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Mesa F-30 combo...love it or hate it?


pioneerprogress

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The F-series is cool, but the tone stack on the gain channel is in a really weird spot in the signal chain (iirc, it's in between gain stages 2 and 3 out of 4), so the versatility is pretty limited, and the Contour function is WAY over-the-top and isn't adjustable, it's either on or off, and both settings are a bit much.

 

But, you can get some good tones if you can play LOUD...they're terrible at quiet volumes.

 

The cleans are really good, however.

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The F-series is cool, but the tone stack on the gain channel is in a really weird spot in the signal chain (iirc, it's in between gain stages 2 and 3 out of 4), so the versatility is pretty limited, and the Contour function is WAY over-the-top and isn't adjustable, it's either on or off, and both settings are a bit much.


But, you can get some good tones if you can play LOUD...they're terrible at quiet volumes.


The cleans are really good, however.

 

 

Six, I don't know whether or not you've played one, how would you compare the mesa to a Peavey Bravo? I really loved my ol' Bravo, wondering if it's similar or a totally different beast.

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i think the f30 is pretty meh. its kind of lifeless sounding to me. it's usable but I wouldn't really want one unless it was dirt cheap. I also concur with whomever mentioned the tone stack controls being ineffective.

 

totally different than the bravo.

 

bravos are fun amps and you can get them cheap.

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i think the f30 is pretty meh. its kind of lifeless sounding to me.

 

 

I totally disagree with "lifeless". I had one, and only returned it because I needed something bigger at the time, (bought a Stiletto Deuce when they were $899 closeouts before release of Stage II and later Stiletto Ace)...

 

For as small as it is, it sounded big. I ran an MXR 10-Band in front as a boost/EQ, and the lead tones, especially, were sick! I plugged into an Avatar V30-loaded 2X12 cab for awhile..It can get as heavy as you want, with a boost. Cleans were lush, and mid-gain blues tones were very nice as well. The EQ was tricky, (as with all Boogies). You either hit the sweet spots, or you didn't. Plain and simple. EQ, and patience, yields some pretty good tones. Again, playing leads on that amp were especially entertaining. VERY responsive, harmonically rich, and gritty.

 

If I found one cheap, I'd be all over it. I've considered MANY times, of getting another. I'm sure there's others out there, but a single 1x12 little monster the F30 can be!

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The F-series is cool, but the tone stack on the gain channel is in a really weird spot in the signal chain (iirc, it's in between gain stages 2 and 3 out of 4), so the versatility is pretty limited, and the Contour function is WAY over-the-top and isn't adjustable, it's either on or off, and both settings are a bit much.


But, you can get some good tones if you can play LOUD...they're terrible at quiet volumes.


The cleans are really good, however.

 

 

No I think it is not between gain stages 2,3 but rather input, gain stage 1 tone controls(tone stack) and then the rest of the gain stages. Also the first tube that the signal crosses is V2 and NOT V1...To solve any discussing matters, the preamp is basically the same and is under the same patent number, with the dual caliber series with a preset graphic eq just before the loop (post graphic eq preset in a "mark IIc+ V shape according to randall smith). The contour setting brings in this preset eq and changes the negative feedback current increasing pressence. All in all, it is markish distortion wise to say the least rather than rectoish. Of course you can mod the post eq or what ever you like, I have the mesa boogie studio preamp and if set accordingly they sound very similar save the extreme setting on the post eq of my studio preamp.(eg 6,6khz sizzle).

 

The basic tonestack is not a typical (?) tone stack at all, as it reacts in my mind just like the studio preamps and mark series amps, letting you decide which band (treble mid bass) will be distorted the most. So versatility is there only that it is not in spades but rather, in the tricky pre gain tone stack...You will discover if you test it that depending on the settings raising treble or mid on the eq will not actually raise treble or mid content but actually, will the raise the amound of treble initially that will be distorted and it will provide as a result more gain. Still it is "limited" beacuse it is based around the same sound in variations. And the more gain you raise the more it becomes thick and eliminates the tone stack effect. Still sounds good though!

 

Think of them as boosters that you run in front of an amp. But now they are perfectly integrated in the amps signal chain. Tricky. This is something that you cannot in any way do with a recto or marshall design.

 

Randall smith said that the f-preamp draws from the first studio amps, and the clean path is the same with the famous mark 1 save (but changing the sound because of) the circuit bringing the reverb into the chain.

 

It is a great amp but with some minuses.

 

First of all sixtonoize it is almost impossible to compare it with the mark III. The power section is completely different. But if they are alike from a point of view is that the mark III is horrible for setting three sounds (clean crunch solo e.g.) without compromising one(same with my studio preamp). Not so much with the f-30. It has a seperate clean channel with its own master and "eq". Also in many regards the f-series clean is ahead than any mark amp but it usually refers to the 6L6 based f50 and f100.

 

So the problem lies in the gain and contour channel. In a band situation, I like to play rythm with the "contoured"(scooped V somewhat, cuts great) sound and lead with a boosted non contoured sound raised some db's above.

 

The way to do that is (because the contour channel is somewhat louder than the normal gain due to the V shape and such) to control the volume through the loop...But the {censored}ing loop goes as far as 90% parallel mix!!!So it nevers works as completely serial!!!and as a result it does not work, satisfactory for me at least, with and effect that requires the full signal of the amp(e..g post eq, volume boost) to pass through it. It still works but blurs the sound a bit. My next move would be making it a push pull serial/parallel switch.

 

What the mix control offers you as sixtonoize said in the f-series lounge is that if you put a volume control device in the loop, you drive the preamp tubes harder(pushing them to provide more signal beacuse you will again bring it down in the loop with the volume pedal) AND bring the tube bufferd loop into play. There is a tube (V4 I think) driving the loop. The more it is used the more it tightens and compresses the signal in a very very good way

regarding low volume playing. For me it negated the need for an attenuator (even though I think that the f-30 on its own is good on low volumes as its gain is mostly preamp based and the bass lite el84 are comparatively clean at low volumes) and also offered me some great tonal variations of the amps sound. Edgier crisper more aggresive sound.

 

The power section is Dyna watt. It will completely take down the bias in some points to increase the amps output. In terms of experience especially in the contour channel it reminds me of a built in compressor in the output section. Some times is a blessing some time it takes some things...

 

The output tubes are of course el84 and only two of them. This along with the small cabin design (original boogie size) affects the end result greatly. Firstly the el84 character is there but not one british style sound is to be found in there. (my theory that the ouput tubes colour the sound but the rest of the circuit is the real tone shaper...) Don't expect to sound marshall/vox/laney lc-30. It will sound more akin to a fender running el84's.

 

If you like el84's then it s great. If you don't then yeah it is hate. I love it in the gain department:cleaner and more raw sounding and even not deafening in rehearsals. I like the bass lite sound cause it is more percussive than any f-50 clip I ve herad.

 

But I do hate it in the clean department. Clean sounds are bouncy jangly and generally not sterile at all. If you plan on gigging with an amp and you do want or need a good clean sound with no break up, don't buy this amp! You can play clean/rock and roll dirty just with your pick attack but you cannot strum and play loud clean parts with great effect...I'd prefer a solid state monster of an amp for that that almost any tube amp below 50 watts on open air gigs...

 

All in all a great LITTLE amp. Meaning studio use? Great! Rehearsall's small giggs? Great(but with limited versatility stock due to the 90% mix loop). It will fit a trunck and will drive and 8-ohm thiele cab parallel with it;s own speaker: Perfect portable mini stack.

Frequent demanding live use? Power section not adequate for my taste...

 

That said I think I will never part of it as I love the way it sounds. I had the chance to sell it for 800 euros (meaning close to 1000$) and buy a "true" mark with the same amount of money. But I just could not. It may not be the vintage or sound correct mark series or recto amp? But it is nice to know that I definately will keep a product due to its sound. Afterwards I read about a guy that had a mark IV (nice he said) then a roadster (nicer he said) then traded it for an f-30...May be he could just hear himself as I do through this amp.

 

Here are some of my favorite f-30 clips by andershoeg

 

http://www.soundvenue.com/artist/mandenmedhegnet

all but the first are f-30 I think through sm57?

 

http://netmusicians.org/?value=Mesa%20F-30%20combo&section=amp

 

Here are some by dtrax He took the effects send out and put it through speaker sim. It works better than the recording out of the amp. I plan to use it along with a mike in a live situation.

 

This

 

is with a boss eq through the loop and a marshall 4x12. Curiously it works but I can still hear some of the blurring I mentioned

 

In your place: For the right amount of $ I'd get it

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wow thanks for the info on it...

I am still considering this amp if I find one...as I'd really like a versatile el84 amp (as I like my VJ but for a totally different application)

Turns out the amp that was at the shop was actually a F-50, and was priced a little higher than I was ready to drop on an impulse purchase. :cry:

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I played one and really liked it. If the price is right, I say go for it. There's some hate for it due to the fact that it's not one of Mesa's "flagship amps", but I think they sound great and are pretty underrated (and I have a Mark IV :poke:).

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Hey everyone,

 

sorry about the late post.

 

I just got an F-30 & it has a hiss & hum sound when taken off bypass mode. Is this normal? I've never owned a tube amp, but my solid state has a hiss, not a hum.

 

The hum is quietish, consistent & doesn't change regardless of what I do. When I tap any of the tubes, nothing audible happens. When I turn any of the knobs, it stays the same. When I put the speaker cable from 8ohm to 4ohm, it stays the same. When I completely unplug the guitar, it's still there.

 

I took the amp out of the cabinet & it looks beautiful. The caps are not swollen or leaking. I didn't go as far as taking the PCB's out to check for cold solder, but that might be my next step.

 

Any ideas?

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Here are some of my favorite f-30 clips by andershoeg



all but the first are f-30 I think through sm57?

This


is with a boss eq through the loop and a marshall 4x12. Curiously it works but I can still hear some of the blurring I mentioned


In your place: For the right amount of $ I'd get it

 

 

I LOVE the clip in the 1st link...but my experience with the F-30 is great amp but noisy. I've tried 3 different and each made noises that rendered it useless for me. It would be okay in a gigging situation but I play mainly at Church these days and the noise was annoying...even on the clean channel. In contrast my Rectoverb combo is the quietest high gain amp I've ever played.

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Great amps, one of the best combos out there for less than $1000 IMO.

 

My F-30 has been in my amp arsenal longer than any other. Play lots of shows with it, has never broke down or caused any problems whatsoever. Can be dark/muddy with some guitars but really shines with a brighter sounding guitar.

 

One thing for sure, its one of the smoothest amps out there and is NEVER harsh.

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Even though I've not owned an F-30, I did own an F-50 for a year and a half untill I sold it to fund my VH4, otherwise I wouldn't have sold it.

 

To me the F-series amps are incredible. The cleans are just to die for and the OD is very unique (hence why some ppl don't like them) but to me they sound VERY good. If you're gonna play metal I recommend to play it through a separate 2x12 or 4x12 cab since the combo is a bit flubby for that, but there's more than enough gain, and if you REALLY wanna go br00tz, just add an EQ pedal in the loop and it'll knock you down!

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Great amps, one of the best combos out there for less than $1000 IMO.


My F-30 has been in my amp arsenal longer than any other. Play lots of shows with it, has never broke down or caused any problems whatsoever. Can be dark/muddy with some guitars but really shines with a brighter sounding guitar.


One thing for sure, its one of the smoothest amps out there and is NEVER harsh.

 

 

Yeah man! my thoughts exactly!!! I mean I tried my guitars on it and several others. A greco paul that I loved was dark enough sound...muffled through it...Damn. The same with my epiphone les paul gothic floyd. Less with my yamaha rgx1212s(fantastic specs and built...). Bound to be frustrated I plugged in a hybrid, baja tele and other strats and a greco sg with p90s...It made me imagine that the f in the f-series stands for fender!!! I "hate" fender style guitar but that tele sounded so good that I thought just to buy it as a present for my f-30!!!

 

Hey Joey I remembered you actually wanted to trade some time your then f-50 for and f-30 for tighter bass! Well, it is not the same, but el84's are bass lite, and yeah they sound kinda clean aritculate and faster than other tubes I tried with the f and studio preamp out!!! If you find it give it a try. Also the original boogie size cab doesn't sound as huge and loose as the widebody in the f-50. And does not of course produces that much bass.

 

By the way einstein rules man. Don't you want it back? I actually tend to prefer every clip I heard from the einstein to any of the vh4. But I will try them both probably in germany, and maybe pull the trigger. What do you say?

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The einstein is a great amp, I really loved mine, but It just came down to a few things, the reason I sold it and kept the VH4:

 

-the VH4 4 channel makes it wayy more versatile than the Einstein

 

-The VH4 cleans and blues/crunch (channels 1 and 2) where more to my liking compared to the Eisntein Cleans and texas mode, although they were REALLY good.

 

-I LOVED the Einstein's second channel for crunch/hard rock/metal but it was a bit too compressed for the AC/CD - blues breakup thing

 

 

again it was a great amp, but the VH4 suits me better.

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I get enough of what i want out of my F30 Head, but the thing is that the gain channel is pretty set before you start tweaking. But i can get exactly what i want out of it, quite easily.

 

If i were to get another amp, id probably stay mesa and either get the F Series replacement the Express 5:25 or id just save up till i had the

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I also, think the same. The problem with the el84 early breakup remains...A mark V is an incredible amp as a concept, and the more the time passes you know mesa...always little tweaks. the express 5:25 is supposed to be a bit voiced towards the lonestar gain, hotter! You may notice the mode switches that are similar or the same but I am basing this thorugh yet again a randall smith interview where he said that the whole board was redesigned to incorporate bits an parts of various mesa amps! Interesting!!!

 

Concerning the f-30, I really like the smooth sound out of its preamp. I was also thinking of

a) tweak or replace the post graphic eq( which is preset...)

b) take my studio preamps graphic eq and throw it in there!

c) add a pressence knob(through the contour path...)

d) add switches for changing the q of the eq (the first set) similar to the pull/push or switches on the mark series or studio preamp.

 

But sometimes, if it ain't broke...ah screw it!!! I may go for it...?

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