DetroitBlues Posted April 22, 2018 Posted April 22, 2018 Anyone or play these? I was offered one in trade, but Mesa Boogie always strikes me as small but very heavy. Plus I know there are some amps they’ve made that are dogs. is a trade for my Jet City worth it?
tulk1 Posted April 22, 2018 Posted April 22, 2018 Heavy - Check! Small (ish) - Check Dog - Trade for JC - Maybe
JeffB Posted April 22, 2018 Posted April 22, 2018 A friend has a Subway Rocket. 20w. Its definitely a Mesa. I borrowed it for a couple of gigs about 6yrs ago. It could get angrier than I thought it would, which was okay in the context I was using it in. I like the Express's more. Can you play it before you trade?
Gitfiddler Posted April 22, 2018 Posted April 22, 2018 A bit of history behind the Mesa Subway amps... They were named after a small, quirky music shop in Berkeley California, called “Subway Music”. They’re still open, and still run by the even more quirky Fat Dawg. Great place to find oddball guitars of all kinds. Be prepared to spend hours sampling stuff, and chatting with Mr. Dawg and his staff.
rockabilly69 Posted April 22, 2018 Posted April 22, 2018 I like the little Subway Rockets, and they definately react well to speaker changes. When you back up the mids they sound blackface fenderesque and as you turn them up in the mids they get a nice lead voice (a little thicker)
DetroitBlues Posted April 22, 2018 Author Posted April 22, 2018 I’ll probably pass on it for the reaso. It’s value per Reverb is rather low...
rockabilly69 Posted April 22, 2018 Posted April 22, 2018 I wouldn't let reverb pricing determine the trade. When I bought my 1964 J45 they totally got the price wrong, which ended up in my favor since I used that to negotiate. Look at Reverb's wild rises and falls in valuation on the J45.... https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/179-gibson-j-45-1964-cherry-sunburst Besides that the Jet City, is a Chinese made amp with a high history of repair problems vs a USA made Mesa amp with a pretty good track record of reliability. Let tone be your guide!
davesultra Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 I would trade it for a Jet City amp in a heartbeat. Those Subways are some great amps.
Yooper Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 That's a great grab'n'go Boogie. Mesa's don't need to be big to kick it out. I'd at least try it out.
DetroitBlues Posted April 23, 2018 Author Posted April 23, 2018 It is tempting, but I really was looking for something like a 70's Fender Princeton or something like that.
bobmeyrick Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 They can also be used for jazz... (That's Nigel Price, an excellent British jazzer.)
tulk1 Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 1 hour ago, DetroitBlues said: It is tempting, but I really was looking for something like a 70's Fender Princeton or something like that. A Princeton for your Jet? I'd trade for that Mesa and run. And if you end up not liking it, it'll probably be worth more in a trade towards a Princeton. IMO.
DetroitBlues Posted April 23, 2018 Author Posted April 23, 2018 1 minute ago, tulk1 said: A Princeton for your Jet? I'd trade for that Mesa and run. And if you end up not liking it, it'll probably be worth more in a trade towards a Princeton. IMO. I was looking at the used prices of Princetons and I'm way out of the ballpark for a trade on one of those.
tulk1 Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 I think I said that wrong, Josh. Maybe the intent was there. I'd take the Mesa for the Jet. Then when you get the funds for the Princeton, the Mesa will be worth more in a trade. The Jet's are good. But they don't have that wide of an appeal as the Mesa.
DetroitBlues Posted April 23, 2018 Author Posted April 23, 2018 16 minutes ago, tulk1 said: I think I said that wrong, Josh. Maybe the intent was there. I'd take the Mesa for the Jet. Then when you get the funds for the Princeton, the Mesa will be worth more in a trade. The Jet's are good. But they don't have that wide of an appeal as the Mesa. I understood. I think you are right. Just sent a message to the guy. I will see about making the deal. The hard part is making sure the amps work. 46 minutes ago, bobmeyrick said: They can also be used for jazz... (That's Nigel Price, an excellent British jazzer.) I was looking for more Fender like tones. I love my Quilter, but sometimes there is a need for something just a little different to play with.
Yooper Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 If you really want a Princeton, then only a Princeton will do. However, the Mesa will have decent cleans, more headroom, plus some great OD and points between. It would be more versatile. My Mesa 2:25 Express puts out some big sound through a 10" speaker. I would never trade it for a Princeton.
tulk1 Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 I'm not that big a fan of the Princeton, myself. A bit under powered (yeah I know, 12w); breaks too soon; and for me it's not that pleasant of a breakup; too flabby in the lows; and if it's a '68 PRRI, it'll be darker than the original; if it's a '65 PRRI it'll be just the opposite; and if it's an original PR you'll pay out the wazzoo for it. My take, anyway. Unless it's the weight driving the want, I'd go for a DRRI. Which only weighs about 10lbs more.
Gitfiddler Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 Keep in mind that early Mesa’s (I know, only the Mark series) were based on Princetons. Fenders have the cache (i.e. higher resale), but Mesa’s have the boogie!
212Mavguy Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 The Mesa ill likely end up being more versatile in application than a Princeton will. It will respond well to tube and speaker rolling. Since price point is always a consideration, the Mesa should not be a high stress item. Relatively easy come easy go. That era of Mesa Amps are easier to work on than the new low watt ones tend to be. I think that the versatility and quality of tones avaiable between the options will be worth a lot in the decision. The Princeton circuits are simple as well as great sounding, if a bit one trick pony-ish, but a great trick... I'd get a builder to do one up with top quality iron and parts on a fresh fiberglass eyelet board for about what it would take or less than to buy a demand driven overpriced vintage real one having had potential issues accrue over time. Always best to personalize your new amp anyway.
DetroitBlues Posted April 23, 2018 Author Posted April 23, 2018 Ok, I'll go for it. You guys have convinced me enough
HANGAR18 Posted April 23, 2018 Posted April 23, 2018 3 hours ago, DetroitBlues said: Ok, I'll go for it. You guys have convinced me enough I wouldn't own anything made my Jet City, even if I were planning to use it as a bass boat anchor. But I dig most Mesa products.
kidsmoke Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 On 4/23/2018 at 2:47 PM, DetroitBlues said: Ok, I'll go for it. You guys have convinced me enough HA! Hope it happens. Another boogie convert. In my experience, Mesa's take the same commitment you gave your Quilter (if I'm recalling correctly) to find exactly what you want. It's in there. Hope it works out.
kidsmoke Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 Nigel Price...diggin' it. Apparently there is something in the Boogie ethos that works for him. In this vid with his trio, he's using a Boogie that looks to be either an F30 or something from the Dual Caliber series. I see this same rig (Guitar and amp) in a few vids
kidsmoke Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 I'm wrong. Turns out he's playing a Rocket 44, which is a bigger combo from the Subway series. Definitely something in that circuit hits his sweet spot.
kidsmoke Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 here, like a normal dude, in his kitchen, with his Subway, and a stuffed animal (shades of Gregor?)
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