Mesa Boogie Bass 800D

[Sean]

41 minutes ago, agedhorse said:

Stan’s a fantastic service engineer, one of the best I have worked with. Say hi to him for me.

I shall say hi from Andy. But he's a tough one, not what I'd call very "front of house" but that's where all my amps go now for that level of expertise and it's nearly 2.5h each way, which for the UK is a long drive 😉 

[agedhorse]

2 hours ago, Sean said:

I shall say hi from Andy. But he's a tough one, not what I'd call very "front of house" but that's where all my amps go now for that level of expertise and it's nearly 2.5h each way, which for the UK is a long drive 😉 

He is tough, but he gets things done right. That’s what you are paying for, not his personality!  😂

[Chimike]

On 21/09/2025 at 11:31, Chimike said:

 

Hoping to hear about shipping to my home, quite soon. Will report back .

Amp turned up today, Factory packaging superb , should be bomb proof in transit !

All now unpacked ,manual studied,  and ready to be used tomorrow night !

Exciting, it is .

 

[Beedster]

17 minutes ago, Chimike said:

Amp turned up today, Factory packaging superb , should be bomb proof in transit !

All now unpacked ,manual studied,  and ready to be used tomorrow night !

Exciting, it is .

 

If it doesn’t work out I can collect Thursday Mike 🙂

[Collin Bass]

On 24/09/2025 at 11:45, Russ said:

Downsides? Sadly, it does seem to have a big one - it just doesn't seem very loud. My RM800 is louder when turned up to about 9:00 (see pic) than the Mesa is turned up to about 7 or 8. 

This too is my first time using an amp with a fender style tone stack. From what I understand (both from reading reviews and for my own experience) the mid knob is a cut, not a boost. Don't be afraid to turn that sucker up! And then dial up your bass and treble to find the unity tone you're looking for. 

 

The input gain and master volume knobs also work linearly from 0 to 10 unlike a lot of amps that don't do too much past 6 or 7. 

 

Really don't be afraid of the input game on either channel. The amp can handle it and they make a huge difference as far as bringing out more harmonic frequencies making the same volume feel louder and fuller.

 

Another thing you can do is make sure that your impedance switch matches whichever cabs you are using. Makes a huge difference in not only damping and volume but also feel and fullness.

 

I hate that I have been working as much as I have been this week I've only had one night since I picked mine up a couple of days ago to really play it. Very happy that it was the night that I got it otherwise the anticipation would have killed the But I did get to play it for hours and found it to be one of the best sounding amps I've ever played. Can get wooly and gritty that can also get that nice fat low gain saturation and stay clean with plenty of headroom. I still need more time with the tone controls myself just to get a better feel for them but don't be afraid to turn them all the way up when finding what you want! It is a very different tone stack to get used to but if you put the time in it is very rewarding! I can't wait to spend more time with mine!

Edited October 1, 2025 by Collin Bass

[Chimike]

On 30/09/2025 at 19:16, Beedster said:

If it doesn’t work out I can collect Thursday Mike 🙂

Thanks Chris . It's reassuring to know that there are thoughtful Bass chatter's out there , willing to help out when needed !😉

Edited October 2, 2025 by Chimike
spelling

[ossyrocks]

So, to everyone in this thread who managed to snag one before UK stock vanished, how are you finding it?

 

I can see from his posts on Facebook groups that @shug is very impressed with his. 

 

Rob

[Russ]

I returned mine in the end. Just couldn’t get it to sound the way I wanted it to. Even with minimal gain, minimal EQ, etc, the sound was a little too “hairy” for my taste. It was hard to get something that sounded reasonably clean, at volume - I wanted loud, with just a hint of hairiness, and I struggled to get it.

 

But, of course, that’s an entirely subjective perspective - you may be looking for precisely that sort of sound. 

[ossyrocks]

14 hours ago, Russ said:

I returned mine in the end. Just couldn’t get it to sound the way I wanted it to. Even with minimal gain, minimal EQ, etc, the sound was a little too “hairy” for my taste. It was hard to get something that sounded reasonably clean, at volume - I wanted loud, with just a hint of hairiness, and I struggled to get it.

 

But, of course, that’s an entirely subjective perspective - you may be looking for precisely that sort of sound. 

I am surprised to read that to be fair.

 

Out of interest, what's the rest of your setup, and what context were you using the amp in?

 

A loud clean tone is something I would expect ALL 800w Class D amps to be capable of. I have a GK Legacy 800 here that can do just that, and that amp is designed after an amp that is famous for getting a bit hairy.

 

Rob

[Russ]

10 hours ago, ossyrocks said:

I am surprised to read that to be fair.

 

Out of interest, what's the rest of your setup, and what context were you using the amp in?

 

A loud clean tone is something I would expect ALL 800w Class D amps to be capable of. I have a GK Legacy 800 here that can do just that, and that amp is designed after an amp that is famous for getting a bit hairy.

 

Rob

I was running it into a Barefaced Big Twin 2, mostly using my pair of Maruszczyk Frog 6-strings. I’ve been using an Ashdown RM-800 as my primary head for some time, so that was my benchmark in terms of tone, volume, etc. Agedhorse made some suggestions earlier in this thread about how to use the EQ (which works additively, effectively as volume controls for certain frequencies), but, even with that, I couldn’t get the gain up past about 10 o’clock without the whole thing fuzzing up. I like some hair on my tone, but I also like to be able to not have it. And using the EQ controls in the manner they were intended to be used did make things louder, but not sufficiently so for me.

 

I owned a Bass 400+ back in the day too, and I don’t recall ever having issues with getting a clean tone with that, with it only getting furry when you hit it hard, and in a pleasant, “creamy” sort of way. If you cranked the input gain it would fuzz out, but only towards the extreme end of the gain knob. 

 

I’m not giving up on Mesa though. Probably going to revisit the WD-800 at some point - I had one for a while and liked it a lot, but couldn’t justify holding onto two heads at the time. 

[agedhorse]

With high output basses, be sure you are using the gain switch in the low gain position. 

[mikeswals]

Nice to see a few have landed 'over there' and folks getting to play them.

 

I got my serial# 14 here in the US the week they were announced. 

Here is a gig pic, also with my 2025 Wal Mk1 for an 80s gig.

 

Edited November 24, 2025 by mikeswals

[ossyrocks]

35 minutes ago, mikeswals said:

Nice to see a few have landed 'over there' and folls getting to play them.

 

I got my serial# 14 here in the US the week they were announced. 

Here is a gig pic, also with my 2025 Wal Mk1 for an 80s gig.

 

 

What are your thoughts on the amp now after some time spent with it?
It would be useful to know what you were using before and how you think this amp compares for what it is you do.

Ta, Rob

[mikeswals]

On 23/11/2025 at 02:50, ossyrocks said:

 

What are your thoughts on the amp now after some time spent with it?
It would be useful to know what you were using before and how you think this amp compares for what it is you do.

Ta, Rob

Its a very grunty-tubey sounding amp, lots of ballsy character. Its got tons of power, and the low end sounds large. 

 

I also have a Bass 400 and a Strategy 8:88, and the focus of the 800D was to get that Bass 400/400+ character, and they did, I really like the sound if it.

Edited November 27, 2025 by mikeswals

[agedhorse]

4 hours ago, mikeswals said:

Its a very grunty-tubey sounding amp, lots of ballsy character. Its got tons of power, and the low end sounds large. 

 

I also have a Bass 400 and a Strategy 8:88, and the focus of the 800D was to get that Bass 400/400+ character, and they did, I really like the sound if it.

The intent (at least my intent) was to go beyond the Bass 400+ with changes and feature set that make more sense to today’s players. 
 

I asked hundreds of players what they would like to see different on a reimagining, what features are now considered important or essential. The variable HPF was at the absolute top of the list, but so was the pre-post switchable DI, aux input, headphone output, and somewhat surprisingly the USB power port. Size and weight were also a common wishlist item.

 

Some of you here participated in that TalkBass thread and poll, there was a remarkable degree of agreement too. 

[HowieD72]

Nearly 3 months from the last post. Any updates from the UK lads? 

[shug]

27 minutes ago, HowieD72 said:

Nearly 3 months from the last post. Any updates from the UK lads? 

I've had mine since October. It's a KILLER!  Loads of punch and headroom and heft, if I may say it, simple and brilliantly effective EQ.

The hpf is something I'd never really thought of before, but it's a really useful shaping tool which fattens up the bottom end beautifully if counter- intuitively. Who knew that removing bass improved the low end? Everyone bar me, it would seem. I'm not a technical fella so this amp is perfect for me. Just switch it on and it sounds great. Fiddle around and it just sounds greaterer.

Build quality looks to be as good as it gets, though time will tell, I guess. 

As for extras, I'm particularly taken with the USB out which I use to power my tuner.

It sounds good through every cab I've put it through. I did some European shows back end of last year with a venue supplied cab at each. No issues with any of 'em, not even the beaten 90's Laney 410 at one nor the ancient Marshall 115 I ended up with at another. I'm the UK I use it with either a Barefaced 210 or 610 and it cooks, fellas, lemme tell ya.

I'm doing a UK club tour with Atomic Rooster starting 19th of this month (Coming to town near you!)and I'm planning on using both cabs together. We'll see how that pans out. I'll finalise that set-up during rehearsals next week.

I'll keep you informed...

 

Shug

 

[HowieD72]

14 minutes ago, shug said:

I've had mine since October. It's a KILLER!  Loads of punch and headroom and heft, if I may say it, simple and brilliantly effective EQ.

The hpf is something I'd never really thought of before, but it's a really useful shaping tool which fattens up the bottom end beautifully if counter- intuitively. Who knew that removing bass improved the low end? Everyone bar me, it would seem. I'm not a technical fella so this amp is perfect for me. Just switch it on and it sounds great. Fiddle around and it just sounds greaterer.

Build quality looks to be as good as it gets, though time will tell, I guess. 

As for extras, I'm particularly taken with the USB out which I use to power my tuner.

It sounds good through every cab I've put it through. I did some European shows back end of last year with a venue supplied cab at each. No issues with any of 'em, not even the beaten 90's Laney 410 at one nor the ancient Marshall 115 I ended up with at another. I'm the UK I use it with either a Barefaced 210 or 610 and it cooks, fellas, lemme tell ya.

I'm doing a UK club tour with Atomic Rooster starting 19th of this month (Coming to town near you!)and I'm planning on using both cabs together. We'll see how that pans out. I'll finalise that set-up during rehearsals next week.

I'll keep you informed...

 

Shug

 

That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Superb review! G.A.S. is still lingering for one but I'm still finding it hard to let go of my Genz-Benz heads and last time I checked, none available in NZ.

 

Have you owned or tried any of the other Mesa heads to compare with the 800D? 

 

Keep us updated Shug! Appreciate it! 👌🏽

Edited 10 hours ago by HowieD72
Edit

[Steve Browning]

Me, @rumblefish and another BC'er did an a/b comparison with a TT-800 the other evening. 

 

Both superb amps and they weren't radically different in sound. 

 

The majority decision was in favour of the TT but that's not any sleight on the 800D. The TT just had some indefinable 'more' to it. 

 

Either way, incredible amps with that Mesa dna running through them.

[shug]

9 hours ago, HowieD72 said:

That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Superb review! G.A.S. is still lingering for one but I'm still finding it hard to let go of my Genz-Benz heads and last time I checked, none available in NZ.

 

Have you owned or tried any of the other Mesa heads to compare with the 800D? 

 

Keep us updated Shug! Appreciate it! 👌🏽

I had a Walkabout head for a bit but couldn't get what I wanted from it. I was using a Barefaced 212 + horn ( Big Twin? Super Baby? ) and they didn't seem to get along. Beautiful thing,though, well put together and faultless even after 10-15 years.

[HowieD72]

13 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

Me, @rumblefish and another BC'er did an a/b comparison with a TT-800 the other evening. 

 

Both superb amps and they weren't radically different in sound. 

 

The majority decision was in favour of the TT but that's not any sleight on the 800D. The TT just had some indefinable 'more' to it. 

 

Either way, incredible amps with that Mesa dna running through them.

Very interesting.

 

I've had the D800+ and as good as it is, we never really gelled, so I sold it. 

 

I've only heard great things about the 800D but I'm still holding off because the WD-800 and TT-800 are still on my G.A.S. list. 

 

I currently favour the Genz-Benz ShuttleMax 9.2 and like the 2 channels. So the TT has always caught my attention. 

 

It's good to hear your A/B comparison and it makes me G.A.S. a little more for the TT-800. 👍🏽

 

 

[walshy]

Id love to try one of these, none in stock anywhere for the foreseeable though

[HowieD72]

14 minutes ago, shug said:

I had a Walkabout head for a bit but couldn't get what I wanted from it. I was using a Barefaced 212 + horn ( Big Twin? Super Baby? ) and they didn't seem to get along. Beautiful thing,though, well put together and faultless even after 10-15 years.

I tried the D800+ with a Barefaced 410. It wasn't really my cuppa tea. 

 

So i sold both. And kept my Mesa 215 cab and Genz-Benz heads. 

[HowieD72]

1 minute ago, walshy said:

Id love to try one of these, none in stock anywhere for the foreseeable though

Yep. Same here in NZ. Last time I checked there were only 2 in the country (pre-ordered) and maybe some on the way.....