Closest module to..

[Moe.]

Mesa boogie Mark IIC+?

I emailed Pete asking if he could do a mod for me to change a Recto into something closer in the Mark series tone department. He said it would be too much work and may be too hard.

I may try getting a new module myself and trying to mod it until I can find something close to a Mark IIC+.

Which stock module should I start with to get the tone I'm after?

 

[gtr31]

the discontinued Randall Ultra lead would be the closest , IMO
it is the Randall equiv of close to the Egnater EG4

 

[okstrat]

Mesa boogie Mark IIC+?

I emailed Pete asking if he could do a mod for me to change a Recto into something closer in the Mark series tone department. He said it would be too much work and may be too hard.

I may try getting a new module myself and trying to mod it until I can find something close to a Mark IIC+.

Which stock module should I start with to get the tone I'm after?

Moe, the main difficulty is that the only thing the mark series and the rectos have in common is the name 'mesa'. Two totally different amps - A COD egnater module has more in common with a mark series amp than a Recto, and it's a copy of a Dumble!

Probably want to look at a ultra lead. The ultra lead modded will get you into mark territory. But like I also said in the email, the IIC+ that everyone wants has a 5 band EQ, not sure how you're going to put a 5 band EQ in your mod. Another thing you would want to do is study a mesa's wiring style - the mark series had several quirks that give it the tone it has. I've owned and studied a few.

Pete

 

[okstrat]

the discontinued Randall Ultra lead would be the closest , IMO
it is the Randall equiv of close to the Egnater EG4

*hi fives gtr31* when I had mine, it was like santana in a box!

 

[Moe.]

Mesa boogie Mark IIC+?

I emailed Pete asking if he could do a mod for me to change a Recto into something closer in the Mark series tone department. He said it would be too much work and may be too hard.

I may try getting a new module myself and trying to mod it until I can find something close to a Mark IIC+.

Which stock module should I start with to get the tone I'm after?

Moe, the main difficulty is that the only thing the mark series and the rectos have in common is the name 'mesa'. Two totally different amps - A COD egnater module has more in common with a mark series amp than a Recto, and it's a copy of a Dumble!

Probably want to look at a ultra lead. The ultra lead modded will get you into mark territory. But like I also said in the email, the IIC+ that everyone wants has a 5 band EQ, not sure how you're going to put a 5 band EQ in your mod. Another thing you would want to do is study a mesa's wiring style - the mark series had several quirks that give it the tone it has. I've owned and studied a few.

Pete

Thanks for the input Pete.
I heard that it's rather difficult to replicate a Mark's tone because it has pre gain too if I remember correctly . A 31 band EQ would probably be the only option too to replicate the 5 band EQ. It probably wouldn't give the same results but it's the closest I could get.

What are the overall different characteristics tone wise with a Dual rec. and a Mark IIc+?

 

[Moe.]

Also, on my recto module I did the C3 bass mod. I'm wondering If there's a way I could tighten up the mids at all though. Any input onto this?

 

[gtr31]

are talking the lead voice or the rythm.

Actually I think there is a modded Ultra lead right now in the classified for $120 .

The rthm channel is much harder you could probably get somewhat close with a Grail if you were to figure out the V curve on the eq. cut those mids out and pull the gain back a bit .

 

[Moe.]

I'm talking about the Rhythm.

 

[nikki-k]

Mesa Mark series (and some others) had this chain:
Input -> first triode -> Tonestack (treb, mid, bass) -> Gain stages -> PI -> power section (very basically).
Some versions of those models added the graphic EQ, post gain. Conversely, a typical old-school Marshall type would be:
Input -> first triode -> Gain knob -> one or two triodes of controlled gain -> cathode follower (triode) -> tonestack -> PI -> power section.
(Using a graphic EQ pedal up front to control frequencies slamming the gain stages is a good consideration for those Marshall types )

To approximate those Mesa types, you could run... parametric EQ up front, and then follow the tonestack with a graphic EQ. Maybe the Furman PEQ could help. The Recto series ran the more traditional FMV type chain (Fender, Marshall, Vox).

Plus, usual Mesa signal fun

Would love to figure a way to mod a module.. or start from scratch and see if imitating the Mark series is even possible. Voltages/currents, etc. might be interesting...

 

[okstrat]

Nikki got it - if you ever played a real mark mesa, you notice real fast that the amp EQ (not the 5 band) doesn't do as much as the 5 band. Because it's early in gain stages like a fender - mark series amps were basically hot rodded fenders. So are dumbles.

Rectos are more like a modded marshall in that the amp eq is last, so your tone controls on the amp affect it in a different way.

Adding bass to a mark series with the amp EQ tends to make it muddy - most guys run the bass very low and then crank it on the EQ. Don't need to do that so much with the recto.

There are other differences too, some of the things that they do to tame the mark series propensity to oscillate makes for a really nasal tone, which the 5 band EQ helps get rid of. This is also why a lot of people HATE the mesa mark series without the EQ - they sound incredibly midrangy.

Pete

 

[Moe.]

Nikki got it - if you ever played a real mark mesa, you notice real fast that the amp EQ (not the 5 band) doesn't do as much as the 5 band. Because it's early in gain stages like a fender - mark series amps were basically hot rodded fenders. So are dumbles.

Rectos are more like a modded marshall in that the amp eq is last, so your tone controls on the amp affect it in a different way.

Adding bass to a mark series with the amp EQ tends to make it muddy - most guys run the bass very low and then crank it on the EQ. Don't need to do that so much with the recto.

There are other differences too, some of the things that they do to tame the mark series propensity to oscillate makes for a really nasal tone, which the 5 band EQ helps get rid of. This is also why a lot of people HATE the mesa mark series without the EQ - they sound incredibly midrangy.

Pete

Ah, cheers.
Yeah I've seen pictures of settings for the Mark series and people have ran the bass knob on 2 or so. I haven't seen it above three at all.

 

[droptrd]

Man, I wish randall would come out with a MarkIIC/IV module. that would kill!