Engl Fireball

[bassist_25]

The Rectifiers replaced the Mark series amps. Also, the Triple Rectifier actually isn't the "flagship" Rectifier. Mesa's top-line amp is a Dual Rectifier called The Roadking. It's a four-channel amp.

Randall Smith was really the first guy to do high-gain. He starteded off, like many high-end amp makers, by hotrodding stock amps. The guitarist from Country Joe and The Fish dropped off his amp, which if I recall correctly was a Fender Princeton. Smith decided to play a joke on him, so he hotrodded it for more gain. Carlos Santana was hanging around in the shop, so Smith had him try it out. Santana said, "Wow, this thing really boogies!" MESA was the name that Smith used to buy Mercedes parts or something like that, and he got the "Boogie" from Santana.

Also, another thing about Boogie that may or may not be cool depending on how you view capitalism is that they are very strict about what prices music stores sell their amps at. Generally, if you buy a Stiletto Triden from store A, then you would pay the same price at store B or at store C. Also, Mesa requires that all of their dealers be so many miles apart from each other. You can't buy a Mesa online, other than Ebay or other used avenues. That's why Musiciansfriend doesn't carry Mesa gear.

[lonewolf]

The Rectifiers replaced the Mark series amps. Also, the Triple Rectifier actually isn't the "flagship" Rectifier. Mesa's top-line amp is a Dual Rectifier called The Roadking. It's a four-channel amp.

No, the Rectifiers are an additional line of amps. They still make the Mark IV and a reissue Mark I.

Rectifiers are the deFacto metal amp but aren't widely used outside of metal (mostly because of the aforementioned bypass capacitors sucking out the highs).

The Mark Series are more of a mainstream versatile sounding amp and are widely used outside of metal.

[bassist_25]

Whoa, I had no idea that they still made the Marks.

What's everyone think of the Stilettos?

[Banned]

Whoa, I had no idea that they still made the Marks.

What's everyone think of the Stilettos?

The Mark IV has been rolling along for almost 20 years now with minimal changes. That's good stuff right there.

The Stilettos never blew me away. It's sort of midway between the smooth of a Mark and the ugly of a Recto. Bruce Bouillet used one for G3, but Petrucci's library of Mesas had more appealing sounds. The Stiletto had a lot of clarity in the mix, I'll give it that.

lonewolf, you ought to give the RoadKingster series a listen if you haven't already. The first two channels sound nothing like the standard Creed-y Recto tones. Very versatile amps.

[lonewolf]

I am looking for a Nomad 45 head. 3 channels with solo boost, spring reverb, 45 EL84 watts (with Extreme setting) and about 30 lbs. They are so few an far between that I am considering a 1x12 combo and making a head cabinet.

The Roadxxx amps look good, but I'd like to see a more scaled down version. Whatever happened to the old Mesa 20" short head chassis?

I am also always keeping an eye out for a Koch Twintone II head.

[metalchurch]

Thanks for the explanations everyone, that definitely shed some light on the subject.

[Bloodsong]

orangekick- did you ever try changing the preamp tubes to JJs or something to make it a little glassier, or is it you get what you get with a Fireball?

[orangekick]

orangekick- did you ever try changing the preamp tubes to JJs or something to make it a little glassier, or is it you get what you get with a Fireball?

I switched all the tubes out in the Fireball and just couldn't get a better feel from it. It was just a very stiff amp.

They do seem to keep their value though, so it really wouldn't hurt to give one a shot. It might not bother you.

[Bloodsong]

orangekick: the reason i ask is i already have a Dual Rec that i love dearly. i sold my backup Dual to my brother because: 1. he really wanted it and 2. i thought it might be cool to have another head that was just as cool but a different flavor. i agree with everything you've said about heads i've tried so far, so i value your opinion. i've tried:
1. peavey 6505+- kinda liked it, kinda didn't. thought it sounded kinda flat
2. krank revolution- complete joke of an amp
3. engl fireball- over the top and chunky; not a whole lot of finesse
4. peavey jsx- real boxy and hissy
so what next? a Mesa Stilleto, and old 5150, or just give up? i'm not buying a Diezel or a Bogner to play it 2 times a month when you never know what kind of sound guy you have. if some ding dong is running the sound, it's all for stage volume anyway. i'm ready to give up...

[onegunguitar]

For the price of all these high gain heads they should all sound better than what everyone is saying. Shit,when I bought my 5150 back in '99,I paid $750 for it brand new,these new tube amps are fuckin' overpriced IMO,but who cares what I think!

[orangekick]

orangekick: the reason i ask is i already have a Dual Rec that i love dearly. i sold my backup Dual to my brother because: 1. he really wanted it and 2. i thought it might be cool to have another head that was just as cool but a different flavor. i agree with everything you've said about heads i've tried so far, so i value your opinion. i've tried:
1. peavey 6505+- kinda liked it, kinda didn't. thought it sounded kinda flat
2. krank revolution- complete joke of an amp
3. engl fireball- over the top and chunky; not a whole lot of finesse
4. peavey jsx- real boxy and hissy
so what next? a Mesa Stilleto, and old 5150, or just give up? i'm not buying a Diezel or a Bogner to play it 2 times a month when you never know what kind of sound guy you have. if some ding dong is running the sound, it's all for stage volume anyway. i'm ready to give up...

I have yet to play a Stiletto actually. I have heard some good things about it though. If you love the Dual Rec so much, the Stiletto just might be the ticket.

[orangekick]

For the price of all these high gain heads they should all sound better than what everyone is saying. Shit,when I bought my 5150 back in '99,I paid $750 for it brand new,these new tube amps are fuckin' overpriced IMO,but who cares what I think!

I would politely disagree with you that most of these amps are overpriced. You really do get what you pay for. I know a lot of people who have had 5150's blow up, continually blow fuses and many other things like that. I have yet to have any Mesa product give me any issues at all. The one time that I had a power tube blow on me, they actually sent me new power tubes.

[bassist_25]

For the price of all these high gain heads they should all sound better than what everyone is saying. Shit,when I bought my 5150 back in '99,I paid $750 for it brand new,these new tube amps are fuckin' overpriced IMO,but who cares what I think!

I think that it's all in what you're after and what your goals are. The first generation Peavey 5150s were excellent amps. Then again, they were backwards engineered Soldanos. I really hear something that's lacking in most of the newer Peavey equipment. I really can't put my finger on it, but it almost sounds like it's lacking some sort of depth that you would find out of something like a Mesa or an Orange. That's just what my ears tell me though. Another person may really dig what that amp does. For example, I'm usually kinda like "meh," when I hear the standard Marshall sound. On the other hand, I really like things such a Bogners and Carvin Legacy series amps, because they sound like three-dimensional Marshalls to my ears. They have that little bit of "something" that makes them stand out to me. I don't think that there's any objectively correct answer when the question is solid-state or tube. Everyone should let their own ears decide what they dig.

Jason, have you considered building a rack system? It can be a lot less expensive than you think if you buy used and make savvy purchases.

[metalchurch]

Excellent points, Paul.
I built my rack in the same manner that you stated.
What's really cool, is that you can buy it one piece at a time, and virtually make your own amp, or sound.
It's really never ending though, and frustration is ever present.

My advise is to eat beans until it sounds good.
Once you go black you never go back.
I mean once you go rack you never go back.

(I might need to cut back whilst posting in early evening.)

[Bloodsong]

paul, i know so little about rack pieces i'd be starting from scratch and that makes me nervous...

[metalchurch]

It can be very overwhelming. I never had a rack system before I built mine this year, and I was definitely unsure of the outcome.
I was afraid of not having the right components, and I almost scrapped it altogether and went w/ a head.

You could go with a Mesa preamp for starters and build around that.

[orangekick]

I really like things such a Bogners and Carvin Legacy series amps, because they sound like three-dimensional Marshalls to my ears. They have that little bit of "something" that makes them stand out to me.

It's interesting that you include the Carvin Legacy in with Bogner. The Legacy is only $799 brand new. That's a fantastic amp. I have been thinking about picking one up, perhaps that will be my second head...

[Bloodsong]

is a Legacy a high gain amp(mesa), or more of a rock amp(laney)? or should i try a V3?

[Bloodsong]

btw and off the subject OKick- the new High on Fire is killer. but you probably already know that.

[onegunguitar]

The Legacy was designed by Steve Vai,I doubt it'll get what you're lookin' for J. You can hear a sample of the V3 on Carvin's web page,it obviously won't be like standing in front of it.

[Bloodsong]

i want the "Bushy" sound. how do i get that? answer: drink a case of beer, grab a Dean, and buy a new head about every two months. haha!!!

[onegunguitar]

Variety is the spice of life my friend!

[metalchurch]

Ginger and Cinnamon are two spices that I have to have in my life.

PS, hey Scott call me.

[orangekick]

is a Legacy a high gain amp(mesa), or more of a rock amp(laney)? or should i try a V3?

I have heard a lot of people say that the Legacy is a poor man's Bogner Ecstacy. It has plenty of gain on tap for most applications. At that price, it would be worth it to pick one up just to see. Carvin also has a 10 day return policy, so...

I heard a guy use the V3 a while back and I wasn't digging it. It was really grainy, for lack of a better word.

[orangekick]

btw and off the subject OKick- the new High on Fire is killer. but you probably already know that.

Yes it is.