paulwillson Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I think i bought this for £800 but i have seen them go for between £750-£1000, dont see many forsale anymore i am not selling mine but what would you guys say they are worth. Perfect condition and serviced every year by Mike HIll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 It really depends on the conditions and by that I don't just mean the wear and tear hits and bumps on the casing, for a good one which has had a full service including complete re-valve (very expensive to change them all with sovtek good quality matching ones) and a re-bias, then you can expect to pay up to £900 but then you must be weary of some real dud ones being sold which look good on the outside but are in need of a good service by a qualified tech, including the re-valve job, which to have it done you are looking at an extra £200 - £250 on top of whatever they are asking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Very easy to re valve actually I always do my own with a Eurotube kit, it's a fixed bias so there's nothing to adjust. I'd say £800 a pretty good price for one,great amp BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 yeah its fixed bias so you can do it yourself easy, cant remember what power valves they have it but they are alive and kicking believe you mean, i think they are sovtek, i know there are 3x12ax7 and a 12au7 in the driver position for extra headroom, really makes a hell of a difference with all the drive i use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Go to the amps sale section and do a search, you'll get an idea of how much they have been advertised for and possibly a couple of sale prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 there are none about at the minute i know i bought mine for £800 and i love it, best amp ive ever played wouldnt have anything else. Just wondering what people would pay for one of these. AND WHY THE HELL DONT MESA MAKE THEM ANYMORE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 [quote name='paulwillson' timestamp='1333631658' post='1604557'] AND WHY THE HELL DONT MESA MAKE THEM ANYMORE! [/quote] ... because people are wiling to pay £800 to £1000 for them, but MB need to retail them at £3000 to make a profit? It's why most things get discontinued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 because they dont sell? or because the cost too much to make or both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 [quote name='Geddys nose' timestamp='1333607240' post='1604054'] Very easy to re valve actually I always do my own with a Eurotube kit, it's a fixed bias so there's nothing to adjust. I'd say £800 a pretty good price for one,great amp BTW. [/quote] It's non adjustable fixed bias, which is bad. you need to make sure the valves are well matched which they pretty much aren't gonna be if you get them from somewhere like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 [quote name='paulwillson' timestamp='1333791352' post='1606437'] because they dont sell? or because the cost too much to make or both? [/quote] I suspect both: the market for bass-guitar valve amps is pretty small as they need to be so powerful and then heavy. Guitar amps require less power, so I think the manufacturers have invested in production lines for the smaller amps that can knock them out at a reasonable rate and therefore cost. The effort to load the large transformers and components for a 400W amp would require huge tooling for rapid production, so that leaves smaller, hand-made production which is expensive again. Also they are very heavy (35 kg + protective case?), so I'd love to have one, but really don't fancy having to shift it; or just leave it at home as a studio amp - and then, why do you need so much power unless you have an auditorium at home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 [quote name='umph' timestamp='1333798500' post='1606610'] It's non adjustable fixed bias, which is bad. you need to make sure the valves are well matched which they pretty much aren't gonna be if you get them from somewhere like that. [/quote] Don't know why you would say the final comment seeing I buy only the 400+ Kit from them and they have checked they are matched,Could you expand? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 When they say 'matched', did they say what was matched, how closely matched, and under what conditions? If they don't, doesn't really mean a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 [quote name='Alpha-Dave' timestamp='1333799007' post='1606623'] Also they are very heavy (35 kg + protective case?), so I'd love to have one, but really don't fancy having to shift it; or just leave it at home as a studio amp - and then, why do you need so much power unless you have an auditorium at home? [/quote] yes it is very heavy, but im 21 and so i will owrry about my back later, its no heavier than say an SVT 2, its not just about the power (Although it does help with 2 guitars and a drummer), the tone on these is incredible, i run both sections of the pre amp at one time (high and low gain through an ABY) and have the channel gains really higher to give it a really Gritty sound, Really cuts through the mix which is what i want for my style of music! Mr. Foxen thats really interesting i assumed "hand matched" really meant the tech was looking out for me, please tell me i havent been lured into marketing buzz word buying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 [quote name='paulwillson' timestamp='1333844709' post='1607387'] Mr. Foxen thats really interesting i assumed "hand matched" really meant the tech was looking out for me, please tell me i havent been lured into marketing buzz word buying [/quote] "hand matched" is even worse, hands don't tell you anything about electrical properties, maybe he picks them out of a pile and matches up the logos. Stuff has to be matched to the fairly specific conditions in your amp. And without a stated tolerance it is definitely a marketing buzzword, they could be matched with an enormous error margin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) 15 or so years ago I had a bonus from work eating a hole in my pocket so I ordered a new 400+. They were hand made in California and only made to order, so I guess that is a large part of the cost of them when new. Mesa match their valve sets (electronically) but the price for 12 Mesa power amp and 5 preamp valves was too much for me. £800 sounds about right. Edited April 8, 2012 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 Mr Foxen, what should i look out for when replacing the power valves then? Just trust mike hill? how much did you pay for yours new Chris? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) [quote name='paulwillson' timestamp='1333851390' post='1607425'] Mr Foxen, what should i look out for when replacing the power valves then? Just trust mike hill? how much did you pay for yours new Chris? [/quote] An amp designed for having its power valves replaced. The issue is with the amp, not the valves. Edit: There is a well known mod to add adjustable bias, but not sure it it is an overall or a pair of adjusters. Pair is better as you can adjust the balance between the push/pull halves. Edited April 8, 2012 by Mr. Foxen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Hi Paul, I think Mesa power valves were about £25 each back then. That was the last valve amp I owned so I'm not up on current prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 ah isee what your saying! The bad boy hasnt let me down yet and i have had it for a year i meant the mesa, how much did you pay for the mesa new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Great sounding amps when I had the good fortune to use one. Never felt the need to own one, tho funnily enough I did really think about one for sale with a 1516. A amp tech I use does not have good words to say about them but I suspect some of that is also to do with him having to weight-lift one onto his service bench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Brand new mine was £1450. It sounded good with the mesa cabs but it blew valves on a regular basis and was never right for long. I replaced it with an Ampeg SVT3PRO, which never faltered in nearly 10 years. The Ampeg was a fantastic buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 i had a Black faced (USA made) SVT3PRO and sold that to fund the mesa.... i think the mesa outclasses the svt3 by miles and miles... :S strange how peoples tastes are different. Mine hasnt blown any valves and i run it through an ampeg 410HLF sounds lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheButler Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I have a 400+, and a 1516 (which has a dud driver ), but when it was in full flight it was fantastic. Mines is a 1991, flightcased all its life - very good condition cosmetically, and was running on original Mesa valves 'til only last year. I have since had it re-valved, but more as a precautionary measure, i've kept the MB valves in any case, but if one goes you've got to make sure it matches or something? I get mines serviced by Dennis Marshall, who also did the re-valve on it, if I was selling it (which I honestly could never see myself doing) i'd look for about £900. They are quite 'last year' now, I mean literally, there was a spate when everyone wanted one, but its died down now. I know I would only ever use mine if I had a back-up to go to, which is never really a good thing is it? It is worth saying that mines sat in its flightcase for 6 months, when I never picked a bass up after quitting my last band. It worked perfectly before putting in the case, but I unleashed it only in the last couple of weeks, to be greeted with an almighty hum (audible) and crackles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwillson Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 im not sure what year mine is i will check and post it here. what do you think is wrong with it? have you checked all the valves? also, never owning a beast such as this before how likely is a fuse to go as i have no spares maybe this is asking too much but does anyone know where to get spare ones for cheap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Steve Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I don't know any of the techy stuff but my Bass 400 (6x6550 power valves) has ben faultless over the 23 years I've owned it and is running on Winged C valves and it's always sounded great. Always buy valves from Watford Valves and I've never once had a problem. Now if you had a Bass 400 I'd be offering you the Earth for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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