dave robinson wrote:JimN wrote:dave robinson wrote:My experience of these is not good. My colleague had the sixty watt version and brought it round for me to set up some Shads sounds. TBH it was OK but lacked something, on a Valvetronix it's easy to get a reasonable Shads sound but not quite so here. Anyway he bought a second one to run his Gibson 345 stereo through, but again I felt it lacked quality using the the Twin Reverb settings, it wasn't quite there.
He bought a Twin Reverb eventually and achieved what he was looking for, so I guess that tells the story.
Yes, but a Twin Reverb (I have one) costs about £1400 and the Mustang costs about £250. All assessments have to be considered against that backdrop.
He. Got the Twin Reverb for £450. My own take on this is that if you desire a certain amp, then buy it rather than messing around with modelling amps. I remember a few years ago a salesman trying to tell me that the Line 6 modelling amp compared well to a Boogie. I tried it and being a Boogie owner can tell you that it didn't get close. At the end of the day you get what you pay for. The Mustang is a cheap and cheerful little amp and does a job, as Jim says the clue to how it will really compare is in the price.
I bought the Twin Reverb a few years ago - a long-cherished ambition... a secondhand, but totally mint, '65 Reissue in blonde Tolex on eBay for £500. I also have an AC30 I bought NOS in the mid 70s and a recent Deluxe Reverb. And other amps...
The Fender Mustang III belongs to a friend who runs local jams - and bearing in mind that such amps have to be easily transportable, loud, versatile and rugged, it fills the bill admirably. He also has a Hiwatt SS combo which I use whenever I can - it sounds wonderful: very controllable and enough like a good Vox or Fender to fill the bill for three numbers at a jam night.
Jam hosts who travel from place to place can't operate top notch quality equipment for a variety of reasons. For that sort of purpose - and don't forget that it's loaded with effects as well as amp models - the Mustangs tick every box. Mesa Boogies wouldn't (true...).
