1 post / 0 new
admin2

Questions about Musicman 65 vs 130

Author Message
   
Mike Kaus (mm210)
Username: mm210

Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Sunday, December 02, 2012 - 06:09 pm:     

Pedals, it takes well. Volume-they're STILL loud. You have the option to half power the 65 for approx 32 watts but 32 watts is LOUD. In an apartment, you want 5 watts! I just bought a 15 watt tube amp and am planning on using IT for some jobs that are small because my normal gigging amp is STILL too loud at 50 watts. But hey, I'm freaking OLD! Mike.
   
Mike Kaus (mm210)
Username: mm210

Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Monday, December 03, 2012 - 07:52 am:     

MINE, at really low volumes sounds like crap. You have to get it to at least 2.5 with the master on 10 to sound good. The problem I have with MY MM is that it seems to jump drastically in volume from 2.5 to 4 and then doesn't seem to get much louder after that. I've thought about going in and re-doing it but it works for ME that way so I leave it alone. With the master turned down, you can get a comfortable sound at lower volumes but you don't want the front end to distort too much with a MM because honestly, the MM's natural distortion is NOT very good. That's NOT what they were known for. Their CLEAN sound is where it's at. My 65 was my main battle tank for a few years until I just got tired of CARRYING the heavy little so and so. I've gone to head and little cabs now. I USED to cart around a twin with jbl's and IN a flight case for almost 30 years. THAT got old. Still have the twin but it's retired! Mike.
Lars Verholt (lmv)
Username: lmv

Registered: 11-2009
Posted on Monday, December 03, 2012 - 09:12 pm:     

Just my two cents: For 80% of the situations you would encounter the 65/75 MM amp will do the job just fine. For a loud outdoor country gig with an army of guitarists - well maybe you need the four-tube variety. I've never tried the 'large transformer but only two tubes' a.k.a. the 100W MM amp so I don't know how it compares.

The above is true for guitar. I would say that the four-tube MM is definitely useful for bass, electric piano (and pedal steel?).

In an apartment complex I would suggest a 65 112 on low - inside a soundproof box :-)

Cheers,
Lars Verholt
   
Mike Kaus (mm210)
Username: mm210

Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2012 - 10:01 am:     

I don't know what you are wanting to HEAR but the little Vox NightTrain 15 that I just bought is kind of cool. Bare bones-no verb but does have a drive control-kind of like the channel control. It's actually TOO dirty for me as it came so I'm taming the front end down with a 12at7 in the first stage. May change the second 12a7 to a 12at7 too, depending on what it sounds like the first time I use it live. It's small, light and is 15 or 7 watts. Add a small cabinet and it makes a pretty good small gig amp. I'm looking forward to recording with it when I get over this wrist surgery thing(that sucks, by the way!). Sweetwater has then for $249.00 right now. Mike.
Lars Verholt (lmv)
Username: lmv

Registered: 11-2009
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2012 - 07:45 am:     

Again my 2 cents: Today the PODs and similar gear has become both affordable and really convincing. You could basically model a double Marshall stack at low volumes with one of these gizmos. For practice at home that is, to me, a splendid alternative to a traditional guitar amp.


Cheers,
Lars Verholt
Mike Kaus (mm210)
Username: mm210

Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2012 - 08:02 am:     

Boy, isn't THAT the truth. The POD stuff is getting nice. I've considered getting the POD HD50 for my live pedal board but it has too many things that I DON'T like. It's a bitch to program, from what I understand and the pedal is on the wrong side for me and it's not changeable. I have used a volume pedal for 30 years on my LEFT side and I would probably trip and fall if I tried it on the right! A stupid thing, but that's me!