5150 II or Triple XXX?

[MSGfan]

I don't think it's a matter of consistency. And yes, I've gigged with a 5150 block letter (had stock tubes, the amp had only been used a handful of times before I got it) and several different recto heads.

Some amps are inherently easier to tweak than others. I've heard guys play fucking BLUES on a rectifier head! But for a lot of guitarists, rectos are harder to dial in. So are Mesa Mark series amps. 5150s are pretty forgiving in that they have a wider range that cuts. It doesn't make them any better, and someone who can dial in a rectifier could compete with them tone-wise. Ty Tabor and his rackmount rectifier had one of the heaviest live sounds I've ever heard, and it would compete with ANYTHING.

I don't know what's worse though - a recto setup to sound muddy as hell, or the few times I've heard 5150s dialled in badly. A 5150 dialled in wrong sounds like an angry bunch of bees in a cardboard tube made of shit.

It's a personal thing. I (and I'm sure most other people in this thread) could make a gig work with any of the amps listed. There are just some things that make us prefer one amp over others.

Pete

You couldn't have said it better Pete, it is a personal preference!
The 5150 I owned for a short while I probally could have done some minor tweeks to get it to sound better to my ears,(New poweramp tubes with bias set hotter and subbed out the 12AX7's in the pre amp gain for some 5751's to give the amp a more usable smoother gain) but over all tone of the amp was not for me. I just didn't care for the amps mid tone and the loose low end. I'm sure that with some mods to the tone curcit as well I would probally love a 5150!

It's all about that never ending search for that perfect tone guys!!!
You alway have try something different hopeing that you'll stumble on to that one amp with the holy gail tone!!
I'm on a vintage amp kick now, going back to using mainly pedals for gain but unforunately I don't have the funds to afford the vintage Marshall's that are priced thur the roof on Ebay. Ones like I bought for next to nothing back in the`80's and like an idiot sold the last of my vintage Marshall gear to go all rack in the early`90's.
But there are still affordable vintage(late`60's,`70's) tubes amps out there like Ampeg, Traynor, Earth etc. that with a good pedal in front of it will give you great results!

[Fragle]

LOOSE low end?!?!?! i know exactly what you're talking about when mentioning the 5150 midrange, but i certainly wouldn't call the low end loose....have you ever played a rectifier?
i mean, there certainly are tighter sounding amps, like vht, engl, framus, diezel, boogie mark series etc....but the 5150 still is far from loose, especially when boosted with an overdrive.

[siggy14]

Yes i know the story, i just said felt like, and just the pre amp tube changes was my biggest grip, i do not like where they have the pre amp tubes at all and it feels flimsy when you change them

" With my 5150's i always felt like i had to baby them, exspecialy changing pre-amp tubes."
whoa, never heared THAT before. i mean, i "baby" all of my gear because it cost me a lot of cash, but i'm not *super* careful, and well....the 5150 has NOT given me any trouble at all, despite of quite a few gigs incl. roadies carrying the stuff....and we all know you can't trust a roadie

I have played the diezel and i didnt think it sounded anything like a recto, but i am really starting to think the diezel cab i was using had greenbacks in it and might be why i didnt like it. I need to experiment more still with it, but the only place that has one is a hour away and i just do not get up there much.

well, Krap doesn't sound like Recto at all, the only thing that's close to Recto is Diezel.

[eaeolian]

Between a 5150 and a Rectifier.
Hmm. thats a tough call.
NOW... LETS JUST TALK ABOUT THE HEAVY STUFF.
For thrash and death.... Rectifier
For that subsonic alternate tuning shit.. Rectifier
For bands that don't play guitar solo's....Rectifier
For a band that needs a super loud super clean channel....Rectifier

For EVERYTHING ELSE from late 70's rock and metal to todays metal in a variety of genre's and styles including all lead guitar players.... 5150

John, on channel two on my three channel Triple, with the voicing on "vintage", gain on about 12:00, and EQ'd just a touch bright, I can get a killer hard rock tone - and have that '70s Thin Lizzy "fat" Marshall-y tone simply by rolling of the tone knob a bit. I'd hardly want "brtual" when I'm playing Michelle Branch songs with my cover band, right? Well, my Recto handles it just fine. Hell, with a good OD in front, I can get a passable Bassman-type "light crunch" out of the clean channel.

Rectos are *so* far away from this typecast BS (only good for "brutal") that I don't even know where to start. Echoing what Pete's said, I've seen blues (and R&B) guys using Rectos and getting killer tones that fit the style.

I like the 5150 - it's a really cool amp, and it does some things really well. I'd say the Rectos (especially the 3 channel versions) are certainly more versatile when it comes to available tones.

[eaeolian]

LOOSE low end?!?!?! i know exactly what you're talking about when mentioning the 5150 midrange, but i certainly wouldn't call the low end loose....have you ever played a rectifier?

Strange, I have no issues with mine being "loose"...

[Endrik]

John, on channel two on my three channel Triple, with the voicing on "vintage", gain on about 12:00, and EQ'd just a touch bright, I can get a killer hard rock tone - and have that '70s Thin Lizzy "fat" Marshall-y tone simply by rolling of the tone knob a bit. I'd hardly want "brtual" when I'm playing Michelle Branch songs with my cover band, right? Well, my Recto handles it just fine. Hell, with a good OD in front, I can get a passable Bassman-type "light crunch" out of the clean channel.

Rectos are *so* far away from this typecast BS (only good for "brutal") that I don't even know where to start. Echoing what Pete's said, I've seen blues (and R&B) guys using Rectos and getting killer tones that fit the style.

dude, I agree, I get great bassman type tones with the Recto, I even get good tones for power-pop ala Rasberries and whatnot.

[siggy14]

when i saw james brown, his guitarist used a 2 channel recto, not sure if it was a triple or dual, but it was a 2 channel recto.

John, on channel two on my three channel Triple, with the voicing on "vintage", gain on about 12:00, and EQ'd just a touch bright, I can get a killer hard rock tone - and have that '70s Thin Lizzy "fat" Marshall-y tone simply by rolling of the tone knob a bit. I'd hardly want "brtual" when I'm playing Michelle Branch songs with my cover band, right? Well, my Recto handles it just fine. Hell, with a good OD in front, I can get a passable Bassman-type "light crunch" out of the clean channel.

Rectos are *so* far away from this typecast BS (only good for "brutal") that I don't even know where to start. Echoing what Pete's said, I've seen blues (and R&B) guys using Rectos and getting killer tones that fit the style.

I like the 5150 - it's a really cool amp, and it does some things really well. I'd say the Rectos (especially the 3 channel versions) are certainly more versatile when it comes to available tones.

[charvelguy]

I've only played Recto a couple times.. which, when doing so I liked it so much I end up spending a couple hours trying differing things. I am somewhat suprised I haven't bought one yet and I think the reason why I had not bought one is that this debate has gone on for at least 6 years on the 'net as well as the fact that they are an immensely popular amp. But, each time I do try one on, I end up dialing the gain down to about 4, half or 6 at the most.. co-incedently is how I also dial the XXX.

[MSGfan]

LOOSE low end?!?!?! i know exactly what you're talking about when mentioning the 5150 midrange, but i certainly wouldn't call the low end loose....have you ever played a rectifier?
i mean, there certainly are tighter sounding amps, like vht, engl, framus, diezel, boogie mark series etc....but the 5150 still is far from loose, especially when boosted with an overdrive.

Any amp that produces a massive amount of low end like the 5150, Dual & Triple Rectos will sound tight with an overdrive boost tightening up the frequences!
For my tastes the 5150 stock has too loose of a low end.