Single rectifier is desesperatly looking for tightness...

[nismofreakish]

Hi guys,

I got a MESA Single Rectifier Serie II with brand new JJs tubes (hi gain) in it, I like the wide MESA sound, but it reaaaally lacks of "tightness". I run 6L6 JJs cause I didn't like the MESA EL34. I run an a/b box to split with my Roland Jazz Chorus for the clean. I got an oversized v30 MESA cab for my distortion, a Music Man Axis with a Dimarzio Tone Zone in the bridge and just got my PRS 20th custom 22 with Dragon II but plan to put a tremonti treble on it.
I'm afraid it won't be enough... what should I do to get that tightness so many bands using rectifiers have?

1- Add a tight amp and mix them both? (which one?)
2- Boost it? (Ibanez Tube Screamer? Digitech Bad Monkey? Others?)
3- Change the cab? (which one?)
4- Mix speakers with G12? (or else)
5- Sell it and buy another amp?
6- Get the dual rectifier? (would it really make a difference...)
7- Other tubes? (if so, which one!!!)
8- Other (?)

I really don't know what to do, I don't have much cash (a PRS kinda stole me some...)

Any clips of your "tighty" sounding rectifier? (and why it is so tight)

Thanks for your help!

 

[wilerty]

The first thing I would ask is where is your bass set at? Try 9 o'clock, that's what I use on my LSC.

 

[nismofreakish]

I tried with the bass very low too, but not much good results...

 

[chemten]

boost it. ts-9(od-9), ts-808(od-808). maybe a xotic bb. cheaper alternatives would be to use a boss sd-1.

 

[nismofreakish]

I've been told about the Digitech Bad Monkey... anything to say about it?

 

[chemten]

I've been told about the Digitech Bad Monkey... anything to say about it?

thats a good option as well. it really doesn't have that big of an effect with whatever you choose to use as a boost. you're only using its ability to increase the level, not use the overdrive effect of the pedal. some are more transparent than others.

 

[petrucci111]

you could always throw a MXR 108 ten band equalizer in the loop
it helps a lot .. makes the amp tight and you can kill the low and boost the mids :lol: i use it with my roadking II and believe me I cant play my roadking without it :lol:

 

[mrd]

Check out the thread "Triple Rectifier Tone problems"

Same issue, except with a TR, there's some good advice in there, read it over. You might find what you're looking for.

 

[stompboxfreak72]

boost it. ts-9(od-9), ts-808(od-808). maybe a xotic bb. cheaper alternatives would be to use a boss sd-1.

+1 for BB. I run the gain on my amp a little high ( about 3pm) and then I push it wish an Xotic BB and it is a real tight sound. The BB is pricey but it rocks.

 

[Geiri]

Mxr Zakk Wylde overdrive does the trick for my recto. Gain off tone 50% output 50%

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Boosting works well.

IMO, the best solution is a new cab...the Traditional 4x12 is a much tighter cab.

The Tone Zone is not a very tight pickup.

The Tremonti Treble, on the other hand, is very tight, and I have one for sale. PM me if you're interested!

 

[nismofreakish]

Thank you

The tremonti pickup is already ordered, sorry.

I don't understand the bad fuzz about the Tone Zone... since I replaced my EVH stock pickup on my Music man with it, it's been an awesome upgrade for tightness...

Anyone here have a Single Rectifier with the oversized cab and tighten their sound with a Bad Monkey or so and have a clip of it? I know I ask a lot...

 

[playdosboogies]

If you think your SR is flabby, DO NOT get a dual or triple!! I have had them all, and the rectoverb is the tightest of them (rectifier series that is) all...Guy at mesa said it was because it does not have rec tubes..the amps with rec tubes sound flabby even in silicon settings because you still have the tube rectifier circuit in the amp no matter what...my f50 was the tightest sounding mesa ive had, the markIV is tight too, but i much prefer the f50 sound-wise as far as mesas go..

 

[Ukalali Solo]

Hey Nis,

I have a Single Rec SI (was my workhorse gigging amp until i recently got a DR) and I also had issues with getting that "tighter" sound.

The DR and the SR do have subtle voicing differences, and I wouldn't necessarily consider the DR THAT much of an upgrade really, i just really wanted a 3rd channel and it came with an oversized 4x12 (got a great deal).

As to getting a tighter sound, I really came to love using my GMajor and a 15 band Graphic EQ in the loop at 100% mix. I used the GMajor pretty much for subtle modulation/chorus/reverb on cleans, and very subtle delay on the OD channel. The Graphic EQ was nice because it allowed me to tweak out the sound exactly how i wanted, and cutting out some of the freqs below 80hz helped. I'd generally scoop it and that would sound pretty tight most of the time.

As for putting a pedal in front, I never did, I just recently got an MXR Wylde that I wanted to try in front of the SR for fun, but with my DR it def gives a bit tighter sound (at the expense of feedback though) but a simple noisegate corrects that. I'm probably gonna get an ISP decimator for that purpose.

Other than that, I say tweak as much as possible, i've always felt the Rectos are a pain to tweak, but when you find that tone its money. Thankfully I have spring break in a week or so and i'm gonna spend a good 3-4 days tweaking my Rectos and trying out a lot of stuff, if you'd like i'll report back with any good settings.

 

[nismofreakish]

yeah! That would be great!

I have a G*Major but it's for sale and actually, already sold. Even with the active EQ, I didn't really got a better sound...

 

[camsna]

How long have you had the Recto?

 

[JPIndustrie]

I had a Single Recto, which I sold for a Dual Rectifier 3-channel, and went through the exact same thing you're going through.

It did the recto sound alright, but it wasn't tight enough, wasn't articulate enough, all flab, etc.

I tried boosting it. I got a Digitech Bad Monkey (great distortion pedal btw, especially for the price!). All it did was make the Recto sound like it was on '11', no noticeable increase in tightness or articulation - only more of the Recto trademark gain and roar. Not to say I got a bad tone (I got great metal tones!) but didn't solve my issue.

I have a Boss Advanced 10-band EQ. Tried it in the Effects loop. Disaster. The stock parallel loop makes using EQ's to shape the tone sound terrible. I tried a multitude of settings. All I got was increased noise and an even worse sound than what I started.

I tried JJ EL34's. I was closer now. It had a pronounced upper-midrange boost, and tightened up slightly. However, it wasn't enough.

Finally, I ended up selling the DR for a Rackmount Mark IV A. Completely solved all my tone issues. I now can completely say, I have found 'my amp'.

Try a Mark IV, you might be happier with a new amplifier.

 

[nismofreakish]

I got my SR for about 6 or 7 years

 

[phyrexia]

my f50 was the tightest sounding mesa ive had, the markIV is tight too,

You're the first person I've ever heard say that. Care to elaborate?

 

[wildrat666]

the bad monkey overdrive is a good boost pedal. you increase the mids and tighten up the bass. If want to here rectos with some sort of overdrive pedal so KIllswitch engage uses that combination.