Mesa/Boogie DC-3 Combo

You could almost call this a four channel amp, since - it has a footswitchable clean/OD, plus a graphic EQ for both channels. The Graphic can morph this bad boy into a brand new beast.

It has two sets of knobs for the clean and the overdrive, which is a HUGE improvement over the caliber/studio series (they had paired controls for both channels, so you either had to compensate crystal clear cleans for mildly dirty, or compensate heavier gain to keep it clean on the rhythm channel). However this is NOT a Caliber or a Studio upgrade, it's a totally different amp. It's closer to a Mark than a Recto, but it has plenty of sweet spots.

Master volume, four EL84s, and six (count 'em) 12ax7s tucked firmly wayyyy back in the amp. Is it versatile? Depends on what you're looking for. I think it's quite versatile.

The clean (rhythm) channel has a very clear sound to it. I would rate it pretty close to a Twin or a Bandmaster but a few shades darker. Mesa is known for that dirty, dark tone, and I LOOOOVE it! It definately favors single coils. If you have a Strat or a Tele, this thing will eat it alive. That's not to say that if you have an SG or a Les Paul it will be a stinker. They both sound exceptionally good, but there's more feel, more bite, and more blues with a single coil guitar. I have a 70s Strat and on the neck pickup, it's the most beautiful blues clean you have ever heard. Mmmm!

The overdrive is pretty moody. It's really dark, really dirty, and VERY midrangey. It growls more than it bites or sizzles. This amp WILL NOT achieve Marshall-esque sounds. It will achieve Boogie sounds, because that's what it does best.

This amp will not sound like a Recto either. It simply does not have enough gain or high end bite for that. As stated earlier, it's much closer to an early Mark-series amp than a rectifier or a stiletto.


So what about the graphic EQ? What does this have to offer?


For one, you can use it as

a) an extra channel for a different flavor of overdrive or clean

or

b) a solo boost (or cut, depending on how you set it).


I personally opt for choice "a", because I typically don't need a boost when it's solo time (this amp screams loud enough as it is). It really does add a different flavor to your distorted tone, so it's kinda like having an extra channel built in. Will this graphic EQ scoop your sound so you can do metal? Nope. It might permiss you to get in the ballpark, but unfortunately it doesn't have nearly enough gain for 7-string chug-a-lug.


On the other hand, Weezer tones are very easy to achieve with this amp. With the right guitar (I use a 70s Stratocaster - my '57 doesn't exactly cop it as well), I can NAIL Weezer's blue album tone. Abra Cadabra. Easy peezee. Considering Rivers used a Mark I on the blue album, and this amp closely models it, I would say that makes sense.

Both channels are great. I give an A+ to both of them.





HOWEVER!!!!


Turn this amp past 2, and your ears will bleed. Not only is it loud, but the MIDS DO NOT DIE. And these are not gentle, warm, soothing mids. These are ear-piercing-make-you-squirm-in-agony mids. I felt raped when a tone that I spent a half hour developing just totally disappeared once I decided to crank it a little. I spent literally three hours (in two different segments) trying to get a LISTENABLE (not even desired...but just a listenable tone that didn't icepick your ears to death) clean and distorted sound. I felt cheated.

I thought, tube amps are generally supposed to sound good cranked, right...? So WHY am I getting anally raped of my tone by having it masked in honky mids that make me involuntarily $%^& my pants?! It was that bad. I know this is a love/hate positive/negative thing, but this amp is not the same cranked as it is when it is quiet. It feels like the speaker is not engaged, and the preamp is the sole contributer at low volumes, then when you brush the volume knob, it kicks in and about blows your head off.

So this amp gets a solid 10 when the volume is at 2 or below; it gets about a 4 when the amp is turned up. I'll average it at about a 7.

VERY solid. May I say it again? VERY VERY solid. Drop it out a two story window. I don't care. I'm positive my Boogie will still be up and running (after you replace the tubes of course) after the drop.

At least double the durability of Marshall amps, and pretty much more reliable than any amp built these days. Solid.

This amp is excellent if you're into that dark Boogie sound but don't always need to crank it. Like I said, it sounds like a monster at low volumes, but it sounds like a failed lab expirament on anything past 3.

So if you're looking for a gigging amp, this is probably not the best amp for the situation. It's SUPER LOUD however... 35 watts? You have got to be kidding me. Multiply that by ten! Class A watts are typically much louder than Class A/B anyhow, but wow DC-3...with the volume at 4, I shook $%^& from my walls and had dogs barking outside! No joke!

Whether this is the amp for you or not, is completely your decision. I like this amp for what it is, but I'm afraid if I start gigging out again I'm going to have to keep looking for an amp that will remain true to its settings even at loud volumes. As they say, the quest for tone is a neverending one - but still I search!

Kudos.

Somewhat diverse. I have grown to really like this channel. Its pretty dirty for a clean channel, but i like grit even in my cleans. EQ knobs dont really have a wide range here, you can assign the graphic EQ too but that doesnt really change the sound that much more. Reverb is quite nice. not as deep as a fender but still nice. For the real dirty stuff, the lead channel is pretty good. You can effectively get 3 channels out of this amp by having the clean, dirty/knob eq channel, then dirty/graphic eq channel.

Ive had this amp for about 6 years now so this is a follow up review i think. I use a HB equiped godin telecaster and les paul. Contrary to what a lot of people think, I say that this amp can really show off the differences in guitars, its just some work to get that going on. I can hear the coilspliting switch on my Godin TC very well on this amp, on other amps, that option on my guitar is a waste. This is not a metal amp. It has TONS of gain but things really get mushy above 8 on the gain knob. I leave my max gain at 7. When you do this, the notes and guitars have a pretty damn good character clarity. The channel is very dirty for a 'clean' but its still a very nice, warm clean channel. Reverb is good and deep on this channel. Reverb on the high gain channel really colors the sound a lot. Gain at 7 and reverb at 0 and this amp smokes. The amp is overall very midrangey...that can be a plus or minus for you, use the knob channel at treble 10, mids 0 and Bass 10 and its still very midrangey. Personally I like midrange so is something thats not an issue. The graphic EQ channel can really cut those mids out though. You can get a really scooped sound with gain at 10 but i still think it lacks some clarity...again this aint really good for metal, its got more than enough gain for that, its just that it doesnt sound like scooped recto...I play hard rock mostly (stooges, turbonegro, QOTSA) and its a pretty damn good amp at that.

This amp is a LOUD 30 watts. I had a 100w JCM900 before this and it is just as loud, but not as thumpy as the marshall.

im still on the first set of tubes with it (6 years later!!...though they could definitely be replaced), i used to play in bands way back with it, even the tolex on it is tough. think is built like a tank so they say.

no opinion here...never dealt with them.

Very good amp with little to complain about If you like your gain upto hard rock type Gain. I give it a very critical 8

2 channels (rythym and lead) reverb and 5 band eq, tubes, effects loop etc...

I use a strat , a gibson, depending what sound I want. The amp gets a little noisy at louder volumes. I play mostly rock and blues and some heavy metal. The clean channel is the best on this amp. It does tend to distort at higher volumes but what amp doesnt. The lead channel, well just isnt very satisfying to me. Without the eq it sounds so boxy and too midrangey. Even with the eq its hard to dial in a good lead sound. There is a lot of distortion but not really enough for heavy metal. My Crate g130cxl 2x12 combo has a beter lead channel.
It has more base, more treble and more saturation. Its sad to say a solid state amp sound s better, but it does. The dc-3 is too midrangey. Cant get any good squealing highs like a Marshall and it has no low end. It is plenty loud enough and cuts thru well in a band situation, but the tone just is'nt there for me even with the eq set in the "v" pattern and the mid at 0 and treble at 10. Oh yes every guitar sound about the same thru this amp.

its reliable

n/a

I bought this amp from guitar center used for $500 and tried it for
3 & 1/2 weeks and could'nt talk myself into keeping it. I took it back. My old Crate 130 watt solid state amp sounds better and not just to me, to several people who heard it. Compared them side by side. I dont know why so many people rave about mesa's. I played a Mark 3 and it sounded great but so damn heavy. Mesa are very loud amps though. The mark series are the best mesa's. To me the dc's and the .50 cal's just dont have the tone.

I've owned this amp about a month now, so I believe I can give it an objective review after using it on MANY gigs.

It has a TON of features. 2 channels with parallel controls for each channel, reverb for each channel, assignable graphic EQ and VOLUME!!!! Lots of volume!! Plus- the tone controls really work. I mean-what else could you ask for?

The only problem is(was)- the chassis gets REALLY hot. Class A amps get really hot. i mean REALLY hot. I fixed that problem with a $5 desk fan from Wal-Mart. I set it behind the amp and blow on the chassis. Now it stays nice and cool. No problems now.

This amp sounds great.

When I first got it, after I would play it a few hours it would start making some weird, LOUD static noises (like the tubes were shorting out). It did this at the gig- and that aint cool. Then I realized it was getting really hot- so I bought the fan to blow behind it and that cured the problem. No more static noises. In fact, no noises at all. This amp is really quiet- especially for all the tubes it has in it.

One of my favorite set-ups is to run a Dan-Electro Daddy-O and a Dan-Echo in front of the clean channel, but the O/D channel is great too. I'm just too lazy to run the extra cords to the FX loop from the Dan-Echo~

It's by far the most versatile amp I've ever owned (I have two other Boogies and a couple Fenders and Marshalls). I can get a cool scooped-out Marshall sound on the clean channel and a great clean sound or a great, versatile Boogie O/D sound. LOTS OF TONES!

Four sounds I've learned to get right off the bat are:
1) Clean, fat, fender-ish tone (low gain on the clean channel).

2) Fat, overdriven, clean/crunch sound (high-gain on the clean channel, and adjust the tone controls). What a great tone this is. No other amp I've ever owned has nailed this tone so well.

3) Wide-open Marshall sound (with the scooped mids via the graphic EQ, and punch up the treble and bass) I actually like this sound BETTER than my Marshall stack!

4) Fat, overdriven Boogie lead sound (and I dont mean that weird, boxy O/D like a MK-4, but more like my MK-1)

I give them a 10.

I thought I was going to have problems after I first bought the amp. Class A amps get HOT! Thats the only negative. Like I said- I fixed the crackling noises with the small fan blowing behind the amp. No problems at all.

Good quality switches and pots and vinyl covering. Plus- Boogie was thoughtful enough to include a little bag made in the back of the amp to carry extra tubes/fuses. Thanks, Boogie. If I had to gripe about something it would be the cheap-ass PLASTIC power cord they put on it. Why did they do that? My MK-1 has a nice RUBBER power cord. That's the only hint of cheapness on this very nice, solid-built amp.

I love it.
I give them a 10.

Their C/S is the best. You can't get anyone on the line from Marshall or Fender. Forget about it. Mesa/Boogie has always been helpful any time I have called them. I give them a 10.

This amp is definitely a 10.


I feel that you can get a variety of great different tones (if you tweak the controls-it's in there!) the tone controls really work too!

The build-quality is great. Workmanship is great. Quality of materials is very good, and the tones are really great.

It could definitely be the one amp that you would choose if you could only have one amp. Like I said before I have two other Boogies(a MK1-reissie and an '85 S.O.B.) and I can cover those tones with the DC-3.

Read below. Thanks

My guitars are a Tom Anderson Hollow Drop Top and a Parker Fly Deluxe.
I got rid of my Boss GT5 and only play with a few pedals now: Boss DD3 in the loop; Ibanez Tube Screamer straight in the amp.
(And sometimes Fulltone Choral Flange and Fulltonne 69 Fuzz)

I mainly love Blues, Jazz & Rock. Sometimes bossa.
I can get all the sounds I want.

This amp is very versatile. Difficult to get a crunch sound but adding a Tube Screamer to the rythm channel gives you a 3 channel combo. It's that easy.

Do not underestimate the power of the eq. (I sound like a Jedi master)
It's just fantastic. And please: not that "V" shape that's won't allow you to cut through a mix!

I've had lots of amps. This one is so far the best.
Better than the dc5, which is too brutal.
Better than any digital crap as Fender Cyber twin, Line 6 whatever, or Hughes & Kettner Zen Terra...I've had some and tried most.

The original tubes are still on. I need to replace those. Mesa tubes suck. It should be even better after the replacement.

I trust my amp.
I have a Pod xt as a back up , "just in case", but I'm pretty sure I'll never have to use it.

I've had it for 6 month now. Bought it used on Ebay.

I'm not trying to sell you one. I don't work for Mesa/Boogie but here's my advice: if you can lay hands on one: buy it. I bet you'll love it. If you don't you won't have any problem selling it!
It has everything I want and nothing I don't.

I bought this after my beloved Carvin X-100 combo exploded onstage in a shower of flame and smoke after 10 years of amazing sound and rugged service. Sure that looked like a cool onstage but I wanted to cry!!!

So it's off to the store I go to find a replacement (on my limited limited limited budget). I took this amp out on rental to get through some gigs until I found something to buy - and fell in love so I just kept it and bought it outright.

It's features have been listed to death elsewhere so I wont bother listing them - suffice to say they are numerous for such a small all tube amp. This amp is used just about weekly onstage in large size clubs (and occasionally even in stadiums)in an 80's hard rock/metal band.

I uses it with my trusty '83 Strat with Fury ZP-20 humbucker in the bridge, Seymour Duncan HB in the neck and stock single coil in the middle. My current setup is simply the guitar into Korg Tuner pedal into the amp. Live, I front mic the amp with a Shure SM57 into the P.A.

For a little 30 watter, this thing howls - what a great sound for hard rock. The tone is hot and thick and cuts right through the mix. My only gripe is I might wish for just a bit more presence - however I'm planning on picking up a 2x12 cabinet to give it what i'm looking for. Overall a solid 9.

After a year with it, the only trouble I've had was when Channel 2 crapped out for the last song of the night at a gig. However on inspection insed afterwards, it was found that the tubes sort of wiggled themselves loose (must have been a particularily thumping set). So the tubes were reseated and the amp was back in business. This thing has stood up to tons of use at stage volumes and still screams.

Have had no need to deal with Boogie (besides I bought it used)

I've been playing for 28 years, 17 of them in professional touring bands and have owned a JCM800 fullstack, Marshall MOSFET (yech) fullstack, and my aforementioned beloved Carvin x-series combo. I miss the sound of my JCM800 stack - but I dont miss lugging it around. That's why I downsized to combos - and as combos go - for the price this one kicks ass. If it were lost or stolen I would probably try to track down another one. Of course if I won the lottery- I'd pick up a Road King Stack or TSL100 stack instead lol. But until then - this is my amp and I love it!

2 channels read the others.

ok. 1st off I got this about 5 years ago used and as usual it sounded great in the store and a little disappointing at home and out.Well a few weeks ago I put 2 amperex bugle boys and 2 rca el 84s. Talk about a change. the tubes mesa uses are el stinko. I also put in some ei 12ax 7s big difference. more glassine and growwllly. more vox marshal. Nothing about anything on this is fender I have a fender.The sound is great but anyone tells you it sounds some what like fender is nuts.

its mesa. tubes come and go.

well see no provlems yet.

I would prefer a victoria victorilux or a matchless spitfire, bad cat cubII. Its good. Just not one of these. All these people who say that good sound comes from their hands are nuts. A great amp sounds great, a good player can make any amp sound good.

clean/high gain channels
fx loop
a reverb tank , none of that digital reverb shit
5-band eq
4 el84 tubes , 6 12ax7 tubes

sound

that's what it's all about

if you serously care about your sound this is the way to go.
but dont get the wrong idea and spend half a grand if your just going
to plug it up to a epiphone and hit power chords all night, your better off spending 30-40 bucks getting one off these heavy metal pedals,if you enjoy that buzzy high gain type noise
(which i do occasionally)

i run it real hot and lower the volume a good deal with my hotplate (if you dont have a annuator get one)
never blown a fuse (totaly fried some tubes though) still works like the day i got it

never delt with
dont think i will ever have to

i really wanted to give this amp a 10
but i belive nothing can be perfect and that if jesus played guitar
it would be a les paul, strats suck

All the bells and wistles.

I love the way this amp sounds, and if it starts to sound weird to me as my taste changes. I just tweak some nobs or the eq and I can always get to where I want it. I use a '60 Gibson es-330 with two p-90's. Cant beat the p-90 sound through this amp. Although sometimes I have to hide from the amp because the full hollow body guitar starts to sound like a rocket taking off. FEEDBACK I put some NOS russian military 6p14p (el-84) in it and it seemed to help sustain a little better. They made it sound a little spankier too. When gigging I add another mesa 12. Perfecto

Bought it used and haven't had any problems yet

Downloaded the manual when I first purchased it and that helped me considerably to understand the way the controls act to your tone. It also has a handy tube diagnosis section.

I love this amp. If I lost it I would probably try to find another one. I wish mesa still made them. I might try a dc-5 too.

I think it is a 98-99 model. It has 2 channels, Rhythm (Clean) and Lead (OD). It has a 5 channel EQ. Its a combo and i dont use any extra cabs.

Im using it with a Epiphone LP-100, with crappy stock pu's, but i have tried it with a Ibanez RG-550 briefly too. I play mainly Rock, and some metal, but i like an amp to be able to do "everything" becuase my musical tastes are changing all the time.

First of all, id like to say that this amp is loud and it only sounds better as it gets louder. I have played it at almost full volume and it sounds amazing but it also felt like my house was gonna fall down. At low volumes (bedroom volumes) it is poor. The distortion is weak, and has no real drive, and the clean channel doesnt seem to cut through in the way i would like it too....

I have played many solidstates before but this is my first all tube amp. The difference shows. This is the most versatile amp i have ever come across. I can get those beautiful thumping distortion sounds with a V type EQ and then an even better sweet solo tone (almost Steve Vai like) wih a lower bass, a bit more mid and high treble. If i mess with the presence and the EQ a bit i can get a Marshall tone (except its even better than the Fender tone). (All at high gain)... At lower gains it didnt impress me too much. Theres no middle ground really. It CAN sound like a Marshall, but its a Marshall at high gain. And its no differnt for any other sound you want.

On the Rhythm channel, if i set very high treble and very low everything else and gain at around 2 i can get that really nice twangy sound. A tad more bass and i get Red Hot Chili Peppers. If i turn the gain up and tweak the EQ again i can get the Jonny B Goode Crunch (that is a very difficult sound to emulate on most amps). A bit more gain and more Bass and again it turns in to an old style Brit-rock amp. This is the low gain sound missing from the OD section. Can make things a little difficult though.

The EQ is the most important thing about this amp and it wouldnt be even half the amp it is without it. It makes setting up the amp to get a really nice sound easy and quick.

Overall this amp is defintely the best i have ever played but i cant compare to other Mesas or any other tube amps because i've never played any. I think it sounds brilliant. Small but brutal.

Looks and feels rock solid to me. Im worried about all those tubes though. If i accidentally switched it on unloaded it would cost me a fortune to replace the blown tubes. Havent gigged it, but carried it around a lot. Its been banged about a bit and its stil going.

No idea....
No warranty for me either coz its second hand...

Nothing better that i've come across. At #650 it must be the best bargain on earth. It sounds better than any Marshall TSL/DSL (although it is completely different sound).