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November 2007
Mesa Boogie
Express 5: 50
Experience 6L6s like they were meant to
be with this offering from the brain trust
at Mesa Boogie – sparkling clean with a
focused, rich bottom end. As the gain is
ratcheted up, the 6L6s remain smooth
like glass, meaning that no matter where
the knobs are set, you’ll be rewarded with
something expressive. This combo is capable
of running in Class A/B at 50 watts, or Class
A at five watts; Class A results in more breakup, midrange and sag (perfect for a vintage,
bluesy vibe), while Class A/B gives the Express more headroom, meaning tighter lows
and more prominent highs. Of course, being
a Mesa, this amp also has a pair of high-gain
huevos at it’s disposal. You want this.
Mesa Boogie
$1199
mesaboogie.com
January 2007
Orange Tiny Terror
As amps get more complex, adding channels
and innumerable EQ options, the experience
for guitarists can become a bit overwhelming – sometimes you just want to plug in and
rock. The Orange Tiny Terror delivers stripped
down Class A tube sound on a budget. Featuring a pair of EL84s and a duet of 12AX7s,
this amp can put out big, fat, ballsy tones at
both 15 and 7 watts (a club-worthy 15 watts,
at that). If you’re looking for a vintage-voiced
British experience and don’t need massive
wattage behind you, this is proof that good
things come in small packages.
Orange USA
MSRP $699.99
orangeamps.com
