Got the Dual Rec Parallel to Series Loop Mod.

[Ukalali Solo]

Ok, so I got a call from the amp shop today and my Dual Rec's FX Loop mod from Parallel to Series is completed...I am going to pick it up tomorrow and will have a FULL Review on this mod, including showing the schematics that were used, and how the mod changed my troubles with things in the loop...

...until then, i have a pretty big rant:
I'm not sure how many of you are in the South Florida Area, but theres an Amp Shop in West Palm (called the Amp Shop). Anyways I got my mod done there, i'm not sure how much it came to total yet (they estimated 2hrs, $140) which seems a bit much...we'll see tomorrow.
Anyways, they told me to come back in today to bring my footswitch in so they could fully test the amp to make sure everything had gone well. As I was walking in i heard the owner and the amp tech chatting about ME, while finishing up my amp on the bench...i managed to hear things like:
"...what a stupid guy, this mod is so unnecessary..."
"...these schematics he brought in are useless..." (I got the schems from Tempest, who got em from Boogie)
and the insults just continued until the owner realized i was there with my footswitch.

The amp tech started telling me to my face how i need to stop reading fanboy forums, and how he knows this mod will not solve my issue, and he will gladly redo it back to parallel for $30 once i take it home and hate it.

Now frankly i'm pretty pissed about the service, especially being treated that way after trying to do business with a local shop, and being nothing but kind to them. Should i bring this up when i talk to the owner tomorrow?

...Anyways, I will have a full review added to this post tomorrow. I just felt like ranting about the service, any input as to what I should do is appreciated.

-Felipe

 

[mr_fender]

What a dick! That amp tech is not only ripping you off, but he sounds like a real prick to boot. The series mod is the only way to get the FX loop usable with regular effects. Parallel may be better for tone, but it makes the loop a lot harder to use and offers no flexibility whatsoever. Forget about using any effect that does not have a wet only output, else it's oscillation city! Series is the way to go. If people are that worried about preserving their original tone, they probably shouldn't be using any effects in the loop at all anyway.

90% was the highest my Rectoverb went on the loop mix, so there was always that 10% to cause feedback and oscillation issues. Going series was the best thing I could have done for that amp.

2 hours my ***. I did my old Rectoverb combo in about 20 minutes and I'm far from a electronics professional. If the mod is so unnecessary, then maybe you should find it unnecessary to ever go back to those blow hards! I would definitely bring it up to the owner. Tell him he can come online and hear hundreds of people say that this mod makes the loop 100% better and more usable.

 

[Ukalali Solo]

I figured there would be a reason if EVERYONE i've ever seen get that mod has been 100% satisified.

I will definitely bring up the service issue.

I just want to double check some expectations with you (you said you've had the mod done). The Solo and FX Loop ON/OFF Function should no longer work, and the "mix" pot will not work either. Also, the tech mentioned that if nothing is connected to the loop, or if there isn't atleast a patch cable connecting the two, there will be no sound. Are these assumptions correct? Anything else I should expect?

 

[mikey383]

That's horrible customer service, I'd definately say something about that. I'm not the type of person that can keep my mouth shut when I'm being badmouthed for no reason. Especially when I'm paying the ****ers to do a job.

I'd definately get an apology from someone. Just tell him you have plenty of friends that you can spread the word to and you won't say anything good about them. On average, if a person has a good experience with a business, they'll tell 3 people about it. If they have a bad experience, they'll tell 10.

I quit doing business with pretty much every local store around here for similar bad business practices. They all carry nothing but low-end crap, and have sh!tty customer service.

Hell, for less than what they are charging you to do the mod, you could have paid to have it shipped to and from my house, and I could have done the mod for you for free.

 

[Ukalali Solo]

I have a 5 string bass that I put up for consignment there when i took in the head to get modded, i'm pretty sure i'm gonna pull that out when i go to pick up my head. I'll probably just let them know thats the last time i do any kind of business with them.

I just hope the mod works and that this guy knows what hes doing.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

If I were you, I'd bring up what you heard, show you're very angry, and if all goes well, they'll give you a big discount on the work. Stores usually drop prices when a customer catches them, and the customer is left unhappy.

Hit the dicks where it hurts :wink:

 

[vertigo_]

If I were you, I'd bring up what you heard, show you're very angry, and if all goes well, they'll give you a big discount on the work. Stores usually drop prices when a customer catches them, and the customer is left unhappy.

Hit the dicks where it hurts :wink:

I support what ibanez4life SZ said. The tech sounds like complete douchebag...and you should do something about it. $140 for a loop mod!, jeez!

 

[jtb226]

Yeah, I'd definitely say something. Who cares if he thinks the mod will make you happy or not? It isn't his decision.

Plus, maybe now you'll get some $ off an expensive *** mod (that shouldn't be nearly that expensive...$70 an hour for labor?? That's ridiculous!)

 

[lailer75]

The amp tech started telling me to my face how i need to stop reading fanboy forums, and how he knows this mod will not solve my issue, and he will gladly redo it back to parallel for $30 once i take it home and hate it.
-Felipe

wholy crap, what an idiot. after taking your buisness elsewhere, drop that "tech" this address

 

[Platypus]

Yeah after you told us that price the other day I had hoped you would pull out and do it somewhere else.. now you have a reason to

what a complete dick... I would definitely tell them what you overheard and pull all ties with that shop immediately.

Then tell him you're going to post his shop name on your 'bullshit fanboy forums' along with strictly THE FACTS about what happened. These days in the internet age shops can't afford to fvck around customers like this. Hit em where it hurts man.

 

[Ukalali Solo]

UPDATE:

Ok, so i finally picked up the amp. They only charged me $70, as it took apparently about an hour of work. They pretty much kissed my *** at the shop today because they realized they messed up yesterday with the service. I would have complained more, but i do have a bass up for consignment there that i've never been able to sell, so i bit my tongue a bit.

Ok onto the actual amp...

...this mod has done EXACTLY what i wanted it to do. No longer does the loop have phasing issues when the KILLDRY option isn't on my GMajor, no longer does a lot of volume and tone bleed through, and finally my graphic EQ is usable in the loop.

For anyone interested in the exact schems that i used, i would be glad to post them later this week (i saved them on another PC, so i cant access them until this weekend).

My biggest concern was that I would have some sort of tonal change with this new fx loop setting, but it still sounds like it did before, but with a usable loop! Also, i thought that the Solo function would also be disabled, but it still works.

I can finally happily use my GMajor, DD-3, and Rack Graphic EQ in the loop of my amp again with no issues.

PROS OF THE MOD:
- Loop becomes usable with things in the loop.
- Cured the tone/punch bleed issue.
- Graphic EQ is much more effective in the loop.

CONS OF THE MOD:
- FX ON/OFF switch no longer works.
- 10%-100% Mix Pot no longer works (not that you would need it after the loop is serial, just thought i would add that this is a minor side effect)
- One thing i didn't realize that would happen is that after the mod, if nothing is in the loop, then you have to put a patch cable from Send -> Return or else there is no signal. This was apparently written on the schems Mesa made. It's really not a big deal to me, as i will pretty much always use the loop, but just wanted to throw that out there.

Overall i'm pretty **** satisfied, and my lead tone sounds killer, and pretty **** tight again for a Recto.

I highly recommend any Recto users that are having any issues with their loops get this mod done!
-Felipe

 

[Platypus]

That's still a really steep fee for what they did... couple that with the fact that they mocked you and treated you like garbage in the shop... I would definitely not stand for that if it were me.

glad you liked the mod though.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not gonna lie, I probably would've hit that guy in the face and took my business elsewhere. I'm surprised you were able to stay calm enough.

 

[kmanick]

Is this basically the same mod I'd have to do to my Rectoverb head?
will I still have my solo boost? (which I love)
Anybody on this forum live in the Boston area that could do this for me
as I am a clown with electronics and would probably fry myself. :roll:

 

[Zoomzilla]

Do you have the 3 channel DR? If so, I would love to see your schematic. I will totally mod mine if it works better. I don't see the point of using an EQ up front, so I have to use it in the loop, well if it works better, then great. I couldn't care less about the fx loop switch and solo boost not working, I never use them.

 

[ChrisCst22]

Did the mod you had done greatly differ from the mod thats been posted here a number of times, the simple one about taking 1 wire off of the mix knob and taping it off or something...

 

[Ukalali Solo]

Kmanick: The Parallel to Series mod for me did not disable my Solo function. I can still use it with the footswitch no problem. Your best bet is to call up Mesa/Boogie and ask them for your closest M/B repair center and also for a copy of the schematics for the mod (I have the ones for the 3 CH DR, so it probably wouldn't help much).

Zoomzilla: Yeah I have the 3 Ch DR. I will post the schematics I was given and were used for this mod by Saturday or so. I saved them on another computer and won't have access to them until then. The EQ is infinitely more useful in the loop now after going to series.

ChrisCst22: As far as I know, both the mods achieve the same purpose, i'm honestly not great with electronics beyond the basics so I can't give you a definite answer. Maybe someone else will have a better idea after i post the schems?

 

[tempest1226]

DUDEEEEEEE. ukali . Let me tell you bro. I dropped mine off at my local mesa repair station about an hour away. They guy called me today (two days later) He says its done, and went well. ONly took 40 minutes and the total is 65.00 plus tax. Guy was cool as hell. He said the two schematics mesa gave were more than enough. Im supposed to go pick it up tomorrow. (Thursday). Sorry it went down like that for you. And you give me hope with your update about the g major working well. Is there any volume drop from when you turn the fx loop on and off? ANother thing. He told me my solo and fx switch on and off would now be disabled. IS there two ways of doing this mod or am i missing something because you say your solo function still works. anybody. anybody. But anyways im glad the schematics worked for ya in the long run

 

[Zoomzilla]

Cool, thanks ukalali Solo. I will not be dropping my amp off anywhere, I just need the schematic so I can do it myself. That is cool that your solo button still works. Not that I would use it much, but it's still cool that it works. This should be a pretty simple mod. I would imagine most of the time is just to remove the chasis from the cabinet and then put it back. A simple wire swap or multiple wire swap would not take that much time.

 

[Ukalali Solo]

Tempest:
Yeah the service wasn't great, but getting the mod done finally was all i cared about. There seems to be no significant tonal loss with the loop on/off. I tried putting my rack in the loop, then taking it out, and repeating a few times, so far there is no significant difference, I can actually now boost the amp a bit higher with the GMajor and the EQ (but i don't, not really worth doing). The Fx loop On/off switch no longer works, but the Solo switch does, i'm not sure if anything went differently between our mods but i gave them the same exact schems you had linked for me (thanks by the way). Let me know how your mod went. Also i was told that i will have no sound unless I have something in the loop or there's atleast a patch cable, lemme know if yours does that as well (not a big deal for me, as i always have something in there).

Zoomzilla:
Yeah i'll make sure to upload them when i get to my personal computer this weekend. I think theres probably a few ways to go about doing this mod, hopefully the schems i have will help.