Amp shopping again...

[fulltone1989]

I only tried the 5:50+ plus for a bit at the store. I think I preferred the 5:25, but ultimately didn't really consider the 5:50 because I didn't want another 6L6 beast along with my MKIII.

If you only want the clean channel, consider a Lonestar, E-Dyne, MKI reissue, SOB, or MKIII.

Mesa's, IMO, sounds pretty good even quiet. IIRC, I could get my MKIII as quiet as the 5w setting on my 5:25 and the MKIII sounded better. In fact, for months I used my MKIII at quiet bedroom levels mic'ed to headphones - for recording or just practicing, and I improved quite a bit with my mic'ing skills. Remember - a simulclass MKIII has a 15w setting, which is a bit quieter than simulclass.

I don't know why, but after gravitating to different amps I like the 6L6 sound the most. Big and clean I guess, if I can make the 5:50+ 2nd channel identical to the first that's my first choice, I think having the dirt on the amp a nice option if I ever needed it. So the simulclass is useful on the MKIII? I'd need to find a fully-loaded head GC's used would be my first choice. I had a green stripe that sounded great but I don't remember it had simulclass. Getting a 5:50+ new is another factor for me too, it's nice to have the warranty but there's a tech around here that's authorized for Mesa so a MKIII could be repaired locally too, so many things to take into consideration. A 1 channel Express with a GEQ and simulclass would be awesome.

[Heady Jam Fan]

I couldn't get channel 1 & 2 to sound the same on the Express amps.
Plus the 5w setting won't have the typical 6L6 big cleans - lower headroom and more midrange-focused.
But go check one out!

[fulltone1989]

I couldn't get channel 1 & 2 to sound the same on the Express amps.
Plus the 5w setting won't have the typical 6L6 big cleans - lower headroom and more midrange-focused.
But go check one out!

Hmm that's what I expected. I'm thinking about trying channel 2 for a clean tone and cranking channel 1 for a mid boost w/ gain. That's interesting about the 5w setting, the clean headroom isn't an issue as that mode would be for home practice mainly. I've tried it with my PRSSE, ES339, as well as a Strat and vintage Jazzmaster at work. The humbuggies sounded good to me as usual, nice and full; and the single coil options were nice too. I don't play a Strat right now though (or for the foreseeable future) so that was more of a "what if" test I guess. It's a very versatile amp, if I start playing fusion I'll be all set!

I'll bring in my LP on Black Friday (surprisingly, nobody comes in really haha) and give it a spin. The humbuckers on that are particularly hot so I am looking forward to how quickly it breaks up on the 5w setting.

[Hoody]

I have not been able to get Channel 2 to sound as clean as Channel 1.  You can get it pretty clean, but not all the way there.  I'd suggest using Channel 1 for clean and try this:

Gain:  10 o'clock

Treble:  almost none, about 7 o'clock

Mid:  1

Reverb:  8.30

Master:  Noon

Sounds great on clean, and if you put it on crunch it sounds really good, too.  I usually use Channel 2 for just slight dirt.  The key is really in balancing out the Gain and Master, and then turning down treble.

I think the clean channel has plenty of headroom at the 25 watt setting.  I had it there this weekend for a practice session w/ a full band and it was actually way too loud.  This is not your normal 25 watt amp.  Runs WAY hotter. 

[fulltone1989]

I have not been able to get Channel 2 to sound as clean as Channel 1.  You can get it pretty clean, but not all the way there.  I'd suggest using Channel 1 for clean and try this:

Gain:  10 o'clock

Treble:  almost none, about 7 o'clock

Mid:  1

Reverb:  8.30

Master:  Noon

Sounds great on clean, and if you put it on crunch it sounds really good, too.  I usually use Channel 2 for just slight dirt.  The key is really in balancing out the Gain and Master, and then turning down treble.

I think the clean channel has plenty of headroom at the 25 watt setting.  I had it there this weekend for a practice session w/ a full band and it was actually way too loud.  This is not your normal 25 watt amp.  Runs WAY hotter. 

Ill have to play around with that. I'd probably end up using channel 2 for a similar tone, do you use the loop at all? If the reverb on it is good enough I would only run the ARDx20 through it, love that delay.

I was able to find a pretty good clean tone on it after a few minutes which was promising. Mesa's are different than my current amp but the learning curve wasn't as hard as I though it would be.