Okay, I'm so interested in purchasing a Mesa Boogie amp (Dual Rectifier probably). But I've got some questions.

What's this whole "Transtube" thing... or "tubes" or whatever? What are they? What do they do? How often do they have to be changed? Are they easy to use? Where can I get new ones and for what prices?

Just some general infomation please. I've read hundreds of reviews about MB amps lately and have yet to hear a bad one, but these "tube" things tend to put me off a bit.

Thanks in advance.

Tube guitar amps are widely regarded as the best sound available.  It's out-dated technology but the vaccuum tubes produce "better" tone than most modern transistors or "solid-state" amplifiers. 

New tubes for a mesa boogie should not be hard to find, your local dealer probably has lots of them.  there's a recommended period for replacing them but i dont know what it is.  ususally, you just replace one if it breaks, and the procedure for that is pretty easy.   

MB amps, from my experience, give a very tight, refined tone (I believe it's what petrucci uses).  So, if you're looking for a tight metal/hard rock sound, its what you want if you have the cash for it.  however, if youre looking for a more vintage type of sound, go with a Marshall. 

If you don't know what "tubes" are, you might want to reconsider your determination to buy a Mesa Boogie amp. They're quite expensive, and if you plan to play in a band, you shouldn't underestimate the weight of these amps and the necessary 4x12 cabinets.

My personal recommendation: Vox Tonelab SE. It uses a real tube to simulate a tube amp. Unlike other pre-processors that use a tube to create the distortion, the Vox Tonelab uses digital modelling for all the pre-processor effects and uses the tube to simulate the power amp and it's interaction with the cabinets.

The BIG advantage of this device is that you can use it for EVERYTHING. You can practice via headphones, you can connect it to your PC and use it with Cubase etc., you can use it in live situations. It has two pedals, which you can program any way you want. The only limitation that I noticed is that some effect combinations are not possible (e.g. no tube screamer + wah), but it's not really important, because less really is more in that case. You can still combine Any stomp box + Any delay + Any modulation + Any reverb.

Gonna have to agree with Mike on this one.  Mesa's are very unweildy, complicated and large, not to mention expensive.  If you're looking to spend that kind of money, go with something crazy digital like that Vox Mike posted about.  Versatility is key.  I'd only go with a mesa if you've already got a collection of pedals, or if you don't plan on using any. 

A big mistake I've seen a lot of people make is getting sucked into thinking that having the right gear makes you a good player.  Just because you buy an expensive amp doesnt mean you have talent.  you have to be able to make it sound good yourself.  so, make sure you have the skills if youre gonna spend that kind of cash.  otherwise, hit up a used gear place, theres usually something decent there for less.

Well, i'm not particularly in the market for a Mesa Boogie (if maybe never), but i have always found i like the Rectifier Series sound for Rhythm guitar, for all that nice thrash metal chug-a-lug type riff and heavy metal riffing in general. But start playing some leads, and i find it a bit harsh and thin. Does anyone else agree with this?