Mesa/Boogie DC-3 Combo

I bought this amp from a Friend . got a deal on it i think. excellent condition, never gigged, only used for practice and studio work. It even still had the original tubs on it. Fell in love with it especially the clean channel. the effects loop works great for me and the EQ is a real bonus, love what it dose to the amp makes it more versatile. this amp features two channels, a five band EQ, effects loop, individual Revebs per channel, and the EQ switch is great ( you can have the EQ on the clean channel or overdrive or both!! i have it on the overdrive to help scoop out some mid and boost the low to give it a more metal sound. great combo amp with a Vintage 30 celestion. VERY LOUD amp.

First of all, get rid of the factory tubes and put in some JJ EL 84's in the power and Electro Harmonix 12ax7 in the pre amp section.The clean is verry cleen and glassy tone. This amp has a very nasal sound with almost to much Mid range sound in it, especially the distortion channel. the good news is that the 5 band EQ helps scoop it and get rid of the fuzz because of the vintage 30. the fuzz is mostly heard at low volume. you cant really judge this amps tone a low volume. Crank this baby and you will know what im talking about. this amp is not to noisy and its variety in tone is a blessing for the combo it is. i love this amp. took me some time to get used to the tone but she is really singing!

This thing is built like a tank!! can really take a beating, has never let me down, at least in a gig that is. the only downside is like any tube amp, the tubs go from one second to another especialy in this amp because the El 84's burn real HOT and this amp gets veeeeeery hot. im considering installing a fan on the back to avoid any meltdowns LOL.

No warenty, ive tried to call a few times but never seam to be able to get a hold of anyone and their schedule....Monday to thursday? thats bull ****! cant tell me they cant afford to pay someone to be there till friday at least. have never returnes my calls. its a good thing thire amps are reliable!

I have been playing for about 15 years.
i have a Dual rectifier solo head (love it) and a Marshall jcm 900 half stack ( never use it, its not really mine, my Friend left to Amsterdam and told me to hold it till he was back. i have 3 Les Pal's one classic, a standard and a costume, a G&L Legacy strat type, a Seagull mini jumbo electric acoustic, TC electronic G system and a few peddals.

IF stolen i would Cry!! and try to get another one or get a mark IV.
i love the aggressiveness of this amp it can allow me to do almost any style. its louder then most 1X12 combos and can run a 4*12 cab like nothing. this amp is the ****!

Two channels, crystal clean on one, all the gain you could need on the other. Separate tone, master, and reverb controls for each channel, channel assignable or footswitchable 5 band eq, overall output level control so balancing channel volumes is easy. Effects loop, slave and recording outputs, 3 speaker output jacks - one 8 and two 4 ohm. Plus a silent recording feature that mutes the speaker and a headphone jack. Tube driven parrallel effects loop and reverb. Mine has a Celestion Vintage 30. More features than most guitarists need or will ever use, but since there are so many new amps with 3 or more channels, rectifier and variac settings, etc., I only gave it an 8. The only thing it doesn't have that I need is a solo boost, which I'll be using a pedal for.

Has 4 EL84 power tubes and 6 12AX7's. 35 watts, but the loudest 35 watts I've ever heard, and more than enough power for any gig. It's louder than my 50 watt Marshall JCM900 which I've gigged with for years. It'll push a 4X12 cab with ease.

I play rock and metal and use a stock Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Highway One strat with Lace Sensors. Both guitars sound incredible through this amp. The clean sounds are really nice, and the high gain channel sounds incredible. I wanted that classic Mark III or Mark IV Boogie tone, and this thing sounds very close. It's much quieter than the Mark III's I've played, and much more versatile since it has separate controls for each channel. The gain is very fluid, not fuzzy at all, which is what I wanted. Even at the highest gain settings the chords ring out with amazing clarity. Leads sound beautiful, each note cuts through with clarity. It doesn't hide sloppy playing the way a lot of high gain amps do, every note comes through clear as if you were playing on the clean channel. It has more sustain than any amp I've ever played. The 5 band eq is what really make the amp shine. I played the new Express and F series amps and liked this one much better.

Not sure, haven't had it but a couple weeks. So far it works perfectly.

Haven't had to contact them.

I've got a very good sounding Marshall JCM900 MKIII and a Mesa V Twin Preamp. I like this amp much better than both of them. I run it through my Marshall 4X12 cab with vintage 30's and it sounds incredible. I've never been this happy with an amp. The only thing I would possibly like better would be a Mark IV or Mark V. I've been playing amps for months now looking for a sound I'm happy with. I've played the Marshall JCM 2000, Peavey 6505, Bogner Alchemist, Line 6 Spider Valve, Soldano, and others. I like this amp much better than the rectifiers, Express Series, F Series, and Mark III's. And I LOVE every Boogie amp I've ever heard, so this one really shines imho. given the price these things go for used I have to give a 10. I got lucky and got mine in show room condition.

Ok. I've had this amp for about 10 years and always thought it was ok. I changed the speaker to a vintage celestion 12 inch neo speaker. But the main difference after reading the manuel and missing this over the years is that if you push the gain down to 2 or 3 on the clean channel you can play quietly and still push the gain nice with a pedal. The hiss is gone then and the volume manageable. You can put the master volume and other volume anyware you want. I now like the amp a lot better and have greater flexibility in all sounds. Still like most people the other channel is very boxy still. But who needs a two channel amp when one channel sounds great and you can still use the eq pedal for a boost.

It is better now.

I have eletro harmonic 12ax7 and jjel84's nice tubes.

I felt it had too much tube hiss. turning the gain down got rid of it.

You can download the manuel from Mesa.

Well it sounde ok with the vintage 30 celestion. I cahnged it to a neo vintage 12 inch celestion. It is lighter to carry now and has a more alnico blue kind of sound. It breaks up a little earlier on the clean channel and can be brought back to a clean sound with a twist of the gain knob. ( or lowering the mid). It also gives me a better controlled fedback on the higher gain channel. It just sounds better. I also switched to electro harmonix 12ax7 and jj el84s. I probably will switch to tung sol 12ax7's at some point.

bring extra tubes. Never broken down. Extremely loud amp.

Out of warranty.

Ive been playing 45 years and have lots of amps and guitars. This amp sounds good with all but humbuckers sound a little better. I play the blues rock. It now sounds better with the 12 inch vintage neo celestion and weighs less.

This 2 channel combo has been with me since it was new around 1995 or so. I bought it originally as a practice and back up amp to my Mark 4. I actually like the gain channel better on the DC than the Mark. More focused and a tighter overall tone. The footswitchable EQ is great for punching up the lead sounds and getting a sort of "Brown Sound'. Has a speaker mute that is nice but have never really had to use it. Has a headphone out on back as well as a very quiet and functional effects loop. Wish it was footswitchable like the Mark 4 is. The footswitch controls the channel and EQ. Has reverb controls for both channels but is rather weak. That is really my only beef with it.

I have spent many hours and $$$$$$$$$$$$$ on getting this amp JJJJUUUSSSTTTT right. First was the tube quest. I endded up staying with the Low Noise Mesa preamp tubes but am using JJ's for the power section. I went with a cleaner headroom tube and installed a variable pot so when I install tubes I can check and adjust the bias. If you keep Mesa power tubes in it this is not nessacery. I also want the clean channel to be cleaner and I found that the speaker was at fault as much as the power tubes. I tried many speakers and when I put an EV classic in my Mark $ the Black Shadow 90 watt Celestion that came out of it went in. BINGO!!!!! Just what the doctor ordered. Since this amp is loud and only rated at 30 or so watts I think the little 30 watt vintage celestion it came with just wasn't enough. I'm very pleased now and it gives me anything I need. You just need to go slow on the controls like someone else said the EQ on the channels and the graphic are very sensitive. I use a PRS custom with humbuckers, Gibson Les Paul with duncan pups, a Strat with duncans and a Tele with Lindy Fralins. They all sound great in it but some guitars may need some small tweeks because of output differences. This amp is also quite quiet for the sound levels it produces!

This amp is very rugged but like any tube amp you can't just toss it around and think that it will not result it problems eventually. Tubes can be very funny if not handled properly. I did notice that the top of the amp use to get rather hot and this began to bother me. I had a very qualified teck that I have used for years to install a small fan on the left side looking from the back blowing across the power tubes and this made a huge difference in the operating temp. I think it likes me more now!!! The only time it ever failed me was one night at a small christian coffee house I play regularly I thought I'd use my 4x12 marshall cab. After about 30 minutes it shut down. I FREAKED!!!! I unhooked the cab and after several minutes I got sound out of the combo speaker. Wheeewwww. I later found after thinking it must have been an impedance problem my switch on the marshall cab went south. Got another one and no problems since. ANY MARSHALL CAB USERS BETTER CHECH THESE REGULARLY WITH A METER111111

i HAVE NEVER HAD A BETTER EXPERIENCE WITH ANOTHER COMPANY THAN MESA BOOGIE. Even my nickname for years has been Boogie Bob! They are very helpful and always willing to do whatever to help you. I don't remember how long the warranty was on my amp. I think a year or maybe more but it has been out for so long that should tell you the build em' right.

I have played for over 30 years and I cannot find any other amp maker that I would switch to.If it were stolen I'd be up the creek cause they don't make this one any more. I love the compact size and the huge sound this thing delivers. Wish the reverb was more like a Fender. Then it would be the perfect amp!

This is a 30 watt all tube (minus the rectifier) amp run with 4 el84s. It also has- 2 separate channels, each with their own gain, bass, mid, treble, presence, reverb, and volume controls, an FX loop, and switchable boost.
I use(d) the amp primarily for practice, though I used it in small venues numerous times, and it had plenty of power for anything that I did with it.
The graphic eq was pretty cool too.

I use primarily a Gibson Les Paul Std- with the stock Burstbuckers and a few effects, but I like to keep it pretty sparse.
This amp is great for clean. I loved the clean channel for warm, yet a glassy quality to open chords and slower leads. The DC-3's break up early (3 to 4 out of 10 on the gain side)- but that was not the amp's fault since you can't expect a great clean with humbuckers and a lower output, low(er) headroom amp. The plus side to that was classic bluesy breakup was fairly easy to achieve.
The gain channel was actually fairly disappointing to me, and it was the reason I ended up selling the amp. It has a buzzy/fizzy quality to the distortion, especially at low volumes. I ended up using the amp at a gain setting no higher than 4 or 5. This helped but it was never great. I think that though the distortion is thick- it lacks power and the ability to really cut through. I play anything from progressive rock/metal to blues to a bit of jazz. When all is said and done, the mids and the fizzy gain were my biggest issues with the amp.

The amp had a few glitches- but I think most of them were user errors. Never broke down.

Never talked to them. I've heard they're good but I wouldn't know.

I've been playing for 9 years, owned amps made by carvin, marshall, peavey and crate. This was probably the most durable and professional quality out of any of them.
I bought the amp because I fell in love with the sweet clean sounds, but when it comes down to it I am mostly a rock guy.
I sold it about a month ago and have been on the amp search ever since- still trying to find "that tone".

Dual Channels - clan and distorted. EQ's up the wazzu and a Graphic EQ to further shape the tone. Foot pedal to switch from rythem (clean) to distorted and to engage the graphic EQ in each setting. Rule of thumb on this amp is that the slitest moverment of any EQ knob or graphic EQ level will have big impact on the tone. It takes a lot of patience to figure out the sensativities of each EQ then to eventually get your sound. It took me a good 3 weeks to get the hang of it and i'm still learning. There are so many variations with the knobs and the graphic EQ that you can intermix that I think you can spend a whole life time experimenting.

I play Metal Metal metal.. you get the point right. I delve into a some blues solos and hard rock but, i'm mostly inspired to play thrash to metalcore. When I first got this amp i was dissapointed at the lack of distoriton but, that was just a stupid mistake i made by not knowing how to properly EQ this amp. Having a never owned a tube amp and mainly having played SS amps with digital and analog pedals, I never really gave great focus on EQ's. On digital and analog pedals turning the eq 1/4 one way or another will make a slight impact however, if you so much as blow on an EQ knock or slider on this amp you will get a completely different sound. I finally figured out the V combination on the graphic EQ which really made a difference but dont think its as simple just making a V. THe V configuration in iteslf has tons of variations which impact the treble,mid, huge bottom, and bass. I found that 2200 and 6000 slider up high dropping te 750 all hte way down and keeping the 60 and 240 slider below the middle gives a great balance of a scooping the mids while maintaining the high's and lows. The funny thing was that when I first played this amp I was thinking that this almost sounds like a metal zone or a Line 6 metal/ insane feature then It occured to me "hey stupid this is the real thing that that those companies were copying" lol

Very well made, the tubes are very exposed though so you do have to pay special care to the way you transport this amp. Definitely need a case for this amp to ensure its safety

Had some questions, called mesa and spoke with a rep who was very knowledgable and gave informative advice on how to maximize the tone.

I've been playing for 8 years, I started out late when I was 25 and am now 34. Initially got inspired to play blues and rock but, then that lead me into liking metal since in my opinion it brings about the most range for the guitar. This is by far the best amp i have ever owned. After buying the DC-3 i kinda went on a Mesa binge and also bought the Nomad but, the DC-3 is better. THe graphic EQ can cover most to any sound. I would also suggest using a tube screamer with this amp which really bring out the sharpness. I dont really hate anything about. I guess every guitarist spends their entire life searching for the ultimate tone, This is close, the only thing I wish it had more of is a little more smoothness and lush to its tone but, its a mesa which are known for the gritty bottom which no other amp matches. I can always add a pedal to the mix to enhance the tone so that doesnt bother me. THe core sound I want is in this amp. Its not a rectifier but, I can get those tones by manipulating this amp with my tube screamer and noise gate. I dont think i will ever sell this amp unless I get a great deal on a rectifier. Then again this thing is so compact and packs such a great punch that it would be hard to get rid of even if I did get my dream rig

Overal it has good features, but it really could use some other things. It is a 2 channel amp, I really wish it was 3, that would make my day. The reverb is independently on both channels, sweet. The fixed bias is wonderful. The EQ is one of the most wonderful things that Mesa has put on a few of thier amps, I dont see why they dont install it on all of their amps! If you are turned off of this amp because it is only 30 watts..... well iv got a surprise for you.... Its the loudest 30 watts you will ever hear. I have acually played in concerts where this will hold up against a 200 watt solid state half stack, and even in thoughs concerts, I never went past 5 for the output.

Ah the sound, this is where it gets very interesting. Both of the channels are great. The stuff I like is a mixture of lighter and harder stuff. The sounds I like to get are from groups like, Jars of Clay, Skillet, Alter Bridge, Dream Theater, Jeremy Camp, Rush, U2, Kutless... so ya, I really need something that can handle both ends of the spectrum well. Currently in a band called Chosen (www.myspace.com/chosenrock). The clean channel is very appealing. It can be set to have no break up or some break up. It is very nice to use in soft songs, specially when reverb is used. The distortion is great as well. It can deffinatly get into that heavy territory. It may be not as massive as a triple rec, but it is much more versitile then one. It has a nice saturated sound, has a nice ballance low end. The only problem here is that the lead channel isnt really good at not having that Mesa sound (if that makes sense). You kind of seem stuck with the heavish territory (changing the preamp tubes could probibly help here). sure you can turn down the gain, but, it still has the same characteristic. For me this really is not a big deal, but for people that want the vintage classic rock stuff, well this might be a problem. What even makes this amp sound good is the 5 band EQ, you can really tweak your sound. WHY DOES MESA NOT DO THIS ON THIER NEW AMPS !!! Another great thing about this amp is the output options. Each channel has a seperate output level, then there is another master output level, very helpful in a live setting.

It is preaty good. I had a problem with it once, something blew in it, and made it unplayable. However I think it was because of a surge, so it is not really the amps fault. And this is a 10+ year old amp, and who knows what the previous owner did with it. So I say this thing gets a 10.

Never really had to deal with them. I did make a call before about something and they were helpful, I was not on hold for long (that right there earns high marks)

Overall, this is a great amp that one can buy for 600 bucks. It is a great shame that Mesa stopped making these. The Express I think is suppose to be its replacement ( and the F series as well). Id does not have the EQ, which makes no sense, so therefor it is not a true replacment. It is very reliable, no problems on stage. The 30 watts is more than enough for me, it would be hard to use if playing in arenas or something, but I dont see that as an issue for me. Even at practice it gets loud, I usually stay at about 3 1/2, which is plenty, belive it or not. I think the only other amp that could truly replace this amp is a Mark IV (which has 3 channels). The amp can scream with high gain, but it can also dish out a very pretty clean sound (think Alter Bridge). I truely don't need another amp other than this. This is one of though things that I will keep forever becasue of the memories, quality, and sound this amp has.

I bought this amp for 500 bucks used, and it was the best deal i ever got. I mainly play classic and 90's rock, but a ton of blues mixed in. This amp has a great overdriven blues tone. Mesa's are not typically know for having a good clean channel, but this one is friggin awesome. The celestion v30 sounds great! One of the great features of this amp is the graphic eq. You can set it to be used as a volume boost, or to make it sound completely different. The spring reverb is a good thing to have and this amp has it, with an awesome set up too. It has reverb separate for both channels and it almost sounds like a fender on clean. It has an fx loop and a headphone jack...very handy! And sure, this amp is heavy, but dont be a wuss, its worth carrying to be able to hear it! This amp is 35 watts, and that may not sound like alot, but this baby is loud! I cannot stand to turn it up past 5 without ear plugs. The unique thing about its volume system though, is that it has an output level control and then two master controls for each channel. It also has the usual controls plus a great presence control for each channel. I usually put the output on 4 and the dist. on 3 and the clean on 3 1/2 for band practice and loud gigs. This amp will kick a marshalls ass any day. This amp is all tube power too! 4 EL-84's and 6 12-AX7's. This amp has it all no matter what style of music you play. I honestly have no idea why they stopped making them.

This amp is pure dirt. The distortion is incredible. It has an extremely high gain that is good enough to play metallica on. It sounds like a Mark IV, but has more growl in the distortion. I'm currently playing it through an '02 usa fender stratocaster with 3 single coils. That combo is great for blues and hard rock. However, if you want this amp to sounds its best, play it through a les paul. Holy Crap! This baby truly growls, and the eq only makes it better. I like to use it as a solo/ volume boost channel. The amp hardly buzzes at all, even through my single-coiled strat. This thing has great rhythm and an incredible soloing sound. The clean channel is great for any style of music, even at high volumes. True tube tone! And if you're a solid-state junkee, wake up, cause they suck!

This amp is like a rock, you can practically drop it off the roof and still play it. I've never had a problem with it and probably never will. Some people like to think that mesa amps burn out tubes too quickly..BULL!!!! They're just fine when it comes to the tubes. One of the most reliable tube amps out there.

No problems, never had to deal with the company!

This is the best amp I have ever played through besides a triple rectifier. I will never get rid of it, and will gaurd it with my life. I love everything about it except its weight, but its well worth it. If you want a great sounding amp, its going to be heavy! All tube amps are. The only thing I wish it had was more reverb cause i like a load of it, but there is still plenty. I garuntee this is the best deal you will ever see unless someone gives you a recto for free!

Covered.

Amp's used, older but mint. Doesn't look like it ever left the 'basement'. ;- )

Super versatile amp for the money and portability!

1st channel reminds me of a nice Fender Twin and can get the light-clip tone for great rhythm base or new country clean. Can get a really warm sizzle with a nice crisp edge for that neck clean jazz tone...killer!! Also gains up nicely for a smooth blues tone!

2nd channel is nu-metal/90's-00's rock (typical Mesa + PRS tone). But, gain can be rolled back for a nice crunch rhythm. Also, with the use of the 5-band EQ, the amp can really soar into the fusion gain-meets-clarity/articulation tones.

Nice, usable Accutronics reverb and V30 speaker - great!

Overall, very versatile amp - quite surprised!!

Will say the stock Mesa tubes are typical generic tube tone - buzzy, cold w/o character. Throw in a set of JJ's (eurotube.com has a couple complete DC-3 retube kits available at great prices for a quick solution) and the amp really came to life!

It's a tank! Very solid. No worries at all.

Called Mesa to find out the age of the amp based on the serial #. Received a return call less than an hour later with helpful info and a brief but pleasant chat with the gent (Michael Taylor). Nicely done folks! One of the best mfg interactions I've had in a long, long time and MUCH appreciated!

Playing for 28 years. Fulltime pro musician.

Own Dr. Z, Vox, Fender, Mesa amps; G&L, Fender, Gibson, Danelectro, Seagull, Yamaha, Ibanez, Blade guitars; Keeley, Fulltone, Boss, Ernie Ball, Line6, ProCo, Seymour Duncan, Digitech, Ibanez effects. Like great tone, great mfg'ing, great quality, reliability and versatility. Had a Triaxis/2:90 rack rig once-upon-a-time but wasn't crazy about it. After hearing several folks get great tone out of their MK series and Blue Angel amps I decided to reinvestigate Mesa amps for their non-rectifier models. Glad I did...but it's still nice to have that rectifier channel there when studio or sub-date gigs call for it.

Great amp!

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).

This amp has everything I need. I like simplicity, but I am very into tone. This amp has 2 channels, with completely independent controls, reverb on each, a footswitchable graphic eq, fx loop, jacks for external cabinets, and a vitage celestion speaker. Dual footswitch for channels and eq. Very nice

This category is all that really matters. The clean channel sounds way better than my fender hot rod deluxe, and my stage 100. The contols, along with the eq give you a very versatile pallete of tones. The lead channel is great. Really over the top stuff is what it does best. This has probably the most gain you will find in a 1 12" combo. It is very clear on both channels, and also very tweakable. The graphic eq helps alot, and can really give you a totally differnt sound on each channel. Alost as if it is a 4 channel amp. As someone stated earlier, there is no middle ground. It goes from clean to hi-gain. A little difficult to get a nice mild overdrive. I just throw my Keeley Blues Driver in there, and problem solved. There is not much noise at all. The master volume lets you rock even at bedroom levels. I run this into an old mesa 1 12" closed back cabinet with an electrovoice speaker. This relly gives it that extra thump. I use a Fender fat strat, and a PRS ce22. I have owned many amps from fender, marshall, and from mesa, I have owned the tremoverb combo, and the nomad 100 head, which supposedly replaced the DC line. I like the dc3 better than any amp I have tried.

Mesa stuff is well made. I hope I wont have problems. I didnt with any of their other stuff I owned.

They are very helpful on the phone, especially Tien.

I,ve been playing over 10 years, and have spent thousands on gear. I usually love stuff, then get sick of it, like alot of guitar players. I am keeping this one. For a quality 1 12", it is loud enough, ballsy enough, and light enough for anything. My chain goes like this. guitar-boss tu-2 tuner-Fulltone clyde wah-keeley blues driver. I run a line 6 dealy modeler in the loop. I found this one on ebay for $600. It took awhile to find one, but I am glad I waited. This one is in GREAT condition. I highly recomend this amp to anyone who needs a 2 channel amp with very versatile sounds, in a simple combo form.

You know the drill, 2 channel, 5 band EQ, effects loop, master volume, separte 3 band EQ for each channel and so forth... The same as all them reviewed here.

All it doesn't have is effects, but I don't believe you can buy an amp that has great effects built in.

For what it is (i.e. not a Fender, not a marshall) it sounds amazing. Only a Fender REALLY sounds like a Fender and only a Marshall REALLY sounds like a Marshall, but this thing covers a ton of ground and even comes close to both of these landmarks in amplification.

Using PRS's, Strat's, LesPaul's, Tele's and everything in-between it sounds great. No amazing. It doesn't sound like a Fender amp or a Marshall, it sounds like a very versitile Boogie.

I've been through 5150's, Marshall's, Soldano's, Fender's, other Boogies and a dozen Line6's (there's a reliablity issue!) and I think I've found MY amp after $1000s spent on others.

As with all Boogies there's a lot of tweaking involved to get YOUR sound, but right from the get go it sounds great and can sound amazing if you take the time to tweak. Like all Boogies there's a lot of people out there with "OK" tones cause they don't take the time to tweak.

Clean sounds on channel 1 can go from Sultans of Swing to SRV to Keef and Jimi. Here the reverb really adds a lot, it's not a Fender reverb, but one of the best I've heard on such a small 1x12.

Channel 2 goes from classic rock to the most modern metal and grunge tones. Here I find the reverb sucking tone, but some people can't do without reverb.

The 5 band EQ can be used on either channel and is a great boost, tone tweaker or as a 3rd and 4th channel.

Personally I find myself unpluggging my effects 90% of the time and just using channel 2 and the volume pot on my guitar. The amp just sounds so good on it's own I find effects and reverb only robbing tone, it sounds that great. Clean, dirt, heavy and metal it does it all.

It is one loud mutha! For most applications, including playing infront of 100's I can't turn the amp up past 2 1/2. Any more than that and the soundman wants to kill me.

Is it noisy? Not as noisy as some of the tube amps I've owned and when you see how close those tubes are to the transformer and speaker it's quite amazing.

It's a Boogie! But of course it's a tube amp so keep some spares handy, especially with such volume coming out of a 1x12. Your tubes do a lot of dancing behind that speaker. Let's put it this way, for a tube amp it's a lot more reliable than any Marshall I've owned, even some Valve-states.

A couple years and a couple hundred gigs, most with me and some when I've loaned it out and all that it's needed is new tubes. The thing still looks fairly new, just 1 or 2 dings from falls in parking lots. It's heavy, but that's only because the cabinet is built so good.

When I bougth it used there was no pedal, Boogie rushed one off to me and I recieved it in a few days, can't beat that!

Like I said I think I finally found MY amp.

Everyone I've played with has instantly gone on a search for their own and a few people have found them and are as happy as me. Some of them play in jazz bands, in rock cover bands and metal bands and all have been happy with their own or when they borrow mine.

If I had the cash on hand I'd buy a couple more and hide them away, I think this amp is a hidden gem that is going to become much sought after.

Does a second 1x2 cab add demension, yes, but for a portable 1x12 that covers so many bases it's an amazing value.

Dual Channels are totally independent, and footswitch goes back & forth between them perfectly. add the footswitch for the Graphic Equalizer, and you have a 4-channel amp!

Using humbucker with split coils (yamaha sg700s) sounds beautiful.
Effects loop makes my modulation/delay effects really come alive in the mix.
Love the Lead Channel - the crunch can easily be controlled by the volume knob on your guitar. many people like channel 1 for rhythm - really, what I do is keep it on channel 2 (lead) most of the time, and adjust the tone with guitar knobs...incredibly responsive!
one other thing - as others have stated, this thing is LOUD!!!

no problems with the amp - had it for 3 years with multiple gigs/practices

mesa's customer services is legendary:
when i re-tubed it, mesa shipped the tubes to the wrong address - they figured it out first, called me to let me know, and got the tubes to me quickly.

They don't make these anymore - the new mesa combos in this size just don't have the same vibe. these are great values-grab a used one for under $750 (I paid more).

I think that some of the reviewers here are getting little bit excited and giving this amp a ten for sound. I owned a DC3 for 4 years and gigged it constantly. I have subsequently sold it for a Cornford MK50 stack and an Orange AD15 combo.

The DC3 is a superb amp but ultimately it began to sound very one dimensional to me. To get the best fron this amp you absolutely MUST get a 1x12 Boogie extension cab with an EV driver in it ... your sound will improve 100%. The point is though it didn't seem to matter what guitar I put through it, PRS, Strat etc etc, it always just sounded like a Boogie. If that's what you want, great. But please try some other stuff before you buy.

That said, I loved mine while I owned it (still got the extension cab!) but it isn't the Holy Grail ... it's just a very good, if a little inflexible, working amp.

Addition to earlier review

These folks were incredibly helpful!.. Called and indicated what was wrong with my amp generally and in less than a week, they shipped me the parts. The price was actually low for the parts (EQ inductors were missing... I bought it used and the previous owner had done something to the amp).

It is not working and back to normal thanks to the folks at Mesa. Up in Canada, we are used to lously help from local music stores so it was a real treat to get superb assistance!