Mesa Boogie Flux-Five

gain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (low gain → high gain)

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (Multi-watt) leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Comes later in the signal chain

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)

Mesa Boogie Mark Five:25 1x12 Combo's own transparent character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes later in the signal chain

Comes later in the signal chain

Ampeg Rocket Watts leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Blackstar Unity Bass U250 leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a dynamic tone, ENGL Special Edition E670 brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

Comes later in the signal chain

Ceriatone British Style 2525 leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a dynamic tone, Friedman Small Box 50W EL34 Amp Head brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a dynamic tone, Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Deuce Stage II brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Mesa Boogie Flux-Five's dynamic character and T-Rex Comp-Nova's compressed voice sit in the same lane rather than fighting each other

Comes earlier in the signal chain

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Into a dynamic tone, EarthQuaker Devices '- Speaker Cranker brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Into a dynamic tone, Dunlop MXR Distortion Plus brings a pull toward compressed that's missing

Comes later in the signal chain

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Subdecay Starlight Flanger v2 after Mesa Boogie Flux-Five in the signal chain, clear of Mesa Boogie Flux-Five's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Echoplex EP-3 after Mesa Boogie Flux-Five in the signal chain, clear of Mesa Boogie Flux-Five's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run Walrus Audio Fable after Mesa Boogie Flux-Five in the signal chain, clear of Mesa Boogie Flux-Five's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Dophix Dante leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a dynamic tone, Dunlop MXR Randy Rhoads Concorde Distortion, model RR104C brings a pull toward compressed that's missing