Mesa Dual Recto (No Boost Pedal) - Thoughts?

[NewWorldMan]

I'll assume most folks here boost the amps they're using, especially Rectos. I've done it for longer than I can remember (well, maybe for 8-10 years). I recently heard some old clips from before I used to boost, and it got me wanting to try dialing it in again.

I decided to give it a go recently and started dialing it in. It's a work in progress, but it's off to a good start. I've forgotten how much I enjoy the more raw, in-your-face sound of plugging straight into the amp. Trying to get back to that. Here's the first attempt:

https://soundcloud.com/heilverwulf/mesa-dual-rectifier-with-no-boost

How about folks here? Anyone back to NOT boosting these days?

 

[JCDenton6]

Sounds raw and still tight, I still run unboosted.

 

[jkdsteve]

Sounds freakin' great!

 

[cardinal]

Killer!

I have both channels of my Triple cloned to Vintage. One I run for purposes of boosting, the other I have dialed in to run unboosted. I swap back and forth depending on my mood and the pickups in the guitar I've using.

 

[skoora]

I haven't used a boost in forever. Mainly because my number 1 and number 2 amps are a Stiletto and a Mark V. Using pedal with those would be beyond superfluous.

It actually still trips me out that my main amps are Boogies now as I was a diehard Marshall guy since I started playing. The Stiletto sounds like the Marshall I would want now I guess and I do run 34's in my MK V.

 

[NewWorldMan]

I haven't used a boost in forever. Mainly because my number 1 and number 2 amps are a Stiletto and a Mark V. Using pedal with those would be beyond superfluous.

It actually still trips me out that my main amps are Boogies now as I was a diehard Marshall guy since I started playing. The Stiletto sounds like the Marshall I would want now I guess and I do run 34's in my MK V.

Stiletto's are such underrated amps, especially the clean tones. Tite Clean is spectacular, and it takes pedals really well too.

 

[angelspade]

...This why there are mesa rectos in almost every major studio. Sounds GREAT.

 

[hatrick00]

i run my blackface Rev F Dual Rec with no boost. I just dial back the bass to around 9 o clock and be sure to use pickups that have a tight bottom end...

 

[hatrick00]

oh and i run my dual through my friedman cab... with no boost the oversized cabs will sound too flubby

 

[stephen sawall]

I am not into boosting the Mesa amps.

 

[4406cuda]

The only boost that has worked for me on a boogie has been the xotic ep booster. More for color than boosting.

 

[fretout]

I don't like to use boosts on my Mesas either. The main reason I don't is because it seems to affect the depth of the sound, so I skip it. But, for the 1st version of the Rectos, my Triple took boosts pretty well, and it was the only way to tighten it up to play fast thrash, but then I got my first Mark, and from then on out, I use the are to to thicken up the Mark's tone.

Your clip sounds cool man!

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Sounds great to me. While I do love a stock recto, there's nothing like a clean boost to tighten it up. I'd put a clean-boosted recto up against any high gainer out there for brewtal-ness.

 

[anomaly]

Sounds really good and surprisingly tight for an unboosted recto tone. I think a boosted rectifier is one of those iconic tones. It's a great sound for modern metal.

 

[NewWorldMan]

Sounds really good and surprisingly tight for an unboosted recto tone. I think a boosted rectifier is one of those iconic tones. It's a great sound for modern metal.

I think the key to tightening up a non-boosted Recto is not being afraid of turning up the mids and presence. A lot of guys are used to the 3 channel Recto's hyper sensitive presence knob where you have to keep it dialed back. This is a 2 channel Recto, so I run it up around 1 o'clock and keep the mids around 12 noon.

 

[cardinal]

Yeah, for a two channel, you can run the presence up pretty high and it just gets tighter without getting harsh. But with a three channel, it gets too harsh IMHO.

 

[NewWorldMan]

Yeah, for a two channel, you can run the presence up pretty high and it just gets tighter without getting harsh. But with a three channel, it gets too harsh IMHO.

Agreed. Ear bleeding volume helps too, haha. That clip was at window shattering levels. I still like to boost when I'm playing somewhere I can't crank it. Kind of gives you same effect at lower volume.

 

[ace_operations]

Sounds great! Could you share amp settings?

 

[some dude]

I've never boosted my Rectos, I find it flattens them out.

The only time I had an issue with tightness is when I tried a JB. It didn't last long.