Mesa/Boogie DC-10

My DC was from the last year they made them, 1998. I'm sure you know the features already, there is a ton of stuff to use on this amp but it is laid out in an easily accessible manner. I've played some amps that can be extremely confusing. This one has lots of great features, and they all are useful: no junk or mystery knobs. 100 watts, 2x12 Celestion 90 Black shadow speakers, 6 12ax7 preamp tubes, 4 (2 matched pair) 6L6 tubes. BTW: Use the mesa boogie tubes in the power amp. They are already biased at the factory. If yours sounds like crap probably you don't have great power amp tubes, or they are replaced with something other then MESA. MESA/Boogie tubes and amps are computer matched for each other. Now in the preamp you can put in anything, it doesn't need to be biased. But of course high quality is better. Also has 60/100 watt switch which i find very useful. 2 channel, pull boost on the clean, very nice graphic eq, master volume, etc. Mine also has custom installed side handles and casters which significantly help with the weight issues! (85 lbs!)

I use the amp with a Les Paul Classic, it has the ceramic humbuckers in it. I have been impressed with the clean channel. MESA/Boogie circuits were originally derived from fenders, hence the 6L6's. I don't know whether this amp has retained any of that lineage or not, but the clean sounds are very good. They get much better if you use the graphic eq on it, but since i play live i usually save the graphic for the distortion channel. Pulling out the boost can get you a beautiful blues tone! Don't let anyone tell you this is only a metal amp! You can get a suprising number of tones out of it. I think the only tone i haven't been able to nail (yet!) is the Vox Ac-30 Top Boost overdrive sound. Still working on it though! Then for the distortion channel i have it set so that it has a beautiful classic high gain sound without the graphic eq, then when i punch the eq in it scoops it out for a modern drive sound. In effect this sounds like 3 channels. 3 very good channels. The distortion on this amp is excellent, somewhere between the mark series and the recto series. I would say you can make it sound like either... but it definately has a sound all its own. I think without the graphic eq though it has a little too much midrange. This may annoy you in your practice room but live it really cuts through and sounds great in a band. The one problem I have is that if the bass is up past five and the graphic eq is v'd with the bass all the way up and the volume is up a bit, it really flaps out the low end, and I think it makes the tubes rattle which causes wierd noises. Granted this is really an extreme setting and I think it would go away with a 4x12 cab. Thats just the nature of a big loud combo. I'll take off a point for this cause its annoying.

has been pretty good, although i've blown a couple of preamp tubes, more then i would have expected. Anyway i guess thats just a tube amp. Built like a tank though.

haven't used it yet.

I've been playing marshalls, but I switched to MESA. They are much more versatile, you can pull just about any sound out of one, whereas a marshall only makes marshall sounds. MESA also has a better sound for leads in my opinion. If you don't believe me listen to John Petrucci from dream theater. The only amp I would rather have would be the MESA/Boogie Tremoverb, but i haven't really tried one, they just sound nice from other people i've heard with them. This amp is a real gem, and is cheaper then many of the new MESA's. Pick one up! Highly recommended!

My amp is a Mesa Boogie DC-10 2x12 combo, purchased in 1996/97. It has 2 Mesa 90 watt Celestion speakers, and is affectionatly known as the blue light special because of the blue colored jewel light that is illuminated when the power is on. In terms of features available for an amplifier, the DC10 2x12 combo is very well equipped although I personally don't use them all. Features like silent recording out, headphone jack (why would you ever want to use this?), multiple speaker ohm out jacks, effects loop with mix control to vary the amount of effects utilized with the natural sound of the amp, direct recording output and this is just the back of the amp. On the front side; there are numerous combinations of sound shaping and control. No matter what style you are into this amp will do it and do it well. For over 20 years I have played guitar and experimented with different amps, the DC 10 by far is the most versatile. Many amps are versatile but they tend to be more "gimmicky" than useable in the real world. Some of the features I rarely, if ever, have used. Like the silent recording or the power output toggle switch on the front; this allows you to selct either 60 or 100 watt output. A very cool feature but I personally have never used it for anything other than experimenting. 100 watts works for me...For a 2 channel amp with graphic eq it is very versatile and packed with usable features, I do wish that this was produced as a 3 channel amp with the third being a lead channel, like the currently produced Mesa Nomad by Mesa Boogie.

Sound...This is why I own this amp and still use after almost 7 years. When I first heard this amp I was in Pontiac, MI and had just finished playing a marshall 1/2 stack, and a couple of misc. Mesa amps. Then it happened, I plugged onto the DC-10 and I was blown away! The drummer I was with actually stopped turned his head and jaw dropped, I actually think I was having heart palpitations! After about 15 years or so of playing guitar I had found the one. I have played several different guitars through this amp and all have sounded excellent. Currently I am playing a PRS MCCarty, using Lexicon effects, and run the amp into an old Mesa Full back 4x12 cab. All I can say is this sounds like General Patton coming over the hill... I currently play in a progessive hard rock band and utilize sounds from very heavy to very clean. This amp does both extremely well. I notice theat the controls are very useable , meaning; that you should use small adjustments when turning knobs, they are very sensitive and have a wide user range. My only beef is the low end can get a little sloppy when playing through the 90 watt celestions, you have to really watch the eq curve and the bass level, listen to the sound not what # the bass or treble is set at. The bass defintitely tightens up with contolling the settings and when I run through the 4x12 cabinet.

Let's face it no matter what amp you own, at some point you will have to do the maintenance and repairs, if necessary. That's the way the real world operates. I have changed the tubes several times, and repaired the cable that connects the speakers to the output jack located on the back of the amp, twice. Overall this amp is built like a tank, and almost as heavy :-). I have used the amp in playing numerous gigs and has NOT failed me once. It is my only amp, I do have a Preamp processor as a my "B" rig but have never had to use it live. After almost 7 years the DC-10 is still going strong and I have had never had any adverse problems other than routine maintenance and repairs.

Mesa customer support is top notch, I have called to pick their brains more than once and they have always been friendly, polite, helpful, and professional. I have really appreciated them over the years.

I have been playing over 20 years now and have owned many different types of guitars, effects, and amps. In my quest for an amp that had that "sound" I was looking for, I tried and used many different kinds; Fender, Marshall, Laney, Etc. The Mesa Boggie DC-10 has become part of my sound and part of me in a way. If this were stolen I would have to hunt this individual down and dis-embowel them with my bare hands, just kidding big brother. I would try to find another one(used, they don't make this model any longer)or would seriously consider either the triaxsis pre amp and Mesa Simul 2:90 amp or the Nomad 100 watt head. If you have found a DC-10 amp and are considering buying it and as with any purchase, check it out thoroughly and make sure it hasn't had the crap beat out of it. If you have found a DC-10 in Good to excellent condition BUY IT! No matter what style your into; from country to bone shaking metal, this amp will be a faithful comapnion to you and your musical signature.

As MESA amps are hand made and they cost something outrageous you definitely get what you pay for. It's 100 watts of balls-out tube power. You could easily run 4 - 4x12 cab's off of this thing with the volume under 5 and deafen the entire neighborhood.

I primarily use a Gibson Les Paul for my sound. When you combine this guitar with any MESA amp you will enter "tonal bliss". NOTHING will compare and I'm talking any style of music. I practice with the master volume on 2 and I come close to drowning everyone out . My music is emo/metal/alternative style so I need to have a range from bluesy clean tone to all out grind. I tried it out against a dual rec when I got it, this one by far destroys the Dual Rec.

All MESA amps are built like tanks. I had an old MESA 4x12 cab one time with the BIG steel grill on the front, this thing took a tumble down a whole flight of stairs and still proceeded to deafen half the universe . I've never had a reliability issue with MESA head's or cabinet's I've ever owned and I've owned a few!!!

I called mesa one time about replacement tubes when I had a 50 caliber plus. They were extremely helpful and were willing to sit with me for as long as I needed to talk.

I can't stress enough that you get what you pay for.
I've been playing guitar for about 8 years now. I've owned pretty much every type of guitar, amp, and effect there is. When it comes down to it you just can't go wrong with a Gibson pumping through any MESA setup. It's like a match made in heaven one of my friend's told me. Some of you know what I'm talking about and some of you will learn soon enough!!!!!

This is probably the most versitle head out there. It has three independent channels that can produce a wide variety of sounds. Each channel has its own master, bass, treble, mid, presence, reverb, and gain. It has 4 6l6's and a whopping 6 12ax7's. Also has a slave out for external power amps and a fx loop, and a 60 or 100 watt power option.

Ok, this category is a little shady. When i first bought this amp I swear nothing could touch it, not even a rectifier could even come remotley close producing the thick and heavy sound that the dc could. I really thought that I would probably never have to buy another amp again. After having it for about 8 months I started to get alot of problems with it. The sound quality totally turned to shit and I even had it repaired a couple of times and that still didnt fix the problem. I must have changed the tubes on this thing at least 8 times over a 1 and a half year period. I really dont know what was happening but to say the least my amp turned to a piece of crap. My clean sound became very thin and the distortion channel could probably be challenged by a tubescreamer. I gave it a seven because when it was sounding the way it was supposed to, it is by far the best head out there, but be warned, it may not be like that for long. I never wound up getting it fixed and eventually sold it. Now i am playing a tri-axis and a simul 2:90, damn, and i thought the dc sounded good!

Piece of shit, bottom line. Had it seviced numerous times and still couldnt fix it.

Never dealt with mesa. My band gigs very often and I dont have the time to send it to them. I have no back up and most of the problems they could of helped me with i already had checked out.

Its a gamble to play this amp. Mesa did discontinue this series and the problems that i just explained could be the reason why. Like i said earlier, when this thing is on there is no head out there that even comes close to this thing, i dont care what you play. I play extremely heavy music and this thing was more than enough to satisfy my likings.....BUT, its a piece of shit and will give you tons of problems especially if you plan on buing it used (which you would have to). Too much of a risk. Save up for the tri-axis, its probably the only thing on the market that I have heard that blows away the dc.

This amp has two channels, clean/rhythm and lead. Both channels have
the same controls: Preamp gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, reverb,
and master. The rhythm channel has a pull boost on the rhythm. In
addition, there is a master assignable 5-band graphic EQ and a master
volume control, a 100/60 watt power switch. It's gone 4 speaker outs
an effects loop, heaphone out, slave out, and a switch on the back
to assign the graphic EQ.

I bought this amp used and I've had it for only a few days. I've never played with Mesa Boogie before, only Marshall, Fender, Carvin,
and Peavey. One thing I loved about my marshalls, is the master volume controls, this amp has them which is what drew me in. I wanted
that real live pushed amp sound but I wanted it to be full, like a fender. I think I found what I am looking for. First of all this amp
has more power than any amp I've ever played. (It is also heavier!) So there is plenty of clean headroom. To get a pushed sound you have
to have both masters on the clean channel at least past 5. It increases as you turn both up. With them both on channel, you have a
pretty distorted tone. You have to keep the Master master volume low though. The Treble is very sensitive, I usually keep it at 5 or 6. Past 6 it gets noisy. The mid is powerful as hell, I turn up just to
the point I can tell a difference and stop. The bass is flabby all of
the way up but sounds great up to about five. The presence adds sparkle without noise even all of the way up, the graphic eq sounds
best in a V-shape and it is not noisy at all.(A great feature) In sum,
I get all of the clean/pushed sounds I want from the channel and,
I believe is suited for all styles, seeing that it brings out the tone
of your guitar very well without coloring it with "brand name" textures.(Marshall, Fender) The pull boost feature is nice, it adds
a rhythm crunch to the clean. One thing though, with it pulled, for
some reason the bass and mid knob seem to not do anything at all. My
guess, because I don't think it's broken, is that since it almost doubles the preamp gain, I think it masks out the active juice the
tone controls can provide. The treble alightly changes the sound but
I think this is because it's first in the chain and very powerful.
The good thing here is that there is no tonal loss and the graphic eq
works great in relation to the pull boost mode.
Than lead channel has a very think and creamy tone when maxed with a
slight crunch to it. It think it's very usable for leads and less
usable for rhythm distorted parts. You get better crunch from a Marshall. But all in all, I think the range you get from the lead channel is more versital than other lead channels of other manufacturers. My boss blues driver sounds great through the clean channel by the way, and I use a tech21 gt2 pedal for my crunch sounds
which sounds best in this amps clean channel than my Carvin MTS3200,
Marshall JCM 900, and my Fender Twin Reverb reissue. These are all
great amps but the all have very distinctive tonal colorings.
I haven't used the recording outs, nor the headphone out, nor the effects loop, so nothing to say here. By the way, the celestions sound great, not as good as vintage 30's but celestion none the less.
I give this amp a rating of ten because I think it deserves it, although I want to take a point off because of the pull/boost tone
control problem, but I want, because it really isn't a problem.
I recommend this amp to anyone who wants a loud amp, with always a
new tone waiting to be dialed in just around the corner.

Within the first hour the output crapped out and came back in. Sounded like a tube problem. I put new Mesa Boogie 6l6's in and
Groove Tube 12AX7R's. Since then I have had no problems and it has
also sounded amazingly better. One of the power amp tubes had a loose
base and I noticed corrosion in the area between the plastic and the
glass, in fact it was crumbly, like the adhesive was dry and coming
apart, I think this tube was the culprit, but you never know. I always go ahead and replace all the tubes to avoid "missing the problem" If I have any other problems I'll post a backup reveiw.

Haven't dealt with Mesa Boogie yet.

I think I've already covered everything here. The one thing I can
say is that I've tasting the Mesa Boogie tone, I think I can never
turn back. I'll always buy used though because they are too damned
expensive new.

OK, This is a two years after followup. After the original problems this amp has been dragged up and down stairs, rolled around in the back of my truck, stuffed in snowbanks while loading up, and has worked 100% flawlessly through it all. Kudos to Mesa Engineerng.

After a couple of years, I MAY have this beast figured out. I play mostly blues and "American Music" and this amp has got the chops for it. But- forget everything you know about Fender amps.I never run my gains past 2 1/2 on either channel. Its a real tweaker. You need to be able to think of the sound you want in your head,and then reproduce it with he amp.Its not built in like a Marshall or Fender. With the others you may tweak the sound a little, but you still get the trademark sound. With the DC-10, you start with a blank piece of paper and go from there. Its more akin to using an effects processor than a tube amp. To get a sound, set EVERTHING to "0" Slowly adjust each control individually until you hear what you want - THEN STOP! Write your settings down before you go in for the final adjustments. These coarse adjusments are great for a starting place if you go to a different hall.The gains are for compression and sustain, the channel outputs are for overdrive and warmth, and the main is for "bark". Then there's the whole EQ thing! I'ver heard people say it sounds like a Boogie no matter what, but I beleive these folks just don't have the courage to run the gains so low, I can attest to this because I had the same problem. When set with low gains and mids (sometimes "0") the amp takes on a beautiful sponginess, which allows you a dynamic range I've not found in any other amp. This means the nuances you play are transmitted to the listener. Thats a good thing.
The lead channel can be prone to "honk" but carefull tweaking of the tones and EQ will remove this. Additionally, I read comments that the DC-5 is too loud. Hmmm... at 50 watts more this amp doesn't have that problem. Very intersting

takes a lickin', keeps on tickin'

Still the best anywhere.

I'd consider a DC-5 since the beast is so heavy, but it would be missed.

I believe that it is a 1997 model, it is loaded with features, 100 Watt All Tube 2x12 combo, daul channel with EQ that is assignable to lead or both channels which makes it possible of having 4 tones available at once. The footswitch is really simple a channel select and a EQ button. It is a great recording amp with direct out for a mixer and a headphone out. This amp is loud! The clean channel has a pull boost feature that drives the clean channel to a great crunch channel. Very versitile amp I play mostly blues , and rock/metal and this thing can do it all,and well.

I own a Roadhouse Strat, A tele with sd pickups, a PRS McCarty, And a Jackson Dinky(also with seymours). I play all of the guitars through this amp and they all sound great! Very quiet at least at apartment levels(havnt really cranked it yet). I can get any sound I can think of out of this amp,sparkling fenderesque clean, Bluesy mid gain, and high gain sounds comparable to the Rectos. Have yet to really drive it so i will only give it an 8 but I love it......

I always go out with a backup and the amp has yet to give me any trouble, I would say that it is very reliable because the man I bought it from played on it steadily for 2 years or so and never had a problem from it. I will know more over time.

I have called them and recieved a reply the same day both times....thats more than I can say for other companies. Never had a problem with it.

Been playing for about 8 years and have owned many amps but I consider this my first "real" amp. I would try to find another if it were stolen, they dont make the DC series anymore but you can still find em'. I wanted the 50 watt DC5 but I got such a great deal on this one I had to get this. Besides, to much power is not a bad thing. I love this amp!!!

This post is a follow-up to my original. One of my original gripes was it didn't have channel indicator LEDs. Turns out dealer had given me the wrong footswitch. Got the right one and it does have channel and EQ indicators.

Still sounds great.

In my original post I rated this (rightfully) very low. Since then MESA's outstanding tech support has pretty much sorted things out. May I humbly suggest that MESA Engineering is an outstanding company to do business with. Haven't had any problems since a bad power tube for past two months. Amp gets moved around and gets a 7 hour workout every weekend. Yeah, I'll take it out now. Rating will stay kindof low for now because of past history.

I wish everything I bought was backed up by such excellent support

Two channels. Graphic EQ. Any feature you could ever want. The DC has the MARK IV rythym channel and the Rectifyer lead channel. Pretty good pedigree!
The EQ switches in and out so its like having 4 channels in one amp. Power is insane for a combo. Would probably be just as hood if they left the second pair of 6L6's off and ran it at 60 watts.
The reverb is outstanding. My only complaint is that there's no channel or EQ indicator lights so you really have to keep track of things onstage. Its too easy to push in the EQ while your just channel switching. LOVE the detachable castors. Should be a law requiring wheels on all amps over 20 pounds.

Strat+ delux with 3 gold Sensors, Explorer with 496R/500T humbuckers. I can make it sound like a Fender twin, a Marshall , you name it. If it had a tremelo I could probably make it sound like a my old Silvertone!
What great tone. Nicest, you can get really good tone at studio volume levels.
I rarely ever run the masters past 3 and the output past 2-1/2. For best results- set every control to "5" and go from there. back out the midrange until the tone is clean enough and go. If the room is big push up the treble. Run the EQ in a "modified Vee", with the middle to "0" and the high and low end up all the way.
The speakers are too high wattage to get any help from them. You need to get all the dirt from the amp itself. Sounds mucho better when connected to a trusty old Ampeg 4x12 cabinet

Unfortunatley, this amp has been a real pain in the ass. Hasn't worked 100% since the day I bought it (new). Bad tubes from the factory. And lots of them. This amp has 6 12ax7's and 4 6L6s, so when it comes time to troubleshoot, you better have all day. The preamp tubes are a real pain to get to. A real pain! You need to flip down a cover and you can still only see the ends of them.
I wouldn't dream of taking this amp out without a backup. No way. It just isn't reliable enough. Hey, I know you'll flame me, but this amp just doesn't hold up to everyday playing. Boogie or not, its not a reliable amp. Not to say all Boogies are bad- we know better- just this particular one. I've got a feeling this amp sat in the music store too long, and got beat on by kids. But I will say the service dept at Boogie is doing everything it can to keep me happy. Good people.

Well, here it gets lots better. These guys actually care. For all the problems I can say this: They answered the phone and they helped. They have sent me replacement parts at no cost, and even listened too the amp over the phone! Class organization. They know the problems I'm having and seem really concerned. I'm sure we'll work things out and this amp will be with me for a long time. Still, its kind of frustrating to plop down cash for an amp and not have it work.

Been playing- heck I can't remember- since disco! I've had problems but other Boogie owners haven't, guess I'm just the lucky guy. I'm eyeing a Heartbreaker with crododile and wicker. I compared a lot of amps and you just can't get the versatility AND tone of this amp in a combo anywhere.
I truly believe in the folks at Boogie. As soon as we get this amp debugged I'll update my overall rating to a 10.