Tone ?

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macsguitar

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Hi I am getting ready to make an amp purchase and need some help and advice. I love and am really looking for the mark iv tone or something similar but my budget at this time is limiting me, I was really hoping someone here could direct me to another boogie that could get the job done and not be quite so much investment. I have owned a couple mark iv and mark iic and a dual rectifier but have no experience with the many other mesa amps just wondering if there are some I can make work the Fseries? Subway rocket? DC? etc. I am mainly playing at home and big volume is not an issue, but the tone is. I play a lot of Chevelle and drop C tuning . I really appreciate any input!
 
Well both of those are great suggestions, but they both cost as much as a clean mark iv especially after you have to purchase a cab. I wish I had more funds to use but I have a two year old son and a three month old son and money is tight! lol
 
The more I look at the Mini Recto, might be able to swing one and a 1x12 mini cab, if I can find a good deal on a used one! Thanks for the suggestion! I am going to try and go here one.
 
In the vein of Mini Recto, a used F50 combo is similar-ish tone wise, a great amp on its own, and very reasonably priced if you keep your eyes open.

Neither are like a Mark IV. But I've had 2 F50s and am thinking of buying one again. They are truly fantastic amps. And I have a MR that I love.
 
Well Elvis, I had given some thought to the f series but all I'm seeing locally is f30's not sure how they sound, wish I had the funds to buy a Mark iv head and cab but I just don't think my wife will go for that right now.might can talk her into a mini recto and mini cab lol
 
I'd avoid the F30. Totally different beast. The Express 5:50 is also a great amp, but not exactly the same as F50, and a bit more money. Still likely in your budget depending on your availability.
 
Thanks for the info and suggestions, I'll take a look around and see what I can find, thanks again!
 
I'm fairly intrigued by the Mini Rectifier and a mini 1x12 cab, would like to hear one, but I think I might be leaning that way!
 
Yep, that's what I'm thinking too! I looked at that hughes and kettner tubemeister 18, nice little amp but not really the tones I'm looking for.
 
Well I've pretty much narrowed it down now to either a mini recto and mesa cab, or I've found a couple of mark iv's in my area for decent price. Now got to decide which route to take here lol I'm really liking what I hear out of the new mini recto and I know what the mark iv can do as I've owned a few of them. I was hoping Elvis you could shed a little light on this subject, I really want to try out the mini recto, although the mark iv might be the better choice for me, I think the curiosity is killing me lol
 
Subway Rocket 44 is another great option. I have seen mini rectos used around here as well.

For cabs, If you can find an RA 27" 1 x 12 extension cab, these are great. There is always the thiele 1 x 12, the wide body 1 x 12, the 1 x 12 rectocab, as well as the 2 x 12 rectocab and the mini recto 1 x 12. Lots to choose from.
 
The MR is voiced for classic rock, but has the recto gravel as well. In modern mode it is all recto. It needs to be turned up a bit. Don't let the low power fool you, it is loud. And a major characteristic of ALL rectos is that they need to be loud to sound the way they're supposed to sound.

If you want to run at very low volume, the Mark IV may be the better option.

For cabs, I gigged the MR with a Mesa 4x10 that sounded awesome. I also ran it through a recto vertical 2x12 where it really shone. It tends to sound anemic (as almost all amps do) througha single 1x12, no matter which one you choose. If you go with a 1x12, you will find that tow stacked 1x12 cabs sound like 4X bigger than a single 1x12.

I prefer V30, and have run with a variety of cabs. A MR1x12 on top of a Thiele sounds great, but almost any stacked set of 1x12 will sound good. The widebody cabs sound good, and I believe the 3/4 back pairs well with rectos. Those would probably work fine as a single 1x12. Also, as YJ mentioned, the Dyne/RA 1x2 widebody is a great cab to get tons of low-end. Those all have C90 speakers, but you could easily run a single V30 in a 1x12 and get great tone with the MR.

Alternatively, a CabClone or Torpedo Live can be used in place of a cab altogether.
 
Thank you very much for that input ! I don't necessarily have to play at a very low volume and actually like to open it up a bit, so I'm thinking the Recto is the way I'm going to go, if nothing else but to at least experience one! I will probably just get a straight and a slanted mini 1x12 cabinet and stack them, I definitely want it to sound big. Would love to just get a 4x12 Recto cab but I'm kinda looking for easy to gig. There is a 2x12 vertical cab on local craigslist that I may inquire about.
 

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