Finding a tone on my Dual Rectifier

[jch39]

I just got a used 3 Channel Dual Rectifier with a 4x12 Recto Cab. I have found cool distortion, but I'm seeking something a little less "crunchy." I am seeking a more metal solo tone and I'm not sure how I can achieve that. I guess I want more Coheed/Bayside/Silverstein/(Even Nickelback's tone haha) and NOT the older Skynyrd/Rolling Stones distortion. Anyone have any example settings? Do I need to add a compression or EQ pedal? Maybe other pedals? Change the tubes? Adjust the settings on the back of the amp? I have tried to adjust the settings all over the amp and haven't found what I'm looking for. I'm not that educated on amps, but I do know that my favorite guitarists who have my favorite tones are all using Mesa Boogies. What should I adjust or add to make my tone meet my liking? I am playing a Standard Epiphone Les Paul with stock pickups. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Chris McKinley]

jch39,

I understand if you want something a little more powerful than Skynyrd/Stones level of gain if you're playing metal, but with a Recto, it's such a high-gain amp that it's almost hard to get it to calm down enough to play those low-to-medium gain tones. Finding a higher-gain tone is child's play on a Recto.

However, finding a good lead tone isn't. It isn't an amp especially known for good lead tones. It needs to be augmented in terms of both mids in general and in harmonic density in the mids. It also generally lacks sustain for good lead playing without a bit of tweaking and/or augmenting with the well-placed pedal here and there.

A good overdrive will generally take care of your lead tone problem. An EQ in the loop is also very helpful. As to gain, simply adjust the knob. Anything higher than 10:00 to 11:00 on the gain knob and you're already past anything Skynyrd used.

 

[jdurso]

a good OD using channel 4 modern, recto tubes, 100 watts, presence almost all the way down, mids at 1, treble at 12, bass at 1, gain at 11. One the OD dial in a little treble, boost the volume/output and add a tiny bit of distortion to your liking. This is what I use for a relatively smooth, high gain lead... think Opeth, semi petrucci-ish especially on the neck pup.

For a little tamer high gain lead i use channel 3 raw with diodes, 100 watts, presence at 9, highs at 12:30, bass at 12:30, mids at 11:30 and gain at 11. Its a little more coheed than the lead on channel 4, but its the same settings on the OD.

Also many people focus on the amps abilities but dont forget about your guitar. For sweet metal leads your going to need a high output humbucker (but not an EMG). I find certain guitars way more lead/solo friendly than others especially for certain genre's of music.

 

[jdurso]

bte replace my channels 3 and 4 for your channels 2 and 3 respectively.

 

[crockett]

For sweet metal leads your going to need a high output humbucker (but not an EMG).

Not a fan of EMGs? Not sure why you would say that. I have no problem getting a great tone out of an Ibanez w/ EMGs into a Roadster using almost identical settings to the Liquid Solo in the manual. Using the neck pickup, like you said, helps get a really cool, soft, mid-rich sounding lead tone with tons of sustain. Reminds me a lot of Paul Waggoner's tone in Selkies. Speaking of which, he uses a tube screamer (I think a TS808) to help boost the mids a bit, too. I like to use a Tim pedal for a boost with the highs and mids rolled almost all the way off so that it creates a mid-hump like effect that the tube screamer does. Also, tone is in the hands, etc.

 

[Gibbyage]

The EMG bashing is cute. I dont use them, but my buddies in bands who do can crank out anything with them.

My friend who is all about solo-ing has his triple rec set up as so.
bass = 7ish
mids = 10
highs = 4ish
Presence = 4ish
gain = 4ish

And he uses Emg and his tone is really metal. Weird metal? By cutting highs?!

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

bass = 7ish
mids = 10
highs = 4ish
Presence = 4ish
gain = 4ish

Assuming these numbers are on a 10-scale, not o'clock, I'm going to guess this is at very low volume...that much bass and mid will quickly start to sound like **** at anything even approaching stage vol.

For leads, try ch3 modern, spongy, tube, Output at least 11:00, Bass 12:00, Mid 11:00, Treb 11:30, Pres 9:30, Gain no more than 2:00, and boost with an OD or EQ pedal.

Also try ch3 Vintage, same settings only without a boost. Different but also great.

IMO the whole secret to tone with a TR/DR is turn it up. 100+ watts is not bedroom amp material, and no ammount of boosting/attenuating/extreme EQing will change that.

 

[jdurso]

For sweet metal leads your going to need a high output humbucker (but not an EMG).

Not a fan of EMGs? Not sure why you would say that. I have no problem getting a great tone out of an Ibanez w/ EMGs into a Roadster using almost identical settings to the Liquid Solo in the manual. Using the neck pickup, like you said, helps get a really cool, soft, mid-rich sounding lead tone with tons of sustain. Reminds me a lot of Paul Waggoner's tone in Selkies. Speaking of which, he uses a tube screamer (I think a TS808) to help boost the mids a bit, too. I like to use a Tim pedal for a boost with the highs and mids rolled almost all the way off so that it creates a mid-hump like effect that the tube screamer does. Also, tone is in the hands, etc.

oh i am a fan of EMGs just not for leads. Never really got the lead tone i wanted from them but then again that could just be the guitar itself (esp ec1000). Now on the other hand i love EMGs for rhythms... perfect for that nice heavy chunk and palm muting. I just find high output passive pups have a better tone for leads.

 

[Chris McKinley]

I'm with NoGlassNoClass....those are some good settings. Perhaps the reason the guy with the EMG's can pull off an okay sound by cutting highs is that active pickups produce a flatter EQ response overall, which includes much more highs and presence than most guitar pickups. It's kinda like the difference between playing a guitar through a guitar cab or playing it through a hi-fi stereo PA cab. The flat response of the PA cab makes the guitar sound weird to most ears.

Active pickups are high output, but they tend to provide lots of output in all frequencies, whereas a high-output passive pickup will have a very defined and noticeable tone curve. Generally speaking, in terms of tone (especially for recording purposes), passive pickups produce what more players would call a better tone for the electric guitar. However, they tend to have lower overall output, so many players switched to actives as a solution. However, a superior solution (again, for recording purposes at least) can be found by running low-gain passive pickups, which have superior sustain and very pleasing tone characteristics, into a very clean and transparent signal booster before the preamp. That way, you get the best of both worlds.

 

[jdurso]

I'm with NoGlassNoClass....those are some good settings. Perhaps the reason the guy with the EMG's can pull off an okay sound by cutting highs is that active pickups produce a flatter EQ response overall, which includes much more highs and presence than most guitar pickups. It's kinda like the difference between playing a guitar through a guitar cab or playing it through a hi-fi stereo PA cab. The flat response of the PA cab makes the guitar sound weird to most ears.

Active pickups are high output, but they tend to provide lots of output in all frequencies, whereas a high-output passive pickup will have a very defined and noticeable tone curve. Generally speaking, in terms of tone (especially for recording purposes), passive pickups produce what more players would call a better tone for the electric guitar. However, they tend to have lower overall output, so many players switched to actives as a solution. However, a superior solution (again, for recording purposes at least) can be found by running low-gain passive pickups, which have superior sustain and very pleasing tone characteristics, into a very clean and transparent signal booster before the preamp. That way, you get the best of both worlds.

any suggestions on the signal booster aside from an OD? I always see that Mk 4.23 in Guitar World and wonder if its as good as a clean boost as its made out to be.