Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+

I bought mine new in 2003 from Guitar Center for $1400. It was a floor model.
I like this amp, and I've used it with either one or two 2x15 cabinets. It's about as loud as an SVT, but with perhaps a bit more versatility. The cost of a re-tube is cheaper (at $11/tube x 12) than an SVT (at $25/tube x 6), but 6550's are definitely more durable than the 6L6/5881 in my experience, so I'm not convinced that this amp hold a real advantage any longer in that area. It IS however built better and much lighter than the SVT.
this amp SHOULD have neutrik connectors and a more logically laid out output jack arrangement or an impedance switch like a marshall.

sounds great when it's working right, but mine has had problems that began after 4 years of use (and 2 sets of matched replacement tubes).
It can be a noisy amp with humm, fluttering noise, and now has some component problems unrelated to oxidation or maintenance issues-not pleased given how much this costs.

I have run into all kinds of problems now that it is several years old.
this amp has been well-maintained, treated carefully, but it's very noisy, and now blows fuses and puts out less than half power with good tubes. it apparently has a bad output transformer.
It was a good gigging rig for 3 years.

they don't have an email...you have to call them long distance.
of the two times I've tried a machine picked up one time, and the other time 3 different people couldn't help and the "repair" guy was busy. I'd call that pretty crappy.

I've been playing for 30+ years. I have owned other amps, but this was supposedly the "best" one-lol...
if it were lost I'd go back to using a G-K 800 (which is what i should have stuck with).
I compared this to an SVT but chose this due to limited availability of SVT's at the time.
this is a very finely crafted amp with high quality materials throughout, but that really didn't make any difference did it?
perhaps 16 tubes (4-pre, 12-power)is just too many in real-world amp construction?...not sure, but I seem to be hearing the same kind of amp problems from other owners. some have said to me that I've gigged with it for the past several years and what do I expect?, but Twin reverbs don't do this, SVT's don't do this,...am i being unreasonable?

Mine was built in 2007. It is extremely versatile once the controls are mastered. It can be a bit of a struggle to find the right tone but once you do this is one beast of an amp. 2 channels that can be footswitched with an a/b box of some sort. The gain on the second channel can approach a real nice overdrive with a non-active bass. I don't know if a usable overdrive could be obtained with an active bass however. I'm not too fond of the loop in and out on the front panel, seems sort of strange to me personally. There are already jacks on the rear for this. The e.q. can be tricky to navigate but it's great to have. This is the type of amp that is simple on the surface but can lead to a lot of tweaking if you are prone to that sort of thing. I don't want to say that it could ever sound bad but with so many controls, perhaps it could get better. I use this amp for practice as well as live performance. I can't imagine a more powerful amp. I have never taken it beyond 3 on the master volume...no need to. It is truly ferocious. I wish I could compare an SVT and it side by side. Or an Acoustic 360. The 400+ made me forget that they even existed, even though they are among the greatest bass amps ever. All tube; the construction and build quality is just phenomenal. Too bad they are not in production any more. It seems that Electric Amp Innovations if the only domestic builder of tube bass amps anymore. Speak-ons would be nice.

I use a 1973 Rickenbacker 4001 and a 2008 Gibson SG Faded. They are both stock. The band that I use it in is a heavy rock band. I personally like to play all styles. It can cover a lot of ground as long as you remember the tone and volume controls on your bass. A lot of players tend to neglect these! It will stay clean for a long time if the gain is down on the channels. I would not characterize the distortion as being brutal, more of a fuzz tone. Mel Schacher type tone on "Inside looking out". Doomy. Very cool indeed.

I gig without a backup. It did have a power tube issue that went away. Just make sure you have some spare fuses and tubes. Not much else can really go wrong. Treat it well and it will do the same.

Mesa are amazing! Whether your amp is new or pre-owned they treat you well. It is a five year warranty.

I've been playing bass on and off for years. I have a lot of other bass amps but this one is my fave for performance. I would definitely get another one. The fact that it's rackmount is cool but not so cool. Get a good case for it.

I bought my Mesa Boogie 400+ new in 2003. I play rock and pop and the I can pretty much nail "the sound I've always wanted" out of an amp. It's a beautiful thing. As for features, it has a good eq on it and I really like the pull knobs for that "something extra", especially when I need some extra bass. As for what I wish it had? I wish it wasn't as hot as it is going out through the xlr in the back. Several sound men have complained to me that it's too hot then they want to go direct some other way or mic it. It's not a big deal though. I use the amp in practice and gigs at small clubs with an Ampeg 8x10 classic. Of course that is overkill for most of the small clubs my band plays, and heavy as can be, but I went in thinking I wanted to buy the amp I was going to live the rest of my life with and that's what I've done.

I play a 1997 Fender Precision Deluxe (active) most of the time. I use input #1 as it says that's for actives. I didn't know until recently that #1 was that different from #2 so I'm going to do some experimenting to see if I like #2 better. The Mesa is loud and clean unless you play really hard on the bass. That's where it can make some popping or clipping, and I think that lies more in my exuberant playing or the bass than the amp. My perfect tone involves a bit of shimmery/sparkle feedback and lots of overtones, and the Mesa takes me there, but of course to do that, I usually drown out the rest of my band! My favorite bassist of all time is John Entwistle, and sometimes I think I'm getting close to his tone. When I was in the market for the amp, they had all the Ampegs out at Guitar Center, and I kept asking if they had a Mesa 400+ and they didn't. Then one day they got one in, but it was in the back so I had them bring it out and I tested it against the SVT and the others, and I just had to have it.

I have blown a few fuses. That always seems to happen at the worst times! But I have extra fuses around and it's a quick fix. Awhile back I noticed one tube was gone, but I barely lost any power! So I let it go for awhile, but then the power loss got more noticable, so I had it retubed. It sounds even better than before. I actually didn't buy the tubes from Mesa. I have a friend who is more tech minded than I am and he suggested the new ones (forgot already what they are). I have been considering a solid state backup, like a vintage Sunn Concert or something, but I doubt I'll ever use that.

Hopefully I never have to deal with them! I'll say one thing. I was really impressed with this little signature card that came with the amp. It had everyone who worked on the amp's signature, and I thought that was a nice touch.

I have played this amp for 5 years now and doubt I will ever look elsewhere. If it were stolen I would definitely buy the exact same amp, but I might try Mesa cabs with it. What I love most about it aside from the tone and volume, is the knowing smiles and conversations I get into with other bassists. They know I'm serious because they know the Mesa is serious. Like I said, I compared it to new Ampegs. I wish I had compared it to some vintage Sunns or Hiwatts, but I wanted something new.

CAUTION! Realworld review, want all the specs and other BS go to Boogies web site.

Currentlt using Spector Rex Brown 4 and Gibson Thunderbird IV. Just got rid of my Ampeg4 Pro to pick up the Boogie. Boogies 400 watts eats Ampegs 1200 watts. I gig every weekend and play LOUD! I used to keep the Ampeg up around the 6-7 range depending on venue, I have not had the boogie over 3 and usually the 2 area is plenty!! Super clean or ballsy ass growl, your choice, just pull and turn a knob. Play a variety of harder edged rock/alternative grunge, a lot of drop D and C tuning, amp delivers the sound remarkably. Very agressive attack, can't say enough about it. Did replace stock Boogie tubes with full set of JJ tubes, just added that little extra that we are all searching for...

Gig every weekend and keep it in a shock rack. No problems yet, she's a monster...

No reason to call Boogie yet...

Playing 15+ years, been through the best of the best in amps, unfortunalely I have spent many thousands of dollars searching for what I could hear in my head but never get to come out of my cabinets. Now I got it, Boogie 400+ and a pair of Ampeg PR410HLF cabs. Love it! ONLY down side is weight, head in the shock rack loaded w/ my wireless, tuner, furman etc. is heavy, but I will deal with it, it is worth it.
Incase you had not noticed, these amps hold thier value extremely well. Rarely go for less than $1100 on eBay unless they are beat up and then they still go for $900-$1000, expect to pay $1800+ if you buy new and most stores don't carry them. G'tar Ctr just stopped in all but 2 stores nationwide. Boogie will not let anyone discount thier prices. I already went through all of that when I bought my MPulse 600, sucks but that is just they way Boogie is...good luck

I bought mine new. I play 60's inspired garage and psychedelia, rock, etc.
I wish this amp had the direct out on the front. I also think it's pretty retarded of Mesa to not have put Neutrik Speakon outputs on it.
I'd rather it simply had 2)Neutriks with an impedance switch instead of the bullcrap of all those output jacks with their confusing stickers (you can't tell which output the impedance stickers are referring to).

I gig regularly with this amp. I usually also go direct, but the amp's stage volume is set about as high as it will go without excessive distortion (through 4x15's). It's got plenty of power, even for larger stages...even if unmiked.

It can achieve a variety of sounds, but once cranked pretty good in a live situation it basically just sounds like a raw moster of sound. Not a good amp for those wanting to play jazz, or clean rock in my opinion. Interestingly, I've read that this amp was voiced to sound like the typical Fender tube bass amp or Showman. I'd have to say that comparing it to my Bassman 135, it never quite gets that glassy, clean fender sound. I like the sound very much, but it's a brute of an amp at any volume.

Ther's not much to go wrong excepting the tubes of course. Since I use it so often at higher volumes, I check the tubes every month or so with a tube tester. I also cary spare fuses to gigs as a precaution. So far, so good.

I called them once, and it was okay.

I've been playing since the late 70's. I own all kinds of crap (mostly vintage bass gear, and a few Sunn amps).
I chose this over the SVT AV reissue. The SVT seems to be about the same, but the 400+ has (supposedly) 200 more watts, weighs half as much, and costs half as much to re-tube ($10ea. for 6L6's vs. $25+ for 6550's), and the EQ is possibly a little more versital.

I am sure all the reviews before this one covered all this amp's features so I am not gonna repeat the same thing 30 other people said. Just scroll down...

This is where this amp really shines. I will admit that it was a pain in the ass to finally settle in on just the right sound, but once you find it this thing is a killer amp. The combination of the rotary bass, mid, and treble knobs and the 7-band EQ really give you a lot to work with. I run an Ibanez SR405 into this amp...certainly not the Cadillac of basses...and it sounds great coming thru my Aguilar S410. I also have to add that I run a BBE Sonic Maximizer thru the efx loop...a cool little piece of equipment to really tighten up your sound. Even without the Sonic Maximizer though, this amp sounds amazing. I owned an SWR Bass 350 prior to this amp and there is absolutely no comparison. The all-tube sound you get out of this thing is incredible. I've also played thru an Ampeg SVT and I have to say that I like this amp better. The only thing I have not attempted with this amp yet is overdriving it...so I am not sure what kind of overdrive sound you can get out of this amp. But all in all this is one great sounding amp...and for the price it should be!!!

So far, so good. (Knock on wood) I have read that the tubes in this amp can last up to five years...which is surely a good thing considering it packs 12 6L6s. I am NOT looking forward to retubing this thing. It's built like a tank and seems pretty solid.

Haven't had to deal with them yet.

If you have the money to spend on an amp like this you definitely cannot go wrong. I never realized what an all-tube amp can do for your sound. I've been playing for about 7 years and have not heard anything as good as this. Bottom line...this is an expensive amp (about $1600 brand new I think) but is worth every penny.

A great amp with 2 channels, I do use both with a splitter box on occasion so top marks. The ability to run on ohmages above 4&2 is also most welcome. ( Ampeg, take note...).
I suspect mine is an early version as the power cord is hardwired.
2 effects loops, front and back, twin speed fan, balanced line out, a graphic eg and a rotary tone section. The onle thing missing on this amp for me is a mute function.

Primarily used for rock with an old Precision and an old Jazz, the initial sound is quite sedate compared to the Ampegs I've used in the past, but when you crank up the channel volumes and back the master a bit, all hell breaks loose.
The distortion can range from a touch of overdrive to outright filth, although it must be said that clarity and punch are sacraficed when you go overboard.
When used clean, I've not taken input and master volumes over 4.5 and if I do by mustake, I get it in the neck from the rest of the band. Easily louder than an SVT Classic or SVT2 PRO, the only all tube amp I've used that was louder than this is the original SVT.
A very quiet amp, it does hum if I stand too close to it with my Jazz....the Ampegs never did that.
A fine amp, suitable for all styles, you can move from that glassy modern sound to warm tube to Live at Leeds to total dostortion.

I've had this amp for around 6 months, it gets used a lot, around 4 times a week, quiet often for marathon gigging sessions that can last 3 hrs plus.
It once ran for five hours constant use with no complaints. (And I mean being played through, not left in standby mode.)
This amp runs very cool, I turned the fan off to reduce noise in a recording sossion and the power tubes started to overheat so I leave the fan running all the time, with no recurrence.

Have had no opportunity to use customer service so far.

In 25 years of playing, I prefer All tube amps for Bass.
I used Ampeg for years and the Boogie does'nt sound like an Ampeg, it has its own sound, undeniably tube, a bit clearer on the low end and not as overdriven, unless you crank up the input.
I'd like to own amps by both companies as they both have merits. I miss the SVT2 PRO's overdrive, it is more useable than the Boogies but the Boogie wins out on reliabilty and staying power.
Oh yes, one more important thing: As I approach my mid 40's, the Boogie weighs about half what any tube Ampeg does.......thats the real clincher.

I hae owned this amp for about 2 years now, not sure what year it was made, but through research I can say late 80's early 90's. I play everything from blues to metal to hardcore to ska to punk, and I have not had a better amp to do it all with. The Mesa 400+ is 12 5881 6l6's with 4 12ax7's all tube amp. 500 watts peak, this thing is fucking loud! I read the reviews above saying it's not and I cannot believe it.

two different inputs: Input one I found sounds better with active basses, input 2 has lower gain and sounds better with passive basses. The versatility of tones you can achieve will blow your mind.

This is a tube amp. which means it's a pain in the ass. which means you will spend the first 3 weeks of ownership finding a tone that you like. It sucks, GET OVER IT! as soon as you find that "one" tone, you will be head over heels for this amp.

power has been no problem, I've run my custom built 2x15 (with a 7" tweeter) and an ampeg 8x10 together at 4 ohms and only had to turn up to 6 (with no PA) to keep up with the band and with 400 screaming kids. and if you know what your doing you know that more cabs does not mean louder.

simple set-up. just: bass, mids, treble, gain, master, boosts (bass, treble, and gain), and a 12 band switchable on-off eq. perfect and tricky in its own respects.

dirty tones are my favorite, they blend so much better in the mix than clean tones. Dirty cuts better, and if you like metal, hardcore, and punk, the bass is the most god awful sound in the mix and sounds the best in the end. occassionally i'll add my boss distortion pedal (sorry tradionalists) to change it up a bit. Gotten some AMAZING tones with this setup, even made the distortion sound great in many blues bands and ska bands i've played with in the past.

You buy a car, you get it's oil changed.

You buy a tube amp, you get it's tubes changed.

deal with it, goes with the territory.

This thing is heavy, about 50-60lbs, and in my 8 space rack after power conditioner, tuner, and cable drawer, it equals to about...110-120lbs. Mesa gear is heavy, and on tour it gets tedious. But your the bass player, you get to have heavier gear than everyone, go to the gym!

My Mesa 400+, only became unreliable once at a show, and I was stupid and didnt let it warm up long enough for it was too cold outside. About to retube because microphonics are becoming audible. Never had a problem otherwise, would never consider having a backup...wouldnt sound as good.

Just ordered power tubes from mesa. ordered 6 duets of 5881 6l6's, arrived at my house in 2 days. Plus I've had no reason to complain to Mesa, so they're great in my book.

This thing is amazing, I hold it dear and i am very protective of it just like all of my gear. I use it with my music man and my custom built 600 watt 2x15 with switchable on/off 1000 watt 7" bullet tweeter (no i did not mistype).

I recommend this amp to anyone. Try it with your gear, your bass, and actually sit down and play with it's settings, because with this amp it won't sound good out of the box. After a short while you will know the ins and outs for everything it has to offer.

Best of Luck!

Seven band eq. Two channel pre-amp powered by 4 x 12ax7 tubes. Twelve 6l6 power tubes!! Very quiet fan with two switchable fan speeds - excellent for studio work, but very very quiet even on fast mode. The power tubes run very cool even at high volumes (just compare to a marshall valve head during a gig)!
Four unit rack high.
Cost - #3,200 with two 4x10 mesa powerhouse cabs.

I play various rock styles through a fender jazz bass with seymour duncan quarter pounder sjb-3 pick-ups. I use channel two of the pre-amp as this has a higher output and is more suited to passive basses.
I have owned this amp for four months now and play it through two boogie 4 x 10 powerhouse cabs. I bought them all new straight from a distributor in the UK. The main trouble in Britain is actually getting to soundcheck these babies before you decide to buy or not. These rigs are very rare and hard to get hold of. They are also very expensive. (see above).

Because these amps are all tube, the sound varies from gig to gig. But more often than not, you can get a very warm tone from these. The sound is very organic and almost breathy in nature. The amp is very transparent and really reacts to how you play. If you've got a bad set of strings or poor pickups this amp will expose all its flaws as well as celebrating a guitar's good features. You will only be as good as the weakest link in your chain. Do not buy one of these if you have a bad guitar. Remember - you can't polish a turd.
It has a great rock sound and a particularly good punky growl - just crank the preamp up and back off the master and you're there. Volume can initially be a problem, but bear with me on this.....
When used with the powerhouse cabs it can seem quite quiet when standing in front of it as I do. However, this rig fires its sound out approx 10ft in front of the speakers. Just stand out where the front row of the audience will be and see how it rips off your head, with a warm fundimental bottom. This amp is worlds away from harsh sterile transistors that always sound the same at every gig, no matter where you stand and don't project the volume. If you've ever put your ear to a sub-woofer cranked high on its own then you'll notice it doesn't sound that loud. Then if you add the high and mid frequencies you get a nice sound. Next if you've ever removed the sub woofer you'll notice just how integral the sub bass was to the sound and although it didn't sound very loud on it's own, during the mix it becomes very dominant. That is what this amp it like. Very versatile and perfect for rock/punk.
The 7 band eq ids very useful. I always have it turned on and adds extra volume to the mix too.

Initially I brought my other amp head to gigs just in case. But now i've grown confident that my new musical friend won't let me down and no longer take a spare with me. I have not heared of any significant reliablility problems associated with this amp, unlike Ampegs which are riddled with them. I initially set out to buy an Ampeg, but was deterred when I did my research due to the constant breakdowns during gigs - nightmare!!

Ultimately, I know I'll get a problem, but no doubt it'll be tube related and I'll have to replace them. As long as you appreciate this before you buy the amp then you won't be surprised. It's like buying a car - you know that at some point you'll have to change the tyres. Unfortunately, this amp has 12 power tubes!! In one respect, this is good because the heat and load is spread out over the twelve so each tube runs smoothly and more cooly thus prolonging their lives. Unfortunately, they'll be very expensive to re-tube. I just save a little of my gig money each week to put into a "re-tube" maintenance fund. I think that this is good practice!

I've been in contact with the Mesa guy in the UK via email. The company is called West side distribution and they are based in Edinburgh. They have been very helpful indeed so far in recommending new sounds and advising on teething problems. Like I said, I haven't had any issues with this amp yet, but so far so good!
You get a feeling with Boogie products that they want their rigs to sound great, and hate the thought of a bad sound being advertised to room full of punters. As such they will be as helpful as possible.

I've been playing transistor aps for years, and this was my first all valve.

Takes a few run throughs to get used to as it is very interactive and the tone controls works so very differently from transistor amps. But after some tweaking I guanrantee you'll get a eureka moment and find the holy grail! There's something in this amp for every player. Like I said it's very versatile, especially with the 7 band eq

This is very flexible. The switchable graphic EQ is a great touch! Two very different sounding preamps which I assume could be able to be set up with an A/B/Y box. I've successfully ran an iPod with my bass through the 400+. 3 ground lifting options on the back, as well as tons of speakers outputs, you can run two 4 ohm SVT cabinets with this bad boy, believe me, I've done it! Multiple fan speeds to cut down on noise in the studio, a balanced direct out, unbalanced slave out with variable control and an effects loop with a blend control. Smart, simple and very versatile.

KILLER!!!! This amp really sounds awesome no matter how you set it up. It has a very low noise floor, so you are not riddled with hum all the time, even at high volumes. I used this to play metal against a VERY loud drummer/guitarist combo and I never had a problem being heard and it always produced a crushing tone with my Soldano GTO pedal and SVT cabinet. I'm currently using it to play punk and it is really way too much amp for the band, but I just crank the preamp all the way and barely push the output and it gives me the exact tone I need.
All tube amps react according to how you actually hit your instrument and this is no exception. It really reacts to how you play. Play light with your fingers and you get a very warm, sexy and smooth tone, dig in with a pick, and it will tear your head off.

I have retubed this once and it cost me as much as the amp did originally (used). I have never had a problem with the amp but tubes do die as time passes so you will have to replace tubes and this amp has a slew of them (12 output and 4 preamp). That's just as many as a Triple Rectifier. Only once did it fail me at a show by blowing a fuse, but I found out later that I had two bad output tubes, thus the fuse blowing. After I replaced the bunk tubes, not a single problem. I've never had any work done on the amp and I bought it used

N/A

This has been my favorite bass amp ever. I've had a GK, Earth, SVT-II, Peavey Firebass 700 and only the SVT could be considered in the same catagory as the 400+. The only reason I got rid of my SVT was because I got the 400+ for a song and selling my SVT more than paid for it.
Sonically, the SVT is neck and neck with the 400+, but the Mesa is WAY louder.
I'm not sure that I could afford to replace this amp if it disappeared, but I'd do whatever it took to try.
Another plus of the 400+ over an SVT is the weight. Surprisingly, the 400+ is lighter with more tubes, go figure. I used the same Anvil rack for both amps and have muscled both to many shows and the SVT is alot heavier than the 400+. That is a BIG plus in my book.
For me, it was a fantastic value. I'm not sure that I'd shell out the $1000+ price tag for a new one if I hadn't already gigged with this amp, but after a couple years of pretty hard use, I'm rethinking that price tag.
I know that nothing is perfect, but other than the initial cost and retubing costs, this is quite possible the best "big-rig" bass amp ever.