Amp advice

Sassafras

timmysoft said:

The guy from cancer bats uses a Herbert too, fucking monstrous tone.

Cancer Bats?
What a lovely name for a band.
Do they play mostly ballads?

professorben

Sassafras said:

timmysoft said:

The guy from cancer bats uses a Herbert too, fucking monstrous tone.

Cancer Bats?
What a lovely name for a band.
Do they play mostly ballads?

Mostly Prog-Folk. 

Its all Arran sweaters and 7/8

jimification

Mostly Prog-Folk. 

Its all Arran sweaters and 7/8

Great combo! reminds of Circulus perhaps?.....

Neckwringer

Ben,have you tried your Boogie pre thru an amp?.
I used to run mine thhru a 20/20........fuckin amazing sound/feel.

professorben

Neckwringer said:

Ben,have you tried your Boogie pre thru an amp?.
I used to run mine thhru a 20/20........fuckin amazing sound/feel.

I'm running it through a SS Velocity 120 power amp and 4x12 and it does indeed sound immense. 

The last part part of my rig to upgrade is the power amp and I've got my eye on a 50/50

just looking for alternatives or ideas just incase I guess. 

lespaulcustom68

Single Rec 50 - parallel FX loop. Can be a bit of a pain in the rear in terms of using delays etc. Simple mod available to fix it though. Given second hand prices are getting closer the dual is a better bet. More tubes to pay for of course

dindude

Helix. Indistinguishable. 

professorben

dindude said:

Helix. Indistinguishable. 

So no point getting one then. 

professorben

lespaulcustom68 said:

Single Rec 50 - parallel FX loop. Can be a bit of a pain in the rear in terms of using delays etc. Simple mod available to fix it though. Given second hand prices are getting closer the dual is a better bet. More tubes to pay for of course

Oooh ok I did not know that. 

I have a kill dry option on my fx tho. 

ICBM

Mesa Trem-o-verb



I'm amazed no-one has pre-empted me suggesting that yet…

Pros: great cleans, massive two-channel Rectifier overdrive tone, great reverb, reasonable tremolo, 'Blues' mode (which the normal Rectifier doesn't have), good FX loop, relatively cheap for a Rectifier.

Cons: the combo version is cheap because it weighs about as much as one and a half elephants. The head version is rare, and expensive. Combo to head conversions don't really work because the proper Tremo-o-verb head is the other way up, like a Marshall.

Don't get a Single Rectifier/Rectoverb - they're not remotely the same. They superficially have the same voicing, but none of the feel or flexibility, the FX loop is rubbish and the reverb (on the Rectoverb) is even worse. The Trem-o-verb is my favourite big valve amp ever… I wouldn't even own a Rectoverb.

professorben

ICBM said:

Mesa Trem-o-verb



I'm amazed no-one has pre-empted me suggesting that yet…

Pros: great cleans, massive two-channel Rectifier overdrive tone, great reverb, reasonable tremolo, 'Blues' mode (which the normal Rectifier doesn't have), good FX loop, relatively cheap for a Rectifier.

Cons: the combo version is cheap because it weighs about as much as one and a half elephants. The head version is rare, and expensive. Combo to head conversions don't really work because the proper Tremo-o-verb head is the other way up, like a Marshall.

Don't get a Single Rectifier/Rectoverb - they're not remotely the same. They superficially have the same voicing, but none of the feel or flexibility, the FX loop is rubbish and the reverb (on the Rectoverb) is even worse. The Trem-o-verb is my favourite big valve amp ever… I wouldn't even own a Rectoverb.

Lol I did have you at the back of my mind, however.
Trem and Verb I simply wouldn't use, maybe verb, but highly unlikely.

I think I was getting saucer-eyes looking at the Single/Dual Rec heads, I think I'm going to stay the course and get the Mesa power amp to go with my Studio Pre, as it's the closest I'm going to get to a Mk2C+ without buying a JP2C or an original Mk2C+.

kipple

professorben said:

ICBM said:

Mesa Trem-o-verb



I'm amazed no-one has pre-empted me suggesting that yet…

Pros: great cleans, massive two-channel Rectifier overdrive tone, great reverb, reasonable tremolo, 'Blues' mode (which the normal Rectifier doesn't have), good FX loop, relatively cheap for a Rectifier.

Cons: the combo version is cheap because it weighs about as much as one and a half elephants. The head version is rare, and expensive. Combo to head conversions don't really work because the proper Tremo-o-verb head is the other way up, like a Marshall.

Don't get a Single Rectifier/Rectoverb - they're not remotely the same. They superficially have the same voicing, but none of the feel or flexibility, the FX loop is rubbish and the reverb (on the Rectoverb) is even worse. The Trem-o-verb is my favourite big valve amp ever… I wouldn't even own a Rectoverb.

Lol I did have you at the back of my mind, however.
Trem and Verb I simply wouldn't use, maybe verb, but highly unlikely.

I think I was getting saucer-eyes looking at the Single/Dual Rec heads, I think I'm going to stay the course and get the Mesa power amp to go with my Studio Pre, as it's the closest I'm going to get to a Mk2C+ without buying a JP2C or an original Mk2C+.

I read this and FWIW will offer my own experiences of comparing the Mesa studio pre to the MKIIc+

I have owned 5 different MKIIc+ and 3 Mesa studio Pre.

I played the Mesa studio pre through various diffferent power amps EL34 Based and 5881 and 6L6 based and also used the Studio pre into different amplifier heads.
The Mesa studio pre sounds insane into the front end of a Marshall plexi or a Marshall Metal panel NMV  and into Marshall PA
And I also liked it a lot with a Marshall dual mono block 100/100. It also sounds good with 5881 and 6l6 

The MKIIc+ is however really QUITE different to the Studio pre 
I have heard lots of people claim the MKIIc+ and studio pre are close but... I never thought they were even in the same ball park.
That is not to say the studio pre is not as good as the MKIIc+ because I think the studio pre easily equals the MKIIc+.. But are they the same ?
No... not even close. 

If you simply have to have the sound of the MKIIC+ without breaking the bank then some of the different stripes of the MKIII can literally sound Identical to a MKIIC+ but ... there are certain caveats.

First .. I would NOT go for a blue stripe MKIII as the ones I have owned and played sounded Nothing like a MKIII or MKIIc+ 
I found the blue stripe MKIII sounded more like a really shite MKIV .the blue stripe to my ears are very different to all other MKIII and not in a good way. I did not like the blue stripe AT ALL.

A no stripe or a black dot MKIII and the Black stripe MKIII to my ears all sound Identical to a MKIIC+ but... the playing feel of a No Dot black dot or Black stripe MKIII is bit different to the MKIIC+ but it is still VERY good.
I have literally tricked some of friends into believing they were playing my MKIIC+ when they were in fact playing my Black stripe MKIII.
I have also played a Purple stripe that sounded the same as literally identical to a MKIIC+ but again the playing feel was slightly off.
To explain the differences in playing feel is tricky but it is almost like the MKIII has slightly higher filtering given a slightly stiffer attack/playing feel. having said that it is not a bad thing as the MKIIC+ amps for my money have too soft a playing feel and not in a good way.
Of all the Boogies I have owned My MKIII black stripe is the one I still regret selling...

I am also a Trem o verb owner and they killer amps but very different to a Mark series.
My own Trem o verb is an Absolute fire breather.
I have heard on many occasions different people comment that the Trem o verb is not as gainy as some other Rectos and I do not doubt that is what they have experienced but my own Trem o verb is a total gain monster and is easily the gainiest Rectifier I have owned or heard.
I have only had the chance to listen to two other Trem o verb and one of them was also in the same ball park as mine gain wise and yet the other Trem o verb was really lacking in gain.

I recently sold off a Rev F Dual rectifier which was quite gainy but if I turned the gain all the way up on my Rev F recto then my Trem o verb could eat it for lunch with the gain on less than half way up..
  
I think the Mesa amps must vary quite a bit just like the older marshalls did..
All of the MKIIC+ I have owned or tried had different levels of gain and two of them I owned were actually badly lacking in gain.
All the MKIIC+ and MKIII I owned and played all had the same thing in common.. they needed to be played REALLY f.ing loud before they came to life . The Mesa Studio pre never seemed to suffer from that problem.
 
  

professorben

@kipple ;
hey dude thanks for the insight, I've never actually played a Mk2C+ but I have played a Mk3 ( purple stripe I think) 

I definitely prefer the Studio pre to the Mk3 and overall the tone of the Pre to any Recto version ive tried. 

Ive just paired it with a Mesa 50/50 6l6 power amp and tonight I'm swapping out the Preamp valves, but it's absolutely the sound I want. 

I cant afford a JP2C or a real Mk2C+ but this set up gives me the flavour but with perhaps a slightly different sheen, 

Ive found if I approach it as a MK series amp it responds as such, I'm guessing that's the Boogie heritage.