some roadster questions

[JMMP]

I have a couple broad ranging questions, and I'd like to thank everyone in advance for answering them. This forum has lots of good information!
Now my questions.... I recently pulled my roadster chassis semi out of the head cabinet to clean it and I pulled each tube (pre, power, and rectifier ) and discovered that my v2 position is a 12ax7 with a rubber sleeve around it that says spax7 or whatever the stock v1 reads. Is this normal, and is this a real spax7? Also does mesa sell the rubber gaskets that go around the bottom of those preamp metal covers?
2nd question. I am using my roadster head with stiletto 412, and when I turn the amp up on a high gain channel (above 10:00 on both channel and output knobs) I find that there is an overwhelming amount of bass. I have tried to dial it out with onboard eq, but to no avail. My next step is to replace the power tubes with el34s. Will this help reign in the bass? At this point I'm only interested in mesa tubes as I don't want to void my warranty.
3rd question. I have read the "marktifier" thread, and have been searching for a more mark sounding tone out of my amp. Does anyone have anyway of getting a mark esque tone? Particularly without pedals?

Edit: sorry about such a long post.

 

[LithiumZero]

The SPAX7 is just a stock Mesa tube that tested better for noise and microphonics and they are usually used in V1. My roadster does not have gaskets on the sleeves so I'm not sure on that one. EL34's will tame the bass but I preferred the sound of 6L6's. Don't be afraid to run the bass knob at zero. The mark sound and the recto sound are so opposite of each other that I can't see a way to do that without adding a pedal. The mark series amps have crazy mid content as opposed to the recto where you usually end up boosting the mids just to keep it from sounding scooped. I went from a Mark IV to the Roadster and never looked back. The only thing I might miss about the mark is the singing lead tones and the tightness of the amp. Other than that the Roadster is a much better amp for me.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I have a couple broad ranging questions, and I'd like to thank everyone in advance for answering them. This forum has lots of good information!
Now my questions.... I recently pulled my roadster chassis semi out of the head cabinet to clean it and I pulled each tube (pre, power, and rectifier ) and discovered that my v2 position is a 12ax7 with a rubber sleeve around it that says spax7 or whatever the stock v1 reads. Is this normal, and is this a real spax7? Also does mesa sell the rubber gaskets that go around the bottom of those preamp metal covers?

The rubber gasket comes on an SPAX7 tube and it's meant to further dampen tube rattle. As mentioned, it's a tube tested for low noise. The amp may have had a tube go bad and they replaced it with an SPAX7. My Recto has all SPAX7s in it. They're marketed as a premium 12AX7, so some people pick them figuring they're getting a better tube.

2nd question. I am using my roadster head with stiletto 412, and when I turn the amp up on a high gain channel (above 10:00 on both channel and output knobs) I find that there is an overwhelming amount of bass. I have tried to dial it out with onboard eq, but to no avail. My next step is to replace the power tubes with el34s. Will this help reign in the bass? At this point I'm only interested in mesa tubes as I don't want to void my warranty.

EL34s will lower the bass and up the midrange content. Alternatively, many people use a Tubescreamer to boost the amp as tubescreamers boost the mids and cut the bass. It gives a more aggressive, crunchier sound than the unboosted Recto.

Also, consider your pickups. If you have bass heavy pickups (like an Invader) then your amp is going to amplify that bass heavy response. A brighter or more mid heavy pickup will in turn reduce the bass response. If you're after really tight, percussive rhythm tones and you don't want to use pedals, it's near impossible to beat the EMG 81 in the bridge.

3rd question. I have read the "marktifier" thread, and have been searching for a more mark sounding tone out of my amp. Does anyone have anyway of getting a mark esque tone? Particularly without pedals?

Trade your Roadster for a Mark.

I have a Mark and a Recto and honestly, they're totally different. That said, in a pinch you could try using your Recto on vintage high gain and boost it with a tubescreamer. It's about the closest you're going to get, although it'll still sound more like a boosted Recto than a Mark.

 

[JMMP]

My SPax7 in v1 doesn't have the rubber sleeve though. I guess it is not so important.

Well then I guess I will be trying EL34s in the near future! My pickups are gibson 490r and 498t, but my guitar on order has liquifire and crunchlab pickups. I am definitely considering a boost, but it was outboard EQ and one trick pony pedals I am trying to avoid.

I am considering trading in my amp for a mark v, but I know I will take a loss on my amp and like the four channels. It's just a lot of money and headache that I am prepared for, but trying to avoid as well. I have considered getting an older mark to add to my recto, but I have never seen any go below 1k, which is still extremely high for my budget right now. The V seems like the be all end all, but one less channel bothers me a little. Anyways, I'm hijacking my own thread haha. Thanks for all the help guys!!
Screaming, do you prefer the mark or the recto? And which model of each do you have? I see you are very knowledgeable about mesa in general ( I have been lurking here for a long time) and greatly appreciate both your and LithiumZero's responses.

 

[LithiumZero]

IMHO the Mark would be 2 less channels than the Roadster because the second channel of the mark is pretty blah sounding. While it sounds better than R2 on the Mark IV I still don't really love that channel for a good crunch sound.

 

[espboogie123]

Ya man, get a maxon od808 and boost the front end and it will chill out the bass big time. You'll probably dial in a little more bass after the boost pedal. Takes that flubby crap and turns it into tight sweet tone.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Screaming, do you prefer the mark or the recto? And which model of each do you have? I see you are very knowledgeable about mesa in general ( I have been lurking here for a long time) and greatly appreciate both your and LithiumZero's responses.

I like both equally and flip-flop depending on my mood. Sometimes I get tired of one and will use the other for a couple weeks, only to plug the first one in and go, "Oh yeah! That's why I liked that amp enough to buy it".

The Mark is a head version and the Recto is a 1992 2 channel, revision F.

I like the Recto for rhythm. I can plug into that thing and just riff away. The amp is slower and deeper sounding than the Mark, and I feel like I can get inside a good groove and wrap it around me. When I add a Maxon OD808 to the front of it and I can go from thick, sludgy riffs to brighter, more aggressive and thrashy riffs. It also does leads, but to get a lead channel I loose my clean channel, and to get a clean channel I loose my lead channel. It never used to bother me, but it's kind of a piss off now that I'm used to having 3 separate channels.

I like the Mark for everything. It's not quite as massive as the Recto but it's way more pissed off sounding. It's faster and more accurate with way more midrange and less bottom end. The lead tone compresses in a smoother fashion and sings in ways the Recto can't even dream of. I like having 3 fully functioning channels that sound completely different and surprisingly I probably spend more time in channel 2 than channel 3.

With my new band I've been using the Mark V pretty much exclusively. It's really handy to have a single amp that can jump from Fender to Marshall to Boogie and the midrange voice of the Mark ensures it cuts through the din. If I toss in an overdrive pedal I can get alternate crunch and lead tones out of channels 1 and 2 (I don't like boosting channel 3... it's already over the top enough for me).

I eventually want to get a Roadster. I love the Recto sound, but being limited to just 2 channels is kind of a bummer. It wouldn't be an issue if I were still a straight up rhythm player, but now that I'm doing more leads I'd like the extra channel(s).

 

[JMMP]

So I figured out that I can reduce some of that overwhelming bass by using the amp in spongy mode. Got to turn it up today, and that one switch made an extreme difference in my satisfaction with the amp. Now if it only had a 5th channel labeled "mark"...... :?

 

[rocknroll9225]

I like the Mark for everything. It's not quite as massive as the Recto but it's way more pissed off sounding. It's faster and more accurate with way more midrange and less bottom end. The lead tone compresses in a smoother fashion and sings in ways the Recto can't even dream of.

thats a great way of putting it. when i was trying to decide between a mark v and a road king, i ultimately went with the mark v because even though it doesnt have the depth and huge "wall" of sound that the recto has, it sounded much edgier and aggressive in the mids. it just kind of bites more, especially in the mark iv mode. i normally use the extreme mode if im in the "wall of sound" kind of mood.