Mesa F-series Lounge. Come on in and share your secrets.

[ShizzelDizzel]

 

Originally Posted by stevew14

Hey Everybody,

I haven't posted here often, if at all, but I have an effects question that is also F-series specific. I hoped maybe someone here could help. I am running a few pedals in front of my F30, and several in the loop. I found that when I try to power the pedals in front of the amp and the ones in the loop with the same power supply, I get a very noticeable hum. If I use two different power supplies, all is well. I have tried a couple of different supplies,(one spot and gator) and had the same result with either. I just can't seem to get the before amp and loop stuff to get along.

I am curious if any other f-series owners have experienced this, or if maybe there is a fault with my amp. I called and talked to someone at Mesa about it. He really couldn't explain it, and said I might just have to use the two seperate supplies. Not a huge deal, but it would be nice to simplify.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

My guess is you've created a ground loop. Basically you have created more than one path for the signal to return through ground. I suggest getting yourself a regulated power supply with isolated outputs such as the Pedal Power from Voodoo Labs.

[Will Cyrier]

 

Originally Posted by Mrmot

hey guys, do your F-series amps have a metal rod(like on the pic below) or a metal grille in the back to protect the tubes?

 

I have a bar like the one in the pic on my F-30.

[robwl]

 

Originally Posted by Mrmot

hey guys, do your F-series amps have a metal rod(like on the pic below) or a metal grille in the back to protect the tubes?

Iced Tea, i hope you don't me linking to your pic

 

I just got a F-50 yesterday used lovin it so far... mine has a metal bar same as that picture.

[Dann'sTheMan]

 

Originally Posted by Mrmot

hey guys, do your F-series amps have a metal rod(like on the pic below) or a metal grille in the back to protect the tubes?

Iced Tea, i hope you don't me linking to your pic

 

European F-series amps (together with other amps from Boogie) have a metal grille at the back in order to meet more stringent EU Health & Safety regulations. The concern is that us poor guitarists can get our little fingers burnt by those nasty tubes - so a protective bar is not enough. Don't you just love how Health and Safety laws keep us safe for more guitaring?

Big smiles,

Andy.

[Mrmot]

 

Originally Posted by Dann'sTheMan

European F-series amps (together with other amps from Boogie) have a metal grille at the back in order to meet more stringent EU Health & Safety regulations. The concern is that us poor guitarists can get our little fingers burnt by those nasty tubes - so a protective bar is not enough. Don't you just love how Health and Safety laws keep us safe for more guitaring?

Big smiles,

Andy.

 

Thanks for clearing this up! I LOL'ed while reading this...

[eddie.perez]

Hey Brothers,

I've been using my F-100 alot for over a year now. I think it's time to retube my whole amp. I was thinking of slapping on some groove tubes. I went to thier web site but they just have so many 12ax7's and 6L6's that i don't even know which ones to get. Are groove tubes good for the F series anyways, if so which ones would you guys recommend?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

[ShizzelDizzel]

Ok, so I've acquired a few new toys.

First off is a new Edwards John Sykes Les Paul, (have yet to play it through the F50). A G Major is on it's way. I'm looking for a Lexicon R1 to control the G Major .....they are hard to find for what I consider a reasonable price.

So I guess I'm still trying to decide on a cabinet. When I had the F50 combo years back, I loved the C90. I also loved that speaker in the Rectoverb. I'm looking for a 412 with C90's in it but it looks like Mesa has pretty much went with V30's in everything. So is my best bet an Avatar Vintage 412 with CL80's? What say you?

[bob sakamano]

does anyone else find their f-50 midrangey? i plug my f-50 into a 2x12 closed back avatar with v30s.

i cant, for the life of me, get the gain channels to be less midheavy, even channel 2+contour (almost independent of the mid knob's position)

i even tried the master volume/effects loop trick - the effects loop knob seems to just as sensitive as the master volume knob on channel 2 (goes from not that loud to really loud by barely turning the knob)

thats not to say i dont like the tone of channel 2, i just wish i could dial down the mids a little more. also, this channel doesnt palm mute very well, i get no thump

this sounds like a lot of bitching, but i do like the amp, there are just a few things i would like to improve...

[ShizzelDizzel]

An Eq out front or in the loop might do wonders for you.

[Sixtonoize]

 

Originally Posted by bob sakamano

does anyone else find their f-50 midrangey? i plug my f-50 into a 2x12 closed back avatar with v30s.

i cant, for the life of me, get the gain channels to be less midheavy, even channel 2+contour (almost independent of the mid knob's position)

 

I know exactly what you mean. The problem is that the F-series has all of the EQ pre-gain, and a distorted signal has an essentially flat frequency response.

With a Marshall-style tone stack (post-gain, pretty much standard on every modern amp, sans the Mark-series), even with the EQ controls flat, there is a significant scoop at 750hz, and a boost around 1500hz. Oddly enough, this is pretty close the the famous Mark-series V-shape graphic EQ. The F-series doesn't have a way to get this, so the mids tend to be overpowering.

I use a parametric EQ in the FX loop, set to 100% wet, with a 7db cut @700hz, a 3db boost @ 100hx, and a 3db boost @ 1200hz. This makes the amp MUCH more pleasant to my ears, without sounding "scooped" and "modern."

[bob sakamano]

 

Originally Posted by bassnewb32

An Eq out front or in the loop might do wonders for you.

 

im kind of embarassed that i didnt think of that. thanks i would really only need it on channel 2 though, which sort of sucks. the cleans on channel one are extremely close to those i can get on my super reverb

[bob sakamano]

 

Originally Posted by Sixtonoize

I know exactly what you mean. The problem is that the F-series has all of the EQ pre-gain, and a distorted signal has an essentially flat frequency response.

With a Marshall-style tone stack (post-gain, pretty much standard on every modern amp, sans the Mark-series), even with the EQ controls flat, there is a significant scoop at 750hz, and a boost around 1500hz. Oddly enough, this is pretty close the the famous Mark-series V-shape graphic EQ. The F-series doesn't have a way to get this, so the mids tend to be overpowering.

I use a parametric EQ in the FX loop, set to 100% wet, with a 7db cut @700hz, a 3db boost @ 100hx, and a 3db boost @ 1200hz. This makes the amp MUCH more pleasant to my ears, without sounding "scooped" and "modern."

 

sweet tip, thanks for the settings - do you use a boss eq?

[ShizzelDizzel]

 

Originally Posted by bob sakamano

im kind of embarassed that i didnt think of that. thanks i would really only need it on channel 2 though, which sort of sucks. the cleans on channel one are extremely close to those i can get on my super reverb

 

You might be able to dial the eq on the clean channel to make up for whatever you change on the outboard eq.

[Lt_Core]

 

Originally Posted by bob sakamano

sweet tip, thanks for the settings - do you use a boss eq?

 

I use the MXR 10-band EQ. Love it in my F-50's loop. I give it a little mid-scoop, works great.

[mikeyen]

Just joined the club - got a F-30 that I'm really diggin. Just the right size and weight too.

Re: Bob's comment - I actually like the fact that it's mid-heavy (not as much low-mid than a Marshall, but more so than your average Boogie). Part of it might be personal preference, but part of it is that mids are usually what ends up cutting through the mix at a live gig. Most live tones that worked well for me would seem too "middy" by themselves, but sounds great in the mix. But then again, much of that also depends on the type of music you play and what other instruments are around, so YMMV.

Mike

[Sixtonoize]

 

Originally Posted by bob sakamano

sweet tip, thanks for the settings - do you use a boss eq?

 

I actually have a Kawai 8-channel parametric EQ (8 seperate 1-band EQs in 1 chassis) that I use. I've heard that the Boss units color the tone quite a bit. The Kawai certainly isn't the mist high-end piece of gear, but it's totally transparent.

Any EQ should work, though. They all do essentially the same thing.

Also, you should know that adding an EQ in front of the amp won't help that much. That just adds MORE pre-gain EQ, and what you really need is POST gain EQ.

Also re: Mikey

I'm usually a total midrange Nazi. I've never met an amp that I thought had too much, until I got my F-100. The problem that I had was that it was TOO present in the mix. It kind of stuck out, so I needed to smash it back a little bit to get it to sit correctly.

[hinrich]

 

Originally Posted by Sixtonoize

Any EQ should work, though. They all do essentially the same thing.

 

I agree to that. I tried a Behringer EQ700 (US$45) and I definitely got more control, bringing the mid bands down 800 and 1.6k bands down cleaned it up nicely. Except for the wobbly sliders, it's apparently just as good as a BOSS GE-7.

On a side note: Hal, I returned the THD Hotplate because I couldn't justify the cost to make an F-30 combo in that price range sound better. I almost considered selling it then I emailed your effects loop / master volume trick to my lead guitarist. First of all, he said you're a GENIUS! He made a cable to your specs and I tried it last night. I only had 5 minutes to play with it and already I got beautiful distortion tones in channel 2 with my Les Paul. In fact I think it might have sounded better than with the Hotplate. It's like the F30 has a built in attenuator, it just needed that mod.

The only thing is though, I need to figure out what to do with my chorus and delay pedals. I haven't tried it out front yet but in the past I didn't have much luck mixing it with the overdrive pedals.

Anyway, thank you Hal, you're a generous man with your experience.

Hinrich

[Joeytpg]

hey brothers....I need someone that speaks German... I want to buy this John Mayer Strat but the website is in English and I don't understand {censored}.

hey Andy, where do you buy guitars online in Europe?

the link:

http://www.musicstore.de/is-bin/INTE...pTo=OfferList#

[Joeytpg]

It's too hard buying like this.

Can anyone give me a good music store in Europe?

[Jeru]

Hello all,

I want to build a small-footprint footswitch for my F30. It'll either be one switch for just switching the channel, or a two button for channel/reverb.

I am sure that you gurus have got to have a diagram for which pins on that midi cable actuate which functions on the F30's footswitch, and probably someone's even got a schematic made. What say you?

I don't use the contour at all, so I'd probably have to either jumper two of the pins of the midi connector or leave them open..

(I guess Ideally it'd be two button.. However, I imagine I'd have to get some sort of 4-conductor cable to do that. Comments?)

[Sixtonoize]

 

Originally Posted by Jeru

I am sure that you gurus have got to have a diagram for which pins on that midi cable actuate which functions on the F30's footswitch, and probably someone's even got a schematic made. What say you?

 

We'd probably say to go and check out the very first page of posts in this thread...there lie all of the answers you seek

 

Originally Posted by Jeru

I don't use the contour at all, so I'd probably have to either jumper two of the pins of the midi connector or leave them open..

 

Correct. Leave them open. If that doesn't work, close them.

 

Originally Posted by Jeru

(I guess Ideally it'd be two button.. However, I imagine I'd have to get some sort of 4-conductor cable to do that. Comments?)

 

Incorrect. You'd need a 3-conductor cable - 2 signals, and a ground (common). OR, you could just use a standard MIDI 5-pin connector on your footswitch box, and use the existing cable, not wiring (or hard-wiring) the functions that you don't use.

[Dann'sTheMan]

 

Originally Posted by hinrich

I agree to that. I tried a Behringer EQ700 (US$45) and I definitely got more control, bringing the mid bands down 800 and 1.6k bands down cleaned it up nicely. Except for the wobbly sliders, it's apparently just as good as a BOSS GE-7.

On a side note: Hal, I returned the THD Hotplate because I couldn't justify the cost to make an F-30 combo in that price range sound better. I almost considered selling it then I emailed your effects loop / master volume trick to my lead guitarist. First of all, he said you're a GENIUS! He made a cable to your specs and I tried it last night. I only had 5 minutes to play with it and already I got beautiful distortion tones in channel 2 with my Les Paul. In fact I think it might have sounded better than with the Hotplate. It's like the F30 has a built in attenuator, it just needed that mod.

The only thing is though, I need to figure out what to do with my chorus and delay pedals. I haven't tried it out front yet but in the past I didn't have much luck mixing it with the overdrive pedals.

Anyway, thank you Hal, you're a generous man with your experience.

Hinrich

 

Hi Hinrich,

Loop attenuation certainly works for many of the brothers here. If you want to continue to use your delay and chorus in the loop, then there are other ways of achieving loop attenuation. If either the delay or chorus pedal have a final output control, then use that to reduce the levels (this is essentially what hal9000 and I do with our G-Majors). Alternatively, you could use a simple volume pedal. Or, if you are up for a small project, you could build your own loop attenuator box for a few bucks in parts, and place it in the loop along with your pedals. For some excellent info on building such a project, check out hal's post (and the surrounding info)here

Big smiles,

Andy.

[Dann'sTheMan]

 

Originally Posted by mikeyen

Just joined the club - got a F-30 that I'm really diggin. Just the right size and weight too.

Re: Bob's comment - I actually like the fact that it's mid-heavy (not as much low-mid than a Marshall, but more so than your average Boogie). Part of it might be personal preference, but part of it is that mids are usually what ends up cutting through the mix at a live gig. Most live tones that worked well for me would seem too "middy" by themselves, but sounds great in the mix. But then again, much of that also depends on the type of music you play and what other instruments are around, so YMMV.

Mike

 

Welcome to the brotherhood, Mike!

Tell us more about the music you play.

Big smiles,

Andy.

[Dann'sTheMan]

 

Originally Posted by Joeytpg

hey brothers....I need someone that speaks German... I want to buy this John Mayer Strat but the website is in English and I don't understand {censored}.

hey Andy, where do you buy guitars online in Europe?

the link:

http://www.musicstore.de/is-bin/INTE...pTo=OfferList#

 

Hey Buddy,

I guess there are one or two advantages to having spent some time working in Germany. Here's the English version of the musicstore website: http://www.musicstore.de/is-bin/INTE...mpTo=OfferList

http://www.musicstore.de/is-bin/INTE...mpTo=OfferList

You may also be interested in checking out www.thomann.de - highly recommended.

(Although a little pricier on the Jon Mayer strat: http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_john...b_egitarre.htm )

Big smiles,

Andy.

[Will Cyrier]

Hi guys. I know this topic has been covered, but I don't have a lot of spare time to search through 272 pages of valuable information right now.

I have a DL4 and Flanger pedals that I like to run in the loop of my F-30. I would like some cheap attenuation. I have an Earnie-Ball VP, but it's heavy and takes up mucho floor space. I'm intriguied by this:

Essentially my question is: can I use this in a chain as follows?

FXsend-->Hal attenuation box-->Flanger Pedal-->DL4-->FXreturn

I'm also interested in EQ possibilities in place of the Hal attenuation box. What are your opinions on the MXR 10 band? Should I look into rack mount instead? I currently don't use rack effects so that may take me down a trail I'm not ready for....white rabbit

For kicks here's a pic of my pedal rig:

The thing's a mess but gets the job done.