Mesa/Boogie Formula Pre - Haw about it?

[armindo__dias]

I've just found a used Formula Pre for a great price. I'm always intereted in Mesa products, so i'm asking for opinions about it.

Is it worth? Does it have great sounds? How does it compare to the "mighty" TriAxis? Will it be better to save for the TriAxis (i may no use all the modes in the TriAxis, though...). And can he do the Metallica or Dual Rect. distortion sound (or at least, a close recreation of that heavy distortion sound)? I've read somewhere that it was lacking in the high-gain sounds, having less gain that the Dual Rect. Is it true?

Thanks,
Armindo Dias

[Pablo]

I have no idea but if it's anything like the V-twin rack don't buy it. The studio pre amp is a much better buy


P

[tomizm]

I demo'd a Formula at GC once. *It was thru a 2:90 and I played a JEM7VWH. *It had a pretty killer sound and was fairly heavy, but I really dont think you're gonna get that Dual Rec rythem sound you're looking for. *Save up for a TriAx. *I just sent off an email today confirming that I'm buying one.
Yay for me!

[Jimi D]

I've got the Formula Pre and I love the thing! I've also got a V-twin, and the Formula is NOTHING like that - if anything, it's a turbo-charged preamp section out of a Nomad... Of course, choice of a preamp is highly individual as the usual caveats about the rest of the rig apply in spades, but in it's highest gain mode the Formula sounds like thunder! Getting the Dual Rec sound is going to depend as much on the power amp as any preamp anyway imho, but I don't see why you can't use the Formula to push a 50/50 or 2:90 into that zone - the graphic helps too! I can't imagine needing more gain at volume - but like most Boogies (again, imho) you've got to turn up the wick to get it growling! I haven't tried using the "direct recording" features on mine yet...

I love the sounds in this preamp - I run it through a 20/20 with a Peavey Valverb in the effects loop, into a pair of recto 1x12" Celestion loaded 3/4-back cabs, and I've had many complements on my tone with this rig. I would suggest you turn it up and try it out with a good amp and cab setup, and if you like what you hear, buy it! Remember, Metallica used to use Mark IIs, and the Formula is way heavier than my Mark IIC+ ever was...

[kakan]

I havenīt ried it but I have hard that the clean sound is really good. John Petrucci used it on both Scenes from a Memory and the 2nd Liquid Tension Experiment album8 for clean sounds). So I guess it has to be good.

[Kyle Odom]

I've heard the thing a few times and I kinda like it. *For the price of a new one, you can almost get a used Triaxis or a Boogie head of some kind. *You said you found one used for a good deal. *If I caught a good deal on one, I'd probably get it and leave it in the rack as a backup of a backup of a backup of a backup. *Then again, it's just me, the gas-master. *If you don't have a tube power amp, I think you might be a little dissapointed, but it's still a cool piece. *Did I confuse you more?
The gain is not quite at the Recto level, but with the EQ it's managable to sound similar. *There's definitely some versitility there, but no where near the Triaxis. *As mentioned before, the clean chanel pretty much rocks.
Ok, I'm done now.
KO