Help me sort out my amp dilemmas

ICBM

If the choice is the Mesa or the Supersonic I'd go for the Mesa no question, even at twice the price - although I would be inclined to buy second hand if you can, because they're so overpriced new - but make sure it's the newer version with the Graphic EQ. It's much more versatile than the Fender and doesn't have the same reputation for reliability problems. (Although that said, I did fix an Express recently which had a poorly-fitted jumper cable.) Of the two it's closer to being able to cover the sound of the Blackstar as well as doing its own thing. It's a *very* big-sounding 25W as well.

The power is irrelevant though, it's about tone. If you prefer the tone of a bigger amp, you *are* making use of the power, because the two are related. If a small amp gives you the sound you want, great. If a big amp does, don't be afraid of it just because "you never need more than 15W" or whatever.

I would also be inclined to get the combo since it gives you more options than the head - and if you do get the head, definitely look for a less ludicrously-priced cab than a Mesa… even though they are good.

Bucket

Thanks for the input everyone.

@ICBM I am leaning towards the combo now... I do honestly think 25 watts would be enough for me, should be more than loud enough and have enough headroom as far as I can work out. And yes, I would be after the newer one with the EQ.

dindude

I also had a Supersonic 22, very nice sound amp but it had its issues, pop on the footswitch as already said, hissed like a snake and reverb fed back on higher settings at bedroom volumes. Didn't instil confidence anyhow.

Not a huge fan to of the Mesa Express series though.

Worth a try might be for the Mesa Rectoverb 25, lovely and compact in head or combo and cheaper than the express.

ecc83

I agree with ICBM. The HT-40 does have a chip front end and although the amps generally do take pedals well I can quite understand that there will be certain combinations that don't work. Can't Please All of the Pe....Di Da!  And no, I know of no "mod" that would help and I would not advise anyone to try. It would have to be a protracted "cut and try" exercise in any event.

I too was going to suggest the FX loop, don't forget it can be  run at two sensitivities?

Use as a cab is very viable (I would naturally rather see you keep the 40!) but again I agree with IC, more faffing to get the right Z.  If you can keep the amp as a backup do, doubt you will find another more reliable brand.

Last thoughts...I don't know why or how the fuzz does not "work" with the 40 but if you have an EQ pedal you could try that after the fuzz and have a tweak with the response? I bet the problem is some sort of "voicing" mismatch.

Dave.

Bucket

OP edited to add in my transport issues, @guitarfishbay is right - should have mentioned that from the off.

Ideally, I think what I'd like to do is eventually get an Express 1x12, keeping the Blackstar if viable. We'll see if that works out to plan...

Thanks for your help folks. Of course, if anyone else fancies chipping in I'm still open to opinions.

monquixote

You might want to try the Magical Liquid Sunshine. 

I've found that amps that don't like fuzz pedals, but do like the Liquid Sunshine (which is most of them) like fuzz pedals if they are stacked into the Liquid Sunshine. 

Bucket

monquixote said:

You might want to try the Magical Liquid Sunshine. 

I've found that amps that don't like fuzz pedals, but do like the Liquid Sunshine (which is most of them) like fuzz pedals if they are stacked into the Liquid Sunshine. 

I'll look into that, although I'm pushed for space on my board... what makes the LS different to any other overdrive in this regard?

monquixote

I don't know really

Others might do it, but it seems to be something the Liquid Sunshine does really well. You can have it as a very subtle grit/always on boost thing and it seems to make pedals get on.

Apparently it's a fairly unique JFET based circuit so perhaps it has some special mojo somewhere in the circuit.

Bucket

monquixote said:

I don't know really

Others might do it, but it seems to be something the Liquid Sunshine does really well. You can have it as a very subtle grit/always on boost thing and it seems to make pedals get on.

Apparently it's a fairly unique JFET based circuit so perhaps it has some special mojo somewhere in the circuit.

I may consider that as a replacement for my Green Rhino in due course, but I'll see if I can try one first.

monquixote

The guitarist in my old band borrowed my LS to put into his HT40 when one of his Mayer pedals broke (as they are want to do) he absolutely loved it and refused to give it back so I suspect it's a winning combination.

ThePrettyDamned

Is there a cheaper clone of the liquid sunshine you could use to test it? It would be a useful, cheap way of working out if you like it.

ICBM

Bucket said:

Ideally, I think what I'd like to do is eventually get an Express 1x12, keeping the Blackstar if viable. We'll see if that works out to plan...

If so - even if you can "borrow" an Express for a short while to see if it's the right amp - you could test whether a speaker upgrade in the HT40 would be worthwhile. The Express combo comes with a V30, I think - while that wouldn't necessarily be my first choice for fuzz (I think they sound better into more scooped-sounding speakers like the G12H-30 or Classic Lead) it will at least tell you whether a chunkier-sounding speaker would help.

ThePrettyDamned

I think, in your shoes, I'd be inclined to get the head and use your existing amp as a cab - even if it did mean replacing the speaker (which is a very common upgrade on the ht amps anyway).

It would give you a reliable backup amp that might sound better than it did. Win-win!

@monquixote is there a joyo clone of the liquid sunshine? Could be a useful way to test the theory much cheaper, and maybe would be my first step - it's cheaper than a new speaker.

Those mesa amps are the balls though, I really liked the one I tried (which didn't have the graphic eq). Everyone says the graphic eq version is even better so you'll be well chuffed with it, and I'll be green with envy

monquixote

ThePrettyDamned said:

@monquixote is there a joyo clone of the liquid sunshine? Could be a useful way to test the theory much cheaper, and maybe would be my first step - it's cheaper than a new speaker.

There are no Chinese clones that I know of, but there is one on the classifieds and @HandsomeRik made one a while ago.

Bucket

ThePrettyDamned said:

I think, in your shoes, I'd be inclined to get the head and use your existing amp as a cab - even if it did mean replacing the speaker (which is a very common upgrade on the ht amps anyway).

It would give you a reliable backup amp that might sound better than it did. Win-win! 

This does seem like a really good option.

ICBM

Bucket said:

This does seem like a really good option.

Particularly as it seems the Express combo does come with (in my opinion!) the wrong speaker. The Mesa Black Shadow C90 would have been better in a small 1x12" they're trying to make as big-sounding as possible. The V30 generally sounds least good in a small open-back 1x12", to me.

In the HT40 I would go for either the Classic Lead 80 or the Creamback G12H-75 (not M65), which are the closest stock Celestions to the C90. The only disadvantage of putting an 8-ohm speaker in it is that means you can't use the internal speaker as well as an external cab at the same time without a mismatch, but I assume that isn't a big problem.

guitarfishbay

Personally I thought the Blackstar HT60 2x12 I had sounded better through seventy 80s than it did through Mesa V30s.  The amp is already on the dark and compressed side so putting it through V30s accentuated it.  Something with more bottom and top like what ICBM is suggesting would be a better plan IMO.

Bucket

My concern about the head would still be this - it only saves space in the car until I need to bring a cab with me to a gig.

Bucket

And @ICBM - on the Blackstar, the speaker is currently plugged into the 8 ohm output, should I plug it into the 16 socket?

ICBM

Bucket said:

And @ICBM - on the Blackstar, the speaker is currently plugged into the 8 ohm output, should I plug it into the 16 socket?

Check the impedance on the speaker - the pics online all show it plugged into the 16-ohm jack so I assumed it was a 16-ohm speaker!

It will either be on the back label, on a sticker on the edge of the magnet, or (sometimes not very legibly) stamped on the speaker frame, depending on the model. I think that one will be a sticker on the edge.

If you've been running it at the wrong impedance, don't worry - impedance mismatching is only an issue if the amp is fully cranked, and even then more usually just shortens the valve life a bit rather than doing any damage. But it does also change the tone, so it may be worth trying the fuzz pedal again with it at the right impedance ... although I doubt it's responsible for why the amp doesn't like fuzz.