Mesa Rectoverb comments?

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Fret,

I actually own the Rect-O-Verb Head version. I got lazy and left out Rect-O-Verb and just put Single Rect. I got the pics to prove it.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

No metal or hard rock hmm... interesting...

Read that one again :wink:

It's not just for metal, or even hard rock. I can do great blues on it too.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Oh, my bad on all of those counts guys, a case of doing too damn much at once haha. Thanks for the corrections .

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Was his user name DURBANS per chance?

We had this guy named DURBANS over on the guitargeek board. He was asking about the differences between a Dual and Triple. Since he said he wanted a thrashy sound and not a nu-metal sound, pretty much everyone recommended the Dual since it's easier to drive the power amp. Needless to say, he wouldn't accept that for an answer. Then told us that since his 5150 was 120w, he didn't think a 100w amp would be powerful enough....

.....Last I heard, he bought a 300w Randall Cyclone.....

Nah he wasn't from a this forum or anything. Just a dude I met when i was checkin out a band I was considering joining.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Nah he wasn't from a this forum or anything. Just a dude I met when i was checkin out a band I was considering joining.

Sounds like a band I'd walk away from.

 

[SemperRhythm]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

No metal or hard rock hmm... interesting...

Oh it can do metal and hard rock just fine, just saying it's versatile enough to handle rock and blues with lower gain settings. Metal just ain't my thing...

Nathan

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

One thing I love about the Mesa Single Rectifiers is that you can get great distortion tone at lower volumes. You really gotta crank a Dual or Triple to get anything good out of it. Thats one plus about the Singles.

 

[SemperRhythm]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

One thing I love about the Mesa Single Rectifiers is that you can get great distortion tone at lower volumes. You really gotta crank a Dual or Triple to get anything good out of it. Thats one plus about the Singles.

Yes sir...

Nathan

 

[B2D]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

I have one and I love it!

Short answer: It does everything the DSL50 will do and it does it better on top of sounding way better and being built way better.

Long answer: This Mesa is different... the Rectoverb is the lower-gain, slightly sweeter little bro of the duals and triples. The clean is sweeter and a bit more vintagey and feels better to play, kind of a Fender Blackface vibe but you wouldn't call it a twin. The dirty channel has more than enough gain, is very nicely voiced (more british sounding then the Duals and Triples and about 3/4 the gain amount) and it can handle hard rock/metal just fine. I put EL34s in mine to give it a more Marshally flavor and I like what it does for the tone. Oh yes, and all the modes in between can get you many different crucnh flavors, depending on what you like. The EQ also seems more reactive on this amp and it has a bit of a softer feel to it that I like.

It's a very versatile amp that suits me extremely well.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Would you say the Single Rectifiers behave the same (seeing as the only difference is reverb)?

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

I was more impressed with the Rectoverb than the Single.

The Rectoverb has pretty good cleans and it has that signature boogie distortion that the nu-metal kiddies will run after. Not a bad amp at all IMHO. Certainly beats a lot of the stuff I've played.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Very cool guys, the more I look at stuff, the Rectoverb keeps popping up near the top of the list. Now if I could just find one to play...

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Out of curiosity, how much should I expect to pay for a used Rectoverb head in good condition? $800-900?

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

I've also heard that a set of KT66 tubes (which I'm starting to wonder if they meant KT88...) sweeten up the sound of a Mesa quite a bit. Supposedly makes it rounder and smoother...

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

This a decent deal on a Rectoverb? Keep in mind I'm not looking to buy just yet, just wondering if the price is what I should be expecting if that's what I decide on...

Rectoverb head on Ebay

 

[B2D]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

This a decent deal on a Rectoverb? Keep in mind I'm not looking to buy just yet, just wondering if the price is what I should be expecting if that's what I decide on...

Rectoverb head on Ebay

MESAs do hold their resale value very well but the seller you are looking at is actually a guitar center rep... look at the user id! GC has an ebay presence and IMO they always overprice. I'd say knock about 100 off that and you're about right.

I've also heard that a set of KT66 tubes (which I'm starting to wonder if they meant KT88...) sweeten up the sound of a Mesa quite a bit. Supposedly makes it rounder and smoother...

These amps have a switch that can set the amp to accept either 6L6 or EL34s, I don't know if you can safely put KT's in them.

Would you say the Single Rectifiers behave the same (seeing as the only difference is reverb)?

I have a friend with the Single Rec for some reason my ears tell me that the single sounds "harder" and doesn't have that hint of vintage like the Rectoverb does.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

I checked out the Eurotubes website, and he says the following:

"KT88's in a Dual Rectifier??

Yes! KT88's in a DR... This is one way to make a DR into "Frankin Rectifier" The bias on the DR's is set very cool for 6L6's and EL34's but the average KT88 draws about double the natural plate current of the average 6L6 so when you run KT88's in a DR with the amp in the EL34 rectifier mode the bias comes up to where it should be and the bottom end gets VERY deep and strong along with a punch that is truly enormous!"

--------------

Anyways, regarding biasing a Mesa, since they have the bias switch should you still take it in two or three times a year and have it checked over?

 

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

I've also heard that a set of KT66 tubes (which I'm starting to wonder if they meant KT88...) sweeten up the sound of a Mesa quite a bit. Supposedly makes it rounder and smoother...

KT-88's will give you a cleaner, harder, glassier tone with a big bottom end (make sure you have a good cab/speakers). Some people would call them sterile sounding.

For some interesting tube experimentation type stuff, check out this page;

http://www.eurotubes.com/euro-n.htm


Edit: Looks like you beat me to the Eurotubes site.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

I checked out the Eurotubes website, and he says the following:

"KT88's in a Dual Rectifier??

Yes! KT88's in a DR... This is one way to make a DR into "Frankin Rectifier" The bias on the DR's is set very cool for 6L6's and EL34's but the average KT88 draws about double the natural plate current of the average 6L6 so when you run KT88's in a DR with the amp in the EL34 rectifier mode the bias comes up to where it should be and the bottom end gets VERY deep and strong along with a punch that is truly enormous!"

A tip I was given once was to buy something and have fun with it. Then, after you've fiddled with it for long enough that you know exactly what you're after, start the modding process.

After all, why worry about amp mods to change the tone when you don't even know what you like/dislike about the amps actual tone yet?

Anyways, regarding biasing a Mesa, since they have the bias switch should you still take it in two or three times a year and have it checked over?

No. Unless they mod the amp by adding a bias pot there's nothing they can check over.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Mesa Rectoverb comments?

Ah, that's the most detailed description I've received about the KTs. Seems like the majority of people prefer 6L6 tubes in their Mesas.