JT_Marshmallow
Well-known member
I was at Guitar Center the other day and I needed to pick an amp to try out this hollow body I was looking at. I spotted this used Rectoverb combo (series 1) and thought that would be a good choice since I already own a Tremoverb and should know how to dial it in.
The second I flipped it off Standby and heard the clean channel I was impressed. Then I spotted the tag and saw it had a Scumback speaker (didn't check which model) and KT66 tubes in it... WOW! I played some Jazz on it for a while, and noticed that I think the Rectoverb's clean channel is easier to keep clean than the Tremoverb. The Tremoverb's clean can be tough to keep super-clean at high volumes. I had no trouble with the Rectoverb in this department.
Moving on to Pushed, I was amazed again. I would say it is a lot like when you crank the gain on the Tremoverb's clean channel and you get this nice British-like crunch. This mode felt great for Scofield-like lead playing and I would imagine this mode should take a boost VERY well.
And then on to Vintage high gain. Once again, this was voiced much different from the Tremoverb. It sounded to me like something in-between a cranked Marshall and a 3-channel Recto. I was playing some Eric Johnson-esque lead on this mode and it felt just right. Great warm midrange and the perfect amount of brightness available.
(I did not try the Modern high gain mode since I was testing out a hollow body, but maybe next time!)
So this experience really hit home for me the fact that the Single Rectifiers are voiced differently from all their big brothers in the Recto line. I might pick one up in the near future, and rather than being redundant to already having a Tremoverb, I think it would actually be a nice addition with completely different tonal options.
So nice job Mesa. Too bad you discontinued it!
The second I flipped it off Standby and heard the clean channel I was impressed. Then I spotted the tag and saw it had a Scumback speaker (didn't check which model) and KT66 tubes in it... WOW! I played some Jazz on it for a while, and noticed that I think the Rectoverb's clean channel is easier to keep clean than the Tremoverb. The Tremoverb's clean can be tough to keep super-clean at high volumes. I had no trouble with the Rectoverb in this department.
Moving on to Pushed, I was amazed again. I would say it is a lot like when you crank the gain on the Tremoverb's clean channel and you get this nice British-like crunch. This mode felt great for Scofield-like lead playing and I would imagine this mode should take a boost VERY well.
And then on to Vintage high gain. Once again, this was voiced much different from the Tremoverb. It sounded to me like something in-between a cranked Marshall and a 3-channel Recto. I was playing some Eric Johnson-esque lead on this mode and it felt just right. Great warm midrange and the perfect amount of brightness available.
(I did not try the Modern high gain mode since I was testing out a hollow body, but maybe next time!)
So this experience really hit home for me the fact that the Single Rectifiers are voiced differently from all their big brothers in the Recto line. I might pick one up in the near future, and rather than being redundant to already having a Tremoverb, I think it would actually be a nice addition with completely different tonal options.
So nice job Mesa. Too bad you discontinued it!
