Recto Pre

[wpzad]

Hi Guys,

I'm new here and am looking for some advice on the Recto pre amp. I'm unable to audition one locally. I went to GC and they quoted me $1,400 which I thought was a touch high. I was under the impression it was closer to $1,000. I'm into Dream Theater, Vai, Disturbed, Peter Gabriel, Fripp etc. I guess I'm looking for a solid driving rock / metal sound and being able to record direct. The recording direct part is important at the moment for all the same reasons we've read about a zillion times. I've searched for some clips and really only found one guy from Mexico (Cesar Huesca) who was ripping it up on some Vai. So the lead tones are obviously there (God, can that guy play). Anyone have some clips that are more representative of metal rhythm tones?

 

[CoG]

Not being able to audition sucks balls.

If you go to the page in my sig, the first track has some heavy rhythm tones towards the end. They're on the thick/fuzzy side, which is how I wanted them-- the rec pre definitely cleans up more than that if you want a tighter sound.

Some people have complained that the bottom end is a bit lacking in the direct-out; I feel that it's voiced very well to slot into a mix.

It doesn't sound EXACTLY like a DR with a 4x12 recto cab, but I can record tracks at 2 in the morning without farting around with mic placement for a half hour or having to talk to Officer Friendly when the DR uproots my neighbour's lawn.

US$1400 sounds high by $150-200 unless Mesa's raised their prices recently.

 

[again with this]

I like mine a lot. Very versitile. Sounds great direct.

Two lame things about it.
1) there is a "clean" channel and a "distorted" channel. You cannot do "channel cloning" like on the heads.
2) there is no boost for the amp in "modern" mode.

I would be happier with it if I could have two different Modern settings to toggle between, or at least have a boost for the modern.

I paid $800 used for mine. You can do better than $1400. Shop around.

 

[disassembled]

You shouldn't have to shop around as Mesa locks their dealers down for pricing. I would call Mesa first to see what they say. If the Mesa quotes a lower price then you should let them know you are getting jerked around and Mesa may investigate further. If they are overpricing one thing they are probably doing it elsewhere.


Greg

 

[again with this]

You shouldn't have to shop around as Mesa locks their dealers down for pricing. I would call Mesa first to see what they say. If the Mesa quotes a lower price then you should let them know you are getting jerked around and Mesa may investigate further. If they are overpricing one thing they are probably doing it elsewhere.


Greg

Sorry if I was unclear. I meant to buy used. I know new retail prices are fixed.

 

[mightywarlock]

I bought a recto pre just a few days ago.
paid $600 for it.

used, but in totally mint condition.

try ebay or craigslist.

i own a triple rectifier but have had issues with not cutting through the mix well. i have a mesa 2:90 and found that with the recto pre, i was able to cut better, it seems to have a different high end, and a different low end...but a lot depends on the power amp. i tried with a mesa 2:90 and my marshall el34/100/100, and for some stuff (detuned) i like the mesa amp better, but for lighter standard 'E' crunch, i am liking the marshall amp a lot!
i am digging the rec pre and may end up eventually selling my triple head.

 

[kullaniciadi]

I got mine for 850$US off ebay. Was even a "buy it now" and mint item. I ll second to buying it used.

 

[Spirithunter]

I bought mine for $440.00 from GC last year(almost to the day).No footswitch but that does not bother me. Works and sounds great!

 

[again with this]

I bought mine for $440.00 from GC last year(almost to the day).No footswitch but that does not bother me. Works and sounds great!

That's a steal! Good for you.

I don't use the footswitch for mine either. My G-Major handles the channel switching via MIDI controlled contact closures.

 

[again with this]

I bought a recto pre just a few days ago.
paid $600 for it.

used, but in totally mint condition.

try ebay or craigslist.

i own a triple rectifier but have had issues with not cutting through the mix well. i have a mesa 2:90 and found that with the recto pre, i was able to cut better, it seems to have a different high end, and a different low end...but a lot depends on the power amp. i tried with a mesa 2:90 and my marshall el34/100/100, and for some stuff (detuned) i like the mesa amp better, but for lighter standard 'E' crunch, i am liking the marshall amp a lot!
i am digging the rec pre and may end up eventually selling my triple head.

I have never owned a recto head, but I have jammed with other guitar players who had heads, and I think the tone of the rack pieces is superior. Like you said, it just seems to cut better.

Maybe because there is more control over the sound. If you use the "normal" inputs rather than the Recto, ALL the volume controls work. Instead of "duplicating the signal path of the dual recto". I think having the volume and presence controls active on the power amp is key.

 

[wpzad]

Thanks everybody. I've been checking ebay and there are a couple listed in the price ranges discussed, except for $440. Wow what a steal dude! I've got a GT-8 that I'm using with a Carvin Tone Navigator that I got on sale a while back. I really like the voicing on the Navigator but there isn't enough balls from this unit for my metal fixations. There are some great tones on it just not in the metal genre. I'm still tweeking on the GT-8 and I'm getting some neat (what is that?) type of sounds but I'm still not happy with the saturated rock / metal tones. My guess is the lack of tubes. I've played rock guitar through a Marshall half stack and an Orange half stack for a long time. I've never been happy with my guitar sound since selling that stuff. Then I ran across the Rectro pre amp with 6 tubes, built by Mesa Boogie, designed for direct recording and doesn't claim to sound like anything but a Mesa Boogie Rectifier with maybe a couple of other options. Sounds like the straightforward answer I've been looking for. You spend some time dialing in your tube based cranked tone add some embellishments and go! CoG, thanks for the link. It would seem this unit will cover my Fripp / Gabriel moments. I hope you consider that a compliment as I really like what those two have done over the years. Anyone with some palmed metal rhythm riffs?

 

[Spirithunter]

I lucked out for sure. It was a mispriced item and at first the dude cashing me out was like wow is that price right? then called the manager over and he had second thought's about selling it to me for that price but decided to go ahead with the sale. Just before finalizing the purchase i pulled out a coupon for 10% off on any item in the store on top of that! They were bent but with a little grumbling they honor it. :lol:

 

[CoG]

hahaha I love when that happens. I bought Battery 3 for $179, mispriced by $100. Guy goes to ring it up and says "Whoa... you just got a hell of a deal, didn't you...?"

wpzad-- thanks, man, yeah, I've always loved the *way* those guys play even if I could usually never get into the *music* they're playing. My first guitar teacher kept trying to get me into KC and it never stuck.

Re: your GT-8, my experience so far is that going DI, getting a multifx to play nice with the rec pre takes some serious head scratching. I've ended up ditching my multifx units for a trem/phase and delay in the loop and I'm still shopping around for a reverb to go between the RP and the 20/20.

 

[wpzad]

440 bucks brand new!!!? You lucky dog...even used that's a sweet price. These look like they're built well and the units on ebay are several years old. Have there been any major changes?

 

[again with this]

Anyone with some palmed metal rhythm riffs?

Metal head here... It goes there. Sorry, no good clips.