I bought my used rectoverb in absolute MINT condition, cover, channel switch, manual, etc. for $900 cdn dollars. With tax in Toronto they're about $1,700. Look around, you'll find one.
I bought my used rectoverb in absolute MINT condition, cover, channel switch, manual, etc. for $900 cdn dollars. With tax in Toronto they're about $1,700. Look around, you'll find one.
Coming September 1st - "Dean Watson Revisited"!
They're not as bad as the midrange voicing on Marshalls, but they're still voiced in a higher frequency range than I'd prefer. I must admit, I got spoiled by my old Mesa Mark IIc, which had two pull-out midrange boosts, one of them just in the frequency range I love. I sold it (like an idiot), but the Mark V has a circuit that imitates the Mark IIc (and has other lead "modes" that sound even better). I want it, I want it, (you can't afford it)...Originally Posted by Dean Watson
I don't actually have a Tube Screamer, but I have a digital model of one in my Line 6 M13 (a "virtual" pedalboard). There's a parameter that (apparently) moves the midrange frequency around and that's what I use to get the Triple Recto more to my liking.
Well, maybe...
Perhaps I should clarify. In general, I think the mids sound good. Initially I had a Royal Atlantic (combo) which I thought sounded great. Very smooth and rich mids and it did not give me ear fatigue. When I first got the Mini Rectifier I thought something was set up wrong. Even on the clean channel (if I plugged straight in with no compressor) there was a very percussive punch and attack that for the first few seconds sounded cool, but within minutes my ears started ringing even at what I thought were only moderate volumes. I realize that with age (and playing with some band members who seem to want to be unnecessarily loud for the last few years) my hearing has been taking a beating, but this amp made me think "this is the one that's going to take the rest of my hearing...and soon". Even though I've tamed the percussive attack with the compressor there is still a certain amount of mids (and highs) that I can't seem to dial back to more comfortable levels. I refer here to the Vintage and Modern modes. The clean is fine if I use compression.
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At some point I'm hoping to set up my Mini Rectifier with the M13 in a 4-wire configuration and see if I can't use one of the EQs (probably a sweepable one) to find and tame the offending frequency.
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Have you checked out Hughes & Kettner amps?
Me want.
Bad.
I tried out their flagship, the Triamp many moons ago and it sounded great, but it's the heaviest (I'm talking about weight) amp head I've ever encountered. Now they're on the third version of it and it costs $4000. For that money, I'd rather get a Bogner Ecstasy (which I used to have and again, sold it like an idiot), greatest sounding amp I've ever played through.
But the Hughes & Kettner Grandmeister 36 ($1200) looks interesting, especially with it being an all tube amp that you can save your settings into 128 user presets.
>>>I was getting ready to type in that a Grandmeister 36 would be my Holy Grail. But you beat me to it! For the OP, perhaps a Tubemeister 18 (or 36) and their 1x12 Cab would fit the bill (sound and price).)
Those H&k amps have some of the best speaker simulation sound I've heard, if going direct is an option for you, say, for recording, or direct to a PA system.
Coming September 1st - "Dean Watson Revisited"!
Yup. The built-in "Red Box" does garner many positive reviews from reviewers and users.
So far, I've tried the Blackstar HT-40 series, the Marshall DSL40C, but I have not really had the time to get back over to the store. I've been doing a lot of reading on the Mesa 5:50 Express Plus combo - any thoughts on that line vs the Mark V 35 Combo? Maybe I am being stubborn, just seems like combo would be the way to go for me? I do like the wattage options as well, being able to dial something down to 5 / 10 /15 watts for home, vs playing out/rehearsal. I am not ruling out a head/cabinet either.
I want to get the Blackstar, Marshalls and Mesa's in a room at the same time, and try them together. I still am unsure whether to go for a head and cabinet or a combo. I know most people will say get a head and cabinet. But, our rehearsal space is small, and we are just having fun, nothing to serious, although we do jam a lot, so when the opportunity comes to play out, we sound decent.
I continue to sock away cash, so I am not limited to $1200. Thanks for the suggestions so far.
Eric
Last edited by eporter66; 02-13-2016 at 02:05 PM.
I was totally unaware of the Mark V 35 until now. That looks pretty sweet. Seems like it pretty much has anything I'd ever need for sounds not to mention some handy features some of the others (like the Mark V 25 and Mini Rectifier) don't have. Going to start my wife's psychological preparation in 3, 2, 1...
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My only concerns with the Mesa is that it seems complex, certainly not a plug and play amp. I don't mind spending time to learn how to use an amp, I love tweaking etc... My concern with these amps is based on the different environments that you play in. I play, record in my basement, and I dont need much volume. As a matter of fact, most of my recording is now with modeling - as I can be silent in the evening and get some decent sounding recordings.I was totally unaware of the Mark V 35 until now. That looks pretty sweet. Seems like it pretty much has anything I'd ever need for sounds not to mention some handy features some of the others (like the Mark V 25 and Mini Rectifier) don't have. Going to start my wife's psychological preparation in 3, 2, 1...
Second, our rehearsal spaces are in the basements of various band members. I dont like leaving my gear anywhere, I do play a lot at home. So, I will be carting whatever I buy back and forth. These are small spaces, so I dont need a ton of volume, and both drummers play at reasonable levels. One has a roland electronic kit that we use when we practice - keeps things at nice levels
Then - playing live, we do a few gigs a year in clubs/bars, again, any of these amps will do fine, we are not playing large places. We also do a few outdoor parties every year which are a blast, but again, probably require some work to tweak the amp to sound good with the band outside vs inside.
I can't wait to try the Mesa amps out - I have a few friends who own them, and all have good things to say. Trial and error I guess, and I plan to read the manuals before I go to the store, and check out some youtube videos to grab some setting suggestions.
I think a lot of that is just familiarity with the amp. I found it hard to tweak my Mini Rectifier at first, but after reading the manual and playing around with it a home I got better at it and could more easily make changes on the fly. From that standpoint, I don't really see the Mark V as being very different or complicated. On the other hand, I've only ever played around with one briefly at the music store (the 90W version). You may also be surprised to find that the wattage selection doesn't make as big a difference in volume as one might expect. My Mini Rectifier doesn't seem to drop much in volume at the 10W setting, although switching that up to 25W did come in handy with a loud drummer, particularly on the clean channel. If you play with more reasonable drummers you should have no problem.
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First I've heard of it. Apparently, they just came out. Guess I'm not the only one who has to heavily negotiate and justify my gear purchases with the wife!I was totally unaware of the Mark V 35 until now. That looks pretty sweet. Seems like it pretty much has anything I'd ever need for sounds not to mention some handy features some of the others (like the Mark V 25 and Mini Rectifier) don't have. Going to start my wife's psychological preparation in 3, 2, 1...
Exactly right. Watts don't equal volume and low wattage amps (or settings) are about pushing the power amp section and making it break up more easily. 10 watts can be surprisingly loud!
I just played through a Mesa Transatlantic 30 head - I really liked it a lot. It was used but in great shape. I am planning to go back today and play around a little more. I am really starting to like the Mesa line - so I am torn between used and new, but this seems like a really good amp, and puts some dollars back in my pocket for a better speaker cab, or some new effects (ha).
I guess I didnt state my point very well - I was more concerned with getting a good tone having to play at the lower volumes. I was more concerned with the volume for rehearsals and just jamming at home. I see a lot of bands now playing with the mini heads or lower wattage amps and they do fine - and cut through the mix well. And - if you are running into the PA of course - all set.
Thanks for the back and forth - on to more Mesa testing!
I've been using a Laney VC50 for the last couple of years (it's now sadly in storage back at home in the UK). Awesome amp - four channels and can do everything from pristine cleanliness through to full-on metal wigouttery. It had the original, and pretty useless, HH speakers replaced by Celestions and the power tubes upgraded to EL34Bs before I bought it, and that was one of the things that attracted me to it. Fantastic amp, and I doubt I'll change it for anything else in the foreseeable future. As others have remarked, tone is a very personal thing, and for me I much prefer the sound of amps fitted with EL34s over 6L6s - it's that "British" vs. "American" thing. I've never been much of a fan of that Boogie/hot-rodded Fender hi-gain sound, even taking into account that 6L6-equipped amps tend to have a much better clean sound than their EL34-fitted brethren. My own preferred tone is somewhere between early EVH and late 70s/early 80s Martin Barre - very much a Marshall-derived tone. On that note, I had the predecessor to the Marshall DSL40 mentioned earlier, the DSL401, for many years. Great little amp with a lovely tone, and a surprisingly lovely, full and deep clean sound. At higher gain settings you had to wind it up a bit to get the best out of it (it tended to be rather thin and toppy at lower volumes), but get it into that sweet zone and it was fantastic.
I find these statements interesting. The M/B Royal Atlantic I used to have had a bias switch and could accommodate either EL34s or 6L6s. I watched some of the YouTube demos and the differences were audible but quite subtle. It was something that wouldn't even be noticeable in a band context. This leads me to believe that there are so many variables involved that it's hard to say definitively that either type of tube has any particular sound. I see commentary all the time on forums where people are saying "I've always used Y tubes and I can't believe I'm loving this amp with X tubes" or "who knew I could get this sound out of an amp that uses this type of tube".
I've noticed you can buy both types of tubes in varying levels of "hardness" (clean headroom)...and while 6L6s may generally be harder, maybe at some point there is not much difference?
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I've been reading endless forums, and you are correct, a lot of debate on the type of tubes.... I have listened to you tube clips, but honestly I think you just have to know what you are looking for sound wise and make the best choice to your ears.
I am trying to educate myself and not rush into anything. There are so many variables, the guitar, pickups, amp settings, volume you play at, room you are in, speakers, cables.....makes your head spin.
Ultimately, I end up feeling guilty dropping a wad of cash on an amp. I love to play music, always up for a jam session, like to write and record, so it's not a waste. I think what always gets me in the end is that all these musicians/guitarists that we love could play almost any guitar and amp you gave them and make it sound good. And, these amps that are expensive. Unless you buy used, it seems I am in the $1500-2000 range, and that's not considered top of the line. I don't play for a living, but for that kind of many, I deserve a great product.
Ultimately, I want to keep improving as a guitar player. I have decent equipment, and if I am honest, I certainly don't need an amp. But, I really WANT a new amp, and a tube amp. So, I'll get over the guilty feelings, and I will eventually find one that's right for me. But, I am still answering the basic questions. I do think the Mesa's offer the best value, great cleans and overdrives from what I have heard so far. And they seem to have a great reputation for being well built, durable, and great customer service.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...you are not worthy.
None of us amateurs are. (I am mostly joking of course.
But most of us are nice to our wives and let them buy lots of clothes and jewelry, etc. We take out the trash, take care of the yard, and pull the "klingons" off the dog's butt.
Then, we carefully choose what hobbies we can spend on. And then we micromanage the cash flow. You are a decent person and you deserve a nice amp.
You
Deserve
It!
March right out and buy that amp.
(In my opinion, you can get some serious sound for $1000 to 1500. I still really, really recommend Hughes & Kettner but go for the Mesa if it makes your heart go flutter flutter.)
Thanks Man....although I can't even lay the blame on the wife, it's all me! She has no issue with my latest quest for new gear. She even asks what I am ordering from Sweetwater this week from time to time.....HaYeah, yeah, yeah...you are not worthy.
None of us amateurs are. (I am mostly joking of course.
But most of us are nice to our wives and let them buy lots of clothes and jewelry, etc. We take out the trash, take care of the yard, and pull the "klingons" off the dog's butt.
Then, we carefully choose what hobbies we can spend on. And then we micromanage the cash flow. You are a decent person and you deserve a nice amp.
You
Deserve
It!
March right out and buy that amp.
(In my opinion, you can get some serious sound for $1000 to 1500. I still really, really recommend Hughes & Kettner but go for the Mesa if it makes your heart go flutter flutter.)
I do plan to try the Hughes & Kettner, I am thinking the tubemeister line, and just saw the 18W head drop to around $500 bucks. But, I want to try as many as I can - so, I will make sure to give them a test drive.
It sounds like the H&K is what you want, but what do you currently own? Have you tried a few of the models?
Thanks,
Eric
Yes, you can do this on my VC50 as well. Indeed, when new it would have come equipped with 6L6s but the previous owner to me swapped them over for EL34Bs. Granted, there are many variables that result in a specific amp sound that go way beyond the power tubes, but there are definitely certain sounds that I tend to identify with US-made amps (that tend to come equipped with 6L6s), and other that I generally associate with British-made amps (which again generally tend to be equipped with either EL34s or EL84s). I think a good example is that hi-gain Triple Rectifier sound that seemed to be on every damn 'alt-rock' track on the airwaves about 10 years ago (usually accompanied by a PRS-single cut or similar), and the Marshall-esque bark of somebody like Michael Schenker in his UFO pomp. Not that you probably couldn't achieve similar sounds out of each amp, but these two for me do define a certain type of tonal quality I tend to associate with certain types of amplifier. John Petrucci would be another example - his sound, for me, is the quintessential Mesa Boogie tone. It's far from bad, but it's not for me.The M/B Royal Atlantic I used to have had a bias switch and could accommodate either EL34s or 6L6s.
I hear you concerning Petrucci. I've never come close to sounding like him with any Mesa I owned though. At least not to my ears. Mostly I've used Strats recently, so that could be a factor. And I don't have nearly the amount of processing he seems to use.
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You confirmed what I was thinking: that you are not selfish at all and that your wife was cool with your musical hobby in general and buying an amp in particular. That is why I was encouraging you so much.
I too was aiming at the lower H & K models back last fall when I started to excited about a tube amp (I have never owned one...just a Fender Acoustisonic JR for my acoustics and sitar guitar). I thought the TM 18 was a pretty aggressive goal but the folks over on another forum strongly suggested holding out for the Grandmeister 36. The more I considered it the more i decided it was the way to go. So I just got mine last week! I haven't powered the rascal up yet because I have been fighting the flu. But I will scare the dog by the weekend at the latest. I don't need the power of 36 watts but I really wanted the 4-channels, programmability, and the effects. The power soak feature (dropping down to 18, 5, or 1 watt(s)) and the Red Box really sealed the deal for me...I will be able to get all the wonderful distortion I want at quiet volumes (or just bypass the cab and listen to headphones via a mixer). And it seems trivial but I really dig the blue lights!
Your path to Sonic Nirvana might be different; try as much as you can and keep us informed.
In dealing with the Wife's $$$ concerns, we solved this issue YEARS ago.....We agreed that we each get a certain "allowance" each week. Money that each of us can spend with NO QUESTIONS ASKED!. She putters her money on girly stuff and spoiling our granddaughter...me, I scrounge every cent until I have a butt-load saved up then "treat" myself to whatever musical "bangle or bobble" my heart desires. We NEVER. argue about $$$. And, the best part is, it's guilt-free.
The quest continues. I am still really liking the Mesa Boogies. I am trying some other amps soon, and I am waiting for our annual bonus check just to get an idea what ballpark I am in when the final purchase is made. I dont like credit, so I want to have the cash to buy the amp.
So - I have more to try, and who knows what I will finally decide on, but I appreciate all the suggestions - and hope my tone quest is successful.
The band I have been jamming with may have a regular Monday night gig through the summer - and then we can line up some other stuff, so this equipment will be getting used, so looking forward to playing out on a somewhat regular basis
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