#159347  by mikelawson
 
And so it begins.

I just won an MC50 on eBay for $370.00 plus $35 shipping. I think I'm going to try inserting it between my Mesa Boogie and D120 first, while I sort out how deep into this rabbit hole I want to travel. :)
 #159348  by WokeUpDead
 
Awesome! I was just on there and saw one listed for $999 so good for you man.
 #159350  by johngtr67
 
Assuming you have a Preamp out on the Mesa?
 #159356  by TI4-1009
 
Enjoy! I use an MC50 with my Lonestar, going out the effects send jack.
 #159367  by mikelawson
 
My amp tech says he will add a bypass to the power amp in the Boogie for me, along with adding a speaker input jack so I can put the MC50 in-between the pre-amp and the Boogie's JBL d120. This should be fun, while I'm looking into which pre-amp and small rack I want to use. Trying to decide if I'm going Groove Tubes Trio with external reverb, SMS, Shakedown or FYD.
 #159369  by hippieguy1954
 
Maestro Reverb amp! :wink:
 #159370  by cripeowner
 
Maestro Reverb amp! :wink:
+1 on the Maestro. I had a Trio years ago and hated using digital reverb, I like springs. Also had an SMS and again digital reverb just doesn't work for me ( my preference some guys make great use of it I could never dial any in ). I have a Shakedown and it's great in its own way different from the Maestro, but I waited 2+ years. Anyway that's my history if it helps
 #159390  by Jedstein
 
cripeowner wrote:
Maestro Reverb amp! :wink:
+1 on the Maestro. I had a Trio years ago and hated using digital reverb, I like springs. Also had an SMS and again digital reverb just doesn't work for me ( my preference some guys make great use of it I could never dial any in ). I have a Shakedown and it's great in its own way different from the Maestro, but I waited 2+ years. Anyway that's my history if it helps

I've been playing a Shakedown for a year plus, and I love it. I also recently acquired an SMS and an MC50, which I pair together. I've been having a ball comparing both rigs. Also having fun playing the Shakedown on its own (with Twin Power Tubes) and then seeing how it compares in tone to how it sounds with the Mac (honestly I haven't yet concluded which I like better -- Shakedown sounds great on its own AND with a Mac). But I kind of come out the same way, in that, it's really tough to beat the spring reverb on the Twin (at least to my ears). But I don't know if that's just because the SMS is still new to me. I do really dig the SMS. The reverb is the one thing I'm still trying to get used to . . . . And, of course, I've heard so many make the SMS sing (most recently, Jeff Mattson).

Paul -- can you elaborate a little on the different qualities between the Shakedown and the Maestro? All the clips I've heard of the Maestro are jaw droppingly good (especially the ones you posted some months back). Tone was dead-on. But I also watched some of the clips of you with the Shakedown from a couple years ago, and those were also excellent. Maybe it has something to do with the your playing???? The last thing my marriage needs is for me to purchase a third Jerry rig! But, I would be really interested in hearing you elaborate a bit on the tonal differences between the Maestro and Shakedown . . . .
 #159435  by cripeowner
 
I would be really interested in hearing you elaborate a bit on the tonal differences between the Maestro and Shakedown . . . .
Hey Jed I wish I could elaborate on the tone differences for you , but no words really come to mind. The videos you saw are the best to use for comps. The only difference is the Shakedown was with a Mac and the Maestro was tube. I like messing with the Macs a home but for gigs I feel more comfortable with using the tube power sections. I can say that working with Waldo was a pleasure, the turnaround was more than reasonable and the quality is top notch. I almost bought a 2nd maestro but like you it's hard to justify 3 rigs. I only gig half a dozen time a year.
 #159467  by Jedstein
 
cripeowner wrote:
I would be really interested in hearing you elaborate a bit on the tonal differences between the Maestro and Shakedown . . . .
Hey Jed I wish I could elaborate on the tone differences for you , but no words really come to mind. The videos you saw are the best to use for comps. The only difference is the Shakedown was with a Mac and the Maestro was tube. I like messing with the Macs a home but for gigs I feel more comfortable with using the tube power sections. I can say that working with Waldo was a pleasure, the turnaround was more than reasonable and the quality is top notch. I almost bought a 2nd maestro but like you it's hard to justify 3 rigs. I only gig half a dozen time a year.
Fair enough, Paul. Well -- they both sound great (as does my shakedown). I know Waldo is the man. I've been in touch with him as well, about a potential build (and he was great). This is a troublesome addiction, but not as troublesome as other addictions I suppose . . .

One specific question: Do you find you're able to get "the tone" from the Maestro at lower volumes than from the Shakedown? That's always kind of a challenge for me, especially since I'm playing less and less big stadiums :-)
 #159475  by cripeowner
 
One specific question: Do you find you're able to get "the tone" from the Maestro at lower volumes than from the Shakedown? That's always kind of a challenge for me, especially since I'm playing less and less big stadiums :-)
That question I can put into words. The answer is yes. I play pretty much the same volume indoor or outdoors. I feel the PA should handle the rest. I don't play very loud, I actually dislike it quite a bit. I think I should be able talk to the band if I have something to say. I also think you should be able to talk to your friends if we were indoors like a bar or hall. Both amps I am usually around 3.5 to 5 on the volume and 70% guitar volume.
 #159476  by mgbills
 
I'm playing my Maestro right now...preamp tapped into an Mc250 with the Mc gain just cracked. I'm playing into a 2x cab with one K & one E120. It's right into my left ear. And it's just fine. The gain on the Maestro is at 4. My 2x cab was built by my son when he was first getting into woodworking, so the dimensions aren't Turner spec'd. It's just a bit wide, so it has more warmth than a tight HT type cab. So I turn down the gain to balance the tone in a small bedroom. Crank it to about 4.5 when my wife's not in the next room, and pump up the Mc. Glorious.

The tone is fantastic. Dead On. My hands then get to be my focus. If I flip the bright switch up, & turn on the Tremelo circuit it sounds like a Twin. Sterile at low volume.

I've had a Mesa Mark 1, a different Twin, and currently have a SMS and a 1968 DR. Totally obsessed. I love them all. Just scored a Tube Works Reverb for the SMS rig.

But there is only one Maestro Reverb. The tone clips on this board don't lie.

And Waldo is the Man. He's a busy Man. But he does what he says he's going to do. And...he cracked it. He walked the path until that ScoobyDoo mystery was solved.
 #159559  by Gr8fulCadi
 
[/quote]This is a troublesome addiction, but not as troublesome as other addictions I suppose . . . [/quote]

Terribly troublesome addiction but it is fun as all hell playing these different amps.

I have a Shakedown GD50 which is a modded out super reverb. What’s cool about it is the internal channel jumping and the onboard blaster on the amp. It gets me some grit at lower volume when I have it pre’d out to a Mc250, blaster on and blending both channels. Sounds really good imo. With it being a super reverb, it gets closer to Jerry’ness with the mc250 involved, naturally, I mean it is a super and not a twin.

Im lucky enough to be getting my Twin from Waldo very soon too.... Can’t wait to try that out as well. Shakedown and a Maestro? Im done buying amps for long while.
Also, Waldo was a pleasure to work with too, all around great dude.