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Mesa 400+


Dan T.

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I just bought one of these and it is totally awesome but I am having some trouble getting the eq dialed in right. I play a Music Man Stingray and put it through an Ampeg 8x10, anyone have any suggestions on setting up a good metal/rock sound? Any input or help is appreciated!

 

The problem I'm getting is my tone is pretty distorted and I can't get a very clean sound. Am I turning the preamp up too high? Also I use a Sansamp Bass Driver, I have backed off the drive waaay down and the presence as well, where am I going wrong here? Thanks!

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I have found that it is very easy to overdrive the input of the SansAmp. Your MM Stingray is probably pushing too much signal to the SABDDI. Try turning down the volume on the MM and see what happens.
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The Sansamp has a switch for line / instrument and I think the manual states if the signal is too high to flick this switch. Anyway I'm relying on memory here, but this may only be the latest version.

 

Davo

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Try this it may help you.

 

Take the sansamp out of the picture. First step, make sure that your master volume is louder than you channel volume. You should have a clean sound at this point. Now Switch the volume settings where your channel volume is louder than your master...just a hair....you should getting meaner gritier sound...a metal/rock sound (tiny bit of distortion). This is going to overdrive the amp and give you distortion. Once you do these steps and you understand the amps settings and have control put the sansamp in the mix. You can do this several ways. One thing is you can run it from your effects loop in the back. You also have a presence control on the FX loop and it allows you the option of how much effect you need.

 

Once you have tried this...I would use Groover and Davo's suggestions above and give it a shot.

 

Hope this helps I am not really a techical person, but I have the same amp.

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Originally posted by Davo-London:

The Sansamp has a switch for line / instrument and I think the manual states if the signal is too high to flick this switch. Anyway I'm relying on memory here, but this may only be the latest version.

 

Davo

Not all of the SansAmps have that switch!!! I bought mine from Bass NW in 2002 and it doesn't have the switch.

 

I agree that taking the SansAmp out of the picture. Get a good clean tone, then add the SansAmp in. The Mesa should be pumping some nice overdrive without the BDDI anyway.

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Also, don't EQ your MM at this point. Put all the EQ settings at the center detentes. Add on-board EQ to taste later on.

 

Focus first on the amp -- the volume settings and the amp EQ section (as others have already suggested), then mess w/ the SABDDI (if necessary) and your on-board EQ (if necessary).

 

Peace.

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Originally posted by cornbread:

You got a rare 400+, then. I never got anything remotely close to a decent tone out of mine.

I wasn't crazy about mine either. I really tried to like it because I read over at harmony-central how great it was. Guess what if you don't like it it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks and of course if it is expensive it must be good.

 

I have learned a lot. Buy with your ears only! Look at the price tag second. Same thing goes with buying a bass. Use your hands and your ears.

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