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About This Listing
Going Back to Cali Everybody has that proverbial "one guitar" that made them fall in love with rock and roll, but for Mesa/Boogie founder Randall Smith that "one guitar" was actually an amp. Specifically, it was the tweedy fifties models made in California that formed the sonic backbone of countless classic records. The expressiveness and dynamism of these amps are what inspired him to start building amps in the first place, so our friends at Mesa have decided to get back to Randall's roots. Wildwoodians, we cordially invite you to go back to Cali with us as we dive deeper into the California Tweed 6V6 4:40 1x12 Combo.
Tweed Tone to the Bone Simply put, the California Tweed sounds absolutely glorious, but only if you're into stuff like dynamic touch-sensitivity, natural harmonic overdrive at higher follows, gorgeous warm sweet cleans, Keef-approved dirty sounds, and an intoxicating blend of high headroom and vintage character. You can find all sorts of subtle hues and shades of clean, lightly overdriven, and and gritty sounds--everything from bluesy warmth to vocal twang to Hendrixian sweetness to funky chank. Honestly, pretty much anything roots-related sounds great through an amp like this on clean settings!
But, that's not to insinuate that the California Tweed is a slouch when it comes to dirty sounds, because it rules for them too! Once you creep up on that volume dial, all kinds of wonderful overtones start to pop out of the speaker as the tone gets hairier and hairier. At higher gain levels, you'll want to put on a leather jacket and play power chords 'till your fingers fall off.
And, if you can find the sweet spot, you can control the breakup with your right-hand technique. Dig in, and it will sound nasty. Ease off, and it will sound clean and open. This level of touch-sensitivity makes for a wonderfully dynamic playing experience! Of course, the California tweed is also a fabulous pedal platform because of its headroom. Add in a remarkably powerful EQ, and this Mesa can cover a lot of tonal ground!
Multi-Watt Madness The Califorina Tweed also offers players a unique ability to control the amp's wattage with a simple rotary dial on the front of the amp. You can run this amp at 40, 30, 20, 10, or 2 watts depending on your situation. You can gig with it at 40 watts, practice in the basement at 10, and record in the situdio at 2 to get a bistering small-amp sound. Interstingly, each wattage setting changes the configuration of the circuit, too. Here's a breakdown:
40 Watts - 4x6V6 Class A/B Pentode
30 Watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B Triode + 2x6V6 Class A/B Pentode
20 Watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B Pentode
10 Watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B Triode
2 Watts - 1x6V6 Triode + 1x6V6 Pentode, Single-Ended Class A Parallel.
Because the circuit changes slightly, you get five settings with different-yet-equally-inspiring tones. In effect, you get all the flavors of classic tweed tone with a modern spin!
California Love As you can see, we love the California Tweed 6V6 4:40 1x12 Combo, and we have no doubt that its take on the tweedy tone that inspired Randall Smith to start soldering will compel you to embark on all sorts of exciting fretboard adventures.
Wattage: Multi-Watt 2, 10, 20, 30, or 40
Channels & Modes: 1 Channel
Mode Voicings styles: Single Channel with two Inputs: Normal Input = Clean to Overdrive Low Input = Clean
Tube-Driven Reverb
Footswitchable Functions: Reverb (Footswitch & Cable sold seperately)
Speakers Impedance: 1 - 8 Ohm Jensen Blackbird ALNICO 40 / Total Load = 8 Ohms
Weight: 46.4 Lbs.
Dimensions: 19 1/4" H x 22 3/4" W x 10 3/8" D
Rectifier Type: Silicon Diodes
Preamp Tubes: 5x Mesa 12AX7 & 1x Mesa 12AT7
Power Amp Tubes: 4x Mesa 6V6
Slip Cover: Included - Fitted Slip Cover
Cabinet Material: Marine Grade, Baltic Birch
