ibanez4life SZ!
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Hey guys!
Feeling a little inspired after spending half the day rocking on my Roadster, so time for another long post :lol:
To start, I've had some time with Mesa since I started playing them 6 years ago. Here is my chain:
-Purchased a 3 Channel Dual Rectifier
-Got sick of Recto....sold for a Mark IV
-Wanted something different still...sold Mark IV for a Stiletto Duece Stage II
-Wanted the recto sound...bought a early 2 Channel Recto, and trade the Deuce for an Ace Combo
-Traded recto and stiletto ace for my Roadster
-Looking for some 'diversity,' I bought a Bogner Uberschall, Mark IV, and Mesa Stiletto Deuce II to have with the Roadster.
As you can see, I've been through a lot...I've even been back to some of the same amps more than once. Looking back, it all came down to getting 'bored' of the recto sound after a few months...seems to be a common thing...GAS hits, and you grab something else.
I have the Roadster for about 6 months, and again, doubts were coming....instead of selling it off, I, purchased the Uberschall, Mark IV, AND Stiletto, to have all at once, in hopes of putting together a killer stereo rig, and getting 'the best of both worlds.'
Read on...it's funny how things turn out.
So it's been close to a year since I've owned my Roadster, and I have all these other cool amps with it too. Usually, I move on by now, seeing my trend
As you guys have seen in other threads, I've tried numerous combinations of these amps to find the perfect stereo rig, with the Roadster being the main one (mostly because I have a custom roadcase for it). Roadster + Mark IV, Roadster, Uber, and Mark IV, Roadster and Stiletto. All cool combinations.
Having spent months with them, it was time to make decisions. The Uberschall went first....really cool amp, but not very versatile, and it covered similar ground to the Roadster (I think the Roadster does gain better). Then went the Mark IV....cool amp, but not my style in the end. Finally, after trying so much with the stereo rig, I just sold the Stiletto.
In the end, I found I like the tones of the Roadster MUCH better alone than mixed with another amp. While the other amps mixed well, all they really did was add a little more in the tonal spectrum...and it really wasn't anything I liked in my tone either. After trying all these stereo configurations, I just tried running my Roadster through my two Mills cabs (obviously hadn't done this in a while), and I was floored!!! The sound was clearer, fuller, punchier, and more aggressive than any of the combinations.
Maybe me and this amp were just meant to be, but in the end, the stereo rig was more of an effort to please the gear ***** in me, and not my ears :roll: I got these other amps thinking they would blow the Roadster away, but the Roadster ended up trumping ALL of them!
I'm really happy. Actually, that falls sort...I'm completely blown away! This amp has SOOO much going for it. Maybe Mesa slipped some Elven magic into my Roadster, but no pops, no delay, no boost necessary, and I have the best tones I've ever had. Makes my old rectos sound hollow (always a problem I had with them). AWESOME clean, great crunch tone, smooth, liquid leads, and the meanest high gain rhythm channel I've ever heard...no boost, no fizz...fat, but not harsh!
The biggest step in the right direction were the Tung Sol EL-34Bs....I tried 3 times to go back to 6L6s with this amp, but I pulled them back out just as fast as I put them in....if you haven't tried these tubes, do it. They make EVERYTHING on this amp better!
The last 10% of the icing was a Tung Sol 12AX7 in V1. I'm using unconventional settings, but this amp just sounds unreal. A think I owe a big thanks to Dave Mills for my 2 Afterburner cabs aswell.
Alright...I'm done.
Long story short...any of you guys that like the rectifier sound, but can't seem to stay grounded....try a Roadster w/ Tung Sol EL-34Bs. Tweak till your ears are happy, not your eyes. I can't guarantee my settings will work for everyone, since they Mills cabs really allows for a different frequency response, but the sounds are in there.
I tried to get rid of it....but the amp just blew everything out of the water when side by side...it's the first time I can say a recto did that for me.
Eric
Feeling a little inspired after spending half the day rocking on my Roadster, so time for another long post :lol:
To start, I've had some time with Mesa since I started playing them 6 years ago. Here is my chain:
-Purchased a 3 Channel Dual Rectifier
-Got sick of Recto....sold for a Mark IV
-Wanted something different still...sold Mark IV for a Stiletto Duece Stage II
-Wanted the recto sound...bought a early 2 Channel Recto, and trade the Deuce for an Ace Combo
-Traded recto and stiletto ace for my Roadster
-Looking for some 'diversity,' I bought a Bogner Uberschall, Mark IV, and Mesa Stiletto Deuce II to have with the Roadster.
As you can see, I've been through a lot...I've even been back to some of the same amps more than once. Looking back, it all came down to getting 'bored' of the recto sound after a few months...seems to be a common thing...GAS hits, and you grab something else.
I have the Roadster for about 6 months, and again, doubts were coming....instead of selling it off, I, purchased the Uberschall, Mark IV, AND Stiletto, to have all at once, in hopes of putting together a killer stereo rig, and getting 'the best of both worlds.'
Read on...it's funny how things turn out.
So it's been close to a year since I've owned my Roadster, and I have all these other cool amps with it too. Usually, I move on by now, seeing my trend
As you guys have seen in other threads, I've tried numerous combinations of these amps to find the perfect stereo rig, with the Roadster being the main one (mostly because I have a custom roadcase for it). Roadster + Mark IV, Roadster, Uber, and Mark IV, Roadster and Stiletto. All cool combinations. Having spent months with them, it was time to make decisions. The Uberschall went first....really cool amp, but not very versatile, and it covered similar ground to the Roadster (I think the Roadster does gain better). Then went the Mark IV....cool amp, but not my style in the end. Finally, after trying so much with the stereo rig, I just sold the Stiletto.
In the end, I found I like the tones of the Roadster MUCH better alone than mixed with another amp. While the other amps mixed well, all they really did was add a little more in the tonal spectrum...and it really wasn't anything I liked in my tone either. After trying all these stereo configurations, I just tried running my Roadster through my two Mills cabs (obviously hadn't done this in a while), and I was floored!!! The sound was clearer, fuller, punchier, and more aggressive than any of the combinations.
Maybe me and this amp were just meant to be, but in the end, the stereo rig was more of an effort to please the gear ***** in me, and not my ears :roll: I got these other amps thinking they would blow the Roadster away, but the Roadster ended up trumping ALL of them!
I'm really happy. Actually, that falls sort...I'm completely blown away! This amp has SOOO much going for it. Maybe Mesa slipped some Elven magic into my Roadster, but no pops, no delay, no boost necessary, and I have the best tones I've ever had. Makes my old rectos sound hollow (always a problem I had with them). AWESOME clean, great crunch tone, smooth, liquid leads, and the meanest high gain rhythm channel I've ever heard...no boost, no fizz...fat, but not harsh!
The biggest step in the right direction were the Tung Sol EL-34Bs....I tried 3 times to go back to 6L6s with this amp, but I pulled them back out just as fast as I put them in....if you haven't tried these tubes, do it. They make EVERYTHING on this amp better!
The last 10% of the icing was a Tung Sol 12AX7 in V1. I'm using unconventional settings, but this amp just sounds unreal. A think I owe a big thanks to Dave Mills for my 2 Afterburner cabs aswell.
Alright...I'm done.
Long story short...any of you guys that like the rectifier sound, but can't seem to stay grounded....try a Roadster w/ Tung Sol EL-34Bs. Tweak till your ears are happy, not your eyes. I can't guarantee my settings will work for everyone, since they Mills cabs really allows for a different frequency response, but the sounds are in there.
I tried to get rid of it....but the amp just blew everything out of the water when side by side...it's the first time I can say a recto did that for me.
Eric
