Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

CapoFirstFret

CapoFirstFret

New member
Well guys I walked into our friendly neighborhood music store in Oxford, MS today and look around, seeing the same ole stuff that's always in there, when what do my wandering eyes appears, but a Mesa/Boogie DC-2 Studio Caliber. This little boy was a bit dusty but I plug in and it sounds GREAT. I tried it with a couple of strats and a tele and man did it sound good. So I look at the price tag and at a measley $359, how could I turn it down? I put it on the layaway since I didn't have that much money with me at the time, so I'll be picking it up in two weeks. 25 watts, 2 channels, 1x12 with an effects loop....Sweet little number and can't wait to get it home.

Story is it was in there about 2 months ago when another guy put it on layaway (it's there on consignment) and well the guy shows up earlier this week and says he doesn't want to play electric, and can he put the money down on an acoustic guitar and not buy the amp...well the guy who owns the amp was reluctant but gave the money back and put the amp back up for sale...today....just a little before I walked in.....so it's mine now! MUAHAH!

Anyway, just thought I'd share my excitement. And here's a pic ...it's not my actual amp, but mine is just like this one

mesadc.jpg
 
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Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

yeah, I was totally diggin it in the store and laid the money right then and there to put it on hold for me...I'm pretty psyched :)
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

Daym! That's a good score. I wouldn't have turned that deal down, either.
Little Mesa combos are great; I have an F-30 that kicks butt.
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

yeah, it's taunting me being in that shop and I can't take it home for a couple of weeks :)
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

That sounds like a screamin' deal. Post some clips when you get it home!
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

Man yeah, you can guarantee I'll be posting some clips the moment I get it in the door....gonna go back to the shop tomorrow and play it a bit more...see how it reacts to humbuckers (I'm sure it'll be great!) It is such a killer amp....I wanted one of those Studio .22's for a while and this is a nice compromise :)
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

anyone got more information on these amps? dates available and stuff like that? Mine actually doesn't say DC-2 on the front..just says Studio Caliber....looks older than this model, no contour knob
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

Cool little amp! Good to see you making up for the terrible misfortune, since it's something that's better to not think about. Let's just hope that the dikks that ripped some of your gear have something awful happen to them in their life. With any luck, it'll be something that hurts worse. I shouldn't think that way, but I do......F'in thieves!

Glad to see you picking up some new toys to make up for it.
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

i can't believe i can say those (and i really shouldn't be :) )

buuuuuuut..... welcome to the mesa club, brother capo your first dutie as a brother of the clan is to play that amp like a madman :)

edit: what happened with thieves?
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

I bought a DC-3 for a short time used from GC, but it ended up having serious issues so I took it back. While it worked it was an incredible little amp! Congrats bro!
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

I'm not a Mesa pro, but I dont believe they make a mesa DC-2 Caliber. I know of the DC-2 and the .22 Caliber...

My friend has a DC-5, killer amp. HBs will rock with that amp. He uses his for metal/prog rock so it has plenty of gain on tap and the clean chnnel is great too for SCs.
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

well that amp in the picture above is a "mesa/boogie Studio Caliber DC-2" ...says so on the amp just underneath the power switches...mine just says studio caliber.....and because it's two channels, with reverb..I'm assuming it's a DC-2
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

DC stands for, "Dual Caliber". These amps followed the .22 and .50 Caliber amps. The DC-2 is the updated version of the Studio .22 Caliber, and features two EL-84s. The DC-3 had a Vintage 30 speaker, 4-EL84s, and has Mesa's assignable 5-band EQ--making a VERY versatile amp. (I love playing mine around Peavey Classic 30 owners, and watching them cry! LOL!)

The big boys in this line were the DC-5, in a wide-body 112 cab with a Mesa/Celestion C90 featuring a 2X6L6 power section; and the DC-10 in a 212 C90 cab with a 4X6L6 power amp.

All of these amps were also available in head-only versions.

The clean channels in the DC Series were taken from the Mark IV amps, and the Lead Channels have a Rectifier heritage. Unlike many competitor's amps, the DCs have separate and complete tone controls for each channel. The Graphic adds tremendous tone shaping capability, and is assignable to Auto Lead, or footswitchable.

A DC-3 may appear to be similar to the Maverick 112, yet there are important differences in design of the power amps, and the preamps. The DC-3 has more gain in the Lead Channel, and the Graphic EQ--with a "Dyna-Watt" power amp that feels like it has way more power than just 35 watts. Without the high-gain Lead Channel of the DC-3, the Maverick was intended more for "roots" rock, and its 4XEL84s operate in Class A. It uses a tube rectifier for a spongier vintage feel, or you can use the diodes. I have both a DC-3 112 combo, and a Maverick--in the 212 version. I love them both, but they are very different.

These amps are great to compare to each other, as you can easily hear the differences in the power sections, and hear the power tubes working hard in the smaller amps. The DC-3 and DC-5 in particular are highly-prized by those who own them--many consider these some of the finest amps ever made for club cover-bands, due to their ample power ratings and incredible tonal versatility. I've used my DC-3 stacked on top of a Mesa 112 EVM Theile cab--alongside player's using Marshall half-stacks--and often, I'm the one who's asked to turn down. Those little Theile cabs really add a lot of projection and thump to a modest 112 combo.

DC-10s pack a LOT of punch into a 212, and they can shake the heck out of a set of tubes in short order. We are talking LOUD, PROFESSIONAL Grade amps here--so they are definitely capable of making you stone deaf and turning your internal organs into pulp. With that much power in a small package, they can be somewhat unrealiable--but it is usually due to tube problems, or--you've got an amp that somebody really abused. The head version of this amp with a Recto 412 is actually my favorite Rectifier, and it really isn't a Rectifier. In the combo version, it's the amp the Fender "Evil Twin" WISHES it could be--the "EVIL Twin" is comparatively just an ill-mannered brat, compared to the tones you can crank out of the DC-10.

Eventually, Mesa replaced the DC Series with the Nomad Series. These amps have even more gain than the DC Calibers, and a third Crunch channel. While the Mark IV remained, the Nomads are part Mark, part Caliber, part Recto. The F-Series came into the line with a freshly designed preamp, and replaced the Calibers as Mesa's "budget" line. Though not as expensive as Mesa's other amps, the F-Series amps create some beautiful tones, too.

The DC-2 is great little find at a very good price. Keep good tubes in it, and it will serve you well.

Bill
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

Nice score bro! The local shop around here just got one in this week and I was tinkering w/ it! Killer little amps. The only thing I'd do is slap some new tubes in it! You got a steal to! This shop is asking $490 for theirs.
 
Re: Woohoo! New Toys (Mesa Content)

Yea thanks Bill, good info to know. I played a mesa F-30 and F-50 in a GC the other day, both had great clean channels. Super clean, and the bright switch really gives strats some.. i dunno.. stuff! Couldnt turn the other channel up loud enough but didnt seem my style (although it could be the fact that my head was a foot infront of the speaker.. haha).
 
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