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MESA/BOOGIE
.50 CALIBER PLUS
OWNER OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
CONGRATULATIONS! You've just become the proud owner of the boldest sounding, easiest
operating 50-watt amplifier there is... and you're sure to enjoy it!
GREAT SOUND. Many months of patient, painstaking R&D were spent in developing the .50 Plus's
special, high-gain "personality". We tuned (and retuned) its preamp section to make it capable of
monstrous, fat lead tones while still offering plenty of crystal-clear headroom for rhythm. Its power
section has been fitted with 6L6 tubes in a specially modified (and patented) circuit that offers fluid
dynamic response with plenty of "give". And a custom-designed vintage Celestion speaker - made
exclusively for MESA/Boogie - provides a perfect blend of full-bodied clarity and warm "crunch".
GREAT SIMPLICITY. One of the .50 Caliber's greatest virtues is its incredible simplicity of operation.
It's nearly impossible to come up with a bad sound or a wrong setting. And here to help you get
started is a brief explanation of your new amp's features and controls.
FRONT PANEL FEATURES
INPUT JACK This ¼" guitar jack is the instrument input to your amplifier. Patented "Dual Mode"
circuitry makes this single jack work for both Rhythm and Lead... providing very high headroom for
sparkling clean Rhythm, and super high gain for monstrous Lead playing. Be sure to use a
good-quality, shielded guitar cord.
FOOTSWITCH JACK This ¼" jack connects to the Lead/Rhythm footswitch via the unshielded cable
provided. When the red LED on the footswitch box is illuminated, the .50 Caliber is in the Rhythm
mode... red equals Rhythm. Stepping on the button switches the amp into the Lead model and the
LED goes out.
Should you lose or forget your footswitch you can activate the Lead mode by pulling out the "Pull
Lead" switch on the Volume knob.
VOLUME (GAIN) This control is active in both Rhythm and Lead modes. It establishes the amplifier's
overall sensitivity to your guitar's output, and must be mixed in conjunction with the Master(s). In the
Rhythm mode, the maximum clean setting is usually around 6 (varies with stronger or weaker
pickups) and most players find their favorite cleanest, brightest spot between 3 and 5. But if you want
some breakup in the Rhythm mode, turn the Volume up high.
MESA/BOOGIE
The Spirit of Art in Technology
- 1 -
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Table of Contents
Related Manuals for Mesa/Boogie II
Summary of Contents for Mesa/Boogie II
- Page 1 “give”. And a custom-designed vintage Celestion speaker - made exclusively for MESA/Boogie - provides a perfect blend of full-bodied clarity and warm “crunch”. GREAT SIMPLICITY. One of the .50 Caliber's greatest virtues is its incredible simplicity of operation.
- Page 2 In the Lead mode, the Volume knob is intentionally less sensitive so that there is no need to reset it when switching between the two modes. With most guitars, distortion begins around 2 with a real nice sounding blues-type tone reminiscent of old Fenders turned up loud. Settings above 3 or 4 produce the more modern and monstrous distortion sounds.
- Page 3 For silky, warm and round jazz tones, run the .50 Caliber in the Rhythm mode with the Treble set low and the Bass and Middle turned up higher. Add sparkle with the Presence control. BASS, MIDDLE You've already read our recommendations for these settings in the TREBLE section above, and because the tone controls are interactive, all three must be set together.
- Page 4 REAR PANEL FEATURES FUSE Should your .50 Plus blow its fuse, be sure to replace it with a 2.5 Amp Slo-Blo type. Should the fuse repeat its blowing, check for a bad power tube. Often it will light up red hot all over the large metal plate inside.
- Page 5 SPEAKER JACKS One 8-ohm and two 4-ohm speaker jacks are provided on the 50 Plus. Use the 8-ohm jack for maximum power and clarity with the enclosed 12" speaker (if combo version) or when using a single MESA one-twelve or four-twelve cabinet. Use the 4-ohm jack(s) when using two 8-ohm speakers or two 8-ohm cabinets, or when using a single MESA two-twelve cabinet (as these are 4-ohm cabs).
- Page 6 Your amplifier is equipped with a metal shield that clamps in under the preamp tubes, to protect them from vibration, flying footswitches, and other hazards. To gain access to the preamp tubes, merely release the barbed nylon catches and the aluminum plate will fold down on concealed hinges. Changing preamp tubes is easier if you first remove one or both of the larger power tubes.
- Page 7 If this occurs, simply reduce the setting of either control slightly; the squealing should then disappear. * Both of these sounds are obtained in Lead mode. MESA/BOOGIE 50 CALIBER PLUS SAMPLE SETTINGS VOLUME MASTER TREBLE 6.75...
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