Mark III blue stripe vs Mini Rectifier/Rectoverb

Hi folks!

My name is Alex, and I've been lurking here for a while now, getting precious information about Mesa products on these forums.

I've owned a Mesa DC10 (combo version) in the past (for about 4-5 years), but sold it when I moved overseas (used to live in Europe, now I'm in Canada). I really loved that amp, sounded good even at low volumes, but was painful to move around (even with the wheels).

Also owned a Quad Preamp before that. I loved it a lot (great tone), but found it way too complex (sold it for the DC10 actually, couldn't be happier at the time!).

Right now I have a modded Fender Blues Junior with a little pedalboard, but I'm thinking of buying a Mesa again (it's been growing on me for a little while now!).

I found a Mark III blue stripe in the classified (Simulclass, EQ, R2 mod), that has been serviced recently (caps, tubes). But I'm really into those newer mini rectifier amplifiers (Mini Rectifier and Rectoverb).

What do you guys think? Looks like the Mark III is a great amp, but I'm afraid that it's going to be the Quad Preamp experience all over again (I'm planning on using it as a 2 channel amp, looks like using it as a 3 channel might be a struggle). I love the simplicity, low weight and tone of the Mini rectifiers though...

I don't need an amp with reverb (love my Flint for that), and I'm mainly looking for a good clean tone (I love thick - yet not dark - clean tones), and a good crunch (I play blues/rock up to 80's hard rock).

Thanks folks!

Either would do the job, but the Mark would be an awful lot of amp if you're not actively gigging it.

The MR/RV25 is a great amp that does classic rock and metal very well IMO. It's still loud as hell, but a bit more manageable than 100W. The one big advantage of the 100W is that the 6L6 will give a wider frequency response, especially for big lows, than the EL84.

The size and weight of the 25W amps is unbeatable.

well in my experience some of the higher wattage amps have very good master volumes (my DC10 used to sound pretty darn good at lower volumes). The one that I've seen on the classifieds has the Simulclass, so that might help too.

But then I agree with the size and weight.. I would be interested to see if some people owned both and could tell me how they'd compare in terms of clean tone.

elvis said:

Either would do the job, but the Mark would be an awful lot of amp if you're not actively gigging it.

The MR/RV25 is a great amp that does classic rock and metal very well IMO. It's still loud as hell, but a bit more manageable than 100W. The one big advantage of the 100W is that the 6L6 will give a wider frequency response, especially for big lows, than the EL84.

The size and weight of the 25W amps is unbeatable.

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Great post. Listen to a guy who has been around and played a bunch of them. I have a Mark V 25, Mini Recto and Mark V. The one that blows me away every time I turn it on is the V25. The one that sounds great "sometimes" is the Mark V. I am starting to think that the Mark V might be more amp than I can fully appreciate. (Edit: Meaning if I could turn it up louder, it might really shine). And this from someone who really gets by with pretty loud playing at home. Maybe it's time I spent more time with the 10 watt mode. LOL

The V25 and Mini Rec are both GREAT amps. I love them both. Unless you need LOUD stage volumes, the smaller versions work very well. Elvis gigs and gets to turn them up, so his perspective is important to consider.

sounds good thanks for the advice! I'll pass on the Mark III then and will try to find a mini rectifier to try!

I would never tell someone not to buy a Mark V, or especially one of the classic Mark amps. Or a big Recto Dual or something. Many will swear that this or that amp has such a good master volume, that it sounds better even at low volume than a smaller amp. Sometimes that is the case. But what you have to decide is, in the room I'm always going to play it in, will I EVER be able to turn it up loud enough to appreciate the big amp. Maybe you will. If so, it may be worth it. But the little ones sound really good and can get way louder than most any home volume (at least for married guys!) and louder than many stages allow. If you are a bigger time band, playing bigger stages, get the big amp for sure. If not, weigh these things and decide. The real answer is always "try it and see." But I know that's not always possible.

+1

I use 3 volumes:
Low volume (people are in the house watching TV)
Medium volume (most often the case, practicing at home during the day, low-volume band rehearsal)
Moderately-high volume (gigs - I don't go super loud, we try to keep the stage volume as low as we can)
Sometimes I really get to open up for outdoor gigs, which is the BEST, but rare.

I'm lucky in that I had my guitars before I had my family, and they are used to me being obnoxiously loud. I get to play a lot louder at home than most people.

JP2C (still working on dialing it, but you really do need to push Mesa amps)
Low - OK
Med - good - should be able to get to great
MH - Great - almost to badass

Archon 100
Low - Great
Med - Great
MH - Badass

Shiva 20 KT88
Low - Good
Med - Great
MH - Badass

Mini Rec (note - this is not my main amp because it doesn't have the big lows that the 6L6 amps have)
Low - Great
Med - Great
MH - Holy ****
Super tight and great presence in the mids

Roadster
Low - no bueno
Med - meh
MH - Good
This one needs to be loud, end of story

Electradyne
Low - Anemic
Med - OK
MH - Now we're talking!
I use a Rock Crusher with this amp. It just doesn't get started until you push the power tubes.

F50
Low - Anemic
Med - Good
MH - Rock!

thanks for your reply Elvis.

I have the same kind of volumes that you have. Just one thing though: what style of music are you playing? I'm not looking for a metal tone, more for a great clean/slightly hairy clean (70% of the time) and a crunch/lead (think 70s/80s classic rock).

Is your classification still working for that kind of sounds?

No worries!

I am not a metal guy. I play classic and contemporary rock and hard rock. I go for very clean and somewhat aggressive crunch. I use the same crunch for everything from Journey to Bryan Adams to Whitesnake to Halestorm to Sixx A.M., so it is not too light, not too heavy. I like a lot of mid harmonic content and big but tight lows. The mid-bloom tends to get constricted at low volumes for some amps, less so for others. The Mini Rec has a nice punchy mid grind under any conditions.

I use a BBPre on the crunch channel for leads (or channel 3 of the JP2C)

elvis said:

+1

I use 3 volumes:
Low volume (people are in the house watching TV)
Medium volume (most often the case, practicing at home during the day, low-volume band rehearsal)
Moderately-high volume (gigs - I don't go super loud, we try to keep the stage volume as low as we can)
Sometimes I really get to open up for outdoor gigs, which is the BEST, but rare.

I'm lucky in that I had my guitars before I had my family, and they are used to me being obnoxiously loud. I get to play a lot louder at home than most people.

JP2C (still working on dialing it, but you really do need to push Mesa amps)
Low - OK
Med - good - should be able to get to great
MH - Great - almost to badass

Archon 100
Low - Great
Med - Great
MH - Badass

Shiva 20 KT88
Low - Good
Med - Great
MH - Badass

Mini Rec (note - this is not my main amp because it doesn't have the big lows that the 6L6 amps have)
Low - Great
Med - Great
MH - Holy ****
Super tight and great presence in the mids

Roadster
Low - no bueno
Med - meh
MH - Good
This one needs to be loud, end of story

Electradyne
Low - Anemic
Med - OK
MH - Now we're talking!
I use a Rock Crusher with this amp. It just doesn't get started until you push the power tubes.

F50
Low - Anemic
Med - Good
MH - Rock!

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Another great post!!! With all the "my 100 watter sounds better at low volume than your 25 watter" posts, this gives a lot of good perspective. I always "really liked" but didn't "love" my PRS Custom 50. After owning it for 3 months, one day when the wife was gone, I turned it up half way. I had to go stand to the side of the amp, but the sound was GLORIOUS! A true high end tone that I'd dreamed about. It suddenly got really fat and totally alive. My Mini Rec and V25 can both hit their strides (not cranked, but loud enough to get into their sweet spot ranges) at volumes I can get away with at home. I'm still not sure my Mark V can... I already made my mind up that I'm going to open it up a few times the next time the wife is gone. Maybe going to go back to trying 45 watt mode more... and even 10. Just screwing around a couple weeks ago, I put all three channels in 10 watt mode and had some really great tones (and pretty loud! but not obnoxiously so) almost immediately with minor re-dialing. It was loud, but much easier to hit the sweet spot in volume.

Thanks DTR!

Just so you know guys, after trying a bunch of amps (Fender 65 DRRI and 68 Custom Deluxe + pedals, Traynor YCS90, Quilter Aviator 1x12, Mesa Rectoverb 25 Combo, Mark III blue stripe), I decided to go with the RoV 25!

I've had it side by side with the Mark III and the 68 Custom Deluxe for about a week, and to be honest, I've been really amazed by the clean tone! Sounds glorious with a Fuzz Face too!

I'm using channel 2 on the vintage mode for a fat crunch that I boost with my BB preamp.

Great little amp!

Enjoy it! I've had a lot of fun with my Mini Recto. After I made the posts above, I opened up the Mini Rec, which I hadn't done in quite a while. But last night, I opened up my V25 also. I'm talking Master between 3:00 and dimed on both channels>2x12 vertical recto cab. Opening up the smaller amps really does fill in the bottom and mids. Interesting that when comparing them at already loud for home volumes, the punch and low mids of the big amps are there and considerably stronger than the little amps. But when I opened up that V25 last night, I really had to turn down the 80 and 240. It filled out so much with volume, that I didn't need them up. Sounded MUCH more like it's bigger brother and the gap between them narrowed considerably in that area. I know the V will get way louder, have more clean headroom, etc. But I'm telling you the volume I played at last night was probably louder than a lot of people would use at a gig. With a bigger cab, the Mini Rec/ROV25 or V25 can really move some air for small amps!