I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

[Jeroen]

At some point, I was considering to sell my Triamp and get a MUCH smaller tube combo, mostly for using at home but also to carry around once in a while. I was comparing some amps in the league of the Peavey Classic 20, Fender Blues Junior, Laney TT20 and the likes, when I stumbled upon a Mesa Reverb Rocket. However, I ended up with a 60 watt Brunetti MC2.

Now, a friend of mine is selling his Subway Rocket (same as the Reverb Rocket, but with a presence knob instead of reverb) at a VERY good price. And although I can't afford it right now, he offered me to borrow it until I can pay him, which will probably be somewhere in October, when I have completely finished my studies, and have a fulltime job. Now, that's an offer I just can't refuse, off course

It's a great little amp - 22 watts all-tube, 1x10", two channels with contour on the lead channel, two gain and volume knobs and a shared three band EQ, and built like a brick - but very portable.




I'll keep you guys updated

[OlinMusic]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

I tried the Subway Blues and still consider buying one.
It's between that and the Fender DRRI as my jam amp

I really liked that sweet little EL84 tone. the verb is quite nice on these too.

[Hoss]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

that's cool of that guy to work that out for ya like that!!! sweet little amp for sure!!!

[Brewtone]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

I have the version with the reverb and that amp screams. I say go for it!!! I'll sometimes run it through my 4x12 recto cab and it's a great sound, very versatile. Definitely a under appreciated jem in the Mesa line of amps!!!!

[lpmarshall]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

I have one, great little amp. It is in dire need of a re-tube though. Served as my main amp for years. I have the non-reverb model though.

[RiffRaff]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

I had a subway reverb and a reverb rocket, great amps, eats preamp tubes like there's no tomorrow. I had both go out on me several times with a few months (microphonic tubes), I tried just about every brand of 12AX7 out there and both amps munched em quickly.

[Jeroen]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

The one I'm getting is the non-reverb version. Although I dig a good built-in reverb, I prefer having a presence control over that verb. I always find a presence knob a very useful feature. When playing at home, you don't usually want much presence because it can make the amp sound somewhat fizzy, but in a band that fizz can be a tremendous help in cutting through the mix. I wouldn't want to miss that. My Brunetti doesn't have a presence control, and I don't know yet how it will hold up in a band, but at home it seems to provide a nice solid and cutting tone. I'm really looking forward to an opportunity to crank the s*** out of it!

[Boogie Bill]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

Yes, you will need a reliable pre-amp tube. That's lot of power in a very tiny package. The EH 12AX7, and the Mesa equivalent, work pretty well.

I have the Groove Tubes 12AX7-Ms iin a couple of my Mesa combos with good results, but these tubes are known for not having great QC, with out-right failures and noise being cited as problems.

I'm interested in trying the EH version of the Tung-Sol.

Bill

[lpmarshall]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

I had a subway reverb and a reverb rocket, great amps, eats preamp tubes like there's no tomorrow. I had both go out on me several times with a few months (microphonic tubes), I tried just about every brand of 12AX7 out there and both amps munched em quickly.

Not to hijack this thread, but I read that Mesa amps have fixed bias, is this correct? My Subway Rocket sounds like a helicopter when I stop playing, and the tubes need to be replaced. Any replacement tubes anyone would recommend?

[Robert S.]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

JJs, give Bob at Eurotubes a call.

[lpmarshall]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

JJs, give Bob at Eurotubes a call.

Bob was very helpful with my last set of tubes, I'll drop him another email.

[Jeroen]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

I read somewhere that Mesa runs a plate volume of a whopping 380V through those tubes! I bet there are few tubes that can stand up to that much violence. No wonder these amps have an unsatisfiable hunger for new tubes!

I'm really looking forward to plugging into it for the first time. I read the manual online, that mid-control looks interesting. Mesa claims it works like a regular mid-pot up to 3, and from there on serves as a variable gain boost on all modes, adding some compression too. Any experiences or opinions on that?

[lpmarshall]

Re: I may get a Subway Rocket after all!

I'm really looking forward to plugging into it for the first time. I read the manual online, that mid-control looks interesting. Mesa claims it works like a regular mid-pot up to 3, and from there on serves as a variable gain boost on all modes, adding some compression too. Any experiences or opinions on that?

If you crank up the gain and give it a fair amount of mids, you get a compressed smooth sound. I rather like it since my other amp is more crunchy, so its nice to have both sounds.