amp selection help

[iceiceburg]

Hey all - hope you'll provide some guidance on Mesa in general and amp selection.
Long story short, I've tried an Egnator TM 4212, a Bugera 333xl, and finally a Bogner Alchemist. I'm a metal guy and still haven't found the tone I'm looking for. I'm in Tampa and no local Mesa dealers in the area. I did find a used and older triple rectifier I believe (2 channel). It was plugged into an old Carvin cab. I thought it sounded very good. Loads of low end which I really liked. Anyway, I'm faced with the question "do i pay an extra grand for a Mesa"? Is it worth it, etc... I'm sure you would all say yes if you own one.
One question is the dual rectifier the highest gain amp mesa makes? Does the Mark 5 have equal the gain? What's important to me is high gain, very good reverb, and good clean (doesn't have to be great), and an amp with a good effects loop that doesn't totally change the intended sound of the pedals. Is the dual-rec the way to go? I've liked the Alchemist pretty good for the most part but no doubt it has no low-end at all and the gain seems to really broken up when turned up. As picky as I am with tone, I'm at the point where i think I should probably bit the bullet and pay the price tab for a Mesa. I play mostly at home and through a PA at church so I probably won't be dragging out what I have very much at all.
So to summarize - have any of you tried out some of the amps i mentioned?
Do the Mesas sound that much better?
Based on price, but no sacrficing what's Important (high gain, very good reverb, good clean, good effects loop), which amp would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

 

[Spewnz]

roadster! great reverb great cleans and tone for days.

 

[stephen sawall]

Mark III or IV and Tremoverb. These amps well do what you are asking. The III I have seen for less than $800 not long ago. The IV is much better for getting more control over the individual channels, where the III it has a lot of shared controls. The IV lately I have seen around $1400. The Tremoverb is for my taste the Best Dual Rectifier and go for around $1000.

There is only a handful of amps that have the big bass.
Diezel ~ Herbert, VH4, Einstein
Fryette ~ several of them, I am thinking Deliverance 120 may be what you want to check out.
Bogner ~ Ubershall
Mesa ~ Mark II, III, IV, V and the Dual Rectifier models.
I do not recommend a Mark V or any of the DR's made after they changed over to the 3 channel design. (these are good amps .... but I feel the other ones are better for tone. YMMV)

There are others I am sure I am forgetting right now ???

I would try to check these all out if you can ..... they have very different voices and control options.

I have lived in Tampa ..... you do not need to go very far to find a Mesa dealer. Guitar Center carries Mesa amps.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Rectifiers (in my opinion) are not a good home amp unless you have the ability to play anywhere between moderately loud and really loud. They typically do not hit their stride until they get a bit of volume going, at which time they turn in to monsters.

Most any Mark amp with a graphic EQ will do well at lower volumes as the graphic EQ will let you compensate for not being able to drive the piss out of your speakers.

That said, Marks don't sound like Rectifiers and Rectifiers don't sound like Marks... in which case I'd check out what some of the bands you like are using to give you an indication of what sort of amps are capable of achieving the tone you're after.

Beyond that, take some of the gear snobbery in this forum with a grain of salt. I'm sure that when the Mark IIC+ first arrived there were dudes sitting around complaining that it didn't sound like a Mark I, just like there's still people complaining that the Mark IV doesn't sound like the Mark IIC+... and now there's people who make comments like the dude above me regarding the Mark V and any Recto made past 1999.

Long story short, find something that sounds good and buy it. Then, stay as far away from the internet as you can so that others don't convince you that you don't actually like what you think you do... :lol:

 

[stephen sawall]

My views on the V and 3 channel DR's are pretty universal. The mass majority of people that are familiar with these amps feel the same.

I never new anyone who felt the 3 channel DR's sound better than the 2 ch DR's and only a few that like the V better than (II-IV). Maybe your experience is different. It really is only a matter of taste and everyone has there own.

I feel the Mark III is about the best deal for the money of any high gain amp available, not everyone likes them.

I completely agree about what you said about using these amps at different volume ranges, a lot of amps do not sound very good at low volumes. The Mark amps can sound great at TV volumes.

It is very important to try these amps yourself ..... as they are very different and everyone's ears are different.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I own a 1992 Dual Rectifier and it's a different beast than what came after. I wouldn't say it's any better, just different. I'd happily take a Roadster or a new Roadking if I could afford one. The tone is still good, and the assortment of features is excellent in a gigging amplifier.

I had a Mark III (fully loaded red stripe w/Simul, GEQ and EVM). It was my least favourite Boogie by far. Still a good amp, just not my bag.

As for the Mark V... show me a Mark IIC+ with three channels and no shared EQ and I'll buy it...

 

[Roadifier]

Im in Tampa too, and there is one Mesa dealer called Express Music on seminole Blvd, and they have many mesa rectos and get mark amps in occasionally, and there is a triple recto in clearwater Guitar Center. but me and my dad have much luck buying mesa gear here in tampa I have gotten a TOV in clearwater for $1000

 

[iceiceburg]

Express Music on Seminole blvd - that's great and will save a trip to Orlando. I'll check em out this week. Thanks for the info!

 

[domct203]

Good luck with your tone quest. Make sure to play a variety of the Mesa offerings and deciede with your own ears. All of their high gain amps are excellent, each with their own flavor.

The Recto's are known for their big bottom, but can get mushy and buzzy when the gain and bass are cranked. They are a mid scooped amp and voiced in the low- mids so don't be afraid to turn them up. Also a boost out front will help with the lack of upper mids, and add sustain. The Roadster/Roadking has the best cleans of them all, and a good reverb.

The Mark V has plenty of gain for metal, more predominent mids, and a much tighter bass response. They are super responsive to pick attack/guitar volume, and don't need any front end boost for additional tightness and sustain. Very easy to dial in a creamy and cutting lead tone. The clean tones are excellent as well.

For more of a British flavor the Stiletto series are top notch. Comparable to a hot rodded Marshall on steriods. Although they are not as high gain as the Recto or Mark series, they are more than capable of awesome metal tones and cutting lead tones.

Try them all and let your ears and fingers deciede. They are all very transparent so use your own guitar to see how they respond with your pickups and guitar composition.

Good luck !

Dom

 

[Roadifier]

and a side note: express musics website is very bad and deceiving. there website doesnt list any mesas but the store has many mesas. (Rectos, Marks, Stilettos, and cabinets)

 

[iceiceburg]

Thanks a bunch to everyone. No doubt about Express Musics website - its horrible! I don't really care though - I'll stop by and finally get to hear these bad boys.
This Boogie board is awesome - I've not seen anywhere close to this much activiity from any other boards. Its a Mesa thing I guess - awesome!
Dom - very nice summary on the amps and much appreciated. thanks again all!