Mesa Boogie Heartbreaker User Manual
M
ESA
OOGIE
B
Owner’s Manual
The Spirit of Art in Technology
1317 Ross Street Petaluma, CA 9495
USA
Hello from the Tone Farm...
YOU, the smart player and all around intuitive human, have put your trust in us to be
your amplifier company. This is something we do not take lightly. Our reward is that
we’ve made a classic amplifier and by choosing this amplifier, you have become part of the
Mesa family...Welcome! Our goal is to never let you down. Your reward is that you are
now the owner of an amp bred of fine all tube amp heritage...benefiting from the many
patented pioneering Mesa/Boogie circuits that led to the refinement of your new instrument. Feel confident, as we do, this amp will inspire many hours of musical satisfaction
and lasting enjoyment. It was built with you in mind, by players who know the value of
a fine musical instrument and the commitment it takes to make great music. The same
commitment to quality, value and support we make to you...our new friend.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Precautions ___________________________________________________________ Page #
A Little History ______________________________________________________________ 1
Overview: Pre-Amp - Power-Up - To Operate - Power - Instant Gratification _____ 2, 3 &4
FRONT PANEL:
VOLUME ___________________________________________________________________5
TREBLE ___________________________________________________________________ 5
MIDDLE____________________________________________________________________ 5
BASS _____________________________________________________________________ 6
MASTER __________________________________________________________________ 6
CHANNEL & MODE CONTROL________________________________________________ 6
VOICING SWITCHES _________________________________________________________ 7
LEVEL CONTROL
GENDER SWITCH ________________________________________________________ 7&8
REAR PANEL:
FUSE _____________________________________________________________________ 8
POWER CORD RECEPTACLE ________________________________________________ 9
POWER SOURCE __________________________________________________________ 9
RECTIFIER SELECT _____________________________________________________ 9&10
BIAS SELECT_____________________________________________________________ 10
EFFECTS: Send and Return _________________________________________________ 10
REVERB FOOTSWITCH ____________________________________________________ 10
PRESENCE CONTROL _____________________________________________________ 11
REVERB CONTROLS ______________________________________________________ 11
POWER SELECT 100 / 60 WATTS _____________________________________________ 11
SLAVE CONTROL _________________________________________________________ 12
SPEAKERS________________________________________________________________ 12
SAMPLE SETTING and PERSONAL SETTINGS PAGE _______________________ 13 & 14
TUBE TASK CHART ________________________________________________________ 15
DIAGNOSING TUBE PROBLEMS _____________________________ 16, 17 , 18, 19 and 20
PARTS SHEET _____________________________________________________________ 21
Your MESA/Boogie Amplifier is a professional instrument. Please treat it with respect and operate it properly.
USE COMMON SENSE AND ALWAYS OBSERVE THESE PRECAUTIONS:
Do not expose amplifier to moisture, rain or water, direct
sunlight or extremely high temperatures.
Always insure that amplifier is properly grounded.
Always unplug AC power cord before changing fuse or any tubes.
When replacing fuse, use only same type and rating.
Avoid direct contact with heated tubes.
Insure adequate air circulation behind amplifier.
Keep amplifier away from children.
Be sure to connect to an AC power supply that meets the
power supply specifications listed on the rear of the unit.
If there is any danger of lightning occurring nearby, remove
the power plug from the wall socket in advance.
To avoid damaging your speakers and other playback
equipment, turn off the power of all related equipment
before making the connections.
Do not use excessive force in handling control buttons,
switches and controls.
Remove the power plug from the AC mains socket if the unit
is to be stored for an extended period of time.
Do not use solvents such as benzene or paint thinner to
clean the unit. Wipe off the exterior with soft cloth.
YOUR AMPLIFIER IS LOUD! EXPOSURE TO HIGH SOUND VOLUMES MAY CAUSE
PERMANET HEARING DAMAGE!
No user serviceable parts inside. Refer service to qualified personnel. Always unplug
AC power before removing chassis.
EXPORT MODELS: Always insure that unit is wired for proper voltage.
Make certain grounding conforms with local standards.
READ AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS OF PROPER USAGE.
A Little History...Congratulations on your choice of the HEARTBREAKER as your amplifier! Its fine all-tube heritage is apparent
in each soulful note you play, but you may not be aware that this amplifier was created as the 25th anniversary tribute to the amp that
put Mesa/Boogie on the map and changed guitar amplification forever...the Boogie.
The Mark I Boogie burst on the scene in late 1970 as the first amplifier ever to contain a high gain pre-amplifier that could be
overdriven at any output volume. By ingeniously using a cascading series of pre-amp stages, Randall Smith brought to life the (until
then) latent potential of the 12AX7 and changed the sound of electric guitar. No longer would the saxophone be the most likely
instrument to grab the solo spotlight...now guitar had a singing voice! With its liquid sustain and bold authority, the early Mark I
immediately won the hearts of the worlds’ top players and was soon an international smash hit. Overwhelmed by orders for this
compact, high performance 1x12 giant killer, Randall made plans to leave the store he had co-founded, (Prune Music,) where he had
been modifying and repairing amps (for the stars of the Bay Area’s music scene) and move the operation into a converted shack
behind his house.
In this shack in the mountains north of San Francisco, every part of these first Boogies were made by hand! The chassis was formed,
circuit boards were etched, front panels were silk screened and the first exotic hardwood and rare snakeskin cabinets were made...all
with relentless attention to detail. Mesa Engineering was now in full swing with world wide acclaim. High gain was born back then
and seemed to be here to stay, as proven when the Mark II’s introduced the world to channel switching in late ’78. The next
important development came in 1986 when Mesa pioneered the first Tri-Modal footswitchable amplifier, the Mark III. The rest of the
amplifier world soon followed suit.
Now, the Mark IV’s offer fully expanded footswitchability...and high gain, multi mode, channel switching amps are everywhere. The
many innovations (seen for the first time) included on these early Mark I’s have since become standard features on virtually all major
brand amplifiers of today. All these modern amps have a common ancestor in the original Boogie...the missing link between vintage
(one sound) and modern high gain, footswitching (multi sound) amplifiers.
The HEARTBREAKER assembles all these early innovations (along with many more recent ones) and showcases them in a 2
channel, 5 mode footswitching package that pays ultimate tribute to the soulful voice of these vintage Mark I Boogies. Enough
history for now...we thought you might find your new HEARTBREAKERS’ lineage interesting - and possibly give you a sense of
pride knowing that its bloodline figures prominently into amplifier history.
FRONT VIEW HEARTBREAKER
CH 2
INPUT
SWITCH
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
HI MODE
BOOST! NORMAL
BASS
MASTER
CH 1
*
LUST
LOVE
HI
GAIN
CH 1
LO
HI
CH 2 GAIN
LO
*
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
MIDDLE
TREBLE
HI & LO
BRIGHT WARM
BASS
MASTER
LEVEL
ALL
BOLD
CURVACEOUS
ON
ON
POWERSTANDBY
REAR VIEW HEARTBREAKER
WARNING:
Unplug power
before replacing
fuse or removing
bolts mounting
chassis.
117 V.
3 A.
60 HZ.
1.5 A
FUSE
3 A SB
USE 6V6's WITH TWEED POWER
Replace
AND TUBE RECTIFIER ONLY
fuse with
same type
and rating
only.
FULL
NORMAL
TWEED
VARIAC
POWER
SOURCE
VACUUM
TUBE
SILICON
DIODES
RECTIFIER
SELECT
BIAS SETTING MUST
MATCH TUBES IN USE!
6L6
6v6
EL34
BIAS
SELECT
6L6
6v6
EL34
SEND
RETURN
REVERB
FOOT SWITCH
PRESENCE
CH2
REVERB
PAGE 1
PRESENCE
CH1
REVERB
100 WATTS
60 WATTS
SLAVE
SPEAKERS
16 OHM
2x12 COMBO
8 OHM
4 OHM
Overview:
Before we get to the specific channels and their individual controls, let’s go over the HEARTBREAKER’S layout and features.
CH 2
CH 1
*
*
LUST
LOVE
HI
GAIN
MASTER
CH 1
LO
HI
CH 2 GAIN
LO
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
HI & LO
BRIGHT WARM
BASS
MASTER
LEVEL
ALL
BOLD
CURVACEOUS
INPUT
SWITCH
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
HI MODE
BOOST! NORMAL
BASS
THE PRE-AMP: Part of the HEARTBREAKERS’ beauty lies in its simplicity. Yet as you look closer and start to use its many faces,
you will realize it is an amazing collection of vintage style amps living under one roof. Contained in its two friendly channels, LOVE and
LUST, a mere five controls per, invite you to explore the most soulful and identifiable guitar circuits you’ve ever heard. It’s all in
here...from the twangiest tweed to the bubbliest black face; from the most collectible plexi to the liquid black magic of those coveted
early Boogies.
There are two ways to access the different channels of the HEARTBREAKER, either via the channel select footswitch (included) when it is connected to the front panel footswitch jack, or manually by using the front panel channel select toggle switch. You will
notice a vertical row of three mini toggle switches that divide the two channels near the center of the front panel. These switches
access the two channels and their two gain stages, “HI” and “LO”. The top switch travels left to right and toggles
CH 1
CH 2
*
LOVE
CH 1
CH 2 GAIN
LUST
HI
GAIN
LO
HI
LO
*
between Channel 1 (LOVE) and Channel 2 (LUST.)
The center and lower switches operate up and down and toggle between the “HI” and “LO” gain stages. The
center switch commands LOVE (Channel 1), while the lower switch regulates LUST (Channel 2.) Now let’s
power up so that we can move on to the individual channels and their respective controls.
ON
ON
POWERSTANDBY
POWER-UP: First remove the protective covers from the tubes (plastic webbing) before connecting the A.C. cord to a power
receptacle. Connect your favorite guitar to the instrument Input jack. Turn the power switch “ON” while leaving the STANDBY switch
set to “STANDBY.” (It is always a good idea to practice this start up procedure as at least 30 seconds of warm-up time lessens the
shock on cold power tubes, thus prolonging their life substantially.) Next, using the example below as a guide, set the controls as
illustrated. Now turn the STANDBY switch to the “ON” position, listen to the two distinctly different channels using now either the
footswitch or the channel select toggle switch as mentioned in the paragraph above.
CH 2
INPUT
SWITCH
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
BOOST!
BASS
HI MODE
NORMAL
MASTER
CH 1
*
LOVE
HI
GAIN
CH 1
LO
HI
CH 2 GAIN
LO
LUST
*
ALL
BOLD
CURVACEOUS
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
HI & LO
BRIGHT WARM
BASS
LEVEL
ON
ON
POWERSTANDBY
THE PRE-AMP SECTION: Channel 1 (LOVE) is smooth and warm, wired to capture all the patriotic spirit of the greatest American
guitar circuits. Its tone controls move from up front in the “LO” (Rhythm) mode - to the rear in the two “HI” (Lead) modes (NORMAL
and BOOST), making LOVE the sweeter of the two channels for bright clean sounds or spanking high headroom chording. Due to
gain structure and tone control placement, LOVES’ “HI” mode is capable of handling higher front end (VOLUME) settings. When
searching for blistering, high gain solo sounds, the BOOST mode would likely be the best choice. The NORMAL mode of LOVES’ “HI”
circuit is great for the more focused, lower gain, blues sounds.
PAGE 2
TO OPERATE: (Continued) both of the channels offer a TRIM / FAT voicing switch for the “HI” mode that enables you to
either let the guitars’ natural character come through the gain unaltered or, fortify it with a little warm gain for a smoother
lead voice.
The LUST channel incorporates a BRIGHT / WARM switch that allows you to either scoop the midrange a little for sweeter
vintage style clean sounds and increased headroom or, thicken up the sauce for a warmer clip when pushing the “LO” mode
for soloing or going for more girth in the “HI” mode. After deciding on the sound you wish to use in each channel and you have
set the desired balance between the two channels with each MASTER control, you can use the LEVEL control located on the right
side of the front panel to adjust the overall playing level of the entire amplifier. This allows you to adjust for different rooms without
having to alter your individual channels once you have found your sound.
Each channel has its own dedicated PRESENCE and REVERB controls which are located near the center of the rear panel and are
stacked vertically per channel. When reaching from the front of the unit for these controls, the PRESENCE is located on top (nearest
to the top of the cabinet) and the REVERB control for that same channel is directly below it. When viewing the HEARTBREAKER
from the front, the REVERB and PRESENCE controls for Channel 1 (LOVE) are to the left (closest to the INPUT jack) and the two
controls for Channel 2 (LUST) are to the right (closest to the power ON/OFF switch.)
Within the first few hours of ownership of the HEARTBREAKER you may find yourself groping around a bit for these two controls,
but you will quickly learn to dial these with finesse without ever having to look at them...especially the PRESENCE which becomes
easy to dial on the fly after you’ve logged a few hours on the amplifier. Aside from striving to keep internal lead lengths to toneful
minimum, placing these less used controls on the rear panel enabled us to keep the front panel simple to operate and stay true to the
more vintage era character to which the HEARTBREAKER pays tribute.
REAR VIEW HEARTBREAKER
WARNING:
Unplug power
before replacing
fuse or removing
bolts mounting
chassis.
117 V.
3 A.
60 HZ.
1.5 A
FUSE
3 A SB
Replace
fuse with
same type
and rating
only.
USE 6V6's WITH TWEED POWER
AND TUBE RECTIFIER ONLY
VACUUM
FULL
TUBE
NORMAL
SILICON
TWEED
DIODES
VARIAC
RECTIFIER
POWER
SELECT
SOURCE
BIAS SETTING MUST
MATCH TUBES IN USE!
6L6
6v6
EL34
BIAS
SELECT
6L6
6v6
EL34
SEND
RETURN
REVERB
FOOT SWITCH
PRESENCE
CH2
REVERB
PRESENCE
CH1
REVERB
100 WATTS
60 WATTS
SLAVE
SPEAKERS
16 OHM
2x12 COMBO
8 OHM
4 OHM
THE POWER: The HEARTBREAKER starts with a 100 Watt (mono) power amp that boasts our patented Switchable Rectifiers
(Tube or Solid State) which alters the whole character of the attack from either springy and compressed - to dynamic and forward. This
versatile power section can also accommodate either 4 x 6V6 power tubes (Use Tweed Power Only) - producing roughly 40 watts)
- or - the Bias may be set via the rear panel switch to properly run 2 x EL34 (recommend 5U4G Rectifier Tube) or 4 x EL34 (with the
standard 5AR4 Recto Tube in place), giving you your choice of approximately 45 or 90 watts respectively, of a more Euro style power
personality. The aforementioned Tweed Power switch works as a built in Variac, letting you choose between the standard 117 volt
operation - and a looser, more vintage 93 volt setting.
Finally, a master “Power Voicing” feature appears as the Gender switch found on the right side of the front panel. “BOLD” and
“CURVACEOUS” reveal two distinct and opposite mannerisms. “BOLD” brings the sound forward, enhancing dynamic response and
increasing headroom substantially. “CURVACEOUS” scoops the sound and produces a more vintage voice with increased elasticity
apparent at the strings thus adding an extra element of emotion, soul and feel you will need when your out to invoke tears with your
tone.
PAGE 3
OTHER FEATURES: An effects loop has been fitted to the HEARTBREAKER to provide for interfacing of outboard signal processors. This loop occurs electronically between the pre-amp and power section of the amplifier. This is one of the most crucial stages in
any integrated amplifier and the integrity of the sound may be adversely altered here quite easily by using less than premium quality
outboard gear. Due to the extreme sensitivity of this point in the signal path in any of the high performance tube amplifiers we build, we
recommend you try the amplifier with the processor you wish to interface with before you purchase it...in case the processor in question is mismatched in either impedance and / or sonic quality.
NOTE: The HEARTBREAKER is a high end professional musical instrument dedicated to delivering the purest tube tone possible. We spared no expense to assure the integrity of its all tube design and cannot accept responsibility for the degradation of its
tone due to the interfacing of compromising outboard gear.
The HEARTBREAKER is fitted with a SLAVE jack and LEVEL control located on the right side of the rear panel (when viewing the
unit from the rear). This feature allows you to capture the sound of both the pre-amp and power section when using the unit in a
multiple amp rig where external signal processors are fed from several amp sources and then sent to a common power amplifier and
set of speakers.
NOTE: The SLAVE jack is not a tuned recording output or cabinet simulator and should not be used as such.
The HEARTBREAKER 2x12 Combo packs two of our custom designed Celestion 90 watt 12" speakers for faithful reproduction of
the sweet retro-minded tone. Both Combo and Head versions can accommodate a wide variety of extension cabinets and speaker
impedance loads by using some combination of the four available speaker output jacks found on the left side of the rear panel. (1 x 16,
1 x 8 and 2 x 4 ohm taps are provided)
INSTANT GRATIFICATION:
CH 2
INPUT
SWITCH
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
HI MODE
NORMAL BOOST!
BASS
MASTER
CH 1
*
LOVE
CH 2 GAIN
CH 1
*
LUST
HI
GAIN
LO
HI
LO
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
BRIGHT WARM
BASS
Example 1: Channel 1: “LO” : Clean Rhythm Channel 2: “HI”: Honey Lead
Rear Panel: Full Power, Tube Rectifier, 100 watt
PRESENCE: Channel 1 = 3:00 - 5:00 Channel 2: = 1:00 - 3:30
REVERB: Dial to taste per Channel
*
LOVE
HI
CH 1
LO
HI
CH 2 GAIN
LO
CH 2
*
LUST
GAIN
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
BRIGHT WARM
BASS
INPUT
SWITCH
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
MIDDLE
BASS
HI MODE
CH 1
NORMALBOOST!
MASTER
HI & LO
HI & LO
MASTER
MASTER
LEVEL
LEVEL
ON
ON
ALL
BOLD
CURVACEOUS
ALL
BOLD
CURVACEOUS
POWERSTANDBY
ON
ON
POWERSTANDBY
Example 2: Channel 1: “HI” - Boost: Burning Lead Channel 2: “LO”: Vintage Clean
Rear Panel: Full Power, Tube Rectifier, 100 watt
PRESENCE: Channel 1 = 9:00 - 10:30 Channel 2: = 5:00 - 7:00
REVERB: Dial to taste per Channel
PAGE 4
At this point we would like to encourage you to take a break and enjoy your new amplifier for a bit. Give it a good test run and see what
25 years of Tone can sound and feel like. And when you return, beaming from the ride, we’ll be ready to get more specific with the
channels and the individual controls. So ‘till then...Enjoy !
And once again, we appreciate you trusting us with your tone. Thank you for choosing us to be your amplifier company...Welcome to
the Mesa/Boogie Family !
FRONT PANEL & CONTROLS:
VOLUME: Like most amplifiers, the VOLUME (front end gain) control in each channel determines it’s sensitivity and overall tonal
characteristics. It meters the amount of gain that your guitar signal will produce. In the HEARTBREAKER, we paid special attention
to the amount and frequencies of gain present in each mode, making sure the whole range of available gain is
musically usable. We also worked diligently with our suppliers to develop pots with tapers useful to players that
require a touch sensitive relationship of input signal level - to gain saturation...an essential ingredient to a great
INPUT
SWITCH
VOLUME
TREBLE: As with most guitar amplifiers, the TREBLE control is the strongest of the three rotary tone controls. Its setting on the
HEARTBREAKER determines the blend and strength of the MIDDLE and BASS controls. Set high, it is the dominant control,
thus minimizing the amount of MID and BASS that would be possible in the mix.
amps’ expressive nature. To maximize your musical expression, spend some time learning the different regions of gain in each mode and the tonal colors that they enhance. Almost more - or certainly equal to the tone
controls, the VOLUME control shapes your sound.
Set low, the TREBLE becomes the recessive control and a warmer, darker blend is produced.
Dial with care. Subtle tweaking of this control tends to produce the best results.
INPUT
SWITCH
TRIM
VOLUME
TREBLE
MIDDLE: Your new HEARTBREAKER uses a unique midrange circuit that not only blends in rich warm midrange, but goes
beyond to give you an added bonus. Through endless daily tone dreaming, the “if-only” design dictum led to the dial-in-gain boost
MIDDLE control. In the HEARTBREAKER another great pushed sound was made possible by the inclusion of a dual purpose
MID, which is built into Channel 1’s MID control.
From
to about the taper is adjusted to act as a very effective MID control. As you
increase the MID to and above, you will hear the lower MIDS getting more pronounced and
INPUT
INPUT
SWITCH
SWITCH
VOLUME
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
TREBLE
MIDDLE
MIDDLE
fatter. At about
the MID leaves behind the old notion of being a tone control and becomes a
truly usable gain control. This upper range is a smokin’ addition to Channel 1’s VOLUME
control for all kinds of higher gain rhythm sounds. Try the MID set high and the VOLUME
control at about
- for a cool blues solo sound.
If this still isn’t crazy enough for you...Max the VOLUME and TREBLE controls and set the
INPUT
SWITCH
VOLUME
HI MODE
TRIM FAT
TREBLE
PRESENCE control to
Celestion Vintage 30’s or 25’s. The versatility that this dual purpose MID control lends to Channel 1’s “LO” gain mode greatly expands its usefulness as both a clean and overdrive channel.
MIDDLE
- and plug the HEARTBREAKER into a 4x12 with some
PAGE 5
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