Express Series Notes

[TheRazMeister]

Guys, once again, for the 4th time on the F50 and now the 2nd time for the Express series, I walk away unimpressed. I tried, really I did. I've been looking for a Mesa to replace my Crate V32 as a light weight alternative to my Rectoverb for practise. The gain on those amps are NOTHING like the rectoverb gain, with or without contour, with or without burn....not even in the same league without major adjustment to sound (pedals). The Crate is still the closest small amp thing to the smooth luscious overdrive I get from the Rectoverb.
The cleans are very nice on both the F series and the express but natural overdrive is a major requirement for me. And to make sure I wasn't nuts, I bit my tongue and waited for the sales clerk to make the same comments.
BTW - the orange tiny terror, while not very flexible also gets great overdrive tones.

 

[recto-robbie]

I will say the first mesa amp I bought was the f50, nice but not for me.
I then preordered the 5:50 and just 3 weeks into the wait I wound up trying the ROV series 2 combo. Needless to say I brought home the ROV and canceled my 5:50 order.
When The 5:50's showed up in the stores I went to try them out anyways for curiosity sake. I also walked away unimpressed, but I loved the reverb.
Now I own the stiletto deuce head and wouldnt get rid of it for nothing at least for now. But I do miss my ROV from time to time. I think its one of those boogie amps that dont get the respect it deserves. If I had the cash I would have kept it for sure.

 

[Newysurfer]

So Raz - you really like your Rectoverb and your Crate - great - we're very pleased for you. And you think the F50 and Express are rubbish.

Was that the point of your post - just to bag other amps ?

 

[TheRazMeister]

There has been tons of debates on the merits of various Boogies. A common statement is "the F-50 can do Recto" and I've read similar comments regarding the Express. The point of my post was NOT to call those amps rubbish because they're fine amps. But more to clarify to the many that have asked about how the express stacks up to the Rectifiers in the gain department..they DON'T.

So Raz - you really like your Rectoverb and your Crate - great - we're very pleased for you. And you think the F50 and Express are rubbish.

Was that the point of your post - just to bag other amps ?

 

[Hobo]

Try the F-30.

 

[Newysurfer]

There has been tons of debates on the merits of various Boogies. A common statement is "the F-50 can do Recto" and I've read similar comments regarding the Express. The point of my post was NOT to call those amps rubbish because they're fine amps. But more to clarify to the many that have asked about how the express stacks up to the Rectifiers in the gain department..they DON'T.

So Raz - you really like your Rectoverb and your Crate - great - we're very pleased for you. And you think the F50 and Express are rubbish.

Was that the point of your post - just to bag other amps ?

Well I'm a regular on this forum and I've not seen a single post where someone has claimed the Express can do Recto, or even get close. That's clearly rediculous. All us Express owners have been saying the opposite. If you want metal tones direct from an amp - don't get the Express - so what. What a lot of metalheads totally forget is that over 90% of guitarists are not interested in specialising in Recto type tones, or even using them at all. Manufacturers are acutely aware of this also and that's why they make very few amps that are capable of doing it. It's even hard to find a good pedal that'll do it. The market for it is tiny.

Enjoy your RV

 

[TheRazMeister]

Hobo...the F-30 is actually my favorite small boogie and there does seem to be some voicing differences between it and its big brother. The problem I have is that they seem to have disappeared locally since being discontinued.

Try the F-30.

 

[Steve P]

Well I'm a regular on this forum and I've not seen a single post where someone has claimed the Express can do Recto, or even get close. That's clearly rediculous. All us Express owners have been saying the opposite

+1

My 5:25 is awesome for classic rock, cleans, blues & medium-high gain Marshally 80s metal tones, but NOT for numetal.

I think Mesa is partly responsible for this misconception, because in their advertising they claim that these amps can hit "recto territory" -- they can't! I think disappointed people seeking mini-rectos spend a lot of energy slagging a wonderful little series of amplifiers that were simply not designed for numetal.

TS, hope you can find another alternative practice amp for your RV ...

 

[TheRazMeister]

Thanks Steve...the search continues. The odd thing is that I'm not really a metal guy, my style is more like Neal Schon/Gary Moore. I'm just looking for that beefy saturated yet articulate sound that you hear from guys like Satriani. The Rectoverb gets a bad rap as a metal amp but it really is more than that. If I can find one cheap, I'll probably get an F30...or I may give the 5:25 a shot, I'm sorta partial to those EL84's.

Well I'm a regular on this forum and I've not seen a single post where someone has claimed the Express can do Recto, or even get close. That's clearly rediculous. All us Express owners have been saying the opposite

+1

My 5:25 is awesome for classic rock, cleans, blues & medium-high gain Marshally 80s metal tones, but NOT for numetal.

I think Mesa is partly responsible for this misconception, because in their advertising they claim that these amps can hit "recto territory" -- they can't! I think disappointed people seeking mini-rectos spend a lot of energy slagging a wonderful little series of amplifiers that were simply not designed for numetal.

TS, hope you can find another alternative practice amp for your RV ...

 

[Hobo]

Hobo...the F-30 is actually my favorite small boogie and there does seem to be some voicing differences between it and its big brother. The problem I have is that they seem to have disappeared locally since being discontinued. quote]

My F-30 is my first Boogie. I've always played Marshalls and I've had my current JCM 800 combo for about 12 years.

I bought my F-30 with the intention of reselling it for a little profit but after playing it I am definately going to keep it.

Fantastic amp. Small & portable but loud as a heck and sounds very "big"

 

[clutch71]

...Well I'm a regular on this forum and I've not seen a single post where someone has claimed the Express can do Recto, or even get close....

Enjoy your RV

Actually it's not the posters on this board that say that but Mesa.

"Higher Contour settings, especially in Crunch and Burn, take you into Recto™ turf, tight, huge and menacing."

I tried the 5:50 and it was a great amp but do not agree with the statement above.

I don't think Raz was trying to start an argument just making an observation.

 

[JAZZGEAR]

There has been tons of debates on the merits of various Boogies. A common statement is "the F-50 can do Recto" and I've read similar comments regarding the Express. The point of my post was NOT to call those amps rubbish because they're fine amps. But more to clarify to the many that have asked about how the express stacks up to the Rectifiers in the gain department..they DON'T.

So Raz - you really like your Rectoverb and your Crate - great - we're very pleased for you. And you think the F50 and Express are rubbish.

Was that the point of your post - just to bag other amps ?

I can't imagine needing more gain then is already on tap on the Express/F50......If you think you need more, then it' time to look at other things in your signal path, or the .....Gulp:shock:....music you're playing. :shock:

Anyway..doesn't it seem ludicrous, from a business standpoint, to make an amp that costs hundreds less, yet can replace one of their flagship amps? :roll:

 

[JAZZGEAR]

think Mesa is partly responsible for this misconception, because in their advertising they claim that these amps can hit "recto territory"

I disagree....I think for once their advertising is spot on...."hitting Recto territory" is not the same as becoming it or duplicating it exactly.....

I found the 5:50 I had to be more akin to the Mark Series than RECTOs -- though the crunch is better on the 5:50. Only reason for returning it is that it seem to overly duplicate what I already had.....and wanted a small light portable practice amp .....the 5:25 is perfect for that.

I certainly was not expecting a full blown Dual REC out of my Express -- IMHO it does what it claims and then some.

 

[TheRazMeister]

Jazz.....it's not the amount of gain but the tone and saturation. The Rectoverb has a much more fluid, natural sound and notes seem to fly off the fretboard. My focus is more on leads and riffs rather than chords so maybe my perspective is different.

I can't imagine needing more gain then is already on tap on the Express/F50......If you think you need more, then it' time to look at other things in your signal path, or the .....Gulp:shock:....music you're playing. :shock:

Anyway..doesn't it seem ludicrous, from a business standpoint, to make an amp that costs hundreds less, yet can replace one of their flagship amps? :roll:

 

[recto-robbie]

Ive been watching this thread on and off now since it was started and I think I agree a bit with the OP. First off my intention is not to belittle the 5:50 or any amp because if its a boogie,, it is good. If I had the extra cash I would also own one.
But on the other hand I think the original OP's gripe was the statement by mesa of the 5:50 reaching recto territory is a bit missleading.
Yes jazzgear this doesnt mean it has to duplicate it or become it which it certainly doesnt,, but for people new to mesa and even past mesa owners,,, when they hear recto territory obviously they automatically think rectifier or heavy gain.
At the time I heard of this 5:50 I owned the f50 which was an awsome amp but was second guessing the amount of gain offered, I wanted more.
So after reading the 5:50's description I thought for sure the 5:50 would be very similar but with better reverb and higher gain,, getting into that rectifier territory.
I would assume most of you would agree that the 5:50 comes nowhere close to the amount of gain offered on the ROV or dual rec for example.
This doesnt make the 5:50 bad at all,, just possibly a little misleading in its descrition for some..
Honestly the gain offered on the 5:50 will only get you about half way up the raw mode on the ROV which leaves you the rest of raw, vintage and then finally the heaviest of all, modern. Which isnt even in the same ballpark. Again this isnt bad,,, they didnt make the 5:50 to compete with the recto line, and this post seems like it deserves to go nowhere because everybody has their own opinion and stating something other than the highest regards about a certain amp will always bring in the defenders.

 

[Newysurfer]

I agree with Recto-Robbie.
One other observation -
Who care's what Mesa say in their marketing spin. Anybody who expects any manufacturer to be totally honest in their marketing spin is in fantasy land. I think Mesa's claims on any subject are irrelevant and I pay zero attention to them. Before I bought the Express I didn't read a word of their spin, still haven't. Test the amp out and make your own judgement. If you like it - good. If you don't - don't buy it. You like apples and I like oranges - what else is new. But if someone else has apples, and they like those apples, then I do think it's very mean spirited to be telling people they really should be unhappy with those apples

 

[dodger916]

Jazz.....it's not the amount of gain but the tone and saturation. The Rectoverb has a much more fluid, natural sound and notes seem to fly off the fretboard.

My experience exactly. I tested both amps, and wound up with the ROV...and I rarely venture beyond Vintage gain. The ROV gain seemed more "musical" and useable to my ears.

Frankly, I was a little disappointed with the 5:50, owing mostly to my hyped-up expectations than with the quality of the amp. It's a fine instrument, just not right for my ears. I had no expectations about the ROV and was pleasantly surprised when I played it. It's funny how our pre-conceived notions can affect our judgments and opinions.

 

[TheRazMeister]

Newy....I'm not sure I ever stated that owners of the F series or Express should be unhappy...If anything I think I mentioned how nice the cleans are. Recto-Robbie got the whole point of my post. I've been searching for a lightweight alternative to my ROV combo (for practise) and based on reviews and Mesa's literature, one would think the EX's and F's would fit the bill...they do not....just as a Fender does not and a small Marshall combo does not. They are all great amps for their applictions.
BTW - I tried the Orange Tiny Terror again and if it wasn't so limited it would definitelty do the trick (no loop, 1 tone knob)

I agree with Recto-Robbie.
One other observation -
Who care's what Mesa say in their marketing spin. Anybody who expects any manufacturer to be totally honest in their marketing spin is in fantasy land. I think Mesa's claims on any subject are irrelevant and I pay zero attention to them. Before I bought the Express I didn't read a word of their spin, still haven't. Test the amp out and make your own judgement. If you like it - good. If you don't - don't buy it. You like apples and I like oranges - what else is new. But if someone else has apples, and they like those apples, then I do think it's very mean spirited to be telling people they really should be unhappy with those apples

 

[JAZZGEAR]

Newy....I'm not sure I ever stated that owners of the F series or Express should be unhappy...If anything I think I mentioned how nice the cleans are. Recto-Robbie got the whole point of my post. I've been searching for a lightweight alternative to my ROV combo (for practise) and based on reviews and Mesa's literature, one would think the EX's and F's would fit the bill...they do not....just as a Fender does not and a small Marshall combo does not. They are all great amps for their applictions.
BTW - I tried the Orange Tiny Terror again and if it wasn't so limited it would definitelty do the trick (no loop, 1 tone knob)

I agree with Recto-Robbie.
One other observation -
Who care's what Mesa say in their marketing spin. Anybody who expects any manufacturer to be totally honest in their marketing spin is in fantasy land. I think Mesa's claims on any subject are irrelevant and I pay zero attention to them. Before I bought the Express I didn't read a word of their spin, still haven't. Test the amp out and make your own judgement. If you like it - good. If you don't - don't buy it. You like apples and I like oranges - what else is new. But if someone else has apples, and they like those apples, then I do think it's very mean spirited to be telling people they really should be unhappy with those apples

If Mesa intended for the Express to replace the Rectos...then it would have cost alot more, and it would have replaced those other models.

You have to know that going in -- to think otherwise is foolish. Keep in mind, it is their entry level series of amps. So don't expect their flagship tones out of entry level prices.

To me, when I hear the amp can get into Recto Territoy is the same as when I hear the Lonestar can sound like the Fender cleans....

Is it the exact Fender cleans? No, does it resemble it, yes.

In any case, if its Recto tones you're after, then a Recto should be the amp purchased.

If you want a hybrid, that touches a little of everything, then you get something like the Express Series.

 

[Beserkr]

Wow, you guys sure have strong opions about your Mesa's. I'm new here, and thought I'd check out the forum since I just picked up a Express 5:50 and wanted to see what you users are saying about them. I have had F30, F50, and 2 different Lone Stars about a year ago but couldn't get any love out of them, I felt that I liked Boogies but they didn't like me, I could not get the tone out of them I wanted. I've been trying to play for 3 years and like Texas Blues, I think the 5:50 is going to do me right (I hope), as you can see by my sig I like Marshall also but I'm hoping as of today my 5:50 will be my main amp. Well guys I just wanted to say "Hello" and "Can't we all get along"