Recto users, what genres can you cover?

[xnfx]

What's up guys.
I'm wondering if anyone here uses their Recto's for something other than metal, or nu metal tunes? I have a dual recto (3 channel) and I'm getting kind of bored with it. I'm not really playing much of the heavier music at the time, so that is part of the reason. I'm looking to get some blues tones, and more of a GNR type classic rock tone out of it. Before making any decisions to sell it or anything, I wanted to see what you guys are using yours for, and if it's possible to get passable tones for these genres out of these amps. Maybe try some different tube combos or something.

I've also been looking at some of the Marshall series that has atleast two channels, like the JCM 2000's, but I hear they are very unreliable. So even more it makes me want to stick with my Mesa, but I'm just not too happy with the sounds right now.

Thanks!

 

[screamingdaisy]

Hmmm.....

My amp has a "fat" voice on ch1, and when combined with a TS-9 or two gives you awesome Santana type leads, but you can do something similar with ch1 pushed if you add quite a bit of bass.

Metal Rhythm - modern

Metal Lead - Vintage

Punk - Vintage

Punk2 - Clean + SansAmp GT-2

Rock rhythm - Pushed or Raw

Rock rhythm2 - Pushed or Raw with SD-1 or Wylde OD

Rock Lead - Pushed or Raw + TS-9

Blues - Pushed and raw

There's more, but you get the point. There's alot of sweet tones to be found by experimenting with both the different voicings, and by combining them with various overdrive pedals. I figure I can cover almost any genre....including the more rockin' forms of country.

Using different guitars and pickups also helps to give me more tones to work with.....My Les Paul w/EMGs sounds much different from a rigged-for-shred Stratocaster (DiMarzio YJM, HS-3(M), Super Distortion(B))....

 

[screamingdaisy]

I've also been looking at some of the Marshall series that has atleast two channels, like the JCM 2000's, but I hear they are very unreliable. So even more it makes me want to stick with my Mesa, but I'm just not too happy with the sounds right now.

Have you checked out the Mesa Stiletto?

 

[Red Barchetta]

I play through a Road King Combo....got the rectifier metal thing going on channel 4 all the time, but the other 3 channels cover every style from the Beatles to Zeppelin. A very versatile amp. I don't know personally how close this sounds to a regular recto, but if you want a Boogie with MAX versatility, you can't beat the Road King.


RB

 

[overture2005]

yeah.. The RoadKing and the Mark IV are very versatile amps, from blues, fusion, jazz to rock, death they can cover very well. :twisted:
But, you do need time to tweak the RoadKing and to warm it up. Then, this beast sounds amazing.
IMO, the DiMarzio matches Boogie amps perfectly. (My ESP George Lynch Serpent /w Duncan TB-12 sounds like ************ with my Boogie amps, lacks definition, extremely muddy & fuzzy :evil: )

 

[Platypus]

The Dual Rec is so versatile, I actually rarely use it for heavier music. I play everything from Zeppelin, AC/DC, the Who, etc to more modern music like Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, and Tool to even more heavy metal groups like Opeth, it can do it all. You can pretty much get any sound out of that head, I think you need to start twiddling some knobs to really discover the true power this head has.

If you really are looking for that vintage 'brown sound' and you are really bored with the stock setup, put some JJ tubes in it (though Mesa tubes are perfectly matched and last longer). The head runs pretty cold stock so you really need to warm it up to get that really fat recto punch. It really needs to be played loud. I'd keep the rectifier on the tube setting of course, and put the power on spongy instead of bold. I'm not a huge fan of EL34's in it because first of all they don't last nearly as long as 6l6's, secondly you lose some of the massive bass punch the head has.

The first channel of your amp is KILLER for blues and classic rock tones. Keep the gain minimal, crank the volume, and put it into pushed mode for just a very slight entry level breakup. This is where you should sit if you are looking for those kind of tones. As for the GNR bit, the best choice is obviously the second channel on vintage mode, the voice of the recto. A lot of the tone depends on your guitar too, which I didn't see listed in your post. Crank the gain up and lose some of the ever-present bottom end. The best words of advice I can give you are, do NOT scoop out those mids! As you mentioned you play a lot of metal or nu-metal or whatever which on most amps you'd scoop the mids out for. The entire tone structure as far as I'm concerned in the Mesa is in the Presence and Mid range controls. Moving these even a centimeter can radically change your tone.

I've personally been looking for a settings list that shows settings for different sounds and haven't had too much luck. I stumbled across this board a few moments ago so I'm sure this looks like the place to ask.

 

[screamingdaisy]

The best words of advice I can give you are, do NOT scoop out those mids! As you mentioned you play a lot of metal or nu-metal or whatever which on most amps you'd scoop the mids out for. The entire tone structure as far as I'm concerned in the Mesa is in the Presence and Mid range controls. Moving these even a centimeter can radically change your tone.

The best results I've had when scooping is by bumping the mids up and using a parametric EQ to cut only the harsh frequencies, or by bumping the mids UP and scooping out the treble.

 

[jbird]

I was feeling the same thing with my two channel Dual Rec and finally decided to try the vintage setting on my red channel. It opened up a new sound and inspired some different playing styles. These Rectos are more than just one trick ponies, the tone and gain controls are very interactive and can provide for a vast array of styles! Close your eyes, open your ears, and let er rip! :twisted:

 

[tele_jas]

Let me start out by saying this----- I was VERY against buying a rectifier series amp and had been for the last 2 years because I didn't want that "New Metal" sound everyone has, but then I tried one and never looked back. Yeah it's got the "new metal" sounds, but that's only about 10% of what it can do - you'd be amazed at how "twangy" these can sound with a tele style guitar and how "Marshall-ish you can get them sounding for an AC/DC song.

I play in an 80s, 90s, and modern rock cover band. We also do some country tunes and I play my Triple Recto on all these tunes and LOVE it!! We cover a wide range, from from bands like- Bon Jovi, Poison, AC/DC, Creed, Puddle of Mudd, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Aerosmith, Brian Adams, Metallica, Maroon 5, 3 Doors Down and Van Halen. I have the 3 channel recto and have the 1st channel set up clean, but the gain up all the way to get just a hint of grit if played hard enough. I have the 2nd and 3rd channels kind of flipped-flopped. Channel 2 is my most distortion and I use the Vintage setting with the gain at 100%. Ch 3 is my semi distorted and I use the RAW mode at about 50% gain. I also have the V-Twin and between the two of those I can get all the different levels of distortion I could ever need. I'm not a big fan of the Modern mode, but I have used it a time or two to record with but not live. For the rock stuff I use my Peavey Wolfgang and for the country stuff I use my G&L ASAT (tele style). This is the best amp I've EVER owned, blows away any modeling amp (even though I use a Line 6 PODxtl to record with and for a touch of FX, sorry Line 6).