Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

[Fragle]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

imho they are overpriced, even in the US. sure, they are very versatile and offer a lot of different sounds, but imho it's more like a million of good sounds instead of only a few REALLY outstanding ones.

i'm voting for the engl SE [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

regarding power tubes: well, the problem with used gear is that you don't know how the amp was treated. one year old power tubes can be as good as new if the amp was used only in the bedroom at very low levels.....or it could mean that they are about to die if the owner gigged with it twice a week at full volume [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[tonemonster]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

Jack, I sent you a PM about this

[eaeolian]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

I'm sure Mr. Crooks will drop in to give his opinion soon - since he's the aforementioned member that owns two of them - but I think that used price is a touch high. They're awesome amps, though - if you like the Mesa sound, especially, although it can do much more than that. The rhythm sound with 2 6L6s and 2 EL34s is very cool, and of course it's switchable, so you can use just 6L6s for your clean, just EL34s for your leads and the combo for rhtyhms, for example.

I think they sound great, preiod. Then again, I have a TRec that I love, and many who've chimed in here prefer other amp brands, so YMMV.

[slayer]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

Michael, can the RK sound like a Dual or Triple Rec? Jack.

[Matt Crooks]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

[ QUOTE ]
Michael, can the RK sound like a Dual or Triple Rec? Jack.

[/ QUOTE ]

The circuit in the two high gain channels is identical to the second and third channels of the Dual and Triple. The power section is a little different, so it doesn't sound *exactally* the same, but in a blindfold-test you'd be hard pressed to know which is which.

I personally like the RK sound better than what I was getting out of the triple. For my tastes, I like EL34s for rhythm, 6L6s for lead, and 6L6s for clean. Since the majority of the song is spent playing rhythm I seriously considered putting EL34s into my old triple. However, the RK was out, and I just traded the triple in on the RK.

In the studio, the RK has been amazing, I've been able to get every sound from fender type clean, to brittish overdrive, to all out Mesa-grind.

If you like the sound of the Recto series, you will like the RK, and you'll get an outstanding pair of clean channels (which the rectos don't do well).

[Matt Crooks]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

I forgot to add - I like the triples better than the duals because the triples seem more agressive to my ears. The RK doesn't get quite that agressive, but *really* close.

[tonemonster]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

What Matt said

[slayer]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

Very cool Gents!! Thanks-Jack.

[charvelguy]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

any reliability issues?

[Matt Crooks]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

[ QUOTE ]
any reliability issues?

[/ QUOTE ]

None.

[LRGman]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

[ QUOTE ]
LRG, do power tubes really burn out after 1 year? I have had them last much longer than that. Are you talking a gigged amp or? Jack.

[/ QUOTE ]

-My thought is a tube used regularly for a year makes for an added expense to make the amp in new condition.

Some say a year to two-power twice as often as preamp-
Except-Ihave had brand new boogie tubes barely make it past their 90 days without gigging-

[EvilBatman]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

Matt and Tonemonster, what pickups are you using with your RK's? Also, how tight and articulate can they get?

[Matt Crooks]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

Well I have an RK that I use for gigging and an RK that lives in my studio. The live one only gets my guitars which all have EMG 81s, except the 7 stirngs which have EMG 707s. With my guitars I can get them very articulate, and they can go much brighter than I would ever need.

In the studio, I've recorded Les Pauls with the standard pickups, Les Pauls with EMGs, ESPs, Ibanezes, Jacksons with passive pickups, BC Richs, a Gretch, etc. I've always been able to get a really tight rhythm sound, when that was what I wanted. However it can get loose, if you set it that way, too.

I honestly have never heard the amp sound bad, regardless of the guitar. I've heard different combinations that I prefer, but never a bad tone.

Here's three tracks that all of the guitars were done with the RK. (The guitars were Jacksons, mine have the EMGs, Mikes have Duncan JBs)

http://home.comcast.net/~eaeolian/DivNewSongs.html

[tonemonster]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

Charvel guy- as far as reliability, I had the very first combo with the overhearting issue. When you put a combo on a angled stand, it couldnt dissapate heat correctly, and that disabled the channel switching function in a way. I had to send it back to Boogie and they put in a higher heat rated transistor or capaitor(I cant remember which now) and they installed a cooling fan on the chassis too. According to the guys at boogie, mine was the very first combo to have the cooling fan installed, which then became a standard feature after that problem arose. The upside was, the customer service they provided was absolutely outstanding. Randall even took personal interest in the problem and had a hand in diagnosing and fixing the problem. He felt bad and wrote a note on the chassis and autographed it for me. I thought that was world class service. I mean I was just a regular Joe Schmoe off the street and they really took care of me. Other than that, its been a champ!!!

Evilbatman- I am using Duncans. standard soloist pups, JB and 59. I also have 2 fusions that I installed Bill Lawrence Pups in. and I have one soloist with Reflex actives. The reflex pups sound "OK" on high gain, and outstanding on clean. the Duncans sound fricking awesome with the RK.

Hope this helps you both.

[charvelguy]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadking?????????

thanks.. that does sound like awesome customer service.
Mesa will get my vote next time about for a new amp.