Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Mesa's Answer to TinyTerror & Night Train....
I started using a Mesa amp back about 1994, when I bought my used Mark III 200-watt Coliseum head and a beat up Mesa C90/EVMHalf-back 412. I soon sold all of my vintage Fender and Marshall amps, including a Twin Reverb, a 1965 Deluxe Reverb, a 1964 Tremolux and cab, a Super Champ, and a Fender 75. Never looked back--and don't miss them. I now have five Mesas, and couldn't be happier. I have a wide range of power outputs so cover any venue; and no matter which amp I take I KNOW I'm going to get great tone.
When I first got my Mesa, people started coming up to me and telling me what a great player I was and what great tone I had. The band sounded better. I gained confidence. I was inspired by the tones I was getting. I definitely became a better player when I got my Mark III half-stack.
Frankly, the "Rectumfrier" moniker is old and passe. It was old and unfunny the second time I heard it a decade ago. I think it a more telling comment about the speaker than the amplifier itself; and strikes me as immature and unprofessional. Mostly just immature.
With their insane amounts of gain, massive output and ability to handle drop tunings, the Rectos have virtually created a new sound, indeed a whole new genre of pop music. Not many other amps can claim that. My first test of a Recto was an eye-opener, as I was quickly able to set the Recto up and cloned the tone of a vintage Fender Deluxe that was sitting next to it in the store. I though that was an amazing feat from an amp known mainly for its gain. And it could recreate the tone of that Deluxe at crushing volume.
I'll be the first to admit that Mesa's aren't for everyone. You've got to have a bit of patience. If you have ADD or ADHD, or require instant gratification, you should probably look elsewhere. It definitely helps to read the Owners Manual before you leap in. Unlike many amps, the tone controls on a Mesa actually WORK. I find the amps really easy to set up by simply using the recommended sweet spots, and make minor tweaks from there. I don't think any of the amps are hard to get great tones from--even the old Mark IIIs and IVs or the modern Road King or Roadster. But then again, I put the time and effort into understanding the amps. If you're not willing to do that, or not willing to use a bit of brainpower--you're probably not going to be happy.
I've seen a lot of guys over the years go on the amp quest for the Holy Grail--and make their lives (and often everyone around them) miserable. They never seem to be happy; and it's too bad. They waste a lot of money and time on their "Amp Of The Month" quest. Me? I feel very lucky to have found something that works so well for me. The amps are well-built, and Mesa's support has been excellent. Best of all: I've found MY tone.
Randy Smith of Mesa is a smart guy. He's been really successful at thinking "outside the box" and creating new tube amp designs on the cutting edge of technology, when so many have gone to modeling. Keep in mind that when Mesa Boogie first got going, tube amps were going the way of the Dodo bird--solid state was rapidly becoming the new king of the marketplace.
From the beginning the Marks, Calibers, Dual Calibers, Rectifiers, Trem-o-verbs, Mavericks, Nomads, Heartbreakers, Blue Angels, Subways, Rectos, Stilettos, et. al. have inspired many players to make great music. The new amp looks interesting, and even though it's not my cup of tea, I'm interested in trying it. I'm sure a lot of players will find their own inspiration in this amp. Even if it is expensive: if it inspires you to become a better player, or write a great song, doesn't that make for a great VALUE?
I think it does.
Bill
I started using a Mesa amp back about 1994, when I bought my used Mark III 200-watt Coliseum head and a beat up Mesa C90/EVMHalf-back 412. I soon sold all of my vintage Fender and Marshall amps, including a Twin Reverb, a 1965 Deluxe Reverb, a 1964 Tremolux and cab, a Super Champ, and a Fender 75. Never looked back--and don't miss them. I now have five Mesas, and couldn't be happier. I have a wide range of power outputs so cover any venue; and no matter which amp I take I KNOW I'm going to get great tone.
When I first got my Mesa, people started coming up to me and telling me what a great player I was and what great tone I had. The band sounded better. I gained confidence. I was inspired by the tones I was getting. I definitely became a better player when I got my Mark III half-stack.
Frankly, the "Rectumfrier" moniker is old and passe. It was old and unfunny the second time I heard it a decade ago. I think it a more telling comment about the speaker than the amplifier itself; and strikes me as immature and unprofessional. Mostly just immature.
With their insane amounts of gain, massive output and ability to handle drop tunings, the Rectos have virtually created a new sound, indeed a whole new genre of pop music. Not many other amps can claim that. My first test of a Recto was an eye-opener, as I was quickly able to set the Recto up and cloned the tone of a vintage Fender Deluxe that was sitting next to it in the store. I though that was an amazing feat from an amp known mainly for its gain. And it could recreate the tone of that Deluxe at crushing volume.
I'll be the first to admit that Mesa's aren't for everyone. You've got to have a bit of patience. If you have ADD or ADHD, or require instant gratification, you should probably look elsewhere. It definitely helps to read the Owners Manual before you leap in. Unlike many amps, the tone controls on a Mesa actually WORK. I find the amps really easy to set up by simply using the recommended sweet spots, and make minor tweaks from there. I don't think any of the amps are hard to get great tones from--even the old Mark IIIs and IVs or the modern Road King or Roadster. But then again, I put the time and effort into understanding the amps. If you're not willing to do that, or not willing to use a bit of brainpower--you're probably not going to be happy.
I've seen a lot of guys over the years go on the amp quest for the Holy Grail--and make their lives (and often everyone around them) miserable. They never seem to be happy; and it's too bad. They waste a lot of money and time on their "Amp Of The Month" quest. Me? I feel very lucky to have found something that works so well for me. The amps are well-built, and Mesa's support has been excellent. Best of all: I've found MY tone.
Randy Smith of Mesa is a smart guy. He's been really successful at thinking "outside the box" and creating new tube amp designs on the cutting edge of technology, when so many have gone to modeling. Keep in mind that when Mesa Boogie first got going, tube amps were going the way of the Dodo bird--solid state was rapidly becoming the new king of the marketplace.
From the beginning the Marks, Calibers, Dual Calibers, Rectifiers, Trem-o-verbs, Mavericks, Nomads, Heartbreakers, Blue Angels, Subways, Rectos, Stilettos, et. al. have inspired many players to make great music. The new amp looks interesting, and even though it's not my cup of tea, I'm interested in trying it. I'm sure a lot of players will find their own inspiration in this amp. Even if it is expensive: if it inspires you to become a better player, or write a great song, doesn't that make for a great VALUE?
I think it does.
Bill
