Re: Looking for an Amp
This is bread-and-butter Mesa. This is typically the type of rig I use--a combo; Mark IV, Mark III, DC-3 or my new Mark V:35 on top of a Mesa 112 EVM Thiele cab. Or, my big Mark V combo on top of the 112 Wide-body Closed-back cab. The V has a C-90; I ordered the cab with a V30, and I love this combination!
I also have a Maverick 212 combo, and I like to gig it with a 212 Horizontal Recto cab...both with V30s. The extention cab adds a lot of low-end grunt. I can get Fender cleans, AC-30 chime, Marshall crunch and singing lead tone ala Santana with the Maverick, but it's not a high-gain metal machine.
The Lonestar might be the one that won't work for you. I've never really pushed the clean channel on one. But it IS a fantastic clean channel with a lot of range. Andy Timmons uses a Lonestar, and he can really make it sing.
Pick a Mesa, and you can find a cab to match. The 3-channel amps typically have a middle channel that has more gain than most others' lead channel. And many of the newer 2-channel amps have a clean channel that can be pushed hard.
So pick your poison. All the current amps can fit your needs, but it's worth looking at some of the older amps too. Nomad, DC-Series, Stiletto Ace, Recto-Verb, Electra-Dyne,nHeartbreaker 212, Trem-O-Verb 212, Roadster and Road King II (4-channel), Express 5:50, F-Series, Mark III and Mark IV. The Petrucci Sig would be ideal, but only.comes as a head. And I'd take a good look at the new TC-50, too.
Let me know if I can help with any questions.
Bill
