You know its real when the guitar face comes organically after a maniacal laugh. That intro loop is one of the best pieces ever played on this show, including guests and their pieces.
This intro made me want to cry, in a positive way. Tone after tone I thought "wow, that sounds incredible. That's the sound I want!". Switched to the next tone and I thought "wow, that sounds incredible. That's the sound I want!". And Again. And Again. And Again. Thanks Mick. My wallet hates you.
Mick Taylor, that Intro was just Spectacular, Hypnotic, Juicy, Classy, yadayada,etc. Gonna have to become a Proud Mesa/Boogie Owner now. Fillmore or Californian can't lose.
Keep an eye out for a tweed bassman reissue or clone thereof (I found a Victoria, very high quality clone used for < $900) - that's what you're hearing - tweed clean! You'll also want a reverb pedal :).
I went into my local shop and played one of these a couple weeks ago not having any knowledge of it at all. Went in really to test the tone king imperial bc I was "sold" on it and just wanted to confirm before shelling out that amount of cash. I played the cali tweed for reference clean sound and it absolutely put me on my butt. I don't know how the Mesa guys did it, but it somehow sounds like a wall of 4x12 cabs when you plug in. Everything, and I mean everything else I played that day and still now sounds like a boxy toy in comparison. Just bought one used with the 100W blackbird speaker and cannot wait until it arrives. Just thought I'd share!
It's funny, but I did almost exactly the same thing, and also went home with a CA Tweed. I went to a shop to try out a Tone King Imperial MKII, feeling fairly sure that I was going to buy it (they even had it in black, my preferred color). A friend and I did side by side comparisons with the Tone King, Mesa CA Tweed, and a Deluxe Reverb, using a strat. My friend and I both preferred the CA Tweed, which I was not expecting. The other amps are both great too, but the CA Tweed had the tone that I was after. It didn't hurt that it cost less, but I couldn't be happier with the Mesa. Enjoy it!
@@dwales510 Damn! That's high praise. I have an Imperial MKII and can't conceive of a better sounding 6V6 Fender-style amp. I need to try out one of these California Tweeds
Hah, I did the exact same thing. Went into a shop looking to try out something specific, then I found and plugged into a Cali Tweed 4:40 and 2x12 cab because why not? I was floored with how huge but also transparent the cleans were. It gave the guitar I was playing an almost acoustic quality. Turning up the gain showed how many colors the amp is capable of producing and I was floored by how deceptively simple the amp was while having such a huge range of sounds available. I ended up buying one, and it continues to surprise me.
Wow, that says a lot. I’ve been in a very similar position lately. Been strongly considering getting an Imperial mkii. But the Cali Tweed and Fillmore have been in consideration as well. These comments are pushing me towards the Mesa’s…
Mick, that diminished line at 27.20 was worth watching the video for alone, sterling stuff. You have more sophistication in your playing than you give yourself credit for and your timing ins impeccable!
This is by far the best demo I have seen/heard of this amp. Sounds incredible and like the perfect blend of blackface and tweed and its own mojo. Really dig it. Want one myself! Great vid, Mick!
Blue has never sounded better in your playing at the beginning of the video, the MESA tweed sounded great with all the guitars, awesome combo, versatile and looks amazing :)
Hi Mick, just wanted to say thank you for this review, i watched this video numerous times over the past year and in the end it really helped make my decision to purchase the Cali Tweed. Picked it up two weeks ago and I couldn’t be happier! It’s a big call but I honestly can’t get a bad sound out of it which is just so satisfying. Love your playing and TPS! stay safe 👍
I think people keep asking for videos like this because 1: we're very familiar with both of your baseline tones, and 2: the sound quality of the show makes direct comparisons useful. I doubt anyone wants it to be the biggest part of the channel, but it's nice to see/hear. Well done!
If you cut this episode as an EP, I'd buy it just fast as I could! Fairly long time listener, 67 years old. I talk about your work all the time! Thanks!!!
Dang, Mick, I really have to thank you for showing me a whole new world of amp choices. My first amp was the ultimate LOUD clean amp, a JC-160 combo, with a Ric, a Tele, and a DS-1 for light dirt. This was '79 or '80 and though I live in Sonoma County, the home of Mesa (& Mission Eng), I associated the Mesa/Cali sound with music I didn't want to play. The Jazz Chorus was eventually replaced by an AC30 paired with a Bassman, following in the footsteps of Tom Petty. You just showed me Mesa makes amps I really enjoy hearing. The Tweed is nice, but you have me itching to shop local and try out some Lonestars. I never stop learning things watching TPS, thank you.
Playing the Ca Tweed loud and clean for the first time was a revelation. So much brighter and more dynamic than my Boogie amps of yore, and my favorite Boogie overall honestly. I love the simplicity.
The amps sounded great, and those new pickups really made a difference in the strat. That Landau inspired jam at the end was incredible. Your best playin ever - too brief!
I have the head and 1x12 cabinet. I bought it primarily thinking of it as a small scale jam/rehearsing amp. Man, was I surprised! This is one of the most versatile, great sounding, and plain old fun amps I’ve had (and I’ve had many). Easily a gigging level amp, too. It’s like what would happen if Leo Fender built a Road King amp in the 50s. Lots of options while feeling solidly Fendery, and Boogie, at the same time. What a musical accomplishment for Randall after all these years. And the Jensen Blackbird speaker is a winner. Love it!
Just one more "amen" regarding how crazy the eq's are. I used my first pre for gigs and recording projects for years: tuning it by ear and sometimes making it do things so I could go between the clean and gain channels in a way that worked live. My secret recipe in those days was to use the graphic as my "boost" (which was a slight low cut mid and mid high boost). Years later, after the Internet, I had a copy of the manual pdf when I owned another one a few years ago. It is such an active, driving eq stage (not even considering the graphic, mind you). You can create the coolest breakup by driving the highs slightly. And, even the pre version had a tube driven reverb.
It’s amazing how interactive the controls are with each other. When I dial the Mark V25 in, I turn all the controls to off except the master. I turn the gain up first and by itself it doesn’t have a lot of gain. But when I bring in the treble, it’s amazing how the gain just winds up a lot.
Mick rocking the face fuzz! Somehow it makes you look immediately more serious whilst playing. Also holy balls that is one of the best sounds I've heard you get, especially when you kicked the fuzz in, my lord. Glad you and Blue are over your brief tiff/break from each other cause you are a serious force on that guitar, my man! Hope you and your family are well and safe!
Currently sitting at home on paternity leave with my newborn son. Getting some bonding time in the morning hours when he'll only sleep in my arms. Watching some That Pedal Show to pass the time. Making memories. The California Tweed is an awesome amp. I got to play it at the Guitar Sanctuary in Mckinney, Texas.
My favorite piece of gear is my trusted Mesa Studio Pre. It’s a Mark2C front end with more options. Has that killer creamy drive channel like in this Cali Tweed. Seems to the only amp model they made with that incredible saturated sound...until now. That’s the tone that made Santana fall in love with them. Good to hear Mesa has come back to its roots, and clearly they’ve learned a few things over the years. Nice jamming, Michael. Sounds wonderful (in Dan’s voice)
You, Blue & a Tube Screamer i just pure magic 🔥🔥🔥 You are a true Bluesman, don’t ever change. You have inspired me a lot the on my own journey for tone 🤘🏻🎸🔥🔥🔥
It's hard to best a Mesa. The clean tone from about 1:40, when you switched off the Warthog and TS, was just divine. Blue sounds amazing with that amp. I need to hit the lottery, so I can upgrade my current 2002 Mesa F-50 to the new Fillmore 50. For me, there are very few amps out there that I would consider instead of the Fillmore 50. Every one of those guitars sounded great through the Cali, but of course my preference is for the 40 W setting. I feel like this amp does a good job of representing tweed, brownface, and blackface Deluxe type sounds in a single package. Nice to see Julia in the mix, too!
The smile on your face in the intro pretty much says it all man!!! That amp sounds amazing :) One of these days I’ll actually get a tube amp, I’ve dreamed of a boogie since I was a teenager and a head banging metal head and wanted a duel rectifier... but holy man that Cali Tweed is speaking to me now that I’ve mellowed out and started to appreciate a great guitar tone!!! Great show Mick
Awesome "demo" Mick! I really appreciate it! My local guitar shop owner tells me he loves the Mesa Cali and with this demo I can see why. Just might make it my next amp. Love the wattage selector... makes townhouse living a little easier for my neighbors. LOL!
I am the player who says they hate fuzz. Not only do I not like playing it, I like very few fuzz sounds on records. But that tone at 2:25 was glorious.
Mick, this was a phenomenal run through of this amp. I just got my Cali tweed today after hearing you play yours. Just an amazing amp. Your play is just over the top. Now, I’ll get my 6 pack of beer, some Thai take out and spend the next several hours exploring this amp. Thanks for everything TPS has taught me!!
That Pedal Show this amp is amazing. You and Dan wouldn’t want my Soldano SLO, would you? Just kidding. Seriously though Mesa really nailed the tweed sound. Again, thanks for your hard work over the years. Cheers!
Damn. I’m going to talk to my people at Boogie. This is the best demo of this amp out there. I was thinking of getting a Morgan but I can’t be playing shows in Petaluma on a non boogie.
Hey Mick thanks so much. I respect that amp reviews are not the bread and butter of the show, I have to thank you for this episode. It is extremely well done and there is no vendor sucking up just tones, your personal perspectives and leaving a choice up to the viewer, the same as you guys do for pedals. I had been curious about the Cali tweed in this time of lockdown and what you shared allowed me to determine that for my ears and use cases there is no need to spend more time on this amp. Which is ideal for me. So my savings for a Two Rock are not at risk at all. Thanks mate. Awesome
And my goodness, Your hands play in such an emotive way that just sounds like Mick to me. Really really lovely at 23:30. You can tell you`v experienced such pain and joy and everything in between in life. There is sooo much to gain from our struggles in life when you`ve got an outlet in general, but I think we can all emphasize in music here. Great tones mate!
Thank you Rory, super kind of you to say! Yeah I was feeling kinda loose today with the playing and didn’t think about it too much. My first thought that it was too random and sloppy and then my sensible brain kicked in and reminded me that it is what it is and I was connected for a few moments there. Happy days geezer - hope you and yours are doing okay!
The Cali Tweed has more "character" and natural compression than the Lone Star and breaks up easily like a Fender tweed, which I suss is what it's all about. They're both great amps, but I'll take the Cali Tweed. Very nice playing throughout, Mick. Less notes and more feeling is the way to go.
I really like the way you discuss gear in your channel. It's not a detailed critique or a sales pitch, both of which we can see elsewhere. We know anything you show will be capable of good sounds, and what is great is that you open doors for us to say "here are some sounds we like, here are some ways to get them, and how things work together to do that". For this particular gear, I've been pondering an upgrade to my modest priced tube/valve amps (US$500-$1000) to get "something really nice", and this particular amp is something for me to consider. I kind of like what I have but I sort of don't know what I'm missing, and your show gives me a little taste of various possibilities. Plus, I learn how to use what I have better, which may be all I need. That, and more practice, of course!
Very nice! I admit at the start with the pure clean sound I much preferred the Lonestar but once the gain started coming in the Cali Tweed really shined. Really loved the sound with P90s.
It remains articulate while giving you that 5e3 hair. Nice stuff. Just missed out on a phenomenal deal on a used... I'm sad. And Micks intro hits the spot
Got in to work its snowing (in may) my shoes became a squishy puddle. But I put mick on the radio speakers and just breath for 5 min and after that I just continued to enjoy my work with perfect mood thanks you Mick! Much love!
As a big phish/trey anastasio fan, Mesa Amps have always intrigued me (he famously used the mark 3 for a long time) but I've never played one. The Cali tweed looks like the one for me, Mesa quality with tweed tendencies, I love me some tweed tone! (Larry Carltons tweed tone overshadows his dumble tone to me, don't take me alive!)
Just picked up a Cali Tweed 40 head and matching 2x12 cab (last owner upgraded the speakers to Alessandros) in a trade, and I have to say, it’s fab. It’s not quite up there in spatial terms with my usual wet/dry rig, but it sounds pretty wide. I’m enjoying goosing the gain a bit and then running my usual drives into that tone. Seems happy with delay into the front and stacked drives, and it definitely has its own sound (i haven’t played a Boogie in years). Hence me coming back to look at this vlog of yours. Lovely playing, Mick, as I probably said three years ago!
Wow! Watched/listened to this with mixed emotions. Studied the California Tweed very closely before opting for Magnatone (long story) a few months ago. Still learning that one, which is truly awesome but isn't exactly suited to its temporary move to the living room... On the brightest side, I'm saving this episode in my "Loops" folder. I'm now constantly noodling for loops and there's so much to pilfer here! Intro with Blue is stunning. So happy for you! Your loop with P90 with Gretsch on top is so good too. Well done pronouncing "Mesa", just up the road from me in Petaluma (remarkably, easier to pronounce!). I've heard your "Boogie" before and it's spot on too. Thanks, brother. -- Geez, er...
in my recording studio/office i run a 1990 mark IV 1x12 combo. Upstairs i've got a Stiletto Trident with a 4x12 recto cabinet. At the rehearsal space, i've got a Mark V head with an Olde Crowe 4x12 cabinet. I'm a big fan of Mesa Boogie gear, its all really good. But i just purchased a 1999 peavey 5150 head. Pretty stoked to hear a bi-amp set up with the 5150 for lead tones.
Mick, my first (real) valve amp was also a Mesa, an F50 at 17 years old. Sadly I had to sell it due to some hard financial times years ago but I always loved it. Albeit the 50watts in my little bedroom was so overkill. The volume never cracked 2... It was a great amp and under 1000... I just (literally yesterday) got a new Friedman JJ Jr but I will always have a spot in my heart for Mesa, and hopefully again something like this in my rig too! :)
Great sounding amp and pedals. I have a Lonestar Special that I am getting reacquainted with (been on the shelf for about 6 yrs needing repair). Once again I remember why I bought it... loving that Maxon Bad Bob. I really need to check that one out more. I recently purchased a homemade dual fuzz face/range master treble booster pedal that is phenomenal. So cool to play around with. Keep up the good work. I look forward every week to new episodes...keeps me sane although it costs me $$ as the boredom of quarantine seems to have influenced my purchasing habits. Lol. Take care!
Mick, I can't tell you how many times I've returned and watched this video. I had purchased a Cali Tweed after watching it a little over a year ago, but it had a ton of issues, tube rattle, couldn't get it to take pedals well....anyway...sold it, replaced it with a handwired Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb. Been content and happy, but recently had a Tele worked on at Guitar Center in Pasadena and to check it out, I played through a Cali Tweed on the floor....and HOLY SHIT it sounded amazing (this was last week), then I thought...why'd I sell mine??! Anyway, now I'm back watching your gear/demo porn on the Tweed before repurchasing (maybe my last one was a dud). Also...if you were 16 in 1988....buddy, you look amazing if you're actually that close to my age!! Kudos and thx for all you and Dan do!
@@thedauntlessone thank you for this. The combo that I played, sold before I could buy it. Found another in Los Angeles, demoed it Monday, but it had both enormous tube rattle and a buzz/hiss/noise in the Reverb channel that was awful. I will consider just getting a head/cab combo. Seems like the proper duo and the Jensen Blackbird speakers are amazing BTW.
My dear friend, what a sound!! Inspiring as always. Thanks again for the jam on our collab video. Very much looking forward to having that edited. Also, thanks for putting a bug in my ear, now I really have to give the California Tweed a go. Haha! Cheers!
I tried it, through a strat and p90 les paul, I could not find a bad sound, it sounded awsome in every setting, buy it and rock straight off the bat on any guitar
With the ES-335 and the Junior it really nails the typical San Francisco acid rock guitar tones that were made with guitars with Humbuckers/Mini-humbuckers and/or P90s, i love how this amps sounds!
The Lone Star has more punch and aggression but the Tweed has a to die for soft creamy compression the sustains much longer than the Lonestar which is very noticable on full chords. Both the amps are keepers I would not sell one to get the other. lol
Mick, your tone, with any amp or any guitar, is just outstanding. I am patiently waiting for my set of Ron Ellis 50/60, but I requested mine with a Fat neck. Cheers!
great amp , great player , great jam at the end , but really appreciate the hard work that goes in behind the scene to bring us all this great stuff , love it
@@ThatPedalShow This video right here convinced me to go ahead and buy a Cali Tweed 6V6 for myself. It arrived last week and it's everything you said it was and more. Cheers from across the pond.
Love this demo. I came late to the game on the Lone Star. I spent 6 months researching tube amps and ended up with the Boogie Fillmore 25. The California Tweed was in the running, but I liked having 2 channels that had the same controls. I am only playing at home, but that 23 watts kills it. I run it through a Captor X and there's a Lone Star 4x10 cabinet on that, so it's the best of both worlds.
It sounds like a nice amp. Clean, the amps sound quite similar, and I can imagine a couple of EQ tweaks would make them almost indistinguishable. The difference comes out more in the gain sounds, and I do like it. The cream tolex is pretty but not for me, give it a few days and it would be covered in my mucky paw prints, tea and tobacco stains, although some people might like that "relic" look. 🙄
The vlog on the Mesa was great, but the small snippet of you and Simon and the bassist absolutely killed! After all this craziness is over, the three of you should seriously consider recording something (anything!) I know I’d buy it. Cheers and love 🌵🐾
I bought my Mesa Lone Star Special right before they released the Cali 4:40. I was bummed about the timing, as I would have loved to compare these 2 amps. I still really like my LSS! To me, it has many features and sounds great - even at bedroom volumes and it's built like a tank. Thanks for the great review... or was it a review? Hmmm.
Randy Ryder guessing you got one of the newer circuit modded versions. I’ve had mine since they were released, and the LSS would blow fuses, tubes and rectifiers constantly. I finally took it to a shop after it sat for years. Sounds great for the last week...crossing my fingers that the mod was successful. Personally, Mesa should have had a recall and fixed the early models for free if you ask me... but...$225 later I’m back in biz.
IMO this is easily the best amp Mesa has made since the Mark II. Im really impressed by it and while it's not cheap, when I compare it to other amps that sound as good, it's a bargain. This thing is half the price of a Bartel, and the Starwood is this amp the California Tweed most reminds me of. I would completely ignore the power scaling though. It works fine, but I do think it sounds best at full power.
Great video thanks Mick. I like you have had many Mesa amps over the years. One of my favourites was the Mesa F50, which got the first Guitarist Mag gold award. They said it had one of the best clean sounds of any Mesa so far and I had to agree it was a huge high headroom clean channel and a massive fat, heavy lead channel. Just great amps.
I get great clean tone and tons of headroom from my California Tweed and the Reverb is luscious!
You know its real when the guitar face comes organically after a maniacal laugh.
That intro loop is one of the best pieces ever played on this show, including guests and their pieces.
Mick - Well done man. I’ve watched countless hours of your playing and have never told you that I think you are a GREAT player. You really are. 👍
Ah Paul, thank you for that!
This intro made me want to cry, in a positive way. Tone after tone I thought "wow, that sounds incredible. That's the sound I want!". Switched to the next tone and I thought "wow, that sounds incredible. That's the sound I want!". And Again. And Again. And Again. Thanks Mick. My wallet hates you.
Ah man. Thanks! Sorry to the wallet. Like me they’re their happiest when they’re totally empty inside. Hahahah!!!
You mean your wife?
Mick Taylor, that Intro was just Spectacular, Hypnotic, Juicy, Classy, yadayada,etc. Gonna have to become a Proud Mesa/Boogie Owner now. Fillmore or Californian can't lose.
Agree.5*
Thank you Stephen!
Me during intro: That’s the tone I dream of
*Checks price*
And it will always be a dream 😭
Yep. Im keeping myself believing, that Fender blackface reissue with some nice mid pushed OD will get me close enough for fraction of money 🤷
You are not alone in your misery. Here's to unattainable dreams!
@@bigoldSupaD It's ~2500GBP over here...
@@bigoldSupaD have you seen the price in the UK? It's over 3000 dollars.
Keep an eye out for a tweed bassman reissue or clone thereof (I found a Victoria, very high quality clone used for < $900) - that's what you're hearing - tweed clean!
You'll also want a reverb pedal :).
I went into my local shop and played one of these a couple weeks ago not having any knowledge of it at all. Went in really to test the tone king imperial bc I was "sold" on it and just wanted to confirm before shelling out that amount of cash. I played the cali tweed for reference clean sound and it absolutely put me on my butt. I don't know how the Mesa guys did it, but it somehow sounds like a wall of 4x12 cabs when you plug in. Everything, and I mean everything else I played that day and still now sounds like a boxy toy in comparison. Just bought one used with the 100W blackbird speaker and cannot wait until it arrives. Just thought I'd share!
It's funny, but I did almost exactly the same thing, and also went home with a CA Tweed. I went to a shop to try out a Tone King Imperial MKII, feeling fairly sure that I was going to buy it (they even had it in black, my preferred color). A friend and I did side by side comparisons with the Tone King, Mesa CA Tweed, and a Deluxe Reverb, using a strat. My friend and I both preferred the CA Tweed, which I was not expecting. The other amps are both great too, but the CA Tweed had the tone that I was after. It didn't hurt that it cost less, but I couldn't be happier with the Mesa. Enjoy it!
This was one of the combos?
@@dwales510 Damn! That's high praise. I have an Imperial MKII and can't conceive of a better sounding 6V6 Fender-style amp. I need to try out one of these California Tweeds
Hah, I did the exact same thing. Went into a shop looking to try out something specific, then I found and plugged into a Cali Tweed 4:40 and 2x12 cab because why not? I was floored with how huge but also transparent the cleans were. It gave the guitar I was playing an almost acoustic quality. Turning up the gain showed how many colors the amp is capable of producing and I was floored by how deceptively simple the amp was while having such a huge range of sounds available. I ended up buying one, and it continues to surprise me.
Wow, that says a lot. I’ve been in a very similar position lately. Been strongly considering getting an Imperial mkii. But the Cali Tweed and Fillmore have been in consideration as well. These comments are pushing me towards the Mesa’s…
I love my Cali Tweed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The smile on your face while playing says it all. :)
Mick, that diminished line at 27.20 was worth watching the video for alone, sterling stuff. You have more sophistication in your playing than you give yourself credit for and your timing ins impeccable!
Ah Phil, thanks so much man! Mucho appreciado - especially from you. :0)
This is by far the best demo I have seen/heard of this amp. Sounds incredible and like the perfect blend of blackface and tweed and its own mojo. Really dig it. Want one myself! Great vid, Mick!
Blue has never sounded better in your playing at the beginning of the video, the MESA tweed sounded great with all the guitars, awesome combo, versatile and looks amazing :)
Thanks John! Blue is in a really nice place at the mo. Tiny bit of upper end fretwork needed... but it’s cool!
@@ThatPedalShow mo? What does that mean?
@@tontonbourre6676 short for moment 😬
yeah dude your tone is killing
The cream color looks astounding!
Hi Mick, just wanted to say thank you for this review, i watched this video numerous times over the past year and in the end it really helped make my decision to purchase the Cali Tweed. Picked it up two weeks ago and I couldn’t be happier! It’s a big call but I honestly can’t get a bad sound out of it which is just so satisfying. Love your playing and TPS! stay safe 👍
Looking at getting one myself. How do you like it 3 years later?
I think people keep asking for videos like this because 1: we're very familiar with both of your baseline tones, and 2: the sound quality of the show makes direct comparisons useful. I doubt anyone wants it to be the biggest part of the channel, but it's nice to see/hear. Well done!
Thanks Adam, I enjoyed doing it!
Mick's playing was so soulful here; made me grab my guitar. Amazing tone, brother Mick!
Thank you!
These were some of the best tones you've had on your show. This amp is so warm and overall resonant...
Search is over... Im Getting one! Thanks
If you cut this episode as an EP, I'd buy it just fast as I could! Fairly long time listener, 67 years old. I talk about your work all the time! Thanks!!!
Dang, Mick, I really have to thank you for showing me a whole new world of amp choices.
My first amp was the ultimate LOUD clean amp, a JC-160 combo, with a Ric, a Tele, and a DS-1 for light dirt. This was '79 or '80 and though I live in Sonoma County, the home of Mesa (& Mission Eng), I associated the Mesa/Cali sound with music I didn't want to play. The Jazz Chorus was eventually replaced by an AC30 paired with a Bassman, following in the footsteps of Tom Petty.
You just showed me Mesa makes amps I really enjoy hearing. The Tweed is nice, but you have me itching to shop local and try out some Lonestars.
I never stop learning things watching TPS, thank you.
Mesa also makes an amp called the Fillmore that has a really good vintage sound.
@@jdl2180 Thanks! Mine eyes hath seen the glory.
This is the first boogie amp in s long time that I’ve been interested in. Thanks for making this video Mick
Cheers Nick, my pleasure. :0)
That Pedal Show thanks for producing content at these trying times. Glad you’re safe and well. Cheers
Playing the Ca Tweed loud and clean for the first time was a revelation. So much brighter and more dynamic than my Boogie amps of yore, and my favorite Boogie overall honestly. I love the simplicity.
That intro is what I was needing!!! No one has rocked it like that! It seems way versatile!
The amps sounded great, and those new pickups really made a difference in the strat. That Landau inspired jam at the end was incredible. Your best playin ever - too brief!
Thanks!
Beautiful tones, as always from Mick & Mesa... Happy to be a part of this with the Jensen Alnico Blackbird speakers in all California Tweed amps!
Very cool indeed! Great job chaps!
@@ThatPedalShow thank you! Your feedback is highly valuable to us!
I have the head and 1x12 cabinet. I bought it primarily thinking of it as a small scale jam/rehearsing amp. Man, was I surprised! This is one of the most versatile, great sounding, and plain old fun amps I’ve had (and I’ve had many). Easily a gigging level amp, too. It’s like what would happen if Leo Fender built a Road King amp in the 50s. Lots of options while feeling solidly Fendery, and Boogie, at the same time. What a musical accomplishment for Randall after all these years. And the Jensen Blackbird speaker is a winner. Love it!
Don’t tell anyone but there is strong hankering for a head and cab. Hahaha! Argh. Never ends.
Oh, I know. First thought? “Wow... wonder what it would sound like with another cab?” Never, never ends!
The 335 straight up spoke to me and the Gretsch nearly made me emotional. Fantastic sounds and playing today Mick!
Thanks Smiley!
Just one more "amen" regarding how crazy the eq's are. I used my first pre for gigs and recording projects for years: tuning it by ear and sometimes making it do things so I could go between the clean and gain channels in a way that worked live. My secret recipe in those days was to use the graphic as my "boost" (which was a slight low cut mid and mid high boost). Years later, after the Internet, I had a copy of the manual pdf when I owned another one a few years ago. It is such an active, driving eq stage (not even considering the graphic, mind you). You can create the coolest breakup by driving the highs slightly. And, even the pre version had a tube driven reverb.
It’s amazing how interactive the controls are with each other. When I dial the Mark V25 in, I turn all the controls to off except the master. I turn the gain up first and by itself it doesn’t have a lot of gain. But when I bring in the treble, it’s amazing how the gain just winds up a lot.
Mick rocking the face fuzz! Somehow it makes you look immediately more serious whilst playing. Also holy balls that is one of the best sounds I've heard you get, especially when you kicked the fuzz in, my lord. Glad you and Blue are over your brief tiff/break from each other cause you are a serious force on that guitar, my man!
Hope you and your family are well and safe!
Thank you Yoseph! Same to you sir, all best.
Another great amp from Mesa!! The Gretsch sounded absolutely divine through it!!
Hope it hasn't got the poor design, component choice and reliability of their other products.
@@fearnpol4938 woot!
mesa are known for reliability and its US made plus the customer support is top notch.
@@michaelanana9304 he's probably been watching too much psionic audio. Bro doesn't even know you can cut caps without removing the entire board.
Currently sitting at home on paternity leave with my newborn son. Getting some bonding time in the morning hours when he'll only sleep in my arms. Watching some That Pedal Show to pass the time. Making memories.
The California Tweed is an awesome amp. I got to play it at the Guitar Sanctuary in Mckinney, Texas.
What a store. Brian is A Good Dude. :0)
My favorite piece of gear is my trusted Mesa Studio Pre. It’s a Mark2C front end with more options. Has that killer creamy drive channel like in this Cali Tweed. Seems to the only amp model they made with that incredible saturated sound...until now. That’s the tone that made Santana fall in love with them. Good to hear Mesa has come back to its roots, and clearly they’ve learned a few things over the years. Nice jamming, Michael. Sounds wonderful (in Dan’s voice)
Thanks Mick for the demo. You keep us informed, entertained, and inspired.
"Blue" getting some love, after being cheated on. 😜
You, Blue & a Tube Screamer i just pure magic 🔥🔥🔥 You are a true Bluesman, don’t ever change. You have inspired me a lot the on my own journey for tone 🤘🏻🎸🔥🔥🔥
Thank you Soren. I do love the ol’ TS. :0)
It's hard to best a Mesa. The clean tone from about 1:40, when you switched off the Warthog and TS, was just divine. Blue sounds amazing with that amp. I need to hit the lottery, so I can upgrade my current 2002 Mesa F-50 to the new Fillmore 50. For me, there are very few amps out there that I would consider instead of the Fillmore 50.
Every one of those guitars sounded great through the Cali, but of course my preference is for the 40 W setting. I feel like this amp does a good job of representing tweed, brownface, and blackface Deluxe type sounds in a single package.
Nice to see Julia in the mix, too!
Mick, I've been watching you guys for years and this is your best playing I've ever seen.
Thanks!
27:03 That's the best guitar face I've seen out of Mick. I think it needs a slug edit.
The smile on your face in the intro pretty much says it all man!!! That amp sounds amazing :) One of these days I’ll actually get a tube amp, I’ve dreamed of a boogie since I was a teenager and a head banging metal head and wanted a duel rectifier... but holy man that Cali Tweed is speaking to me now that I’ve mellowed out and started to appreciate a great guitar tone!!! Great show Mick
Awesome "demo" Mick! I really appreciate it! My local guitar shop owner tells me he loves the Mesa Cali and with this demo I can see why. Just might make it my next amp. Love the wattage selector... makes townhouse living a little easier for my neighbors. LOL!
Excellent demo as usual. I love Mesa's approach to sound. Mick's Jeff Beckian licks at the end of the video were very nice too.
Mick, your playing in that jam vid at the end was fantastic.
I am the player who says they hate fuzz. Not only do I not like playing it, I like very few fuzz sounds on records. But that tone at 2:25 was glorious.
Thank you! I think that was the Argo octave?
@@ThatPedalShow Indeed, looks like the Argo paired with the Maxon. (2:21)
Mick, this was a phenomenal run through of this amp. I just got my Cali tweed today after hearing you play yours. Just an amazing amp. Your play is just over the top. Now, I’ll get my 6 pack of beer, some Thai take out and spend the next several hours exploring this amp. Thanks for everything TPS has taught me!!
Good luck Mark, it’s a lot of fun! Thanks for the kind words sir!
That Pedal Show this amp is amazing. You and Dan wouldn’t want my Soldano SLO, would you? Just kidding. Seriously though Mesa really nailed the tweed sound. Again, thanks for your hard work over the years. Cheers!
Damn. I’m going to talk to my people at Boogie. This is the best demo of this amp out there. I was thinking of getting a Morgan but I can’t be playing shows in Petaluma on a non boogie.
Wow! Probably the best sounding Mesa since the Trans Atlantic 30!
Dude. The bit with the Gretch was some of the most soulful playing I've heard in a goodly while. Thanks Mick.
Ah man, thank you!
Love videos like this! Inspired playing and tones Mick, channeling your inner David Gilmour. Thanks for all you and Dan do. Keep up the good work.
Hey Mick thanks so much. I respect that amp reviews are not the bread and butter of the show, I have to thank you for this episode. It is extremely well done and there is no vendor sucking up just tones, your personal perspectives and leaving a choice up to the viewer, the same as you guys do for pedals. I had been curious about the Cali tweed in this time of lockdown and what you shared allowed me to determine that for my ears and use cases there is no need to spend more time on this amp. Which is ideal for me. So my savings for a Two Rock are not at risk at all. Thanks mate. Awesome
Thanks Ross, much appreciated. Wish you all the luck with it!
It sounds great with all of the guitars you used but I was particularly impressed with the 335 and the Junior - those were some really special tones!
@Harlem Wilder imagine being so insecure, you need to 'hack your girlfriends password' and then post about it on a video about a guitar amp...
👏😎
And my goodness, Your hands play in such an emotive way that just sounds like Mick to me. Really really lovely at 23:30. You can tell you`v experienced such pain and joy and everything in between in life. There is sooo much to gain from our struggles in life when you`ve got an outlet in general, but I think we can all emphasize in music here. Great tones mate!
Thank you Rory, super kind of you to say! Yeah I was feeling kinda loose today with the playing and didn’t think about it too much. My first thought that it was too random and sloppy and then my sensible brain kicked in and reminded me that it is what it is and I was connected for a few moments there. Happy days geezer - hope you and yours are doing okay!
The Cali Tweed has more "character" and natural compression than the Lone Star and breaks up easily like a Fender tweed, which I suss is what it's all about. They're both great amps, but I'll take the Cali Tweed. Very nice playing throughout, Mick. Less notes and more feeling is the way to go.
Thank you Glick, I'm learning that slowly I think. Just feel it out, be free, people will forgive the trips I think. And I'll enjoy making them. :0)
I really like the way you discuss gear in your channel. It's not a detailed critique or a sales pitch, both of which we can see elsewhere. We know anything you show will be capable of good sounds, and what is great is that you open doors for us to say "here are some sounds we like, here are some ways to get them, and how things work together to do that". For this particular gear, I've been pondering an upgrade to my modest priced tube/valve amps (US$500-$1000) to get "something really nice", and this particular amp is something for me to consider. I kind of like what I have but I sort of don't know what I'm missing, and your show gives me a little taste of various possibilities. Plus, I learn how to use what I have better, which may be all I need. That, and more practice, of course!
That is a great compliment Jeffrey. Thank you.
Very nice! I admit at the start with the pure clean sound I much preferred the Lonestar but once the gain started coming in the Cali Tweed really shined. Really loved the sound with P90s.
Thanks Mick, ever since my little brother commandeered my Mesa Boogie Mark IV I've been lookin'!
I have a big liking for both of those amps. the Strat has a special bond with the cali.
It remains articulate while giving you that 5e3 hair. Nice stuff. Just missed out on a phenomenal deal on a used... I'm sad. And Micks intro hits the spot
I just had a spiritual moment when you kicked on the OD9 with the gretsch
Got in to work its snowing (in may) my shoes became a squishy puddle. But I put mick on the radio speakers and just breath for 5 min and after that I just continued to enjoy my work with perfect mood thanks you Mick! Much love!
Thank you Jimmy. Much love back man!
As a big phish/trey anastasio fan, Mesa Amps have always intrigued me (he famously used the mark 3 for a long time) but I've never played one. The Cali tweed looks like the one for me, Mesa quality with tweed tendencies, I love me some tweed tone! (Larry Carltons tweed tone overshadows his dumble tone to me, don't take me alive!)
Still Rockin' my 90's Boogie Mark III, killer tone, built to last!! Keep Rockin' Mick great to see you in high spirits!!! Stay Well Mate!!
Such an awesome amp. I actually still dream about my hardwood-and-wicker one.
One of the best-sounding amps I’ve ever heard. Price? I’ll probably never own one.
Just picked up a Cali Tweed 40 head and matching 2x12 cab (last owner upgraded the speakers to Alessandros) in a trade, and I have to say, it’s fab. It’s not quite up there in spatial terms with my usual wet/dry rig, but it sounds pretty wide. I’m enjoying goosing the gain a bit and then running my usual drives into that tone. Seems happy with delay into the front and stacked drives, and it definitely has its own sound (i haven’t played a Boogie in years). Hence me coming back to look at this vlog of yours.
Lovely playing, Mick, as I probably said three years ago!
Mick playing Dual Rec's... Imagine that...
They are very versatile amps. I love the clean pushed and vintage modes on my dual rec, I'm not a high gain player.
With PRS CU24 mounted EMG81 lol
I’m sure it was late 90’s early 00’s. We all had one back then. Heck Garth Brooks lead guitarist had stacks of them. Def a very versatile amp.
Wow! Watched/listened to this with mixed emotions. Studied the California Tweed very closely before opting for Magnatone (long story) a few months ago. Still learning that one, which is truly awesome but isn't exactly suited to its temporary move to the living room... On the brightest side, I'm saving this episode in my "Loops" folder. I'm now constantly noodling for loops and there's so much to pilfer here! Intro with Blue is stunning. So happy for you! Your loop with P90 with Gretsch on top is so good too. Well done pronouncing "Mesa", just up the road from me in Petaluma (remarkably, easier to pronounce!). I've heard your "Boogie" before and it's spot on too. Thanks, brother. -- Geez, er...
I just can’t get past how good that Lone Star sounds
It's a MESA thing great sound:-)
especially liked the intro and outro. gorgeous part of the day.
Thanks Rob!
I love my Boogies, The mark Series in particular. Sounds killer Mick!
I love my boogie also. I have the hated and mesa boogie black sheep, Nomad 100 2x12.
in my recording studio/office i run a 1990 mark IV 1x12 combo. Upstairs i've got a Stiletto Trident with a 4x12 recto cabinet. At the rehearsal space, i've got a Mark V head with an Olde Crowe 4x12 cabinet. I'm a big fan of Mesa Boogie gear, its all really good. But i just purchased a 1999 peavey 5150 head. Pretty stoked to hear a bi-amp set up with the 5150 for lead tones.
Me too, love my '88 Studio .22
Mick, dear good 'compadre of guitars': that was a beautiful musical moment! Thank you x
Thanks David, very kind of you to say!
Mick, my first (real) valve amp was also a Mesa, an F50 at 17 years old. Sadly I had to sell it due to some hard financial times years ago but I always loved it. Albeit the 50watts in my little bedroom was so overkill. The volume never cracked 2... It was a great amp and under 1000... I just (literally yesterday) got a new Friedman JJ Jr but I will always have a spot in my heart for Mesa, and hopefully again something like this in my rig too! :)
Me too! Still got mine but I have to see a chiropractor every time I move it!!
When an amp that incredibly pretty sounds as good as it looks, that's pretty special.
Great sounding amp and pedals. I have a Lonestar Special that I am getting reacquainted with (been on the shelf for about 6 yrs needing repair). Once again I remember why I bought it... loving that Maxon Bad Bob. I really need to check that one out more. I recently purchased a homemade dual fuzz face/range master treble booster pedal that is phenomenal. So cool to play around with. Keep up the good work. I look forward every week to new episodes...keeps me sane although it costs me $$ as the boredom of quarantine seems to have influenced my purchasing habits. Lol. Take care!
Mick, I can't tell you how many times I've returned and watched this video. I had purchased a Cali Tweed after watching it a little over a year ago, but it had a ton of issues, tube rattle, couldn't get it to take pedals well....anyway...sold it, replaced it with a handwired Fender 64 Deluxe Reverb. Been content and happy, but recently had a Tele worked on at Guitar Center in Pasadena and to check it out, I played through a Cali Tweed on the floor....and HOLY SHIT it sounded amazing (this was last week), then I thought...why'd I sell mine??! Anyway, now I'm back watching your gear/demo porn on the Tweed before repurchasing (maybe my last one was a dud). Also...if you were 16 in 1988....buddy, you look amazing if you're actually that close to my age!! Kudos and thx for all you and Dan do!
@@thedauntlessone thank you for this. The combo that I played, sold before I could buy it. Found another in Los Angeles, demoed it Monday, but it had both enormous tube rattle and a buzz/hiss/noise in the Reverb channel that was awful. I will consider just getting a head/cab combo. Seems like the proper duo and the Jensen Blackbird speakers are amazing BTW.
15:15 almost instant black pistol fire tone. semi hollow into fender amp seems to be that sort of vibe. great video
My dear friend, what a sound!! Inspiring as always. Thanks again for the jam on our collab video. Very much looking forward to having that edited. Also, thanks for putting a bug in my ear, now I really have to give the California Tweed a go. Haha! Cheers!
Hahaha! Cheeers Kris! I meant to mention that I would use the clip here... ooops! Hope that’s okay dude. See you soon enough! :0)
That Pedal Show haha! Don’t worry mate, it’s an awesome teaser. Such tasty playing! Ah man, love it! :)
Killers sounds mick just killer mesa still making the most versatile amps on earth
I tried it, through a strat and p90 les paul, I could not find a bad sound, it sounded awsome in every setting, buy it and rock straight off the bat on any guitar
Yeah man; that intro was great! Felt as an answer to yourself from last week; like you really had something to say! Loved it❤️
Add "Hollowbody guitar" to the list of things where I ask myself "Why don't I have one of those?" every time I hear one
With the ES-335 and the Junior it really nails the typical San Francisco acid rock guitar tones that were made with guitars with Humbuckers/Mini-humbuckers and/or P90s, i love how this amps sounds!
The California Tweed just has more body to it than the Lone Star. Impressive little amp. Nice playing as well.
"turn it down from 40w watt to mid power which is...................... 20w" that cracked me up. Great review
The Cali tweed is probably the coolest looking amp in recent time, totally it’s own thing with classic vibes
Ahhh, Mick did one! Enjoyed this a lot. Cheers fellas.
The Lone Star has more punch and aggression but the Tweed has a to die for soft creamy compression the sustains much longer than the Lonestar which is very noticable on full chords. Both the amps are keepers I would not sell one to get the other. lol
I don't often come across players than prioritise tone. You are beautiful.
Thank you!
I'd really love an episode where you guys compare and contrast ThorpyFx Camoflange vs Earthquaker Devices Pyramids vs Strymon Orbit.
Mick, your tone, with any amp or any guitar, is just outstanding. I am patiently waiting for my set of Ron Ellis 50/60, but I requested mine with a Fat neck. Cheers!
Blimey, thank you! Good luck with those pickups. I’m having a lot of fun learning where they shine the most. :0)
12:05 that neck pick up sound.
great amp , great player , great jam at the end , but really appreciate the hard work that goes in behind the scene to bring us all this great stuff , love it
Thank you Ian!
Mick reminds me of Alex Lifeson with that tone beard he is rockin.
He reminds me more of Brett Baird. News guy. Lol
THAT intro with the Cali amp and those pedals is the exact tone I've been chasing all my life! I swear, TPS is going to break my bank!
Ha! Sorry about that! :0)
@@ThatPedalShow 🤣 Are those active pups in your strat?
No. Just regular vintage style Strat pups. Cheers!
@@ThatPedalShow Thanks, Mick. Excellent playing as always.
@@ThatPedalShow This video right here convinced me to go ahead and buy a Cali Tweed 6V6 for myself. It arrived last week and it's everything you said it was and more. Cheers from across the pond.
Some lovely tones. Seemed to sound more tweed-like as the gain came on - I think you need a little compression and sag to get the 50s tweed vibe.
Perfect timing! Mine is being delivered today! 🤯
Will you do a shoot-out of all the "JCM800 in a box" pedals you can get your hands on?
That was on the cards before Covid... So yep, when we get back in the game...
Thanks! You guys are the best!
Love this demo. I came late to the game on the Lone Star. I spent 6 months researching tube amps and ended up with the Boogie Fillmore 25. The California Tweed was in the running, but I liked having 2 channels that had the same controls. I am only playing at home, but that 23 watts kills it. I run it through a Captor X and there's a Lone Star 4x10 cabinet on that, so it's the best of both worlds.
It sounds like a nice amp. Clean, the amps sound quite similar, and I can imagine a couple of EQ tweaks would make them almost indistinguishable. The difference comes out more in the gain sounds, and I do like it. The cream tolex is pretty but not for me, give it a few days and it would be covered in my mucky paw prints, tea and tobacco stains, although some people might like that "relic" look. 🙄
The vlog on the Mesa was great, but the small snippet of you and Simon and the bassist absolutely killed! After all this craziness is over, the three of you should seriously consider recording something (anything!) I know I’d buy it. Cheers and love 🌵🐾
I bought my Mesa Lone Star Special right before they released the Cali 4:40. I was bummed about the timing, as I would have loved to compare these 2 amps.
I still really like my LSS! To me, it has many features and sounds great - even at bedroom volumes and it's built like a tank.
Thanks for the great review... or was it a review? Hmmm.
Randy Ryder guessing you got one of the newer circuit modded versions. I’ve had mine since they were released, and the LSS would blow fuses, tubes and rectifiers constantly. I finally took it to a shop after it sat for years. Sounds great for the last week...crossing my fingers that the mod was successful. Personally, Mesa should have had a recall and fixed the early models for free if you ask me... but...$225 later I’m back in biz.
@@AndrewCCM Any additional info on this? I haven't heard a word about this. Any links?
I love the Mick vlogs. Even though it would have been torturous for him, I wish the Blue pickup odyssey had gone on several more episodes.
Hahaha! Indeed. The torture is at an end for me. ;0) Cheers Edward!
IMO this is easily the best amp Mesa has made since the Mark II. Im really impressed by it and while it's not cheap, when I compare it to other amps that sound as good, it's a bargain. This thing is half the price of a Bartel, and the Starwood is this amp the California Tweed most reminds me of.
I would completely ignore the power scaling though. It works fine, but I do think it sounds best at full power.
Great video thanks Mick. I like you have had many Mesa amps over the years. One of my favourites was the Mesa F50, which got the first Guitarist Mag gold award. They said it had one of the best clean sounds of any Mesa so far and I had to agree it was a huge high headroom clean channel and a massive fat, heavy lead channel. Just great amps.