Update on the DC-5 head I picked up a couple weeks ago.
I cleaned it up. Pulled the chassis and cleaned everything. Blew the dust bunnies and dirt out of it with a can of air. Sprayed all the pots, soaked the dirt off the knobs, cleaned the faceplate, wiped out the inside of the cabinet, etc.
A couple of preamp tubes were a little goofy so I replaced them. The reverb was pretty weak, and it’s not super strong in these amps to begin with, but a new tube in the reverb driver spot was a tangible improvement for sure.
The amp dates to 1999. The last year for this model. The amp was 100% factory original, including all tubes. I have plans to cap it soon, just for safety’s sake, but it sounds absolutely unreal, functions perfectly, and is dead quiet at idle, so I’m gonna take it out and use it if I’m in a room that will let me.
Saturday night I played a large bar with house PA and sound guy. It’s a place that is solely focused on live music, and has a reputation for that music being fairly loud. I brought the DC-5, and two Egnater 1x12 cabs. One would have done it, but they’re 16 ohm cabs and the Mesa only has 8 and 4 ohm outs.
This rig sounds insane. It’s too much for most of the rooms I play, and I will continue to use my little Engl head for most gigs. But summertime is coming, and this thing is going to be a lot of fun outdoors.
Surprise of the week- this dirt channel is just ridiculous. Running the gain low, and using the graphic EQ as a boost, it’s just amazing overdrive. Coupled with my Emerson EM Drive on my pedalboard, it was just all I needed. I didn’t use my TS9 or clean boost pedals the entire night.
The scene of the crime:
I cleaned it up. Pulled the chassis and cleaned everything. Blew the dust bunnies and dirt out of it with a can of air. Sprayed all the pots, soaked the dirt off the knobs, cleaned the faceplate, wiped out the inside of the cabinet, etc.
A couple of preamp tubes were a little goofy so I replaced them. The reverb was pretty weak, and it’s not super strong in these amps to begin with, but a new tube in the reverb driver spot was a tangible improvement for sure.
The amp dates to 1999. The last year for this model. The amp was 100% factory original, including all tubes. I have plans to cap it soon, just for safety’s sake, but it sounds absolutely unreal, functions perfectly, and is dead quiet at idle, so I’m gonna take it out and use it if I’m in a room that will let me.
Saturday night I played a large bar with house PA and sound guy. It’s a place that is solely focused on live music, and has a reputation for that music being fairly loud. I brought the DC-5, and two Egnater 1x12 cabs. One would have done it, but they’re 16 ohm cabs and the Mesa only has 8 and 4 ohm outs.
This rig sounds insane. It’s too much for most of the rooms I play, and I will continue to use my little Engl head for most gigs. But summertime is coming, and this thing is going to be a lot of fun outdoors.
Surprise of the week- this dirt channel is just ridiculous. Running the gain low, and using the graphic EQ as a boost, it’s just amazing overdrive. Coupled with my Emerson EM Drive on my pedalboard, it was just all I needed. I didn’t use my TS9 or clean boost pedals the entire night.
The scene of the crime:
