Modding a recto rec. pre

[moshwitz]

SUP?
i was wondering if a rec. pre has ever been modded for more gain ? cause it seems i cannot get the gain tight enough without running through something in front of it . its like if you could turn the gain knob another quarter turn you'd be there. i'm really trying to like this pre, i have a 2:100 comming any day now, so i hope that will help going through the cabs but i still have to run into something then into the pre to get it chunkin. any sugg.??
MOSH ON
DAVE

 

[screamingdaisy]

Is this your first tube amp?

 

[moshwitz]

sup?
no bro, i have had MANY in the 18+ years i've been shreddin, i've been through modded marshall's, to soldano's, 2 triple recto's, and one rackmount dual recto, a newly aquired markIII purple stripe, and countless amounts of rack gear including some of my current monstrosity,

but this is the first recto pre..which i bought used,,,,but i have heard some good clips, and conflicting views about ..its heavy vrs fast palm mutes are flubby,,, , and this one seems a little weak...even with all new jj's in her. i'm just trying to like her without having to run something into it first.....cause whats the point if it wont hold its own :wink:
any sugg?
MOSH ON
DAVE

 

[screamingdaisy]

Ahhh.....ok.

Well, I'd wait until you get the 2:100. When I first ran mine it was with an older Mesa 50:50 and although I liked it, it was a huge change when I recieved the 2:100. The modern mode in the power amp adds a whole new dimension to the high gain sound of that preamp.

I also noticed a big change in the tightness and an overall improvement in my "chug chug chugga chug" stuff when I switch from a Duncan JB to an EMG 81.

Other than that, as I'm sure you're aware of Mesa's aren't exactly known for tight tracking tone....some people use a clean boost to increase the thightness of the preamp gain though, which is basically what EMGs do....

 

[moshwitz]

Sup? yea i was thinking about a clean boost also, any favorites?
i was thinking about throwing a parametric in there also to see if it can tighten it up a little
, most all my axes pretty much are EMG equipt :wink:

MOSH ON
DAVE

 

[screamingdaisy]

Sup? yea i was thinking about a clean boost also, any favorites?
i was thinking about throwing a parametric in there also to see if it can tighten it up a little
, most all my axes pretty much are EMG equipt :wink:

I've done both.

For clean boost I've used both a TS-9 and a Wylde overdrive (Level 10, gain 0, tone around 4 or so). The both worked great for that, and I'm sure just about any overdrive would work.

I've also used a Proco Rat, which held the bottom end together better than the OD's I've tried, but it wasn't as tight sounding either.

I don't really use a boost much though as I'm more into sludge/doom type metal....I try to get as much sag as I can get, and the looser my bottom end tracks (without mudding out) the better.

Lastly, I've used a Furman PQ-3 in the effects loop. I boosted the mids on the amp and used the Furman to scoop (-15db) a very narrow bandwidth of high mids, added (+2db) some low mids, and removed (-3db) some low end. It tightend things up alot, but it didn't have the ability to output as hot a signal as was input, so I couldn't drive the power amp as hard and lost alot of volume/punch. I'd be willing to do this again, but I'd definatly use a different EQ.

So basically, I removed some of the harsh upper mids, added a slight bit of thump, and removed some boom.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Oh.....and nice axes. 8)





EMG 81 and EMG 60/81.....though I'm thinking of sticking an 85 back in the neck of the Paul.

 

[Robotechnology]

Hey Dave, what cab(s) are you running?

 

[moshwitz]

Sup IVAN?
all of them... :lol: :lol:
at home i'm running the 2 behringers, a randall, and a 70's Carvin w/ celestion sidewinders. ...for bringing to jam practice in the couple bands i play in its my Marshall,,,live its all 5 in a pyramid with the Marshall (strait) being in the middle on the bottom with the carvin and the randall on both sides, both turned on their sides with the angled tops to the outside, the 2 behringers are centered on top, on their sides w/ the angled tops out also.
i get great seperation/ L+R coverage this way. 2 amps feading the beast with one stereo pwr. amp feading the L + R stack and another amp feading the Marshall.......anyway,

i think i've got it sorted out , i borrowed some JJ's and that helped with the gain some, sat with it and tweeked/ left it alone / tweeked/ left it alone/ tweeked...ect. AND......i got my 2:100 poweramp...and its chunking now

i'll do up a clip of something and put it up

btw...thanks mark.

MOSH ON
DAVE

 

[Robotechnology]

:shock: Nutz!

What could you possibly need 4 2120's for?

...and 5 cabs in a pyramid shape :shock:

\M/

Glad you're getting the tones sorted. I think you should look into other cabs though. I never heard Jensens with high gain that sounded any good (I could be wrong though) but, do check out Avatar for great tone and bang for the buck.

Ivan

 

[moshwitz]

:shock: Nutz!

What could you possibly need 4 2120's for?

cause i no longer have an EVENTIDE at my disposal... :lol: :lol:

the carvin and randall are freakin low end earth movers :wink:
and the Behringers are way brighter but compliment the other two..only the carvin really compares with the Marshall though. as i now live in alabamahell, where if it aint "country its crap" there aint alot of killer places to shop for gear like back home in Chicago, so....most of my gear has to be had when i travel or from online,,and shipping for cabs suck ......but i would like to have a few more :wink:

MOSH ON
DAVE

 

[samhill]

Get the Mesa Rectifier Standard 4x12's....AMAZING!!!

Mark