These days, very few people involved in the guitar world don't know Mesa Boogie®. But if you're one of them, this may be your chance to learn something about one of today's most important amp makers; and if you're already a veteran of the scene, it's a good time to discover the brand's new 15W amplifier.
Mesa Boogie® is a company that started back in the 1970s, loosely tied to Fender® amps, although the two later drifted apart. It all began in a small garage, where even then Santana himself took an interest. From there, Mesa Boogie®'s career started to take off, giving us such well-known models as the Mark IV, Nomad, Rectifiers, and so on, and more recent ones such as the Stiletto, LoneStar, and the one we have in our hands, the company's newest release: the Transatlantic. It's a small 15W amp, completely manageable in weight and size. Plus, we get to enjoy three channels (or two channels that give us three in total) and many other options.
Technical Description
Let's go through each part of the system's hardware, one of the things that caught my attention most. From its size and weight, which let you carry it in your pedal bag, to its look (when you flip the ON switch, you can see its whole interior light up blue, especially the tubes, which will make it stand out in the middle of a stage or decorate your living room at home). The chassis, built in an open “grille” style, that is, industrial-looking, appears rugged even though it's small. But let's look at the front of the amplifier:
1) Jack input. The usual input of any amp, where you plug in the guitar.
2) Footswitch input. Used for channel switching, which, against all odds, has just a single switch to go from one channel to the other.
3) Starting with the first channel, we find the volume control, to set the preamp volume. It's a control to keep in mind when driving the amp into saturation.
4) Treble/Bass. These are the two controls used to adjust the EQ and adapt a bit to the guitar's tone.
5) Master control. This control is very useful because it serves a dual function. We can use it as a volume control (with no master action and therefore without raising the saturation). Alternatively, it can act as a strict master knob, helping to generate overdriven settings. To switch from one function to the other, the control has a push/pull system. Each position gives a different type of control action: volume or master.
6) FT SW. With this control we can choose which channel we want to use without needing the pedal.
7) NORMAL/TOP BOOST control. In normal mode, the amp gives us the clean signal as it comes in. TOP BOOST mode, however, raises the output levels, and therefore the saturation of our guitar.
8) Next is the power selector: 5, 15, and 25W. Besides producing notable tonal differences, it helps us overdrive by heating up the tubes at lower output levels (in decibels). It's clear: if we work in 5W mode, we can turn up the master to saturate fully, and the roar will be less brutal than if we do the same with the selector at 25W.
9) We keep working along the front panel, which continues with the overdriven channel. We start with the Gain knob: the amount of saturation we get from the preamp.
10) As on the first channel, we find treble and bass to get the EQ suited to our intentions.
11) The master, as the amp's overall volume control.
12) Now we come across a three-position switch that gives us the following options for modifying the guitar signal:
a. Tweed: Gives a smoother sound with, perhaps, a vintage touch.
b. H1: We get a sound with more gain and a bit of a British flavor, that is, with somewhat more midrange, and also a vintage touch.
c. H2: The most aggressive setting, with more gain. In this sonic range we dive fully into feisty Mesa Boogie® flavor.
13) This second channel's section also has its own (independent) power switch. As on channel one, we can choose 5, 15, or 25W.
14) Finally, we find the On/Off and standby switches, as on any self-respecting tube amp.
Now let's move to the back of the amplifier, where we find fairly standard connections:
1) We have the cabinet outputs, which can be 4 and 8 ohm. These are fairly common outputs. As we know, if we want more punch we'll go for 4 ohm, and if we want something that blends better there's the 8 ohm option.
2) We also find the fuse and the power cord inlet.
Sound
Talking about the sound of the Transatlantic is talking about the Mesa Boogie sound. When I plugged into it, I recognized it right away, and some specific models even came to mind, such as the Nomad or the Rectifier.
On the clean channel, we can get a tone with a great deal of low end. Even if we set the knob to its minimum, we'll need to manage that frequency range with special care. It's worth noting that each EQ control lets you manipulate, besides the EQ itself, that sharp quality close to the variations of a boost.
The NORMAL/TOP BOOST switch is an excellent way to increase output and therefore the saturation itself and the bass boost, which is more pronounced. As we said before, the biggest difference in sound comes from the power switch. At 5W, the amp sounds rather small; at 15W, we perceive more harmonics; at 25W, we get its greatest splendor, that is, a much more open sound full of harmonics.
Working the second, more aggressive channel, we cover saturation territory that runs from modestly feisty tones to radically distorted ones. Always with Mesa Boogie's famed sonic signature. In short, this amount of variation, between channels and clean/overdriven/aggressive voicings, gives excellent versatility that will let us work in many different directions and situations. Still, remember, it's always the same amplifier, with its intrinsic characteristics, just working along different paths.
Emphasizing the Tweed, H1, and H2 switch, it must be said that it is key to getting nuances all along the range: from crunch settings, through semi-overdriven, all the way to metal.
Conclusion
The Transatlantic® is a very attractive amp, easy to transport, with Mesa Boogie stature and pedigree, and one that won't leave you deaf by the second rehearsal. Perhaps it makes sense to think about the price, since it can be comparable to that of some higher-powered amps. What do you want and need? If you're looking for good tone, that Mesa vibe, something manageable that spares your back and your ears, you're looking at a great option. Try it; you might just freak out.