• Ernie Ball
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Ernie Ball Music Man Custom Design Experience

I'm now able to play my ALs through a Mesa F50.

Spudmurphy

Spudmurphy

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Aug 23, 2005
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Cardiff, United Kingdom
Man this is a loud amp. Far louder than my Marshall 50.

Just got it home and so far so good. The cleans sound great and I'm able to get nice warm tones too at a lower volume.

It will be interesting to connect the F50 to the G12 Vintage Celestion in my Marshall - Can't wait to crank the thing up.and see how it performs with the Pod Xt in the return loop.

I got it second hand - had a very very slight tear on the tolex but I just took a hot iron to it, remelted the glue and voila - job's a good un.You wouldn't notice it unless I told you.

The one thing I don't like is the fact that you can't unplug the mains cable or channel select pedal in stock form.
However I've taken off the grill at the back and removed 2 cable grips and I can now unplug them without any grief and cart them about in my grip bag.
 
roburado

roburado

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Congrats, Spud. Enjoy it!

I like the F-Series Mesas. I like my F-30 more now that I have a Silo Spec to run through it. Whatever tweaking I've done to optimize the Silo Spec tone helped to make my JP and 20th sound better through it. So, I'm much more happy with it than I was before. I have thought that I'd like the F-50 more, but as you say, Spud, it's quite loud. It's probably too loud for my apartment. Heck, the F-30 is probably too loud, but I haven't had any complaints. I keep it down most of the time. I only turn it up at reasonable times, which is more than I can say for my neighbor who blasts his techno music at all hours of the day and night. If I'm playing loudly, I don't keep it turned up for long. I guess I'm a bit sheepish about the whole thing. If I keep playing, I play at low volume. I think the F-Series are quite versatile, and I like the tone better than any of the "Rectifier" models.

That doesn't keep me from drooling over a Dr. Z Stang Ray or an Egnater Mod 50, though. :D
 
kissmyaxe

kissmyaxe

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Seattle
We just purchased an older Mesa Boggie DC-5, it's gonna be great. We choose it over the F-50 and a Rivera because it was the best price and is less used today so we might be able to crack into some more original tones...but I LOVED the F-50 I played it for like 45 mins without noticing, I bet an AL sounds killer through one.
 
roburado

roburado

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Really, I like all those non-Rectifier, 50-watt Mesas.

I have a .50Caliber+ that is sitting in my mom's house in California. Of course, that was the progenitor of the DC-5, which was the progenitor of the F-50, which is the immediate progenitor of the Express 5:50. Each one is progressively better than the last, I think. That being said, I still think that the .50Cal+ has a smokin', smooth lead channel. I dig it. I don't know if I'll ever feel good about selling it.
 
Spudmurphy

Spudmurphy

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Aug 23, 2005
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Hey Rob / kiss
Thanks for your thoughts.

I really mulled a long time over getting this and I put a deposit on it a good few weeks ago.

It is such a nice amp and I can tell that it will be even better when it's really cranked.
It has a lovely warm bluesy tone and it is great for cleans too.

I see that it has had good reports - but I'm one for making up their own mind.

The amp and the two AL's have fallen in love Ha! I still like my little (but 8loody heavy)! Marshall though and I won't be selling that little jem!!

As Mesa owners know the controls take a while to get used to, They are certainly more "active" than the Marshall.

You guys in the US should be gobbling up these F series amps at the price they go for over there - I recon they will become very collectible in years to come.
 
Spudmurphy

Spudmurphy

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^
Colin
I've been contemplating posting sound clips for a while, e.g. comparing the AL's SSS with the MM90's. I've been in love with the clean sound that I get from the AER and the Mesa doesn't have a hope in hell of beating it on that.
I've a computer that's steam powered ha! but I have a friend who has ALL the right gear. I plan to have some leave soon and will probably try and do something then.
In the meantime I need to get to grips with the nuances of the Mesa.
Spud
 
P

philiprst

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Mar 1, 2006
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Baltimore, MD, USA
Congrats on the F-50. You have a really great amp there that has always impressed me every time I have tried one. It's interesting you should mention the clean tone because when people get Mesas they always focus on the lead tone. My experience has been that they can also produce gorgeous clean tones very much like a classic old Fender. Perhaps that is because the Mark and F series were original based on the Fender circuits.
 
Spudmurphy

Spudmurphy

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Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Mesa have some great amps for the shreaders out there.

But the F50 is so simple - it only has 6 knobs per channel and one of those is reverb it's a great blues amp.

I can't comment on the dual rectifiers too much 'cos I haven't tried one myself but they seem to have a very overdriven sound to me.

Rob you may recall that I was going to get an old MM amp but this Mesa won me over - try one out it may surprise you If you do, don't forget to pull out the channel one gain control, as it has a further top boost.

If that MM amp I tried was in better condition I would have got it - but I've seen better out there and will bide my time.

I think these F50's may get collectible too!
 
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