barrymclark Posted August 18, 2013 Posted August 18, 2013 What's the difference between the Express and Express Plus? I have a 5:25 combo that is fantastic. I love how british the EL-84s sound as compared to the 6L6 driven 5:50. Run it through a 4x12 and it can handle heavy metal. Run it alone and it can handle anything else. My favorite amp I've owned thus far. I don't own an Express Plus but, from what I've seen and read, the Plus differs from my standard Express in that the graphic eq, solo boost and 3rd power stage was added. I also hear that the Clean channel was updated for less hiss. The hiss on the original Express is no doubt there but it doesn't annoy me. I'm considering getting the Plus so I can have a second that is the same but different. Either that or a TA-30. ... and you can always get some yellow jackets and EL84s for that tube characteristic when you want it.
cobrafast1 Posted August 24, 2013 Author Posted August 24, 2013 Another advantage of the plus is that the footswitch will remember the other settings on/off for Reverb, Equalizer and Boost when you flip flop between the two chosen channels. Each of the channels has two settings. Top channel is Clean and Crunfch Bottom channel is Blue and Bun Then you can set the equalizer to Preset (factory setting) or manual and adjust it yourself to your liking. The Boost is really cool for those power leads and the amount of boost is adjustable to suit the need. There is some minor other features like selecting the footswitch or the front panel switches for each channel. It's pretty versatile and flexible to suit the need. I'll hang on to my Express Plus5:25
cobrafast1 Posted August 24, 2013 Author Posted August 24, 2013 One other thing comes to mind. You can select 5, 15 or 25 watt output which also changes the class of the amp for that setting. I usually at home, just leave mine on 5 watts, unless I want a peculiar sound from one of the other class amps.
barrymclark Posted August 24, 2013 Posted August 24, 2013 One other thing comes to mind. You can select 5, 15 or 25 watt output which also changes the class of the amp for that setting. I usually at home, just leave mine on 5 watts, unless I want a peculiar sound from one of the other class amps. Yep. The Plus has more functionality than the standard Express. Honestly, though, this amp will likely almost never leave the one setting I use save for minor tweaks to EQ to suit the room or power settings depending on situations. But.. the 5 watt is just where it's at.
Billgelder Posted August 25, 2013 Posted August 25, 2013 I have rebuilt several Mesa amps. I only kept two a Studio 22 and a Subway rocket. Both are very good and loud little amps.
kidsmoke Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 This thread reminded me that a few years back, some reading had led me to believe that an Mesa F30 may be a good amp for me. Revisiting that, it appears that the Express line replaced the "F" series. Any thing in particular to look at where these are concerned? Similar to the other small MEsa combos mentioned here with great cleans? I can get a youtube assessment like anyone could, but if there's first person accounts to be had from the HOC, I'm interested in hearing it.
AP515 Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 ...first person accounts to be had from the HOC, I'm interested in hearing it. I've played the 5:50 and owned the 5:25. Both are fine amps. The 5:50 has 6L6's and the 5:25 has EL84's. IMO you need to know which tone you like before you buy. I could never warm up to the EL84's. Great cleans but too much treble for me. The 5:50 was warm and with a little reverb is had all the tone I wanted. If I was in the market for one I'd really look for the 5:50, but those who like the British thing will love the 5:25.
kidsmoke Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 I guess my stream of consciousness posts are misleading. Wondering if anyone has experience with the Express predecessor, the F-series. F-30 in particular.
AP515 Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 I guess my stream of consciousness posts are misleading. Wondering if anyone has experience with the Express predecessor, the F-series. F-30 in particular. Well, I have a friend in Japan who gigs with an F30 exclusively. He LOVES it.
barrymclark Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 I guess my stream of consciousness posts are misleading. Wondering if anyone has experience with the Express predecessor, the F-series. F-30 in particular. I haven't played one. But.. from what I gleaned in my research of the Express series back when I first got interested, the F series seems to have a better home amongst the heavy rock/metal guys. The express is more for jazz, blues, classic rock folks. I can't speak to the F series, but the Express I would say that seems accurate. I briefly played around with the higher gain aspects of the amp with an LTD EC series guitar with EMG's in it... and... it was 'ok'. What I took away from it is that, aside from the clear functionality differences, the F series focused on gain whereas the Express focused on cleaner. Now, everyone has different tastes. You might like the F series cleans just fine and the functionality difference is neither here nor there. On the Express, they've added a second gain voicing as well as the ability to dial in the contour (as opposed to a simple on-off) as well as being able to just turn it off. You also have the ability to get different power settings which, for many, is the greatest thing in the world about the Express. I tend to agree, the 5w setting is just the bees knees for me on Clean 1. There is also, from what I read, more hiss in the Express series than the F series. There is hiss in mind, but it isn't annoying and it is barely noticeable to me and I play mostly alone in a bed room with little ambient noise... so... yeah.
rockabilly69 Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 I prefer the F series to the Express, they sounded punchier to me! And the hiss thing would never be a bother in a live situation. Hell I had a Studio 22 that was supposed to be the worst of the hissers and I LOVED that amp! And Randall Smith himself was very proud of the F-Series, here's an article about the F-50... http://www.mesaboogie.com/Reviews/guitarist-F-50/Designing_f-50.htm
kidsmoke Posted August 30, 2013 Posted August 30, 2013 GREAT info to be had here, thanks. This thread has made me bleary eyed, in that it's sent in search of a small Mesa combo to call my own. I've needed something with a bit more meat than my champ, which sounds great when mic'd but that's not always practical. I've found three small Mesa combos to be had near me. I've seen them all referenced in this thread, so if someone wants to offer a vote and a justification, I'd love to hear it. Assume the guitar is a 535 with some wonderful 8K PAF's ....what might I find with a F-30 Subway Rocket (BillGelder's Keeper) DC-2 (rockabilly69's workhorse) ideally this amp would sound good enough at low volume that I'd enjoy it, but able to let it rip with a group of friends in a corner tavern too. All of these can be had for far less than a DRRI...which is a low watt combo benchmark as we all know. discuss.....
kidsmoke Posted August 30, 2013 Posted August 30, 2013 Apologies if this is an EPIC thread hijack....it seems it's become a great repository for general MESA product discussion. Perhaps I should start a new thread?
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.