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NAD: The Last AMP that I will ever buy! (Updated)


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John Petrucci (of Dream Theater) Signature model MESA Boogie JP-2C

No logical reason. Just watched a whole bunch of tone demos, including the new 2 hour John Petrucci meets The Captain video.

Why be happy with a $550.00 Carvin V3m when you can buy a $2500.00 Mesa amp instead?

 

Well, let me see if I can figure out what happened exactly.

I've liked early Dream Theater for ever. (I like RUSH too.)

John Petrucci played a C2+ for ever.

This signature model is basically three C2+ amps in one box with an extra set of eq sliders so that both dirty channels can be set independently from each other as well as a bunch of other bells and whistles.

I remember hearing something about Metallica recording the entire Black album using a Mesa with the classic V-shape eq sliders.

I like Metallica. I've already bought everything ever made that says Metallica on it. I would like to sound like Metallica.

 

A wicker faceplate? What the hell is that about? Um, Iron Maiden The Wicker Man?

No, I bought it pre-owned and the original owner ordered that hideous covering. Even my wife got a good laugh out of it saying. "This ain't your grandma's amp... Oh wait, yes it is!"

I've already contacted Mesa and they've informed me that replacement face plates are available.

 

So, that's it. I'm done buying amps. All the guys I jammed with in high school had one guitar and one amp. Why the hell do I need one room full of guitars and another room full of amps?

Heck, I think I may even wind up having a couple of amps and a cabinet for sale on CL this weekend.

 

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NICE!!! Personally, I am pretty sure I will end up trying to sell off most of my "extra" amps, and pick up a Mark V 90 watter. While it only has one set of EQ sliders, it has the "preset" mode for each channel, which is pretty much the "V" shaped profile. You can also control the depth of the V for each channel. Other option of course is the sliders. Also there is just more "range" on the MKV. The JP-2C is really made for JP, and great for those who love that kind of sound.

 

Anyway, have fun with it! What kind of cabinet will you be running it through?

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You know that your comment about the wicker plate automatically disqualifies you fron th MBOC?

Dude, wickers make the boogies sound even better. Even rocks know that

 

Jokes aside, congrats on a truly amazing amp

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NICE!!! Personally, I am pretty sure I will end up trying to sell off most of my "extra" amps, and pick up a Mark V 90 watter. While it only has one set of EQ sliders, it has the "preset" mode for each channel, which is pretty much the "V" shaped profile. You can also control the depth of the V for each channel. Other option of course is the sliders. Also there is just more "range" on the MKV. The JP-2C is really made for JP, and great for those who love that kind of sound.

 

Anyway, have fun with it! What kind of cabinet will you be running it through?

 

I was looking real hard at the Mark V 90w, and came real close to getting it. But the difference came down to these factors... The Mark V 90w is more versatile and it also has a "Tweed button" (I was considering a Tweed amp too, Carvin clone or actual Fender) while the JP-2C is more Metal on top of more Metal.Since my guitar collection is shaping up to be more focused on only what styles of music I want to play and not so focused on being able to do anything anyone may ask of it. Since I am more of a metalhead, I decided to go with the JP-2C. I did so keeping in the back of my mind that I still had a Mark Five:25 in the collection that it isn't going anywhere. (Even though the 5:25 doesn't have a Tweed button, which is okay since there is no danger of me ever buying a Tele.)

 

So I was going to put it on the Marshall 4x12 cabinet but at the last minute I decided to keep the families together and put it on my silver covered upright Mesa 2x12 cabinet. My little 5:25 now sits on a Mesa Recto 1x12 cabinet. The 100w Archon moved to the Marshall 2x12. The Dallas 50w 4x10 combo is self contained. The VOX AC15C, the Carvin V3m and the Marshall 4x12 cabinet are probably going on CL this weekend. I'll also be looking real hard at whether there are any guitars I think I can part with but right now it would take one of those proverbial "offers I can't refuse" to let one or more of them go.

 

Since my credit card has now experienced a full nuclear meltdown, I actually had the idea occur to me that I might want to sell my two fantastic looking Heritage guitars and in turn buy that beat up but very affordable H150 Goldtop that Brent is selling just so I would be able to pay down some debt and have somewhere to put this brand new set of Pearly Gates pickups that I have sitting around doing nothing. Maybe even put a Billy Gibbons pinstripe job on it. Oh well, we'll see.

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Yowza, that amp has more knobs than a ....(well, I won't go there).

 

Looks just like a simple Tweed; one volume, one tone.... LOL!!! And whats up with only one input? (LOL)

 

Enjoy her, sometimes finding the secret settings can be as much fun as playing her. Life is too short to second guess your holy grail amp.

 

To quote one of my best friends.... "If not now, then when?"

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I can appreciate the end of the amp quest. Once you find the sound that's in your head, you're done. I always thought I needed variety, but since my last amp acquisition (Victoria Regal II) I'm questioning that. I'm also blessed with a Carr Rambler and Victoria Ivy League. Both are exceptional in their own right. Both remain in the closet, relegated to second class status. I feel an amp purge coming on....

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At various different times I've considered both the M/B Mark V and the M/B JP-2C but decided against both because I already have a M/B TriAxis-50/50 rack setup as well as a M/B Mark IVb rig, so I'm pretty well covered when it comes to MB amps. But the Mark V and the JP-2C are both really nice amps and HANGAR18 yours is one fine looking amp.

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As a former Boogie owner and forumite, it's great to see this original post. Pretty staggering feature set on that JP amp.

 

Mesas respond very well to vintage tube rolling, I have seen Sylvania short gray plate 12ax7's as well as Siemens ecc83/12ax7's with Mesa logo printing on the bottles. Vintage 5751's can be subbed for any 12ax7 socket in that amp, the tones will be fantastic and all yours. One awesome sounding fave is the GE green print 5751, great tone/acquisition cost ratio. for instance. Often a high power Mesa will sound and play better with a vintage 12at7 in the phase inverter socket, well documented in the Boogie forums. I briefly ran one in my friend's MkIIC+ and the amp actually sang better in the lead channel with the 12at7! Don't worry about voiding your Mesa warranty, vintage preamp tubes that are known to work perfectly in other amps are less likely to have problems than the new production Mesa labeled glass. Run that strange glass in another amp to verify operation before sticking it in your Mesa. If something happens down the road within the warranty period, ship it back for repair with the factory glass in it. The Boogie I had was out of warranty...ended up frying the original power tranny. Both power and output trannys in that particular model could have been more massive.

 

Like others here, after a recent buy of a top end amp or two the tonal palettes of those amps resulted in some other amps in the harem becoming instantly redundant in their musical offerings and available for new homes. My endgame amps are both 50w RedPlates, 1/12 Blues Machine and an Aurora 34 head.

 

Future amp projects will be builds, mods, and as always, repairs. Operator errors still occasionally occur!

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That "Boogie" nameplate on wicker, is, for many, the epitome of Amp - dom

 

kind of like a black stallion on yellow on red. There is no explanation or qualification necessary. You need simply nod approvingly and try to minimize the shades of green that pass over your face.

 

I'd leave it alone, but it's your amp.

 

congrats Danny.

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That "Boogie" nameplate on wicker, is, for many, the epitome of Amp - dom

 

kind of like a black stallion on yellow on red. There is no explanation or qualification necessary. You need simply nod approvingly and try to minimize the shades of green that pass over your face.

 

I'd leave it alone, but it's your amp.

 

congrats Danny.

 

I do have a certain respect for tradition at times so I'm thinking that in this case I'll keep it covered in wicker.

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How many of you remember me 9 years ago when when I was a newbie here and all I had was long hair and solid state amps... and more solid state amps?

Eventually I bought a tube amp from Guy which included a few long distance phone call questions & answers sessions.

One thing I learned well is that a great amp can make a crappy guitar sound really good while a crappy amp will make a great guitar sound like crap.

That "I need a crash course in Mesa amps" thread I started was very educational as well.

I've learned a lot from all of you. I am grateful.

 

F'ing enablers. :P hahaha

 

post-679-0-12131800-1497665684.jpg

 

post-679-0-12131800-1497665684_thumb.jpg

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How many of you remember me 9 years ago when when I was a newbie here and all I had was long hair and solid state amps... and more solid state amps?

Eventually I bought a tube amp from Guy which included a few long distance phone call questions & answers sessions.

One thing I learned well is that a great amp can make a crappy guitar sound really good while a crappy amp will make a great guitar sound like crap.

That "I need a crash course in Mesa amps" thread I started was very educational as well.

I've learned a lot from all of you. I am grateful.

 

F'ing enablers. :P hahaha

 

post-679-0-12131800-1497665684.jpgI

 

attachicon.gifdanny_6065x800.jpg

 

 

 

f-ing great work, sir! And the earlier posts about the Mesa and Ferrari logos are true, as well as the wicker thang. Enjoy sailing on a sea of tones floating from your new amp yacht!

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Congrats on a fine piece of equipment. I've owned lots of Boogies... and played even more. As the only authorized Mesa servicer in NM for the past 15 years I've had the opportunity to play many of the Mesa offerings. They build fine amps and they back 'em up with great customer service.

 

One thing I'll mention: Protect the control knobs when transporting it (and playing it at gigs). Can't tell you how many pots I've had to replace 'cause the amp face got bumped.

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"So, that's it. I'm done buying amps. All the guys I jammed with in high school had one guitar and one amp. Why the hell do I need one room full of guitars and another room full of amps?"

 

Right, especially since you barely play any of them!

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One thing I'll mention: Protect the control knobs when transporting it (and playing it at gigs). Can't tell you how many pots I've had to replace 'cause the amp face got bumped.

 

I'm always amazed when people pay $2000+ for an amp and don't even bother to put a slip cover on it, much less a hard case. I have some amps bought used where you can tell where the knobs were due to the dust collected on top of them.

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