Stingray 5H Special and Mesa D800plus settings that don’t clip

[Tolbert]

Hello: I recently got a Stingray 5H Special and it’s clipping my Mesa D800plus amp. When I switch the “active” switch it of course lowers the volume, and then I bring back up and then clips again. I’m using 2 subway 12 cabs and competing against drums, keys and guitar. We’re a Tears For Fears tribute, so it’s pop and rock.

Anyone have your D800plus settings you could share/suggest?

Thanks,
Tolbert

 

[tbonesullivan]

Do you hear the amp clipping, or is it lighting up the OD led? I'm assuming you read the Mesa Manual from cover to cover?

The Stingray special is an 18V preamp bass. If you are cranking up the EQ and the volume, you can potentially create a signal that is hot enough to overdrive the input stage.

Do you have anything in between your bass and the amp?

 

[danny-79]

How are you setting the volume and EQ on the bass it’s self ?
I’ve learned with any of mine (especially anything with the 18v pre in it) never to turn the volume up on the bass anymore than 70% ish or clipping will occur

 

[Tolbert]

Do you hear the amp clipping, or is it lighting up the OD led? I'm assuming you read the Mesa Manual from cover to cover?

The Stingray special is an 18V preamp bass. If you are cranking up the EQ and the volume, you can potentially create a signal that is hot enough to overdrive the input stage.

Do you have anything in between your bass and the amp?

At first I didn’t hear clipping, just noticed the clipping light blinking. Most of my settings on my d800plus are set at 12 o’clock. I also have the deep & bright switched on.

On my Stingray, I have bass boosted probably 80%, mid -100%, and treble 20% and it has newish strings - just got it so I haven’t changed strings.

My pedalboard has, Boss tuner, Boss 0C-3, new Boss bass chorus, MXR Envelope filter, MXR M80 preamp, and Cali76 compressor (all set to 12 o’clock).

I didn’t have any of the pedals engaged and tried the Cali76 but ended up just turning down.

I alternated having the d800plus active switch off/on. When it’s on I had to crank up the master to hear myself against the drums and it went back to clipping again.

I guess I need to keep the SR5 at 70-80% volume. I also play very light.

 

[Tolbert]

Thanks I’ll try that 70-80% volume and see how it works. I’ve got my settings on my SR5 at bass +80%, mid -100% and treble +30%.

D800plus+ settings pretty much set at 12 o’clock like I use for my Serek Midwestern2 and ‘76 Jazz.

I turned off all of my pedals too.

 

[Tolbert]

I do have the bass +80%, mid -100%, and treble +30% and volume at 100%. The d800plus has most of the knobs set at noon with the deep and bright switch on. When I turned on the active switch I had to boost the volume and then clipped again. It’s a balance I need to figure out. Thanks, Tolbert

 

[tbonesullivan]

If you don't "hear" a problem, it's ok to have the OD light on. It is just there to let you know that Overdrive is happening. The amp is designed to be able to have a nice overdrive sound, so honestly if you like the sound, the light going on is not a problem. This is all outlined in the Mesa Product Manual.

Having the bass turned up that much will suck up your headroom VERY fast, both in the pre and power amp. With the EQ like that you are putting out a very different tonal profile than with your two passive basses. You might want to reduce the bass in the EQ a bit, and maybe up the mids for a bit more punch.

 

[five7]

80% bass boost, that seems like alot. If you have the bass boost on the amp on, why would you need the bass knob on the SR5 at 80%. I played a bongo 5 thru a mesa 800+ for years thru a bergantino 410. Plenty of bass set flat on the bongo.

 

[Tolbert]

Thanks for the tips! I’ll keep tweaking just didn’t want to fry anything ��