NAD: Mesa Boogie Rectoverb 25 (+ demo vid) my first Mesa!

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fastonebazfastonebaz Frets: 4065
After weeks of waiting, finally took my order of my first ever Mesa Boogie, the Rectoverb 25 combo.  I wanted an all singing all dancing combo that would give me great cleans, great crunch and great lead tones, with onboard reverb, in a 1x12 combo, with a series FX loop and speaker out options, all at no more than 40W.  Basically something I could use at home and rehearsal without the pfaff of all my pedals/cables, from time to time. This seemed to be the ticket, ahem, except for the price.  Anyway, I ordered one knowing I could return it if i didn't like it.

After a good few hours playing with it today, I whipped up a brief demo of the lead channel, playing my own instrumental composition which I've called, the "Where you bin at? Boogie". 

https://youtu.be/o1y7XbQJ27A


Pros:
Awesome lead channel
Lush usable reverb
Nice clean channel
Perfect volume level
Really quiet even at full gain
Response picking dynamics
Great weight/size
Looks good

Cons:
Crunch channel ("Pushed" clean) is terrible, I just couldn't dial in a sound I liked
Lack of foot switching options means I only get crunch and lead, or clean and lead.  Not really that usable.
Price

I decided that overall whilst it had a superb lead solo sound, and the reverb was lush and usable throughout the range, the lack of a decent rhythm crunch sound and the lack of foot switchable options meant it doesn't justify its price for me and it's going back sadly.

Next up, a Marshal DSL40C to test.
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Comments

  • ricorico Frets: 1220
    edited December 2017
    Really like the sound of that - great demo. You should call a plumber though, it appears to be raining inside your house.
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  • JMP220478JMP220478 Frets: 421
    edited December 2017

     

    Michael Casswell RIP - demoing above - not a poor tone to be had IMHO 

    I have the mini  rec 25 head and pushed for crunch works fine for me - but suppose one mans crunch is another mans dc/ac ?


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  • gordijigordiji Frets: 782

    pros:
    Awesome lead channel
    Lush usable reverb
    Nice clean channel
    Perfect volume level
    cons:
    Crunch channel ("Pushed" clean) is terrible, I just couldn't dial in a sound I liked
    Lack of foot switching options means I only get crunch and lead, or clean and lead.  Not really that usable.
    Price

    I decided that overall whilst it had a superb lead solo sound, and the reverb was lush and usable throughout the range, the lack of a decent rhythm crunch sound and the lack of foot switchable options meant it doesn't justify its price for me and it's going back sadly.

    Next up, a Marshal DSL40C to test.
    Not far of my conclusions regarding the v35.
    Great demo though. Good luck with the marshall, i think it's a supersonic 22 for me when thomann stump up/ re-stock.
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  • LebarqueLebarque Frets: 3755
    What's next in the queue after the Marshall, @fastonebaz ?
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  • JMP220478 said:

     

    Michael Casswell RIP - demoing above - not a poor tone to be had IMHO 

    I have the mini  rec 25 head and pushed for crunch works fine for me - but suppose one mans crunch is another mans dc/ac ?


    Yes indeed horses for courses etc.   I hope the next one gets me closer to my sound
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  • @Lebarque I'm running out of options now!  
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  • nick79nick79 Frets: 252
    Shame you couldn't get pushed working for you, i have a Mini Rec and the pushed mode is great to my ears. As said though horses for courses. 
    Maybe look at a 3 ch amp - I would say have a look at the Mesa TC50 combo, but i just checked the price and its £2500!  Maybe not then.... haha
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  • nick79 said:
    Shame you couldn't get pushed working for you, i have a Mini Rec and the pushed mode is great to my ears. As said though horses for courses. 
    Maybe look at a 3 ch amp - I would say have a look at the Mesa TC50 combo, but i just checked the price and its £2500!  Maybe not then.... haha
    Woah that's alotta cash!   I already felt bad enough spending on the rectoverb. Kind of relieved i didn't like it all that much.   Wish i had a decent store near me or the time to visit them.   Wonder if there is a limit to how many amps i can buy and return lol
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  • welshboyowelshboyo Frets: 1808
    Forgot how good Michael Caswell was...

    Surprised you couldn't get a decent sound out of CH.1  - however, I do find the Rectifier mode on my Stiletto to sound a little congested and does tend to have that Recto mids thing going on which you either get or don't..

    Not sure what you are using FX wise (I use Helix in 4CM) but I tend to use CH1 on the Stiletto in Clean mode and hit it with a Valve Driver for my crunch sounds and then leave CH2 as my over the top gain/solo sounds - does the 25 have a solo boost feature?


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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    An alternative option to demoing an endless array of combos is to get a Barber Gain Changer or similar. It would also fix your channel switching problems.
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  • welshboyowelshboyo Frets: 1808
    edited December 2017
    This is what the clean channel sounds like with Valve Driver, ignore the warts LOL - coudl have done with being a bit louder as you can hear that somethimes annoying pick noise through the recording

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Gt_YrKIUo#action=share

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  • Get a decent low/medium gain drive pedal for your pushed clean sounds and then you also have a gain boost for your lead channel?

    Bingo: 4 channels.

    Any Marshall (at the DSL price point) will sound like arse compared to the mesa IMHO though. 
    https://www.gbmusic.co.uk/

    PA Hire and Event Management
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  • nick79nick79 Frets: 252
    Get a decent low/medium gain drive pedal for your pushed clean sounds and then you also have a gain boost for your lead channel?

    Bingo: 4 channels.

    Any Marshall (at the DSL price point) will sound like arse compared to the mesa IMHO though. 
    That's exactly what i do. Works well.
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  • I have a decent pedalboard with all the overdrive and other effects that I need to get "my sound".  However what I want is a combo that can get close to my sound without all the pedalboard pfaff so I can use that from time to time when I'm feeling lazy/at home.  I'll still use my pedalboard at gigs etc.  I like the look of that Fender Supersonic 22 that @gordiji suggested.
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