prsplayer86
Member
Can anyone thats fluent in Mesa dual rec serial numbers help a brotha out !?!?! I'm about to pull the trigger on what I think might be one of my dream amps but I want to verify that its what I think it is.
Dale B
Well-known member
What is it that you need to know?
prsplayer86
Member
Pm'd
Im looking at a head with a R-00157x serial number. Is this a pre 500?? Also, it has the black chasis and the chrome tread plate.
Im looking at a head with a R-00157x serial number. Is this a pre 500?? Also, it has the black chasis and the chrome tread plate.
reverymike
Active member
R-00157x is there a number where the "x" is??
If so, then it would be the 1,570th amp built. So, it would not be pre-500.
For example, mine is R-O635 (so it's the 635th amp built).
Also, the amps with the Mark 3 trannies go much further than the first 500. Mine has them, and I've seen an amp that was in the 1000s that had them as well. The 2 channel amp with the Mark 3 trannies are the 'good ones' regardless of the serial number.
If so, then it would be the 1,570th amp built. So, it would not be pre-500.
For example, mine is R-O635 (so it's the 635th amp built).
Also, the amps with the Mark 3 trannies go much further than the first 500. Mine has them, and I've seen an amp that was in the 1000s that had them as well. The 2 channel amp with the Mark 3 trannies are the 'good ones' regardless of the serial number.
prsplayer86
Member
Awesome! Thanks my friend !
BrentSSL
Active member
did you buy? and where is it?
RJF
Active member
This would be a middle of the pack rev F.
It's pretty simple really..... A pre 500 means any that have a serial number of 500 or lower. You posted up 157X.....four digits.
It's pretty simple really..... A pre 500 means any that have a serial number of 500 or lower. You posted up 157X.....four digits.
rokket2005
Member
Do all dual recs follow the same line of numbers? My tremoverb is in the 800s I believe and was wondering if maybe they had another set of numbers for solo heads, a line for tremoverbs, etc. Our if it was just one continuous lone for all dual rec models.
RJF
Active member
I'm nearly positive the Solo line is on their own serial number run.
camrock
New member
Did you pull the trigger?
fluff191
Active member
Its also worth pointing out that 'pre-500' should really be 'pre-2000' or so. The pre-500 config was on outgoing Rectos for much longer than 500.
K
kgp1
Member
How do you determine if the amp has the Mark 3 trannies?
BrentSSL
Active member
I think its if they have a,series effects loopkgp1":2jep78jo said:
RJF
Active member
BrentSSL":cl6kfow9 said:
No.
This is much debated, but the tranny thing is blown way out of proportion. Mesa used a BUNCH of different trannies in all these amps.
My LATE model greeen stripe MK3 has a 561100/562104 combo. I've owned 7 different early rectos and none of them have ever had that combo.
reverymike
Active member
You have to open it up and take a look at the numbers on the transformers. You can go to the mesa forum and find discussions about the transformer numbers. I can't remember them off the top of my head.
S
siggy14
New member
RJF":1y29g3ba said:
Bingo, Trannies will only effect tightness or how loose an amp will be. I think the myth started because Rev C is very tight, but they used these trannies well into Rev F which was almost as loose a Rev G. The circuit revisions have the most impact on the sound of an amplifier followed by Pre-amp and power tubes and speaker cabinet used.
BrentSSL
Active member
Well a series effects loop is a tell tell sign of a pre rev G all rev G's seem to have the parallel
RJF
Active member
That is correct, including small emblem and attached power chord. But, it doesn't mean that it will automatically "have mk3 trannies."BrentSSL":vzv98x8e said:
S
Shemham
New member
You can pretty much nail the rev c/d tone by modifying a rev G:
1) Remove the three LDRs and 47kohm resisitors from the cathodes of the preamp tubes where you can find them and connect the bypass caps directly to ground.
2) Rev C/D had a different filter network after the first tube. You got at least two options here: either rewire the first stage or just change the 2M2ohm resistor to 1M5ohm resistor to achieve equal total resistance for lead modes.
3) Change the red channel presence pot to 220k or 250k linear. This seems to be the main reason why early rectos were perceived being way brighter.
These changes will ruin the clean tone, but they are the key differences between the first ~500 rectos (hence the use of term pre-500) and the later ones.
1) Remove the three LDRs and 47kohm resisitors from the cathodes of the preamp tubes where you can find them and connect the bypass caps directly to ground.
2) Rev C/D had a different filter network after the first tube. You got at least two options here: either rewire the first stage or just change the 2M2ohm resistor to 1M5ohm resistor to achieve equal total resistance for lead modes.
3) Change the red channel presence pot to 220k or 250k linear. This seems to be the main reason why early rectos were perceived being way brighter.
These changes will ruin the clean tone, but they are the key differences between the first ~500 rectos (hence the use of term pre-500) and the later ones.
drjenkins
Member
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