amps with CHARACTER

[siggy14]

Bill,

I thought you once said that when you put your uber up against a recto it buried you in the mix!

I know you dont like Recto's, which is odd, you are one of the few that dont that is into metal.

As to my uber, i agree it is tigther then the newer recto's, but when i take my 2 channel number 5, slam it with a TS9 pedal, it blows the uber away, harmonics jump off the board like you wouldnt believe, I can make that sucker squeal like that guy in deliverence all day!

The uber is a great amp, but i dont think it buries everything, like any newer amp you get great ones, and then you get crappy ones, and you get in the middle ones. But like many said, to each there own!

By the way, if you get a uber cab, i think you would be in love, those cabs just destroy, even better then all mesa cabs i have had.

As far as modern METAL crunch, and tight bad ass gain is concerned..

My Uberschall would eat all these amps mentioned so far and spit them out like chewed bubblegum..

A friend of mine has a Engl endoresment..he's in Ripper Owen's band Beyond Fear..he recorded and tours with Powerballs..he's not too thrilled with them...he bitches that they're not "brutal" enough and slams the front with a stomp...No, he don't like the Fireball..only 60 watts. and sound "thin as shit" when cranked at rehearsal..his words.

He took home a VHT "Deliverance" to rehearsal the other night.."it's OK"..is all he said.. still not "brutal" enough..and he was still undecided.

He has any gear to try at his disposal..yeah, must be nice!!

Bogner just offered him a endorsement deal..so he came here to listen to mine..it took him 45 seconds for his jaw to drop..and called Bogner immediately and ordered two stacks..hopefully hookin' me up with a Uberkab in the process..

He'll be in Europe for the next month and a half with 'em..

BTW ..he owns a Recto, a 5150, various tube Randalls, and Powerballs...and is the manger of GC..who carry the usual shit..so, go figure.

I owned my Bogner for 4 years now..first and foremeost..you MUST max the gain to get that fuggin' "growl"..and a set of Tung Sols preamp tubes is like steroids with the Uberschall..my convictions..It OWNS!!

BTW..FUCK "clips"..to hear what a amp really sounds like..you have to PLAY the fucker, and be in the same room.."clips" could give you an idea what a amp may do..not will do..

remember ..that's not you playing on those clips..you don't know what gear was used to record it..and colored with EQs and whatnots..and 50% of tone is in your hands..

If it sounds like I'm tooting my horn..yer right!!

Bill Z Bub

[Chad]

Siggy: Just curious, on your Recto do you leave the loop off and just use the channel masters? On the old 2 channel Rectifiers, I've heard of some turning the loop on and cranking the loop master volume, then adjusting the individual channel masters to taste.

[kmanick]

My Cornford MK50 has a sound all its own, which I love.

I'd love to try one of these Greg Howe is using them now and is getting quite the 'sound" live.

[siggy14]

I just leave the loop off, same thing as having the master blasted and adjust each channel to my liking. My recto is more brutal metal beast so i really do not use any effects with it.

Siggy: Just curious, on your Recto do you leave the loop off and just use the channel masters? On the old 2 channel Rectifiers, I've heard of some turning the loop on and cranking the loop master volume, then adjusting the individual channel masters to taste.

[hippietim]

I know you dont like Recto's, which is odd, you are one of the few that dont that is into metal.

add me to that list. they just sound sterile to me. i've heard other folks make them sound decent so i'm sure it's just me.

[Robotechnology]

THD Flexi-50
VHT Pitbull Ultra-Lead
ENGL SE

And my old (sold it), Mark IV head (for channel 3).

[Chad]

I just leave the loop off, same thing as having the master blasted and adjust each channel to my liking. My recto is more brutal metal beast so i really do not use any effects with it.

Thanks for the info. Some pro used to use the loop master even though they didn't actually run effects in the loop. I'm thinking they went as far as running a patch cable to connect the send and return jacks. This is supposed to give a hair more gain. Also, I thought it might get the power tubes cooking via the loop master, then the volume could be adjusted to taste with the individual channel masters. I think it was Dan from Disturbed that ran his Rectos this way, but I can't remember for sure.

[MSGfan]

Someone has to mention the Bassman so I'll do it.

The only one to mention a non high gain amp! Hey, don't get me wrong!, I love Mesa Recto's, 5150's, etc. just like anyone else!, but a lot has to be said for the character of older, vintage non master vol. tube amps.
Two of my favorites are Ampeg V2's and Traynor YBA-1 Bassmaster's!

[horns666]

Bill,

I thought you once said that when you put your uber up against a recto it buried you in the mix!

I know you dont like Recto's, which is odd, you are one of the few that dont that is into metal.

He Siggs..Nooooo..I never said that!!

I never had my Uber next to Recto to be honest..I owned a recto back in 92' and played many since..fairly recently..they just don't like me!

If I were to A/B my Uber with the stock JJ tubes and now with the Tung Sols..it's a completeley different amp..I'm not kidding..you can still hear it's a "Uber" but the change is pretty drastic..for the better .

Yes, I hope I do score a Uberkab..hopefuly my guy will come thru for me..I'm supposed to go to Ripper's Halloween Party tonight..but it's my kid's birthday..so looks like I'll be blowing out candles instead..I called to let them know ..

Siggy..let me ask you..I must..did you MAX the gain on the Uber?..it's the ONLY way I like it..as soon as I back it off ..just a titty nub ..it loses instant coolness...now Cleveland John (Paradox) , John Comprix (Beyond Fear) and my friend Paul (Dark Arena) ALL confirmed this..so it's not just me..

I've been told by many Uber users .."you can't do that"..the hell you say..I played mine like that from day one and will never think otherwise..seriouisly I superglued the knob in place.I didn't but I may as well..

In My honest and not so hunble opinion..there in no comparison to a Recto and a Uber..I've owned both and that is my personal conviction..you just got to go with "works" best for you..if the recto did that I'd own two!!

Like I said my very favorite metal shredder Jeff Loomis never sounded better with his recto..and I seen him with all his rigs including Krank..the Krank seemed cool for leads..but his plam muted ryhthms wasn't very articulate, and muddy..His sarp precise ryhtms is what I want hear at a NM show..I think!

With his Recto I heard his rythms/solos perfect and with authoritahhh..

So far for the tone I like and for my needs ..the Uber does indeed burry all others heads that I've heard by far..but I just play balls out, thrash/death metal and that's it!!

Yes, I thinking of slaming the front of my Uber with a TS9 or something comparable just for that extra harmonic push for squeals and Tom Wankery..but my Marshall set up does that well on it's own..I could switch between those I guess but that would be alot to carry to a gig..a pedal would be much easier to carry..

Bill

[markD]

i have a particularly sweet 1963 fender tremolux that has TONS of character. each channel sounds a little different, and it has a real unique "cranked" distortion sound. with a tube rectifier it sags REAL nice when cranked to 10. i LOVE old fender heads from the 60's and have had dozens....but i sold them off after getting this tremolux. it is a late 63, early blackface, pre-CBS. it is AMAZING!!!!

here's a picture of it along with a few of my others. it may NOT get played everyday, but, MAN.....when it does, it is an orgazmic experience!!!!

[mab8485]

Wasn't that a line in Pulp Fiction or something?

We'd have to be talkin' 'bout one motherfuckin' charmin' pig.