MESA BOOGIE Series Owner's Manual
Hello from the Tone Farm... YOU, the smart player and all around intuitive human, have put your trust in us to be your amplifier company. This is something we do not take lightly. Our reward is that we've made a classic amplifier and by choosing this amplifier, you have become part of the MESA family...Welcome! Our goal is to never let you down. Your reward is that you are now the owner of an archetypal guitar amp bred of fine all tube amp heritage...
Series Table of Contents Precautions Overview Instant Gratification 0 1-2-3 2 FRONT PANEL: Controls & Switches GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER CH 1 & 2: CONTOUR SELECT SWITCH ON/STANDBY & POWER ON SWITCHES 4 4 4-5 5 5 5-6 6 5 REAR PANEL: Controls / Switches / Connection Jacks FUSE RECORD & PHONES FX: SEND & RETURN FX MIX CONTROL SPEAKER MUTE SWITCH SPEAKERS FACTORY SAMPLE SETTINGS PERSONAL SETTINGS PAGE TUBE TASK CHART TUBE NOISE & DIAGNOSING PRE-AMP PROBLEMS Feature Article by RandallSmith "Bias Adj
PRECAUTIONS & WARNINGS Your MESA/Boogie Amplifier is a professional instrument. Please treat it with respect and operate it properly. USE COMMON SENSE AND ALWAYS OBSERVE THESE PRECAUTIONS: WARNING: EU: permission from the Supply Authority is needed before connection. WARNING: Vacuum tube amplifiers generate heat. To insure proper ventilation always make certain there is at least four inches (100mm) of space behind the rear of the amplifier cabinet. Keep away from curtains or any flammable objects.
Series Operating Instructions OVERVIEW: Congratulations on choosing the F Series as your amplifier and welcome to the Mesa/Boogie family! The new F Series amplifiers combines high gain lead performance, an amazing mid-gain crunch or blues sound and a bold and beautiful clean sound in a simple 2 Channel, Three Mode, all-tube, hand-built package that begs to rock. This tidy format is available in three power versions, the F-30, F-50 and F-100, and in both head and self-contained combo platforms.
OVERVIEW: (Continued) darker than that of its lower power family members but posses a depth and punch found only in amps of this serious-gigging horsepower range. Our legendary 60/100 switch has been included and allows you to detune the power section to achieve the brighter, more clippable feel of the F-Series. F-Series amplifiers are crafted with the same custom quality, chassis, cabinet and tight tolerance parts found in our top of the line multi-channel amplifiers.
OVERVIEW: (Continued) REAR VIEWF-30 : Handbuilt in Petaluma, CA SPEAKERS FUSE 10% 100% FX MIX RCORD / PHONES FX SEND RETURN STEREO / MONO 8 OHM COMBO FOOTSWITCH SOCKET BELOW WARNING: To reduce risk of fire or MUTE SPKR ON 4 OHM 4 OHM USE WITH 8 OHM SPEAKERS WARNING: To reduce risk of fire or electric electric shock, replace fuse with same type and rating only. Do not expose this unit to rain or moisture. shock, Do not remove cover. No userserviceable parts inside.
CONTROLS: GAIN: This is by far the most powerful control in each of the three different Modes that are activated by the Mode switch. It not only determines the overall gain amount, shape and sensitivity of the Mode selected...but it is also a powerful Tone control. Generally speaking, whatever is dialed up here ultimately determines the Modes’ personality. Set low, it allows cleaner and brighter sounds with enhanced dynamic response, especially in the higher frequencies.
CONTROLS: MID: (Continued) pressed, even feel to the strings and therefore less apparent resistance to the pick. As the MID control is increased, ( 11:00 through 11:30 ), the sound is rounded-out and filled-in with a focused mid attack appearing rather quickly. As you would guess, the feel starts to change - becoming more resistant.
CONTROLS: MASTER: (Continued) -rectly to a mixing board or recorder, this control will determine the amount of signal you will be sending via this jack. In this application it is usually best to start with the MASTER controls set to ( 7:00 ) and gradually increase them to the proper level. This minimizes the possibility of blowing speakers or eardrums in the event the engineer has an extremely sensitive input headroom setting in place at the console. CH.1 / CH.
REAR PANEL: REAR VIEW: WARNING: Unplug power before replacing fuse or removing bolts mounting chassis. POWER 120 V~ 60 Hz 2A FUSE 2A SLO BLO F-Series All Tube Amplifiers MESA BOOGIE Handbuilt in Petaluma, CA SPEAKERS FUSE 100% 10% FX MIX RCORD / PHONES FX SEND RETURN STEREO / MONO 8 OHM COMBO FOOTSWITCH SOCKET BELOW WARNING: To reduce risk of fire or MUTE SPKR ON electric shock, replace fuse with same type and rating only. Do not expose this unit to rain or moisture.
REAR PANEL: 10 0% 10% FX MIX FX MIX: This control determines the dry/wet blend of the FX Loop signal in relation to the unaffected signal. Set to 10% you will experience only the dry signal (no noticeable FX) and at a setting of 90% the entire signal will be wet (total effect.) RETURN For the best results...Set the mix of your effect to 100% wet. Then dial in the amount of effect that you wish to hear, starting at 10% with the FX LOOP MIX control.
FACTORY SAMPLE SETTINGS Sample #1 Fat Clean: Channel 1 ON INPUT ON CH1 GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER .FT SW CH 2 CH CONTOUR STANDBY POWER Sample #2 Squeaky Channel 1 ON INPUT ON CH1 GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER .FT SW CH 2 CH CONTOUR STANDBY POWER Sample #3 Blues Power: Channel 2 ON INPUT ON CH1 GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER .
PERSONAL SETTINGS Sample #1 ON INPUT ON CH1 GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER .FT SW CH 2 CH CONTOUR STANDBY POWER Sample #2 ON INPUT ON CH1 GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER .FT SW CH 2 CH CONTOUR STANDBY POWER Sample #3 l ON INPUT ON CH1 GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER .FT SW CH 2 CH CONTOUR STANDBY POWER Sample #4 ON ON CH1 INPUT GAIN TREBLE MID BASS REVERB MASTER .
F-30 TUBE TASK CHART MUTE SWITCH PARTIAL VIEW OF CHASSIS B A V 1 B A BACK EDGE OF CHASSIS B A V 2 EL84 B A V 3 EL84 V 4 (4) 12AX7 (Each 12AX7 contains two separate Triodes) V3 B= FX Return Phase Splitter / V4 A= Output V4 B= Description of Tube Functions V1 A= Input Stage both Channels V1 B= Clean Channel V2 A= 2nd Input Stage bothChannels V2 B=Channels 2 & 3 Boost Stage V3 A=Channels FX Send PAGE 11
F-50 TUBE TASK CHART MUTE SWITCH PARTIAL VIEW OF CHASSIS B A V 1 B A BACK EDGE OF CHASSIS B A V 2 6L6 B A V 3 6L6 V 4 (4) 12AX7 (Each 12AX7 contains two separate Triodes) V3 B= FX Return Phase Splitter / V4 A= Output V4 B= Description of Tube Functions V1 A= Input Stage both Channels V1 B= Clean Channel V2 A= 2nd Input Stage bothChannels V2 B=Channels 2 & 3 Boost Stage V3 A=Channels FX Send PAGE 12
F-100 TUBE TASK CHART MUTE SWITCH PARTIAL VIEW OF CHASSIS B A 6L6 V 1 B A 6L6 BACK EDGE OF CHASSIS B A V 2 6L6 B A V 3 6L6 V 4 (4) 12AX7 (Each 12AX7 contains two separate Triodes) V3 B= FX Return Phase Splitter / V4 A= Output V4 B= Description of Tube Functions V1 A= Input Stage both Channels V1 B= Clean Channel V2 A= 2nd Input Stage bothChannels V2 B=Channels 2 & 3 Boost Stage V3 A=Channels FX Send PAGE 13
TUBE NOISE & MICROPHONICS: You may occasionally experience some form of tube noise or microphonics. Certainly no cause for alarm, this quirky behavior comes with the territory and the Tone. Much like changing a light bulb, you don’t need a technician to cure these types of minor user serviceable annoyances and in fact, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to cure tube problems...
DIAGNOSING PREAMP TUBE PROBLEMS: Because your amplifier is an all tube design, it is quite possible that you will at some point experience minor pre-amp tube noise. Rest assured - this is no cause for alarm and you can take care of the problem yourself in a matter of minutes by simply swapping tubes. Let us begin by saying; It is a “very good” idea to keep at least a couple of spare pre-amp tubes on hand at all times to insure uninterrupted performance.
into oscillation or start crackling or any other form of bizzare noise, it is considered normal and functional. BIAS ADJUSTMENT: (a continuing series) CATHODE ( ) GRID ( , ) SCREEN GRID ( ) NOTE: An article written by Randall Smith that we thought you might find interesting. BEAMCONFINING ELECTRODE ( ) .. ..... .... . ... . .... PLATE ( , ) Here’s a question we often hear: Structure of a 6L6 / 5881 Beam Power Pentode.
it doesn’t need to be adjustable.” BIAS ADJUSTMENT: (Continued) When you set the bias (whether it’s by selecting the right resistors, as we do, or adjusting a trimmer — which is quicker) what you are doing is establishing the correct amount of idle CURRENT that flows through the power tubes. But you can’t adjust the current directly, you can only change it by adjusting the amount of bias VOLTAGE that goes onto the tubes’ control grids. Voltage and current are NOT the same.
BIAS ADJUSTMENT: (Continued) tubes. The thinking is that adjusting the bias to each tube separately eradicates the inherent differences between the tubes by insuring that the same current flows through each oneAgain, this has some merit .. but it’s still not as good as using tubes that are matched in the first place because compensating for the mis-match causes the push-pull circuit itself to become unbalanced. Two wrongs don’t really make a right.
SPEAKER IMPEDANCE MATCHING & HOOK-UP GUIDE: IMPEDANCE: Wiring up speakers to provide the most effective load and making sure that all of them are in phase will help in creating the best sound possible. This is not too difficult, as long as you understand a few things about loading and how to connect your speakers to provide an optimal resistive load. Mesa Boogie amplifiers can handle 4 and 8 ohms effectively.
SPEAKER IMPEDANCE MATCHING & HOOK-UP GUIDE: (Continued) PARALLEL: When wiring in parallel, the resistance of the speakers decreases. Two 8 ohm speakers wired in ( hooked-up ) Parallel results in a 4 ohm load. It’s easy to calculate the effect of a resistive load when all the speakers are all the same resistance. It is really not suggested to wire different resistive load values in Parallel ( 8 and 4, 16 and 8 etc.
WIRING SCHEMES...
6 WIRING SCHEMES...
WIRING SCHEMES...
WIRING SCHEMES...
ON TRIODES, PENTODES & IRISHMEN: With apologies to Friends and Relatives from the Emerald Isle - who will make their appearance soon enough - the humor which follows is dedicated to the memories of Spec McAuliff and Fae (Rafael) McNally, two of the True Greats. As their numerical references suggest, the terms Diode, Triode and Pentode indicate the number of elements within the vacuum tube i.e. two, three or five. All tubes also require a filament or heater which is not included in the count.
the plate, electrons will flow only during the times when the plate is positively charged. During periods of negative plate charge, ON TRIODES, PENTODES & IRISHMEN: (Continued) electron flow is stopped and the space charge of electrons remains compressed in the area around the cathode. Thus a diode tube - one with a cathode and an anode - is mostly used to rectify alternating current into direct current by passing it without restriction, but in one direction only.
grid, they discover...there’s almost nothing there. The path they’re on has them aligned to zing straight through the spaces BETWEEN ON TRIODES, PENTODES & IRISHMEN: (Continued) screen grid windings. So rather than a close and personal encounter, they just fly on past - and once they’re out that far, there’s no stopping them. The influence of the plate takes over and - being solid metal and of the highest positive attraction - it is at this final destination that the electrons congregate.
POT pt# 593150 MASTER 408115 POT pt# 593148 REVERB POT pt# ALL FRONT PANEL KNOBS POT pt# 593736 BASS POT pt# 593150 POT pt# POT pt# 593148 MID POT pt# 593739 408004 MUTE SPKR ON SILENT RECORDING or electric shock, replace fuse with same type and rating only. Do not SWITCH pt# 600115 WARNING: To reduce risk of fire CH 2 CH1 CH CONTOUR .
MESA BOOGIE The Spirit of Art in Technology Thank you for trusting MESA/Boogie to be your amplifier company. We wish you many years of toneful enjoyment from this handbuilt all tube instrument.
The Spirit of Art in Technology 1317 Ross Street Petaluma, CA 94954 USA Phone No. (707) 778-6565 Fax No.
