Anyone use a Mesa Rectoverb 50w combo?

[neilli]

We're moving to an apartment, and I'm wondering if this would be an appropriate amp?

I'm currently used to being able to play loud-ish in our house through my rack (ADA-MP1 / Quadraverb etc) and a Soldano HR50+. Basically, I want something that'll sound good at low volumes, but still has a quality hi-gain tone - any thoughts?

[jgcable]

If you can play it loud-ish I would say its a great amp. Personally.. I think the Recto's sound great at low volumes.

If you are looking for something for an apartment at really low levels you should be looking at modeling amps.

[hgsmith]

I've got one and it sounds fine at all volumes.

[neilli]

Thanks guys - I guess I'm not going to need ridiculously quiet volumes, but I'm not going to be able to crank it either.....

Also, I've kind of been put off Line6 etc because I had a distortion modeller pedal and that was just crap.

[jwoods986]

I had a Single Recto head going into a Mesa 1x12 cab, which is basically the same thing as the combo, and it sounded good at lower volumes in the house. I say go for it!

[Big Al]

I love the rectoverb. Sounds great at low volumes along with the ability to get loud.
Try several recto's before buying. I bought mine at a dealer that had four of them. One had blue suede covering, so I tried that one first. I was not that impressed with the sound plus the blue was like a $400 upcharge so I tried another one. That one sounded better so I ended up trying all four and then picked one.

[orion451]

I had the Rectoverb 50 Watt combo for awhile, but had to get rid of it because there was a certain tonal quality to the sound that I just did not like. It's a presence in the high frequencies--a certain fuzzy, hissing quality--that takes away some of the edge of the high-gain riffing I like to do. It's most noticible during palm-muted riffs. I just couldn't get the chunkiness I wanted because the hissing breaks up the high frequencies too easily. Anyway, some people love this amp, but this high-presence thing was just too annoying for me so I sold it and bought a Mark IV head and a Bogner Uberkab.

[beachjammer]

I've got one and love it. I don't know how appropriate it would be for an apartment but I really like the tone. I know what orion451 means about the presence thing but a closed back cab fixed that. I run mine through a 4x12 for bigger gigs and just take the combo for smaller ones.

[neilli]

Thanks guys! The used one has gone, so I'm going to try one out over here before I order one. Hopefully, I'll be able to try one with some sort of attenuator to get a good idea of it's performance at low volumes....

[stgabriel]

I'm coming to this one late, but if you are still in the market, I can give the recto two thumbs up -- it is truly versatile. You can play blues or metal with this head easily. I've owned a combo and currently use the head version. Another amp to die for is the Heartbreaker. Though a 2x12 and probably larger than what you are looking for, it sounds great too. Check 'em both out. IMHO, Mesas sound great at any volume. Not sure about the other poster's hissing problem, never experienced that issue myself.

[fritzreiser]

I am going to take the opposite view and say that a Mesa Rectoverb is NOT going to be appropriate for an apartment.

I would guess that 80%-90% of the time you will be playing with the Master Volume barely cracked open (as I do at home). If that is the case, then the Rectoverb just won't cut it. The Mesa's MV is just not set up for that.

I have tried the Rectoverb, Dual Recto, Roadster, F-50 and F-30 at home and all of them were just too loud for very low volume use.

I would suggest something more along the lines of a Roland Cube 60. If you must have a tube amp, get something with a really good clean channel and add pedals.

I had a Valvetech VAC 22 with 6 different BJF pedals that was absolutely killer sounding at ALL volumes. Unfortunately, I just couldn't justify keeping a $2800 rig for church (Amp-$1000, 6 pedals x $300). And that was w/o modulation, delay, etc.

So, I sold it and spent $1000 on a Vetta II HD and shortboard.

[Adam]

I agree with fritz. That's not the amp for your situation.

50 tube watts is way overkill for use in an apartment. You'll never even get close to really using the thing - it's designed to be played on stage with a live rock band.

Not only that, but I've been pretty underwhelmed/unimpressed with the tone from every Rectoverb I've tried, and I've played them at all kinds of volumes with all kinds of guitars. This could just be my ears alone, but the OD in pretty much every setting was pretty brittle and lifeless.

As much as I hate to say it, you're probably better off with a modeling or SS set-up like a PODxt or Tonelab. If you really want the player -> guitar -> tube amp interaction (and I wouldn't blame you) then you should probably be thinking about 18 watts or lower.

[stgabriel]

"the OD in pretty much every setting was pretty brittle and lifeless"

A Rect-O-Verb brittle and lifeless? Hmm. I suppose the combo with it's open back is a bit weaker in the crunch department than some closed back amps.

I love my Rect-O-Verb + 2x12 for live work. Do I use it at home? Never. I use a Tascam GT1 MKII with headphones so I can play along with material I am learning. I think the recommendation to use a Pod or something similar is a good one. IMHO, I'd rather go that route than to suffer through loads of small amps that just don't cut it in the end.

[Adam]

"the OD in pretty much every setting was pretty brittle and lifeless"

A Rect-O-Verb brittle and lifeless? Hmm. I suppose the combo with it's open back is a bit weaker in the crunch department than some closed back amps.

I love my Rect-O-Verb + 2x12 for live work. Do I use it at home? Never. I use a Tascam GT1 MKII with headphones so I can play along with material I am learning. I think the recommendation to use a Pod or something similar is a good one. IMHO, I'd rather go that route than to suffer through loads of small amps that just don't cut it in the end.

That's why I qualified my statement with "my ears alone." I know better than to slag the tone of high quality gear like my opinion is fact. "Brittle and lifeless" to me could very well be "articulate and responsive" to you, and neither of us would be wrong.

...and you're right about the modelling option, unless money is less of an object here and something like a Bogner Duende is considerable.