Mesa Boogie Studio preamp from back in the day

[Blast9]

Anyone recorded with these?

I was listening to a Night Ranger album called Man In Motion from like late 80's (its got that special 80's sound ), and the guitars sound incredible - apparently all recorded with the studio preamp.

Really open-sounding crunch tones and smoothe lead tones

If you can get past the cheese, this album ois worth checkin gout for the great playing and guitar tones

[beats workin']

if anyone's reading....
i've got one for sale along with a simulclass 295 power amp and speakers. only nyc pickup.
amazing sounding rig.
PM me
David

[nbarts]

I've had one & I sold it. I hated the thing, but I hate almost all boogies anyway. As a preamp it's good, you can get good tone out of it, it has it's own thing going on. For direct recording - terrible, terrible sound, but again I mic expensive rigs.. so FWIW.

edit: I've just noticed "studio pre". I was talking about "recording pre", it may be different.

[ewegogetemtiger]

the studio pre is considered by many to be the best thing boogie ever produced (lead tone)...the thing has reached certifiable cult status.

(It's the only boogie product I've ever liked)

I use it with a power amp, cab, and use the recording outs into the power amp

check out the reviews at Harmony Central

I've owned one for I guess 17 years or so. pretty much lives up to the hype

[Riccardo]

Originally Posted by Blast9

Anyone recorded with these?

I was listening to a Night Ranger album called Man In Motion from like late 80's (its got that special 80's sound ), and the guitars sound incredible - apparently all recorded with the studio preamp.

Really open-sounding crunch tones and smoothe lead tones

If you can get past the cheese, this album ois worth checkin gout for the great playing and guitar tones

Yes Andy .... if it is worth that depends on the guitarist and the genre. If you are looking for that 80's sound you mention yes, in spades. If that is a great sound is debatable ( and i don't wanna go near guitarist arguing what's THE best tone.

The studio and the model derived from it to me all have that sound, yes a Boogie sound but with a very 80s sound no other amp has.

[mr. torture]

I owned one back in the day, it doesn't hold a candle to my JCM 800.

[Spacerobot]

I bought one of these online after reading a lot of hype and inclusion
on gear lists of everyone from Nirvana to Metallica, and here are my impressions.
The lead sound is really the best, long sustain, with a kind of
frantic but pleasing nature that really makes you enjoy the playing.
I had a pretty hard time getting a tight crunchy
metal tone, but I did get close. I could not get a decent powerchord
sound. The clean is very nice, too, but the signal noise negates this
a bit.

The kicker is, and I know people will roll their eyes here, is that I'm going direct, and not through another power amp. I've been a bit cheap and live in an apt. I was going to team it up with a solid state amp I have, but I've read that this will be futile, and that it must be matched with a tube poweramp. It does have a fair amount of RF or hum in the signal. I guess
that the sound has been surpassed in newer rhythm amps, but I
dont see that this lead sound will become obsolete...

I'm going to keep looking for the ultimate sound, though it seems to be
a combo of equip, room, mics, etc. Guitar sound is definitely a complex art. Any pointers would be appreciated. Nothing more horrid than weak
guitar sound on your recordings.