My Mesa Express Goes back to GC

[AlexL]

Early August I posted a review of the Mesa 5:50 2x12 I bought at GC in Edina, MN. If you read the review, you may remember that I said I loved the sound, but it had a few rattles that I needed to have looked at.

I brought the amp to a local well-reputed Mesa service center. They had the amp for three weeks, I got it back, and it still had the same problem. Further troubleshooting on my part led me to believe that the problem was the output tubes physically resonating, producing a glassy rattle when playing certain notes at even moderate levels of loudness. The rattle was a physical vibration, not beiing amplified through the speaker.

I called Mesa about it, and they said "Yeah, combo amps will do that".

I brought it back to GC, and they swapped the amp out for me.

After getting the new amp home, I fired it up, and within 10 minutes found a problem. When playing certain notes, I would get "fizzy" sound through the speaker. The glassy rattle of the previous amp was nowhere to be found, but the new problem was very apparent. I went back to GC, the loaded me up with three free replacement 12AX7 tubes, and I tried swapping the preamp tubes around, but nothing helped.

I packed the amp up, brought it back to GC, and got a full refund. I felt bad, as I am not a buy it/use it/return it kind of guy, buy for spending almost 1400.00, I expected an amp that worked. I can understand one lemon, but I ended up with two bad amps in a row. Unacceptable.

I have to say that I expected better quality from Mesa. My buddy has an F100 that I have played through plenty of times, and it is a fine amp, though I find the distortion to be a bit harsh (the Express sounded better on high gain that the F100, IMO)

Anyway, I felt I needed to do a follow up to my mostly glowing review of the Express. Maybe I was just unlucky, but I am a bit gunshy of Mesa at this point.

I may go look at a Rivera on Saturday, and a contact I have at Savage may get me a loaner amp to test drive for a week.

The quest continues...

Original Review:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72930&highlight=mesa+express

- E.

[RR05xx]

Hmm, Mesa is not what it once was and know of similar type problems on Rectofiers from about 10 years ago. I still swear by there stuff though (I mean, I still play charvels, and I get f'ck'd in connection with buying two new ones, so what do I know LOL!).

[Valeck]

I think that the HPs were not warmed enough. With new hps you have to do the same as with new cars (sorry, i don't know the word in english). So that's maybe why there are some fizzy notes, or harmonics. Try to warm up the amp for 10 minutes before firing it up, that may be the solution.

[Learn Guitars]

I had a similar bad experience with my Mesa Nomad. It was in the service shop for 4 of the first 6 months I owned it. I eventually took it back to GC and they gave me a full refund. I can say that GC is great about backing the products they sell.

[emperor_black]

First of all, GC's return policy is only within the 30 days right? How are you guys keeping the amp for 4 weeks or more and still getting a full refund??

And are these amps also hand-built by Mesa? I thought all mesa amps were hand-built.

[Spivonious]

I think that the HPs were not warmed enough. With new hps you have to do the same as with new cars (sorry, i don't know the word in english). So that's maybe why there are some fizzy notes, or harmonics. Try to warm up the amp for 10 minutes before firing it up, that may be the solution.

I think the phrase you're searching for is "breaking in".

[RR05xx]

Actually, I think he is refering to the idea that you need to leave the amp on "standby" for a while before you actually start playing. This is good form with any tube amp and I do it for at least 5 mins everytime I fire one up.

[Valeck]

No, just play at low volume for 10-15 minutes, so that the hps can warm up a bit, and after that crank up the volume. With 10 uses like that they should work better at bigger volumes.

[AlexL]

I always start the amp on Standyby. I have a 50W all tube head as my other amp, and have NEVER had problems with it like I did the Mesa.

- E.

[AlexL]

First of all, GC's return policy is only within the 30 days right? How are you guys keeping the amp for 4 weeks or more and still getting a full refund??

I was able to show them that my amp was in the shop for much of the time I owned it. Plus, I brought it in and showed them the problem. They immediately gave me a replacement once they decided it may have other issues (that was the original amp). I only had the replacement for one week before that one went back.

As far as being hand-built, that can be read on different levels. They may be "hand assembled", but that can mean manually putting the circuit boards into place instead of a machine doing it. "Hand wired" can also be misconstrued that way.

They certainly are not "Hand wired, point to point" amps, like my 50w Zwengel head is. And I am fast approaching the fact that that may be what I am looking for.

- E.

- E.

[AlexL]

I had a similar bad experience with my Mesa Nomad. It was in the service shop for 4 of the first 6 months I owned it. I eventually took it back to GC and they gave me a full refund. I can say that GC is great about backing the products they sell.

Hey Mike, been a while.

Yeah, I must say that GC was fantastic about the whole thing. If I were them, I'd be calling Mesa and asking them WTF is up with their new Express line (the combos, anyway).


- E.

[yard dawg]

From a tech in the area. He said the new mesas have pages and pages of service problems. They arent as reliable as the older ones. I wouldnt buy a newer mesa. There are better more reliable options now. Mesa cant ride on past fame for long.

[AlexL]

From a tech in the area. He said the new mesas have pages and pages of service problems. They arent as reliable as the older ones. I wouldnt buy a newer mesa. There are better more reliable options now. Mesa cant ride on past fame for long.

Same story for a lot of different companies (Can you say Gibson?).

I was seriously disappointed in my experience. It's just capitalism. They are probably making more profit than they ever have. They're just cranking out more product than they can maintain quality on. I must admit I am probably pickier than their average customer. I don't just buy the name, I expect quality that matches the $$$ spent, and can hear it if it isn't there. I am anyone's worst customer, because I know what to listen for, and won't settle for anything less than what I am paying for.

Twice bitten, forever shy.


- E.