guess he's more into tone than gain.

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If he was more into tone then he's looking the wrong direction.

Neptical said:

rabies said:

It's almost like he had a bad personal rep with Randall or something in the past...

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That's pretty much what I figured. He was rubbed the wrong way somewhere along the way.

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+1

I've heard of people who hates Mesa for just no reason, what if Mesa was a real phisical person that did something unpleasant.

rabies said:

He like fenders

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So why not the evolution of a Fender?

rabies said:

He told to get off the forums and pick a band (and/or album) that you what to mimic the tone and focus your efforts there.

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Quite right, it's more productive to actually play instead of just reading others experience.

rabies said:

Less knobs = better tone?

simpler circuit = better tone?

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Play, hear, you like the tone? That's the better tone!

rabies said:

he also highly recommended JJ tubes (which is what I've been using in the power section for years).

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I also use JJ's in both preamps and poweramps (along with Sovtek's and Mesa's) but that's very subjective.

Q: Why does Steve hate Mesa Boogie amps?
A: Because he can't charge for a bias adjustment with a retube? :idea:

benjamin801 said:

Q: Why does Steve hate Mesa Boogie amps?
A: Because he can't charge for a bias adjustment with a retube? :idea:

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+1 :lol:

Sounds like a hipster douchebag
"I liked fixed bias before it went mainstream" :roll:
Let me guess, he gave you a short list of amps that only deserved to get built because all others were crap.

he sells his own custom amps. ain't cheap.

http://www.rockandrolldoctor.com/

I'm sure Mesa Boogie will be just fine without Steve's endorsement. :lol:

"that amp is an abortion" (pointing at it like a small child)

you have to be insane to say that

dude has cuts on his feet, bandaged, barefoot, obese, blackened eye sockets, missing teeth

total disaster

Sounds like the fat comic book store guy from the Simpsons.

ryjan said:

Sounds like the fat comic book store guy from the Simpsons.

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:lol: Ahahahahahahahahahahah!

Like someone before said, these dorks think they've heard it all and seen it all. Next thing you know he'll be calling the TriAxis "not a real tube preamp". :roll:

I hate douchebags that rag on brands themselves, or should I say, an entire brand's amp range (preferably based on experience with ONE product, I love those idiots the most). The big amp brands like Fender, Marshall, MESA, Peavey, have a huge selection of amps, some are good, some decent, others marvelous, sure there are also amps in their range that are crap too (which specific amp falls into which respective category depends on your taste)... If I held a gun to your head and made you choose one amp from the range of just a single amp brand I'm sure you'd find something you were at least 80% satisfied with. I don't care if I use a Überschall for jazz or a 18W Plexi for death metal, if it sounds good I don't care what brand it is.

"The orange jewel on the power LED is far more desireable and increases the analog tone of the amp"

Man, this is the best Rabies thread yet!!!

I think if Steve actually plugged into an Electra Dyne and tried the clean tone, he'd have an earth shattering tonegasm right there in his pants!!
I've heard other people slam Mesa and the claims are really groundless. As long as you can get a good tone, it doesn't matter what your amp or guitar say on them!!