Mesa/Boogie F-30 Head

I have mainly dropped in for a few select comments about this amp, which are perhaps becoming moot, as fewer of them are on the market. I grabbed mine by trading in my spare change jar - no kidding - because these things were flooding the market when the 5:25s came out.

Compared to many of my more "traditional" amps, with the possible exception of Riveras, this has a good selection of features. Notably the send/receive loop, and line out are nice, but there are other nice features as well. I would call this a "full featured" amp by most standards, although it's replacement, the 5:25 clearly has more.

This is really what I stopped in to comment on. This amp, and the few other Mesas I've tried were in *dire* need of some simple tweeks to get them going. In this case, the "gain" dials - which might on other amps be volume dials, in the way they interact with Master - were virtually useless in that turning them up at all resulted in so much gain as to be complete mush. What little of the amp's range I could use was superlative, but extremely limited in scope.

To combat this, I sent mine to King Amplification in California, and had him "clean up" the sound, reducing it's gain - particularly from the gain dials - to bring it into a useful range. Having done this, the amp is spectacular, fun, and with low enough power to get really nasty cranked, without killing anyone. When I say "low power" do not get confused, as it is plenty for a decent sized venue.

I am not giving it a number value for this catagory, because "cleaned up", it is superb, and does bright cleans to gain-monster crunch, but stock it needed some tender loving care. Don't throw yours out, or pass up a bargain to grab one, just be aware of these issues.

No problems

No problems

See above.

Amp was made in 2005, discontinued in 2007. The amp was replaced by the Express 5:25, which has more features, but is tonally inferior. The features for the F-30 are very basic for a Boogie. 30 watts, with two EL84 power tubes and four 12AX7 preamp tubes. You have 2 channels with bass, mid, treble, and output controls. The clean channel has a pull-bright switch on the gain knob, and the gain channel has a contour mode which boosts gain, highs, and basses, and slightly cuts mids. There is reverb with individual channel levels, and an effects loop, which has a blend control (controls level of affected signal to unaffected signal), but is not footswitchable. The footswitch only controls channel, countour, and reverb switching. No solo boost, like most of this era of Boogie amps, which would make the amp much more useable.

I play blues, country, rock, and jazz, using Fender and G&L Strats, Gibson SG, and a custom built tele. I use the F-30 with a single 12" cabinet for smaller gigs. This head sounds completely different with different cabinets, so expect to spend some time finding a match.

First, the clean channel:

The clean is nice, but sort of lifeless unless you spend a lot of time dialing in the amp. Switching guitars is awful on this amp, because you spend the rest of the set trying to get a good sound from your backup guitar. The clean is not very dynamic, not only because it is 30 watts, but because of the dyna-watt power section this amp uses. Basically, Mesa runs the tubes at high power settings to get the same power from 2 EL84s you usually get from 4. The tone is passable, but there is a lack of character and fluidity. There is plenty of highs and precense, but not much sparkle. The clean channel feels stiff, unless you dime the gain to get some breakup, which is where it starts to feel like a tube amp should. The breakup on the clean channel is very nice, but hard to achieve with lower output single coils. One solution is to open up the treble, which produces more gain, but is sometimes too bright.

On to the gain channel:

This channel sounds like it is meant to mimic a marshall at the lower gain settings. The gain channel controls don't really behave as I would expect them to: the treble knob doesn't do much, the mid knob sounds like a treble knob (like a marshall), and the bass control just adds flub (unlike a marshall). I have found this channel sounds much better run almost clean with an overdrive pedal set for cleanish boost in front of it. at higher gain settings, it is Mark I fuzziness all the way. Not really my thing. I never use the contour mode, so I can't comment on this.

Overall:

This is a decent sounding amp. The price tag is too much new, but probably a good value used, although that may change now that it is discontinued. In a gigging situation, the amp sounds best at medium volumes: too quiet, and it sounds very sterile; too loud and it gets REALLY flubby. The EL84's (especially with the dyna-watt) can't handle the bass. I used this amp for a jazz gig and was very disappointed at the flubbiness of the bass response at any volume. I almost always leave the bass control on both channels almost all the way down when playing anything but jazz.

You are probably looking at this because it is one of the cheapest Mesa/Boogies available. I would look at Fender or Marshall tube combos instead, as they are a much better value, and often sound much better. That or save up for a real Boogie, like the Lonestar, which is one GOD of an amp.

Have had it for a year, no problems yet. The amp is VERY hard on power tubes. It doesn't blow tubes, but wears them out quickly, again due to the dyna-watt power conditioning.

Mesa/Boogie is a fantastic company. You can call them up (as a friend of mine did), get a real person on the other end, and ask them if some rare tube will work in their amp, and their entire team will be working on it all day. I have met the regional sales rep for the southwest, and he was extremely knowleagable and helpful, and gave me great advice on how to set the amp to sound its best. Can't say enough good things.

If it was stolen, I'd probably just bring my big rig with a small cab and turn down. The size is convenient, but the tone is so-so. Stick to the Lonestar.

I bought this amp in 2004. It is a very powerful amp for its wattage rating and the tone is spectacular. I only play it clean and with the contour mode and I do not use any other features.

I have been playing for 40 years but until now,I never found the sound that I was looking for. This amp can get telecaster country honk to balsy fat overdrive for blues and rock as well as good jazz tones. What more do you want in a single amp. I tried a mesa lonestar side by side in a music store and the guitar guru thought the F30 sounded much more chimey when clean and more growl when overdriven,I agreed. This amp sounds great with my srat,tele,335,paul and national reso-lector. A great amp and my fans say I sound like the Holy-Grail,what can I say.

Tubes can be a little too hissey for my ears. I am going to change tubes and see if it makes a difference.

Local dealer was help-ful,never had a problem except for noisey tubes.

I would still give the amp a 10, a little tube-hiss should not knock it out of this rating. Just go buy one.

2003 model. Features for me are not important just give me tone. The Contour feature is not a feature for me as its eq settings conflict with the non contour settings.

For live this amp is plently loud enough and for rehearsal almost too loud as I find it needs to be run at about 12.00 o'clock to get its sweet spot.

Used with a Fender Strat with Texas pickups and a Gibson 335 with Seymour Duncan Vintage 59 neck and JB Bridge run through a custom speaker box with two Webber vintage speakers. I play jazz, blues funk and some rock.

I have had an arm wrestle with this amp. Different speakers have made a huge difference and pickups and volume settings. At all volume levels the clean channel is fantastic. At 12.00 on the clean with the gain at 2.00 and with a bridge humbucker I get a Class A type classic rock sound. To use the neck pickup and wind down the volume on the guitar you get a manageable clean sound in terms of reducing the break up. Overall the different clean sounds is the gem of this amp (unfortunately it took 18months to find out it has a pull bright switch which brought SRV tones to my door). Wind down the gain and get great Fender type clean sounds. Would be cleaner if had say an EV100. Now that would be an expensive but interesting experiment.

At low volume levels the dirty channel is dark and mid heavy and not my style. Below 9.00oclock it sound crap unless you want metal even with the gain at 9.00oclock. I used to put up with the sound with my volume at 10.00oclock but it was too fat and dark but the gain does reduce.

I got to rehearsals early once and thought I would turn the bugger up. Well at 12.00 to 2.00oclock it cleans right up and the darkness goes (I do turn the mid to almost off and the treble very high) and I get Robben Ford type sounds but now I get constant complaints that I am too loud - how is that for 30 watts (My F30 is 90% as loud as a Marshall 100watt combo).

Most importantly I am now happy. Two years of arm wrestling and both of us are winners. The motto is this amp needs the right speakers (and not the celestian V30, this amp needs highs not more mids, it must be played really loud, needs an eq pedal and you will have a sweet sounding dynamic toneful partner.

Has been sent back once and fixed, something was loose and it was shutting down after 15 minutes of playing, and you would have to wait an hour before it would work again.

Refer above

Playing for 17years. I don't need other gear wih this amp except for different guitars. Strat for SRV and Knoffler type sounds, 335 for Robben Ford, Scofield sounds and can also get great jazz sound with gain on clean channel wound down.

If stolen and had the money would probably by a Lone Star head, otherwise yes.

Tried it side by side - and continually do - with Fenders (F30 more versatile) Marshall (F30 kills them for tone) THD (similarar sound when played through same speaker box, I don't know about that open grill and beer being split into the wiring) Blackcat (again similar but the F30 at more than half the price) and a MarkIV.

Speakers and volume are critical for you to get an amazing tone which makes this amp great value for money and more reliable than a class A amp.

I wanted a tube amp without features. Two channels one clean and one with a bit of gain. I wanted separate control controls for each channel and with Reverb. This is has got it exactly with a bonus of a gain on the clean.

Its light weight and plently loud enough for live.

I wanted the combo because of its simple portability however I negotiated a crazy price on the head.

I am after a sound of my own with that Larry Carlton Robben Ford influence. Most of all it had to sound fat and alive (previously had a Hot Rod Deluxe when I played the two side by side the Deluxe appeared to be a toy).

The F30 has a massive sound and is much warmer, clearer and alive than the F50. Do not spend the extra dollars thinking it will sound better.

I play jazz and blues and wanted an amp where I could play softly and be clean and aggressively and have that subtle break up sound. I wanted to be able to play 7th chords and flat 5s and 13ths in the dirty channel and hear all the notes. This amp delivers.

I use an Epihone Dot Deluxe, I find turning the amp treble up and the tone on the guitar down gives the best tone, better that the Gibson 335 which for mine the pickups are to hot and the sound not as fat as I can achieve. I broke a string last gig and I borrowed a Strat. The owner couldn't believe the way it sounded.

I picked up a cheap second hand box with a single Laurent speaker (Australian made as used by the guitar player from the Baby Animals). Sounds great. Was going to turf the speaker for a Celestion 80 (the V30 great if you want to play rock and role, for jazz bues the clean and huge bottom end of the 80 is the go) not so sure now.

Volume wise I was concerned on the first outing that I was not loud enough until I checked the other guitar players settings, he had his brand new 100 watt Marshall superlead on 10 and I was not quite as loud and on about 8. Yes the clean had lost it, with the semi acoustic 7 is the limit. Last gig my volume levels were at about 4.

The Contour boost is great does make the sound a little thin. My preference is to use the volume on the guitar and my fingers to the work.

Had it for a few months. No problems

Outside USA can't email the company. I am in Australia and wanted to discuss the amp with an expert, not possible. Globalisation sucks! Wait a minute, I wouldn't have the amp if not for globalisation.

In 20 years this is best amp I have ever had by a country mile (previously had Fenders and Marshalls, Boogies previously out of my price range.) I will never lose it and if it were stolen, pray that you are not the thief.

The best part about it is when I finish a gig and people come up to me and say wow that sound. Its so fat and creamy and alive. It sounds like Robben Ford Larry Carlton. Ahh at last. Finally I love my guitar and I love my amp. It has made me a better player inspiring me play with more feeling because of its responsiveness.