Roadster vs RoadKing Series 1

Hi
New here and got a question that I hope you all can help me with. I recently sold my Slash Marshall 2555SL and I'm looking for a new amp. I'm hoping to spend no I played a new Mesa Roadster at Guitar Center and really liked it. I will probably buy used though and have been watching eBay and Craigslist. I like the option of different tube combinations and some used series 1 heads cost almost as much as Roadster heads also used.

My question is what is the difference between the Roadking series 1 and the Roadster. I read here that the cleans were much better. http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...adking-i-vs-roadking-ii-whats-difference.html But I have no way of verifying that. Anyone played the series 1's and 2's? Are the cleans good on all 3 amps. I thought they sounded nice on the Roadster.

I read somewhere else on the net that the Lonestars clean Pre circuitry is the same in the Series 2 and the Roadster. Is this true? What about Series 1? The poster on the site above also claims series 2 makes series 1 almost obsolete.

What are you thoughts on these 3 amps? I have heard nothing negative regarding Series 2 and Roadster but just not sure on series 1.

Thanks
Joel

First, off I think what you need to look at is the differences between the Roadster and Road Kings in terms of versatility and functions. Road King gives you two loops, progressive linkage and assignable cabinet switching, all of which you don't get with the Roadster. The progressive linkage alone can give you quite different results from a Roadster since you're able to use both 6L6s and EL34 at the same time. I guess my point is I think you'd first have to decide whether you'd use or need the extra bells and whistles the RK provides, because both amps are voiced very similar to each other (to my ears slightly mellower/darker than the regular DRs).

Concerning the RKII revisions... I have never owned either v1 or v2 but have played both. The RKII does indeed have a better clean channel, or should I say more closely resembles the Lone Star which the circuit is based on for channels 1 and 2. I demo'd the RKII and the Roadster side by side and with the RKII in 100 WATT mode, using only 6L6s, they more or less sound identical.

With all of that said, do the cleans matter to you and do you need/want the extra bells and whistles of the RK? If the cleans do matter (which they do for me), I'd say if you're between the Roadster and RKI, then I'd choose the Roadster. If the cleans aren't that big a deal (the RKI still has some good cleans, better than a regular DR IMO) AND you want/need the extra bells and whistles of the RK, then I'd go with a RKI. If you want both then I'd be patient, save some $$ for a few months and then get a used RKII.

I'd say for most players, the RKs options might be overkill. When I was in the market for a new amp in 2007 the deciding factor for me in choosing the Roadster over the Road King was purely that for ME the extra bells and whistles weren't worth the extra $$$. The Roadster is a true gem in the Recto family due to its extremely flexible tone pallet and the fact that you can go from super clean to outright brutal (and everything in between) in one amp.

If you're interested in a minty used Roadster I'm selling mine to fund an Electra Dyne as my writing style has changed drastically since buying the Roadster, and am just jonesing for a new amp (but can't afford to keep both ). But again, whatever you decide on, I personally don't think you can go wrong.

I own a Roadster Combo and have some experience with the RoadKing v.1 Combo. First, the cleans on the Roadster are fantastic! It's certainly possible the RoadKing can produce a "better" clean tone because you can choose between 6L6's, EL34's or combine them; that is something the Roadster can not do, or any other amp for that matter. So I would not base my purchase off the possibility one of the 4 channels on the RoadKing can produce a better clean sound. I've never heard anyone complain about the Roadsters cleans.

I don't think the word obsolete can be used to describe the RoadKing v.1. That same logic would imply all the Mark series amps except the Mark V are obsolete too.
Both amps sound great and will keep you busy; the RoadKing will just keep you busier.

Had a Roadster and currently own a RK1. To me the overall built quality and the sound of ch3 and ch4 on the RK1 was superior compared to the Roadster. I never got the Roadster to really work for me and I was pretty annoyed by the popping when switching channels. On my RK1, although older, this is almost nonexistent, if at all, only once when changing the modes. The cleans work for me. I would buy the Roadking again.