Looking for clean preamp (maybe Mesa Formula?)

[Red Phoenix]

I'm looking for a great preamp for clean tones which should be fender and acoustic alike. I have the Mesa Studio Preamp and it's pretty near what i need, but i don't want a second one. I discoverd the Mesa Formula but can't find much informations (e.g. sample clips) about it. Does somebody know if its clean section is comparable to the StudioPre ones? And what is a good price for the Formula if i can find one? Are there other great preamps out there for fender clean? I need only one channel..for clean. The Graphic EQ on the Mesas are very good because for the versatility..so i guess preamps with only Low,Mid,High aren't so useable for me without an extra EQ.

Hope i get some suggestions..

Cheers

 

[bryan_kilco]

Isn't the Formula based off the Mark designs? I don't know much about them, but I do own a Mark IV and if it's cleans are anything like the IV's, they are decently clean and chimey. ALMOST Fender-like but not quite as shimmering.

 

[Revson]

Is this for live gigging or just studio work? You could sell the Studio Pre and buy the Mesa Quad preamp. The Quad would be easier to integrate into a live rig than trying to use two separate preamps.

 

[Flat Fifth Fury]

I'd try and get an Alembic F-1x or F-2B preamp. It's the preamp design of a Fender Blackface Twin and sound wonderful. Not that expensive either. If you want that Fender-ish chime-y sound, there you go.

 

[Sweetnothing]

I had a mesa formula back in the day, it has more of that mark character. However, cleans weren't that special if you didn't engage the graphic eq.

For a fender type clean I would get something else ( I think of chris isaak when I see the fender clean thing) since the cleans on this pre were beefier than a fender would sound like.

 

[Red Phoenix]

I don't know if the Formula is based on the Mark. If it were i guess it would be similar to my StudioPre and i would buy it. I like the Mark sound too. In my opinion, with the graphicEQ a similar fender tone is reachable.
I want it for recording and live. A Mesa Quad is also interessting but i dont want to sell my preamp for it because mine has a very! great condition.
The Alembic seems to be the ultra high end and nt payable for me. I keep watching for something used.

Yes wihtout the graphicEQ the Mesas aren't very beautifull..but therefor the EQ was made

Does somebody know how much a Formula costs? More/less than a StudioPre?