JamGuy Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I'd like an amp with a little more in the way of options but I keep hearing rumors of reliability issues... any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I have had my 5:25 Express head and cab for 5 years now. I do not gig but no reliability issues. The tones and options on these amps are great, plenty but without getting too complicated. So far I have only changed the power tubes, EL84s are not very durable. Also, I have not tried the new features they added like the 5-band EQ and Solo control. I am very, very happy with my amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjmwrx Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 You should have very little if any reliability issues with any Mesa amps. I play 20+ year old DC3 and it's never failed me at a gig. It requires maintenance just like any tube amp. But reliability? Mesa's are known to be rock solid. Many stories of them falling off the top of the stack and still working perfectly afterwards. The addition of the EQ to the Express + was a very much needed option. Really opened up the versatility of the Express line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Go for it. It will be the last amp you ever buy. I've been through plenty and can't forsee ever needing or wanting to replace this thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 ... The addition of the EQ to the Express + was a very much needed option. Really opened up the versatility of the Express line. While I'm sure they probably add some color to the tone, I can't agree that the sliders on the new Express + line were needed. The EQ section is plenty responsive on the older versions. My understanding is that it added more flexibility to the "Contour" control for each channel which the original has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I just noticed you are thinking of using it to replace your TRRI. That is exactly what I did when I bought this and thought I would miss the powerful clean headroom of the TRRI. With my 4x12 Super Sonic cab loaded with V30's and the 5:50 on the 50W setting, it does all the clean the TRRI could dish out and then some. And then it does everything from shimmering clean to slight blues crunch to low gain to liquid hig gain and will have you smiling with every simple press of the footswitch and the two toggles on the front panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamGuy Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 Great news.... My concern was that I once had a Blue Angel... it was the most glorious tone I'd ever heard but then it started having issues. It would make a loud pop, then go silent (for up to 10 seconds) then pop again and work fine. Sometimes for days, sometimes for another 5 minutes. I took it to the local Mesa dealer and we went through everything. Finally they said they'd have to ship it to CA. At the time I was living in Maine and so I was over it. I think it'll be perfect for me, I was just worried about reliability issues. Sounds like I don't need to worry about it. They do have a great warrantee and now I live in Oregon... just up the 5 from Petaluma. Cheers folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I have the original 5:50 combo 1x12", and I've had it since that model first came out (5 or 6 years?). I've had no problems, although I changed out a set of 6L6 tubes last year when the old ones got hissy. I love it. The clean channel is bright and pretty, the other three channels have varying degrees of creamy distortion, and they are all useful. I like the Clean and Blues selections the best. The Burn channel really sizzles, beautiful harmonics, though I've read it's not for metal (I wouldn't know, unfortunately, since metal is not part of my vocabulary). Reverb is nice and shimmery and Contour adds a nice fullness and boost at lower volumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamGuy Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 I have the original 5:50 combo 1x12", and I've had it since that model first came out (5 or 6 years?). I've had no problems, although I changed out a set of 6L6 tubes last year when the old ones got hissy. I love it. The clean channel is bright and pretty, the other three channels have varying degrees of creamy distortion, and they are all useful. I like the Clean and Blues selections the best. The Burn channel really sizzles, beautiful harmonics, though I've read it's not for metal (I wouldn't know, unfortunately, since metal is not part of my vocabulary). Reverb is nice and shimmery and Chorus adds a nice fullness at lower volumes. Again, thanks for all the input. I was actually thinking of the Mark V at first but after researching the 5:50, I think it's a much better choice for my musical tastes. I do a lot of Grateful Dead, other jam band type stuff, funk, jazz, and blues so I really just need clean and slightly driven tones. If there was a tone I'd say I was chasing it would fall somewhere between Garcia and Steve Kimock. Kimock uses a Two Rock and I can't afford one of those babies. I also thought about a Rivera Venus 5 but the 5:50 seems to be all the good stuff from the Mark V and slightly less wattage which is perfect. The price seems right too. My TRRI is great but I can't open it up at home so I'm really looking forward to the 5 and 25 watt settings on the 5:50. Because I was thinking of the Mark V initially, I had already come to terms with unloading a bunch of gear to afford it... now it looks like I can finally get those new tires for my truck! It'll be nice to clean out a little room in my cramped studio space too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 My TRRI is great but I can't open it up at home so I'm really looking forward to the 5 and 25 watt settings on the 5:50. The 5:25 and the 5:50 are two different amps, and you cannot adjust wattage with a flip of the switch to get 25 or 50 watts on the same amp. I would do a little more research, because each amp uses different tubes. The difference in price between the two is only about 10 or 15%. Both amps are plenty loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc3c46 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 The 5:25 and the 5:50 are two different amps, and you cannot adjust wattage with a flip of the switch to get 25 or 50 watts on the same amp. I would do a little more research, because each amp uses different tubes. The difference in price between the two is only about 10 or 15%. Both amps are plenty loud. Check out the Lonestar Special. You got to choose between 5, 15 and 30 watts. I got the head and the 2x12 cab and play happyly ever after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Actually, the new 5:50 + does provide switching for 5W/25W/50W. Something our older models don't do. My son has a Lonestar Special Combo and it is equally impressive. Good luck with your purchase and look forward to your review after you get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Wow, cool feature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drog Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I have an Express 5:50, its a nice amp. Really nice clean sound, variety of distorted sounds. It does take a little playing to use the contour knobs. I also swapped out my power tubes for KT66, it gives the amp a looser feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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