Amplifier Versatility Question

[newfinator]

Perhaps this is an odd post but it seems to me that lots of amps claim to be versatile, and obviously some are more so than others but, it’s been my experience that most really just deliver different flavors of the same theme. They have one basic tone that can be thickened up, scooped out etcetera but you can usually tell that it’s the same amp just a bit tweaked.

Perhaps my experience is simply too limited. Do you know of any amps that really come through with true diversity of tones? Also how would you rate the Road King and Mark IV in that regard?

 

[sleepingtiger]

The RK II is TRULY versatile. I find it to be much more so with EL84's W/Yellowjackets in place of the stock EL34's, but that's more personal taste. Pristine cleans to Recto whallop. It really does what it says it will. Go try one...

Tony

 

[newfinator]

With a Road King II can you dial out that fuzzy buzzines that you sometimes get with normal rectos when in medium to high gain settings?

 

[Jay22]

I have a road king I, which Im told has the same distortion channels as the road king II. I find that honestly this amps distortion is even more aggressive
than the normal triple rectifier I had. I can dial in and out pretty much any frequency and I dont even know what im doing as far as mesa amps are concerned. Mesas are very new to me and I find that although sensitive, and I do mean VERY sensitive to the littlest tonal configuration, with some time and patience you can get pretty much anything you want. It does sound distinctively different from say, a marshall or really any other amp you can find. Its not a modeling amp for sure, it has the signature mesa tone. However, you can transform this tone into something suitable for any application. You have your bluesy sounds, tweed and brit gains, and of course you have several different ways to approach your tone on each of the four channels via different power tube sections, tube or diode rectification, and so on and so forth.

The thing is a beast. In my opinion its one of the best amps available. It actually has too much stuff, I could never put all of it to good use.

 

[thejay]

I have a Roadster which is the Road King's little brother and it has tons of tones - can use for any style.

 

[MusicManJP6]

+1 for the Roadster's versatility. Too bad it's more amp than I will EVER need...

 

[Kazak]

I have a Road King S1 combo, and a Mark IVa + EV Thiele, and I really believe the Road King is the ultimate amp.

What I find amazing about this amp, it is that I can dial in a new sound and it just inspires me to play, every time. It's like this amp is my musical partner, I just turn it on and get all fired up. Clean, crunchy or balls to the wall, it works every time.

I do believe this amp has accelerated in my ability to learn, and actually improved my playing considerably, as I practice harder and longer since I got it. Don't get me wrong, the Mark IV is also an amazing amp, with a sound all its own, but if you want the most amazing variety of sounds from just one amp, the RK is it IMHO.

I am seriously considering getting an RK S2 head and 2x12 cab for the portability factor as the combo feels like its bolted to the floor every time I go to move it.

 

[newfinator]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times but can the Road King produce a nice smooth lead tone? The general sense I get is that the Mark IV is Mesa's premiere amp for lead tones but I'd like to know if the RK has it's own flavor of a nice singing tone or if it more relegated to rhythm?

 

[Kazak]

The Mark IV has that wonderful creamy lead tone ala John Petrucci, but the RK can give you many lead sounds. The RK has way more top available if you want it, but you can just as easily back it off, to get a more creamy sound. Not exactly like a Mark IV but an absolute joy to play nontheless.

I am using a Digitech GSP 1101 in loop 1 for just a touch of delay and reverb and I can highly recommend the combination. Huge sound, especially for recording with a Grendel Dead Room.

 

[newfinator]

I had one heck of a time deciding between the Mark IV and Road King II. I'm not concerned about the difference in cost. I just want what's better for me. I play a lot of different types of music, thus the thread.

I do, however, spend a lot of time playing music that lends itself to smooth leads with agressive rythms. So, I ordered a Mark IV but, with it potentially being discontinued, I am second guessing my choice, even though I know that makes little sense. I think if I had the opportunity to spend some real time with a Road King I'd better be able to answer that but there are no dealers with them in stock near by.

I think with the Road King I'm afraid of it sounding too close to my 5150 which I'm trying to get away from but on paper it just seems so impressive and flexible. I want a bigger sound and richer solo tones and not the thinness I have been getting from the 5150. I have a Legacy as well which suits me much better but it's a bit too mushy at times and not quite agressive enough.

Other than Petrucci who else uses/used a Road King for intense soloing and involved rythms?

 

[155]

pretty sure it wont sound anything like the 5150!

 

[newfinator]

pretty sure it wont sound anything like the 5150!

Ya, I guess that makes sense but I always considered rectos and 5150s covering similar ground, though perhaps a little differently.

 

[Jay22]

I dont know, I would have to disagree here. I mean, yes. The rectos and roadster/roadking alike can offer up heaps of aggressive distortion, much like an original blockhead modded 5150. The road king actually can go beyond the 5150's distortion cap.

However, the road king can mold into whatever you want it to. My favorite thing to do is roll back the guitar volume and I get instant blues cream. I can also set a channel to do that without rolling off the volume. With all of the different power stage combinations you have at your disposal by flicking a switch you can go from ~40 watts to 135 watts and in between. I can go super clean, rich and thick, creamy, "boxy" as I call it, (somewhat like deftones second record, around the fur, which is marshall territory)
to just insane metal. I can jam out some jimmy hendrix and led zepplin, with one fkn amp! Its nuts! I just love goofing around and band practice and Ill flip on the 2 EL34s at approx. 50 watts of power and crank it for some old school blues stuff. I love this amp. Get one and you will too.

 

[Core9]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times but can the Road King produce a nice smooth lead tone? The general sense I get is that the Mark IV is Mesa's premiere amp for lead tones but I'd like to know if the RK has it's own flavor of a nice singing tone or if it more relegated to rhythm?

Set channel 3 to Vintage, engage the Rectifiers on a pair of 6L6's and EL34's, bold or spongy, then dial in to taste. Sounds really good. You would be really happy with it.

Use channel 4 for your your high gain rhythm tones.

 

[jdurso]

Perhaps this is an odd post but it seems to me that lots of amps claim to be versatile, and obviously some are more so than others but, it’s been my experience that most really just deliver different flavors of the same theme. They have one basic tone that can be thickened up, scooped out etcetera but you can usually tell that it’s the same amp just a bit tweaked.

Perhaps my experience is simply too limited. Do you know of any amps that really come through with true diversity of tones? Also how would you rate the Road King and Mark IV in that regard?

i would say within mesa the RK/Roadster, and outside of mesa the ENGL SE....

the engl se i would venture to say is the MOST versitile because you have 12 different tonal variations which can all be used via the midi switching system... what i mean by that is you can setup a patch with channel 1 mode 1 and then another with channel 1 mode 2, etc.... where with the mesa's you have 12 tonal variations but you can't switch between them on the same channel...... the only thing the engl lacks is saving your eq settings.....

now for true versatility look at some of the better preamps like the triaxis, engl 830, and vht valvulator preamp.... all 3 let you save different channels, mods, and eqs so you can get the most versatility inside of one amp