Recent content by melodiusthunk

I encountered similar problems when playing loud through my Express 5:50 combo; the eventual solution was to switch to the Express + in a head + separate cab format, no more rattles.

Late responding, but here goes; Yes, I have had the same experience as the OP, in that the Express + Eq & gain staging options provide enough flexibility to allow selling off many of my dirt pedals, which were mainly in the category of AIB pedals. I keep 2 MIAB (Weehbo JCM drive & Menatone...

One other thing you could do is to check for possible oxidation of the effects loop jacks by repeatedly inserting and removing the cables (this works best if you can spray a bit of electrician's contact cleaner (such as Caig deoxit) onto the cable ends and into the jack ports first).

Express 5:50 + owner here. The Express 5:50 takes pedals very well indeed, especially when played into its clean channel with the power amp set to the 50 watt setting. I have owned many OD, amp in a box, 7 fuzz pedals over the 4 years I have played the Express 5:50, and have found that the...

I think I have experienced the same rumble playing my 5:50 combo (MC90 speaker). At various times, I've had some success with all of the following: 1. Tightening the bolt that passes through the center of the amp chassis. This can help by effectively stiffening the chassis, thereby altering...

I am in the process of converting my rig from an Express 5:50 1 X 12 combo into an Express 5:50 plus head and 1 X 12 cab; my default cab choice is the 23" widebody Lonestar with the C90 speaker. Before I commit to this cab, I wonder if anyone running an Express 5:50 has ever found another...

what Newy said.

I'm going to say you want an a highly driven AC30 tone for Brian May; I'm going to say you want to check out the Menatone Top Boost In a Can (TBIAC).

One thing to verify is that any connection made across the effects loop isn't a contributing factor. Second might be to disconnect the footswitch and change channels using the toggle switches. I have occasionally gotten "fried amp" sounds out of my Express that (somewhat mysteriously)...

5:50 owner here; midfail and others give good advice. Try swapping preamp tubes with either Mesa SPAX or other quality supplier AX7, one at a time, beginning with the V2 position. If doing that doesn't reduce hiss to your satisfaction, then either learn to love the beast for what it is, or...

Newy has some good advice here; I run distortion or fuzz into my 5:50 clean channel all the time, but typically keep only the treble filter at or above noon. "Wave of noise" makes me think you probably have either the mids or bass or both dialed into too high. If you want a tight bass end, try...

BWAAAAHAHAHA...I want the new one...BWAAAAHAHAHAHH! :mrgreen:

I tightened mine (CW, looking towards bolt head), just like Tonefordays explained in his response. I wonder if any other combo makers use this as a fix, given that so many combo users experience rattles.

An Update to share: Recently I came across a little nugget O' wisdom about Mesa combo's that has made a BIG improvement to the low-middle end (400-900 Hz) sounds I can get from my Express 5:50; Mesa calls it a "tension bolt". It is that odd looking bolt sticking out about 1/2" thru the middle...

I recently re-tubed my 5:50 preamp (except for the reverb driver, which I left unchanged) one tube at a time using Mesa SPAX7's. Beginning with V2, noticed that CH2 hiss was significantly reduced, then V1 & V3 (no great change) & thean at V4 got rid of a microphonic squeal (not a loud squeal...