Why are some used Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo heads $1600 & other $3000. Which is mine?

[braintheory]

I totally agree! I love the voicing of these early Rectifiers, but I still keep my Rev Gs around because they sound so much different…so much more “Rectifier” like.

Since these early Rectos are becoming increasingly more rare, I do recall a mod that was rumored to voice the 3 channel Rectos similar to the early Revs.

Around a decade ago, fluff and I were trying to figure out if it was possible to mod a 3 channel and have it voiced closer to the early Rectifiers, and after a few years, I believe it was fluff (or maybe it was Jerry at FJA that modded fluff’s non-multi-watt 3 Channel) that came up with a convincing mod. It wasn’t the “Presence Mod”, but something more similar to a Pre-500.

I personally never tried the mod, but I do remember the clips I heard sounding very, very similar. For anyone feeling adventurous, that is dying to try an early Recto, there used to be a thread over on the “forum for beach accessories” that will guide you through the mod step-by-step

That’s cool if the 3 channel’s can be modded to get that voicing or closer to it, but the real problem I’d see there is that the 3 channel Recto’s don’t inherently have that more organic, warm, raw quality like the older Recto’s or older amps in general. They have that colder, less lively new amp sound and so even if the voicing is matched with the mod I don’t think the organic, raw quality is capable of being matched with them. My Badlander has the same problem being also a newer amp, but has other qualities about it that made it say like it’s growl and tightness

 

[fretout]

That’s cool if the 3 channel’s can be modded to get that voicing or closer to it, but the real problem I’d see there is that the 3 channel Recto’s don’t inherently have that more organic, warm, raw quality like the older Recto’s or older amps in general. They have that colder, less lively new amp sound and so even if the voicing is matched with the mod I don’t think the organic, raw quality is capable of being matched with them. My Badlander has the same problem being also a newer amp, but has other qualities about it that made it say like it’s growl and tightness

I agree. I bought a 3 channel Triple Solo Head (non-multi-watt)and I could not get it to sound usable, no matter how hard I tried. I fought with it for 3 years and finally sold it. I just couldn’t dial out the fizz in the treble, or the mush of the bass. Fast thrash riffs and single note funds sounded hamstrung by the slow tracking, and even chords sounded like mush because the lows were so overly-extended that note separation was non-existent. I tried tubes, I tried power scaling, I tried boosts, I tried FX Loop shenanigans, I even tried two BBE Sonic Maximizers (remember those?) to try to adjust the bass and low mid attack, and absolutely nothing worked. In short, the 3 Channel Triple didn’t track fast enough to play thrash, and the mushiness of chords just made it uninspiring to play.

Cleans were great though.

 

[braintheory]

I agree. I bought a 3 channel Triple Solo Head (non-multi-watt)and I could not get it to sound usable, no matter how hard I tried. I fought with it for 3 years and finally sold it. I just couldn’t dial out the fizz in the treble, or the mush of the bass. Fast thrash riffs and single note funds sounded hamstrung by the slow tracking, and even chords sounded like mush because the lows were so overly-extended that note separation was non-existent. I tried tubes, I tried power scaling, I tried boosts, I tried FX Loop shenanigans, I even tried two BBE Sonic Maximizers (remember those?) to try to adjust the bass and low mid attack, and absolutely nothing worked. In short, the 3 Channel Triple didn’t track fast enough to play thrash, and the mushiness of chords just made it uninspiring to play.

Cleans were great though.

The cleans of my Badlander are also surprisingly good. I actually like also the cleans on Rev D. Many of my other amps have much better cleans, so probably wouldn't make the cut in any re-ampings (Badlander's clean wouldn't' either), but I wasn't expecting anything good based on what I read online and was pleasantly surprised

 

[cardinal]

No relation to this seller, but it's about a month younger than my Tremoverb, which absolutely rips. It's the RR-1D Rev with the serial loop and Mark III power transformer. The output is the typical Tremoverb transformer with a 16 ohm tap.
https://reverb.com/item/41898233-19...r-tremoverb-dual-rec-2x12-all-tube-guitar-amp

 

[Mr. Willy]

I found some pics of my old 2 Channel Recto. Those that know, can you tell just from these pics what Rev it is? I know it was built in 1994.

 

[Racerxrated]

Would you feel comfortable sharing the mods you made? I’d love to hear about them!

Sure! So, if you go here....

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=58838&start=405
On page 28 of the thread, about halfway down there are detailed pics on modding a 2 channel to pre 500 specs. I did just a few of them and love the results. I jumped the 3 resistors, bypassed the LDR they talk about and changed the Red presence to the higher value, as well as both gain pots to the higher values. Super easy, and reversible without breaking a sweat. It is tight in there so you have to be careful. But I bought some small jumper wires, hooked the ends of each with a tiny bit of solder on them and with a needle nose pliers held them while applying a touch of heat and boom you're done. The LDR, just clip and solder each of the ends back together.

 

[Racerxrated]

I found some pics of my old 2 Channel Recto. Those that know, can you tell just from these pics what Rev it is? I know it was built in 1994.

Probably an early Rev G since it has the parallel loop but there are examples out there of Fs with that loop. Only way to know for sure is to look at the board, next to the blue filter caps for the R1F or R1G on it.

 

[Racerxrated]

No relation to this seller, but it's about a month younger than my Tremoverb, which absolutely rips. It's the RR-1D Rev with the serial loop and Mark III power transformer. The output is the typical Tremoverb transformer with a 16 ohm tap.
https://reverb.com/item/41898233-19...r-tremoverb-dual-rec-2x12-all-tube-guitar-amp

That D board seems to be the first version T verb board; but it's not the same as a R1D Recto board. The T verbs have their own board revisions; there was one like that local here a few months back with a home brew head shell for 1K. I had just gotten my F Triple so I passed. Be interesting to know the differences between the D and F Tremoverb boards.

 

[Donnie B.]

It is tight in there so you have to be careful. But I bought some small jumper wires, hooked the ends of each with a tiny bit of solder on them and with a needle nose pliers held them while applying a touch of heat and boom you're done.

I use these for tight spaces.

 

[Racerxrated]

I use these for tight spaces.

View attachment 83627

Yep, forceps would work well. I have a few here. For work of course.

 

[cardinal]

That D board seems to be the first version T verb board; but it's not the same as a R1D Recto board. The T verbs have their own board revisions; there was one like that local here a few months back with a home brew head shell for 1K. I had just gotten my F Triple so I passed. Be interesting to know the differences between the D and F Tremoverb boards.

Yeah, most Tremoverbs are RR-1E. I've never seen one earlier than RR-1D. These definitely are different than the RF-1X boards from the Recto Solo heads.

I've had all the Recto Solo heads but Rev D, but it's been a while. The RR-1D Tremoverb seems on the brighter/tighter side, and given the serial loop and power transformer, perhaps it's something similar to the RF-1F board. I'd love to get another RF-1F head here to compare but they're so expensive now, I'm not likely to buy one on a lark these days.

 

[BesaMoogie]

I found some pics of my old 2 Channel Recto. Those that know, can you tell just from these pics what Rev it is? I know it was built in 1994.

Serial Loop usually means Rev G and 1994 usually is Rev G teritory.
There were some transition Rev G models with the small logo and the early revision schumacher transformers.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Serial Loop usually means Rev G and 1994 usually is Rev G teritory.
There were some transition Rev G models with the small logo and the early revision schumacher transformers.

Whichever revision that one was, it sounded really good. I wish I still had it. Thanks for the info!

 

[Racerxrated]

Serial Loop usually means Rev G and 1994 usually is Rev G teritory.
There were some transition Rev G models with the small logo and the early revision schumacher transformers.

One thing I've read about the 'early' transformers is, they were prone to failure if you used a 16 ohm cab with it. Don't know why that would be since I've used 16 ohm Marshall cabs with many Mesas without issue.

 

[cardinal]

One thing I've read about the 'early' transformers is, they were prone to failure if you used a 16 ohm cab with it. Don't know why that would be since I've used 16 ohm Marshall transformers with many Mesas without issue.

Most Mesa manuals expressly say that the mismatch is fine. But starting with the Tremoverbs in late '93, they did eventually just add a 16 ohm tap.

When I had a two-channel Rev G Triple many years ago, I still used the 8 ohm tap with my 16 ohm Marshall cab, though. Sounded better to me. Amp was bullet proof and never gave me any trouble.

 

[BesaMoogie]

One thing I've read about the 'early' transformers is, they were prone to failure if you used a 16 ohm cab with it. Don't know why that would be since I've used 16 ohm Marshall transformers with many Mesas without issue.

The early chasis even did not have a designated 8 or 16 ohm input, instead it had two inputs written 8-16 ohm on it. Not sure what the actual ohm was. But the later models have real 8 and 16 ohm inputs afaik.

 

[Snave]

I found some pics of my old 2 Channel Recto. Those that know, can you tell just from these pics what Rev it is? I know it was built in 1994.

It's a toss up. Probably Rev G if it was a '94, but both late Fs and early Gs looked like that (small logo, leather headshell, parallel loop, attached power cable, twist-on back bar).

Most Mesa manuals expressly say that the mismatch is fine. But starting with the Tremoverbs in late '93, they did eventually just add a 16 ohm tap.

When I had a two-channel Rev G Triple many years ago, I still used the 8 ohm tap with my 16 ohm Marshall cab, though. Sounded better to me. Amp was bullet proof and never gave me any trouble.

Yeah, 8 ohm amp into 16 ohm cab risks flyback voltage in the OT. You'd probably have to crank it for that to happen though.