fretmeister

Nice! EB Group iv flats are usually my first choice on mine, but it currently has some Dunlop "not at all actually" Superbright steel rounds on it as I have some slappy stuff to record.

What a strange and unhinged question. I don't have any friends.

That is bloody gorgeous! Nice one! Now, throw away the god awful strings that come with them!

Yeah - but he's one of the coolest guys on earth, and we....

I’ve got a Line 6 one. I bought it for magic shows but used it to sing with too. Was also handy for sound checks and saving a bit of space on stage. The downside was if I wanted a quiet word with a band member during a song I’d have to turn it off and then back on.

You forgot that your return and space keys were broken so I thought I'd fix that for you. You also forgot your favourite type of post gig food. Is it a big old kebab with lots of chilli sauce?

I find it easier to hide wrong notes on a five string as well. The low notes are not quite as distinct as higher ones and I can get away with murder! 😂

... and then I remember, no arguments, no organisation, more sleep... And It's not a shame anymore!

They seem to have more low end than many steels as well. It's almost a shame that I'm currently without a band!

I was exclusively 5 string for a long time - at least 10 years. Playing jazz and with transposing instruments that B string was really useful. Then I tore a tendon and found a 4 more comfortable during my long recovery and I'm pretty happy with that. Mind you I find my way to the right notes a lot easier when moving downwards rather than up! I only have one 5 string now and I play it at home a bit, but generally a 4 string and a good octave pedal and I'm sorted! If I win the Lottery though, then I'll be making a trip to Bavaria for a chat with Gerald Marleaux to make something special.

I've just put a set of the steels on and they are far less bright than I expected - in a very good way. Nicer feel under the fingers than D'addarios too.

I never said cost is the most important criteria. But value for that cost is. A 20K item can have excellent value for money, and a £1 item may not. That's the thing - I am your target demographic. I'm an over 50 professional. I have been a keen purchaser of Mesa products in the past. I'm a sucker for various models of the Rectifier guitar amps. I've had 4 or 5 of them over the years. But they are no longer acceptable value. I got my most recent Dual Rec Reborn Multiwatt used for £1000 when they were in the shops at £3000. Somebody took a £2000 depreciation beating there. They aren't thinking it was good value for money either, no matter how much of a well built luxury product it is.

£900 can buy a single underpowered head, that then requires spending out another £500 for a cab to go with it, or it can buy a 500W to 700W head AND a suitable cab to get out gigging straight away. Maybe, just maybe, the Mesa 350W will last twice as long as the other options… but who is going to find out? All options will be well out of warranty by that point and then we’ll have Mesa spare part prices to look forward to. Unless Mesa have had another sabbatical from the UK and EU market again and we just can’t get them anyway.

I realise you are trying to avoid the issue, old equine chap, but £900 for a 350W Class D amp is taking the piss no matter taxes and exchange rate are. I’m also aware you have no say in pricing, so this isn’t personal. Nobody gives a proverbial about anything other than how much folding has to be handed over to be able to take one home. It’s too expensive here, and in the EU, and in the USA. Geography and taxation are not the issues. Rightly or wrongly power is high on many buyers feature comparison lists. Combine that with Mesa’s absence from the market in EU and UK means your 350W is not looked at as a luxury product, it’s going to be looked at next to the lower powered Mark Bass, Ampeg, and Ashdown Class D stuff, and some of those are under £450! Ampeg Venture V3 is £436. Yes, of course I know they are not assembled in the USA. But what American companies are seemingly unable to comprehend is that non Americans simply do not care about that. Most of us won’t even notice country of assembly until we plug it in for the first time after we’ve bought it and taken it home.

Cioks DC7 for the win. Buy it right and buy it once. loads of power and expandable.

Again, still nothing to do with Gibson upping prices across the board. They’ve clearly decided that their market is the well off 50 year old or over with little or no interest in anyone else. Now that Epiphone are regularly over £1000 as well, there is nothing to encourage youngsters to want to try the brand. I know that long term Mesa employees don’t want to hear it, but your new overlords belong in the same category as Darth Bezos. £900 for a 350W amp is taking the piss, no matter what country it is in.

I didn’t say gone up compared to the USA. Gibson do have form for massive price rises across their brands with no perceived increase in quality or features. Their “entry level” Les Paul (Studio) hit £1500 before it was discontinued this week. I went to try a few about a year ago, and actually bought a LTD EC-256 for £400 instead as it was better in every way.

The guitar stuff has gone up amazingly too. It's almost like a litigation hungry, over priced guitar builder is in change now…

I bet he can only gig on a Tuesday lunchtime.

I was really tempted by one 1 on eBay the other week. It went for about £375! I should have bought it.

I have the same issue with La Bella flats, especially when my hands are sweaty. The low tensions were worse! On the Deep Talking Flats I have solved it… before I install them I give them an extensive rub down with Wet & Dry paper to rough them up. It makes a big difference. I wouldn’t have bothered if I didn’t like their tone so much. Dunlop make some good medium scale flats. They fit fine on a Mezzo. Eye wateringly expensive though.

That reminds me of Mika Hakkinen a bit. Technically he’s still on sabbatical from Formula One but hasn’t heard when he’s coming back!

Those new prices! Ha ha hahahahahaha I really wanted a TT-800 but they can jog on now.

I'm pretty sure it's only the Masterpiece - on their configurator if you spec Masterpiece and click the More Information thing then it shows the vibration and heat stuff. On the other finish options it does not.

Me too. I'm a 40-100 on a long scale, but 45-105 at least on a shortie.