Mesa Triple, Cant get a good tone

[maddface]

And NONE of them sound decent? I'm having a hard time believing that - something's either up with your amp, or you must have missed some of the better threads.

Try your third channel, modern, gain at 6,treble at 4.5-5, mids at 7, bass at 3, presence about 4-5, channel volume at 9 o'clock, and master as high as you can run it practically. Granted, I'm running an open backed cab with a C90 instead of a closed back with V30's and the consensus around here is C90's are the way to go as the V30 midrange spike makes it hard to add enough mids back into the preamp, but that should at least get you somewhere...

How high have you been setting the master, anyway? it sounds pretty fizzy even wiith intellgient EQ'ing at low volumes, so I wouldn't even try to play one of these at home without a hot plate...

My masters on about 11:00 on 2 & 3, 12:00 on clean. I have had it up to 12:00 on the master output.

If you have a 5150, you should be able to get your tone out of this amp. What cab are you using?

The standard straight recto cab

 

[eaeolian]

Well, the V30s don't help, but it should still be good, just not great...

 

[Drew]

I have had a 5150 and a triple xxx, never had a problem getting tone out of those.

I can't speak for the 5150, but I've played a XXX for a bit in a guitar store, A/B'ing it against a Recto.

The XXX is a very forgiving amp, with very predictable EQ. Set everything right up the middle (since it's active) and put the gain at a moderate point, and the EQ responds pretty linearly from there. Additionally, the preamp is very compressed, both in response and in articulation. Noodles claims it has somehting to do with a high dampening factor, which seems reasonable but I know jack shit about amp design so I'll take that on faith. It has kind of an "airbrushed" vibe to it, where the bass and treble are pretty controlled. The Rectifier, meanwhile, is the exact opposite - the EQ is very interactive, so a low treble increases how the mids and bass impact your tone. also, it's very transparent - what was really surprising to me when I was going back and forth between them is that the sound of the "string" came through much clearer on the Recto than the XXX. If I snappped the string against the fretboard, you'd really hear that "clang" with the Rectifier, whereas the XXX kind of smoothed it out.

Though, arguably the most obvious of differences is the XXX has a fuckton of gain. The highest gain mode I couldn't run much past 3-4 without feeling like it was just absurdly oversaturated (I go for sort of a prog/shred/blues thing, where I like a fairly touch sensitive tone - disclaimer). the Rectifier is comparatively less about preamp gain - it sounds it's most brutal when it's NOT completely gained out.

I guess what I'm saying is if you're used to the response of an XXX, the Rectifier is like night-and-day different so it might take you a while to get used to. The XXX is way more user-friendly and accessable, but if you've got a good touch and take the time to learn your way around a Recto, it's a very rewarding amp.

 

[maddface]

I can't speak for the 5150, but I've played a XXX for a bit in a guitar store, A/B'ing it against a Recto.

The XXX is a very forgiving amp, with very predictable EQ. Set everything right up the middle (since it's active) and put the gain at a moderate point, and the EQ responds pretty linearly from there. Additionally, the preamp is very compressed, both in response and in articulation. Noodles claims it has somehting to do with a high dampening factor, which seems reasonable but I know jack shit about amp design so I'll take that on faith. It has kind of an "airbrushed" vibe to it, where the bass and treble are pretty controlled. The Rectifier, meanwhile, is the exact opposite - the EQ is very interactive, so a low treble increases how the mids and bass impact your tone. also, it's very transparent - what was really surprising to me when I was going back and forth between them is that the sound of the "string" came through much clearer on the Recto than the XXX. If I snappped the string against the fretboard, you'd really hear that "clang" with the Rectifier, whereas the XXX kind of smoothed it out.

Though, arguably the most obvious of differences is the XXX has a fuckton of gain. The highest gain mode I couldn't run much past 3-4 without feeling like it was just absurdly oversaturated (I go for sort of a prog/shred/blues thing, where I like a fairly touch sensitive tone - disclaimer). the Rectifier is comparatively less about preamp gain - it sounds it's most brutal when it's NOT completely gained out.

I agree with you about the xxx, maybe it is just my pickups. That would explain the lack of response. The response is horrible. Nothing like any amp I have played before.

 

[Drew]

Hmm. The response shouldn't be "horrible." I remember it feeling a bit sluggish on a few of the ones I've played in shops before, but that was also before I got the hang of dialing one in. does that sound like what you're running into, though?

First, try a different guitar as it could just be the more transparent preamp is really letting your less-than-stellar pickups come through. If not that, then, try switching around your preamp tubes. Grab a Tung-sol for V1, and then if that doesn't immediately clean up your problem, start popping the tube you took out into other spots in the preamp to see if one of them is bad. You don't have excessive preamp noise or anything, do you?

 

[noodles]

Hmm. The response shouldn't be "horrible." I remember it feeling a bit sluggish on a few of the ones I've played in shops before, but that was also before I got the hang of dialing one in. does that sound like what you're running into, though?

No, he is about right with the stock pickups in those guitars. They are simply one big wall of mush, I absolutely found the import Hardtail unusable with them. They have no character at all.

 

[noodles]

The standard straight recto cab

Like Mike said, you should still get a pretty good tone out of it, but nothing great. I was never pleased with the midrange character of my Recto, until I got rid of those speakers. If you're looking for that punchy low end, dark aggressive mids, and crystal clear highs, then the C90 is more up your alley.

If you bought new, you could always take back the cab, and ask them to order you one with C90s instead. There is no difference in cost between the speakers, so don't let them charge you any more--quite simply, they cannot charge extra, since Mesa fixes their prices.

 

[maddface]

Hmm. The response shouldn't be "horrible." I remember it feeling a bit sluggish on a few of the ones I've played in shops before, but that was also before I got the hang of dialing one in. does that sound like what you're running into, though?

First, try a different guitar as it could just be the more transparent preamp is really letting your less-than-stellar pickups come through. If not that, then, try switching around your preamp tubes. Grab a Tung-sol for V1, and then if that doesn't immediately clean up your problem, start popping the tube you took out into other spots in the preamp to see if one of them is bad. You don't have excessive preamp noise or anything, do you?

The response is more than just sluggish, i am getting no noise unless i am close to the amp. That is one thing I am impressed with. Without any gate with the volume high there is no noise with lead me again to think it is my pickups.

 

[budda]

you cant find a.. wierd!

i got a useable tone from a dual rec within 10 minutes of sitting down with it (i am used to a jsx)

test it out with a different guitar.

you didnt find putting everything on 5 got you a useable tone?? weird stuff, man.

 

[Drew]

The response is more than just sluggish, i am getting no noise unless i am close to the amp. That is one thing I am impressed with. Without any gate with the volume high there is no noise with lead me again to think it is my pickups.

Ok, that's a start. Does it seem like it has way too LITTLE gain, then? Like, it should have less than the XXX unless you seriously jack up the channel volume and cut back the master (disclaimer - this makes it really crunchy, but I'm not as big a fan of setting it this way as articulation suffers. Then again I haven't experimented as much as I should, partly because I can't run a delay in the FX loop this way), but it shouldn't be hard to get some serious chunk out of it, at least.

If somehow one of the gain stages wasn't working due to a bad tube, that would definitely cut down the preamp noise, but also impact the tone/response negatively.

 

[maddface]

Like Mike said, you should still get a pretty good tone out of it, but nothing great. I was never pleased with the midrange character of my Recto, until I got rid of those speakers. If you're looking for that punchy low end, dark aggressive mids, and crystal clear highs, then the C90 is more up your alley.

If you bought new, you could always take back the cab, and ask them to order you one with C90s instead. There is no difference in cost between the speakers, so don't let them charge you any more--quite simply, they cannot charge extra, since Mesa fixes their prices.

I just got off the phone with were i bought it. They are going to special order me a cab with the c90's and do a even swap. Is there really that much difference with these?

Ok, that's a start. Does it seem like it has way too LITTLE gain, then? Like, it should have less than the XXX unless you seriously jack up the channel volume and cut back the master (disclaimer - this makes it really crunchy, but I'm not as big a fan of setting it this way as articulation suffers. Then again I haven't experimented as much as I should, partly because I can't run a delay in the FX loop this way), but it shouldn't be hard to get some serious chunk out of it, at least.

If somehow one of the gain stages wasn't working due to a bad tube, that would definitely cut down the preamp noise, but also impact the tone/response negatively.

Ive tried turning the master down with the output high and that was about the best chunk with response that i have gotten.

What pickups do you guys recommend?

 

[7StringofAblicK]

You WILL notice HUGE difference in speakers. Trust me.

 

[budda]

i didn't notice a HUGE difference when i swapped out my sheffields for my WGS British Leads, but i did notice an improvement to my liking

 

[sparky51077]

Are you using a good cord?

mesa's are considerably quieter( as in noise when at rest) then most high gain amps with the gain tuned up. It takes a little while to get used to how expressive these amps are. they do not mask sloppy playing at all. I was a little disillusioned when got my first Mesa(3 channel triple ) because it showed just how sloppy my playing was, but in the end it made me a better player. Ones I got used to the amp and how to tweak it there was no going back.

Noodles and the the gang know there stuff when it comes to rectos. Their posts helped me on the quest for ultimate tone so heed their advice.

If you are willing to spend a Little more money I would suggest upgrading to a roadster. In my opinion it is tighter and smoother than the triple, plus it has a series loop which works a lot better with the G-major and any other FXs for that matter. The Triple is an awesome amp, but I'm blown away by how much better I like the roadster.

 

[Groff]

You said the amp is sluggish, you mean in response? It should be pretty good out of the box, but not as good as putting JJ GZ34's in place of the stock rectifiers.
And as mentioned earlier, a tung-sol in V1 is amazing (Then put JJECC83s's in the rest once you get the time. But the tung-sol should be your first priority )
The one time I got to play a Triple Recto I had no problem finding a tone I liked, took me 2 minutes of tweaking.

 

[Apex1rg7x]

I got my Dual rectifier which was my first tube amp so i was pretty dumb to the whole thing and it did take me more than a couple months and a tube change and a O/D pedal to find the tone i liked. Now that thing is fucking killer and i absolutely love it. Spend the $100 or so and get a Tubescreamer or something and that should help a ton and the $12 Tung-Sol 12ax7 is well worth it. The only thing i need to do now is swap the V30's for some C90's and ill be all set. Good luck dude, you'll figure it out sooner or later.

 

[HamBungler]

Do what these guys say, check the tubes, Noodles suggested trying a SD Custom and Jazz, which would definitely make that guitar sound a lot better. If you like DiMarzios, try a Tone Zone and Air Norton, and for actives give the SD Blackouts or Dave Mustaine set an ear. Switching out the cabinet should definitely change the tone, its a big part of the equation after all!

 

[kmanick]

Mike and Dave, what about the setttings on the back of the amp?
I don't know how the triple is set up but my buddy just bought a 2 channel dual and if he didn't have the bold/spongy Silicon/tube settings set up properly for a high gain tighter sound , it wasn't there.
Are the triples different?

 

[Groff]

What pickups do you guys recommend?

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/pickups-electronics-general-tech/459-sevenstring-pickup-guide.html

That'll give you a good idea. Once you've found two or three that seem nice to you, post up your guitar, what wood it's made out of, what style you want etc, and maybe someone can help you make a decision. You pretty much can't go wrong with most duncans or dimarzios.

 

[Brord]

Make sure it is on bold mode (not spongy) and I personally prefer silicon diode, but others love the rectifier mode also.
So Bold and silicon diode will get u a pretty tight sound. It makes a HUGE difference.