Which amp is for me?

[kevinnguyen760]

Hi, I am an owner of a Single Rectifier 50 watt head. I am a newbie to gear so excuse my limited terminology. I like my recto but I would like to also get something else along that line. I love heads that are around 40-60 watts. I play pretty high gain. It's a cross over of punk/80's hardcore/ and some old school thrash crossover. We have a modern metal-ish sound with heavy punk influence but no need for anything extremely gainy like death metal. I love it when the amp has a powerful "roar". I saw a youtube video of the nomad 45 that sounded pretty good on the high gain channel. I could hear every note clearly and it was still distorted and it sounded like it cut through and thats what I'm looking for. I did some more searching and found many other Mesa's that sounded good (hard to judge over youtube) and then just got too overwhelmed with which one to buy next. Hope I can get some help here! I am looking to spend up to $800 at most. I don't play with any pedals, and am not looking for a rectifier series since my other guitar player has a dual. I have found Nomads, Mark III, Express, F-series, .50 Cal, etc. I am pretty overwhelmed and could use some help. Thank you!

Here are some that I was looking at:
https://reverb.com/item/3103733-mesa-boogie-1983-sob-son-of-the-original-mesa-boogie-head
https://reverb.com/item/3579424-mesa-boogie-mark-iii-simul-class-head-natural-wood-finish
there are many more links but I don't want to clutter you with them

 

[elvis]

I think you already have the best amp for what you are doing. Have you been boosting it with an overdrive? That gets you to the next level. OD808 with gain all the way down and level all the way up. It is hands-down the most common technique to get the tones you hear from rectos.

For that money, you could get an F50 or maybe an Express 5:50. Those have some nice features and a lot of flexibility, plus still in the same tone family as the recto. Great gigging amps.

A Mark III is a great amp, but a very different amp from what you have. It's super gainy and is a quite different beast tone-wise.

You could get an Electradyne, which is a more Marshally, lower gain amp, but huge sounding, and 90W (though it can be switched to 45W). Cuts through ANYTHING. It would be a good mate for a recto.

You'd really have to try some amps. There aren't that many Mesa 50W amps, and you couldn't go wrong with any of them.

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

So many choices that fit the bill. Perhaps you can describe in more detail as to what you want to achieve from your second amp?

 

[Markedman]

Mark III all the way! Get one with the 5 band GEQ and heaven's tone will be with you. You must read the owner's manual or you'll be frustrated until you do but this one amp does it all! By far the best amp in your price range and it plays well with a rectifier and will make any Marshall seem anemic in comparison. No other amp can do what this amp can and it will do anything any other amp can do, from sparkling clean to modern gain metal without a boost pedal. The one drawback it that these amps are alive and organic so every time you turn it on it will sound a little different and will need tweaking plus it needs to warm up for at least 10 minutes before it loses it's brittleness. This amp will go up against any other brand of amp and will shame them absolutely with the Boogie kick butt grail-tone! :lol:

 

[Nicklotsaguitars]

I play 82 hardcore. I use my Mark V in Mark 2 mode. Since trying it, it's about the only amp that gives me the attack in the mids. So the Mark 3 suggestion seems a really good suggestion.

 

[GJgo]

Definitely a Mark III with the GEQ. You can find them around $800 if you're patient & they nail the 80s thrash sound. Head, combo, rack, you'll be jacking whatever into a 4x12 most likely so that doesn't matter. I have mine in a few tone demos you might like to hear, including one next to a Single Recto.
https://www.youtube.com/user/fast13b/videos

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Another one for the MkIII. I don't have any budget limitations, but if I did, I would still want the MkIII as my main amp, because I love the tones! It will stay in my collection as an option regardless of whatever I pick up in the future.

You do have to keep in mind that an amp of that age may need some maintenance to be nursed back to full health. Obviously, the tubes may be tired, but there could also be caps in need of replacement. But it's totally worth it...