Mesa/Boogie BASS STRATEGY Eight:88 Owner'S Manual Download Page 15

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will be illuminated on the front panel, on the optional STRATEGY footswitch and our optional single button switch with LED indicating
your EQ is on.

NOTE: The setting of the EQ mini-toggle overrides the buttons on the STRATEGY Footswitch. If the switch is set to “EQ IN”, you
cannot take it out of the signal path with the Footswitch. If the mini toggle is set to “EQ O”, you cannot engage the SLIDERS via the
Footswitch.

MULTI-WATT™ Switchable Power: FULL/HALF/LOW PWR

As you might have guessed, this switch allows you to select

between two distinct ranges of power, enabling you to better tailor the output response of the STRATEGY to the preamp sounds

you have dialed up and/or the venue you’re playing in. In some cases you will want to use it to create an
appropriate volume level, while in other scenarios to further authenticate a certain sound, style or vibe.

While the three settings—FULL, HALF and LOW—refer to both power rating and available headroom,
each of these also has an effect on the Tone and personality of the sound. You’ll quickly learn to use
these choices as part of your Tone palette along with the rotary Tone Controls and VOICE Feature to craft
sounds that are appropriate in volume and clarity as well as authentic in shape and feel.

FULL incorporates all eight KT-88 power tubes to create the maximum power and headroom—approxi-
mately 465 watts RMS of tube power—that sounds and feels more like 900. This is the choice any time

you need the maximum clean transient attack, clarity and headroom. FULL will also track complex rhythmic passages with the most
accuracy as it has the quickest recovery time between notes. Tone-wise, FULL has the best balance of punch and authority, sparkle
and detail and creates a “Hi-Fi” experience, particularly when used with the BRIGHT input selection. Tight delivery and tracking in the
low mids and bottom end is beautifully integrated with top end detail and angelic sounding upper harmonics. Up here the air is fresh
and inspiring as only an all-tube circuit can create. FULL also has the girth and big-iron transformer push that the other two choices
just can’t muster. Here you have a truly impressive power supply shoveling big current at the eight KT-88s resulting in a massive
amount of power and headroom. You’ll be hard pressed to find an equal in the small circle of Tube Bass Heads produced anywhere—
now or in the past—that can move air and affect your physiology like the STRATEGY can in the FULL power setting.

HALF PWR utilizes four of the eight KT-88s to provide approximately 250 watts of sweet, tube power. This option has a less shim-
mering top end, warmer attack and a little less emphasis on midrange punch. HALF can be pushed into a furry clip in medium size
venues for added Rock attitude or for an old school R&B sound that can meet lower to medium headroom requirements. HALF is the
perfect Studio power mode. Clean enough, but not too clean. It makes up, in personality and color, what it lacks in brute power. It also
can save you money on tube replacement costs. By using the HALF position for your applications that don’t require maximum output
and headroom, you can lengthen the interval between re-tubing if you employ power tube rotation (swapping the ones used in HALF
Power with the ones that remain in STANDBY during HALF Power operation). If you do end up using HALF for much of your playing,
you can rotate the “unused” tubes and get twice the Tone-full life out of a set of output tubes. (See the TUBE TASK CHART in the Rear
Section of this Manual to identify the tubes in use during HALF Power Operating Mode).

NOTE: When using the HALF power setting, to obtain the maximum headroom and power and retain tight, punchy attack character-
istics, move an 8 Ohm speaker cabinet to the 4 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT on the Rear Panel. (See the SPEAKER OUTPUT section
later in the manual for more details and options on speaker connections in HALF Power.)

LOW brings the classic vintage power range to a soulful new plateau and will likely redefine your idea of what a lower wattage Bass
amp can be. Here, two of the power tubes are used to deliver approximately 100 watts of old-school magic that has a nice shine of
harmonic brightness on the top and tons of tube bloom in the bottom end. LOW presents a really usable clip threshold and allows
subtle mixing of the natural tube overdrive at volume levels that are perfect for recording or rehearsing. We’ve had great results
bouncing between our POWERHOUSE™ 1x12 cabinet for a portable coffeehouse live rig or sweet recording setup and a 4x10
POWERHOUSE or even 8x10 Traditional Cab showcase just how powerful 100 Tube watts can sound.

However you decide to utilize the STRATEGY’S Multi-Watt™ Switchable Power, it adds a level of versatility that’s hard to beat in Tone,
adaptability and authenticity. Be sure to experiment enough to learn the personalities, applications and boundaries of these classic
and very different power choices so that you can apply them quickly and appropriately to your style and your musical endeavors.

HALF

FULL PWR

LOW PWR

MASTER

EQ IN

EQ FS