Meson spectroscopy at VES and COMPASS.

Diffractive production of π- π- π+ and π- π0 π0 final states is the subject of comprehensive studies performed recently by the VES and the COM-PASS experiments. COMPASS pioneered the application of novel methods of partial-wave analysis: mass-independent PWA inmultiple (m3π, t')-cells, mass-dependent analysis of spin-density matrices performed simultaneously in all measured t' bins, the analysis with freed shapes of π+ π- isobars. In addition, COMPASS observed a new narrow state: a1(1420). VES has world-leading data samples on π- π- π+ and π- π0 π0, that yield compatible results and show the potential for a detailed comparison of isospin relations between different decay channels, using the PWA methods with fixed and freed shapes of ππ isobars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]