Egnater Tweaker vs Mesa Mark Five:25 | Small Amp Comparison : Part 2 : The Dirty

[@ClemensWennersMusic]

Loved part 1! Let's watch this one now. 😄

[@lorenzomcnally6629]

I got possibly the last brand new Tweaker 40 head from Sweetwater in February 2023. I must say, not since my Moded Fender Bassman in the 1980's have I experienced the Vintage Fender 6L6 distortion so authentically done. Charles Rook (Paul Rivera Guru))moded my Bassman in Santa Barbara at Fancy's Music. He coaxed a Gain stage out of one of the inputs that was mind blowing. He did this in strict confidence because Randal Smith of Mesa Boogie was still in legal battles with any amp maker/tech daring to pump a preamp tube for a gain stage by rights of their patent. As we tested this mod out in the basement of Fancy's Music on State Street in SB, in walked Joe Walsh who was immediately asking to play and check out my Moded Bassman. It was a really beyond good overdrive Fender sound with an A/B switch Charles rigged up for a clean and overdrive moded Fender 50 Watt Bassman. He wanted Charles to make him one too. He flat out turned him down right in front of me. At that incredible moment. Joe Walsh getting stuffed by the likes of a me, a nobody.! I was fairly embarrassed. A Legend like Joe Walsh a hero of any guitar player ever. Needless to say, he Charles Rook, said he was taking a huge risk just doing mine. In his work room he had Santana, Bob Dylan's and even some Chick Corea stuff he was working on at the time. I left with that day with my ultra bad ass.......... one of a kind.... 50 Watt Fender (Boogie) Bassman feeling pretty damn lucky. Then and NOW. The Tweaker 40 is my dream time machine that makes all my Fusion music come alive in over 30 years. It's my old Moded Bassman with even more tonal heaven switches. Zappa, Mahavishnu, Tull, Santana, Allman Brothers, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Wishbone Ash, Floyd, Stones, Joe Walsh etc, et al all of that killer guitar tone is easily Available with a Tweaker 40 Head and the proper Open or closed back cabs and speakers. Like Jay Graydon says ( met him too) "Man, just Dig it" and dive in. Peace and Love from the Central Coast of California. And, thank you Bruce Egnater American amp builder Legend.

[@bladerunner12]

I don't know how similar the tone stack in the Mk5 might be, but Steven Fryette who was involved in the original Mesa IIC+ design has a video on youtube where he goes over the design of the IICP Synergy module and he talks a lot about the tone stack mids and the graphic EQ mids. From (hazy) memory I recall him saying that the general idea is to use the mids pot to select "mids voicing" (I guess low vs high mids focus) and the graphic EQ to dial in amount.

[@JoeyResly]

Rapper/Pop artist rented a Mark Five:25 combo for me to use on tour once. Actually really loved its sound, but did not use any of the features like channel switching, graphic EQ, etc. Can't remember if I used the FAT or CRUNCH, but ran a Les Paul through a Dyna Comp and a Tube Screamer into the green channel and that was it. Lived at a warmed up clean sound with the TS off, popped on the TS and went into Mesa throatiness for power chords and lead work. Was mostly playing along with normalized backing tracks but what a rip it was.

[@zbaby82]

That Egnater sounds pretty good. And it's got some really cool voicing options.

[@kosmicwizard]

Very versatile!

[@wtvrndvr]

14:14 The classic “I don’t like you Mom, I don’t like you Dad, you never let me party” riff

[@DarthPreamp]

Excellent comparison video between these two amps. I also like the Rush lick you played from La Villa.

[@rjschmirler3794]

Nice series of videos Lyle.. the Egnater sounds very good both dirty and clean. An abundance of the lick in part one was nice too... Cheers.

[@qua7771]

I've had one for about 7 years, and never really could get into it. Nothing it does exited me much.

[@voxpathfinder15r]

@@qua7771 I think all the traditional voicings, Marshall, Fender, Vox. Pretty much covers 95% of the tonal universe. And these small builders are trying to find a “space” in the tonal spectrum. And I remain unconvinced there is really anything left for them? Add pedals to the above major 3, and what’s really left to achieve?

[@qua7771]

@@voxpathfinder15r I have a Fender De Ville, Blues Jr, a Marshall JCM 800, and previously owned a VOX AC-15. I have a few other amps. The Egnater doesn't sound like any of them. It is it's own thing. It doesn't share the same circuit design as any of them. It has a solid state input buffer/ cathode follower for some reason. The PCB is hard to access and densely populated, which makes mods, and repairs a challenge. On the plus side it has a tube driven effects loop, and a compact size. It runs hot though. I'm not bad mouthing it. Just saying that it doesn't excite me in terms of tone, the way other amps do. I have rolled tubes through it, and gave up. It does have a nice blues thing going for it. I wish you could push the front end for rock. It's quiet enough to a good bedroom amp.

[@PsionicAudio]

I'm not pushing for or against either amp. But I find it... interesting... that the "cheap" amp has a usable clean and the Mesa clean is a hissy buzzy mess. What exactly are you paying for there? I just saw that I had two 20W(ish) amps of similar size that made similar promises, so I thought a little comparison video might be interesting. I wouldn't buy either. But if I did, I'd regret buying the Tweaker a lot less.

[@qua7771]

@@PsionicAudio They are sort of opposites.

[@lukeduke6693]

Best tone of the vid imo was the egnater on the USA switch.

[@gerrykavanagh]

I don't know if it was the speaker, the mic or what, but I didn't like any of the sounds from the little Boogie. It sounded boxy and constrained, pretty much wherever the knobs were set. I say this as a Boogie fan, I have a Mk IV combo that I love.

[@56335130]

tweaker 15 is an interesting amp. The first stage is mosfet ,high voltage mosfet. It even used one whole 12ax7 to do the effect loop job(that makes a deluxe all tube effect loop) and leaves the first stage to be solidstate .maybe this mosfet some kind of made it quieter. It has only 3 stages of gain(1 mosfet +2 stages of 1 whole 12ax7)which is less than a typical modern valve high gain amp(at least 4 or even 5 ). And the tone stack is after the main clipping stage, unlike the mesa mark v , which has a tone stage at the input stage(like a clean fender) and a graphic eq at the aftermath ,maybe that's why the mid pot does little things.Maybe randall at first had a clean fender amp and added a effect loop to it and then,added 1 12ax7 in that effect loop and a graphic eq to made a mesa mark2....

[@EasyHeat]

Brilliant content man. Much respect! Bravo!

[@Tiler-ju9zl]

Can I ask what was the video about

[@kosmicwizard]

Lyle, I really respect you, man. I own a tweaker 15 head, and your completely honest review is exactly what I've experienced with that head. The Brit setting is the best, I hate the AC setting. I play it through an Avatar 2x12 loaded with a Celestion Alnico blueback and a Celestion G12H30 70th anniversary speaker, it is just heavenly! Those 2 speakers are a perfect sonic match with each other.

[@kosmicwizard]

I couldn't get a decent Vox tone out of the Tweaker, so I bought an AC15C1 and pulled the greenback out for an Alnico blue. It is wonderful cranked up with the Tweaker on US setting. :)

[@Theweeze100]

Lyle, I own a Mesa Boogie Fillmore 50 combo. It has never been a problem, but I am getting nervous watching your videos. I live close to Memphis, and I’m seriously thinking about getting a hold of you in order to have you go through my amp, In order to replace any weak links. I, like many of us thought that because Mesa seems to be such a quality conscious manufacturer that their design would be American made, and therefore, bulletproof. It sounds like that is not the case and I would just as soon take my lumps now in the form of a decent bench fee,and have you take a look at it and replace any ticking time bomb issues. It would also give you an opportunity to look inside a Mesa Fillmore and do a video for those of us who are nervously ringing our hands, and hoping that our amp will withstand the test of time. To me it would be worth it for the peace of mind. I bought this amp with the thought of passing it down to one of my grandsons, and I would like it to be a musical legacy piece for my family. Please let me know in the comments if that sounds like a good idea to you and I will get a hold of you. Thanks again for all you bring to your channel, it is like gold for many of us “Amp” guys!

[@dontuckerjr]

I believe a lot of folks will say why build an amp like the Mark 5:25, but it's really worth the time to read the manual that comes with it. It’s freely available online if anyone wants to explore what I’m saying. I like my Mesa. I also like my Bugera V22 which didn't really require much manual reading time and what a great value for the buck. One tidbit I got from the Mark manual was allowing proper warm up time prior to switching on the HT via the standby switch. So I took their word for it and added a standby switch to my Fender Champ XD. Why not. I’ve already replaced the volume pots to audio taper to make it more volume manageable. I’ve had to make that mod to all my prior Fenders and didn’t want to take a chance I would have to do the same if I opted for a Princeton or a Deluxe. I honestly didn’t know. I’m happy with my choice to purchase a Mesa so far and good to know that there’s a decent chance at serviceability. If my Katana dies it’ll likely end up in a landfill. Thanks for the great review and your expert experience.

[@georgeperillo6421]

I love my Tweaker 40 and have always thought it was on par with more expensive amps. Especially after I changed both transformers to Mercury Magnetics.

[@udertyrat]

I just got a 25 about 6 months ago. I never crank the gain all the way and usually keep the volume down. So far so good… I like it but yeah a lot of stuff is crammed in there. And I gig with it using a 2x12 open back. No death metal! Hahaha! Nice video.

[@jst601]

Would love to know your take on the new Studio Series Marshall 20 watt heads & their build quality, etc. Personally, the 20 watt amps are the ticket for most of us, home & small gig functional, & EL-34s in a 20 watt do appeal.

[@samhill6590]

A friend of mine bought one and it went belly up the second time he turned it on.

[@oldguyjammin9732]

I've owned three Mesa amps and all three created ear fatigue after just 15 minutes or so and I'd just keep turning it down. With Marshall and engl I just keep turning it up!

[@retread1083]

Comparing apples to pears: Price (new) for the Tweaker 15w head - $600. Price (new) for a Mark Five 25 head - $1700. What does the extra $1100 get you? +2.2dB louder (barely perceptible) Reverb (tiny tank, but somewhat usable). A second (poorly voiced) tonestack instead of just one. A graphic eq that shouldn't be necessary but actually is necessary. Neither amp is a paragon of virtue when it comes to layout and build quality but the shoehorn technique on the Mesa is a nightmare. With a LOT of fiddling around with switches and controls you can dial in a few dirty sounds on the Booger that the Eggbeater can't get to. But all things considered, I think Bruce serves the $600 pricepoint pretty well. For $1700, I'd pass on what Randall is offering and look elsewhere. YMMV.

[@lukeduke6693]

Worse tone judging by this video.

[@williambock1821]

Honestly, at least between KZbin and my tv speakers, I like the Tweaker overdrive better. I’ve heard good things about the Lonestar but I don’t think it’s one of the “Does EVERYTHING” Mesa’s. Not sure if it even has the EQ. Can’t remember.

[@clarkeblacker]

I don't like either of these amps much, but I'd like to offer a thought if I may. I think that you run the bass EQ too high for anything but bedroom levels or very quiet live settings. It sounds nice on its own, but can be a problem in many situations. In an actual live band or many recording contexts, too much bass on the guitar just muddies things and can cause it to get lost in the mix. There are always exceptions of course. Lowering the bass EQ to no more than about 30% or so (No. 3-4 on a Fender) helps a lot and smooths out the overall frequency range better when pushing on them. It also helps a guitar stand out live rather than getting buried in the mix.The Boogie's poor 10" speaker (??!!) was flubbing really badly when you pushed it, but you also had the bass EQ set around 2 and the treble at 1 (clockwise).. Your 2 - 12" cabinet sounded better, but not a lot. I suspect that it would have helped both speakers to reduce the bass EQ to around 9-10 (clockwise).

[@PsionicAudio]

Just curious, how many of the videos on this channel have you seen? Because I've discussed that a lot over the years.

[@clarkeblacker]

@@PsionicAudio A lot, but I don't recall that specifically being discussed. My apolgies if I beat a dead horse. Just my perspective from many years in bands.

[@BobbyQsauce90]

I wonder if swapping in some el34s/84s in the egnater - if it would embody the British sound better? Just curious. To me it sounds like a fender amp, with built in marshal esk pedals. Still a great sound regardless!

[@hansmuter7285]

I have 3 tweaker 15's with 6v6 6l6 ans el34. All sound very good and different, no need to bias too.

[@voxpathfinder15r]

Seems to me having a pre phase master volume and a post phase master volume wouldn’t be redundant. Pre-phase to set the level you’re hitting the the phase inverter. And post phase to adjust ultimate level.

[@jng1226]

Any experience with the Tweaker 88 with KT88 tubes? I was considering getting one but now really want to know your opinion? Is it bad like the Tweaker 40? Thank you.

[@SirLoinMagroin]

Leaning towards the Tweaker. The 525 for higher gain singing leads. Tweaker could with a pedal so still leaning to the Tweaker. Metal goes to Mesa. Give me a plexi or 1987x circuit please. It's all subjective anyways. Best demo and breakdown of it all. That Mesa can really cook though. Santana did say that they "boogie". The original "Princeton" style 60/100 was the original single 12" ball-buster stage amp you could carry with decent outs. A game changer in the early years to rival a twin or marshall. Those were the days...

[@foxorian]

I have a Tweaker 15 and enjoy it, but while watching this I was noticing the LED on this one and thinking to myself "is it slowly breathing brighter/dimmer? Mine doesn't do that" then realizing that's the LED's Hz misaligning with the shutter speed of the camera hahah

[@PsionicAudio]

Yup. LEDs look great to the eye, but the camera sees all.

[@dressedtosmellgood]

Shutter speed? this is a video. You mean frame rate.

[@williambock1821]

This is a bit off topic but I figured you would know. I’m trying to find out if a VVR would be problematic to add to an amp with bias tremolo.I know the tremolo stops working at lower voltages but is it dangerous for tubes in an Ac4 circuit for example? Im not going to do it to an actual Vox but a Roberts reel to reel amp conversion. Thanx for any input!

[@PsionicAudio]

No danger.

[@TimBoulette]

"Or for hinge construction." I'm wondering how many people identified that reference!

[@donclemons6802]

Does this Tweaker have the 300 ohm cathode resistor?

[@ernestoalvarez7267]

Eso es bueno o malo porque tengo uno que tiene la resistencia de 315 whats se puede cambiar y a qué valor ?

[@TheCyberMantis]

Too bad you couldn't get your hands on an ENGL Fireball 25. It smokes the Boogie. Not 100% sure about the build-quality tho, I never seen inside one. But I heard they are pretty good.

[@samhill6590]

I have a 2010 Tweaker 15 head and cab with the G12H30 speaker. Haven't had a single issue in 12 years. I use it daily as my practice amp with my 59 LP Jr plugged straight in, and it makes a joyful noise indeed! When I gig with it, I run the head into my Crate Vintage Club 4x10 cab and it just barks. I run a NuX Cerberus pedal with the overdrive/distortion section on the front end, and the effects section running through the loop of the amp. I set up presets in the Cerebus eq'd for different guitars, and it sounds great no matter what guitar I use.

[@PsionicAudio]

I quite like the Tweaker 15. See my video just on it re: bias. The first ones were too hot. The later ones are too cold. Other than that I have no quibbles at the price point. Glad you're loving your long term.

[@samhill6590]

@@PsionicAudio Thanks, so glad I stumbled on your channel. Great content, and lots of it. I'm subbed 🙂

[@ernestoalvarez7267]

@@PsionicAudio tengo uno de los primeros y se calienta mucho como solucionarlo algo así miré en tu canal te sigo cuál es la resistencia que valor es el mejor para el tweaker 15

[@TheAxe4Ever]

Sorry Mesa. I’d take the Egnater Tweaker any day with just a pedal or two to push it over the edge a bit more if I wanted to.

[@Soloist1983]

So the Mark V sounds like my old Crate GX15R from 2000; I mean, I did like the GX15R of that era, but not $1700 worth of like. Also, why do all Mesa's have tone stacks where you turn something and it just doesn't do anything? And why would Mesa engineers allow the user to put the amp to complete overload in the tone stack? IMO, a good amp is one where the engineers designed the tone stack to work, and sound good, through the entire range. Cult of Mesa-Boogie indeed, I don't get it. They've got an Apple-like thing happening with their marketing, and thankfully for their company, a few monster players that keep that marketing fluff justifiable in most consumer's eyes, but I'd rather play a Blackstar than a Mesa.

[@samright4661]

Mesa might be a shitty design, But Damn it’s sounds Awesome..I can see why people pay big money to Keep it working

[@sfasfads]

Huge asterisk on name brand sound? You build these things. They're all a couple stages into a long tail pair pushing an AB power amp. If you cut a dozen of your own audio clips up and blindly shuffled them, you wouldn't know which amp is which, mesa fender marshall or otherwise. Chug chug chug noodle noodle doesn't assess quality well. Play actual songs and articulate pros and cons.

[@jimsalman7257]

The Mesa seems like an amp specifically designed for amateur bedroom guitar players who fantasize about being professional. All that excessively high gain is useless at real world stage volume.

[@voxpathfinder15r]

I think they did something similar with the Vox AC10C1, sounds great at guitar center at the volume they allow you to play at. Bring it home and turn it up and it sounds like…….shit!

[@tommilitello198]

And how many egnater amps do you see people using,not many

[@dervpool]

You are kinda right but these amps have seen stage use and been on a number of records that are notoriously high gain. They are prooven soundwise (even tho they sound weird compared to the older boogies). Check out Gorguts. Luc Lemay switched over to a Mark V a few years ago. Given how he replaced it quickly with a JP2C its kinda telling tho xD. But for real these amps have their place soundwise. From a techs perspective these are a nightmare and the Mark V has had a kinda huge amount of factory issues over the years.

[@jerrystephenson1172]

So, needless to say, he doesn't like Mesas & if you ask, most amp techs will answer the same. They are a royal PITA to repair & troubleshoot + expensive ( parts are proprietary ) & for one don't get it. If noise is not a problem, because you are paying death metal & noise is part of the experience, by all means, go for one. I'll pass.

[@okayestguitar66]

You may not know any Scorpions, but I heard some Rush in there... 👍😀

[@PsionicAudio]

Well, pretty sloppy quick reference, but yeah. Rush & Zep usually come out when I'm dealing with overdrive.

[@bofuscrapshaw]

Good content but boring as sin

[@TheRyanshamowski]

Thats the worst tone I've ever heard someone get from a mark 5.