MESA combo Amp decision: TC-50 vs Rectoverb 25 vs Badlander 50 vs Mark V 35

[caves89]

Yup, another one of those threads (please don't kill me). Anyway, how you doin' guys?

So, I'm in the market for a new MESA combo amp, the reason?, I travel a lot and soon, I'll be moving to another country so I need portability without losing that MESA tone that I love. Sadly, every MESA dealer around my area don't have any MESA amps in stock at the store so I'm forced to drive (a lot) and find some amps to try nearby, or go the "Buy Online" route which would be the most effective. That being said, I wan't to read you all on what is your advice in terms of what would be the perfect MESA combo for my current needs.

My current main and only amp is a 3ch Dual Rectifier Head (Non-Multiwatt) which I just adore, the tone is perfect for what I play (that would be 90's inspired alternative and hard rock, lots of Drop D stuff and so on...) But it has to go for sale soon since I'm moving to another country, so a Head + Cab setup is no option, I need a combo, and I want a MESA combo, I just love MESA stuff, I've had everything from Marshalls, to Fenders, Riveras, but MESA its just where I live tonally, period.

As I said before, I play mainly 90's inspired Alternative and Hard Rock with ocasional Classic Rock tunes and some clean ambient stuff. So, understanding this, I want to be able to cover the following needs with this new "combo amp":

- I play a lot with my PRS's volume knob, so I need something with great dynamics and touch sensitivity.
- I will have only one amp. So I need Versatility without giving up on tone.
- Though I love the Recto tone, I'm open to try new alternatives that would get me close to it and what not.
- It has to be a combo and it has to be a MESA Boogie amp.
- I need Reliability. How's MESA's new amps build quality nowadays? (Badlander 50, TC-50)
- I love my Recto, but I hate it's fx loop. I want something with a great loop for my delays and modulation pedals.
- I don't care for the CabClone, but its defo' a plus.

The models I've selected are the following:

MESA Triple Crowne 50 Combo
MESA Rectifier Badlander 50 Combo
MESA Rectoverb 25 Combo
MESA Mark V 35 Combo


Let the games begin...

 

[MATHEWS88]

I absolutely love my TC-50. It has 3/4 tones I need and soon the Universal Audio Ruby will supply #4. My pedal board’s only gain related pedal is a fuzz, I just love the purity of the tones.

 

[mace]

Anyway, if I had no amp right now, but had the experience I've had with these, and I could only get just one combo amp I'd get the Mark V:35 combo because that is my favorite tone pallet. Feature-wise, like for gigging, the TC-50 would be a great choice (3 channels, reverb, SOLO, CC output, effects loop foot-switchable).

I just got the Badlander 25 combo. Went with the 25 over the 50 mostly due to the fact the 25 still has a 12" speaker and it is 20 lbs. lighter. I don't get the "big boy" tube selection of the 50 but I can live with that. I've only had the Badlander 25 for two days, so can't comment on reliability. A couple niggles out of the box: 1) the footswitch button is pretty sticky and doesn't press smoothThe button will actually seize if you don't press it perfectly straight and 2) both presence knobs have "rustling" noise with turning between 7:30 and 12 o'clock. Kinda strange they both make this noise in the same dial range. Overall I'm loving the tones in this thing, really sweet sounding, beefy, full and not grating. The Badlander 25 has onboard Cabclone IR which is great. No worries of running the amp without a speaker either (but no attenuation options). The TC-50 has the passive CabClone which is OK but not as good sounding at the CC IR (in my opinion).

I really don't understand the lack of reverb on the Badlander, it seems really odd to me. Would have also like to have the power setting (25 or 10 W) available for each channel, but that isn't too big of a deal.

So, TC-50 combo or Badlander 50 combo: A big difference is the TC-50 has 3 foot-switchable channels and onboard reverb and the SOLO function. The Badlander lacks these and is not as gig friendly. Can't comment yet on head to head tone comparison with the TC-50 and Badlander 25. For bedroom volume playing the TC-50 wins here also with the overall volume Master (Badlander only has each channel with it's own volume, as does the Mark 35).

I have the little Mark 25 Combo with 10" speaker and will probably sell it since I have the Badlander 25 combo now. The 10" speaker in the Mark 25 just isn't as full sounding as the Badlander's 12" (I did do a direct comparison using both amps and both speakers). I use the big Mark V:90 for getting my Mark tone fix anyway. I'd say the main difference between Mark 35 and Badlander 50 combos is going to be the tone, for me that would be the deciding factor. Feature-wise they are similar with the Mark having reverb, CC and SOLO and the Badlander having CC IR output and lacking reverb and SOLO.

Rectoverb 25 - I have the head but the combo is about the same weight as the Badlander 25 (the Badlander 50 is 20 lbs heavier). I will sell this for sure (already sold actually) now that the Badlander 25 is in the house. I love the tones but the Badlander takes care of that while having the tighter low end compared with the Rectoverb. I will miss the onboard reverb of the Rectoverb but I have a reverb pedal on order. No direct out on the Rectoverb either.

 

[Rando2]

I'm wondering some of the same questions, so wondering if I can jump in here.

I like the Mark V Clean channel and the Mark V Crunch channel and the Mark IV setting on the Mark V for overdriven stuff.

The down side is I can only access two of those three sounds live. Does the Badlander 25 or TC-50 give you the option to get all three of those sounds live?