Voodoo/FJA?

[R_ADKINS80]

I want to talk to people who have experience with either mod on a rectifier. I am looking at modding my recto to get that "tube screamer boosted" sound without having to run an actual tube screamer. I am so tired of tap dancing to turn off 2 pedals and hit the footswitch to go to my clean sound it's not funny. I love the tone of the boosted amp and I want to keep it. So without too many of the "if you want to mod the amp then it's not the right amp for you" comments.....lets here some peoples thoughts on these two mod gurus so I can decide which one to go with.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

If you like the boosted recto sound, I think the Voodoo modded recto does it in spades. The one I had sounded really cool. It's not too much of a recto anymore...but it's a cool sound.

Eric

 

[fluff191]

My 3 Channel Recto has the Standard Mod for clarity and fizz elimination along with the added Gain Boost from FJA Mods.

Not too sure if I would like the Standard mod by itself to tell ya the truth. The fizz is gone, but something else was missing gain-wise. BUT with the gain boost pulled (active on Channels 2 & 3 only) its amazing. Exactly like having a
super gnarly Tube Screamer on when you switch to the dirty channels. Awesome.

Its not the standard Recto sound anymore for sure like Eric said, but somewhere between a Recto and 5150, which I
really dig.

 

[Jmcthe3rd]

To be honest if you love the tone of the amp when it's boosted by the tube screamer but, hate the tap dance you might consider something like the Voodoo Labs GCX audio switcher or RJM switcher. These units let you press one button and bring multiple pedals in/out of the signal path at the same time. I also believe with the GCX and the RJM you can set it up so you can perform amp channel switching. (I'm not 100% sure on this but, it should be pretty easy to research) The good thing about the switcher resolution is you would know 100% what the amp is going to sound like. (No worries about getting the amp back after it was modified and not liking the sound) I believe the switcher units might be a little more expensive then the mods you are thinking about but, the upside is if it doesn't work out you can always sell the unit and get your money back. (I always try to by used in good condition to retain as much value as I can) You don't really have that option with a mod. Also with the amp staying stock you'll have a larger re-sell market if you decide one day to sell it. (I know now everyone says I'll NEVER sell it but, G.A.S. can get pretty bad some times) I would think it would be harder to sell the modded amp because less people want a modified Mesa then a stock Mesa. Also everyone I've seen who sells a modified Mesa never gets the money back they put into the amp plus the modification. These are just my .02. Good luck on the tone quest.

 

[greg_moreira]

Im in the same boat as you actually! Im really digging what I get out of my recto on the dirty channels with a good od out front and an eq in the loop. But....I like the clean channel as is, and also do not enjoy the pedal tap dance.

Ive been looking at a ton of different options, and one of the things Ive considered is just grabbing a seperate head for cleans, and then running one of those radial switchbones that allowed jacking both heads into the same cab.

Another option yet ive considered is starting to use my 4x12 cab again, and doing a little rewiring so that two of the speakers are connected to one input, and the other two are connected to the other input. Then, I can hook both heads into the same cab and instead of using that switchbone.....just get a simple A/B switcher to switch between heads, and know that neither head will interact with the other due to the cab wiring. one head would play the bottom left and top right speaker, and the other head the bottom right and top left. know what im sayin? basically two seperate 2x12 cabs housed within one enclosure

so.....this is just some more food for thought in case you wanted to explore different options

 

[Heritage Softail]

To be honest if you love the tone of the amp when it's boosted by the tube screamer but, hate the tap dance you might consider something like the Voodoo Labs GCX audio switcher or RJM switcher. These units let you press one button and bring multiple pedals in/out of the signal path at the same time. I also believe with the GCX and the RJM you can set it up so you can perform amp channel switching. (I'm not 100% sure on this but, it should be pretty easy to research) The good thing about the switcher resolution is you would know 100% what the amp is going to sound like. (No worries about getting the amp back after it was modified and not liking the sound) I believe the switcher units might be a little more expensive then the mods you are thinking about but, the upside is if it doesn't work out you can always sell the unit and get your money back. (I always try to by used in good condition to retain as much value as I can) You don't really have that option with a mod. Also with the amp staying stock you'll have a larger re-sell market if you decide one day to sell it. (I know now everyone says I'll NEVER sell it but, G.A.S. can get pretty bad some times) I would think it would be harder to sell the modded amp because less people want a modified Mesa then a stock Mesa. Also everyone I've seen who sells a modified Mesa never gets the money back they put into the amp plus the modification. These are just my .02. Good luck on the tone quest.

Call Ron at RJM and he can get you on the right path. It can do all that amp and effect punch it stuff, creating scenes just like the Line 6 M13. They have a forum on the RJM site. Mind numbing ammount of information.....

 

[R_ADKINS80]

Well after Emails....and never getting a reply from one place....I almost have enough cash saved up to ship my Triple off to Jerry at FJA mods for the standard mod plus that gain boost.

 

[fluff191]

Well after Emails....and never getting a reply from one place....I almost have enough cash saved up to ship my Triple off to Jerry at FJA mods for the standard mod plus that gain boost.

I am going to revise my previous statement about not getting the standard mod by itself. And I will tell you why.

Before getting it modded, I had been replacing/trying/experimenting with preamp tubes and power tubes like a madman. Trying to dial this out, trying to dial that out. So by the time I sent my amp off to FJA and got it back, the EQ and the general tone was so far off from what I expected, I was a little disappointed unless I was using the built-in boost.

After doing a bit of recording and really listening to the amp, I put all of the O.E. preamp tubes back, which are all Chinese Shuguang with the exception of a Russian JJ in V1. I am not to fond of JJ's due to the general muddy-ness so I put a Tung-Sol in V1. NOW it sounds like all the descriptions you read on all the sites and I nail old Pennywise tones all day long. And thats no longer even using the boost.

My point is, anyone who mods amps is generally modding a STOCK amp, and mine was anything but when I sent it off.

Just something to keep in mind.

And FWIW, Jerry is a great guy and will take care of you.

 

[R_ADKINS80]

Cool man, good info. I think I am still gunna drop the few extra bones on the gain boost just in case I want to tinker with it.....if I like it without the gain boost then that'll be cool. I'd rather get it an not need it than not get it and wish I had.