Fillmore 25 1x12 Combo
- Thread starter SacDAve
- Start date
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I just retired from a Mesa Boogie dealer….so I sold them for a few years…they are very good and very reliable amplifiers…one of the guitar guys at the store had the Fillmore 50 and swore by it…he was a part-time pro player in Branson and he had his preferences, of course.
Me? I liked the Fillmore 25… it’s really only 18 watts but that’s plenty of volume for my needs and it was lighter…I’m an old guy and trying to carry a 45-50 lb. amp is just not in the cards for me these days.
The clean channel is very Fender-ish…the drive channel is not too over the top and I could do a gig with just the amp and a delay and chorus…but with that said, I do like my Lovepedal dirt boxes (and the rest of my pedalboard) and would probably choose to go with them out of habit.
Good amps…and we never had problems with them.
I have no experience with the Filmore but the Mini Rectifier, Rectoverb and Express 5:25 are great amps - big enough to gig but small enough for home use if you have understanding housemates. I also had the Mark V:25 head which was a bit of jack of all trades but frustrating using live as getting the alternative channels was fiddly. Great for home/recording use with good Fender clean, Tweed and Mesa models.
Euripidespants
TDPRI Member
I love mine! Gigged one at least weekly for a couple of years playing country music.
A pal of mine plays one; it's an extremely well-made amp. If you like the tried-and-true Deluxe Reverb but want the more modern Boogie sound (loud lush cleans to saturation) and have no need for 30 knobs on an amp, the Fillmore certainly ticks all the boxes.
newminglewoodblue
Tele-Holic
I'm a big fan of Mesa Boogie amps, I have (and love) my Rectoverb-25. My first Mesa was a 50W Dual Rectifier Head on top of a 4X12 half stack, overkill for the bedroom and not practical for the rare gig. I found a used Studio Plus22, which I liked but it was LOUD!!! Sold it and found the Rectoverb-25 & haven't looked back.
Before I convince the OP to look at Rectoverbs can you talk about the different features of the Fillmore, Recto-25, or similar 1X12 combos like the studio plus? My Recto-25 switches between 10W & 25W, I'm usually on the 10W.
Also, I discovered a HUGE overall tonal improvement on all 3 Mesa amps by putting an EQ in the effects loop. For my use and enjoyment at semi sane bedroom levels (sometimes I shake the walls a bit) the EQ is a MUST! I recently replaced my MXR 10 band with a rackmount ART 351, a 31 band EQ. This sounds GREAT but the MXR had more gain, so I'm pushing the amp a little harder but liking it.
I believe the EQ in the signal chain has been discussed on the Boogie Board, but can you offer some guidance? Do you have an EQ preference? My pedal board is out front, only the EQ in the loop, should I just be happy I love it or are there other considerations using a rackmount effect in the loop?
To the OP, good luck in your search, I hope you'll be as happy as I am with your Boogie. I also suggest you read the story about how Carlos Santana named the amp (very cool story).
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Nice amp, ime, @SacDAve. I would love to see a schematic, but the tone control actions make me believe it is based on the 5F6A Bassman tone stack in that one can run the tone controls anywhere one wants even at full preamp gain and the signal stays ‘together’. The two channels are identical with simple options available to yield two very different channels….versatile amp regarding gain.
I owned a Fillmore 25 and played a couple of others and found the clean mode to sound a little dull on all of them. All of my other 6V6 amps (Princeton Reverb, tweed Deluxe clone, Down Brownie, Fuchs Blackjack, and Dr. Z Cure- yes, I'm a 6V6 fanatic) sounded better.
I found the Fillmore 50 to sound a lot better than the 25.
I found the Fillmore 50 to sound a lot better than the 25.
I found that a different speaker made the amp better for me.
If the clean mode is dull, turn the preamp gain up…..after changing speakers. The stock speaker is a dull thing, imho…as are many Celestions. Ommv.
If the clean mode is dull, turn the preamp gain up…..after changing speakers. The stock speaker is a dull thing, imho…as are many Celestions. Ommv.
Wally what speaker did you swap in your Fillmore?
If I owned one, I would probably want try an Alessandro GA-SC64.
Thanks for Recto-verb 25 mention I am now watching youtube videos on Recto-verb 25 you got me thinking the 10 watt thing might be what I'm after............will see
Tim S
Friend of Leo's
If you’re thinking about getting a new RectoVerb 25, you better act fast. Mesa has discontinued that amp, so if you want the 5 year warranty that comes with buying new, your only hope is a dealer that still has one in stock. (Some are selling at a reduced price)
How do I know this? I ordered one earlier this week and it arrived today. (My 4th Mesa)
The original speaker was a mismatch. The C90 is good in 6L6 amps, but not a 6V6 amp.
I tried several speakers in mine, including an GA-SC64 with no luck. It was a bummer because Mesa had seemingly finally made the amp that I had always dreamed of. Unfortunately, I think it just couldn't match the Dr. Z Cure.
I put some cream knobs on it. They made it easier to see the settings and I think they looked good on the brown amp.
The Fillmore 50 would work for me tonally, but I can no longer carry a 45 pound amp (that 50+ pound JCM800 4010 doesn't leave the house).
The Recto - Verb 25 should be here next Friday zZounds had 2 new ones. The 10 watt switch and the EL84's was the deciding factor. Thanks for all the replies.
Lowspeid
Tele-Afflicted
^^^ - This
I had a Filmore 25. Got rid of it after a couple months. It was too compressed that couldn’t be dialed out.
The 50 is another matter all together. The cabinet is slightly larger which helps make it sounds and feel “bigger” without adding too much more weight. And having 6L6 power tubes allows for more headroom. The 50 sounds “fuller” than the 25. And with the power scaling it’s very controllable.
I got a Mesa Boogie Fillmore 25 about 5 years ago and am very happy with it. Its got 2 footswitchable channels with a separate master volume for each. Can get Tweed and Blackface sounds. 12” speaker, 35 lbs., spring reverb and FX loop for time based effects like delay and chorus. Great sounds, durability, convenient and easy to use controls so you can dial in your sound quickly.
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newminglewoodblue
Tele-Holic
That back is nearly identical to the back of my Rectoverb. For the heck of it, if you're so inclined, see what happens if you place an EQ pedal in the effects loop. You might like it!
It showed up today going to be a bit of a learning curve lot of knobs. After about 30 minutes I was getting some decent sounds. I still have to try it with my pedal board. I did try some of the suggested knob settings not too bad they need a little tweaking for my taste. This is deferent than other amps I own but I think it will turn a keeper. Now I just need to find time to get it dialed in. Best part at 72 and 5’2” I can carry it up a flight of stairs. 
newminglewoodblue
Tele-Holic
It showed up today going to be a bit of a learning curve lot of knobs. After about 30 minutes I was getting some decent sounds. I still have to try it with my pedal board. I did try some of the suggested knob settings not too bad they need a little tweaking for my taste. This is deferent than other amps I own but I think it will turn a keeper. Now I just need to find time to get it dialed in. Best part at 72 and 5’2” I can carry it up a flight of stairs.
Awesome! I highly recommend placing an EQ in the effects loop, more knobs to fiddle with but well worth it imho.
