Add an OD, EQ, or get a voodoo mod for Roadster?

[exbest182]

Hey All,

So I picked up a Roadster combo a few days back in a trade, and I want to like it.. I really do.. I'm by nature a Mark series guy, and I figured it'd be worth maybe getting something different to go with the Marks... I play mostly aggressive music, ranging from mid 90s skate punk to thrash, and I (like many others I've read) just can't get into channel 4... I'm finding it really flubby/fuzzy and just want to tighten it up. So if I end up keeping it.. I gotta figure out how I'm gonna fix this issue.... it's either add a Maxon OD808, like several people have done.. I've heard great reviews about that boost and rectos... I don't exactly want that Killswitch Engage sound that a lot of people go for with the combo.. but I still want a tighter sound.. just need to dial the fuzz out..

I've also considered grabbing a 10 band EQ for it, specifically the MXR KFK 10 band... maybe get that.. or get that along with the OD808... I've read some posts saying, adding an EQ to it, can tighten it up just as well as adding the boost.

Or third option, send it off to Voodoo Amps to get it modded, from what I heard the mod pretty much gets rid of the recto fizz, but I've also heard that it kills some of the bottom end... which I think I'd be ok with, because I'm used to Mark Series, and I like that sound... but... If I wanted it to sound like a Mark, I might as well sell it off and get another Mark (another option I'm considering)

Any opinions?

Thanks!

 

[fluff191]

Add a boost and go from there. If that still doesn't satisfy you, then get the EQ.

As someone who spent alot of money modifying their Recto, I can honestly tell you that you should only do it if you are otherwise 99% happy with the amp, because if you don't and get it modded anyways, you then have an amp you are only 75% happy with and now have spent $500 (including shipping) just to get to that point.

All I am saying is the boost will do more than anything to tighten up the amp, but if you are really a Mark guy, get a Mark.

Hope that helps.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Any opinions?

Turn down the bass knob.

 

[YellowJacket]

UH, find an amp you like? So much money is wasted on gear that musicians simply aren't satisfied with. I was always fighting with my Dual Rectifier so I got an Electra Dyne. I just like the overall flavour of tone the amp offers. It jives with my guitars / styles in a way the Dual Recto never could. I still have the Dual and in time, I'll decide what to do with it.

Stupid question: Have you had a chance to crank the Roadster. They get damn aggressive and phat with some volume. Another thought, I love the v30 / c90 speaker combo with rectos. It really smooths out that top end. Like Fluff said, if you aren't 99% sure with the amp, don't spend money on it.

 

[screamingdaisy]

List of things worth trying....

1) Turn down the bass. I usually run mine down around 10:00. Sometimes lower if needed.

2) Change the V1 preamp tube. When I got my Roadster it was loaded with stock JJs preamp tubes. They're solid tubes, but they tend towards being dull/muddy. When I changed the V1 to a Tung-Sol it woke the amp right up. I haven't changed a thing on it since.

3) Use less gain and more volume. If after lowering the gain it doesn't sound gainy enough hit the strings harder.... Rectos like it when you do that.

4) Pickups. Garbage in = Garbage out .... Muddy pickups = muddy Recto.

5) Practice. Sometimes you just have to get used to something that's unfamiliar before you'll learn to appreciate it. I switch between a Mark and Recto all the time and if I haven't played the Recto in awhile it takes a day or two before my right hand has tightened back up.

6) Boost it. I'm not a fan of boosting Rectos myself, but it is effective and it does sound good.

7) If you still don't like channel 4 Modern... switch it to Vintage or Raw and see if you can find something.

 

[exbest182]

playing with it more has helped a tad, as has the suggestions.. I already had my bass running about 10 o' clock.. I switched it over to 50 watt, and I'm digging that a little more out of the combo, however, I do think I'm going to pick up a 2x12 to go with the combo.

My next step is gonna change out V1, I may even go with a whole new tube set all together... I've heard some decent things about the amp kits from dougs tubes.... after that, if I'm still not stoked with it, I'll get a boost... It's just not quite where I want it yet.. cutting the gain and adding volume helped a good bit too... I think I'll dig it once I get it retubed, changing out tubes from stock tubes in my IIc+ did it wonders, so I'm sure it'll help the roadster too.. it seems like a rad amp... my first recto in a long time....

 

[fluff191]

The Dougs Tubes set sounds very good. I totally recommend it.

 

[Yetti]

I fought with the Roadster much like you are for about 5 months, with my experiences help i got from most of the guys in this topic id recommend....Along with Screaming.

Tubes #1 just changing V1 effects alot, JJ tubes Have a reputation of being dark. - One piece of advice i never took which could have changed everything.

#2 Fiddle the nobs, dont shape the nobs with your eyes, go ears. I found much like Screaming says drop the gain maybe near 1pm Jack up the channel Master a bit more then Full volume to taste. Channel 4 was awesome but has a thunderous Low end when you back away from the amp that you just get bowled over with.

#3 Dont go Boost, i myself dont like boosting imo. I bought a Michael Batio Sig Overdrive, Like Marky Tremonti and i found not much difference infront, and in loop. (Not enough to make me fall inlove with the amp at least...Key)

#4 EQ - Eq what you dont want, Get that 10MXR and Take a few frequencies and mess with what you dont like. Dont touch each slider. Move only the frequencies that are problems...if you dont know what frequencies are causing issues. If you have an android phone, get an ap thats got some kind of audio analizing. Im sure apple has a few too. I got 2 different ones and i shows you a graph of the frequencies, all i did was hold my phone upto my stereo when a guitar came on with out too much drumming just to see what was peaking where and used it as a guide to adjust my EQ to get spot onto An As i Lay Dying Tone From my Triple.

In that order id hit Tube(s) then EQ, I always had a bad taste in my mouth for eqing cuz i felt it taints the orginal sound of the amp, and thought i spent all this money, it should sound awesome. But i realized thats most likely never the case.
The Tweak the piss outa amps in the studio so i wont ever leave home without my ADA.

 

[ElectricTurkey4369]

I didn't get along with an EQ with my Roadster...It really changed the sound of the amp (isn't that what it's supposed to do? LOL), it sounded processed and took away the "organic-ness". I just use a Bad monkey to boost, and it gets the job done nicely. I might try a different boost later on.

In my Roadster I'm running two JJ KT77's, Tung Sol in V1, and stock everything else. I have no fizz whatsoever, even at low volumes. I also bypassed the loop.

I agree with what screamingdaisy said about pickups. After switching from stock pickups to Bare Knuckles, they difference in clarity and detail is unbelievable. But I had the Bareknuckles before I had my roadster, so I don't know how it would have sounded with stock pickups.

 

[Nitrobattery]

Everyone has different tastes in tone, but I for one absolutely can't stand Recto's without an overdrive.

For me at least, the key to great tone out of a Recto is a Tung-Sol in V1 and a 12AT7 in the phase inverter.....coupled with a Maxon OD808 boosting the front. On the OD run gain all of the way off and the level (balance) all of the way up. I also turn the presence all of the way off ( or close to it) on channel 4 when using the modern setting and use the treble knob to taste.

 

[ElectricTurkey4369]

Everyone has different tastes in tone, but I for one absolutely can't stand Recto's without an overdrive.

For me at least, the key to great tone out of a Recto is a Tung-Sol in V1 and a 12AT7 in the phase inverter.....coupled with a Maxon OD808 boosting the front. On the OD run gain all of the way off and the level (balance) all of the way up. I also turn the presence all of the way off ( or close to it) on channel 4 when using the modern setting and use the treble knob to taste.

Does putting a 12AT7 in the PI lower the output of the amp? More headroom? I want to try this out.

 

[Nitrobattery]

Everyone has different tastes in tone, but I for one absolutely can't stand Recto's without an overdrive.

For me at least, the key to great tone out of a Recto is a Tung-Sol in V1 and a 12AT7 in the phase inverter.....coupled with a Maxon OD808 boosting the front. On the OD run gain all of the way off and the level (balance) all of the way up. I also turn the presence all of the way off ( or close to it) on channel 4 when using the modern setting and use the treble knob to taste.

Does putting a 12AT7 in the PI lower the output of the amp? More headroom? I want to try this out.

It's tough to describe. It makes everything sound more focused and tighter. Smooths out the top end and considerably tames the Recto 'fizz' while tightening up the bottom end immensely. It allows you to have the massive low end of a Recto, but with the tighter attack and more liquid gain of a Mark series. It still sounds like a Rectifier...but without the fizz and flub.

 

[fjs]

Get yourself an OD pedal before you throw in the towel. I added an OCD to my roadster about a month ago and I could not be happier. I do not own any other OD pedal so I can't comment on how they all sound but the OCD really gave me the kind of tones I was looking for out of channels 3 and 4.

+1 to the comments on the pickups - almost any decent amp will let you know if your pups are crap or not and Mesa is certainly no exception.

 

[YellowJacket]

Are rectos simply pissy amps by nature?

To get my Recto to sound good I:

-built a custom 2 x 12 with a v30 and a c90. It has a ported centre baffle to cut mud.

-put expensive boutique (bare knuckle) pickups in my Les Paul

-changed the electronics in my Les Paul.

This FINALLY got it into the ballpark of what I wanted.

I buy an Electra Dyne and it just sounds better for what I need. I'm left wishing that Mesa had designed these amps 10 years ago and I'd bought one instead.

 

[exbest182]

Everyone has different tastes in tone, but I for one absolutely can't stand Recto's without an overdrive.

For me at least, the key to great tone out of a Recto is a Tung-Sol in V1 and a 12AT7 in the phase inverter.....coupled with a Maxon OD808 boosting the front. On the OD run gain all of the way off and the level (balance) all of the way up. I also turn the presence all of the way off ( or close to it) on channel 4 when using the modern setting and use the treble knob to taste.

Does putting a 12AT7 in the PI lower the output of the amp? More headroom? I want to try this out.

It's tough to describe. It makes everything sound more focused and tighter. Smooths out the top end and considerably tames the Recto 'fizz' while tightening up the bottom end immensely. It allows you to have the massive low end of a Recto, but with the tighter attack and more liquid gain of a Mark series. It still sounds like a Rectifier...but without the fizz and flub.

I ended up just trading it off for another Mark V.. I got rid of my old one a while back to fund my IIC+... no complaints... just wasn't digging it... loved everything except the modern modes...