Gassin for a Mesa Roadster...not really sure why?

[kannibul]

I have a JVM410H, and I'm quite content with it, however the Mesa Roadster just keeps calling to me...though I don't truely know why.

My previous experiences with Dual Rectifiers (3-channels) were left in disappointment, as at the time I thought my TSL was just a better sounding amp. While I may still end up with that opinion, my tonal tastebuds have grown and changed quite a bit since then...that, plus I've heard a Racktifer that sounded fricken great, as well as someone else's Recto (through a cab I was selling to the owner), triggered me to sell my Orange RV100, and later get a JVM410H...

So, I guess I'm thinking I didn't give it a fair shake then - and figure this Roadster may be the thing I'm looking for, in addition to what I already get with the JVM410. The idea of having 24 channels of fun in two heads also has a bit of an allure to it as well - lol

One thing I know the Roadster should deliver is a great clean - the JVM's clean is great too, but it's not fender-spanky clean. Mesa's cleans have typically been pretty good. Another thing the Roadster, I think, will deliver is a bit of blues - that SRV kind of tone (maybe?), or more of a texas-blues kind of tone - I know I can't get that very easily with my JVM, but it will do a decent impression of it (not a clear enough top end, IMO). Lastly, I'm also looking for that Foo Fighters and Creed kind of Mesa tone from it, which I think it should be able to deliver in spades.

The only tone that I may still have trouble getting that is clearly Mesa - is Chevelle - as I think they use Mark IV's.

Any advice in this area is appreciated!

 

[jkdsteve]

I'm pretty sure Chevelle's tone is in the Roadster somewhere...whether they use Marks or not...it's a pretty aggressive modern tone I'm recalling g from Wonder Whats Next....

 

[kannibul]

Well, I couldn't chop on the bit any longer, I pulled the trigger earlier today. Sadly, Sweetwater won't have any in stock until Feb. That's plenty of time to reconsider I guess - lol...either way, I'll figure out if it's something I like or not, without having a sales guy hanging over my shoulder.

 

[glassjaw7]

I'm pretty sure Chevelle's tone is in the Roadster somewhere...whether they use Marks or not...it's a pretty aggressive modern tone I'm recalling g from Wonder Whats Next....

Chevelle's tone is a bit more dry, but you can get damn close with rectos/roadster. BTW kannibul, Rectifiers shit all over TSL's IMO Not being a dick, just playin.....but I meant it

 

[kannibul]

I'm pretty sure Chevelle's tone is in the Roadster somewhere...whether they use Marks or not...it's a pretty aggressive modern tone I'm recalling g from Wonder Whats Next....

Chevelle's tone is a bit more dry, but you can get damn close with rectos/roadster. BTW kannibul, Rectifiers shit all over TSL's IMO Not being a dick, just playin.....but I meant it

I'm guessing it's a matter of which Recto you're talking about. The ones I bought/returned were 3 channel duals, which I've heard are among the worst examples...that plus they'd KA-POW on the first channel change you do with them...unless you flipped channels with it on standby first. I think I managed to get ones that were of the same batch because they both did it, and from what I know that was an issue for a small timeframe w/ Mesa and bad run of parts.

Either way, Stratotone had a Ractifier that opened my eyes a bit with how good they should sound, and some kid he worked with wanted to buy a cab from me, who had a recto head (might have been a triple-recto?), that sounded really good too...

 

[TramplinKids]

I miss the AMAZING clean, and light breakup tones from my Roadster, but for high gain, my 6505 poops all over it. I couldn't get my Roadster to sound decent unless I boosted the mids with an EQ pedal in the loop, and it sounded really good for leads, but for rhythm, it was just a farty mess. I had no luck with boosts either. I was trying to get a tone that wasn't available from that amp, so I moved on and traded it (plus a lot of cash) for a mint 6505. I have never been happier with an amp. My Roadster was miles ahead of the 3 chan Triple I had before it in every way imaginable.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Well, I couldn't chop on the bit any longer, I pulled the trigger earlier today. Sadly, Sweetwater won't have any in stock until Feb. That's plenty of time to reconsider I guess - lol...either way, I'll figure out if it's something I like or not, without having a sales guy hanging over my shoulder.

Loved my Roadster, great amp. Pairs up well with the JVM imo, tonal opposites being complementary to each other.

 

[crabby]

I am gassin for a roadster.....i sold my triple rec after 8 yrs of bliss, RE Gret it everyday, you know trying all these other amps, i tried replacing the triple rec with diamonds... NO GO! just heard a roadster last night live with a band we played with, I had my back turned chillin at a table in the back, n heard him soundcheck, walked up and there it was THAT TONE! a roadster.It will roll good with my diezels, as they are untouchable for that tone, but they dont Growl like a Mesa.. tremonti mesa/bogner his main tone.

 

[kannibul]

I miss the AMAZING clean, and light breakup tones from my Roadster, but for high gain, my 6505 poops all over it. I couldn't get my Roadster to sound decent unless I boosted the mids with an EQ pedal in the loop, and it sounded really good for leads, but for rhythm, it was just a farty mess. I had no luck with boosts either. I was trying to get a tone that wasn't available from that amp, so I moved on and traded it (plus a lot of cash) for a mint 6505. I have never been happier with an amp. My Roadster was miles ahead of the 3 chan Triple I had before it in every way imaginable.

A 6505+ is on my list, as is the ecstacy

I guess I'm building out my guitar stuff again - lol.

 

[steve_k]

Well, I couldn't chop on the bit any longer, I pulled the trigger earlier today. Sadly, Sweetwater won't have any in stock until Feb. That's plenty of time to reconsider I guess - lol...either way, I'll figure out if it's something I like or not, without having a sales guy hanging over my shoulder.

Go to http://www.mesahollywood.com and grab one. Too many knobs for me.

Steve

 

[steve_k]

I have a JVM410H, and I'm quite content with it, however the Mesa Roadster just keeps calling to me...though I don't truely know why.

My previous experiences with Dual Rectifiers (3-channels) were left in disappointment, as at the time I thought my TSL was just a better sounding amp. While I may still end up with that opinion, my tonal tastebuds have grown and changed quite a bit since then...that, plus I've heard a Racktifer that sounded fricken great, as well as someone else's Recto (through a cab I was selling to the owner), triggered me to sell my Orange RV100, and later get a JVM410H...

So, I guess I'm thinking I didn't give it a fair shake then - and figure this Roadster may be the thing I'm looking for, in addition to what I already get with the JVM410. The idea of having 24 channels of fun in two heads also has a bit of an allure to it as well - lol

One thing I know the Roadster should deliver is a great clean - the JVM's clean is great too, but it's not fender-spanky clean. Mesa's cleans have typically been pretty good. Another thing the Roadster, I think, will deliver is a bit of blues - that SRV kind of tone (maybe?), or more of a texas-blues kind of tone - I know I can't get that very easily with my JVM, but it will do a decent impression of it (not a clear enough top end, IMO). Lastly, I'm also looking for that Foo Fighters and Creed kind of Mesa tone from it, which I think it should be able to deliver in spades.

The only tone that I may still have trouble getting that is clearly Mesa - is Chevelle - as I think they use Mark IV's.

Any advice in this area is appreciated!

Pete Loefller has always used only Mark IV's on the road. Although, I see Mesa's site shows him using Mark V's now. Bet his IV's are still in the rack though.

Steve

 

[crabby]

Go to http://www.mesahollywood.com and grab one. Too many knobs for me.

Steve[/quote]

too many knobs... the marks arent short of knobs by any means..

 

[Les Zombie]

i owned a roadster for a year and i really like it, i would like to get another one actually.

 

[kannibul]

Well, I couldn't chop on the bit any longer, I pulled the trigger earlier today. Sadly, Sweetwater won't have any in stock until Feb. That's plenty of time to reconsider I guess - lol...either way, I'll figure out if it's something I like or not, without having a sales guy hanging over my shoulder.

Go to http://www.mesahollywood.com and grab one. Too many knobs for me.

Steve

Except they're out of stock (new, didn't check used), that and I was going to do the 3-payment w/ Sweetwater even though I've got 95% of the funds right now...

 

[stratotone]

Well, I couldn't chop on the bit any longer, I pulled the trigger earlier today. Sadly, Sweetwater won't have any in stock until Feb. That's plenty of time to reconsider I guess - lol...either way, I'll figure out if it's something I like or not, without having a sales guy hanging over my shoulder.

Go to http://www.mesahollywood.com and grab one. Too many knobs for me.

Steve

Except they're out of stock (new, didn't check used), that and I was going to do the 3-payment w/ Sweetwater even though I've got 95% of the funds right now...

Jeff, don't do it. If you want the mesa recto tone, I'd get a rackmount recto and a fender twin - could get them both for around the price of that roadster and they would kill it on both ends IMHO.

If you do get the roadster, bring it over and we can compare it to a ractifier that sounds better than the one you heard (I've had three, this one is king of the hill) or even a Randall MTS setup with one of my modded rectifier modules. I think either will spank a roadster for overdrive tones handily. Sure the roadster is more versatile, but if you're going to settle for lesser tones and more versatility get a Line 6.

...or spend a few more hundred bucks and buy a used Bogner Ecstasy... I'd take my post 2004 101b over any mesa I've ever owned.

Pete

 

[sixstrings]

I'd personally choose the Roadster over a JVM. As cool as the JVM is, it seems slightly dry and sterile compared to JCM800's and DSL's in my opinion. That's just the way I hear it, not that I'm saying that for fact. I do think they're quite good, but I really really like the Roadster - second only to the Mark V.

I had a Roadster that I played through may cabs. Marshall, Diezel, VHT, Blackstar, Mesa, Budda, etc... It sounded incredible through every cab I put it through. I stayed mostly on channel 1 & 2 because it sounded so cool with a boost in front.

The Roadster is just a really really badass amp. I think many people who buy them just aren't convinced that you can have such a well-built amp that sounds so good with so many features. They have that stuck in their head and can never quite be 100% sold on it. The people who just accept that the Roadster is all that for a relatively budget price really reap the rewards of owning one.

One thing about the Roadster is that it also sounds excellent with EL34's. If you're not getting quite what you're looking for with 6L6's, it's only fair to give it a run with EL34's before giving up.

That's my 2 cents.

 

[ericsabbath]

forget about having 257 channels and buy an Uberschall

 

[steve_k]

forget about having 257 channels and buy an Uberschall

Uberschall....plug and play! I miss my Uber

Steve

 

[crabby]

uberscall great sounding amp, but a one trick pony... DIEZEL!

 

[Beret]

I'd never part with my Roadster. The thing I like about it is it gets the tones I personally like while being versatile enough for me to cover nearly anything decently. Make sure you're playing it through a good cabinet though, makes a night and day difference.

~B