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I am thinking about getting a rack preamp and power amp instead of another head or combo. I was looking at a 50 caliber but am not sure. I play everything from country and blues type stuff with a tele to classic rock and metal with whatever i can get my hands on at the time. I really like the corrosion of conformity sound and I know they use dual recto's and 50 cal's. I want something with a good amount of gain but i am not a fan of the recto's. the only mesa's I have owned wre a subway rocket and a triple recto. So what does everyone think of the studio preamp. not sure what kind of power amp I would use with it though.

The Mesa Studio Preamp sounds great but...you can't set up a good clean sound and a good distortion sound because of the shared eq. That is why they made the Quad Preamp. If you use just clean or just ditortion then you'll be okay.

cool if i can run across one cheap i may go ahead and try it out.

If memory serves me correctly, Channel 1 of the Studio Pre is the same circuit as the MkIIC and Channel 2 is the same circuit as the MkIII.

1 to the Quad preamp though....the more tonal options, plus you can activate both preamps at once and blend a clean and distorted signal.

I think your best bet is to pay as much as possible for the preamp, like a Mesa Triaxis, VHT Valvulator, Marshall JMP-1, or POD Pro XT, then locate a good power amp like a Mesa, Marshall, VHT, or Peavey Classic 60/60. If you try and save money on the preamp, you'll end up with a dated sounding POS.

i wish i had the money to get some of the VHT stuff i like what i have tried so far.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserIf you try and save money on the preamp, you'll end up with a dated sounding POS.

I take it you don't like the ADA MP-1 then? I run one into a Peavey Classic 60/60 and it sounds great, and there are a ton of mods available for them.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserI think your best bet is to pay as much as possible for the preamp, like a Mesa Triaxis, VHT Valvulator, Marshall JMP-1, or POD Pro XT, then locate a good power amp like a Mesa, Marshall, VHT, or Peavey Classic 60/60. If you try and save money on the preamp, you'll end up with a dated sounding POS.

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I would also look at a Egnater M4 or M8 preamp, and also a Randall RM4. The Randall is exactly the same layout as the M4, but the M4 are handwired and use better quality inside components. These preamps blow away the POD and Marshall JMP-1. I have not tried a Triaxis or VHT Valvulator.

So it sounds like the lighter side of things would be country/blues and the heavier side would be COC. I have both the Studio and Quad preamps and I can tell you that they are BOTH GREAT preamps! The Studio can do those tones and depending on how much of one you want, you should be able to do that fairly easily.

But it is true, you will end up in a compromise with the Studio if you are looking to achieve clean AND crunch distortion. BUT...here's what I do. Setup your clean (rhythm mode) tone WITHOUT the graphic EQ, dial in the volume and master as high as you possibly can. This lets the most amount of signal into the lead mode. Then once you have that clean tone dialed in, switch to lead mode and fiddle with the rocker switches (fat, bright, etc). AND, use the graphic EQ to shape your crunch (lead mode) tone.

That works well for me when I need to set it up in this fashion. But normally The Quad is my quot;heavyquot; preamp. I have good cleans and smooth leads setup on ch1, then ch2 is my main heavy crunch.

MJ



MJ

man-in-moon, others here have far more knowledge than me as far as the nuts and bolts of the actual gear you need for professional touring.

I am part of my self described stoner faction that is concerned like everyone else with getting just the right tone. I actually got a Randall 100 watt stereo chorus amp today for $440. The reason? I needed to update my tone. I have the COC tone with my Sunn tube amp, but I wanted Pepper Keenan's tone from DOWN's quot;NOLAquot;, and DOWN II quot;A Bustle in Your Hedgerowquot;. Listening to COC on compact disc from the quot;Deliverancequot; and quot;Wisebloodquot; era was dialed in with my Sunn model T with an overdrive/distortion pedal.

However, COC live is another beast...with truckloads more drive! Woody Weatherman and Pepper Keenan have their own distictive style and tone...as well as purpose. Woody carries a great majority of the singing guitar work with a cleaner tone, with the wah-wah as a quot;second vocalistquot;. Pepper has a far more brooding drive in his tone, as he sings.

What I am trying to get to, is, if you have not already seen it, you owe yourself to get a copy of their DVD quot;LIVE VOLUMEquot; from the 2001 quot;America's Volume Dealerquot; tour. Not only is it a great concert on DVD for $15....you may save yourself a ton of money by NOT duplicating quot;the COC Tonequot; which is different between their studio and live offerings! Seeing these guys do their respective guitar work is darn educational.