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Ok, I'm looking at getting either a Marshall JCM800 amp head or a Mesa Dual or Triple Rectifier. When it comes to amps, I don't know jack. I play a lot of metal, but I want something that has a great clean sound too. What is the difference between a dual and triple rec.? I've narrowed it down, so if anyone here has any suggestions or pros and cons, please let me know. Thank you very much! OOOH, and also, whenever I choose which head I want, do I need to buy anything else, or should I just run it through my avatar cab that I have now? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
When it comes the two of those, a 1980's JCM800 would do it for me. The difference between the Dual and Triple recto. is wattage. A Dual is 100 watts, and the Triple is 150 watts. Good luck... -
Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
Mesa and Marshall sound (and the amps you mention)are very different from one another, in basic ways. I would hope that you would/could get some good ideas about the differences in their sound, before you go making any decisions, especially if you are buying without being able to try them out for yourself. The amps you mention are both amps that have been widely used, but at different times, by different types of players, for different reasons.
Hold your horses until someone can give you some good information to help you make an informed decision.
StuComment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
Yeah, those go in totally different direction...
Although I like the Marshall personally, they have to be modded to death to make them monsters. Then, they rules for my tastes.
The MESA is much better made and does pretty cool outta the box. I've never liked them that much myself. Others get great sounds out of them. They are defintely the more modern sounding of the two.Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
I prefer Mesas. My Single Recto has a TON of clarity no matter what gain setting it's on. The clean channel is nothing to write home about. It's very clean but to my ears doesn't have a lot of personality, like the clean on my Mesa DC5. If you don't need 3 channels, get a Single Recto. I'm not much of a Marshall guy so I can't speak to their amps.Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
Try as many different amps as you can, get what YOU prefer... I have issues with newer marshalls for reliability reasons, but the older (JCM800 and back) are much sturdier. However, they are also much lower gain than most other 'metal' or hard rock amps.
If you're on a budget, a 5150 and the matching cab would be hard to beat for high gain and adequate cleans. Just my opinion.
PeteComment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
Yep, good choice pete... I just didn't wanna get into another 5150 thread, hahaComment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
MARSHALL DUDE [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
In all seriousness, I would pick a Marshall over a Mesa any day of the week, but for you if you want stock, loads of overkill unuseable gain, then go dual recto, if you want british style gain that you will need an overdrive pedal or a mod to get more gain from a JCM 800 then go for it (or look into the JCM 2000's if you want a Marshall that doesnt need a pedal IMO).
[ July 20, 2003, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: Marshall tone ]Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
Or if you want both get a 5150 w/matching cab as stated ...
BTW ...I love old Marshalls ....Iv'e owned and
hate Mesa ....but's that me
Marshall 2000s suck...but that's just me
Get the JCM 800 Lead Series....put a DS1 -1 or Hyper dist in the front and destroy!!!
....Hey that sounds cool.....Think I'll get rid of the Uber and do that [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]"Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!
"Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
Oh ...Im' a true Marshall tone geek ...
but I'll take a Recto over a 2000 DSL...
Those "Marshalls?" are more voiced for Nu Metal (Slopply thrashing chords)....forget speed picking articulation with that piece of crap....if that's your game!!!
Just get the 5150"Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!
"Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
I'll vote for the Recto, as I use one myself. A modded JCM can sound really, really good but will never get the bottom end "thump" of the Recto. Out of the box, the Recto offers some good, grinding tones on the distortion side. Plus, the three-channel versions have a slightly different voicing on the "orange" channel that's cool for leads.
The clean on the amp is just, well, clean. It's not a Twin or anything, but is adequate for performance applications, and can be good in the studio with some tweaking.
As Bill said, the 5150 can sound good, although not _quite_ as good as the Mesas do, to me. They are substantially cheaper, however, and have some similar tonality.
Your best bet is to play all the amps you can find until you get to one you like. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
MikeComment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
I have a Dual recto rackmount. I had a 3 channel and sold it because i did not like the way it sounded as compared to the older recto does. This is my more expensive setup and I run it with a slew of other rack and outbourd gear.
I also have a 5150. This is my budget setup.If you want balls out gain and a very usable eq - the 5150 is the choice. I love my recto because it does have much better clarity as everyone above has said too. The price of a used 5150 is half of a used recto so you would have plenty to buy a good cabinet too. The quality on the Mesa is excellent but the 5150 is standard but is still quite good for the money. I feel the quality on the 5150 kills the newer Marshalls. If you are looking for an inexpensive great sounding head go for the 5150. It can do gritty blues and has fair clean tones too. Gain inputs (low and high) really change the tone too. Everything on the 5150 really does effect the tone in a positive way compared to other amps that do one thing really well. I run a ge-7 and a boss ns-2 in the effects loop of it with a carvin cab and it sounds great. I aimed at building an inexpensive head/ 4 x 12 setup and this to date has been my best sounding budget setup. Keep checking ebay for used ones.
You really need to go to a place that carries all three brands and test them side by side to make your own decision. If you are looking for an older recto or JCM 800 (unless you want one of the new reissues) then you are looking used and that will be tough to find everything you need in one store though. Okay... I am rambling now. Happy hunting.
Let us know what you end up with.Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
The Marshall 1959 plexi RI 100watt
The Peavey XXX 120watt
The Mesa Single RectOverb 50watt
Its all good!Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
I like my Mesa Rackmount Dual as well. I have owned the newer 3 channel Dual and Triple and the sound of the rackmount Dual is much better IMO.
I havent played a Marshall in ages cause they never had enough gain.Comment
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Re: Age Old Question: Mesa or Marshall?
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Firebird V:
[QB] I have a Dual recto rackmount. I had a 3 channel and sold it because i did not like the way it sounded as compared to the older recto does.
I didnt think they made a rackmount 3 channel?? [img]graemlins/brow.gif[/img]"Now remember, things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is. ":JOSEY WALESComment
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