dual rec 2 channel issues

[goddoesspeed]

First off I love this amp. It's a fawkin animal.

First problem. Channel select foot switch does not work. The lead LED will turn on but not switch channels. I have tried my friends and same result. I can use my marshall footswitch and it will change channels. The mesa footswitch will change the channels on my marshall. I have called mesa and they have no solutions. Any ideas?

Second. When I am playing some fast punk/thrash open chords and D tuning there is no clarity. I have tried to adjust every possible setting and my problem is that I need my gain at 3oclock to get the crunch I want but it really annihilates the clarity. Do you think a maxon od808 will help? Just seems to have a ton of blurred bottom end which on one hand I love but on the other it seems to overpower the mids and highs.

I know I am lacking a lot of info tubes (pretty new 6l6's not sure what kind and pretty new pre amp tubes), other settings, etc. I am at work sorry. Any advise would be helpful.

I play a PRS SE custom and a Reverend charger HB

cab is a 1990's marshall 1960A

Beers,
Matt

 

[Elpelotero]

switch out the pickups in the PRS SE and it will solve your problems. My friend has an SE and a Mark4 and that's what we did to it.

 

[goddoesspeed]

What pick ups did he use?

 

[YellowJacket]

switch out the pickups in the PRS SE and it will solve your problems. My friend has an SE and a Mark4 and that's what we did to it.

+10

Also, turning the gain up to 3 o'clock is pretty extreme. I've found that even with a Seymour Duncan custom custom, I don't need the gain above about 1 o'clock for vintage gain setting and about 12 noon for modern gain. What are your settings? You'll find that turning the bass down and running the mids up a bit can really give extra punch.

 

[mikey383]

Also, turning the gain up to 3 o'clock is pretty extreme. I've found that even with a Seymour Duncan custom custom, I don't need the gain above about 1 o'clock for vintage gain setting and about 12 noon for modern gain. What are your settings? You'll find that turning the bass down and running the mids up a bit can really give extra punch.

That's what happens with a lot of users who come from solid state amps. The solid state distortion is more buzzy, so they turn up the gain on Mesas to compensate.

Also, turning the treble up adds more gain.

 

[YellowJacket]

Also, turning the gain up to 3 o'clock is pretty extreme. I've found that even with a Seymour Duncan custom custom, I don't need the gain above about 1 o'clock for vintage gain setting and about 12 noon for modern gain. What are your settings? You'll find that turning the bass down and running the mids up a bit can really give extra punch.

That's what happens with a lot of users who come from solid state amps. The solid state distortion is more buzzy, so they turn up the gain on Mesas to compensate.

Also, turning the treble up adds more gain.

That was exactly what I was thinking but I didn't want to jump to any conclusions. (maybe he was a Peavey 5150 or a 6505 owner?)

The gain quality of solid state amps is so different. You have this brittle distortion that is extremely compressed with nearly infinite sustain. It sounds so thin that you have to dime it to get some semblance of a decent tone and even then, it still sounds thin. Such a ratty and papery tone.

As we both know, the trick with a tube amp is to EQ it properly and back off the gain. With the dual, when you leave the bass even at 12 o'clock and turn the gain up to 3, the low end automatically becomes mooshy and flubby. I found that with a standard rectocab, I had to run the bass back at 9 o clock with the mids and treble around twelve to get a balanced tone. (after all, bass is for bass guitars. Have to leave room in the mix for them) I find that the amp responds to the player. My dual sounds cheap in the hands of my students. The tone is thin and unfocused but when I play, it sounds entirely different. When one digs in with the pick, the sound will thicken up nicely. Heaviness comes from how you play :twisted:

Insomuch as treble adds gain, the mids are also important. Scooped mids cause the amp to track more slowly and feel 'mooshy'. If you turn the mids up, the tone becomes more urgent and aggressive. With a Standard Rectocab, the tone tends to be inherently scooped to begin with.

I think the other problem here is the Marshall 1960a 4 x 12. This cab has G12T - 75s in it. These speakers are looser than v30s and have a lot of speaker breakup. When you push the volume, they sound pretty thick in their own right. They also have a scooped sound, yet another reason to pump the mids, back off the gain, and really let the amp do its thing.

If you want a much more metal tone, follow Elpelotero's advice and swap in some proper high output pickups. Super hot pickups will give that high end bite. I'm sure the guys here have some suggestions for which pickups are the most suitable.

 

[goddoesspeed]

I moved from a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100 (100w) to the rectifier. I have an 80's Marshall lead 100 mosfet solid state but otherwise I have zero SS experience and the Marshall is ok but basically worthless.

I am going to mess around with all my settings tonight again and I have found some good info on the board that I am going to try.

ISP Decimator in the loop

Maxon OD808 Overdrive

Next tubes JJ el34’s or Tung-Sol EL34b's

and if anyone can suggest from experience some good pick ups for the PRS se I have that would be something I would try. Or any other suggestions would and have been appreciated.

Thanks
Matt

 

[Elpelotero]

Dimarzios, Seymour Duncan, PRS HFS, EMG. Give an example of a band whose tone you'd like to get out of the amp.

 

[YellowJacket]

I moved from a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100 (100w) to the rectifier. I have an 80's Marshall lead 100 mosfet solid state but otherwise I have zero SS experience and the Marshall is ok but basically worthless.

I am going to mess around with all my settings tonight again and I have found some good info on the board that I am going to try.

ISP Decimator in the loop

Maxon OD808 Overdrive

Next tubes JJ el34’s or Tung-Sol EL34b's

and if anyone can suggest from experience some good pick ups for the PRS se I have that would be something I would try. Or any other suggestions would and have been appreciated.

Thanks
Matt

Ok, you're complaining about the tone on a Dual Recto and in addition, you are complaining that another professional grade amplifier is 'Basically Useless'? I ran my Gibson LP with a JCM2000 head through my Rectocab this summer and it hauled when I eq'd things right. I mean when it comes to gear, you can tell when something isn't 'your sound', but you should be able to get a great sound out of any well built tube head.

I think Elpelotero is right, definitely DEFINITELY swap those pickups before you do anything else. Also, do yourself a favour and try a few different 4 x 12s. You will find that speakers have a massive influence on tone.

 

[goddoesspeed]

I am not complaining just seeing what others are using or combining with the rectifier. I have nothing bad to say about the JCM 2000. I sold it to fund the rectifier purchase. I was referring to the non tube solid state Marshall lead 100 mosfet that I own. In my opinion it is worthless when comparing it to a rectifier or any other tube amp for that matter.

Thanks for all the suggestions and information.

Beers,
Matt