Any tips for a first time Dual Rectifier user?

[RiF]

I just scored a Dual Rec on eBay and I will get it next week sometime probably. Do you have any tips for a first time Recto user?

The last time I played one has been when the Singlerec first came out in the early 90's...

I have a Digitech Bad Monkey (Tube Screamer clone) and my main guitar for metal is a Charvel 750XL with EMGs (and a Gibson Les Paul Standard sometimes). My cabinet is a Mesa 4x12 with Black Shadow speakers (no V30s) from the 90's.

I am looking for teh brootalz, so I am not interested in the versatility I might get from the different modes, but I want to find out which mode/setting I like and I will probably keep it there for the next years.

I appreciate any tips on how to make our honeymoon time nice and easy and without too much conflict, arguing and misunderstanding ;-).

 

[462studio]

Not sure if you're talking 2 channel or 3 channel, but I have a 2 channel.

TS7 up front: Drive 0%, Tone 50%, Volume 100%
My mode settings: Red, Modern, Silicone Diode.
Set all the knobs to 50% (Except for volume, set that wherever you're comfortable) and go from there. The EQ controls are all interactive so it can take some time to get used to it and find settings you like. Just be patient. Keep the gain around 50% until you find the EQ settings you like, then I'd adjust it to taste after that.

Also, single 57 right on the grill, on axis, right on the edge of the cone/dustcap is a good starting point.

 

[Damage, Inc.]

Sorry if OT, but I can't believe you have a 750xl! I have had mine since 1990 and it is still my favorite guitar. As far as the Rec, I agree to put a Tube Screamer or something in front of it to fatten it up. It will increase your pick attack and remove some of the buzziness that all the Dual/Triple Recs seem to have.

 

[KHE]

quote myself from an older thread:
"
- try also the "vintage-mode", not only the modern! especially for lead-tones
- play around with the tube/diode-rectifier and spongy/bold-switch. diode/bold for tighter low-end
- presence on ch2 / ch3 works slighty different (ch3 presece is better adjustable for modern, ch2 better adjustable for vintage)
- ch2 / ch3 are slightly different voiced (mid-wise), try both channels with equal settings and see witch one better works in the mix. (adjust presecne by ear, not by knob-setting!!)
- use a tight cabinet, especially in modern mode.
- if more tightness is nessecary, use a ts/sd/whatever in front.
- use lower gain-setting and use a ts/sd/... in front as a level-booster to get the nesseary gain (needs some tweaking)
- disable the fx-loop/master with the rotary-switch (little less compressed)
- spend some time with this amp before tracking!

regards, k.h.e.

edit: - try some extreme an unusual tonestack-settings! (they can sound really good, but looks very unusual)

"

 

[RiF]

Sorry if OT, but I can't believe you have a 750xl! I have had mine since 1990 and it is still my favorite guitar.

A wonderful guitar that is. Read PM.

 

[RiF]

Not sure if you're talking 2 channel or 3 channel, but I have a 2 channel.

3 channel

TS7 up front: Drive 0%, Tone 50%, Volume 100%

I hate Tube Screamers of all kinds, but that green little bastard seems to be compulsory with the Recto...

My mode settings: Red, Modern, Silicone Diode.
Set all the knobs to 50% (Except for volume, set that wherever you're comfortable) and go from there. The EQ controls are all interactive so it can take some time to get used to it and find settings you like. Just be patient. Keep the gain around 50% until you find the EQ settings you like, then I'd adjust it to taste after that.

Sounds like an easy to follow advise. I'll def try that first.

Also, single 57 right on the grill, on axis, right on the edge of the cone/dustcap is a good starting point.

Yeah, SM57 straight at the spot between cap and cone does the job 99% of the time. Playing with the distance can control the beef/presence balance...

 

[RiF]

- try also the "vintage-mode", not only the modern! especially for lead-tones
- play around with the tube/diode-rectifier and spongy/bold-switch. diode/bold for tighter low-end
- presence on ch2 / ch3 works slighty different (ch3 presece is better adjustable for modern, ch2 better adjustable for vintage)
- ch2 / ch3 are slightly different voiced (mid-wise), try both channels with equal settings and see witch one better works in the mix. (adjust presecne by ear, not by knob-setting!!)
- use a tight cabinet, especially in modern mode.
- if more tightness is nessecary, use a ts/sd/whatever in front.

Following your tips, I'll start with ch2 in Vintage mode (for leads) and ch3 in Modern mode for tight rhythm.

- use lower gain-setting and use a ts/sd/... in front as a level-booster to get the nesseary gain (needs some tweaking)

You're saying that boosting using a pedal sounds different than increasing the gain on the Recto, right? The Recto's manual says that the increasing the gain thickens (as in "attack gets softened") the sound (which might not be exactly what I want for tight rhythm sounds), but boosting the frontend gets me the gain without the thickening?

- disable the fx-loop/master with the rotary-switch (little less compressed)

I would not have thought about that, thanx!

- spend some time with this amp before tracking!

If I can hold me back... ;-)

edit: - try some extreme an unusual tonestack-settings! (they can sound really good, but looks very unusual)

If it sounds good, it is good (no matter how it looks like) ;-)

 

[462studio]

3 channel
I hate Tube Screamers of all kinds, but that green little bastard seems to be compulsory with the Recto...

Yes, but the TS7 isn't green, it's grey.

 

[RiF]

Yes, but the TS7 isn't green, it's grey.

Sorry...
But even the TS7 has something green on it... ;-)

 

[462studio]

Sorry...
But even the TS7 has something green on it... ;-)

Ya got me.

 

[PaoloJM]

I want to find out which mode/setting I like and I will probably keep it there for the next years.

..and you want an internet forum to tell you?

I can only tell you what settings I like, and I will if you think it'd help.
I've no idea what settings you'll like with your guitar, in your room/rehearsal space, picking style, string gauge, valves fitted, speaker type, cab type etc.
It seems weird that other people feel they can guess.

 

[Fvlt]

You're saying that boosting using a pedal sounds different than increasing the gain on the Recto, right? The Recto's manual says that the increasing the gain thickens (as in "attack gets softened") the sound (which might not be exactly what I want for tight rhythm sounds), but boosting the frontend gets me the gain without the thickening?

"Boosting" in this case isn't so much about increasing the gain as it is about shaping the tone before it enters the preamp.

TS's increase the mids and cut bottom end, and when fed into the Recto it gives it a brighter, more aggressive edge with faster bottom end tracking. You can get a similar (although not identical) response using an EMG 81.

As for the amp's gain knob, the problem with increasing it too much is that it compresses out the dynamics, which makes it more smeared and less percussive. Keeping the gain lower and the master volume higher gives more of that sledge hammer effect on palm mutes. For heavy music I usually put my gain between 12:00 and 1:00, depending on how hot my guitar's pickups are.

 

[RiF]

..and you want an internet forum to tell you?

No, I don't.
I just wanted to point out that my objective is not to unleash the full spectrum of different sounds that one might get from this amp, but that I am searching for a single tone.

The Recto is told to have a very shallow learning curve and I am trying to make it a bit steeper for me. The other's answers really helped me so far.

 

[KHE]

You're saying that boosting using a pedal sounds different than increasing the gain on the Recto, right? The Recto's manual says that the increasing the gain thickens (as in "attack gets softened") the sound (which might not be exactly what I want for tight rhythm sounds), but boosting the frontend gets me the gain without the thickening?

exactly.

but be careful when switching from vintage to modern-mode / disabeling FX-loop/Master... could become VERY loud

 

[AHChris]

Try this: turn the presence control to zero and control your high end only with the treble control. I like this, it keeps the fizz lower.

 

[BrettT]

I use a Bad Monkey with my Dual Recto. I set it as follows:

Bass- 11 o'clock
Treble- noon-1 o'clock
Gain- usually off...sometimes 9 o'clock
Level- 2 o'clock

I'm a fan of Channel 2 Vintage Mode...I like the mids better and it's a bit tighter, IMO. You need to crank the presence in this channel, though....I usually have it around 3 o'clock.

 

[RiF]

Thanx a lot for all your tips so far!!
The amp arrived today, but other than a quick and quiet check if it works, I couldn't do anything with it because my cute little daughter needs her sleep ;-).

 

[RiF]

OK, I played around with this amp for some time now. To be honest, I am not too much excited ;-(. The bass is flubby and has a weird and ugly texture to it. Mids are not really there and the highs are harsh and it pretty much sounds the same in every mode. But I really like the Ch1 Pushed mode for bluesy stuff. Not that I bought this amp for this, but the sound is good.
I now see that this amp needs to be run with a pedal to make it sound half usable, though. Still hate Tube Screamerish stuff like my Bad Monkey, so I scored a 1984 Boss SD-1, which is far better. Cleans up the bass nicely and lacks the ugly mid honk of the TS. Still I absolutely don't get why this amp gained such a popularity.
So far, I like my Bugera 6260 better, but I will give it some more time.
Sustained chords sound big and really great on the Dualrec, but everything that's faster than Doom Metal does not really work too well (without a pedal). With a pedal, it sounds like... er... like a pedal...

 

[John_C]

get a tube screamer, a ts7 is dirt cheap. tone 12o'clock, drive 9 o'clock, gain to taste. It most certainly wont sound like a pedal, it will have the potential to be a slayer of worlds!

 

[462studio]

OK, I played around with this amp for some time now. To be honest, I am not too much excited ;-(. The bass is flubby and has a weird and ugly texture to it. Mids are not really there and the highs are harsh and it pretty much sounds the same in every mode. But I really like the Ch1 Pushed mode for bluesy stuff. Not that I bought this amp for this, but the sound is good.
I now see that this amp needs to be run with a pedal to make it sound half usable, though. Still hate Tube Screamerish stuff like my Bad Monkey, so I scored a 1984 Boss SD-1, which is far better. Cleans up the bass nicely and lacks the ugly mid honk of the TS. Still I absolutely don't get why this amp gained such a popularity.
So far, I like my Bugera 6260 better, but I will give it some more time.
Sustained chords sound big and really great on the Dualrec, but everything that's faster than Doom Metal does not really work too well (without a pedal). With a pedal, it sounds like... er... like a pedal...

Honestly, in my experience, the Dual Rectifier is NOT and easy amplifier to play. You really have to have your shit together in order to control it and get what you want out of it. Switching from my Dual Rectifier to my 6505+ is like switching from a F1 car to a go cart. When I play the 6505+ I almost feel like I'm cheating because everything seems to come along so much easier.

My advice would be to get a drum track, and write a riff, double or quad track the Dual Rectifier and adjust the rest of the mix to match and then see how you feel about it.

I've never been able to force the Rectifier to sound like anything other than how it sounds naturally. It works really well in a mix, but I find the mix has to be adjusted to suit it and not the other way around. I've always hated how my Rectifier sounds solo'd, but in a full mix? I adore it.