On the fence about a Rectifier 'upgrade' - push me

  • Thread starter Thread starter ZEN Amps
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Send it to Hermansson. Boom.

End thread.
Based on clips it seems like that would be more of its own thing than the iconic Recto sound we’re familiar with. That signature Recto sound on the orange ch (more so on a Rev C or D) has this really rich, throaty growl with a lot of tonal complexity for a high gain amp and it seems like Herm goes in the exact opposite direction of that in pursuit of maximum tightness/fast response and attack. Both are very cool and worth having for me, but neither imo can cover the other’s ground
 
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The 3 channel Recto is probably my least favorite Mesa I've owned and I've owned... A lot.
 
Agreed 100%. I’ve got a Hermansson 5 Gain Stage Marshall myself. I really enjoy it, but I’m guessing they don’t record well because the tone itself is really hollow and cold (not much warmth or richness to it), but they are super tight, fast and feel great and easy to play because of that. I’m not that good or experienced at recording, but I’ll try to see what I can do when I have time in mid May
Yeah man if you can that'd be great but don't sweat it. I'm curious to hear his work but that's about it. A local guy is selling a 4 or 5 gain-stage Marshall actually, intrigued to hear that too.

The 3 channel Recto is probably my least favorite Mesa I've owned and I've owned... A lot.
Which ones have you preferred, and specifically why?
 
Yeah man if you can that'd be great but don't sweat it. I'm curious to hear his work but that's about it. A local guy is selling a 4 or 5 gain-stage Marshall actually, intrigued to hear that too.
The local guy is selling a 4 or 5 Gain Stage Hermansson? Or different modder with a 4 or 5 gain stage?
 
Outta’ the slew of those ole’ Trout’s…
-antique machines, numerous turns on the
“Sent to Mike B” catwalk..
It was a Revision F Blackface that ate every
machines ass, except for a MK2+, neck & neck,
head to head.
It had all the killer correction mods.
It was a Stallion.
Channel 3 red, Fortin Grind 11:30,
Ken Lawrence Explorer with the HetSet…
How much better does it have to be??
Almost like a mix of Dual Rectifier & Mark IV
channel 3.

Would I ever send an amp to Mike B again?
( unless a critical repair is due that he has to perform).

Absolutely not, and I BET HE would agree!!!
GREAT guy and he LOVES it when you send in your amps with the original NOS tubes.
That tickles him pink.

ADD!!, the infamous Mesa “Servicing”-$380.00.

Dude, look at those amplifiers?
Do they look easy going,nice & cozy …
F’n Diamond plate on there man!!!
Like Wizards, these are performance amplifiers,
the entire point of such rad amps gets missed
and are replaced with
“Tone Factoids”
The name of my YT that’s in the works as we speak,
-I climbed a pretty freakin’ high cellphone tower for ‘the shot’ this morning, I was hoping to bring a one up & one down drum kit up there, nope.
 
With all the high gain amps at your disposal do you really think $8000 is going to get you something that singularly spectacular?
Kinda my thinking with the Jose that was in the classifieds. I’ve already got an aldrich that I prefer to it in the gain territory as well as many other modded Marshall varieties, so it’s hard to justify the cost from only a collector perspective and nothing else.
 
My Racktifier had been modded by FJA when I bought it. Sounded good, but it was my first Recto and I wanted to experience it in it’s original form. So I brought it to a Mesa tech and had it returned to stock.
 
Which ones have you preferred, and specifically why?
I've owned:

  • Mark III Green
  • Mark III Black
  • Mark III Red
  • Mark IVa
  • Mark IVb
  • Mark V:90
  • Single Recto
  • Recto-O-Verb
  • Trem-O-Verb
  • Rev G Dual Recto
  • Rev F Racktifier
  • FJA Modded Rev G Racktifier
  • 3-Channel Dual Recto
  • 3-Channel Triple Recto
  • Multiwatt Recto
  • Roadster
  • Road King I
  • Road King II
  • F-50
  • DC-5
  • DC-3
  • .50 Cal
  • .50 Cal+
  • Nomad 55
  • TA-15
  • Stiletto Deuce Stage II
The only amp on that list I wouldn't take over a 3 channel dual Recto is the Stiletto Deuce, maybe the Nomad only because I can't really remember how it sounded and possibly the Single Recto, I just really didn't care for that one... But liked the Rectoverb?

It'd take me a long time to say specifically why I liked each one more, haha!
 
With all the high gain amps at your disposal do you really think $8000 is going to get you something that singularly spectacular?
$8000 is way overpriced, no doubt, but it would have a level of tightness, attack and fast response that I guarantee his other amps won’t have (even boosted, I tried lol), but the tone itself is very hollow, compressed and more on the cold side of the spectrum. A lot of guys still love these amps, myself included, but the tone itself may or may not be for everyone. For faster riffs or leads, especially sweep picking stuff it’s one of my go to’s for that type of clarity, but would never use these amps on simpler or slower/sparser styles of playing
 
With all the high gain amps at your disposal do you really think $8000 is going to get you something that singularly spectacular?
I’m not considering it for purchase, just curious to hear it really.
 
I've owned:

  • Mark III Green
  • Mark III Black
  • Mark III Red
  • Mark IVa
  • Mark IVb
  • Mark V:90
  • Single Recto
  • Recto-O-Verb
  • Trem-O-Verb
  • Rev G Dual Recto
  • Rev F Racktifier
  • FJA Modded Rev G Racktifier
  • 3-Channel Dual Recto
  • 3-Channel Triple Recto
  • Multiwatt Recto
  • Roadster
  • Road King I
  • Road King II
  • F-50
  • DC-5
  • DC-3
  • .50 Cal
  • .50 Cal+
  • Nomad 55
  • TA-15
  • Stiletto Deuce Stage II
The only amp on that list I wouldn't take over a 3 channel dual Recto is the Stiletto Deuce, maybe the Nomad only because I can't really remember how it sounded and possibly the Single Recto, I just really didn't care for that one... But liked the Rectoverb?

It'd take me a long time to say specifically why I liked each one more, haha!
😂 The Deuce Stage II is one of my favorite Boogies. I’ve had mine for over 10 years, love it. The thought of liking a 3 channel recto v1 over it makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
 
$8000 is way overpriced, no doubt, but it would have a level of tightness, attack and fast response that I guarantee his other amps won’t have (even boosted, I tried lol), but the tone itself is very hollow, compressed and more on the cold side of the spectrum. A lot of guys still love these amps, myself included, but the tone itself may or may not be for everyone. For faster riffs or leads, especially sweep picking stuff it’s one of my go to’s for that type of clarity, but would never use these amps on simpler or slower/sparser styles of playing
I mean that's $8k Aussie, so about $1200 USD these days....

Seller is a good dude - not greedy. Given the terrible dollar, massive shipping fees and taxes, plus the fact that he started off with a 1959HW means he's probably losing money really. This particular amp has had a tonne of work on it too, there's another amp's worth of knobs on the rear panel - a clean channel I believe.

Your description of yours is interesting though - with that much gain the compression isn't a surprise, but hollow typically isn't a trait I dig. Some folks say the Wizard MC is a bit hollow though, I don't hear that at all. I guess everyone's definition of the word is quite different - hollow vs scooped? The big questions.
 
I mean that's $8k Aussie, so about $1200 USD these days....

Seller is a good dude - not greedy. Given the terrible dollar, massive shipping fees and taxes, plus the fact that he started off with a 1959HW means he's probably losing money really. This particular amp has had a tonne of work on it too, there's another amp's worth of knobs on the rear panel - a clean channel I believe.

Your description of yours is interesting though - with that much gain the compression isn't a surprise, but hollow typically isn't a trait I dig. Some folks say the Wizard MC is a bit hollow though, I don't hear that at all. I guess everyone's definition of the word is quite different - hollow vs scooped? The big questions.
The Wizard’s are hollow to me, but the Herm a lot more so. When I say hollow I mean a lack of tonal complexity/richness, growl or bland/flat character throughout the midrange, not the amount of midrange there. I think with wizards I maybe just consider hollow because they get compared to Marshall’s and vs those they’re hollow to me, but vs most other amps maybe not so much. Wizard’s to me are kinda like something in between the Hiwatt or Fane (sterile mids) and Marshall’s or celestions with much more going on in those frequencies. Hiwatt’s imo are further down the spectrum of that character I don’t like, but they do sound huge and articulate. I still overall love my Herm. No amp has it all and what it does well, it does really really well! I just think it’s often useful to bring attention to some of the less positive attributes that many of the more broey guys here tend to ignore (bro it just sounds killer dude) lol
 
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The Wizard’s are hollow to me, but the Herm a lot more so. When I say hollow I mean a lack of tonal complexity/richness, growl or bland/flat character throughout the midrange, not the amount of midrange there. I think with wizards I maybe just consider hollow because they get compared to Marshall’s and vs those they’re hollow to me, but vs most other amps maybe not so much. Wizard’s to me are kinda like something in between the Hiwatt or Fane (sterile mids) and Marshall’s or celestions with much more going on in those frequencies. Hiwatt’s imo are further down the spectrum of that character I don’t like, but they do sound huge and articulate. I still overall love my Herm. No amp has it all and what it does well, it does really really well! I just think it’s often useful to bring attention to some of the less positive attributes that many of the more broey guys here tend to ignore (bro it just sounds killer dude) lol
Ok yeah, I can see that. Anything next to a boosted JMP 2203 can sound, well just wrong, and the Wizards are often compared to just that.

I will say the the Wizard 800 that recently visited was definitely more Marshally. Not surprising news really, other than it was a cool amp.

Has your amp wall grew again ?
It's always chopping and changing. The wall was built for the videos primarily, it's not all that practical as you can imagine. Most amps and cabs are strewn around the studio, the workshop, the office, the carpark...
 
😂 The Deuce Stage II is one of my favorite Boogies. I’ve had mine for over 10 years, love it. The thought of liking a 3 channel recto v1 over it makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
I literally couldn't get a sound out of that amp that I liked. It got slightly better the louder I turned it up (and I mean like, REALLY loud), but it sounded like what a JCM800 and Recto would sound like mixed together, if you took away all the balls of both. I thought for sure something was wrong with it, but I fully retubed the amp and had it checked over by a tech. Ended up trading it for a Tremoverb, which was WAY better - but the next owner loved it 🤷‍♂️
 
I have a 3 channel recto and did the "pre-500" mods to it. Basically just jumped the 100R cathode resistors and added a capacitor to filter out the ice pick.
Night and day difference to the amp, so much better everywhere
 
I literally couldn't get a sound out of that amp that I liked. It got slightly better the louder I turned it up (and I mean like, REALLY loud), but it sounded like what a JCM800 and Recto would sound like mixed together, if you took away all the balls of both. I thought for sure something was wrong with it, but I fully retubed the amp and had it checked over by a tech. Ended up trading it for a Tremoverb, which was WAY better - but the next owner loved it 🤷‍♂️
It’s a lean amp in the low end for sure, especially if you’re used to more modern, bass heavy amps. But it mixes really well with bass guitar. I found you get great results for an in the room sound with an EQ in the loop giving a little bump down low.
 
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