You've got a budget of... let's say... $1,500.

^ They have all but the 4th one (all black) in stock:
http://www.humbuckermusic.com/dr-z-maz-18-jr-nr.html

I'm a helper!
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dmn23 said:
I've already got an Egnater Tweaker. I've gigged with it and it does a fine job. But it feels like a $300 amp.

I've already got a Delta Blues 15". Love, love, love it, but it's a pain to haul around and the occasional tube rattle makes me crazy.

I was misguided and poorly informed when I bought my DRRI. I just assumed it would be a lower-wattage, more manageable version of a Twin. That couldn't be further from the truth. I'm older and wiser now.

Jaxn had a SuperSonic that I was largely meh about.

Solid state isn't on the table.

The AC-15 is attractive but I'm not sure if I'd really be happy with it.

I would simply like a well made tube amp that fits the size criteria described in my OP that does cleans really well. If it has a great breakup to it that's fantastic — I'd love to NOT be a pedal guy — but I don't need super brootal anything.

So I'm coming back to Mesa and Dr. Z.

Any Mesa fans want to give me a Cliffs Notes version on the differences between the Express+ 5:25 and the Mark V:25?
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I hear ya. $1,500 is just to rich for my blood. Were I actually in the market for an amp I'd get a small combo with the best clean tone and most clean headroom for $800 or so and use the rest to buy the Godin A6 Ultra that I've been lusting for years. I've got a MESA V-Twin pedal that I use in from of my Blues DeVille 2x12. I set the Blues to my favorite clean sound and use the clean channel on the V-Twin to get another clean variation, the blues mode to capture a sweet just-breaking-up tone and the solo for the higher gain stuff. As the higher gain applications are less of a concern with each passing year, it's really just a mellow distorted tone. Not overly saturated, but just right...if I can find the sweet spot. :thu:

My gas is generally guitar based and mostly really acoustic these days, but I don't need/can't justify buying a high end anything anymore. None of it makes me play any better when I get those all to infrequent moments to mess around. So then it's either picking up an acoustic or plugging one of the electrics into my Mustang I amp.
 
dmn23 said:
I've already got an Egnater Tweaker. I've gigged with it and it does a fine job. But it feels like a $300 amp.

...

I would simply like a well made tube amp that fits the size criteria described in my OP that does cleans really well. If it has a great breakup to it that's fantastic — I'd love to NOT be a pedal guy — but I don't need super brootal anything.

So I'm coming back to Mesa and Dr. Z.

Any Mesa fans want to give me a Cliffs Notes version on the differences between the Express+ 5:25 and the Mark V:25?
Click to expand...

I had an Egnater, forgot which model. It was a cool little amp, had a blend switch between el84's and 6V6's. Just didn't do much for me though and I sold it.

Re: Mesa Express+ - I have an Express 5:25, earlier model. The difference between mine and the + is the + has the 5 band EQ. Mine has the contour knob, which is like the 5 band EQ preconfigured in the MESA V shape - the contour knob blends it in - it can also be footswitched on/off.

I love the express channel 1 clean setting - best fender clean channel I've played. My strats ring like a bell through it and it loves my tele as well. Very touchy, and adjustable EQ and gain knob - once dialed in it's just alive.

On channel 2 I like the Burn setting - classic MESA crunch. Not that overkill rectifier crunch, but very smooth, what you expect out of a 1x12 MESA amp. This channel is very usable with all pickups on a strat (the bridge sounds great through it) and responsive to the guitars tone controls (I'm always fiddling with that it seems).

I like that both channels are essentially like having two different amps; they share no knobs, each has it's own gain/EQ/reverb/master and contour. Because of this, I do not bring dirt pedals to gigs any more. Coupled with the footswitchable contour, there is plenty of gain tones on tap. I have done several gigs plugged straight into the amp. The amp does work well with my tonelab le - so I'm guessing it would be fine with other pedals.

Have never played a Mark V, but would love to and would probably love it. However I really don't need all those settings and would probably settle on two that I like; a clean and a crunch. And that's exactly what I get with the Express - a great clean and a great crunch. The Mark V:25 looks really tempting, but I have all the amp I need at this point. The Express 25 is plenty loud to gig with unmiced.
 
Very helpful, thank you.

I've never paid more than $700-$800 for an amp in my life, so really, everything I'm looking at seems crazy. But I'd like one really nice amp and I'd like to not have to think about it again for years.
 
dmn23 said:
Very helpful, thank you.

I've never paid more than $700-$800 for an amp in my life, so really, everything I'm looking at seems crazy. But I'd like one really nice amp and I'd like to not have to think about it again for years.
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This is how I spent $1900 on my Allen Encore in '06. If I were buying an amp today it would be a Dr. Z. I've had great experiences with the Maz 18 and 38 (though honestly, the 38 is too much), the KT-45, and Route 66. I would also consider the Therapy, M12, and Remedy.
 
Mesa 550+ because that's what I bought so it has to be the best because otherwise I screwed up and that's just not possibleicon_conf.
 
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Has anyone mentioned the the Mesa Mark V 25 yet? Oh yeah... I see it a few posts up. Man... I'm GASSING to play through one of these!!!!



Lightweight... dial it in... use the EQ for shape or as a built in solo boost... separate reverb for each channel... and a very effective cab/emulated Direct out? :baimun:
 
baimun said:
Has anyone mentioned the the Mesa Mark V 25 yet? Oh yeah... I see it a few posts up. Man... I'm GASSING to play through one of these!!!!



Lightweight... dial it in... use the EQ for shape or as a built in solo boost... separate reverb for each channel... and a very effective cab/emulated Direct out? :baimun:
Click to expand...

That Mark V 25 head is only $100 more than the Express 5:25 head:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Exp525PlusHD

vs

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Mark525

If I were buying new, I'd probably spring for the V (even though I've never played one and have a 5:25 that I love).
 
It really depends on what type music you are playing. For me I would go in several directions.

1) Quilter MicroPro
2) Traynor YCV40
3) If you can stretch the money...A Goodsell 18
 
hug-grandmeister36_1_1.jpg




$1199

36, 18, 5, 1, or 0 watts

4 channels

EL84's

digital reverb

tap-delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, boost, power soak, noise gate
 
In the end I decided all I really wanted to do was to spend a little money, so I bought an Xbox One and a copy of Forza Horizon 2. I'm good for a while.
 
dmn23 said:
In the end I decided all I really wanted to do was to spend a little money, so I bought an Xbox One and a copy of Forza Horizon 2. I'm good for a while.
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Don't worry, we'll all be here for you when the amp GAS strikes again!
 
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