picked up Dual Rectifier.. what a heap of crap!

[les_paul_gold_top]

If there's ever a reason why this forum exists - this is it. Let the buyer beware. I decided to buy a DR late last year. Solely due to this forum, and all of the quality (and not so quality - they help too) information provided by the posters, and a tremendous amount of time reading post after post - I was able to purchase an early DR for a fair price and now own quite possibly the coolest amp I have ever played! Moral of the story - do your homework, be patient (that was excellent advise from a forum member) and you'll find what you are looking for without overpaying or having extra expenses not counted on!

Tim

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I'm gonna be a dick for a minute.

If you don't like it, take it back (provided they have a return policy).

If you want a tube amp, do some research. Find out how they work and what keeps them working well. Don't buy a hunk of crap and then hate it. If you do not know what you are looking for, you will never find it.




Here is what I would do:

Take it back. Tell them that you bought the amp under the assumption that everything worked with the exception of the treble pot.

The Power Tube not lighting up, means 1 of 2 things:
A. Bad tube, I have seen a few not "Light Up," and actually be bad.
B. You have lost Filament voltage on this tube.

Either way, I would be an ******* (politely) and get my money back, then, buy one from somebody here on the forum. There are a lot of honest, good hearted guys here who suffer from GAS on a daily basis. I know, I'm one of them.



Disassembled is right, you can get a much better price elsewhere. Then, if it still needs tubes, it won't hurt as much.

I really don't like the attitude at the Mesa Hollywood store. It's like walking into a Ferrari dealership. Granted, the amps are incredible, but some of the guys there are really smug, stick it in your behind, fucking assholes.

 

[Elpelotero]

I would have to agree with these guys. 1600 for a revG is way too much, even if it is a racktifier. There are plenty of reasons available for you to return it: bad tubes, bad pots, etc. etc...

BTW, the metal shield is to protect the V1 tube from microphonics and external noise or movement affecting the tube.

 

[greg_moreira]

Anytime I buy equipment(well almost anytime)......I play it and Im SURE I want it. Ive only bought a few things sight unseen.....but for the most part(especially with amps) I hook up and play it. And I dont buy one until it seems to jump right out at me and hook me right away.

I own a triple recto solo head and before buying, I probably played 10 different amps extensively. No junk either......I played all higher end stuff up to about the 2500 dollar mark. I initially thought Id like the VHT series more than anything else just based on reviews. The reviews really made it sound like the amp for me. I played a couple of the pittbulls......even the uber expensive 3 channel lead head(like 3 grand plus.....wasnt gonna buy it, but I wanted to try it anyways).

I can see why people liked it, and I did too.....but I didnt find myself saying "I gotta have it".

I spotted this lonely, used triple recto, hooked it up, strummed one good power chord and I was sold immediately. I still played it for a while to make sure all was well.....but either way, I was sold instantly. When spending the kind of money this sort of equipment demands.....I dont buy until I find something that gives me that "have to have it" feeling.

I told you this story cause if youve got the option to return this thing and get something else(heck.....get the same thing in good working shape)....then your ahead of the game! Its much better to have that "warm and fuzzy" feeling about what you bought as opposed to feeling depressed and determined to "make it work" even though it aint doing what youd like.

If you like it, stick with it. But if it becomes a money pit and youve got to dump tons in to make it work like it should.....return it while you still can and get something that does work and sound just like you want it to.

 

[Elpelotero]

^^ exactly...This amp "hooked" you immediately. However, any other rev G can hook you equally as well for much less money and hassles.

 

[siggy14]

I have a revision G rackmount and I also have a revision G triple 2 channel, both sound just as good. For that amount of money I would take the amp back and buy a used 2 channel dual or triple from somewhere else.

^^ exactly...This amp "hooked" you immediately. However, any other rev G can hook you equally as well for much less money and hassles.

 

[Areola]

In australia we have the "Australian Consumers Association" and the "Department of Fair Trading". Maybe you should suggest similar USA industries when returning your amp.

 

[satisfied5582]

yeah i would take it back and get a refund and go buy a used rectifier, there is just to many problems going on with that amp, and to many problems goin on to justify that price tag.

 

[StoneOfFire]

the sales receipt says no refunds or returns on consignment

doh!

well to be honest this amp didnt hook me.
no amp has ever hooked me
every single one i have ever tried sounds like garbage to me

so i tried founding out what recorded sounds i liked,
and i found most recordings i liked use the Dual Rectifier
except for Emperor's Prometheus album.. i think that might be ENGL (Powerball?)?
i figured this would be the beginning of my quest for tone,
but this may just be a bad start.

a REALLY bad start
reading up on tubes,
i really really want to replace the 6L6GC with KT88,
but they dont fit in the RACK MOUNT VERSION!!!!!!!!

after i am done crying,
what should i do?

take a big loss selling it and look for a used head?

 

[jdurso]

the sales receipt says no refunds or returns on consignment

doh!

well to be honest this amp didnt hook me.
no amp has ever hooked me
every single one i have ever tried sounds like garbage to me

so i tried founding out what recorded sounds i liked,
and i found most recordings i liked use the Dual Rectifier
except for Emperor's Prometheus album.. i think that might be Laney?
i figured this would be the beginning of my quest for tone,
but this may just be a bad start.

a REALLY bad start
reading up on tubes,
i really really want to replace the 6L6GC with KT88,
but they dont fit in the RACK MOUNT VERSION!!!!!!!!

after i am done crying,
what should i do?

take a big loss selling it and look for a used head?

any reason why kt88s? i would say if you like the kt88 sound you should look at a vht ul or pair a good preamp with a vht 2:90:2..... i think the approach of deciding on an amp based on records of bands you like can be a little decieving..... there is so much that goes on in the process of recording that at the end of the day buying that same amp might not give you the results your looking for..... i did the same thing and i was kinda of lucky that i found the right rectifier to fit into that metallica tone

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I know that your receipt says, "No returns," but any store with any decency would not sell you a broken amp.

At the very least, they should fix everything that is wrong with it.

Then, you will have a great amp that you can sell if you hate. Granted, you may take a small loss, but not as much as if you had to fix it and sell it, or sell it as a project.



All that said, the older 2 channel DR's are incredible amps. I had one and sold it, been missing it ever since. Have no idea about the serial or Rev #, but the guy I got it from had bought it in the late 90's.

I got a newer 2 channel, the ones that were being made right before they went to 3 channels, and it couldn't hold a candle to my other one.



One day, I plan on replacing it with a Tremoverb.

 

[StoneOfFire]

okay, i am going to get tubes
i want KT88 but i cant get them for this junkbox
they dont fit in the rackmount dual recto

i was thinking E34L
with KT77

what do you guys think?


for right now,
im thinking i can pull the unlit and cold 6L6GC (the other 6L6GCs are lit and warm) on the left side and take out the other one on the opposite outside,
then take out one tube rectifier?

can you guys help me take out the unlit tube and might i get better saturation at lower volumes?

 

[LnTh]

Interesting. I read the whole thread and this kid still comes across as a troll to me. Anyone agree?

either that or some poor kid with A.D.D.

Anyway, dude.. Just grow a pair and take the friggin amp back. It's broken and it's not your fault. Why the **** do you wanna install KT88's. Why the **** do you buy an amp that you don't like?

That's the worst logic I've ever heard. It's more like lack of logic really. Sorry to sound mean but you made zero sense to me in this thread. Your ideas sound like stuff you've read all over the internet that has little to no application with your amp. It's like you heard somewhere that KT88's sound good but you can't fit them in the amp. What on earth are you inhaling dude?!? :?

 

[CoG]

(edited-- I was being a dick. Sorry folks.)

SoF: Dude, tube changes are not going to help. The amp is broken. You can't make it playable, and I have a feeling that you're not quite at a stage where there's any point in your having a pro amp.

Go back to the store with your parents or something and try to get them to take it back. Otherwise (like if you're embarrassed to admit to your parents that you made a big mistake,) put the amp in a corner for three years. It won't get any more broken than it is already. As you learn more about gear this will all start to make sense to you and you'll be able to figure out what to do with the amp.

 

[vertigo_]

no, this just sounds like a 15-year-old who only knows what he's read on the internet and spent all the money he has getting ripped off buying four times as much amp as he needs. Like visualrocker, but less eloquent.

LOL

 

[CudBucket]

i had $1600 with me
i planned on showing up next week with $1840 to buy a new dual or see if i would keep saving to get a triple

but i had to get this one
even if i had to borrow $22.67 from my drummer

You paid over $1600!!! Are you kidding?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

What happened to, "No personal attacks?"

Just take it back and start yelling things in the store about letting all of their customers know just what kind of crap they are selling. As long as you are not verbally abusive or profane, they will usually take you into the Manager's office and make things right.

 

[StoneOfFire]

SoF: Dude, tube changes are not going to help. The amp is broken. You can't make it playable, and I have a feeling that you're not quite at a stage where there's any point in your having a pro amp.

how do you know the tube isnt out?
how do you know it is the amp?

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

Giving everyone the benefit of doubt here...lets assume that StoneOfFire is not trolling, and the Hollywood store is in fact better than your average GC...

The store already agreed to replace the Treble pot right?
We all agree you got bent over and f'd in the wallet on this deal right?
You know you have at least one bad 6L6 right?

So tell the store in order to make things right you want the pot fixed and a FULL retube...pre's powers(stick with 6L6 for now trust me) and recs. Amp will sound 100x better with fresh glass, and if you tweak at it for a while and still hate it, you can sell a fully functional amp with new tubes and not lose your ***.

 

[CudBucket]

Interesting. I read the whole thread and this kid still comes across as a troll to me. Anyone agree?

I do. A total tool. Only an idiot would go into a store and pay $1600 for a beat ractifier and then play stupid: "Oh, I can't return it. I hate every amp I play."

Give me a break. This is the stupidest thread in the history of the Boogie Board. Except of course anything Gear-Monkey has ever posted.