Rectoverb vs. Mark IV vs. F50

[Micah]

Question for any Mark IV players out there--how do you get a scooped tone out of it--Im looking for theory's here that ultimatly lead to a nicer smooth tone. I heard it to be fairly harsh in the mids and Im curious how you users smooth it out to give you a chunkier sound?? :?:

Try these settings:

Thats a super cool picture!! How did you get that in your forum post/where did you get it?

Dude! Do you really run the Bass and Mids off in the lead channel?? Im assuming that you get the boost in the aux eq??

 

[Sandman_61]

Alright, just to update, I'm now officially a member of the Mesa Boogie family
I went ahead and picked up the used Mark IV. This thing is unbelievable!! I only got to play around with it for an hour at the store, but I can already tell its got a lot of potential. I'm downloading the manual now, between that and all the great info on this forum, I think I'm gonna be a very busy man :wink:
Anyways, thanks for the advice everybody, and I'm sure I'll be posting lots of questions here over the next few weeks!

 

[hal9000]

Question for any Mark IV players out there--how do you get a scooped tone out of it--Im looking for theory's here that ultimatly lead to a nicer smooth tone. I heard it to be fairly harsh in the mids and Im curious how you users smooth it out to give you a chunkier sound?? :?:

Try these settings:

Thats a super cool picture!! How did you get that in your forum post/where did you get it?

Dude! Do you really run the Bass and Mids off in the lead channel?? Im assuming that you get the boost in the aux eq??

Micah, these are the settings my friend Ralph (gainfreak) uses who's well-versed in the Mark IV and ultimate tone search. Yes, for a tight sound, the bass should be off or almost so, and the mids should be three (3) or less. As far as the picture, I made it from scratch as part of my graphic design business using MS PowerPoint. Here's a whole short head if you're curious:

 

[hal9000]

Alright, just to update, I'm now officially a member of the Mesa Boogie family
I went ahead and picked up the used Mark IV. This thing is unbelievable!! I only got to play around with it for an hour at the store, but I can already tell its got a lot of potential. I'm downloading the manual now, between that and all the great info on this forum, I think I'm gonna be a very busy man :wink:
Anyways, thanks for the advice everybody, and I'm sure I'll be posting lots of questions here over the next few weeks!

Congrats on the new amp! It's one of my favorites of all time. Check out the settings I posted for your metal tone needs on the lead channel.

 

[Micah]

No slam on the Mark IV's I might get myself one one day. I just know from playing one for about 30 minutes that it has its tendency in the voicing to lean towards the upper mids (for lack of better terms its a "loud" sounding amp) where as say a rectifier tends to lean towards the bottom end in the voicing. Its just different thats all(maybe a good different!):wink:

So what your telling me is that you set your tone controls for a channel to where you can hear yourself and then get the feel of the amp through the auxillary 5 band on the front of the amp?

No biggie, I just wanted to make sure you played one before buying. I can never figure out what an amp has more or less of, unless it is really obvious

With the Mark IV, I make it sound as good I can with the pots/doodads, then I set the 5-band for a slight scoopage to get a more brutal rhythm sound.

Thats kind of cool to be able to do that! It might make things alot less complicated in finding a dood tone/feel-- I might go try one @ the store today!

 

[Micah]

Try these settings:

Thats a super cool picture!! How did you get that in your forum post/where did you get it?

Dude! Do you really run the Bass and Mids off in the lead channel?? Im assuming that you get the boost in the aux eq??

Micah, these are the settings my friend Ralph (gainfreak) uses who's well-versed in the Mark IV and ultimate tone search. Yes, for a tight sound, the bass should be off or almost so, and the mids should be three (3) or less. As far as the picture, I made it from scratch as part of my graphic design business using MS PowerPoint. Here's a whole short head if you're curious:

Those pictures are sweet--thanks for the info man--I might go down to the music store today and give a Mark 4 a shot since I get off early today. I want a second head to sit ontop of my Marshall 1960A Cab--

 

[hal9000]

Those pictures are sweet--thanks for the info man--I might go down to the music store today and give a Mark 4 a shot since I get off early today. I want a second head to sit ontop of my Marshall 1960A Cab--

Thanks Micah! My singer uses a Mark IV short head into a 1960A. It sounds sweet and really fills out our sound.

 

[FunkenGrooven]

The only one I can comment on is the ROV as a player who is very fond of Fenders clean sound I have to admit it has been something of a challenge to get it out of the ROV but with some tweaking the clean can be very nice It's just differant. Mesa's highs seem weird to me its almost nonexistent or way to brittle there seems to be a small spot were it seems to work the way I want. However I am new to Recto amps and still need to tweak I guess. It's probably more amp Than I need since I usually run pedals thru the clean channel O.D Delay etc. The modern channel does thump hard though. I haven't tried the EL34's in it though if anyone has and would care to comment I'd love to here about it. Thanks 8)

 

[TheRazMeister]

My main rig is an ROV an honestly, if the cleans were the driving force, I'd own a Lonestar..or at the minimum an F-50. I was stricken by the vintage gain channel on the Rectoverb and although the clean is nice, I believe there are other Mesa's that have a better sound for just that.
BTW - I continue to try Mesa's, either owned by other guitarists or at stores and still have not found one that gives me the tone/gain of my ROV on the 2nd channel.
(No Mark's yet though!)
The comparison has been to:
F-50
F-30 (head and combo)
DC-5
50 caliber (head and combo)
Maverick
Nomad (40 combo, 100 combo)
Blue Angel (unfair comparison)
22 caliber
Rocket 44
Dual Rec head
Stilleto (head)

The only one I can comment on is the ROV as a player who is very fond of Fenders clean sound I have to admit it has been something of a challenge to get it out of the ROV but with some tweaking the clean can be very nice It's just differant. Mesa's highs seem weird to me its almost nonexistent or way to brittle there seems to be a small spot were it seems to work the way I want. However I am new to Recto amps and still need to tweak I guess. It's probably more amp Than I need since I usually run pedals thru the clean channel O.D Delay etc. The modern channel does thump hard though. I haven't tried the EL34's in it though if anyone has and would care to comment I'd love to here about it. Thanks 8)

 

[nhspike]

Interesting topic, and very interesting posts.
Please allow me to chime in (with my "sub-standard" Recto-clean, not-so-great-reverb-voice).
I've owned all kinds of amps, from '69 plexi marshall heads, to black-face Fender bassman, to blah blah blahs, aren't you all so impressed.
Included in the various amps I've played, my absolute favorite for about 20 years was a mark II C.
Not really sure if it was a + model or not... could have been.
Well, to make a long story endless, I just traded amps with a guy who was looking for small, punchy, and I was looking for more balls.
He got my brand new Mesa Express 5:25, and I got his Rectoverb, series II.
Let me just say this...
I've owned about 5 or 6 boogies, and this amp (after fresh tubes) makes me loose sleep.
Yes, the reverb can't touch the all-tube express reverb, but hell... I just turn it down to "almost off" and let the fingers to the talking.
Can't believe how nice this recto is.
I think it will take 20 years for most to appreciate and value what this thing does.
Try it, you'll like it.
As for the "inter-Boogie bickering..." let me just say this...
Same team man! Same team!!!!

"keep pickin'"
...
spikey

 

[srf399]

That's great that you've found the amp you love. I tried one and hated it. I liked the bottom end but the fizzy highs sounded horrid to my ears. But if we all liked the same sound there would only be one style of amp on the market. Thank God we all like different sounds... cheers.

 

[siggy14]

Sandman, I am from DC area, right outside in alexandria, which place are you using? Those prices are really high, the Mark IV is only about 1749 brand new, so they are defintly over charging you.

Is the rectoverb new or used? a new rectoverb is only 1379 brand new.

Anyway if you want to stop by and check out amps, i have many mesa's in my apartment, here is my list of amps you can try out if you want before buying.

Tremoverb
Mark IV Version A
Stiletto Duece Version II
Rackmount Dual Recto (have two of these)
Roadking I head
Dual Rec Very early 2 channel version.

Just let me know, I would hold off on buying anything, sounds like they are trying to rip you off hard.

Todd

thanks for the great advice guys!! you have both swayed me towards the Mark IV. The price (used) is actually $1700, but I'm sure I can talk them down to at least 1600, probably closer to 1500. My price limit is right around 1500, so if they don't give me the Mark IV for around that price, then I'll end up goin with the Recto. I would shop around, but I'm financing this purchase with the Guitar Center credit card, so I'm limited to GC. Most likely, what I'll do is wait till the recto comes in, then sit down with both and try them both out side by side, make my decision then. One other thing, I have no clue how old the Mark IV is, but if its 5 years or older and has no warranty left, should I be concerned?

And yes, I considered the Roadster, if I had the money I would definitely go with that, but its too far out of my price range

 

[siggy14]

Opps i se i am a little late, nevermind, but you are still welcome to stop by.

Sandman, I am from DC area, right outside in alexandria, which place are you using? Those prices are really high, the Mark IV is only about 1749 brand new, so they are defintly over charging you.

Is the rectoverb new or used? a new rectoverb is only 1379 brand new.

Anyway if you want to stop by and check out amps, i have many mesa's in my apartment, here is my list of amps you can try out if you want before buying.

Tremoverb
Mark IV Version A
Stiletto Duece Version II
Rackmount Dual Recto (have two of these)
Roadking I head
Dual Rec Very early 2 channel version.

Just let me know, I would hold off on buying anything, sounds like they are trying to rip you off hard.

Todd

thanks for the great advice guys!! you have both swayed me towards the Mark IV. The price (used) is actually $1700, but I'm sure I can talk them down to at least 1600, probably closer to 1500. My price limit is right around 1500, so if they don't give me the Mark IV for around that price, then I'll end up goin with the Recto. I would shop around, but I'm financing this purchase with the Guitar Center credit card, so I'm limited to GC. Most likely, what I'll do is wait till the recto comes in, then sit down with both and try them both out side by side, make my decision then. One other thing, I have no clue how old the Mark IV is, but if its 5 years or older and has no warranty left, should I be concerned?

And yes, I considered the Roadster, if I had the money I would definitely go with that, but its too far out of my price range

 

[yohimbe2]

I spent quite a bit of time comparing all of the Mesa's at guitar center before buying my Rectoverb. I love this amp.

Here is my tip. Take the advice people give here lightly as we are all after different sounds. Go AND LISTEN to all the amps. Take your time.

For me, the rectoverb covered a lot of ground. I was easily able to tune in a very nice blues sound, loved the cleans, and had a blast going into nuclear overdrive. I've not once regretted my decision.

Guitar center is great. Explain to them you are a serious buyer and really want to take some time to find the right mesa. I visited my guitar center every night for two weeks (many many hours of playing) before making my choice. If you have the time this is the only way to make this decision !

One last thought. The RoV has only two power tubes. This will save a lot of $$$ and headaches down the road compared to the amps that need more tubes. (Plus you can have fun trying different power tubes without having to buy many matched sets.)

As for the bumble bee guy that posted here....Are you sure it was the amp that was buzzing? I'm thinking you were smoking something that caused you to buzz....