[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

2487.0. "Mesa Dual Rectifier Solo (not a Boogie)" by RICKS::CALCAGNI (multiple sarcasm) Tue Mar 31 1992 13:25

    Are you folks ready for some SERIOUS tone?  Put out that Marshall,
    bury that Boogie, deep-six those 5150s and set that rack NO ACCESS
    (sorry :-).  I just saw an ad for the new Mesa (*not* a Boogie)
    Dual Rectifier Solo head, obviously Mesa's entry into the full shred
    amp market.  Here are some of the features (just don't ask me what they
    all mean): "channel cloning", Bold/Spongy AC switch, dual switchable
    rectifiers, leather(!) standard, armour(!!!) optional.  I checked the
    date of the magazine this ad was in to see if it was an April fool issue
    or something.  Nope, looks like they're serious.  The picture shows a
    single 4x12 stack, slightly small head (a la 50w plexi Marshalls) and
    high tech styling; the head and cab are trimmed in what can only be
    described as  "mother-of-manhole-cover" (must be the armour option).
    
    Check out some of the text (as Dave Barry would say "I swear I am not
    making this up"):
    
    "More agressive than a cornered animal"
    
    "The hand-made all tube, super-gain armoured amp with a mad dog 'tude"
    
    "Bottom so fat your bowels will move"
    
    Don't worry, there's more.  So, who's gonna be the first to get one?
    
    /rick
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
2487.1CAVLRY::BUCKHeartbreak BoulevardTue Mar 31 1992 13:421
    We'll see.
2487.2No!! No!!! Not the 6th string! PLEASE!!!!MANTHN::EDDReal programs in DCL? .NOT.!Tue Mar 31 1992 13:467
    > Bottom so fat your bowels will move!!!
    
    Do guitarists consider this a plus???
    
    :^)
    
    Edd
2487.3Big Bottom,BPOV02::DERRICOWhereInTheWorldIsCarmenSanDiego?Tue Mar 31 1992 13:525
   Are you shure that this isn't a Bass-Amp? ....Big Bottom?...


/Mover's Anonymous.
2487.4FDCV02::GOODWINTue Mar 31 1992 14:075
    ... this could give new meaning to the question:
    
    		But what's the _BOTTOM_ line?
    
    /Steve
2487.5GOES11::G_HOUSENow I'm down in itTue Mar 31 1992 15:143
>    "Bottom so fat your bowels will move"
    
    The amp sounds great, keep your bedpan handy...
2487.6ELWOOD::CARLINBalanceTue Mar 31 1992 18:0911
>
>    > Bottom so fat your bowels will move!!!
>    
>    Do guitarists consider this a plus???
>    
>    :^)
>    
>    Edd


naw -- only bass guitarists
2487.7be the first kid on your blockRICKS::CALCAGNImultiple sarcasmFri Apr 03 1992 18:3210
    The inside scoop from a local retailer is that these will *sell* for
    $1299, or $1399 with the armour option.  Uh, that's for the head
    only folks.  And don't expect to see any for several months.
    Same place is quoting $699 on the 5150 heads, so that should give
    you an idea.  It appears that Mesa is going after more the Soldano
    market than the PV.  So why does their ad seem to insult the intelligence
    of most people over the age of 14????  Maybe they're only targeting the
    really rich kids.  Go figure.
    
    /rick
2487.8CAVLRY::BUCKHeartbreak BoulevardFri Apr 03 1992 18:481
    I got my 5150 hear for $630., fwiw
2487.9GOES11::G_HOUSENow I'm down in itFri Apr 03 1992 18:491
    I thought the ad was kind of humorous...
2487.10RICKS::CALCAGNImultiple sarcasmFri Apr 03 1992 20:071
    yeah, except I thought *they* were at least half serious...
2487.11Get seriousGOES11::G_HOUSENow I'm down in itFri Apr 03 1992 20:212
    Looks like the thing has some *serious* protection with that metal
    plating on it...
2487.12right off a truck bumper.MILKWY::JACQUESVintage taste, reissue budgetMon Apr 13 1992 14:1413
    I saw the ads for the Dual rectifier amp. What they are calling
    "armour" is actually diamond-plate steel. I'm not sure if it is
    aluminum or stainless steel, but either way, it must ad consid-
    erable weight to the amp. IMHO this looks ridiculous and appears
    to do little to actually protect the amp. I'm surprised they
    didn't use the heavy steel grille for the front. The picture in
    the ad shows a regular grill cloth. If I want protection for my
    equipment, I'll buy a road case. Mesa Boogie has always made 
    pretty classy looking cabinets (wood grain, black, blonde, deisel,
    road ready, etc) but IMHO this amp looks ridiculous. It definately
    targets a young impulsive market.
     
    	Mark
2487.13dissent!EZ2GET::STEWARTthe leper with the most fingersMon Apr 13 1992 17:146
    
    I liked the look, but wondered about the weight.  Not too seriously
    though - no purchase likely...
    
    \John_who's_not_young_but_must_be_impulsive
    
2487.14Great reviewGOES11::G_HOUSELow self opinionThu Sep 24 1992 21:1814
    Humorous as the ads are, and the concept of having a truck bumper
    wrapped around your amp is, I read a review of the Dual Rectifier one
    of the magazines I read recently that RAVED about this amp's tone *and*
    versatility.  As I remember, the reviewer claimed it was the best
    sounding amp he had ever used!
    
    Now, I'm usually skeptical about positive reviews in magazines, 'cause
    they all seem to be somewhat that way, but this one was SO
    overwhelmingly glowing that it made me sit up and take notice.
    
    Might actually convince me to stop somewhere and try one out
    sometime...
    
    Greg
2487.15Just curiousNWACES::HICKERNELLRetro-focussedFri Sep 25 1992 11:443
    Did he mention his bowels at all?
    
    Dave
2487.16stereo flatulenceTOOK::SCHUCHARDDon't go away mad!Fri Sep 25 1992 13:581
    wow! imagine having dual exhaust!!!!!!!!
2487.17GOES11::G_HOUSELow self opinionFri Sep 25 1992 16:024
    No, no bowels were mentioned.  He just said it was an incredible
    sounding amp that was very versatile.
    
    Greg
2487.18seen oneRICKS::CALCAGNIL'Angelo MinestronioTue Mar 09 1993 14:477
    Well, nearly a year later and the Dual Rectifier heads have started to
    show up in Boston area Daddy's.  I didn't try it out; was afraid I
    might have an "accident" :-)  Anyone else out there got the 'nads?
    
    A store clerk said he thought the 5150 blew it away, fwiw.
    
    /rick
2487.19KDX200::COOPERHello me, it's me again!Tue Mar 09 1993 15:289
I've played one.  It kicks booty.  I've also played the 5150.
They are both "typical" toob heads (they both kick!).  I just 
like the name of the Boogie better:

"Dual Rectum Fryer"

Sorry. 

:-)
2487.20It's YOU, Coop!GOES11::G_HOUSEIt's NOT a TOOMAH!Tue Mar 09 1993 16:024
    Remember folks, according to the ads, this thing will make your bowels
    move!  What MORE could one ask for in an amplifier??!?
    
    gh
2487.21the cure for constipated guitaristsDABEAN::REAUMEResonance Control!!!Tue Mar 09 1993 16:227
    
    
      RE: -.1
    
         .......more LED's? Sorry Coop!
    
    							-B{}{}M-
2487.22KDX200::COOPERHello me, it's me again!Tue Mar 09 1993 16:274
No apology BoOm!

The thing is definately NOT me...  Now, the TriAxis paired with a 
395 Simul-Class and four more 4x12's is ME.  :-)
2487.23GakGOES11::G_HOUSESon of SpamMon Jul 19 1993 14:3011
    Boom said something in another note about that " diamond-plate armor
    option" on these things (you know, looks like a truck bumper?) and it
    reminded me of something I'd intended to mention.  I saw one of these
    amps (Mesa Dual Rectifier) for the first time, and it had that crap on
    the front of it.  The thing that amazed me most...
    
    			....IT WAS *PLASTIC*!!!
    
    Can you believe that? 
    
    Greg                                    
2487.24FREEBE::REAUMEACCESS the TONE ZONEMon Jul 19 1993 16:006
      I saw one at Sam Ash when I was working in Long Island last week.
    Faked me out. I should have tapped on it to see if it was real.
    
      Sounded good though.
    
    							-B{}{}M-
2487.25GOES11::G_HOUSESon of SpamMon Jul 19 1993 16:548
    This one didn't have it chrome plated.  In it's native black it even
    looked like plastic, so I tapped on it to see.  Now bear in mind that
    this was the head, not the cab, I donno for sure what they're putting
    on the cabs.
    
    I didn't play through the amp.
    
    Greg
2487.26Any Trem-O-Verb Owners ou there ?MSBCS::KALINOWSKIFri Jan 19 1996 13:5585
    Doesn't anyone own one of these ?
    
    I have a Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb 2x12" Combo and I love the amp. I
    got rid of all of my rack stuff and my marshall 1/2 stack to lighten my
    load. I was looking at a MKIV originally, I test drove that and just
    wasn't able to get the sound I liked from it. I then moved over and
    tried a Trem-O-Verb head through a Marshall 4x12 Cab and was blown
    away. I ordered a celestian loaded 2x12 combo that day. 
    
    About the amp:
    
    This amp is not nickle plated or plastic covered (although I hear that
    Duvol and Acerbis will start making frame guards for these soon ;^).
    Mine has Black leather covering, black grill cloth, chrome knobs. There
    is a leather handle on the top and 2 very heavy Navil type recessed
    handles on each side. The amp has 4 casters and a nice cover. The 
    amp is 100w all tube and can easily be converted to 50w by removing 2
    power tubes and a tube rectifier. The front pannel has :
    
    Chan Gain Bass Mid Treb Pres Reverb Master   Trem    Trem 
      |   O    O    O    O   O     O      O    Dep Speed   |   Effects    S P
                                                O    O            O       | |
    Chan Gain Bass Mid Treb Pres Reverb Master           Trem 
      |   O    O    O    O   O     O      O                |
    
    
    
    The Channel select selects the voicing for the channel. There are 4
    unique voicings across 2 different channels. The orange channel is a 
    vintage channel and the red a modern Hi-gain channel. Each channel 
    offers 2 unique voicings one high gain and one low gain. The channels
    can be cloned; in other words you can make the red cahnnel identical to
    the orange, or the orange channel identical to the red. This is real
    useful if for instance you like both voicings on the Red channel. You
    can clone the Red Channel onto the orange channel (in essance now
    creating 2 Red channels) Use one red channel with Voicing1 and the
    other with Voicing 2. You still have complete control over all preamp
    setting including reverb for bith channels. 
    
    The front of the Amp has 2 complete sets of preamp controls offering
    the user maximum tonal variety. Each channel has independent master and
    reverb settings as well. The reberb between the red and orange channels
    are also different. The orange channel offers a deeper reverb with what
    appears to be a longer decay as compared to the modern red channel.
    This was designed intentionally by Mesa.The tremolo is nice, although I
    don't use it very often, and offers a Depth and Speed Control. Tremolo
    is selectable for each channel via a switch on the front of the amp. In
    addition there is an effects Master on the front pannel. This works as
    a master volume when the effects loop is activated. Really cool feature
    because with an effects unit in place you don't have to keep ajusting
    your input and output volumes to keep the unit from clipping as you
    turn up your volume. Instead you set the master for each channel, Ajust
    the effects unit once and use the master Effects to control overall
    volume. 
    
    The back pannel is equally interesting. There is a rectifier selection
    switch which allows you to move change from tube to solid state
    rectifiers. This has a pretty dramatic affect on the sound. The Tube
    rectifier is much warmer and really good for blues and rock. The solid
    state rectifier is really tight and excellent for hard rock/metal. 
    
    The effects loop is selectable so you can disengage it, set it for 1
    cannel, the other channel or both. It has send and mix levels as well.
    There is a slave with a slave level control and finally 4 1/4" jacks for 
    foot switch control of channel selection, reverb, tremolo, and effects 
    loop.  
    
    The system supports 616's or EL34 power tubes and comes with 6 12ax7's.
    5 of the 12ax7's are for the preamp sections and the 4th is for the
    tube reverb built into the amp. The one I selected has specially
    designed 30W speakers made by Celestian for Boogie. There are also a 
    number of impedance matched jacks on the rear pannel suffecient to drive 
    2 - 4 expansion cabs.   
    
    As for the sound, I love it. I can get most of the sounds I was getting
    out of My 5150 head out of it with a far more flexible second channel.
    It does and absolutely wonderful clean sound and  with a little tremolo
    a great bluesey sound. The open back 2x12 is a bit trebely for my taste
    but combined with the marshall 4x12 has all the bottom-end I'll ever
    need. 
    
    Tell me there is someone out there who has one or who has tried one of
    these. What were your opinions ?
    
    Brian