Rectifiers are strange amps (lead tone content, Satch content)

[Drew]

A lot of people like to slag off on this amp for leads, but, well... Dialed in right (and full disclosure here, the EQ is VERY unintuitive), they sound absolutely great for lead.

I'll post my settings up in a day or two so you don't come into this with any preconceptions, but this is my PWH into my Rectoverb combo, with EL34's and a Chaos mod TS9 being used as a slight clean boost (really, more of an EQ, with the drive almost off and the gain about unity). I start with the volume rolled back a little, and my PWH doesn't have the normal high pass capaciter installed, so it might sound a little odd at first.

This isn't a great cover as I just wanted to get the tone down on tape and there's clearly some mistakes here, but here's a rough pass through Satch's "Always with Me." I've got a Line6 DL4 in the loop providing a little bit of delay, and I added a light room verb to play up the Satch vibe and then ran a high pass filter at about 80hz to help it sit better in the mix (it's the kind of tweak that you can only just barely hear on the tone, though - this is pretty much how the amp sounds).

http://www.drewpeterson.org/alwaysRecto.mp3

[Algiman]

Great tone. Given that you're using entirely different equipment that is pretty close to the original.

[Drew]

It's not a dead ringer for Surfing-area Satch - his sound was actually pretty edgy and processed sounding back then - and I wasn't really trying to make a Rectoverb sound like Joe Satriani, exactly. I was just screwing around one day, was really surprised by this combination of EQ settings, and happened to have a Satriani backing on hand.

I know a lot of people say the Rectifier is only good for metal rhythm, but I have a feeling that's just because they've never played one properly set up, you know? It's a very unintuitive amp, and if you try to dial it in like you would a Marshall and then leave the volume down it's just going to sound like sludgy fizz. In reality, it's one of the most versatile amps I've ever played.

[Gurj]

Originally Posted by Drew

It's a very unintuitive amp, and if you try to dial it in like you would a Marshall and then leave the volume down it's just going to sound like sludgy fizz.

This is the problem with the rectos I've had! The rectos don't come to life until they are cranked. And the problem there is that I could never get a tone I liked at home. Even with my old band where we used to practice in a small room, my triple rec was almost unusable.
The one regret I have of selling both rectos I've had is that I've heard them opened up by the buyers at their place. Both times I nearly told them that the deal is off
I'm sure I'm going to end up with another rectifier again. Next time I might give myself more time to learn how to love it!

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by Gurj

This is the problem with the rectos I've had! The rectos don't come to life until they are cranked. And the problem there is that I could never get a tone I liked at home. Even with my old band where we used to practice in a small room, my triple rec was almost unusable.
The one regret I have of selling both rectos I've had is that I've heard them opened up by the buyers at their place. Both times I nearly told them that the deal is off
I'm sure I'm going to end up with another rectifier again. Next time I might give myself more time to learn how to love it!

I woul dhave never got a triple rec.

I used to own a single rectifier and the 50 watts was so usuable for a stack. I never had to play anywhere that you need more than 50. No offense to you gurj but I really thin the triple was gimick. Mesa knew a lot of people would see 150 watts and think they needed it, in reality no one does. If you're going to be super loud there is always a PS these days and the head room isn't necessary

[kotornut]

I owned a Rectifier for 9 years or so and I say that amp is good at any gain sounds excepting maybe that 60s Bassman type of Hendrix vibe and other similar vintage gains. But definately from Sabbath on up it does them all if you know how to use it. I miss that amp so bad every time I go to practice.

I seriously think most people's reviews are skewed because people don't know how to use what they got. Recently I feel this is increasing. I hear about 10-30 examples of it every time I step into a big name music store like Shimamura (the Japanese equivalent of GC).


Dude enjoy that Recto.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by kotornut

I seriously think most people's reviews are skewed because people don't know how to use what they got.

Quoted for truth. The Rectifier's EQ is the least intuitive thing I've ever gotten to plug into, but once you get the hang of it, lol.... Check your PM, I think you'll crack up when you hear how this was set.

[ColinMmmmm]

Yeah I'm currently saving the dough to purchase a RV combo. And you've helped sell me on it Drew.

[shogun]

i was told when dialing in a recto, start with the bass almost all the way off and the treb up really high

[Drew]

Originally Posted by shogun

i was told when dialing in a recto, start with the bass almost all the way off and the treb up really high

Bass almost off is a good suggestion for the modern mode. Treble really high? 1-2 o'clock isn't a bad starting point if you're looking for heavy crunch. I think Mesa actually advises against running both the treble and the gain really high, though, as it can cause microphonic feedback at extreme settings/volumes.

Remember, the treble is the first knob in the tone stack, and it's position will determine how much effect the other two have - a high treble setting will make your mid and bass knobs comparatively weak, whereas a lower one will make the two following knobs take a more dominant roll.

[voodoo_child]

I've owned a couple of Recs over the years. I wouldn't 'slag it off', but im one of those people who don't rate it much for leads.

And it's nothing to with not knowing how to dial it in, ive owned tonnes of Mesa's and know exactly how much tweaking some of them need. I just don't think leads are a Recs strong point.

[rastachild]

it sounds good, maybe not the tone i would aim for lead-wise, but definitely good. i would like to spend some time with a rectifier, as i've been turned off by them from most of the recordings i've heard. it can be difficult to tell the true nature of an amp these days just by recordings considering the amount of post eq, compression, fx and mastering can be applied. honestly, even a basic pod can sound amazing on a recording, especially for lead tones.

[zEr0]

Nice playing dude. But as usual the Recto tone sounds too freaking bright for my liking. I'm not a great judge I know, I only played one for a couple of minutes but I wasn't impressed at all.

I'm glad you like it

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by voodoo_child

I've owned a couple of Recs over the years. I wouldn't 'slag it off', but im one of those people who don't rate it much for leads.

And it's nothing to with not knowing how to dial it in, ive owned tonnes of Mesa's and know exactly how much tweaking some of them need. I just don't think leads are a Recs strong point.

Originally Posted by zEr0

Nice playing dude. But as usual the Recto tone sounds too freaking bright for my liking. I'm not a great judge I know, I only played one for a couple of minutes but I wasn't impressed at all.

I'm glad you like it

Hey if there was only one good amp the guitar would be boring to play.

I feel like you do about a lot of amps people think are great like the EVH 5153.

[Drew]

This is basically "what you hear is what you get," rastachild - I didn't record the backing so I can't speak to that, but the lead just has a touch of room verb applied, and a high pass at about 80hz, which is too low to fundamentally change the tone, only pare off some of the lower subharmonic stuff to keep the low end tight.

Zero, the funny thing is, this is a Rectifier with the treble all the way back, and the presence just barely above zero as well. It actually gets a little darker in the modern mode, but really what you're hearing is the treble knob pulled almost entirely out of the tone circuit, so that the midrange knob comes in to take over dominance. I've got the mids at 3 o'clock, and the bass maybe 11 o'clock.

It's funny, by rights running yourtreble at zero should sound like crap, especially with the presence no higher than 9 o'clock, too. This certaintly isn't my normal lead tone, but I was so surprised by how Satch-y it sounded that I had to record clips.

It's really an unintuitive EQ stack, somehow backing the treble back really just shifts the high end down a few khz rather than really muffling the high end - it just reshapes it, I guess. Cool.