Mesa Boogie Roadster?

[papersoul]

Anyone spend time on a Mesa Roadster or own one? I'd be more interested to hear from those who own one since making any determination or judgment on an amp in a store is never easy. I always need to own an amp for a while, tweak, maybe change tubes, play with the band before I have a strong opinion.

I am possibly going to make a jump on a used Roadster. I am pretty sure if I did, I'll be installing EL34 power tubes and playing around with different preamp tubes.

I love the fact that it has 4 channels, which provides a lot of flexibility in having 4 tones tweaked differently with the independent EQ. I wish I could find one locally to at least check out before making a decision.

The ability to get a thick lead tone is important to me as well as the clean and rhythm.
Lead tone can be the killer if it sucks, not thick, smooth or creamy enough. Very few amp heads have all the attributes I seek - great clean, heavy rhythm and thick, singing, smooth lead.

The floorboard provides so much flexibility which I love. I love having the Solo, Reverb and Effects switch all on the board. These all help for gigs.

If Egnater had a more feature rich floorboard, I'd probably be buying a MOD50.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

I believe the Roadster is a less optioned Road King, in which case you may like it a lot. Two drawbacks; You are not going to get the singing, smooth leads of a Mark series amp, with an OD and correct settings you can get close, but it's a different beast. Also, one of the features I love most about the Road King is switching tubes by channel. I use 6L6's for channel 1 and 4 to get Fendery cleans and Recto grind, but EL34's in 2 and 3 to get that British low and mid gain tone.

All in all, it's got all the versatility of a modeling amp with the tone of an all tube amp. Remember to give it a good hour when you demo to dial in the controls, especially if you've never used a Boogie before. The tone controls are unlike any othe amp. In fact, download the manual and read it before you demo to ge the most out of it.

Good luck on your amp quest.

 

[rainsong86]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

if you're interested in brit tones (el-34) then I'd definitely try out the road king.. you could prolly snag a used series I road king for less than a near mint roadster head.. a lot of people are saying the series II road kings are an improvement (wow.. users saying mesa makes improvements?.. I guess they already sold their series I amp).. also, if you want versatility and you'd be swapping for el-34s anyways I'd check out the Marshall JVM.. it's got MIDI integrated into it and a much better solo feature (2 switchable master volumes instead of just a solo "boost")

 

[James Rock]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Its basically like between a dual rectifier and a road king isnt it?

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Its a Road King without the power tube switching feature. Same preamps and channels. I haven't tried the Roadster, but the Road King is great. If the lead channels sound like the Road King's, then I don't think you will have any trouble getting a thick lead tone.

On a side note, I have '91 Mark IV sitting right next to my Road King. The Road King leads are thicker, and you often read of how people don't like the lead tone of the Recto series in general. I have always found the Rectos to have great lead sounds, just leave the mids up a bit. The Mark IV has a more "searing" lead tone in the upper harmonics, but not thicker.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Maybe I'll end up ruling out Mesa Boogie after today. I had my H&K Switchblade in the studio today for 7 hours and we had two older Single and Dual Rectifiers as well. The Switchblade was smoother and warmer and I was able to get a better lead voice as well. \

Now, I am thinking for my all tube amp, I'll check out the H&K Triamp.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

To my ears the switchblade is the only decent sounding H&K. The triamp is voiced very brightly and is hard sounding. The switchblade is impressive, though.

The roadster is a cool amp. I tried the 'brit' channel on it and thought it got some very cool sounds, sort of halfway between mesa and marshall.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

To my ears the switchblade is the only decent sounding H&K. The triamp is voiced very brightly and is hard sounding. The switchblade is impressive, though.

The roadster is a cool amp. I tried the 'brit' channel on it and thought it got some very cool sounds, sort of halfway between mesa and marshall.

I don't know what to think! I have a tech friend who has two Triamps in his shop for a bias and he along with others I have talked to say the triamp is more full, warmer and rounder sounding than the switchblade. I am confused.:17:

I like thick, warm, round amps that can sound aggressive but must have good clean. The Dual and Single Recs we had in the studio today sounded cold and hard as bricks. I am afraid the Roadster would be no different.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Yeah, I'm not a dual rec fan. The roadster sounds a lot better to me.

Maybe I tried some badly maintained triamps. But all the H&Ks I've played apart from the switchblade have sounded cold to me.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Yeah, I'm not a dual rec fan. The roadster sounds a lot better to me.

Maybe I tried some badly maintained triamps. But all the H&Ks I've played apart from the switchblade have sounded cold to me.

INteresting! The Roadster is that much warmer/rounder? Did yo uplay channels 3/4?

Man, all I want is a versatile...preferrably three channel head that is not nasal or harsh. I much prefer thick, warm, yet aggressive with good clean!

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

The Roadster cleans are good because it has the normal clean, the Fat from the Mark series, and a new Tweed one too. Plus it has reverb, which the dual and triple recs don't have. Fat sounds nice and round and I've been grooving on the Tweed channel lately... makes me not miss my Fender Hot Rod too much.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

INteresting! The Roadster is that much warmer/rounder? Did yo uplay channels 3/4?

Man, all I want is a versatile...preferrably three channel head that is not nasal or harsh. I much prefer thick, warm, yet aggressive with good clean!

Sounds like my impression of the roadster, though harsh is easy to obtain. It just takes a while to dial in all of the eqs on the OD channels. The Custom I just put in my LP today got that exact sound- thick, warm, but still aggressive. I've also played a C5, Phat Cat, hot rails, cool rails, and jazz bridge through the roadster, all the cleans sounded great, even the hot rails. Though I've only run the 6l6 tubes so I don't know how the el-34's affect the tone, but i've been quite pleased with cleans- lots of versatility in eq but still easy to dial.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

No matter what tubes I put in a Rectifier they always seem to have that cold bite. That still scares me with the RS.

It almost doesn't make sense to me a Roadster would be warmer than a Triamp....but I am VERY TEMPTED to try it.....I can ALWAYS resell.

 

[34029324079]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

ur so close, why dont you just get a used road king? they have been on the market longer, have more tried and true features, and famous people use em like foo fighters.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Used Roadkings seem to cost muc more and I have heard some horror stories with the progressive linkage. I also will use EL34s so that takes away the progessive linkage feature for me.

A buddy who has both said this....The two amps sound nothing alike at all nothing even close totally different parts and design...the dsp on the SW makes it a trebley amp with artificial bass bottom...the tri amp is a monster tone machine.

Me personally, I ifnd the Switchblade warm and thick. I don't find artificial anything! Sounds great.


I am trying to get a used Roadster so we'll see.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

What horror stories about the progressive linkage?

Regardless, what you lose going from the Road King to the Roadster is the Progressive Linkage (that's fine, he wants only EL34s), Cabinet Switching (great feature, but if you only need to switch cabs types), dual loops (I only use one right now). The preamps are identical, so if that's all you need the Roadster is definately the better choice.

Also, Channel 3/4 should be very close to the Recto preamp, THey may be voiced slightly different, but it is a Dual Rectifier after all, and the modes on 3/4 are the same as on the standard Recto...

 

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Isn't channel 1 and 2 based off the Lonestar and not the original Recto? Or is that just the RK II?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Isn't channel 1 and 2 based off the Lonestar and not the original Recto? Or is that just the RK II?

Only the II is based off the Lonestar (Actually the Brit mode on channel 2 of the II was inspired by the Stiletto). But, I still find them to be incredibly useful, they do the verge of breakup thing that I love so much perfectly. I actually don't know which preamp the Roadster has on 1/2, if it's from the original Road King or the II.

(There's also a version 2 of the II that makes both loops series and replaces the External Trigger with a tuner out/mute)

 

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

Only the II is based off the Lonestar (Actually the Brit mode on channel 2 of the II was inspired by the Stiletto). But, I still find them to be incredibly useful, they do the verge of breakup thing that I love so much perfectly. I actually don't know which preamp the Roadster has on 1/2, if it's from the original Road King or the II.

(There's also a version 2 of the II that makes both loops series and replaces the External Trigger with a tuner out/mute)

So, on the RK II channel 1 and 2 are Lonestar, except for the Brit voice on ch2, which is Stiletto?

I've been looking at one of these for awhile now because I need a live amp that covers alot of sonic territory, and that tidbit really helps alot as I was hoping that the Brit voice combined with 50w EL34 mode would get me into quasi Marshall territory.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Mesa Boogie Roadster?

So, on the RK II channel 1 and 2 are Lonestar, except for the Brit voice on ch2, which is Stiletto?

I've been looking at one of these for awhile now because I need a live amp that covers alot of sonic territory, and that tidbit really helps alot as I was hoping that the Brit voice combined with 50w EL34 mode would get me into quasi Marshall territory.

I'm not sure that they are clones of those two, I think Mesa reworked 1 and 2 based on their findings from working on the Lonestar and Stiletto. I already find version I to be an incredibly versatile amp, I can only imagine Ver. II is even better. However to be honest, the Brit channel, while being a cool tone with EL34s, is still Mesa, not Marshall. Also, it's a vintage level of Marshall distortion, not modern (which I completely love). With the gain dimed stong pick attacks have a great breakup and backing off cleans it up nicely.

But yes, for VII Brit was based off of the Stiletto, and I think Clean and Fat are based off the Lonestar and Tweed is the same.