Great metal amp for recording?

[Metaltastic]

I player 3 different mesas at a studio once.
all with tubescreamer through mesa 4x12
First one dual rec. Sounded OK. Nothing like the mesa sound I wanted
Second tripple rec. Oh my god. This amp sounded like shit, like a hooker screaming for money and heroin.
Last one Single rec. What a great sound!!!!!

The best mesa rec. I ever heard was in cologne. at the MUSIC-STORE-PROFESSIONAL
It was a very old one with a big notice on it:" NOT FOR SALE"
This one smokes everything I heard before.

Correct me if I'm wrong... but the only difference between the single, dual and triple recto's is in the power stage, right? So they shouldn't sound any different other than at different levels basically? On the other hand I've heard there's quite a bit of difference between specimens. A known amp modder I get to tweak a lot of my amps said that he could never create a great "standard" amp mod for any type of rectifier because they all sounded so very different to begin with that every rectifier he did needed it's own very special treatment.

Any experiences?

Actually, my experiences have been that the Dual and Triple sound quite similar (and awesome, I really hope I don't need to start listing all the albums with them at the foundation of their tone ), but I've NEVER heard a really good sound from a Single, nor been able to coax one from ones I've played; they were harsh and buzzy sounding, but at the same time undergained/unsaturated, cuz trying to turn up the gain just made it more harsh/buzzy. Then again, I couldn't try one with a TS, but still, flubby bass was not the issue!

 

[Thared33]

We're getting that lot huh? "I did a search but couldn't find nothing" when sometimes the answer is right in the stickys, or with a very simple search but people just say they did a search so they don't get bashed I guess. Seriously, if you check the clayman thread you'll see 5150 is one of the most widely used amps for metal guitar, people have discussed mesa, peavey and krank amps as the best for metal in a gajillion zizzillion threads. Not being an asshole or anything, just pointing out there are already many threads concerning this, and if you check the FAQ you'll see it's better to use google search on the forum than the internal search engine because it sucks ass

I don't like In Flames so I don't go into those threads. I'm also busy with life's stuff so I don't have time to post on message boards all the time and keep track of what is and is not said. This thread is specific to my problem so it's better to post it that way.

 

[Thared33]

Ok guys, before I decide to ultimately leave the Boogie camp and go with some other stuff, let me clarify something here. The entire time I've had the Boogie stuff it's been amazingly difficult to get a powerful sound out of it. Tone itself? The Boogie wins on the quality of tone alone. But the power just isn't there. What I'm talking about isn't gain or the tone really, it's just a sense of power, and presence. Something that will move the speakers a bit and blast your head off! And surprisingly, even though a Line 6 amp sounds horrible, it gave me that 'sound' that I've been missing with this Boogie. Not tone, not gain, POWER. I can't explain it any other way. The boogie has just sounded distant and weak and I've tried and tried and tried over the course of months to get a decent recorded sound out of it. Take note that I HAVE done just about everything that I could to engineer the crap out of it. Different mics, mic positioning, dual mics, EQ, delay, reverb, everything, and it still retained its tiny sound.

I tried a boost pedal today and it didn't really help except to give it a bit more gain. That powerful presence is missing. Let me compare this to something. Let's say we have a mix, and then we have a mix that's been mastered (and for the love of god please don't start with the loudness war thing, I think you know what I'm trying to say). The mixed song sounds great, but the mastered version of it has some AMAZING punch and chunkiness to it. That's what I'd compare it to.

Anyway I don't think it's Boogie as a whole, just the particular gear I have. If anything I'd use the Quad preamp to record leads, but definitely, without a doubt, not rhythm. I'm starting to wonder if the 50/50 power amp had anything to do with it, I'm not sure. It's fried now and I think I'm just going to accept my losses here and sell the crap I have to go with another amp (I'll keep the Mesa cab). The 50/50 power amp and the Quad preamp could use new tubes and a general makeover, but at this point I don't think it will be worth my trouble since it may very well be the same in the end. I'm a musician and I want to get my music out there, not sit around being a gear nerd trying to fix stuff

 

[Harry Hughes]

Just buy a Dual Recto damn it

 

[Thared33]

Just buy a Dual Recto damn it

Believe me, it's tempting . I kinda want to go with another Boogie but I think I'll go with a Peavey or something for right now, just 'cause I'm so fed up with Boogie at the moment, y'know. I'll probably pick up another Boogie in the future though.

 

[slayercannibalsuffohead]

Ok guys, before I decide to ultimately leave the Boogie camp and go with some other stuff, let me clarify something here. The entire time I've had the Boogie stuff it's been amazingly difficult to get a powerful sound out of it. Tone itself? The Boogie wins on the quality of tone alone. But the power just isn't there. What I'm talking about isn't gain or the tone really, it's just a sense of power, and presence. Something that will move the speakers a bit and blast your head off! And surprisingly, even though a Line 6 amp sounds horrible, it gave me that 'sound' that I've been missing with this Boogie. Not tone, not gain, POWER. I can't explain it any other way. The boogie has just sounded distant and weak and I've tried and tried and tried over the course of months to get a decent recorded sound out of it. Take note that I HAVE done just about everything that I could to engineer the crap out of it. Different mics, mic positioning, dual mics, EQ, delay, reverb, everything, and it still retained its tiny sound.

I tried a boost pedal today and it didn't really help except to give it a bit more gain. That powerful presence is missing. Let me compare this to something. Let's say we have a mix, and then we have a mix that's been mastered (and for the love of god please don't start with the loudness war thing, I think you know what I'm trying to say). The mixed song sounds great, but the mastered version of it has some AMAZING punch and chunkiness to it. That's what I'd compare it to.

Anyway I don't think it's Boogie as a whole, just the particular gear I have. If anything I'd use the Quad preamp to record leads, but definitely, without a doubt, not rhythm. I'm starting to wonder if the 50/50 power amp had anything to do with it, I'm not sure. It's fried now and I think I'm just going to accept my losses here and sell the crap I have to go with another amp (I'll keep the Mesa cab). The 50/50 power amp and the Quad preamp could use new tubes and a general makeover, but at this point I don't think it will be worth my trouble since it may very well be the same in the end. I'm a musician and I want to get my music out there, not sit around being a gear nerd trying to fix stuff

I hear ya mate. For years I wanted a MESA, then finally got to try a few and meh.
I know what you are saying, the mesas i tried had a wonderful tone, especially the fullness of the bottom end, but they just lacked that body and chunk (power). The thing that blows me away with them is their build quality (awesome) AND THEIR PRICE. (NOT SO AWESOME).



So, settled on some Peaveys and have never looked back. The second hand market for Peaveys is good, hell, people here are selling their XXX for around $1200 AUS. I think you cant go wrong for that kind of outlay. Its chunkier and more "powerful" than the recs, and at a quarter of the price of a new rec, or a third of the price of a second hand rec, with the money you save, you could buy a cab, mic and boost pedal and still have some money left over for some decent cables and leads.

 

[AllanD]

Marshall Valvestate

 

[Metaltastic]

I hear ya mate. For years I wanted a MESA, then finally got to try a few and meh.
I know what you are saying, the mesas i tried had a wonderful tone, especially the fullness of the bottom end, but they just lacked that body and chunk (power). The thing that blows me away with them is their build quality (awesome) AND THEIR PRICE. (NOT SO AWESOME).



So, settled on some Peaveys and have never looked back. The second hand market for Peaveys is good, hell, people here are selling their XXX for around $1200 AUS. I think you cant go wrong for that kind of outlay. Its chunkier and more "powerful" than the recs, and at a quarter of the price of a new rec, or a third of the price of a second hand rec, with the money you save, you could buy a cab, mic and boost pedal and still have some money left over for some decent cables and leads.

I can't imagine any Peavey coming close to the power and chunk of this clip What I will admit they have is a forceful midrange and great tightness, but chunk is Mesa's bag!

 

[Plec]

Plec your a sick ass guitarist aswell! throw up some of your chops.

Oh, now you're making me blush!
I have no Mark 3 samples of stuff I'm playing myself at the moment, which I would've posted otherwise. Maybe at a later time though.

 

[Full_Tilt]

Marshall Valvestate

Ha! you joke I think, but if you cant afford a 5150 then the saturation of a valvestate ain't that bad . Ive still hung on to mine even after 13 years .
I sold my jcm 800 with out a second thought though

 

[AllanD]

Ha! you joke I think, but if you cant afford a 5150 then the saturation of a valvestate ain't that bad . Ive still hung on to mine even after 13 years .
I sold my jcm 800 with out a second thought though

Just ask In Flames, they will probably stand by your opinion


I've been wanting to pick a cheap one up!

 

[Full_Tilt]

Mine is the Marshall 8080 combo , Ive seen those go on eBay for £80 .

 

[AEL89]

Fender 5150 III. Much prefer it to the peavey and it has an amazing clean channel

 

[musickey]

Oh, now you're making me blush!
I have no Mark 3 samples of stuff I'm playing myself at the moment, which I would've posted otherwise. Maybe at a later time though.

Im not trying to swing on your nuts, but i really dig your youtube vids exp the mixing Ammotrack and i cant remember the name of the band but you were running bass through a recto and it sounded killer! I noticed alot of your vids have been removed? Anyway hope you keep making em, i think they are some of the more insightful.

 

[digitaldeath]

Fender 5150 III. Much prefer it to the peavey and it has an amazing clean channel

+1.
More expensive than Peavey though!

 

[cobhc]

Im not trying to swing on your nuts

HAHA! That comment is fucking epic!

 

[phatfil]

are the Marshall valvestate heads really good for metal? not much experience with these.

 

[Full_Tilt]

Yeah the original valvestates have a kind of tight saturated overdrive distortion because only the preamp is colouring the sound ,or because of the use of diodes in the input stage apparently. They've always sat under the radar in terms of desirability there's nothing prestige about them but they just happen to be a happy accident for Death Metal guitar tone. I dont know much about the later ones . Don't know much about the mode 4 either which always seems to get a bad rap .

 

[Metaltastic]

The only Valvestate tone I know of is Death's albums - IMO music, awesome; tone...not so much

 

[Skyweaver]

Engl Fireball great head with the right cab