Recto-Verb Owners let me hear from you

[Tubegear Junkie]

I'm sure this has been asked before...
I'm new so please bear with me.

I'm beginning to lean towards a purchase
of a Recto-Verb Head.
I would like to hear from owners of the Recto-Verb model-
combo or head users.
about any problems you have had, likes or dislikes what type of music you're playing through this model etc.

I'm planning on using it for band practice and gigs.
We play Metal- very aggressive new style. :twisted:

thanks in advance
Tubegear Junkie

 

[sricabla]

I have a recto combo and I love it! You just have to get use to tweaking it to your liking. It takes some time and patience but don't give up.An EQ in the effects loop also helps. A tone Tubby ceramic (40 watts) really gives it a great versatile sound.The Tone Tubby is rated at 40 watts but it's a conservative rating.The speaker breakup with your 50 watt Recto is really nice along with how you set your gain. Finally I would get a THD hotplate to get to your amp's output sweetspot without getting insanely loud.

With this setup you can achieve some nice chugging tight rhythms and some creamy grind action happening. The secret to this whole setup is the Hotplate. Before I got this setup I used an OCD (which is a great pedal) but since I got the Hotplate my gain has been great without it.Natural Mesa gain and overdrive!

Hope this helps!

 

[sricabla]

Oh...I forgot one more thing. For my ears, the stock Mesa speakers are OK.I'm surprised that the Tone Tubby speaker factory is just down the road from Mesa. I wonder why they don't use them? I think the Tone Tubby speakers are just as good or better than what's out there.

So you can make an informed decision about your sound here's a link http://www.amptone.com/truesecretofamptone.htm

Good luck!

 

[PreventThis]

I have had my Recto verb Combo for around 8-9 months and I havent had any problems whatsoever with it. I play all kinds of metal as well, and its got a very good gain for pretty much anything you would want. If you throw an EQ in the loop you can get a pretty "tight" rhythm tone out of it. I have some recordings that I have done with mine if you would like to listen to them. I posted them in the Rigs&tones section so just click on my name and my most recent posts are in those threads.

 

[count_chocolat]

I've had my rectoverb2 head for a few years and I consider it to be a outstanding amp. Very versatile, very reliable. I consider it to be a little dark tonewise and would prefer a serial effects loop. but that's it!

 

[kmanick]

I've got a Rectoverb head going on a couple of months now and for the most part I love it.
I'm running mine with El34's but I just ordered a set of KT-77's to check out (I have a pair of Fresh 6L6's too , just trying to see what I like best).
I run mine thru a hotplate as well into a recto 2X12 cab and an Avatar 2X12 cab that I loaded with Mesa C90's.
I use it for Nevermore/Dream Theater type of stuff. (7 string basically)
likes:
The rhythm tone on modern just kills, I use a Modded SD-1 in front to slam the front end a bit and it just kills.
the lead tone is also pretty sweet on modern with the El34's and the SD-1
BUT..................
Vintage mode
this is where leads really sound great. For whatever reason single note lines just seem to sing better on this mode.(more compression?)
Which bring me to my......
Dislikes.
I wish I could switch back and forth between Vintage and modern on the fly with a foot pedal, but I'm a channel short.
Not a design flaw, just something I'm missing.
The effects loop to me is un-usable with my Boss ME-50.
even if I plug in my MXR 10 band EQ in the loop by itself it drastically muddies up the tone of the amp.
I haven't decided whether I should just mod the loop to serial (because I would leave the EQ on all the time) or I should just get a Roadster and be done with it.
Other than those 2 points I love this amp, it does it's "thing" really well.

 

[JF Omalycat]

ROV combo series I.

I recommend it.


I run mine with SED winged C 6l6's and I haven't had a problem tweaking any tone I've desired out of it.

An EQ pedal (I use a Boss) in the loop gives you almost endless tonal possibilities. On top of the "solo" function on the amp itself, it's not hard to turn this into a four channel amp...

I like the fact that the ROV will give you the really brutal, heavy recto tones you desire, but can do The Stones just as well.

If I had one complaint, it would be the reverb. (or lack thereof) Strange, given the name of the amp.....
I would also like to be able to flip from "clean" to "pushed" on the fly, but the massive volume difference doesn't make that practical.

I've heard a lot of guys complain about the effects loop, but mine doesn't give me any problems. I've got four or five different pedals running through it, none of them true bypass, and I don't really notice any tone suck. (bought my ROV used though, for all I know it's already been modified...)

A wise choice!



If you're going to be doing any larger sized gigs, I'd recommend an extension cabinet.

 

[eventide_awakening]

as kmanick already referenced, the roadster is a great amp as well if you need multiple channels. the vintage and modern settings are both superb voicings, and i would hate to have to choose between the two. if you get a chance to try one (if you haven't already) then go for it before you make a purchase.

 

[chennie]

Have A ROV2 combo, converted it to a head and a cab. Tone is great, feutures are great.

Sounds great IMHO with the stock c90 speaker and a 2x12 v30.
Reverb is a little dissapointing for an amp with reverb as name.

 

[wildrat666]

Rectoverb is perfect for agressive metal. boost it with a overdrive and you are in metal heaven. brutal!!!

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

Unless you're gonna use the onboard reverb you may as well save a few bucks and get the Single Rectifier :roll:
The parallel fx loop is the only drawback with either of them.

 

[JF Omalycat]

Have A ROV2 combo, converted it to a head and a cab. Tone is great, feutures are great.

quote]

I'd like to see some pics of that, if you could? I've thought of doing the same thing.

 

[jaxnrr1]

ROV Series 1 head + 2 X 12 Recto cab (Celestion Vintage 30s)

After 12 years away from my first Mesa (old Dual Rec), and many months of hearing an old friend's new Mesa, I had to go back.

I was looking for the tone that can only be from a Mesa, but with a bit more tonal versatility than your average Dual Rec (no offense to you Dual players). After a year of searching I ran across a classified listing for a Series 1 ROV with 2x12 cab for a price that has made some of my fellow Mesa owners' heads explode. I practically stole this rig. It was a week after Xmas and I had some extra cash set aside for something nice, so I drove out to check it out.
This was the amp for me. I wanted the simplicity of only 2 channels. And, since I'm a pedal *****, I knew I could achieve any other sound I was looking for with the stomp of a switch. That, and I like the power tube breakup of a 50 watt head vs a 100 watt head. If you dig older hot rodded amps that seem to sizzle under your fingertips, this head should be at the top of your wish list.
Very touch sensitive on both channels. The volume knob on your guitar becomes your at-hand gain control giving you the ultimate tonal versatility. The eq controls speak for themselves. I will probably say this over and over again down the road, but, for those who can't get the sounds they are expecting, go back and do one simple thing: READ THE MANUAL! This isn't the typical tone stack, that some players of some particular British amp manufacturer who shall go unnamed, might come to expect. Bass, Mid, and Treble controls are very interactive with one another. Learn them, Live them, Love them. Gain? Oh yeah, there is lots of that, so be gentle at first. Don't go dime-ing the gain knob right off the bat. Ease into that control just like it was "the first time". You will also find that the Gain knob is also interactive with the tone stack. I use the presence knob like it was a room compensation control, but that's just my style. Speaking of style, this amp will cover lot of ground for you. Jazz, rock, country (yes, i did say country), blues, and metal. A little knob tweak here and there, and you'll find it. Once again RTM (read the manual).
Okay, I think I'm starting to sound like a salesperson, but that is how passionately I feel about this amp. I'm honestly not a huge fan of the Vintage 30's in the 2x12, but that will be dealt with later. I'm looking at substituting some Eminence speakers when the $ is there for it. In the meantime, i have replaced the stock Mesa 6L6 power tubes for a meticulously matched set of JJ 6L6s to give the amp the depth and darkness that i prefer in my sound. V1 was swapped out for a Tung-sol 12AX7 for a more musically dynamic preamp sound. All in all, I love this amp. I hope others do as well.

 

[gnarwailnmt]

I fell into a ROV in January.
The clean channel is nice, it hasnt given me that deep, fender smoothness yet, but i still feel it takes a while to dial in the amp for what you want. I like the vintage channel, has a very pleasing gain

On the Gain Channel, with just the guitar plugged in, i get alot of hiss. It could just be my amp, or the tubes. Also, with the gain turned past 2 it starts to get to messy for me. I dont get that insane metal gain right from the amp, like everybody says, the more time you spend tweaking the amp the better sounds you'll find. But it just doesnt give me the tight punchy gain that i want for the type of metal i play. The amp is killer, and i enjoy it, i'd use it for a rock band or jazz combo even, but for metal, without a dist box in front and an eq to tighten up the bass response, it didnt work for me.

If anybody else has that hiss/hum to their drive channel let me know. Other wise im gonna go talk to my tech

 

[MusicManJP6]

I just picked up a RoV series II combo this weekend. LOVE it. I swapped the 6L6's out for KT77's and it tightened it up tremendously... Highly recommend! I've owned a few Mesas (Mark IVA and B, Roadster, and F-30 to be exact). I think the RoV is my favorite! It's hard to explain how this could be possible, but it is the best amp for the money - hands down... It's a bit heavy, but that's just a minor issue right?! :wink:

 

[Tubegear Junkie]

The effects loop to me is un-usable with my Boss ME-50.
even if I plug in my MXR 10 band EQ in the loop by itself it drastically muddies up the tone of the amp.
I haven't decided whether I should just mod the loop to serial (because I would leave the EQ on all the time) or I should just get a Roadster and be done with it.
Other than those 2 points I love this amp, it does it's "thing" really well.

kmanick,

Thanks for your reply- it's very helpful.

Just a suggestion- take the MXR 10 Band EQ out of the effects loop and run your guitar straight into MXR EQ then out to the input jack. Leave the loop for all your effects pedals. See if that helps- if you haven't already tried that.

Tubegear Junkie

 

[Tubegear Junkie]

Hey Gang,

THANKS!! for your replies
they have been very helpful
my ears will be the final judge of course
next time at my Mesa dealer (not local at all) I will be
putting the RectoVerb through an intense test drive

Another Question;
What brand Hotplate are you having the best success with?

Tubegear Junkie

 

[JF Omalycat]

On the Gain Channel, with just the guitar plugged in, i get a lot of hiss. It could just be my amp, or the tubes. Also, with the gain turned past 2 it starts to get to messy for me. I don't get that insane metal gain right from the amp, like everybody says, the more time you spend tweaking the amp the better sounds you'll find. But it just doesn't give me the tight punchy gain that i want for the type of metal i play.

If anybody else has that hiss/hum to their drive channel let me know. Other wise im gonna go talk to my tech

I rarely notice hiss or noise unless I've got the master output around 2:00, which is about as loud as I can tolerate it. Every now and then there'll be some weird noises coming and going, but I generally chalk that up to other electronic stuff going on in the room. (computer monitor, lights, etc...if I've got my Nextel on me, there's a weird, Morse code popping sound I'll hear about five seconds before my phone rings!) I've never given it much thought, and was under the impression it was common for any tube amp.

If it's a problem with more than one guitar, I'd check out your cables, pedals, wall outlets, etc. I've got a ton of pedals, some of them inviting noise more than others. In particular, a Holy Grail reverb pedal that's just about unusable at high volume, it's so noisy.

The gain on mine is sterling, whether Modern or Vintage, at 12:00 or dimed. And EQ pedal definitely helps tighten things up, but the natural voicing is pretty darn usable. Honestly, I can't imagine running a distortion box through this thing. I tried a Jekyll and Hyde through it, just for giggles, and it didn't even come close to the natural gain of the amp. A lot of guys around here swear by their OD pedals, but I've personally never felt the need for one. Might be worth a shot, though.

If anything, I have a much harder time tweaking a really good clean sound out of the thing.

Kind of a long winded post, but I hope it helps.

Best of luck

 

[JF Omalycat]

stupid duplicate post....

 

[wastoid]

new user here, first post. hooray

I have been looking to kick it up a notch amp-wise; am currently playing a fender blues deluxe that I depise.

anyway, recommendations came my way about the Rect-o-verb being able to get the jazzier clean tones that I want as well as that thick recto distortion. I ended up buying one new because I'm dumb like that, but let me tell you, the tone on this beast was truly wonderful. I had the 1x12 combo.

however, there is a dark side here. The way the reverb circuit is designed, it will cause a minor swell if you're using the reverb and switch between channels. This is because they turn it off and fade it back in slowly when you change channels. But I believe my amp was defective because this reverb swell, even when reverb was only at 9:30, was easily as loud as a note I was playing on my guitar.

I brought it to the shop and nothing we could do would mitigate the swell back into levels that I would consider "not an issue". We tried changing all the tubes one by one just incase that was the issue and no go. In the end, I returned it reluctantly. I loved the sound but it was difficult for me to pay that much money for something with a flaw I couldn't ignore.

If mine was just glitched or w/e, I'd say the Rect-o-verb is a pretty bad *** amp. I definitely lament having had to bring it back but I would have been more upset had I not, I think.