A funny thing happened at work two weeks ago. I was having a break and checked my email. I got some Line 6 spam. They were pushing this new all-singing-all-dancing thing and one of the selling points was that it was a good option for a spare/backup or fly-rig. I was checking it out and it looked pretty nifty but about AUD$1000. It got me thinking about the fact that I don't have a spare/backup for my mp1. I then checked out the new MP stomp options (App1, Channel) and they left me feeling like they were not really what I was after. Then I did something that I do every now and then and I checked to see if someone in Australia was selling an MP1 (hey, you have to have hope!). Nothing, but there were a couple listed for sale in the US. One in particular caught my eye. At face value it was a stock, working MP1 in good condition for US$250. The new eBay global shipping thing was enabled that had conversion to AUD and shipping etc. no more "US shipping only". It looked pretty reasonable. I would be able to have this thing delivered for under AUD$500. The seller assured me that he had recently been playing it and it sounded great. So I did it!!
It arrived today. It is 110V so I can't try it out until Sunday when I go Richard's place and I can plug it into his step-down transformer. Externally it looks pretty clean. Some scratches on the covers. Very little rack rash on the ears (almost none). I cracked it open and had a look. I'm pretty happy so far. Internally it almost looks like NOS. Seems to have never been touched. There is a 2.01 EPROM and what I suspect may be the original tubes. Check out the pics:
Hey Mike, good score :thumb-up: , looks very clean and a later (no top switch) version. They do look like the original tubes.
Looks really nice. But now you will need a backup for the backup >:D
Good point MJMP :headbanger:
:facepalm: I'm trapped!!
NICE!!
Way to go, Mike. Now, don't be too surprised if it doesn't sound exactly like your 'main' rig. Just work with whatcha got, pure tubey goodness :thumb-up:
First run was a bit stressful, because one channel was intermittent and seemed to be affected by chorus settings. Pots and jacks were scratchy. Richard and I ended up with the opinion that it really needed a good clean before coming to any conclusions.
Post-clean, I ran it through a headphone amp so I wouldn't disturb my wife who was watching her stories. The headphone amp then started having intermittent one channel problems (what is this? A conspiracy?). So yesterday I substituted it into my main rig and it sounds awesome! :headbanger:
I'm going to set up a system so that I can do a definitive side-by-side comparison. My initial feeling is that this one may actually have what it takes to be numero uno. Not sure how I feel about that.
Hey Mike, good news :thumb-up: :whoohoo!: it all works. Nothing like a good clean. Also those original tubes are still going strong.The side by side comparison will be interesting, probably easiest to do at my place and use one of the mixers :dunno: . I've also got a A/B, A+B switch to switch the inputs.
This also brings up the question do 117v US models sound better than the 230v equivalent? I say this because my US MP2 and US MP1 both sound so sweet. Anyway we will no doubt chat at length about it LoL.