bluntage
Well-known member
Hello all! I'm new to the board and have a few things I'd like to chat about:
Recently, I have gotten back into playing guitar after about a 4-5 year hiatus while finishing up graduate school. In '94, I traded a Mark IV, which I originally bought via trading a Mark III, for a rather abused "floor model" Dual Rectifier from Thoroughbred music in Tampa, FL. I've had it ever since, played the hell out of it, and loved it! Incidentally, it happens to be # R0064. Until I stumbled across this forum, I never realized it might be special in any way. Nor have I ever played any of the newer, 3 ch DR heads in which to make a comparison of its "different" tone. I figured a Rectifier was a Rectifier was a Recitfier, if you get my drift.
Now that I've begun playing again, I have been a bit unhappy with it. It just doesn't sound "right". Part of this is me... I suck... bad. Time off was not kind to my chops. Also, it could be that I'm older and my ears, and perhaps my tonal tastes, have changed. The amp sounds pretty rough in its own right. I'm running it through a Recto 2x12 with V30s. The amp did not have Mesa brand tubes in it when I bought it and never has throughout its tenure in my rig. After perusing this forum, I decided to remove the old Audio Glassic EL34s and put in a spare set of Sovtek 6L6s I had laying around. This improved the tone a bit, though it's hard to make this judgement by comparison of 2 radically different tube types. Reading this forum has taught me that I have been quite ignorant in the ways of tone and amplifier maintenance, prefering instead to just play my guitar "blindly". All of the tubes are REALLY old, including the preamp and rectifier tubes.
Additionally, no thanks to you people, I've been "gassing" (?) for the newer Stiletto series. The idea of better cleans, "tightness", and a Marshall-esque tonal range with improved high gain is VERY intriguing. I really want the option of high gain leads and tones suitable for metal music, but my actual playing style is more attuned to rock and funk. I love all kinds of guitar-laden music, from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to the Smashing Pumpkins and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Mastodon and Lamb of God, to name a few.
All of that said, would you guys recommend I call up Mesa and order a new set of tubes for this old babe to try and rekindle the relationship we once had or try to sell/trade her for a Stiletto? I need some versatility and can't afford both. As a poor postdoctoral fellow, I pretty much have to trade to justify a new addition.
What say you, Boogie Board members?
Recently, I have gotten back into playing guitar after about a 4-5 year hiatus while finishing up graduate school. In '94, I traded a Mark IV, which I originally bought via trading a Mark III, for a rather abused "floor model" Dual Rectifier from Thoroughbred music in Tampa, FL. I've had it ever since, played the hell out of it, and loved it! Incidentally, it happens to be # R0064. Until I stumbled across this forum, I never realized it might be special in any way. Nor have I ever played any of the newer, 3 ch DR heads in which to make a comparison of its "different" tone. I figured a Rectifier was a Rectifier was a Recitfier, if you get my drift.
Now that I've begun playing again, I have been a bit unhappy with it. It just doesn't sound "right". Part of this is me... I suck... bad. Time off was not kind to my chops. Also, it could be that I'm older and my ears, and perhaps my tonal tastes, have changed. The amp sounds pretty rough in its own right. I'm running it through a Recto 2x12 with V30s. The amp did not have Mesa brand tubes in it when I bought it and never has throughout its tenure in my rig. After perusing this forum, I decided to remove the old Audio Glassic EL34s and put in a spare set of Sovtek 6L6s I had laying around. This improved the tone a bit, though it's hard to make this judgement by comparison of 2 radically different tube types. Reading this forum has taught me that I have been quite ignorant in the ways of tone and amplifier maintenance, prefering instead to just play my guitar "blindly". All of the tubes are REALLY old, including the preamp and rectifier tubes.
Additionally, no thanks to you people, I've been "gassing" (?) for the newer Stiletto series. The idea of better cleans, "tightness", and a Marshall-esque tonal range with improved high gain is VERY intriguing. I really want the option of high gain leads and tones suitable for metal music, but my actual playing style is more attuned to rock and funk. I love all kinds of guitar-laden music, from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to the Smashing Pumpkins and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Mastodon and Lamb of God, to name a few.
All of that said, would you guys recommend I call up Mesa and order a new set of tubes for this old babe to try and rekindle the relationship we once had or try to sell/trade her for a Stiletto? I need some versatility and can't afford both. As a poor postdoctoral fellow, I pretty much have to trade to justify a new addition.
What say you, Boogie Board members?
