Finally done chasing tone. :)

[Curt]

I hope this is the right section for this...

Anyway...

I have only been playing guitar for about 6 years now, which is probably a short amount of time compared to most around here... But it seems like ever since I first realized I hated how my first amp sounded(Peavey Rage) I have been on a non-stop quest to find "the sound in my head" And after many GAS attacks, impulse purchases, and testing... My search has finally came to an end..


For a back story...


All the amps/multi fx processors i've owned that led me to this sound:
POD X3
Peavey 6505
Peavey 6505+
Mark V
Titan Custom 2 channel(with 6550's)
Axe Fx



And the amp that ended my Journey: The Mesa/Boogie Roadster.

For the longest time, when I began tone chasing, I couldn't stand the recto tone, even when I played a used 2 channel recto at my local guitar shop, I just couldn't get into it, I knew so many of the bands I listened to probably recorded or played live with a recto at one point or another, but I just couldn't get it right...


After getting the roadster, I liked what I was hearing, as I have learned a thing or two about EQ'ing over these few years... but I kept longing for my tone to be EXACTLY how I was hearing it in my head, Full and Rich, punchy, with just the right amount of bite... and cleans that are warm and full, but still very clean, no breakup whatsoever... it took me a while, and I began to search for other amps, I played a few ENGL's and a Marshall JVM, an Orange Rockerverb, and even a krank rev+(lord knows why)... Nothing did what I wanted, no matter how much I tweaked the knobs, boosted or not, nothing did anything that got me closer, only further away...


once I got rid of my orange 2x12, I got a stiletto 4x12, which sounded great, but just I needed a smaller cab since I hated hauling the 4x12 to small, crowded venues, and something that I could move around easily at home..... so I got a recto 2x12 hoping it would give me equally good results, but the top end got too "hairy" So I finally picked up a roadster 2x12 and what do you know!? match made in freaking heaven, after the new cab and some new EQ-ing I finally realized that this amp gives me that "grail tone" that I searched for for so long...

and the only pedals I have are a delay, OD(for a boost), and a Wah pedal. Well, and a noise gate, but that doesn't really do anything but keep the amp quiet when i'm not playing...


Everything leads back to the recto, every time I have my doubts, I just play through my rig again and realize it's just the gear whore in me talking... if I had to get another amp, it would probably be a Road King.



TL;DR: I am done buying amps until I absolutely have to buy another one.

Anyone else finally finish the time consuming and slightly annoying quest for tone?

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

I love my dual rectifiers sound but I'm selling it anyways because of my bad back and because I rarely use it. I just really, really love the mid structure it has.

 

[Chri]

I'm completely 100% satisfied with the tone I get from my Fireball 100, yet, I still crave several other amps

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

I'm completely 100% satisfied with the tone I get from my Fireball 100, yet, I still crave several other amps

Different flavors are always something you'll want I guess. Who doesn't want that ENGL uber compressed tone, that Rectifier wall of sound, a growly 6505 and ball thumping ubershall?

 

[Curt]

I love my dual rectifiers sound but I'm selling it anyways because of my bad back and because I rarely use it. I just really, really love the mid structure it has.

The things I love about these amps are the things many people hate...

that sag/delay/bloom whatever you want to call it that the low end has, I like the abrasiveness of the gain with it EQ'd in like I have it now and boosted, and the lone star cleans are absolutely amazing for what I use cleans for... and the options for tone shaping on my roadster is perfect for versatility... I even have a back up set of EL-34's in the event I ever want to swap from the 6L6's..

That and lots of people complain that the recto is too fizzy, or too boomy/bassy... and those people generally don't know that Mesa's Active EQ thing they have going really needs to be tweaked and not just carelessly set...

i've learned bass above noon is usually a bad idea on this amp... unless you're going for a really low end heavy tone for god knows what reason...
never underestimate the power of the mid knob, probably the most important knob in the EQ section for changing the structure of your tone, and don't give it too much presence or treble or your tone WILL be too fizzy...

I know the recto/roadster isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's definitely not a bad amp...

 

[Curt]

I'm completely 100% satisfied with the tone I get from my Fireball 100, yet, I still crave several other amps

See, you know exactly how I feel then.

I constantly see/hear/play other amps that I think "this would make a killer addition to my rig!" but then I generally decide against it because I love what I have going right now, and I don't NEED anything else. But even if I buy another amp, it isn't for "tone chasing" reasons, it will mostly be an impulse buy that i'll sell or trade off later, but the roadster is my staple, my roadster stays until it gives out on me.

so now it's building up my collection of guitars I have to work on..

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

The things I love about these amps are the things many people hate...

that sag/delay/bloom whatever you want to call it that the low end has, I like the abrasiveness of the gain with it EQ'd in like I have it now and boosted, and the lone star cleans are absolutely amazing for what I use cleans for... and the options for tone shaping on my roadster is perfect for versatility... I even have a back up set of EL-34's in the event I ever want to swap from the 6L6's..

That and lots of people complain that the recto is too fizzy, or too boomy/bassy... and those people generally don't know that Mesa's Active EQ thing they have going really needs to be tweaked and not just carelessly set...

i've learned bass above noon is usually a bad idea on this amp... unless you're going for a really low end heavy tone for god knows what reason...
never underestimate the power of the mid knob, probably the most important knob in the EQ section for changing the structure of your tone, and don't give it too much presence or treble or your tone WILL be too fizzy...

I know the recto/roadster isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's definitely not a bad amp...

Exactly. What I really love is how reactive these things are to volume, while the sound at lower volumes is far from bad once you open these up and get them loud the fuzz dissapears completely and you get a very thick, meaty sound.

 

[flo]

<SOUNDCLIPS!

 

[Curt]

Exactly. What I really love is how reactive these things are to volume, while the sound at lower volumes is far from bad once you open these up and get them loud the fuzz dissapears completely and you get a very thick, meaty sound.

definitely! I honestly think it sounds amazing with the volume around 11:00 on the dial, but I hardly ever get the chance to turn it up that loud anymore.

I did learn a trick from a friend for quiet playing yet still being able to run the tubes hard enough to get the tone to be more full and less fizzy.

basically put a 1/4" jack in both the send and return in the FX loop and turn the signal to 100% dry and apparently it keeps all the tone of the cranked up amp, but you can play at near whisper volumes.

I haven't tried it yet, but he tested it on his ENGL blackmore, i'm convinced it should sound fairly good with the roadster as well. Oh, and if you love the dual recto, i'd suggest trying to pick up a roadster or road king. tons more tone sculpting options. of course, if you're into just brutality and a nice clean, the regular dual recto would be just as nice for your needs, but you already know that.

 

[Curt]

<SOUNDCLIPS!

Probably not the best representation of what I hear when I crank this thing, but my laptop(the one with all my recording shit/updated drivers/sound card installed got a virus so I can't really record anything new for a while...

but this is a snippet based somewhat on Rose of Sharyn and it's using impulses, instead of mic'ing the cab because all I have is a rockband mic. D:

don't mind the playing being awful.. I was drunk..

Edit: that was recorded at like 1:00 AM so I had the volume down at almost painfully low levels.



http://www.netmusicians.org/files/57-RoSToneTest2.mp3


i'll post the settings for that clip if you'd like.

although that impulse sounds far inferior to my current cab by far...

 

[Curt]

bump-o-rama?

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

definitely! I honestly think it sounds amazing with the volume around 11:00 on the dial, but I hardly ever get the chance to turn it up that loud anymore.

I did learn a trick from a friend for quiet playing yet still being able to run the tubes hard enough to get the tone to be more full and less fizzy.

basically put a 1/4" jack in both the send and return in the FX loop and turn the signal to 100% dry and apparently it keeps all the tone of the cranked up amp, but you can play at near whisper volumes.

I haven't tried it yet, but he tested it on his ENGL blackmore, i'm convinced it should sound fairly good with the roadster as well. Oh, and if you love the dual recto, i'd suggest trying to pick up a roadster or road king. tons more tone sculpting options. of course, if you're into just brutality and a nice clean, the regular dual recto would be just as nice for your needs, but you already know that.

Another thing people do is just crank their fx loop thingy. The roadster definately sounds better, especially at lower volumes. The clean is wicked on it too. I would seriously be upgrading to that if I didnt have a pissy back problem. Also 11 o clock is EXACTLY where I feel the amp opens up too

 

[Curt]

I find that anywhere on the dial between 11:00 and 1:00 is ideal for metal. I think the sweet spot is around 11:30 for me, it seems like if you go 1:00 or above it begins to saturate too much in the power amp which takes away for that abrassive, chainsaw characteristic that I use recto's for. seems to make it smoother and "bouncier" in the low end.

on the tweed mode in channel one though... 50 watts, "spongy" with the volume at 1:30 OH MY GOD! gritty hard driving blues tone in heaps.

 

[7StringedBeast]

That and lots of people complain that the recto is too fizzy, or too boomy/bassy... and those people generally don't know that Mesa's Active EQ thing they have going really needs to be tweaked and not just carelessly set...

i've learned bass above noon is usually a bad idea on this amp... unless you're going for a really low end heavy tone for god knows what reason...
never underestimate the power of the mid knob, probably the most important knob in the EQ section for changing the structure of your tone, and don't give it too much presence or treble or your tone WILL be too fizzy...

I own a Recto preamp built in a pedal, with tubes and shit, and I EQ it just like you described. Lows at 10 o'clock, mids at 2 or 3 o'clock (depends on my mood hahah), highs at 10 o'clock, presence turned all the way down, gain at 9 o'clock. Sounds awesome for whatever, lead or rhythm.

 

[Curt]

I own a Recto preamp built in a pedal, with tubes and shit, and I EQ it just like you described. Lows at 10 o'clock, mids at 2 or 3 o'clock (depends on my mood hahah), highs at 10 o'clock, presence turned all the way down, gain at 9 o'clock. Sounds awesome for whatever, lead or rhythm.

My settings(roadster) are

Channel 3 modern
Bold
Diodes
Bass: 9:30
Mids: 1:30-2:00
Highs: 11:00
Pres: 10:00 or off, depends on what i'm doing with the setting, really.

Gain is usually at about 10:00 or so and boosted.

 

[7StringedBeast]

Pretty close!

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Are those settings at louder volumes?

 

[Curt]

Yep! I think the majority of recto players, or mesa players in general that know what they're doing dial in their recto's with similar settings usually.

that and choosing the right cab helps more often than not.

People would think the recto oversized cab would be perfect for the recto. NOT the case if you're looking for something that doesn't sound too scooped and sizzly..

marshall cabs usually sound okay, fryette cabs sound pretty killer, but I prefer the stiletto/roadster cabs any day of the week over anything else.

 

[Curt]

Are those settings at louder volumes?

Yeah, those are the settings I use around the 11:00 volume.

IMO, they work great for low volume stuff too. maybe a tad more honky than desired, so just roll back the mids the slightest bit and up the gain a tad and it should be great for low volume.

 

[robotsatemygma]

Very nice dude congrats!

I'd very much like to own one of the 2x12 combos.