Mesa Rect-o-Verb 50: Hmmmm....

[Subvamp]

Hey folks,
I recently traded a half stack that I was no longer using for a Mesa Rect-o Verb combo, thinking "It's smaller than a half stack, and it's a Mesa...it's gotta be good!". (It's the Solo 50/ Series 2) Well, after playing with it, I'm not impressed. Maybe it's just a setting that I don't know about, (never owned any mesa gear before) so I thought I would ask the resident JCF experts.

The clean channel actually sounds nice....very solid, and the gain lets you dial in a little SRV-style grit if you want. The distortion channel (for those who aren't familliar with this amp) has a mini toggle for 3 settings: Raw, Vintage, and Modern. The Raw has a slight gain...gives you the old Skynyrd-type distortion, but the other 2 settings are awful: Fizzy, fuzzy, over saturated, and basically unusable.

Now, this could this be because it may need new/better preamp tubes, (the stock Mesas are in there now) or is it just the nature of this particula Mesa to have a distortion tone that's more on the "fuzzy" side?

[fuel0707]

It could be the tubes.

Another suggestion might be to go to the MESA/Boogie website, download the owner's manual for the ROV and try some of the factory tone settings. You might find that there are some hints on setting the controls in the owner's manual that you haven't thought about. I know from looking at the Stiletto's manual that that amp runs counter to how I probably would have approached it without seeing the owner's manual.

[Robotechnology]

I have one of these and think it definitely kicks that right kind of bootie... I'll check on my settings and post them tomorrow.

[Subvamp]

Coo, thanks for the info guys.

Fuel: I downloaded the manual, and you're right: The way I normally dial in a tube amp is quite different from the "manufacturers suggestions".
So I'll be playing with this thing a bit!


Robo: I'd definitely be interested in the settings you're using on your Rectoverb.

[Souldigger]

I have a rectoverb as well. I can dial in some pretty tasty tones. I'll check my settings tomorrow when I get to the rehearsal space. My only gripe with it is that I love how open the clean channel sounds, but when you switch to the gain channel the sound becomes too focused for my tastes. I haven't found the amp that has that open sound on the gain side with the same kind of balls that the mesa has.

-Jason

[jgcable]

I heard one live and it sounded pretty darn good.

[Outlander]

set everything at noon and tweak from there.don't go past 1 or 2 o'clock on the gain for vintage or modern unless you want more fizz

[wakeUPdead]

Mesa's are totally different beasts. They don't tweak like other amps, and it took me well over 6 months to really begin to enjoy my Dual recto. You really need to dedicate time to this amp to understand it. And of course, turn it up! It will shine through wit alot of character when its cranked, you'll find your gain below noon (especially on modern) and your bass damn near zero (well in my case cause I use a 2x12).

But don't give up on that amp just yet. Play the hell out of it, switch the variac switch, go from spongy and bold. I personally keep mine on the spongy setting.

And read the manual if you got one!

[Robotechnology]

All setting numbers are in relation to time... 10 means 10 o'clock.

Channel 1:

Clean
Gain 10
Treble 1
Middle 1
Bass 1
Presence 12:30
Reverb 9:30
Master 12

Channel 2:

Vintage
Gain 2
Treble 9:45
Middle 11:45
Bass 10:30
Presence 11
Reverb 8
Master 11