Mesa Engineering California Tweed 1x12 Combo Demo

Reviewed in Guitarist 449
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[@zwip778]

On top of sounding perfect, it looks classy as fuck

[@timmly1425]

>literally the perfect amp for me >way out of my price range Life is pain

[@Michael-bt6ht]

I got you what u need

[@hootowl6354]

It's three thousand less than a Two-Rock.

[@jordanbotial5265]

Trying his best not to play Slow Dancing in a Burning Room lol

[@jgl2222]

😂😆

[@nuendo2496]

What ever that is?

[@awkipintee]

Its about the amp

[@ghostblock1]

First -- for those of us looking for true clean tones -- Thank you for avoiding OD pedals and thank you for playing with single coils. This amp seems to have three dimensional sounds -- The lows are smooth and have some bounce.. the highs aren't searing but clear and harmonic . Warm crunchy tones -- is a perfect description when driven .. I wanted to hate the 2 way setting -- but with the gain and master up ... well its "Right" The Distortion isn't tube driver fuzzy - and o course you playing is always something to envy. Well done --- from Northern California -- we toast you

[@guitarist]

Many thanks for the kind words, Paul - glad you enjoyed the demo

[@MrDaveFerrier]

nice!! Its like a tweed amp but with the sparkle of a blackface fender

[@goldens98]

This is the best amp I''ve heard in a long time! Sounds amazing!

[@Squiershire]

That repeating lick you do tempts me in my dreams. First heard it in your Boss DC-2w demo and I had to learn how to do it. Such great playing and sounds.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Wow, you have such a great touch and feel... on the guitar.

[@ashbody3499]

That reverb is utterly glorious... the best I've heard. I want this amp!

[@Barnsielegend]

This amp sounds great. Loving the playing also. Good demo

[@R.C.Bullar]

Best clean I've ever heard. Dear Lord this is my next amp.

[@mamatoucan9993]

Did you get one? How do you like it?

[@BAsed_AFro]

@@mamatoucan9993 🦗 🦗 🦗🦗🦗

[@R.C.Bullar]

@@mamatoucan9993unfortunately I still haven’t! Life happened money got tight!

[@R.C.Bullar]

@@BAsed_AFro😅I guess I deserve that.

[@_RLP]

My favorite mesa amp ever. Love it. Would love to see it in more videos and demos and stuff. Cheers

[@jasonchadney7850]

What lovely playing and a great showcase of the amp.

[@alanhowell3646]

Man that sounds beautiful

[@pdbordelon]

It sounds so beautiful...great demo

[@vgnbk]

Wow, it sounds awesome smooth

[@awkipintee]

What a great demo! Good job & I could make a purchasing decision on this alone . Great chops man 👌

[@softdev1]

Man, I've been wanting this amp for years. Even the guitar (color combo) is the exact guitar I want

[@sonofboar13]

This is the best amp boogie has made. My dream amp for sure

[@pdbordelon]

A beautiful amp....recorded my band's last album with this amp....dialing in a great sound right away (ironic for Boogie) was easy!

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

Nice playing!

[@gerysasko3410]

Sounds about as perfect as you’d want

[@chefrustic]

GREAT review! I only want to hear what the amp does and forget the pedals, nice job and great playing!

[@PeterKertesz2013]

Gorgeous sounds and looking nice of this retro style.

[@bigdog5086]

For old schoolers this amp is top notch...very simple and easy to dial in and and no need for all the bells and whistles...im liken it...will have 1 next week.

[@Doty6String]

I’m sure this is expensive, but god that’s a hell of a clean tone

[@jsguitargeek1432]

Between $2K => $4K

[@Chris_Lohmann]

3:40 All eq's at noon, just a little bit of reverb. 😁 Listen to it sparkle.

[@slickyjorj]

great sounding amp

[@surfrby8876]

Best demo of this amp , and the playing complemented what it can do perfectly , I just tried a used one out today , but do so need another amp ? 😮

[@kylecunningham5730]

Why did I have to watch this ❤️

[@raphaelbiazotto]

I only wish there was a little bit more of the full drive on 2W. It started to sound really good on the last seconds.

[@basildog007]

My favorite amp is my Markbass Jazz, 400$, it makes my strat feel like a jazzbox, every guitar has a crazy clean sound with it.

[@misterblack6521]

beautiful amp

[@anthonygonzalez8684]

Definitely some of my top favorite tones come from that Bad Puppy. 🤗

[@SpecialReserve]

Lowering the bass on the 10w level ready gets rid of the farty sound just previous to it. Very flexible amp. Nice demo.

[@henkkruidenier1238]

Great Sound Fantastic Tone ~^^;;^^~ Love Greeetzzz Henk.

[@barnwsa1]

Brill. demo. Want one !!!!!!

[@canterburyaudio5836]

Sounds sooooo goood

[@druwk]

Nice amp! I dig the Tweed sound, and the controls seem to really grab ahold and let you tailor your sound? I have a 5e3 clone, and sometimes wish I had this level of control...but often the beauty of these kinds of circuits is the balance between the guitar and the controls. Still might be too much! Never knock Boogie though, they make really solid, workhorse amps, and this one sounds pretty 😉

[@williamking8684]

Oh!😫 this amp need to be in my life

[@DMSProduktions]

Nice!

[@gregmartin1615]

Perfection from Randle

[@gregmartin1615]

Randall Smith

[@gregoriocarreno]

Amazing

[@jstnxprsn]

As I remember, Boogies were fussy little bitches, but when you get the right tone, its straight outta heaven. A few of those tones were like that.

[@maxmacleans3176]

Getting this one...

[@michaelsellers7409]

What Strat are you using in this Demo? Thanks

[@dutchi15]

Thanks for the video. It’s a cool looking amp. It’s a shame that you didn’t show us how loud it was at the 40 W setting because I really need to know how much I’m gonna get out of it. Can you steer me to any videos that show this please?

[@capitanvonchickenpants8492]

Won't it overheat at constantly high volume??

[@boskix]

That sounds awesome!!

[@KeithTasker]

Excellent demo...thank you! Can you comment on the available clean headroom as compared to a Deluxe Reverb RI? I've been told by one source that the Cali Tweed has only slightly more clean headroom than the DRRI. Do you agree with that assessment? I'm looking for ample clean headroom that can hang with a band in an un-mic'd situation. Thank you!

[@guitarist]

Thanks for the kind words - Jamie here. It's been a while since I played the CT but I'd say that's broadly about right. Try Orange's excellent Tremlord or something a bit higher output if you want powerful cleans, I'd say. The CT seemed more about those nice in between clean / crunch tones and does that beautifully.

[@KeithTasker]

@@guitarist Jamie - I am so appreciative of your taking the time to respond! Your insights are just what I needed to validate my thinking on the Cali Tweed. In addition to your recommendation above, I'm also taking a good look at the Victory V140 Super Duchess. Thanks again and best regards! Keith

[@shaunw9270]

Wow ! That amp sounds so good . It could actually be the only amp I'll ever need , shame it's not actually covered in tweed but hey ho , who wants to buy a teetotaler's kidney ? ☺️

[@northfortyrecords]

Whoa that's it at the end there

[@manueljofreharo2206]

What's the mic that he used for this demo?

[@jdl2180]

I like it.

[@StratTones]

Sounds great about half way up on the higher power settings but that low wattage and higher gain is....... indistinguishable

[@loch1352]

What mic was used?

[@cornstar1253]

I own a boogie combo, the cleans are better than fender IMO, but the drive is very nasally Better to use the clean channel with a drive pedal. Heavenly

[@SingleCoilVoodoo]

Why oh why does this amp not have a larger following?!?!

[@mrbaiser4133]

What speaker is this? Blackbird 40?

[@frankpennington]

This is very expensive but will probable hold it's price. The King Snake is the one to buy if you can find one. This amp has a similar sound.

[@paulsmith1807]

OMG - shit - Sold :-) Is there a discount on 2???

[@dinadams]

We’re all now used to the £ price being pretty much the same as the $ price for US gear, but this sells for $1899 in the US and £2550 in the UK. Someone’s being greedy which is why I’ll never buy a new Mesa however nice it is.

[@danielvernon6841]

dinadams yep, added to the fact that they basically threatened Andertons for putting up a video which showed how limited their CabClone unit was a few years back. They made them re-shoot the video (with a Mesa employee present). They're as shady as Gibson IMO.

[@TrevBec]

Don't forget the Government here will take their share in import duty and VAT.

[@greenbrightly]

Insane price, I’d rather get a Princeton 65 reverb reissue, or for this money you’d probably get a real vintage one.

[@nunosantos614]

Andertons in the UK have recently struck a deal with Mesa to improve the costs (slightly) by cutting out the middle man

[@JP-gt8qr]

what year is that strat? Is it custom shop? Thanks in advance.

[@guitarist]

Its a MIM Strat customised by Nev Marten editor of Guitar Techniques magazine

[@ismaelbarajas345]

I guess it's a classic player 60's strat

[@JP-gt8qr]

Guitarist wow MIM, I guess tone is definitely coming from the fingers. Awesome playing as well.

[@shaunw9270]

@@guitarist Is he still about ? Wow ! I used to buy Guitarist on subscription when Nev had hair & a rather nice LP Custom he had rebuilt himself ,I think. 😉👍

[@guitarist]

Shaun W Nev is, happily, most definitely still about. He writes and demos gear for Guitarist among many other things

[@abradfordajb]

Very nice, versatile amp. WAY too bassy in lower watt settings ..... Mesa amps demand strict control over the bass control. The mic pre may be overloading as well .... that's a problem with some of these KZbin demo's. Thanks for posting.

[@adamricard9410]

He’s literally playing with the gain cranked at lower wattage and it sounds a lot like what a 5e3 sounds like at that point. Boxy, boomy, and compressed. Which is good if you like that, which I do.

[@jeffhudson2346]

sounds like it has a fuzz in front when cranked.

[@jacobschmitt9983]

oh man what kind of pickups are in that strat??

[@guitarist]

Fender Custom Shop Fat 60s

[@paulterl4563]

Which strat is ?? thanx

[@Snowcountry556]

I’d also like to know, I’m guessing a custom shop with that brilliant white body and tinted headstock

[@paulterl4563]

@@Snowcountry556 Yeah. Maybe one day they'll tell us.

[@MrEddie-gf3yg]

Using a Sonic Blue strat for the demo, good choice!

[@guitarist]

Weirdly this was actually a white guitar. Interesting you saw it as Sonic - might be like that meme with the dress that was going around a while ago where different people saw it as being different colours!

[@nyonmarsolek146]

Well shit I thought it was blue too..

[@francesco0185]

@@guitarist I also thought it is a sonic blue Strat. :))

[@jamesincharlotte]

Nice cleans but I’ll just keep my mark5:25 that little beast dials every tone I need. Thanks for video!!

[@PC160]

I don't know, over this vid there's a "thumpy" bass tone(during attack) that, I believe, comes from the 6V6 tubes. My cup of tea is an EL34. Having a sales guy with a Brit accent is what actually made focus more on the power tube type.

[@hootowl6354]

This is a great amp, except for two things: One, it gets super woofy at high gain settings; Two, there is no 16-ohm speaker jack.

[@OmarJulianTawil]

DAT TOAN ❤️

[@jasong546]

Is it different than the one released quite a few months back? I remember that mesa’s first video had a comment section full of very negative sentiment. People seem more positive now, and I would love to be able to try one and hear it in person. Maybe not the same as a fender tweed, but full of cool tones to inspire a new tune?

[@aaronperrotta7055]

Jason Guion. It probably had negative comments bc all of these people that comment on these videos are sour grapes saps. Always ready to put something or someone down. Instead of giving it a chance and actually listening, they're ready to blast it bc Mesa isn't cool to them or bc they don't give their amps away. Lol

[@ArielsSmartyPants]

Sounds good but nothing I want, hate that fuzzy drive

[@pdbordelon]

I hear what you are saying but you might be missing the point for this amps intended use...platform for pedals! Clean to metal - this amp will do you good and also it sounds fantastic on its own...hello studio!

[@mattgrant3616]

A good compressor should really take a lot of that fuzz out

[@thetugisthedrugfishing3434]

Why did I sell my lonestar? Mesa rules!

[@Guitarooster52]

Wonderful amp. It’s mine if I can get the money together.

[@bessiebraveheart]

Sounds like my king snake.

[@Gummmibaer]

Sounds just beautiful. GAS attack incoming! So glad thats its way too expensive for me

[@bwatt286]

She will be mine!

[@ryanmoore2779]

Oh yes, she will be mine

[@GerryBlue]

Beautiful amp, tone and playing. Ugly price :p

[@jnh73]

It is a Mesa, after all. :(

[@aaronperrotta7055]

Maybe they'll give it away. Lol

[@jonnybeck6723]

That Strat seems to favor you...

[@wojciech2456]

Bass coudl be more tight

[@j.rozman7016]

Tone King Imperial MK II (still) rules!!

[@j.rozman7016]

@Flavius Stilicho I have one...upgraded speaker to Celestion Ruby - tone heaven!!

[@knust2329]

It only farts at high gain settings.

[@chrissilverhand1]

Well I'm sorry tone snobs, but when it's turned down to 10 watts it just sounds like a blown speaker to me. There are far better amps on the market for less than half the price. Looks pretty though.

[@Fox-86]

Any names?

[@1148bucknasty]

If you've had experience with tweeds that's literally how they can sound. Gotta roll back that guitar volume

[@adamricard9410]

@@1148bucknastythe people complaining about the low wattage sounds clearly haven’t heard a tweed amp cranked. Which is what he’s trying to simulate by diming the gain and turning wattage down.

[@brotendo]

Nice only $2k...

[@anonymoususer3496]

You know nothing Jon Snow.

[@___717.]

😄

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

🤣

[@wabisabi6802]

Lol

[@jaymarasigan3302]

Love the cleans, but it sounds like a cheap overdrive when driven up the gain.

[@mikeoxley9121]

I tried one of these amps - was not impressed. I much like the Fillmore series. Better cleans, and much better overdrive.

[@brettschulte3845]

Fillmore kills this, especially the 25

[@coquio]

You played with every knob except for the mids knob. Why? If anybody wants anything with the word tweed in its name is because they want tweed mids, no? So why choose to showcase everything except for mids in this demo?

[@ashthegreat1]

Twiddle them knobs.

[@lesamicalesagadir3964]

blues junior pro 4 will sound the same .for 400 dollars

[@nordfaen]

I don't like it :P

[@onnodejong4702]

Nothing special. Basically a Blues Junior with more wattage, which comes at a non justifiable price

[@Kevin-the-Just]

All that money and still not hand wired.

[@Kevin-the-Just]

Flavius Stilicho Well, the review in Guitarist magazine states that the electronics "reside on a large printed circuit board ". To add insult to injury the circuit board also mounts the valve bases. Whilst this is classic Mesa Boogie, it's not a recipe for reliability and longevity. I'll take a Rift PR35 any day.

[@chrisfit]

What’s the difference in hand wiring? Not sarcasm, I just don’t know. Thanks.

[@Kevin-the-Just]

Chris McKinney For me, a 'hand wired' amp has all of its small components soldered onto the circuit board (usually a turret or eyelet board) one at a time by hand. Then all other connections between the board and the larger components are similarly made by hand. Leaving aside any comments about sound quality, the main benefit is in ease of later serviceability. The downside is that it takes time and skill to assemble. Hence the usually high prices for such circuits. In the UK it's possible to get a fully hand wired 1x12 tweed style combo for less than the price of this Mesa Boogie.

[@vncstudio]

@@Kevin-the-Just They are plenty reliable. I have a 77 Mark I, 97 Mark I reissue, and 2014 Kingsnake. Just got the 77 recapped. Never had any problems other than tube replacements.

[@TheBentwrist]

@@Kevin-the-Just - what mark out of 10 did Guitarist give this amp? Was it 10 by any chance?

[@AndyNyle]

Still prefer my 80s peavey bandit

[@NotoriousV.I.C.]

Meh. Sounds like a Boogie tryin' to Tweed. I'd rather have a proper Tweed amp.

[@TheBentwrist]

You're deaf then. I have a Fender Tweed and I have this one and you don't know what you're talking about. But no matter; the internet is full of that.

[@NotoriousV.I.C.]

@@TheBentwrist Hey man, you're entitled to your opinion, I'm entitled to mine. I'm assuming by "Fender Tweed" you have a reissue, and by proper Tweed I'm thinking vintage, which sounds much different to my ears. But feel free to trash talk away if it makes you feel better. I mean, the internet is FULL of that.

[@TheBentwrist]

@@NotoriousV.I.C. - No - I have a vintage Tweed and you were the one doing the trashing. When you can actually afford to buy any of this equipment, then you might make an informed judgement if you're lucky. And in my experience, which is vast, most people would make the best equipment in the world sound like junk. Your opinion to me doesn't mean jack shit if you don't actually own and professionally use any of this stuff.

[@NotoriousV.I.C.]

@Nilly Sigger I can certainly agree with that, but I also wonder how much of that fizz is just because it's a Boogie.

[@NotoriousV.I.C.]

@@TheBentwrist Ha! Dude, you crack me up. Show me on the doll where the comment touched you. You're a professional? A professional troll, maybe. Do you work for Mesa Boogie? And given your "vast experience" and intimate knowledge of Tweed amps I'm sure you can explain how adding extra knobs and removing multiple inputs that are used to blend various tones makes for such a perfect rendering of vintage tone.

[@misterblack6521]

my crate still sounds better

[@soundknight]

They're really marketing this amp, it Sounds OK. But it's not a Carr 6v6, a Tone King Sky King, not even a L'il Dawg 5e3 clone. Seems like boogie is cashing in on a wave that started 12 years ago in mail order low bit rate sample YT vids and word of mouth. Something that only the MKI has any historical connection too (blackface deluxe mod). I'm not sure this is anything beyond a cash in of their name... What if Marshall started making tweed-amps again? Would that be a cash grab? People will buy into the marketing, that's for sure. Their best vintage inspired amp was the Lone Star, that was OK..., sometimes great sounding but never stellar, but it's not a boutique offering either due to famous boogie designed maintenance, over use of pcb, heating / cooling issues, too many toggle switches to fail and need repair etc... - they are the iPhone selling chumps of the amp world.