Road King Questions

[roXor]

Hello everyone, I think I'm going to buy a Road King but I have some concerns about the first and second series. What's the difference? I believe I'm getting the first series but I might change my mind if there is a major difference tone wise. Sorry for asking I'm still new to Mesa. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Barry]

RKII has the Lone star cleans . Im about to put my RKI head and RK 2X12 cab up for sale . They are both in Road cases and in mint condition . They also have the upgrade of gold grille cloth

 

[phillyred79]

If $$$ isn't a big deal, I would suggest going with the RK II. The cleans on Ch. 1 are very pristine and nice. I've heard the clean channel on the original RK and they are ok, but there is to my ears a big improvement with the RK II.

 

[MetalMatt]

The RK II has better cleans (Lonestar). Improved reverb (Now tube). both loops were changed to series. The RK II v1 has the external trigger control (like for fog machines). The RK II v2 has a tuner out with footswitch mute.

 

[2britz]

You didn't ask, but my suggestion is to buy both a closed 2x12 cabinet and an open back 2x12 cabinet. If you are patient enough, you can probably get both used for around what a new RK 2x12 cabinet would run.

I only had a closed back 2x12 when I first got my RK2. Having the open back for the tone stacks that beg for it makes such a difference in the amp. I also put a Fulltone in front of it for channels 1 and 2 when I want a little more grit. Don't be afraid to boost the amp just because it is a four channel, ten thousand knobs and switches monster.

 

[kingster911]

The RKII has Lone Star cleans, and an improved Brit mode on Ch. 2 they say. It is pretty cool sounding, nice boosted twangy grit to it. Another thing to think of instead of an open back and a closed back 2x12, maybe think of getting the exclusive Road King cab that can be (I think) quarter-open back and (not sure of this) possibly has two different speakers in it. If not different speakers, it still is a little add bell to all the others and whistles to customize your tone that much more.

 

[richb]

I have a Roadking I and honestly the reason why I brought it was because I told my friend, John Petrucci Of D.T. that I wanted one.From The R.K series He ONLY Uses The R.K.I, NOT the II and he really likes it.You just have to dial it in right.
Depending on you guitar if you have a Piezo in it your cleans will be awesome.Not that the cleans aren't already mint(because they are).

The whole thing is you just need to spend time with ANY Mesa amp to get your right tones..
This forum is cool because you can ask for advice and these people will give you there prefered settings so from there you can tweak it to get what you want.

good luck.
Rich Brymer
www.myspace.com/richbrymer

 

[JAZZGEAR]

I have a Roadking I and honestly the reason why I brought it was because I told my friend, John Petrucci Of D.T. that I wanted one.From The R.K series He ONLY Uses The R.K.I, NOT the II and he really likes it.You just have to dial it in right.
Depending on you guitar if you have a Piezo in it your cleans will be awesome.Not that the cleans aren't already mint(because they are).

The whole thing is you just need to spend time with ANY Mesa amp to get your right tones..
This forum is cool because you can ask for advice and these people will give you there prefered settings so from there you can tweak it to get what you want.

good luck.
Rich Brymer
www.myspace.com/richbrymer

I suspect the reason JP continues to use the RK I over the RK II is not because he likes it better....... It may have something to do with the several Lonestar heads he already has in his rig......The Lonestar Cleans just so happens to be the most significant change in the RK from series I to II :shock:

 

[richb]

I have a Roadking I and honestly the reason why I brought it was because I told my friend, John Petrucci Of D.T. that I wanted one.From The R.K series He ONLY Uses The R.K.I, NOT the II and he really likes it.You just have to dial it in right.
Depending on you guitar if you have a Piezo in it your cleans will be awesome.Not that the cleans aren't already mint(because they are).

The whole thing is you just need to spend time with ANY Mesa amp to get your right tones..
This forum is cool because you can ask for advice and these people will give you there prefered settings so from there you can tweak it to get what you want.

good luck.
Rich Brymer
www.myspace.com/richbrymer

I suspect the reason JP continues to use the RK I over the RK II is not because he likes it better....... It may have something to do with the several Lonestar heads he already has in his rig......The Lonestar Cleans just so happens to be the most significant change in the RK from series I to II :shock:

Of course your right.He doesn't use the R.K.I for cleans at all.The Lonestar's in his rig do all of that.

Dialing in the Amp have alot to do with it though..(if it ain't broke,don't try to fix it)
richb

 

[2britz]

JAZZGEAR is right on.

Cleans on RK2 = wonderful (especially with a piezo)

That was what made me pull out the plastic in store upon demoing when they first came out rather than buying an RK1 on the used market. If you have played and liked the RK1, you will equally like series 2. Not to say series 1 isn't great on its own (it is) but channels 1&2 along with the reverb are distinctly different. The reverb can almost reach delay levels on channel 1.

Be warned, roXor, since you said you are new to Mesa that different guitars will really emphasize different elements of the tone stack with this amp. I hear the differences in wood, pickups, etc. between my PRS CU24, superstrat-style EBMM JP1, and lespaul style McNaught guitars more so with this amp than any of the many I owned before - at least I do when I am not competing for air space with other instruments 8)

 

[kingster911]

Heh on that note my Les Paul Standard Faded is the guitar I've been using primarily with my RKII lately, and I've been trying to get tones like bands like Shadows Fall and All That Remains (yes both from guitar hero, that's why I'm practicing "Six" on real guitar now!). 2 questions: 1. Should I get thicker gauge strings if detuning so they'll feel tighter and easier to paly fast on? and 2. anyone kow any great modern metal tones for the RKII?

 

[roXor]

I'm really getting this amp for the Recto distortion but I also wanted a superior clean on top of that. I have to do some testing around a local guitar shop but I'm wondering what happens if I play this through a 4x12 Recto cab on Ch 3-4? Thanks for the replies.

 

[CoG]

Heh on that note my Les Paul Standard Faded is the guitar I've been using primarily with my RKII lately, and I've been trying to get tones like bands like Shadows Fall and All That Remains (yes both from guitar hero, that's why I'm practicing "Six" on real guitar now!). 2 questions: 1. Should I get thicker gauge strings if detuning so they'll feel tighter and easier to paly fast on? and 2. anyone kow any great modern metal tones for the RKII?

I can only answer the first one-- yes, you should get thicker gauge strings when detuning (if you go to a full step plus drop-C, you'll need at least .012s), but you'll find that you'll need to raise your action as well, and the higher action and heavier strings will generally slow you down. You need the heavier strings to keep the proper stress on the guitar neck.

 

[roXor]

JAZZGEAR is right on.

Cleans on RK2 = wonderful (especially with a piezo)

That was what made me pull out the plastic in store upon demoing when they first came out rather than buying an RK1 on the used market. If you have played and liked the RK1, you will equally like series 2. Not to say series 1 isn't great on its own (it is) but channels 1&2 along with the reverb are distinctly different. The reverb can almost reach delay levels on channel 1.

Be warned, roXor, since you said you are new to Mesa that different guitars will really emphasize different elements of the tone stack with this amp. I hear the differences in wood, pickups, etc. between my PRS CU24, superstrat-style EBMM JP1, and lespaul style McNaught guitars more so with this amp than any of the many I owned before - at least I do when I am not competing for air space with other instruments 8)

I can't really necessarily test my guitars because you won't find them on the market. But I do know that I have a mahogany wood neck on my Avenger with killer Seymour Duncans on it(gain). My strat should work well on it though especially on the neck pick up and its build with a rosewood neck I believe(clean).

 

[kingster911]

quick question on RKII: ohmage: i have a 2x12, and im worried that ive been hookin it to my combo wrong. If I have an 8 ohm 2x12 recto cab, do i plug it into the 4 ohm load or 8 ohm on the RKII?

 

[scottkahn]

For all the difference between RK I, RK II, RK IIv2, and the Roadster, see my in-depth review:
http://www.musicplayers.com/reviews/guitars/2006/0906_MesaBoogieRoadKing.php

As for the comments about John Petrucci and the RK I...

1. He is not using the Road King at present. With Systematic Chaos, he rediscovered his love of the Mark IV, and his current rig for the DT tour has two Mark IVs and a Lone Star head for the cleans.

2. As for why John doesn't play a RK II, he didn't really know much about the changes to the amp -- he wasn't automatically sent one, for example, so he didn't realize that it incorporated the Lone Star cleans (we talked about this during my last interview with him shortly before DT left on the current world tour).

Unlike many players who spend a lot of time in these forums debating tone until we're all blue in the face, many pros don't spend their days following all this stuff... they get gear that works for them and inspires them and then they use it. They don't look for upgrades to the amps every other year unless something specific isn't working for them.

While those of us with RK IIs know that the cleans are to die for, the RK I still had very nice sounding cleans. It's still a great amp, as are other Boogies that came before. If you can't get great tone from them, don't blame the amp.

Scott
ps. If you missed our last DT feature, here's that link:
http://www.musicplayers.com/features/bands_general/2007/0607_DreamTheater.php

 

[JamesChin]

Unlike many players who spend a lot of time in these forums debating tone until we're all blue in the face, many pros don't spend their days following all this stuff... they get gear that works for them and inspires them and then they use it. They don't look for upgrades to the amps every other year unless something specific isn't working for them.

Very true.

A lot of people are insecure about their tone/gear and feel compelled to justify their beliefs based on what other people think. The result is a lot of hype-battles and clutter in the forums.

Great interview btw, I never knew JP used so much Recto, even as early as Awake. I always thought the heavy chugging in Lie sounded suspiciously un-Mark/Triaxis!

 

[scottkahn]

Lie may have been a Triaxis. It was on that album that JP started using rectos, so it could be that the Triaxis was on a few tracks.

On the current tour, his rack included two Mark IVs and a Lone Star -- just saw the show this past weekend at PNC Arts Center. It was the best performance of theirs that I've experienced live (been to see them on a few different tours).

 

[2britz]

Saw DT in Dallas a couple of weeks ago. AWESOME concert and amazing tone by JP throughout the entire show. Ending the set with the closing part of Octavarium...wow.

SOMEONE spends a lot of time fussing over the tone if JP doesn't :wink:

 

[mightywarlock]

last night while getting some gear from some pro guy, we were talking about rectifiers and when i mentioned i wanted to get a road king he blurted out, "Make sure you get a series I, not a series II as the II has the Buzzsaw distortion like the 3ch. Rectos!"

is the distortion really buzzy on the series II's?