A Good Combo Amp For Dirt Pedals

M

mspizziri

Member
Messages
286
I currently have a Mesa DC-2 1x12 25watt combo and the distortion channel is great on it, but you really have to turn it up to get the most out of it.
Since I live in an apartment I have decided to get a couple dirt pedals so I can still get a decent distortion at lower volumes. I have an OCD and also have a Krank clone pedal on the way for heavier stuff.

Now when I first tried the OCD it was through one of the current Princeton Reverbs and it sounded great, very bright and vibrant. When I got it home I tried it through the clean channel on the Mesa and it didn't have quite the same effect.

I have been thinking about trying another combo and was hoping to get some recommendations with a budget of about $700. I tested out a Pro Jr and Blues Jr at the guitar store and they sounded pretty good. I also may know someone who would trade me one of the Blues Deluxe Reissues for my Mesa, but I think that it may be a bit too loud.

I do mostly play in my apartment, but I would like to have something that still could keep up with drums for the odd jam.

Any suggestions to help narrow down my search would be greatly appreciated!!!!
 
M

mspizziri

Member
Messages
286
I was also thinking of trying out an EQ or maybe some kind of boost pedal to brighten up the amp abit before I go ahead and get rid of it
 
Lolaviola

Lolaviola

Silver Supporting Member
Messages
8,891
I have an OCD and a Mesa (mk1 r. i.) , and I find I can really control the sound with the treble, mid, bass, pres. I really have to fuss with it a lot, and sometimes even the next day it sounds different to me. Sometimes I end up with some setting that I really woul not have thought would sound good. e.g. T.3 M.6 B.2 pres off.
Also the different channels cascade tubes (yes you can change them out too) so sometimes I end up using pedals on the cleanest channel. Sometimes I only use the clean, but mostly I set it with clean volume high enough to dirty up a little, and then swithc over with both volumes active, and dial in just a little more dirt with the 2nd volume gain. If you have a lead master, then you can experiment with various combos of high/lo settings on those. It all seems to effect the midrange, (which I think of as a bass control,) and high which acts on the gain a lot.
NOw this is for best sound. If you are going for more versatile, [e.g. super clean/crunch/lead/fuzz switching all at one time] then you can make slight changes to this and still get something decent; you need to embrace the mesa voice. It's fatter in the mid and highs and not much bass comes out of it, or doesn't seem to, but dialing in more bass makes the preamp compress too much. The bass comes from all around, balanced like a hi-fi, not thumping you in the chest.
I can recommend something like a pro jr, a guild jet or a silverface champ for apt dwelling w/ pedals.
 
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