Mesa FLUX-FIVE Owner's Manual
Owner’s Manual
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
• Read these instructions.
• Keep these instructions.
• Heed all warnings.
• Follow all instructions.
• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• Clean only with dry cloth.
• Be sure to use only properly rated power adapters or universal power supplies (pedal board power supplies) with appropriate attention paid to
proper voltage, amperage and ground schemes. Improper voltage/amperage being provided to the pedal may cause poor tone, inconsistent
performance, damage to the unit or all of the above. Proper voltage, amperage and grounding specs are supplied at the end of this manual.
• REPLACE THE BOTTOM LID before the unit is used after battery replacement or switch adjustment. Some electronic parts inside are static
sensitive and can be damaged from even a small static charge from contact with carpet or other conductive surfaces. DO NOT SET A POWERED UNIT “CONTROLS UP” ON A METAL (or any) SURFACE WITH THE BOTTOM REMOVED!
Congratulations on your choice of MESA/Boogie® and welcome to the MESA® Family! The same passion for excellence, commitment to quality
and dedication to customer satisfaction is present in each and every product we make in our one-and-only shop in Petaluma, California, U.S.A.
Rest assured that the very same people that hand-build the finest amplifiers in the world built your pedal and you have access to the same
resources for help that all our customers do. Call on us anytime and enjoy!
FLUX-FIVE™
The reception for the FLUX-DRIVE™’s fat, smooth, expressive gain has been outstanding among Artists and players alike, and with critical praise
backing that up around the globe, it was an obvious recipient for the enhanced power of our Five Band GRAPHIC EQ.
Introducing the FLUX-FIVE™ overdrive, a supercharged, slightly bigger version of our popular FLUX-DRIVE that features a shrunk-to-size version of our classic Five Band GRAPHIC EQ and new added versatility thanks to footswitchable HI/LO performance Modes. The LO Gain Mode is
the original FLUX-DRIVE in every way and now on this wider platform a new higher gain version of this soulful sound appears in the HI Mode. The
GRAPHIC EQ allows the popular “V-Curve” EQ setting to be applied to its thick layers of gain creating a huge, wide Heavy Rock or Metal sound
that still retains the FLUX’s warm character. The original TREBLE and BASS rotary EQ controls can be used to dial in global enhancements and
the combination of the two EQ styles (GRAPHIC EQ and rotary) produces signature sounds for any genre. The GRAPHIC EQ can be applied
to both HI and LO Gain Modes enabling you to have a global EQ curve or it can be applied to either gain Mode separately allowing you to have
two sounds with different EQ to switch between. A HI TRIM pot allows the volume level of HI to be boosted in relation to the original LO (FLUXDRIVE) Mode. However you choose to utilize all this potential, the warm rich FLUX-FIVE™ overdrive is sure to inspire you and bring out your best.
FEATURES & CONTROLS
OUT
This 1/4” phono jack is the OUTPUT for the device. Connect the OUTPUT to the Input of your amplifier (or the INPUT of the next device
in line) with a shielded cable of good quality and of the shortest length possible.
IN
This ¼” phono jack is the Instrument Input for the device. Plug the Output of your guitar into this jack with a shielded cable of good quality.
The jack is a switching type jack and the circuit is turned on when a cable is inserted. When the circuit is activated by inserting a cable, the
internal battery is being used to power it—so be sure to unplug the cable from the INPUT when it’s not in use.
NOTE: The internal battery is switched to an “ON” state (drawing current and supplying voltage) by a switching element in the INPUT jack. To
prolong battery life, disconnect the cable from the ¼” INPUT jack whenever the unit is not in use
NOTE: If you wish to leave the INPUT connected permanently—as in a pedal board scenario—it is advisable to power the unit with an external
DC 9V power supply. When an external (plug-in) DC 9-volt power supply is used to power the unit the DC Receptacle on the pedal automatically
disconnects the battery to avoid battery wear and preserve its useful life. If you are going to use external DC power either for long periods or
permanently in a pedal board set-up, remove the internal battery to prevent (forgotten) battery corrosion.
NOTE: A Word on Cables… Always use shielded instrument cables of the best quality and shortest length possible when connecting these types
of devices. This will minimize degradation of your sound, particularly high frequency roll-off, due to the added capacitance in longer lengths of
cable. We recommend no more than 18-20 feet total (Input and Output combined) between your instrument and the termination at the INPUT of
the amplifier. If you must use longer cable lengths, you might consider the use of a Buffer or Line Driver to keep the tonal integrity intact. While
these change the sound slightly, it will usually be preferable to top end roll-off. And yes—those little 4” interconnects count too, so include them
in your cable length.
LEVEL
This is the master output level that controls the amount of signal provided to the host amplifier. It can be used either to balance
levels to compensate for high GAIN settings - so that no jump in level occurs when switched out of BYPASS. Another application is higher LEVEL
settings to purposefully send a hotter signal to the host amp and “slam” the input stage for increased clip, drive or gain.
HI TRIM
This mini knob allows for boosting of the HI Mode in relation to the volume level of the LO Mode. It can increase the level of HI above
that of LO, but it does not allow for volume levels below that of the setting on the LEVEL control (the volume) in LO. In this respect the HI TRIM
works like the SOLO™ control on our amplifiers and is for all practical purposes a “boost only” feature. It is especially useful when the GRAPHIC
EQ is used in the LO Mode and the Sliders are boosting the signal level. In this scenario the HI TRIM makes it possible to increase the relative
volume of the HI Mode so that it is louder than LO for featured parts and solos.
BASS
This control works in tandem with the TREBLE control to adjust low frequencies in the FLUX-FIVE™. Set low (7:30 – 12:00) the sound
will be skinny, tight and percussive. The higher range (12:00 – 5:30) introduces rich, full low end that rounds out the sound and adds low-end
thump. Heavier pick attack with high BASS and GAIN settings may produce a slower, less articulate feel, so you may want to reduce the setting
of the BASS control when higher GAIN control settings in both Gain Modes are in use.
TREBLE
This control adjusts the amount of high frequencies present in the mix and—unlike devices with just a TONE control - allows you
to fine tune the high frequencies separately from the low frequencies. The TREBLE responds similarly in both HI and LO modes and makes up
half of the comprehensive rotary tone control circuit that offers flexibility over the entire frequency spectrum here in the FLUX-FIVE™. Set low
(7:30 – 12:00) the sound will be darker, more rounded and seemingly compressed. The upper range of the TREBLE (12:00 – 5:30) brings in the
cut, bite and more open top-end to create a sound that is bright, tight and aggressive.
NOTE: Remember that when the GRAPHIC EQ is active (ON) in either Gain Mode there is the potential for “over-EQ-ing” your sound. Use a
blend of the rotary tone controls and the GRAPHIC EQ Sliders to arrive at a sound that is musical and balanced and not over-exaggerated in
any one frequency region.
GAIN
This control determines the amount of gain (overdrive) in the signal path for both HI and LO Modes.
Set low (8:00 – 10:30) it produces a range of subtle overdrive that’s soft and furry, yet featuring the classic mid-punch associated with these types
of circuits. In the LO Mode this range is great for pushed and clip-threshold rhythm sounds and to add a slight bump for Blues solo sounds. In
the HI Mode it’s great for more howling Blues, Fusion soloing and Classic Rock lead styles.
The middle range (10:30 – 1:30) offers the most useful region of gain that begins to saturate but still retains a dynamic punch that keeps notes
expressive and tight. This works well for both Rhythm and Solo work across many styles of music where medium levels of saturation are appropriate in both HI and LO Modes.
The high range of the GAIN control (1:30 – 5:30) is all about thick saturation. This region will be the obvious choice for extreme Rock, Metal and
Heavy rhythm styles yet should not be overlooked for searing sustain in single-note soloing. Don’t forget to experiment with this region for some
great Rock solo sounds in the LO Mode as well.
FIVE BAND GRAPHIC EQ
These two mini toggle switches labeled HI EQ and LO EQ and the five Sliders make up the GRAPHIC EQ section
of the FLUX-FIVE™. The two 2-Position mini toggles control whether the GRAPHIC EQ is active in HI, LO or both. The curved bar just below the
Sliders has been fitted to help protect the Sliders and prevent accidental bumping of them by the stray shoe in performance situations.
The GRAPHIC EQ provides for +/- 12db of boost or cut in each band of the five Slider pots. This makes for a very powerful response and you can
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