Tremoverb gain issue??

[user 6626]

I just bought a Tremoverb on Ebay. The guy I bought it from said that he bought it 6 months prior from the original owner who got it in the mid-90s and never played it.

I really like the sound but have not been able to get enough gain out of it. (!) I've been playing mostly in the blues mode. I love the nice clean crunch I get when playing chords, but my leads seem a little weak. I understand that a good amp will bring out your playing, flaws and all, but it seems like it shouldn't be this hard to sustain a pinch harmonic. ...and when I tap, with the gain all the way up, it sounds like I'm playing through the clean channel. No sustain at all. Even the modern hi-gain channel...it feels like the amp is holding back. I have an OD pedal I can use as a pickup-booster in front of the amp, but from all these posts I'm reading that the Recto is supposed to be hi-gain.

I'm wondering if it could be my tubes. For all I know, the previous owners never changed them. Could worn-out tubes be hurting the gain? Maybe I'm too used to the solid-state combo I just replaced?? Any thoughts?

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Could be the tubes, but to be completely honest, I have had the identical problem with my recto since day one....it has a lot of dirt, but for some reason, it is never smooth with sustain.

That's my biggest gripe with the rectifiers...especially on the higher strings (E B G) there is virtually no sustain...sucks for lead.

Try swapping the tubes. If that doesn't solve your problem, then its just the rectifier series.

How hard are you pushing the amp? Tube amps don't exactly sing at low volumes either...

 

[ToneAddictJon]

I have a tremoverb combo and I found that if you're using the fx loop you have to crank the send level to get the gain thats waiting for you. Also a tube change never hurts. The tremoverb isn't nearly as high gain as the dual recto solo heads, but there is plenty there. Cranking the mids also helps make it feel like there's more gain there.

 

[Pyro]

I had the Sustain issue with the single rectifier. I had it 4 years and played with it every day yet never got screaming leads.

Two weeks ago i got myself the Express 5:50 and straight away, there it its. Loads of sustain and harmonics. Its so much better than the Recto series for lead guitar.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

^Exactly why I'm going to the Mark series....HATE the rectifiers for leads.

 

[Pyro]

I think it shows the worst when playing Gary Moore style stuff. Or anything unforgiving that has to be played perfect. I would have put the problem down to my playing but i had a Soldano and a Laney here to compare it to and they were fine.

I used a Holy Grail Reverb through my Recto and it made SOME improvement cause it puts a warm layer on top but not enough to match the quality of the Express.

I use a Les Paul Classic and a PGM301 with these amps just incase you wondered.

All in all though. Before you sell it or throw it out the window. Try using some differant Valves. The Bias is there for you to experiment and find you're tone so its always best to use it before selling the amp

 

[user 6626]

All in all though. Before you sell it or throw it out the window. Try using some differant Valves. The Bias is there for you to experiment and find you're tone so its always best to use it before selling the amp

Don't worry, I have no intention of selling it. I love how it sounds, I just wish it screamed a little more for leads. Of course, I've had the thing 5 days so I haven't really explored the settings enough.

 

[Pyro]

I know exactly how you feel. I loved the Recto as well.

I could get any sound i wanted from the Recto other than the one i really wanted

It actually upsets me to think about it

 

[Mr. Brady]

You probably need new tubes. I find plenty of gain on the blues mode for soloing with the gain at 1 oclock. I can hit Nickleback and Seether heavy on the blues channel with the gain at 3.

Check out my clip here that was done on the blues mode of my tremoverb with the gain at 1 oclock to compare the gain you're getting.

http://www.netmusicians.org/?value=Mesa Tremoverb&section=amp

 

[nomad100hd]

2 are good for about 1.5 - 2 yrs i've been told. Seems to be true with my nomad. My Epiphone ZK sustains like crazy on it, but my faded sg doesn't. The EMG pickups are hotter than the gibson pickups in the SG. Voiced different as well.

 

[user 6626]

How hard are you pushing the amp? Tube amps don't exactly sing at low volumes either...

To be honest, I haven't pushed it hard at all. I live in an apartment complex, so I've been reluctant to blow the neighbors away. But I am playing at some festival this Saturday (outside no less) so I should be able to really push it.

 

[user 6626]

2 are good for about 1.5 - 2 yrs i've been told. Seems to be true with my nomad. My Epiphone ZK sustains like crazy on it, but my faded sg doesn't. The EMG pickups are hotter than the gibson pickups in the SG. Voiced different as well.

I read about the tubes being good for 1.5 - 2 years...but that's with regular use right? Can they just deteriorate on their own without being used?

 

[nomad100hd]

no they would have to be used, or taking a few jolts. Something i didn't think about, you might need to clean the tube sockets with some sort of contact cleaner spray.

 

[gooberizer]

The T-Verb head I bought last month has so much gain on the red channel I sometimes think if I turned the knob up all the way it would explode. On the blues channel I found the higher the volume the more fluid sustain I get. I asked the original owner I got it from if there had been any mods, ala Voodoo or the likes, and he said no. As far as smooth leads it's **** good, not like a Soldano, but it'll sustain forever with my Parker Nitefly plugged straight in with no effects at all. I used to have a '92 Dual that had ridiculous gain, but lead tones were really lifeless. I think some fresh tubes and higher volume will help you out. 8)

 

[user 6626]

You probably need new tubes. I find plenty of gain on the blues mode for soloing with the gain at 1 oclock. I can hit Nickleback and Seether heavy on the blues channel with the gain at 3.

Check out my clip here that was done on the blues mode of my tremoverb with the gain at 1 oclock to compare the gain you're getting.

http://www.netmusicians.org/?value=Mesa Tremoverb&section=amp

What is your volume at?

 

[blakkspider]

so this happens with all the rectos? the dual ,triple too?

 

[Mr. Brady]

You probably need new tubes. I find plenty of gain on the blues mode for soloing with the gain at 1 oclock. I can hit Nickleback and Seether heavy on the blues channel with the gain at 3.

Check out my clip here that was done on the blues mode of my tremoverb with the gain at 1 oclock to compare the gain you're getting.

http://www.netmusicians.org/?value=Mesa Tremoverb&section=amp

What is your volume at?

9 o'clock on the channel master. That's louder than apartment volume for sure at that point. It's what I rehearse at with a band with a loud drummer.

 

[user 6626]

9 o'clock on the channel master. That's louder than apartment volume for sure at that point. It's what I rehearse at with a band with a loud drummer.

It sounds good. That's only 1 o'clock on the gain?

 

[Mr. Brady]

9 o'clock on the channel master. That's louder than apartment volume for sure at that point. It's what I rehearse at with a band with a loud drummer.

It sounds good. That's only 1 o'clock on the gain?

Yep. If your gain is significantly lower than that you have some sort of problem, i'd guess you need new tubes. The clean parts were done by just rolling the volume back on the guitar. The guitar is a superstrat with a gibson 500T pickup in the bridge, which is a pretty hot pickup, but the tremoverb still has plenty of gain at 1 oclock.

 

[user 6626]

I'll crank it at this festival and see how it performs. Thanks for all the help. I will also get new tubes, but first I have to recover from the huge tremoverb-shaped hole in my pocket.