Rectoverb clean channel...FIXED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[estring]

I cant seem to get a nice clean tone from my Rectoverb. It breaks up way too early. If I lower the gain below 9:00, i get a decent clean tone, but then I dont have enough volume no matter how I set the Master and the Output.

If I set the gain to above 9:00, I get the volume, but then not even close to a clean sound, its more pushed/overdriven sounding. I've tried several EQ setups too...still can get a clean tone with out breakup.

Can any of you guys get a very clean, warm tone on Channel one and still have the volume??

Is this just the nature of this amp?

Thanks

 

[b0nkersx]

I don't have a Rectoverb, but I can offer you a few tips:

If you don't use the effects loop, hard bypass it on the back (bypass solo/output or whatever). IMO this makes it way easier to keep the gain down and turn the volume up to match it to your dirty channel, and also improves the tone.

Drop the mids to somewhere in-between 9:00 and 11:00, crank the treble and bass a bit (I have both at around 1:00 to 2:00). Put presence to taste so that the highs aren't piercing.

If neither of those work for you, turn the gain up and turn down your guitar volume to clean it up.

Hope this helps.

 

[estring]

I don't have a Rectoverb, but I can offer you a few tips:

If you don't use the effects loop, hard bypass it on the back (bypass solo/output or whatever). IMO this makes it way easier to keep the gain down and turn the volume up to match it to your dirty channel, and also improves the tone.

Drop the mids to somewhere in-between 9:00 and 11:00, crank the treble and bass a bit (I have both at around 1:00 to 2:00). Put presence to taste so that the highs aren't piercing.

If neither of those work for you, turn the gain up and turn down your guitar volume to clean it up.

Hope this helps.

Thanks...tried all that..still not clean. As far as rolling the volume knob back. I shouldnt have to do that on a "clean" channel.
Clean should mean clean. Not a little dirty!!!! Especially when there is a "pushed" mode that will give the dirt/OD tone.

 

[Blaklynx]

I cant seem to get a nice clean tone from my Rectoverb. It breaks up way too early. If I lower the gain below 9:00, i get a decent clean tone, but then I dont have enough volume no matter how I set the Master and the Output.

If I set the gain to above 9:00, I get the volume, but then not even close to a clean sound, its more pushed/overdriven sounding. I've tried several EQ setups too...still can get a clean tone with out breakup.

Can any of you guys get a very clean, warm tone on Channel one and still have the volume??

Is this just the nature of this amp?

Thanks

This doesn't sound right. I have a series 2 RV. I can use the clean ch. (clean mode) and turn the gain up to 1~2 with no issues. It stays clean. I use a 5751 preamp tube in V1 which is 70% gain value of a 12AX7 (12AX7 is considered 100%). I've also used 6L6's and currently use EL34's. No issues with either tube type. Plenty of volume as well.

Check your preamp tubes and also the power tubes. One or more may be faulty or on the way out. They may not be seated 100% properly giving poor contact, so check that, too.

Try a different guitar cable. May be faulty/noisy. Use no effects when going through the elimination process to find your issue. Keep your setup simple. You may have a dirty input jack. Spray contact cleaner and work the jack with your cable in/out several times.

Write everything down on paper so you know what you've done and what you need to do. It's difficult to remember everything as you go through the elimination process as there can be many variables.


Try this to see if the power tubes are faulty:

Bypass the preamp by plugging the guitar into the effects return directly. You may need to use an EQ pedal to boost your guitar level up a little. The master volume out should be clean. NOTE: when plugging in, keep the master volume at zero and then slowly turn it up and play. Having said that, I don't know if there may be an impedance mismatch between guitar and amp, so if it sounds really crap, like a chainsaw buzz/fizz, then it's most likely a mismatch..... however, a power tube may be actually stuffed! So..... use your judgement.

Whichever way, it's always wise to have good spare tubes. It amazes me that so many don't have spare tubes. When things like this happen, at the very least you can try a tube swap and that will eliminate the tubes, which therefore means it must be something else.

See how you go and get back to us.

 

[estring]

I cant seem to get a nice clean tone from my Rectoverb. It breaks up way too early. If I lower the gain below 9:00, i get a decent clean tone, but then I dont have enough volume no matter how I set the Master and the Output.

If I set the gain to above 9:00, I get the volume, but then not even close to a clean sound, its more pushed/overdriven sounding. I've tried several EQ setups too...still can get a clean tone with out breakup.

Can any of you guys get a very clean, warm tone on Channel one and still have the volume??

Is this just the nature of this amp?

Thanks

This doesn't sound right. I have a series 2 RV. I can use the clean ch. (clean mode) and turn the gain up to 1~2 with no issues. It stays clean. I use a 5751 preamp tube in V1 which is 70% gain value of a 12AX7 (12AX7 is considered 100%). I've also used 6L6's and currently use EL34's. No issues with either tube type. Plenty of volume as well.

Check your preamp tubes and also the power tubes. One or more may be faulty or on the way out. They may not be seated 100% properly giving poor contact, so check that, too.

Try a different guitar cable. May be faulty/noisy. Use no effects when going through the elimination process to find your issue. Keep your setup simple. You may have a dirty input jack. Spray contact cleaner and work the jack with your cable in/out several times.

Write everything down on paper so you know what you've done and what you need to do. It's difficult to remember everything as you go through the elimination process as there can be many variables.


Try this to see if the power tubes are faulty:

Bypass the preamp by plugging the guitar into the effects return directly. You may need to use an EQ pedal to boost your guitar level up a little. The master volume out should be clean. NOTE: when plugging in, keep the master volume at zero and then slowly turn it up and play. Having said that, I don't know if there may be an impedance mismatch between guitar and amp, so if it sounds really crap, like a chainsaw buzz/fizz, then it's most likely a mismatch..... however, a power tube may be actually stuffed! So..... use your judgement.

Whichever way, it's always wise to have good spare tubes. It amazes me that so many don't have spare tubes. When things like this happen, at the very least you can try a tube swap and that will eliminate the tubes, which therefore means it must be something else.

See how you go and get back to us.

Thanks..I've tried most of those tips already. Ill try cleaning the jacks. I have spares and I get the same result with all of them. However they are not brand new tubes. I did order a new set that should be here any day, so thats my last hope to resolve this.

I know something is not right. If I put the gain to 1 or 2 like you, I get a completely overdriven sound. Actually, If I put the gain anywhere over 9:00, it gets overdriven.

Well, next step would be the tech bench....

 

[Mop]

What guitar/pickups are you using?
If you have reasonably hot pickups in your guitar you're going to have to either run the gain on the amp fairly low or roll back on your guitar volume a bit for cleans.
I run my gain at about 10 oclock if I'm using something with decently hot humbuckers (SD jb or dimarzio dactivator for example) and don't want to roll back the volume, it's plenty loud through my 2x12, can't imagine running out of headroom. Picking lighter for clean parts also goes a long way, you can set it up so light picking is clean and it starts getting dirty when you dig in a bit more.

 

[estring]

What guitar/pickups are you using?
If you have reasonably hot pickups in your guitar you're going to have to either run the gain on the amp fairly low or roll back on your guitar volume a bit for cleans.
I run my gain at about 10 oclock if I'm using something with decently hot humbuckers (SD jb or dimarzio dactivator for example) and don't want to roll back the volume, it's plenty loud through my 2x12, can't imagine running out of headroom. Picking lighter for clean parts also goes a long way, you can set it up so light picking is clean and it starts getting dirty when you dig in a bit more.

my point is...its called a Clean channel, I shouldnt have to roll the volume back on a 50 watt tube amp.
I have a Fender Amer Series Strat with Fender humbucker. I've had Marshalls and another Mesa with this guitar and this RoV is by far the least pleasing clean tone I have ever heard for something being called "clean." Based on the great reviews of the clean channel and others experiences, I have begun to assume that something is wrong internally with the amp, and I'm wondering if its something others have experienced in a mesa or any other amp.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

roll back on your guitar volume a bit for cleans.

My thought as well....

 

[94Tremoverb]

I think there may be something wrong with the amp. A friend of mine has a Rectoverb and also had trouble with keeping it clean, but at high volume and with the FX loop in use - it was clean enough when not using that, with the gain a lot higher than 10 o'clock, and a PRS Custom 24. I don't remember exactly where it started to break up, but definitely above 12 o'clock on the gain with the MV dimed and the loop bypassed.

You aren't using it in Pushed mode? (I assume.) That does reduce the headroom a lot. But if it is set to Clean you should definitely not have to roll back the guitar volume to get a loud, clean tone with this amp, even with hot humbuckers.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

I actually used to own a series one Rectoverb and had the same experience with the cleans. I think it was the nature of the beast. I always found the cleans to harsh, bright, and in your face. Never thought it sounded very good. Part of the reason I no longer own it. Maybe give Mesa a call and see if they have any suggesstions? Theyd know the amp best as they built it.

 

[DV211]

I use a 5751 preamp tube in V1 which is 70% gain value of a 12AX7 (12AX7 is considered 100%). I've also used 6L6's and currently use EL34's. No issues with either tube type. Plenty of volume as well.

Thanx to O.P for starting thread which lead to response from Blaklynx. 5751 could save a chunk of cash for tone sought, hopefully.

 

[estring]

did a new tube swap..not much better. Before this I had a TSL and an F-50..incredible clean channels, chimmey, sparkly, full
I just cant get close no matter what I dial in or swap out.

One more thought...Blown/torn speaker cone????

 

[Blaklynx]

Did you try bypassing the preamp as I mentioned? Also, try a 5751 preamp tube in V1 and put a Sovtek 12AX7 LPS in the phase inverter position. Try that out and see how you go. Preamp tubes aren't that expensive.

These are my tubes:
V1: Tungsol 5751
Rest of preamp tubes: JJ 12AX7's (83's or 803's?? - can't remember, they're not high gain)
Phase Inverter: Sovtek 12AX7 LPS
Power: Winged C EL34's

Also, watch your treble dial - adds gain. It's just the way the Recto's work. Read the manual. What I do is turn the treble dial down, ususally around 10~11oclock on the clean and around 9~9.30oclock on the 2nd channel. I boost the high end via an MXR 10 band EQ in the loop instead. My EQ is also adjusted for boosting the high-mids and dialed down a little in the bass to get rid of mud (adjusted in conjunction with the amps mid/bass controls, too).

If all else fails, try this:
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=46915

Also, something about EQ pedals. Read the entire thread or read my posts for settings halway down. I've since changed the settings a little, but hey, I'm experimenting.
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=19660&start=45

In the end, it may very well be an issue with your amp and you may need to take it in. Just keep in mind that it's not a Fender.....lol

Keep us posted.

 

[UnderJollyRoger]

roll back on your guitar volume a bit for cleans.

My thought as well....

Doesn't rolling back your guitar volume or turning down the gain come to the same in the end ?

If you can't reach enough volume without overdriving your clean channel, it doesn't matter where you turn it down ... (yes, I'm aware that there may be a difference with going in with a strong signal and turning the gain down or vice versa, but it shouldn't matter much with this problem).

By the way, have you tested if your Pushed Mode is working ? Maybe it is always on 'cause the switch is defect or something like that ??

 

[PC Biz]

Series 1 never had a good clean channel, so you cannot improve it without mods.

Series 2 has an excellent clean channel. One of my favorites.

 

[estring]

Series 1 never had a good clean channel, so you cannot improve it without mods.

Series 2 has an excellent clean channel. One of my favorites.

This is what I keep hearing and reading from other owners. Mine is a series 2.
Tomorrow I am going to run it through a 4x12...could it be a speaker issue???

Then later this week I am taking it to a tech that services Mesa...somethings up with that whole channel thats not right.....

Thanks

 

[b0nkersx]

Tomorrow I am going to run it through a 4x12...could it be a speaker issue???

Could be, but you would then notice something odd about channel 2 as well.

 

[estring]

very true. but I think if here was a tear in the cone it would be less noticeable with all that distortion....right???

 

[b0nkersx]

Could be. Try Raw mode with the gain really low, other controls at noon, decent volume, and see what you get.

 

[estring]

Heres where I'm at. The tech thinks its a failed grid screen resistor caused by a tube failure.
Funny thing, as soon as he played the amp he said..."well, that sounds like ***!!!"

More to come!!!