Love the Mesa Mini Rec, but…

  • Thread starter Thread starter MrDowntown
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MrDowntown

MrDowntown

Well-known member
…what will I love even more?
I’d like start looking and combing for another Boogie!

Lots of diff mesas out there. And a 20k 2c+ ain’t it. ?
If I dig my mini Rec, what will I dig when more?
5:25?, 35? What should I be on the look out for?

Suggestions please
Thanks guys!
 
If you do want to stick to Mesa and crave a new flavour then yeah a Mark series makes sense. Sounds like you're into small amps - the 5:25 is good clean fun and gets the job done.

Personally I dig a stouter power section so a MkIII, or a Studio Pre with a nice power amp would be my pick.
 
Like @ZEN Amps said, Mark Series amps are great. A Mark would also make for a good pairing with a Recto. Both lines of amps offer great cleans and high gain tones, but they each offer quite different flavors of those. The Mark V:25 is similarly priced with the Mini Recto also.

If you want to expand into really great sounding Fenderish cleans and light-breakup territory, the Cali Tweed 20 is a great option as well. Incredible amp.
 
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I didn't care for the Mini Rec when I tried it out; too flubby for me. Then I tried an Engl Ironball, and bought it on the spot. This was 9 years ago.
A few years later I bought a used Mark V:25; love that one too. The Crunch mode in CH1 is soo much fun. And you get really Fendery cleans in Clean and Fat modes.
 
Techdeth said:
It’s such a beast with a good price tag still . My favorite mark of course
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I have owned all of them through the years. I had a Mark IV combo that I ran through a 4x12...but the mark 3 head was the best overall. Open throaty tones.
 
japetus said:
I have owned all of them through the years. I had a Mark IV combo that I ran through a 4x12...but the mark 3 head was the best overall. Open throaty tones.
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Throaty is a good word .
 
Speeddemon said:
I didn't care for the Mini Rec when I tried it out; too flubby for me. Then I tried an Engl Ironball, and bought it on the spot. This was 9 years ago.
A few years later I bought a used Mark V:25; love that one too. The Crunch mode in CH1 is soo much fun. And you get really Fendery cleans in Clean and Fat modes.
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My experience exactly. The ironball is the best 20 watter out there
 
Mesa Mark III or IV, you won't regret it. You can still find some good deals on them with a bit of luck and research.
 
The Myasnikov iic+ preamp I have does a good mark tone without spending $3k
 
Mark IIIs are harsh in the mids/highs. Had 2, that's all I need to know I don't care for them. One was recently serviced and both came with 415s and Chinese pre. That said, the Mark IV I tried was very good and the closest to any of the 4 C+ I've owned. So I'd suggest finding a Mark IV for a different take on Mesa. Not cheap but sounded even better than the JP 2C which was the reason I went to that store in the first place.
If not a Mark then a Triple MW or F/G if you can find one. They are more scooped than the other Rectos and get that heavy tone that you hear on records.
 
Racerxrated said:
Mark IIIs are harsh in the mids/highs. Had 2, that's all I need to know I don't care for them. One was recently serviced and both came with 415s and Chinese pre. That said, the Mark IV I tried was very good and the closest to any of the 4 C+ I've owned. So I'd suggest finding a Mark IV for a different take on Mesa. Not cheap but sounded even better than the JP 2C which was the reason I went to that store in the first place.
If not a Mark then a Triple MW or F/G if you can find one. They are more scooped than the other Rectos and get that heavy tone that you hear on records.
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You posted along time ago the mk 3 had aggressive highs out of all the marks and i felt you nailed why I like it most . Idk why I just do . But mines a ++ greenstripe so I don’t know how different it is from others
 
I would say Mark IV but I don't know tbh. I really liked the Mark IV (best out of all the Marks I've experiences with) and grew to hate most Rectifiers except for the 2ch Dual. If you love the Mini Rec there's a good chance you hate the Mark IV and there's an even better chance you would love some long forgotten amp like the Hughes & Kettner Warp T/X that tried to ride on the early 2000s Nu Metal wave that was dominated by Rectifiers. So, the question is what you expect from a new amp? Something that's different but still great, something that's in the vein of a Rectifier or something that takes it to another level? I mean for a palette of different Mesa flavours a Triaxis with a TX4 or something could be an alternative as well.
 
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