Trouble with Mesa Boogie V-Twin Preamp

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 4 Dec 2001 6:49 pm

I'm trying out a loaner Mesa Boogie V-Twin rack preamp and I'm having some difficulty:

1) Very low output in either the clean or the drive channel, even with master and gain controls set to high. This is either with the FX unit between the preamp and the power amp, or with no FX processor at all (just preamp direct to a very powerful amp).

2) FX loop doesn't seem to work. I tried setting up with my normal rack FX unit as well as with just a simple delay pedal in the loop, but there is no effect. FX loop level output is set to maximum and none of the 'mode of activation' switch settings for the FX loop have an effect.

3) The thing is noisy as hell, partly because I have to run it at such high gain settings. I don't think I can live with that level of noise.

Something (or several things) just isn't right with this thing. QUESTION: i) Will a bad tube or tubes cause these types of low power problems, and ii) is the FX loop just kaput?

I have a couple of new 12ax7 tubes that I will slap in there, but somehow I think this thing is boogered up more than what tubes will fix.

Any thoughts? Also, not that it will help, but do any of you all who use one of these critters have any recommended settings?

Thanks much. [This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 04 December 2001 at 06:51 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 4 Dec 2001 10:31 pm

Sounds like there's a wire broke in it somewhere. I'd open it up and poke around a bit. Most of the time if something's wrong with a Boogie, you can see the problem.

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Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 5 Dec 2001 5:55 pm

It was a bad output level pot on the back of the unit. I can solder the 6 leads back if I got a replacement pot, but is this likely to be a standard pot that I could get through Mesa? I'll call the company tomorrow, but does anyone happen to know anything about this kind of stuff?

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 5 Dec 2001 7:16 pm

this thing is boogered up

..Steve, the problem may simply be poor design by the manufacturer..I was curious about the origin of the word "boogered" that you used, so I looked it up and sure enough it is defined as "characteristic of or pertaining to a Boogie"..

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 5 Dec 2001 9:55 pm

No pun intended....

Larry Clark · Post by **Larry Clark** » 6 Dec 2001 1:44 pm

Steve you can go to the Mesa site and download a manual too. Here's the link. www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/user_manuals.htm

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 6 Dec 2001 4:36 pm

Thanks guys. I already downloaded the manual and it's very helpful for setting initial parameters, etc., but this thing has a bad pot as well a a questionable effects loop, so I think I'm just going send it on back.

Too bad, I was kinda hoping this thing woulda been interesting....

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 6 Dec 2001 8:52 pm

Whoa!! Got this rascal working tonight! She ain't going anywhere - I like this thing!
I'll have to dig up a pot and make the fix permanent.

Hey JWA - if you're still out there, what kind of settings do you use? In just a short while, I kinda settled into the #3 (fat)setting on the clean channel with the master up and the gain on 9:00 - 12:00, depending on if I want it a little edgy. Any other thoughts on using either the clean or drive channel?[This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 07 December 2001 at 07:32 AM.]