Amp Desire.

[JeffB]

Ive spent the last few weeks getting to know the Mesa MkV and Electra Dyne amps.

Id been hanging out to dig into the MkV. I had GAS for one before I even tried it.

Its a great amp and there's all sorts of great classic and modern cleans, crunch's and high gain sounds in side it.

Its not a complete tweaker's amp as I found good sounds immediately with out a manual and without fully understanding modes and functions.

Awesome I thought. Gas did not dissipate.

I didn't have mk1's and mk2's etc to do a direct comparison with so I just turned dials and flicked switches until I found sounds I liked and would use. It was easy. Cool amp.

I didn't take much notice of the Electra Dyne. It wasn't really on my radar, I was pretty focused on the MKV. MISTAKE

The Electra Dyne totally blew MKV gas away.

I spent time with a 112 Electra Dyne and discovered what a great amp it is.

Where the MKV has 3ch with separate gain, vol and tone controls for each channel, plus modes per channel and a universal graphic eq plus power amp options etc, the Electra Dyne has one channel with 3 ft switchable modes.

The controls are, Master, bass, treb, mid, pres, and vol. There's no gain control. Each mode follows logically, gain wise, from one to the other.

Clean can be a nice chimey clean through to a nice crunch. Low starts where clean leaves off and High follows on from low in a similar fashion.

It does all sorts of clean and gain wonderfully. The reverb only gets splashy at the extremes.

It can be switched between 90 and 45 watts.

Today I spent time with a Electra Dyne head through a mesa 412 with V30's and a Tom Anderson T Classic and a H150 style guitar.

GAS hurts. Ive spent all day in a state of anxiety(its the best description I can think of for extreme GAS or amp/guitar lust)

The MkV as nice as it is didnt ignite the same feelings of desire in me as the humble and understated looking Electra Dyne.

I had to fire up my Lone Star as soon as I got home to make sure it stood up, in my ears, to the sonic challenge laid down by the Electra Dyne.

It did and didn't. They're different. I could easily see myself gigging with either. Or both.

If I had to use a reference point for the Electra Dyne I would say a refined and hot rodded JCM800 with fantastic cleans. But that would be a loose reference point. Maybe add JTM in there as well. What ever. Its causing me anguish.

Try one out if you get the chance. Id be interested to hear what others here think of it being that its not what I would call a typical Mesa.

[tulk1]

Tully,

 

Awesome review! As a fellow LS player I must admit my interest has been peaked by the ElectraDyne just from the ads. What about weight? You played the head. Did you see or have access to the combo? Weight is the one thing that keeps my LS combo at home. 94lbs is too much for me to lug around. I would have to assume, given Mesa's history, that the combo cab is built like a tank and is weighted proportionately. My local pusher is the area's Mesa dealer. Haven't seen him in a while, so it's possible he has one in stock. I may just have to stop by there and see. And yeah .... nothing gas inducing about your post at all. Yeah, nothing.

[JeffB]

Tully,

 

Awesome review! As a fellow LS player I must admit my interest has been peaked by the ElectraDyne just from the ads. What about weight? You played the head. Did you see or have access to the combo? Weight is the one thing that keeps my LS combo at home. 94lbs is too much for me to lug around. I would have to assume, given Mesa's history, that the combo cab is built like a tank and is weighted proportionately. My local pusher is the area's Mesa dealer. Haven't seen him in a while, so it's possible he has one in stock. I may just have to stop by there and see. And yeah .... nothing gas inducing about your post at all. Yeah, nothing.

They are a similar weight and size to the Lone Star. I tried a 112 and a head. The 112 was simply huge sounding for a 112. Thick and succulent tones. The head through a 412 was.... real big.

I cant dial the thickness of the Electra Dyne in to the Lone Star or the tightness of the bottom end. But then the Lone Star has a more fluid type of drive. The Electra Dyne loves tele style guitars. If/when I get the Electra Dyne I will also be getting a tele type guitar....must get a tele. Obvious more and more lately.

What struck me as I was playing through the Electra Dyne with the Tom Anderson was how classic the sounds were, Sounds you hear on all sorts of recordings from blues to punk, rock and funk. It was a little sonic history lesson.

I use the LS head and would get a ED head.

 

I also want to say; When I first plugged in to the head and 412 with the Anderson and struck a big open chord, I said, "Dang" out loud

A work mate who was in the amp room at the time suggested Id been hanging out on this forum a bit too much

[Mikenov]

I tried an Electradyne before I bought my orange. That amp was up my alley but like Tulk, it was too much amp for my tastes. Too much wattage/volume , too much weight.

But it did have a sweet tone.

I have never bonded with Mesa's mostly b/c there is just too many dial and knobs. Too much going on.

 

 

... got to go .

[barrymclark]

You play an Orange, Mikenov? Those are seriously sweet! Love the sounds of Orange!

[Mikenov]

I play a Rocker 30 head. I love the punch and crunch. Clean channel isn't great but as alluded to above, I pretty much dial in a little crunch, use my volume knob on the guitar to clean up, and can generally go from clean to mean using guitar volume. I use an overdrive to kick it up from there.

[JeffB]

I tried an Electradyne before I bought my orange. That amp was up my alley but like Tulk, it was too much amp for my tastes. Too much wattage/volume , too much weight.

But it did have a sweet tone.

I have never bonded with Mesa's mostly b/c there is just too many dial and knobs. Too much going on.

 

 

... got to go .

Ive never found mesa's overly complicated to use. The LS and the Electra Dyne even less so.

 

Turn the 6 knobs to somewhere around 12:00 and go. Not much going on but classic tone in any of the 3 ft switchable modes.

It responds very well to the volume controls of the guitar. The high gain mode cleans up reasonably.

[yoslate]

I play a Rocker 30 head. I love the punch and crunch. ...I pretty much dial in a little crunch, use my volume knob on the guitar to clean up, and can generally go from clean to mean using guitar volume. I use an overdrive to kick it up from there.

 

I play a lot of clean, and occasionally dial in two or three days' worth of beard. But for crunch and munch, Mike and his Orange had really fabulous Tone going on at the barn last Friday! I was impressed!

[Mikenov]

The Electradyne was very cool. Just a couple of knobs and some switches for the channels. This was not the complicated Mesa I was refering to. 90W is just too much useable volume for me. That AMP was sweet though. Killed some of the others I was looking at.

I played the Express at the same time and didn't dig it at all. too many channels, switches , knobs, I just get overwhelmed.

[mars_hall]

You do realize that anything less than 100W is for girls

[Mikenov]

You do realize that anything less than 100W is for girls

If I remember right Mark, when you came out to jam in Chicago didn't you say something to the effect of " that amp is loud!"

The amp we are talking about was the 30W Rocker 30 head. . .

hmm... I have heard size isn't everythng but maybe she was just trying to be nice..

[mars_hall]

If I remember right Mark, when you came out to jam in Chicago didn't you say something to the effect of " that amp is loud!"

The amp we are talking about was the 30W Rocker 30 head. . .

hmm... I have heard size isn't everythng but maybe she was just trying to be nice..

 

It was just the bourbon talking last night and sometimes the bourbon has something just to say. Your amp is truly loud and sounds great, as well as many other low wattage amps. I was kidding at that time, though surprised and taken back by the less than polite gesture to those that would use lighter gauge strings.

 

We good. We all good!

[Mikenov]

It was just the bourbon talking last night and sometimes the bourbon has something just to say. Your amp is truly loud and sounds great, as well as many other low wattage amps. I was kidding at that time, though surprised and taken back by the less than polite gesture to those that would use lighter gauge strings.

 

We good. We all good!

No problem .Just giving you a hard time .

[mars_hall]

No problem .Just giving you a hard time .

 

 

Appreciate it

[Kuz]

My little 14 watt Headstrong even held up with the half stacks.

 

It not just the size of your stack but how you use it!!

[Sparky]

The Electradyne was very cool. Just a couple of knobs and some switches for the channels. This was not the complicated Mesa I was refering to. 90W is just too much useable volume for me. That AMP was sweet though. Killed some of the others I was looking at.

I played the Express at the same time and didn't dig it at all. too many channels, switches , knobs, I just get overwhelmed.

 

I've had my Dual Caliber 35 watt combo with a Black Shadow 12" extention cab since '97. For me, every time I switched guitars I found myself noodling around with EQ, gain and the graphic eq to find usable sounds. Also, I found the effects send/return to be sucking volume out of the amp. So now, I will only use my Strat through it with no effects other than the internal reverb. Its the only amp I currently own that can get harmonic feedback at a less than

ear piercing volume.

[JeffB]

Just a quick update.

My opinion hasnt changed one jot about the Electra Dyne. Still love it. Plug in and play. great tone. Simple.

I will how ever concede that even in 45w mode its to loud for at home use. Unless you just dont care about your neighbors.

It just sounds best when the dials are all at around 12:00 and thats quite loud.

Ive yet to play or hear it in a band context. Im certain this is where it will absolutely shine.

 

 

Just wanted to add my 0.02c on the high v low watt amp debate

I use my Lone Star in 100w mode on both channels when gigging with it.

At the other end of the scale I also use a Fender concert with yellow jackets which converts it to 18-20w class A(was 60w class A/B)also for gigging.

Both amps suit their purpose. The Lone Star even in 100 mode can be tamed for very quiet home use(better in 50w mode though)

The 20w Fender is to loud for home. Im talking about the quality of tone at usable levels.

Im plugged into the LS right now, 12:05am, and have a fat warm tone. The rest of the household is sound asleep. If I tried to get the same tone out of the 20w fender I would have an angry wife and daughter standing in the doorway, hands on hips flashing angry dark eyes.

 

I would have no problems finding a use for the 45/90w Electra Dyne. Infact I would build a band around it if I had to. Just so I could use it

[tulk1]

I've had my Dual Caliber 35 watt combo with a Black Shadow 12" extention cab since '97. For me, every time I switched guitars I found myself noodling around with EQ, gain and the graphic eq to find usable sounds. Also, I found the effects send/return to be sucking volume out of the amp. So now, I will only use my Strat through it with no effects other than the internal reverb. Its the only amp I currently own that can get harmonic feedback at a less than

ear piercing volume.

Sparky, on the FX S/R, that may be why it's defeatable on most Mesa's now. Flip a switch on the back and there is no FX loop.

 

The Lone Star even in 100 mode can be tamed for very quiet home use(better in 50w mode though)

The 20w Fender is to loud for home. Im talking about the quality of tone at usable levels.

Im plugged into the LS right now, 12:05am, and have a fat warm tone.

Yeah, baby!! I generally leave the LS on the 100w side. It is ballsy at all volume levels. Mostly, the 100w just adds that feeling of power more so than volume. And it stays at home, due to it's weight and my age. My 5E3 is way too loud to play when the wife is home. And she generally doesn't mind my whanking on the guitar all night long. So, for me, it's not really the wattage of the amp. It's what kind of tone can you get out of it and at what volume.

 

My little 14 watt Headstrong even held up with the half stacks.

Yes it did! So did the little Gibby amp. It was a blast to play thru. Now, if you'd just fix that danged pickup in the Greenie. Turn it around like it's supposed to be.

[JeffB]

just an update.

 

Havent bought an Electra Dyne yet.

 

A/B'd with a Lone Star. Liked the Lone Star better. Still think the ED is a cool amp. Very nice.

 

Need both.

[Dandownunder]

I've got a Mesa Express 5:50 2 x 12 and even in 5 watt mode its loud enough! Last jam playing with drummer and marshall stack as opposition I still didn't get volume above about 6

 

Man its a nice sounding amp, not as much gain as most Mesa's but a lot easier to dial in. Most other Mesa's I have seen seem to have about 100 knobs and each knob has at least 2 functions.

[Mikenov]

quick update for me.. since trading for that Rivera Chubster I have had some extended time with one of this amps with allot of dials. You need to know what the hell you are doing but you can get some seriously GOOD tone from this amp. Makes me want to check out the Mesa's again. ( or maybe I should not go there.) It took me a while but I figured out how the controls work. They are allot more sensitive than other amps. The thing that has been awesome about this amp is you hear that blackface bite and it cuts right through the mix. just an awesome life amp in a band setting. My Hughes and Kettner tube 20 has the sweetest tone but not bite or cut. I love that thing in my living room. I love the Rivera live. Love the orange cranked in my living room or live.

[Mikenov]

quick update for me.. since trading for that Rivera Chubster I have had some extended time with one of this amps with allot of dials. You need to know what the hell you are doing but you can get some seriously GOOD tone from this amp. Makes me want to check out the Mesa's again. ( or maybe I should not go there.) It took me a while but I figured out how the controls work. They are allot more sensitive than other amps. The thing that has been awesome about this amp is you hear that blackface bite and it cuts right through the mix. just an awesome life amp in a band setting. My Hughes and Kettner tube 20 has the sweetest tone but not bite or cut. I love that thing in my living room. I love the Rivera live. Love the orange cranked in my living room or live.

[rjsanders]

for some reason several of the hottest players in this area (San Jose) have shown up for gigs with Lone Stars (the 30w) over the past year. there's always been a bunch of Mesas - heck they come from just up the road a piece - but the Lone Star has really taken over

 

(note: at least one of them has been by, plugged into my Juke 112, and shook his head with pleasure and wonder...)

 

[JeffB]

Old thread same topic.

The Electra Dyne wont let me go. Ive done lots and lots of testing.....its a terrible feeling to be so drawn to something so strongly when I already have some nice gear that I like.

Im on the edge. Have been for a while. Today demoing it side by side with the Lone Star just tore me up inside. Still got that churning feeling.

Im not going to last much longer.

GAS tragic.

[Mikenov]

Nothing tragic about it if you have the cash.. buy it. You deserve it. The world owes it to you. Its your birth right. GOD wants you to have this amp.

 

 

 

 

Does any of this help?