Dual Rec Question for tone

[cooterhan1570]

I picked up my Dual Rec quite a while ago but only recently began to work on its tone library and functions. Now il tell you all up front that im a big Dream theater/ Liquid Tension fan so thats a similar sound i was looking to get with this amp. Im runing the Head into a 4 by 12 mesa cabinet w/ vintage 30s and the rythm sounds great. But ive been messing around with this amp for months now and cant seem to get that smooth and melodic friendly lead tone with alot of punch and scoop for fast passages that ive heard from other rectifiers.

So, my question is what does it take to get this kind of tone and response from a dual rec? Certain pedals or efx? Im just trying to learn how to properly use a high end amp like this and it gets very frustrating!!

Thank you for looking. Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[primal]

I think you can get a real good lead tone from a dual reck.

HOWEVER, if I am not mistaken, Petrucci actually only used a daul rec (RoadKing I think) for a little while, then went back to the Mark IV because he felt the lead tone on the Mark was better. This is what I have read atleast.

For me, turn the gain down. My gain nob never goes past 1:00, and more times then not sits at 12:00.

But I don't think you will be able to get the MMark VI lead tone out of the Recto

 

[tonezilla]

I believe Primal is correct. Did you go to the Mesa website and watch the video with Petrucci? If not, check it out. He takes you through his rig and what amps he uses for particular songs. Very in depth. Good Luck

 

[fishyfishfish]

I set my gain on the vintage channel at 1:00, and use a BB Preamp for a solo boost. It adds some more low mid's to the sound and a bit more crunch making it stand out more than using the mid control on the amp. I did go through a lot of screamers/boosters to find the right one, so good luck in that area.
You can experiment with using EL34 tubes in the power section as well (which I did for about a year) and that will give you some more upper mid's to cut through for solo's.

 

[MesallicA]

At a john petrucci clinic i went too he used 2 stock rectos with no effects other ten reverb i think. It sounded amazing, very DT lead sound. I could never make my DR sound like that, but i never used mesa cabs tho.

 

[JT_Marshmallow]

One thing that you need to consider is that many many amps that you see behind your favorite players have been modified. I bought a 3 channel Dual Rectifier after I saw Buckethead live a few times and was amazed at all the warm lead, blues, and funk sounds he got out of it. After months of frustration with trying to find these sounds, I finally read somewhere that he gets his heads modified. Makes sense, because the tone I heard at those shows had no fizz like the 3 channel models usually do.

Here's Petrucci playing Damage Control at G3 2005. He got some great lead tone out of those Road Kings behind him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8pUqln36po

 

[Riff Blister]

DMTransmutation you are right on about the Buckethead tone.
I saw him last Thursday night. I do not own a Recto and my circle of musician friends are always ripping on them for sounding fizzy. I made a point that night to really listen. No fizz there.
Modded or not they sounded fantastic!

 

[shredding]

You will probably have better chance of getting a smooth lead tone with a 2 channel recto than a 3 channel. I had a 3 chan Recto and I hated the fizzy tone and i traded it for a mark IV. My search for tone ends right there. Mark IV's just insane for lead works. Then I saw a great deal on a 2 chan recto and I jumped on it. It sounds a lot different from a 3 chan (a lot smoother) but still no where near Mark IV smooth.

I think you can use a good OD pedal in the front to get a better lead tone with your recto.

 

[Kaz]

O
C
D.

End of story. 8)

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

Vintage mode
mids 11 oclock
Presence very low or virtually off
Gain 12 oclock
Master 10 oclock
Output 12 oclock

Works for me, treble and bass to taste depending on the guitar

 

[Dead Moon Rising]

Vintage mode
mids 11 oclock
Presence very low or virtually off
Gain 12 oclock
Master 10 oclock
Output 12 oclock

Works for me, treble and bass to taste depending on the guitar

I agree on the vintage mode. modern sounds too harsh to my ears

 

[cooterhan1570]

Well i made a new purchase. I got the VooDoo lab Sparkle Drive OD pedal and it made my 3 channel Dual Rec sound i dentical to that Road King in the Damage Control clip you posted. it gave the amp more pick attack and overall warmer gain w/o messing with the natural tone of the amp. It has way more balls now... Il get a video up here soon and post all the settings for others to use if they are searching for this sort of tone.

I think im gona grab a Mark iv also though and see how that works out.

Kyle