FRONT PANEL: Controls & Features (Continued)
This 3 position mini toggle allows manual selection of the Channels when the Footswitch is not connected. Set it to the center
CH 1
FT 
SW
INPUT
CH 2
DRIVE / CLEAN: | This switch is responsible for activating the DRIVE circuitry in Channel 2. Set to DRIVE , the overdrive circuitry is |
|
active and additional tube stages are added in front of the normal “rhythm” circuitry to produce a
CH 1
FT 
SW
Set to CLEAN , all overdrive circuitry is removed and Channel 2 is a slightly higher gain clone of Channel 1. Because of this additional gain in what is otherwise a “rhythm” circuit, Channel 2 is an amazing solo channel for Roots style rhythm work or howling blues solo sounds. Cranking the
INPUT
CH 2
GAIN control in Channel 2 CLEAN is a wonderful alternative to the more saturated sound of the
DRIVE 
CLEAN
FT.SWTHICK
NOR 
MAL
DRIVE circuit.
You will fi nd ample gain to get notes to sound fat and singing, and still retain all of the urgent dynamics of a clean sound that is driven to clip.
This 3 position mini toggle allows you to select between three different voicings. It selects what frequency the Treble control will enhance. By lowering the frequency of the treble capacitor, additional gain in these frequencies is added. This allows you to shape the sound for either sparkling clean sounds, or fatten up the Treble region and thicken the sound for more voice like single note solo sounds. Spend some time experimenting with this switch as it can be crucial to attain the lead sound you are searching for as well as allowing you to cop the vibe of several classic amp styles.
| CH 1 |
FT | SW |
INPUT | CH 2 |
| |
DRIVE | CLEAN |
FT.SW | THICK |
| NORMAL |
THICKER
NORMAL is the best choice for clean chording and traditional blues style single note solo sounds. In this position the highest frequencies are passed through with the best balance between the three tone controls gain wise. In other words the gain of the Treble region is in line with that of the Bass and Mid. Here the most sparkle and shimmer will appear and a beautiful blend will be easy to achieve for all your clean work. The NORMAL selection will also let the true character of your individual guitar shine through more than the gain enhanced character of the other two choices. When searching for identifi able signature sounds, NORMAL would be the best choice for traditional “black face” style clean or clipped sounds due to this lack of alteration of the classic treble frequencies.
THICK lowers the frequency of the Treble region while keeping the gain closer to that of the NORMAL setting. This selection fattens the upper region and smears the line between Mid and Treble to achieve a more robust, throatier sound. THICK is the best choice when searching for classic british style response for either chording or overdriven sounds.You might think of it as a “plexi” switch.
THICKER lowers the Treble frequency even further and adds considerable gain in that region. It can enhance high gain solo work by saturating the sound and covering up fret buzz, weak pickups or other nuances that will appear as holes in a high gain lead sound. It allows you to retain focus at extreme gain settings while at the same time reducing the dreaded buzziness that can appear with certain guitars or speaker choices. This setting has appeared in various clothing on virtually all MESA amplifi ers through the years and is classic Boogie. THICKER is the choice for the trademark singing sustain that has long been associated with our amplifi ers.
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