So I'm looking for a new amp, and I need an amp that is about $1,500 - $2,000. I'm divided between the Road King (I know its around 3,000), Mark IV, and the Dual Rectifier. I don't know which one is for me. I really enjoy John Petrucci's tone on the newer albums, but do I really need a Road King for that? Thanks.
Need A New amp.. Which Mesa Boogie for me?
- Thread starter Sealunar
- Start date
Help Support The Boogie Board:
The Road King is a Dual Rectifier with a lot more bells and whistles.. so if you liked his tone on Train of Thought or Octavarium you'd do well with a Dual Rectifier. If you liked his older tones and the new album, you'd like the Mark IV.
I suggest you play both, they're RADICALLY different in tone and feel. I would say you probably don't need a RoadKing
I suggest you play both, they're RADICALLY different in tone and feel. I would say you probably don't need a RoadKing
Thanks, I'm not too fond of paying $3,000 for an amp anyways. I do like his newer tones, so if a dual rectifier will do me justice, it will be great. I don't plan on getting a huge full stack, but I do plan to gig. Which one should I get, and whats the price on it?
wildrat666
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 6, 2007
- Messages
- 374
- Reaction score
- 0
I just bought a 3 chan dual rectifier and you will easily get his tone. it is a great amp with a good clean channel and lots of gain on the 2chan and the 3:rd chan is just insane. you can find them cheap on ebay.
good luck!
good luck!
Sealunar said:
I'd go with a 2x12 recto cab then.. perfect for almost all gigs and friendly enough for your house as well. Nice and chunky when on the floor too.
New DR will run 1699
Make sure you play both amps though man, don't base your choices on a person's tone.. keep in mind there's a lot more going on in the studio than just the amp though I know for sure you can get JP tones on the 3CH DR's.. I used to own one but sold it for a Mark
It's all about personal preference, I cannot stress enough that you should play them both.
ToneAddictJon
Well-known member
I have a 3 channel dual rectifier head and matching 2x12 cab and it does everything I need it too, any gig that is too big for a 2x12 or 1x12 for that matter should have a decent PA and mic you anyway so don't worry about getting a 4x12 unless you want it to look big (and kill your back). You also might think about getting a 1x12 or 2x12 Basson cab instead of a Mesa cab, they sound incredible. Also plan on spending a lot of time messing with the controls to get your sound, took me a few months to finally figure out how each control effects the others.
Good Luck
Good Luck
Sealunar said:
It just didn't do what I wanted it to do. I feel that the Mark is a better amplifier overall as far as versatility and tone but that's MY specific opinion which is why I want you to go try both and find out what jives for you. One isn't better than the other.. just different.. and you need to find which one jives with you the best.
Elpelotero
Well-known member
check out his website..he's got lots of info on his gear from every album. If not, the people on his message board will know.
clutch71
Well-known member
Is there anytone other than JP that you like the tone of? Platy's right, be careful about sticking to one player or tone your interested in.
I'm strictly a basement player but I love Adam Jones tone. That said I use that tone as a starting point and applying to other artists/styles I'm playing. Think Detroit Rock City with a recto slam, in drop D, with an Adam-esque tone. Not too original but it's a start.
Also remember JP uses multiple rigs, has unlimited funds when it comes to amp/cab selection, and guitar techs who devote themselves solely to his tone.
my 2cents...DR's are great for the Vintage/Modern sound but are lacking in cleans.
Roadking V2 is a very versitile amp goes from Lonestar like cleans, classic British crunch, to recto hi-gain low end thump.
Mark IV are there own creature, tight great distortion and cleans, but takes a while to dial in and get used to all the nobs and settings.
Don't forget about the Stiletto. They do a lot of nice things as well. Very Marshally but not really my thing.
If two thousand dollars is your upper end be patient and pick up a DR and Mark !V used and channel switch em. They hold there value and you can always pass them on.
Just a thought. Remember looking and trying out different things is half the fun.
I'm strictly a basement player but I love Adam Jones tone. That said I use that tone as a starting point and applying to other artists/styles I'm playing. Think Detroit Rock City with a recto slam, in drop D, with an Adam-esque tone. Not too original but it's a start.
Also remember JP uses multiple rigs, has unlimited funds when it comes to amp/cab selection, and guitar techs who devote themselves solely to his tone.
my 2cents...DR's are great for the Vintage/Modern sound but are lacking in cleans.
Roadking V2 is a very versitile amp goes from Lonestar like cleans, classic British crunch, to recto hi-gain low end thump.
Mark IV are there own creature, tight great distortion and cleans, but takes a while to dial in and get used to all the nobs and settings.
Don't forget about the Stiletto. They do a lot of nice things as well. Very Marshally but not really my thing.
If two thousand dollars is your upper end be patient and pick up a DR and Mark !V used and channel switch em. They hold there value and you can always pass them on.
Just a thought. Remember looking and trying out different things is half the fun.
The Petrucci tone, regardless of what amp he plays, is really all in his fingers and technique. He would sound great through a Crate modelling amp. However, this said, I would have to recommend a Mark IV. I owned one for five years, and I came as close as I ever was to attaining that sound. The lead channel is heaven, and the clean-slightly broken up sounds were there. There is a lot that goes into an amp decision such as this...do you play in a band, how big are the venues you're playing, what effects do you use, and what kind of guitars you play. After a few years of gigging, I would recommend a combo, unless of course you have roadies and you're playing huge venues. The Mark IV combos are fairly easy to come by, albeit expensive. If I were you, I would look for a used one, and with the money saved, buy a nice rack mount processor, such as the TC Electronics G-Major. You really need to nail that delay effect to get his tone.
jbird
Well-known member
There is a "Sticky" at the top of this forum index titled "Pro Net Pricing as of Feb 2007"! Check there for $$$$ and options! Mesa's are fixed pricing throughout their dealer network, so those are usually the "street" price as well! And there should be really no reason to order one, there's got to be a dealer somewhere that has one to ship! Unless of course, your gonna man up and get something custom! :idea:
Yeah I second platy's opinion I just about bought a stilleto because the new lead guitarist on evanescance's album used one. I checked myself by playing one, not my cup of tea. However when I fired up a triple rectifier, I could get a tone out of it that sounded perfect enough to my ears that it gave me goosebumps. I got it with recto 4x12 cab, I wished for a long time that I had a 2x12. I had an ippifiny (SP?) and wired 2 more jacks on it, one uses the top 2 speakers, the third uses 1 speaker. To me this makes the cab sound better cause the low end is better, I guess because only one or two speakers are trying to fill up a bigger space. Even when I'm gigging i don't use all 4 speakers very often, I like the speakers to bleed out without deafening you.
hope this helps
hope this helps
Similar threads
