Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

[metallicarocks]

Okay, the major differences between the first round of testing and the second round of testing:

-I went into the guitar store with more than ten minutes until close this time.

-I tweaked the settings, not the shop owner.

Single Recto has me sold. I love that amp. I would get the Dual, but the bank is broke as it is for the Single! I was looking for the dual rectifier tone out of the F series. Not a good idea. I've always loved the way the rectifiers sounded, almost like a really fast tremolo (volume trem, not tuning trem). The F series has a very good distortion channel, but it is its own kind of sound, not comparable to any other amp. You like it or you don't. Same with any other tube amp that's not trying to mimmick something.

I liked the clean channel much better as well. Very bright, very clear. My only complaint was that it seemed to have a distorted edge to it. The pushed setting was not on, I double checked it and flipped to it just to make sure. The unpushed still had a bit of grit to it. Is there a way of getting rid of that, or was it just me? I was testing it on a PRS, so I don't think it was a problem with the pickup being too hot. Input from somebody that owns one of these would be great. Perhaps I had the gain cranked too high or something... I just wish this thing had a footsitchable FX loop! That would save me some tap dancing.

Thanks for any input-replies-suggestions-arguements-humoring me-etc.

[khabibissell]

Re: Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

I have both (F50 and a Single Rec), and I prefer the clean of the F50 much more, very 3D and lush. The Recto's clean is adequate... nothing more. One thing I notice about the Recto as well is that you need to have the gain turned up a bit in order to get a fuller sound on the clean channel (this helps with overall clean volume as well). Unfortunately, one of the by products of this is the dirt it adds. The Recto is a high gain amp! The only success I've had in cleaning up the clean is by putting a 12AT7 in the phase inverter position.

Of course, as with any tube amp, screwing with the preamp tubes will give you more options. I'm not sure what I have in my Recto now, but I believe I've got a Mullard reish in V1, and a mix of JJ and EH's for the rest. I switch back and forth between 6L6 and EL34's, but right now I'm using Mesa 6L6's. One cool technique that works well with both amps is slamming the front end with a DS1 or Super Overdrive, drive high, gain low, and the amp gain set to anywhere from 9 to 11 o'clock. On the Recto I use the Channnel 2 Vintage voicing, and the F50 I use the contour mode.

[toejam]

Re: Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

[ QUOTE ]
The F series has a very good distortion channel, but it is its own kind of sound, not comparable to any other amp. You like it or you don't.

[/ QUOTE ]
Exactly! I was never a real big fan of the Recto sound... I always found it a little fuzzy and not as smooth compared to a Marshall. The F-30 combo I've got still has a little bit of the Recto characteristic, but not as much. I dig the features and overall sound of this amp. I'm actually not a real big fan of the Vintage 30 speaker either and wish I could find a head version of the F-30 instead.

[Deneb]

Re: Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

For me, it seems my recto has a lot of crunch, and it cuts through the mix. Playing chorded passages, it seems very smooth. It's so interesting how tone is so different to so many people. Quite fascinating honestly.

I played around with an F-series about an hour away from home. I didn't like it, I couldn't eq it right, it was like, I either had it eqed to muffled, or too bright.

I don't see any need to put a pedal infront of the Recto, so I never did it, maybe I'll have to give it a try.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

Toejam, there's an F-30 head on Ebay right now. I set my Ebay thing to notify me every day on these things, and so I received a notification one day with an F-30 head with $600 BIN. I clicked on it, and I was going to send you a PM letting you know about it just in case, until I found out some IDIOT already placed a bid on it, thus eliminating the nice BIN price.

[toejam]

Re: Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

[ QUOTE ]
Toejam, there's an F-30 head on Ebay right now.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I just saw that! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I've been checking the bay on and off for the past couple weeks and have only seen the combos. I'll keep my eye on this one and see if I can maybe get it cheap enough, or maybe I'll see if my local GC or someone can get one and will do a trade for my combo.

[metallicarocks]

Re: Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

Shit, so I can't really get rid of that fuzz? I like the clean channel clean goddammit! The whole purpouse for going Mesa was to get the awesome distortion channel and the awesome clean channel in one amp. Looks like I'll have to get the Fender anyway. Fuck. Well, I guess the amp switch pedal will be the answer to my assignable FX loop problem. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Single Recto vs. F series Round two!

The way I set my Dual is with the gain and volume on the clean channel both about halfway up. Pickups do have a lot to do with it too...I'm either using the middle or neck position on a two humbucker guitar, or a P90. I think the clean is very nice.