Mesa/Boogie OOGIEBMESA Bedienungsanleitung

1317 Ross Street Petaluma, CA 94954

USA

The Spirit of Art in Technology

OOGIE

MESA

Owner's Manual

The Spirit of Art in Technology

OOGIE

MESA

Thank you for trusting MESA/Boogie to be your amplifier

company. We wish you many years of toneful enjoyment from this

handbuilt all tube instrument.

Hello from the Tone Farm...

..You, smart player and all around intuitive human, have put your

trust in us to be your amplifier company. This is something we do not

take lightly. Our reward is that we've designed and built another fine

guitar amplifier that is destined to become a classic. By purchasing and

choosing this unit to be a part of your musical voice, you have become

part of the Mesa family...WELCOME! Our goal is to never let you

down. Your reward is that you are now the owner of a great amp, bred

of fine all tube amp heritage...benefiting from the many pioneering and

patented Mesa circuits that led to the refinement of your new

instrument. Feel confident, as we do, this amp will inspire many hours

of musical satisfaction and lasting enjoyment. It was built with you in

mind, by players who know the value of a fine musical instrument and

the commitment it takes to make great music. The same commitment to

quality, value and support we make to you...our new friend.

PRECAUTIONSPRECAUTIONS

YOUR AMPLIFIER IS LOUD! EXPOSURE TO HIGH SOUND VOLUMES MAY CAUSE

No user serviceable parts inside. Refer service to qualified personnel. Always unplug AC power before

removing chassis.

EXPORT MODELS: Always insure that unit is wired for proper voltage. Make certain grounding

conforms with local standards.

PERMANENT HEARING DAMAGE!

Do not expose amplifier to moisture, rain or water, direct sunlight

or extremely high temperatures.

Always insure that amplifier is properly grounded.

Always unplug AC power cord before changing fuse or any tubes.

When replacing fuse, use only same type and rating.

Avoid direct contact with heated tubes.

Insure adequate air circulation behind amplifier.

Keep amplifier away from children.

Be sure to connect to an AC power supply that meets the power

supply specifications listed on the rear of the unit.

If there is any danger of lightning occurring nearby, remove the

power plug from the wall socket in advance.

To avoid damaging your speakers and other playback equipment,

turn off the power of all related equipment before

making the connections.

Do not use excessive force in handling control buttons, switches

and controls.

Remove the power plug from the AC mains socket if the unit is to

be stored for an extended period of time.

Do not use solvents such as benzene or paint thinner to clean the

unit. Wipe off the exterior with soft cloth.

Your MESA/Boogie Amplifier is a professional instrument. Please treat it with respect and operate it properly.

USE COMMON SENSE AND ALWAYS OBSERVE THESE PRECAUTIONS:

READ AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS OF PROPER USAGE.

Table of Contents

Precautions

FRONT PANEL Description and Usage

Overview

Power-Up

Connect Footswitch

Mode Select

Sample Mode Settings

Gain

Master

Treble

Middle

Bass

Presence

Toggle Switches

Fuse

Record / Phones

FX Loop: Send / Return

FX Mix

Silent Recording / Speaker Mute Switch

Speakers

Parts Sheet

CONTROLS

REAR PANEL Description and Usage

BASS PRESENCE

ON ON

RHYTHM

POWER

STANDBY

CONTOUR

REAR VIEW

SUBWAY ROCKET

HANDBUILT IN PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA.

DYNA -WATT POWER TM

8 OHM 4 OHM 4 OHM

SPEAKERS

1A SB

FUSE

RECORD / PHONES

SILENT RECORDING

MUTE SPKR ON

SEND

SUBWAY ROCKET

PREAMP PATENT

4,701,957

RETURN

FX MIX

0% %

100

FRONT VIEW

SUBWAY ROCKET

MIDDLE

TREBLE

FT.SWITCH

INPUT

PAGE 1

Operating Instructions

Overview:

The SUBWAY ROCKET ushers in a new era of compact, portable and affordable combo amplification that boasts no

compromise, quality construction throughout. Don’t let small size and the sparse layout fool you...the ROCKET is an extremely

versatile single channel, Tri-Modal amplifier that provides a georgious clean sound, a soaring high gain lead and a giant, grinding

crunch - way too big for its humble size.

The Three Footswitchable Sounds (Modes) of world class personality housed in a Baltic Birch cab, along with our custom-designed

magic ten inch SUBWAY speaker, make the ROCKET a mighty ally in the studio, rehearsal hall or anywhere else that you

might be in need of Heavyweight Tone in a Bantam-watt arena. Its powerful footswitching capabilities and all the Gain a player

could need, make the ROCKET well suited for Rock, Pop, Country, Top 40 or any other style where versatility is the name of the

game. Players who lean heavier in the Roots or Blues direction may want to take a look at the ROCKETS' older brother, the

SUBWAY BLUES. This simplified SUBWAY focuses on power section clipibility with a Tone-packed, stripped pre-amp

perfectly matched to the same twenty-watt burner.

Looking to the ROCKETS' Rear Panel assures that your interfacing needs are covered. A parallel Effects Loop with a MIX

Control provides tone insurance for even those questionable effects. Three speaker jacks ( one 8 Ohm and two 4 Ohm ) are

provided to ensure the proper impedance match to the many types of speaker enclosures. A RECORD / PHONE OUTPUT JACK

is provided to capture the ROCKETS' soulful character direct to tape or into your own personal headset. The SILENT

RECORDING MUTE SWITCH LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF CENTER ON THE CHASSIS’ UNDER SIDE and just beneath the

Rear Panel, is a handy feature for those late night sessions when live speaker volumes are just too loud or not needed.

As you can see, the ROCKET provides all the features any demanding pro culd need and at the same time remains simple to

operate.

GAIN MASTER

RHY

LEAD

PAGE 2

FRONT PANEL

First familiarize yourself with the Front and Rear Panels of your new ROCKET. 1.) Connect your favorite

guitar to the instrument INPUT jack. Now turn the power switch "ON" while leaving the standby switch set to "STANDBY." It is

always a good idea to practice this start up procedure as at least 30 seconds of warm-up time lessens the shock on cold power

tubes, thus prolonging their toneful life substantially. 2.) Connect the ROCKETS' Mode Select Footswitch ( which is included ) to

the FOOTSWITCH jack that is located just below the instrument INPUT jack on the far left of the Front Panel. If the footswitch is

not available, you may use the Mode Select toggle located to the left of the STANDBY switch to audition the ROCKETS' three

distinctly different sounds (SEE NOTE.) 3.) Using the example below as a guide, set the controls as illustrated and turn the

STANDBY switch to the ON position to fire up your new ROCKET. Now its time to play ! Run through the three Modes and feel

free to experiment with the controls.

POWER-UP:

The Mode Selector ( RHYTHM - LEAD - CONTOUR ) switch must be in the center ( MIDDLE ) position for the

Mode Select Footswitch to work. This will select the Lead Mode until you choose another Mode with the Footswitch.

NOTE

BASS PRESENCE

ON ON

RHYTHM

POWER

STANDBY

CONTOUR

MIDDLE

TREBLE

FT.SWITCH

INPUT GAIN MASTER

RHY

LEAD

RHYTHM ( up position )

LEAD ( switch in the center position )

BASS PRESENCE

ON ON

RHYTHM

POWER

STANDBY

CONTOUR

MIDDLE

TREBLE

FT.SWITCH

INPUT GAIN MASTER

RHY

LEAD

CONTOUR ( down position )

BASS PRESENCE

ON ON

RHYTHM

POWER

STANDBY

CONTOUR

MIDDLE

TREBLE

FT.SWITCH

INPUT GAIN MASTER

RHY

LEAD

It is normal for the volume of the CONTOUR Mode to be a little louder than that of the LEAD Mode, as the voicing of the

LEAD Mode is being drastically re-shaped and some frequencies are being boosted quite dramatically to achieve this sonically

powerful sound.

NOTE

Again, these are merely examples of how to set up your new ROCKET for its maiden voyage. Experimentation will lead you to

many different sounds in each mode. Now that you have heard the three distinctively different Modes, let’s move on to

understanding the controls and their interactive roles in achieving the sounds that you want to hear.

PAGE 3

CONTROLS:

GAIN:

FT.SWITCH

INPUT GAIN

This is by far the most powerful control in each of the three different Modes that are activated by the Mode switch. It

not only determines the overall gain amount, shape and sensitivity of the Mode selected...but it is also a

powerful Tone control. Generally speaking, whatever is dialed up here ultimately determines the Modes’

personality. Set low, it allows cleaner and brighter sounds with enhanced dynamic response,

especially in the higher frequencies. Set high, the whole personality of the Mode becomes darker,

fatter and more overdriven. We worked hard to make sure that the entire range of Gain available is

usable in the ROCKET and more importantly, musical. Don’t think for a moment that this simple layout

limits you in any way in regards to the amount and texture of Gain that is available. Long neurotic hours

were spent to ensure that the ranges of Gain were stylistically accurate. It’s probably a good time to

mention that most of the great sounds can be found in the ROCKET by setting the GAIN Control moderately, especially in the

LEAD MODE. For example, somewhere between through . In the RHYTHM position, try setting this control somewhere

between through . Use of moderation here will reduce the likelihood of pesky tube microphonic problems ever occurring,

while at the same time making all three Modes easier to balance in volume and FX send strength.

As with most guitar amplifiers, the TREBLE Control is the strongest of the three rotary controls. Its setting on the

ROCKET determines the blend and strength of the MIDDLE and BASS Control. Set

high, it is the dominant control, minimizing the amount of MID and BASS that

would otherwise be possible in the mix. Set low, the TREBLE becomes the

recessive control and a warmer, darker blend is produced.

Dial with care! Subtle tweaking of this control tends to produce the best results.

TREBLE:

FT.SWITCH

INPUT

RHY

GAIN MASTER

LEAD TREBLE

RHY

MASTER:

FT.SWITCH

INPUT GAIN

The individual MASTER Controls serve three purposes in the layout of the ROCKET. FIRST: They serve as

level balancing controls for each of the two channels. This enables a wide range of front end

Gain settings to be matched to a given listening level and the level of the other Modes.

SECOND: They act as Effect Send controls for each Mode in the Effects Loop. As with many of

the controls on the ROCKET, the best results for balance and tone are usually found in the

medium range of this control.

THIRD: The MASTER Control is the Record / Phones Send Level control. When using the direct

RECORD / PHONES jack found on the Rear Panel to interface directly to a mixing board or recorder, this control will determine the

amount of signal you will be sending via this jack. In this application it is usually best to start with the MASTER Controls set to

and gradually increase them to the proper level. This minimizes the possibility of blowing speakers or eardrums in the event

the engineer has an extremely sensitive input headroom setting in place at the console.

MASTER

LEAD

PAGE 4

MIDDLE: Through endless daily tone dreaming, the "if-only" design dictum led to the MID Control that doubles as a dial-in

gain boost. From to about the taper is adjusted to act as a very

effective MID Control. As you increase the MID to and above, you will

hear the lower Mids getting more pronounced and fatter. When the MID

Control is set above the MID leaves behind the old notion of being

a tone control and becomes a truly usuable Gain control.

This upper range is a smokin’ addition to the ROCKETS' RHYTHM

Mode and in conjunction with the GAIN Control all kinds of higher gain

rhythm sounds are possible. Try the MID Control set high and the GAIN Control at about for a cool blues solo sound. For

a grinding crunch rhythm sound "Dime" the MID Control and stand back ! If this still isn’t crazy enough for you..."Max" the GAIN

and TREBLE Controls and set the PRESENCE Control to . This should be sufficient enough fuel to get you to the next

planet! The versatility that this dual purpose MID Control lends to the RHYTHM Mode of the ROCKET greatly expands its

usefulness as both a clean and overdrive Mode.

FT.SWITCH

INPUT

RHY

GAIN MASTER

LEAD TREBLE MIDDLE

The lower region of the MID Control determines midrange punch and boldness in lower gain sounds and a

smooth "vocal like" blend in high gain sounds. It can be very effective acting as a "cut through the band control" in certain

situations. Dial to taste, remembering that the setting of the TREBLE Control greatly effects this control’s strength.

NOTE

BASS: This control blends in the lower frequencies and its effectiveness, again, depends on the setting of the TREBLE

Control. It should be set with moderation, as extreme

settings in either low or high directions can produce an

unbalanced tone. In any one of the three Modes, be

especially careful using higher Gain settings. Too much

BASS will cause a flabby unfocused sound that can’t be

dialed out because excessive BASS has been introduced to

the pre-amp in the early stages. Try setting the BASS to

for clean sounds in the RHYTHM Mode and or below

when dialing up High Gain overdriven sounds in this Mode. In the LEAD Mode, try setting the BASS somewhere between

These settings will depend upon the amount of Gain and Treble that you have dialed up.

FT.SWITCH

INPUT

RHY

GAIN MASTER

LEAD TREBLE MIDDLE BASS

BASS

PRESENCE: The PRESENCE Control attenuates the high end and controls dynamic compression in the power section.

High settings produce more sparkle, cut and

lend a more "open" quality to the RHYTHM

Mode. Low settings of the PRESENCE Control

compress the sound and enhance the more

vocal like qualities of single notes.

This control can also produce a fatter, warmer

character, especially in the LEAD Mode. Lower

Treble settings, combined with low PRESENCE Control settings produce the richest and roundest lead sounds. For a clean sound,

try setting the PRESENCE Control at around for the sweet blend of sparkle and cut in the RHYTHM Mode. This range in

the RHYTHM Mode also tends to give the impression of more headroom. Try a LEAD Mode PRESENCE Control setting of to

start with and adjust to desired taste.

FT.SWITCH

INPUT

RHY

GAIN MASTER

LEAD TREBLE MIDDLE PRESENCE

Avoid setting the PRESENCE Control to when High Gain and Treble settings are in use. This reduces the likelihood

of annoying microphonic tube problems occurring.

NOTE

PAGE 5

TOGGLE SWITCHES:

ON ON

POWER

STANDBY

RHYTHM

CONTOUR

RHYTHM / LEAD / CONTOUR: Use this toggle to select one of the three Modes - RHYTHM, LEAD or CONTOUR. This

toggle can also take the place of the remote footswitch when there isn’t one handy.

Perfect for set breaks...this toggle switch also serves an even more important purpose. In the STANDBY

position the tubes are at idle so that during power up they may warm up before being put

to use. Before the Power is switched on, make sure the STANDBY switch is in the

STANDBY position. Wait at least 30 seconds and then switch the STANDBY to the

"ON" position. This helps in preventing tube problems and increases their toneful life

substantially.

ON ON

POWER

STANDBY

RHYTHM

CONTOUR

ON / STANDBY:

This is the A.C.’s ( Alternating Current ) main fuse and provides protection from outside A.C. fluctuations, as well as

power tube failure damage. Should the fuse blow, replace it with the same rating in a slo-blo type package. The

domestic U.S. version requires a 1 amp slo-blo fuse. A power tube short or failure is often the cause of a blown

fuse...Follow the cold start procedure mentioned in the ON / STANDBY switch section and watch the power

tubes as you turn the STANDBY to the ON position. If a power tube is going bad or is arcing you will see it! Turn the

STANDBY Switch to STANDBY immediately and replace the faulty power tube and the fuse if necessary. If you see nothing

abnormal as you lift the STANDBY, it is possible that a power tube shorted temporarily and blew the fuse. If this is the case it may

work again normally. To be extra safe you may want to replace all power tubes in the "shotgun" troubleshooting tradition and save

the replaced set as spares. Don’t forget to carry along a few extra fuses to your gigs, they could be worth their weight in

FUSE:

1/2 A

FUSE

1A SB

RETURN

SEND FX MIX

0% %

100

HANDBUILT IN PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA.

DYNA -WATT POWER TM

8 OHM 4 OHM 4 OHM

SPEAKERS

1A SB

FUSE

SILENT RECORDING

MUTE SPKR ON

RECORD / PHONES

REAR PANEL:

SUBWAY ROCKET

PRE-AMP PATENT

4,701.957

POWER: This switch delivers the A.C. power to the SUBWAY ROCKET. Make sure the unit is grounded (all three

terminals of the A.C. power cord must be connected whenever possible to avoid injury to

the user as well as to the unit) and that the proper voltage is present. Follow the cold start

procedure described in the ON / STANDBY section above when powering up your

ROCKET.

ON ON

POWER

STANDBY

RHYTHM

CONTOUR

Dieses Handbuch passt für folgende Modelle

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Andere Mesa/Boogie Verstärker für Musikinstrumente Handbücher