Advice please! Torn between Rect-o-verb, F-50 & Mark IV!

[03finnertyjo]

I have just created an account here as I am looking for advice on which mesa boogie I should buy. I have decided on Mesa Boogie but I have now found myself spoilt for choice!
I play in a progressive rock band, probably on the boundary between hard rock and metal. I'm not really too fussed about reverb as I don't use it very often and I have a reverb pedal for that anyway. I would say my desired sound was similar to that of John Petrucci. A heavy sound but with clearly depicted notes. Quite hard to describe but you can clearly hear every note being picked which really helps when playing fast. I would really appreciate any advice from Mesa Boogie owners, past owners, or just anyone who has played one! My price range is around the combo versions of Rect-o-verb, F-50 & Mark IV. I am looking more for a combo just for practicality.

Cheers =^)

 

[wildrat666]

for that kind of music buy a mark 4

 

[MusicManJP6]

for that kind of music buy a mark 4

+1

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

MK IV all the way !!!

 

[shredding]

No questions. Mark IV! YOu will notice the huge different when you get to play the Mark IV.

 

[10gc]

Mark IV of course!

 

[CudBucket]

Well, if you want to try and copy JP's current tone, then sure: be another guy who buys a Mark IV because that's what John uses. But any of the amps you've mentioned can give you a tone you could use.

How 'bout just trying as many amps as possible and buying the one that sounds best to you? I mean, with all due respect, it seems like you've already narrowed down your selection to 3 amps on paper, and may then, let the responses you get here, make the decision for you. That's no way to buy an amp.

Use your ears and you'll be happier in the end.

Dave

 

[CerpinVolta]

Yea I'd say go mark IV as well

 

[Alivefor5]

Well, if you want to try and copy JP's current tone, then sure: be another guy who buys a Mark IV because that's what John uses. But any of the amps you've mentioned can give you a tone you could use.

How 'bout just trying as many amps as possible and buying the one that sounds best to you? I mean, with all due respect, it seems like you've already narrowed down your selection to 3 amps on paper, and may then, let the responses you get here, make the decision for you. That's no way to buy an amp.

Use your ears and you'll be happier in the end.

Good post, pay attention.

 

[JW123]

I had been looking to add a Mark IV to my amp collection so I would have a nice combo unit for smaller outings. I came real close to getting 2 or 3 on ebay, but that last minute bidding gets me all the time.

I found a Mesa Roadster 2x12 combo in a local store. Im not saying buy one but try to play one and see what you think. I feel its a lot easier to get a good tone on than the Mark IV. It also has a sealed speaker cab so you get that 4x12 thunk out of a smaller unit. 4 independent channels, rev, solo functions, it might be an awesome alternative. It will drive the crap out of a 4x12 cause at heart its a Dual Rectifier

As far as tone try to develop your own, it can start trying to emulate someone else but you are never going to nail someone elses tone unless it is generic anyway. Try to be yourself and go from there.

 

[jcoggins7]

It depends on which album you're using as a reference. Truly, any three of these could work for a JP-like sound. The best advice so far is to play all three of them. I would urge you to play them all with a very good (i.e. broken-in and well built) cab, preferably the same one for each amp.

 

[Chrissmoth]

Don't recomend the F50

The clean channel is the best that I've ever heard - but Channel 2 really lets it down IMO - I really didn't like the sound at all. Particularly as Mesa were kinda claiming that the F-series was based on the Dual Rectifier - All of the gain but none of the grind...

My other gripe on the F50 was that there was no overall volume - ie in a live situation if you want to turn up you have to turn each channel up individually then balance the channels again.

No experience of the other two - so can't comment - but those Mk4s have a huge following

 

[sixtonoize]

I think that any of the amps you've mentioned will give you good results...it jsut depends on what you need to get out of your amp.

The MKIV, for one, is the most versatile. You can get ALL KINDS of tones out of it, it has a million different options, and it has 3 channels. If you've never used a MKIV, though, be prepared to hate it for at LEAST a month. Dialing them in can be pretty counterintuitive, due to the position of the tone stack in the signal chain and the amount of options. If you can wrap your brain around a MKIV, though, it's an AMAZING amp that can pretty much get any tone you could ever want.

An F-50 is based on Mark-series amplification, so its tone stack is early in the preamp. This means that you can get a LOT of different tones from the F-series, but they are harder to dial (well, different at least) than most other amps. You'll probably hate the F-50 for a while, but eventually, you'll find out how to get what you want out of it. Also, the F-series is lesser-known than the Mark series, so you'll have the bonus of being a little more unique with your tonal options.

The RoV is the most intuitive amp to dial, because the tone stack is late in the gain (like 99% of modern amps), so it will be easier and more familiar feeling when you try to get sounds out of it. Although it's not a true 3-channel amp, the RoV has a solo boost which is great if you solo a fair amount. Because of its ease of getting sounds, however, the RoV is more limited as to how many tones are available than the MKIV or F-50. If you're looking for the classic Mesa Rectifier tone, though, you'll get it. You won't, however, be able to dial in a super-tight tone like on a MKIV. You should also know that due to the huge-sounding nature of the Recto series, its easy to bury them in a mix if you're not careful.

So, there are my thoughts. I hope this is helpful.

And remember, as long as you get a Mesa, you won't be disappointed.

 

[MusicManJP6]

I think that any of the amps you've mentioned will give you good results...it jsut depends on what you need to get out of your amp.

The MKIV, for one, is the most versatile. You can get ALL KINDS of tones out of it, it has a million different options, and it has 3 channels. If you've never used a MKIV, though, be prepared to hate it for at LEAST a month. Dialing them in can be pretty counterintuitive, due to the position of the tone stack in the signal chain and the amount of options. If you can wrap your brain around a MKIV, though, it's an AMAZING amp that can pretty much get any tone you could ever want.

An F-50 is based on Mark-series amplification, so its tone stack is early in the preamp. This means that you can get a LOT of different tones from the F-series, but they are harder to dial (well, different at least) than most other amps. You'll probably hate the F-50 for a while, but eventually, you'll find out how to get what you want out of it. Also, the F-series is lesser-known than the Mark series, so you'll have the bonus of being a little more unique with your tonal options.

The RoV is the most intuitive amp to dial, because the tone stack is late in the gain (like 99% of modern amps), so it will be easier and more familiar feeling when you try to get sounds out of it. Although it's not a true 3-channel amp, the RoV has a solo boost which is great if you solo a fair amount. Because of its ease of getting sounds, however, the RoV is more limited as to how many tones are available than the MKIV or F-50. If you're looking for the classic Mesa Rectifier tone, though, you'll get it. You won't, however, be able to dial in a super-tight tone like on a MKIV. You should also know that due to the huge-sounding nature of the Recto series, its easy to bury them in a mix if you're not careful.

So, there are my thoughts. I hope this is helpful.

And remember, as long as you get a Mesa, you won't be disappointed.

I agree with almost everything except - having owned an F-30 I'm not sure if it (or an F-50) is any more versatile than the Rectoverb. I feel like they are somewhat on an even playing field.

 

[kmanick]

also which Petrucci sound are you after?
I was after his tone as well, but all the tones of his I like are actually his Recto tones, so I went with a Rectoverb head and I absolutly love it.
I've switched beteen EL34's,KT-77's and 6L6's and they all get you a different "flavor".
I'm more into getting my own sound out of this amp these days (I actually have dialed in an amazing tone on Vintage with the 6L6's,
a modded SD-1 in front and an MXR 10 band EQ in the loop)
Petrucci's RoadKing tone is a bit different than his Mark tone so be clear which one you are after.
I also want to add mark IV(5) to my collection at some point as well.

 

[jcoggins7]

The only thing said here that I disagree with is that the F-series is hard to dial in. While the EQ does come before the gain stages, it's no task to find good/great sounds out of the F-series. If you just follow the user manual's presets and then adjust lightly from there, it's a piece of cake.

 

[andershoeg]

The only thing said here that I disagree with is that the F-series is hard to dial in. While the EQ does come before the gain stages, it's no task to find good/great sounds out of the F-series. If you just follow the user manual's presets and then adjust lightly from there, it's a piece of cake.

Owning an F30 combo, and a Single Rectifier, I agree 100%. EASY to get great, various tones out of the F-series! (that counts for the single recto as well!)
b.r. andershoeg