Mesa Express 5:25 - Any Experience, Opinions?

[Jellyfish]

I'm returning to playing out after a long absence. Clearly, the 5-watt Bad Cat I've been using to record won't cut it, so I'm in the market for a more gig/rehearsal-ready amp.

Portability is important, but so is tone and versatility.  These criteria have drawn me to the Mesa 5:25 Plus in 1x12 combo format. Anyone here have experience with that amp? Will it keep up with a moderately loud drummer? Are all if the power modes useful?  Any other praise or concerns?  I'd love to get some reliable HFC feedback.,.

[RobB]

I think any of Mesa's lower-wattage combos are perfect for gigging. I tend to like the way Boogie does reverb, too. 25watts is PLENTY loud, though an extension 1x12" cab sitting next to will help to get more coverage, if not overall volume. Heck, my little SubwayBlues 1x10" combo can hold its own with a loud band, but I'm not going for Vince Gill-clean in those situations.

Do you use pedals for high gain/OD, or would you be using the channel-switching features of the amp? Setting the first channel on 25w and running it clean will give you a lot of headroom for pedals. If not, each channel has its own master volume, so you can go from clean to gain pretty easily.

Portability may be an issue. Boogies are typically HEAVY, due to the huge transformers, beefy cabinets and chassis. The 5:25 is 45lbs, about half the weight of a Marshall 4x12, but still not light. My Splawn SS combo is 50lb, and that's just about at the limit of what I want to hump these days.

[Jellyfish]

Thanks for the thoughtful response Rob.

I had a Mesa Subway Rocket (evil twin of your Blues) some years back. It was cool and served me well. I did find that it struggled to keep up with anything louder than a "polite" drummer though and the 10" speaker was a wee bit boxy. So, like you, I tended to run it with another cab - which solved both problems but kinda defeated the whole point of a small grab-n-go combo...

I am hoping that the 5:25 would have the same build quality and versatility of the Rocket;  but with slightly more power, a bigger cabinet and a12" speaker wouldn't have any of the drawbacks.

45lbs doesn't concern me one bit. Right now I am borrowing a Sunn 50 watt combo for practices - it sounds awesome and is LOUD, but it weighs over 70 lbs - a real beast!

[Thundersteel]

I just bought an Express 5:25+ head unit, switchable to 5/15/25 watts. Five watts is LOUD! Switching to 15/25 watts is a BIT louder, but, as you probably know, gives you more headroom. I would think it would have plenty of power for gigging.   

[fractal]

I really like my Mark V:25, and although it doesn't come in a combo it really sounds great.  It's way less than 20 pounds.  I have a TransAtlantic 10" extension cab that it really (amazingly) sounds fantastic with, and that isn't that much more than 20 pounds.  More than enough headroom for most places...  So, that may be an option for you?

 

[tommy p]

The 5:50 Express+ combo is my main amp right now and I will probably use it when I start gigging out again though I would also consider getting a head like Thundersteel has and using a 2x12 cabinet.  I was able to dial in some usable tones right away but I'd like to to sit down and really figure out how to best use the switchable EQ section.  One thing I absolutely love about it is the solo boost.  I got used to having that on my old Nomads and Stiletto.

Edited: I erroneously said originally I have a 5:25, but mine is the 5:50.  I had the 5:25 non+ model and didn't care for it.  A friend had the 5:50 non+ and I liked the sound of the 6L6's better so I got the 5:50 Express+.

[SSII x 2]

I've been using an Express 5:25 Plus head for quite a while now.  Plenty loud enough

for almost any situation.  I totally love mine, can't think of a single complaint...

[Bennyboy-UK]

I've got one and used it for an open mike night with an enthusiastic drummer and horn section ( horns are awesome!)

 

Mine is the original combo model with a 1x10"

 

my my buddy was playing through a fender 50w pro reverb.

 

I was it was fine but needed the missus in the crowd to signal me to up the master a bit, as I couldn't tell how loud I was stood in front of the crowded back line  

[HamerDave]

My main rig uses a 5:50 Express +. It can run at 5, 25, or 50 watts. I've found that the 25 watt setting is plenty loud enough, and gives enough clean head room too keep up with my band. We play hard edged blues (Bonamassa, Gary Moore, Mayall) along with some classic rock standards. I freakin love this amp. Tone for days and rock solid reliability.  The one thing I'd really recommend would be to RTFM (read the ______ manual)  The gain and tone controls interact differently than a lot of other amps out there. It takes some getting used to but once you figure it out there's no tone you can't find..

[SSII x 2]

3 hours ago, HamerDave said:

 Tone for days and rock solid reliability.  The one thing I'd really recommend would be to RTFM (read the ______ manual)  The gain and tone controls interact differently than a lot of other amps out there. It takes some getting used to but once you figure it out there's no tone you can't find..

Absolutely +1 on interactive controls!  For sure takes some experimenting to get it dialed in, but once you do, look out!

[Thundersteel]

On July 22, 2016 at 9:12 AM, SSII x 2 said:

Absolutely +1 on interactive controls!  For sure takes some experimenting to get it dialed in, but once you do, look out!

Ditto! I had thought about selling my newly acquired 5:25+, because at first I couldn't find the "face-melting" grind I wanted. I fiddled with the graphic EQ, and found it, but barely. Then I switched it to 5W mode--whoa! There it is!  I had the master volume only turned up to 9 o'clock, but the wife could still hear me playing from outside. 

Still, I'm tempted to get the Mark V:35 head to see what all the fuss is about. I like the sound samples I've heard, especially the Mark IV and Xtreme modes of channel two. If I do get it, I'll more than likely sell my 5:25+...along with my Marshall DSL50 head.

[Jellyfish]

2 hours ago, Thundersteel said:

Still, I'm tempted to get the Mark V:35 head to see what all the fuss is about. 

I am considering the Mark V:35 too, but its a little more $$$ and doesn't seem to have quite the flexibility/tweakability of the Express amps.

[Ting Ho Dung]

On 7/22/2016 at 6:42 AM, HamerDave said:

The one thing I'd really recommend would be to RTFM (read the ______ manual)  The gain and tone controls interact differently than a lot of other amps out there. It takes some getting used to but once you figure it out there's no tone you can't find..

This is true for all the Boogies I've played through which has only been maybe 4 models. Triple and Dual Rectifiers, Nomad and .50 cal +. Also 1 mini I don't recall the model. So it may not be true for all models but it has been in my experience.  I think this is one reason so many people shy away from Mesa. You just can't dial it in while visiting GC. You have to get to know the amp. That's one reason I like the models with the EQ. 

[Thundersteel]

The speakers make a big difference, too. I've had my new Express plugged into my Mesa 4X12 since I got it, and it never had the "punch" I was expecting, even at the 25W setting.

Tonight, I plugged it into my Avatar 2X12 cab, and it sounded a LOT better. I don't know whether it's because there are less speakers to move, or better speaker efficiency, but the sound is definitely improved.

[Ting Ho Dung]

7 hours ago, Thundersteel said:

The speakers make a big difference, too. I've had my new Express plugged into my Mesa 4X12 since I got it, and it never had the "punch" I was expecting, even at the 25W setting.

Tonight, I plugged it into my Avatar 2X12 cab, and it sounded a LOT better. I don't know whether it's because there are less speakers to move, or better speaker efficiency, but the sound is definitely improved.

I plugged my little .50 cal combo into a 2x12 the other day and was really surprised how much better it sounded. There is a G-75 and something else in there that the guy who owns Avatar recommended for this cabinet. 

[HamerDave]

+1 on speakers. My 5:50 is the combo. I got the 1x12 closed back cab to go with it. It has a lot more bottom end response and punch when I use the extension cab. It really can change the character of the amp. I really like the combination of the open back combo and the closed extension. If I were to buy it again I'd probably opt for the head with one of each 1x12 speakers.