Bye Bye Single Rectifier..HELLO Mark III !!!!

[Neptical]

Hi All,

I'm posting here because I'm about to make a deal with someone locally. I've had a Mesa Boogie Single SOLO 50 Rectifier head for about 10 years now. Personally, I've never felt I've been able to achieve the tone I've wanted out of it for about as long as I've owned it. It just seems extremely sterile to me--almost too sharp, and just that nasally tone. I've tried everything from all different guitars ( Gibsons, PRS, Fenders, Gretsch, etc. ) through it with a Marshall JCM800 1960 cab. Never anything pleasing to my ears.

I've always been a fan of that sweet sustaining Mesa tone. I use to have a Studio 22 which I thought sounded pretty good for that lead sound--but for rhythm, it wasn't my cup of tea which lead me to sell it. I had a friend at that time with a Mark IV combo--beautiful lead tones as well but I much prefer the sound of 4x12.

Now, because I've been thinking so much lately that I miss that sweet sustaining guitar tone and still want something really beefy sounding, I've contacted a local seller to meet up with me who has a Mesa Boogie Mark III "purple stripe" loaded with GEQ,Simul, Reverb with all original footswitches...and custom cream tolex ( which would look great matching with my cream PRS! ). The head is in excellent condition. I'm planning on giving him a few hundred bucks along with my Single Rec as well. I can't wait to get that tone back that I miss from alot of players I use to listen to--Rocky George being one of my old personal favs.

Maybe I need some reassurance that I'm making the right move--but it would be cool to hear what all of you think. I think I'm on the right track though! :wink:

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Best,
Nep

 

[bartchamdoh]

I,ve got a purple stripe super sixty short head that i take down to the local rehearsal studio which has mainly Mesa Recto and Marshall head and cabs for practice and i much prefer the tone of my amp(well i would say that anyway lol)my head is a bit picky about extension cabs and doesn,t really like 16 ohm extension cabs(loses top end/volume) so i ,ve got an old Engl vertical 2x12 cab which is wired in stereo for 8 ohms and loaded with mesa speakers(black shadow and an ev) and i get a killer tone!

 

[tony777]

Quote from MKIII manual:
Most Marshall 4x12 cabinets are 16 ohms. By wiring all four speakers in parallel, you
can reduce the cabinet impedance to 4 ohms (assuming the speakers are 16 ohms each).

And I agree to your choice. I would take any mark amp over a recto anyday.

good luck

 

[steve_k]

Excellent move. The Mark III moves enough air through a 4x12 cab to blow your hair back. Expect to say, "Oh ****"!

Steve

 

[fishyfishfish]

I did the same thing with my Dual. Got a Mark III and couldn't be happier. You chose wisely young Jedi.

 

[Neptical]

Hey All again.. :wink:

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words. I'm actually pretty excited to snag up that Mark III and get the ball going. It's gonna be great to get that inspiration back that I use to have for Boogie years ago--although owning the Single Rec for 10 years now, it just hasn't made me happy. It shouldn't take me 10 years to find a great tone in an amp..definitely not. I remember plugging into a III moons ago and being quite happy with it on the spot. I just never had the cash to get one myself. The Single Rec was a *gift* from my father. I'm feeling a little bad about getting rid of it--but onto newer and better things as the saying goes. And it would get used WAY more then the Single Rec ever did. This amp is something I would never think twice about bringing out on tour with me either.

So, anyways--with that being said...again,thanks all for the advice. I'll be looking to post some vids and whatnot of the amp through my cab.

Best,
~Nep~

 

[CoG]

I'd suggest that you're overpaying a little if you're kicking in cash as well on top of a single rec, unless his is absolutely flawless and/or recently tuned up at Mesa and yours is beat and has stickers all over it or something.

 

[Fronzil]

I'd suggest that you're overpaying a little if you're kicking in cash as well on top of a single rec, unless his is absolutely flawless and/or recently tuned up at Mesa and yours is beat and has stickers all over it or something.

id second that...brand new single recto is about $1800 Canadian before taxes in...thats around what, $1650 USD? that MKIII should be mint, or ur recto beat up a bit....but either way money aside, i'd take the mark III over the single anyday.

 

[CoG]

yeah, the single does that one thing really really well though.

I think the going rate for a used single is around $850-$1000 (US) and a loaded III in good shape would be $850 max unless you'd just had the filter caps done or something. Cream tolex is nice but not worth an extra two hundred bucks or whatever unless you really really want cream tolex.

I'd offer the guy a straight-up trade at best.

 

[Neptical]

Thanks guys. Im thinking since I dont have a footswitch with my head anymore that I can make up for it and maybe give him an extra $100? Yeah--my head is in excellent condition. Ive kept it nice and clean since Ive had it. Its *not* the recto-verb version...its the solo 50 version. Im suppose to meet up with him tomorrow ( friday ) so itd be cool to hear from yall again before then. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :wink:

Best,
~Nep~

 

[Neptical]

So--I've been looking around at pricing for the SOLO 50 head, specifically used ones at local shops and online..the going price is no more then about $850 and thats with footswitch which I don't have. So with that being said, I still may have to work a little bit of money into my end of the deal on the Mark III. That III is in excellent condition too BTW. It's mine for sure...and if someday I ever decide to flip it for something else, it'll be a hell of alot easier then getting rid of this SOLO 50.

Best,
~Nep~

 

[kmanick]

I went from a Rectoverb to a red Stripe Mark III.
Now I have a Mark IV.
couldn't be happier.
I love rectos too but for me a Mark is my go to amp.

 

[straitouttahell]

I went from a Rectoverb to a red Stripe Mark III.
Now I have a Mark IV.

Out of curiosity, what differences did you find between these two?

 

[Anonymous]

Post removed.

 

[Neptical]

So I'll have my Mark III in 2 weeks. I let go of my Single with no regrets..and this was almost 2 weeks ago already.

Right now I'm looking into getting a nice case for it--possibly a head/rack combo case. Totally stoked yo!

Best,
~Nep~

 

[GnawingOnRaw]

Make a video already, **** it!!!!!!!!

 

[Neptical]

Gnaw--there you are--I knew you'd pop up sometime. :lol:
I'll make a video of it but I'm not doing it with my camera or cell phone. That's not gonna do it justice at all.

All the Best,
~Nep~

 

[GnawingOnRaw]

Gnaw--there you are--I knew you'd pop up sometime. :lol:
I'll make a video of it but I'm not doing it with my camera or cell phone. That's not gonna do it justice at all.

All the Best,
~Nep~

Sht yeah man. I'm excited. I might as well buy one.
But wait I thought you were getting at Mark 4 .... and you just got a Mark 3 ?
Have you played em both ? What do you think man? Which one's more real?

 

[Neptical]

Gnaw man--Sup!? :mrgreen:

Yeah, I was originally thinking about the purchase of a Mark IV, but I couldn't get out of my head how much I really loved the sound of a friends Mark III from some years back. I've played on many Mark IV heads-- but I'm another one of those dudes who is down with the Mark III over the IV. I just think it sounds more chunky and raw to me and overall better sounding to my ears. The IV is still a great amp and I'll probably still own one when I get the chance. I had one sitting in front of me that I could of bought--but even with the III's shared EQ ( which isn't a bother to me ), I still prefer it. I plan on getting another III, a IV and a DC head all within the next year. I want to mix and match and see how it all sounds.

All the Best,
~Nep~

 

[GnawingOnRaw]

Gnaw man--Sup!? :mrgreen:

Yeah, I was originally thinking about the purchase of a Mark IV, but I couldn't get out of my head how much I really loved the sound of a friends Mark III from some years back. I've played on many Mark IV heads-- but I'm another one of those dudes who is down with the Mark III over the IV. I just think it sounds more chunky and raw to me and overall better sounding to my ears. The IV is still a great amp and I'll probably still own one when I get the chance. I had one sitting in front of me that I could of bought--but even with the III's shared EQ ( which isn't a bother to me ), I still prefer it. I plan on getting another III, a IV and a DC head all within the next year. I want to mix and match and see how it all sounds.

All the Best,
~Nep~

Hmm, interesting.
Remember when we talked about Patty; I saw this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSQedB8y3dc
It's funny he plays a dual rectifier. I can't believe it. There has to be a lotta effects and pedals to make that less plastic sound for him lol.