Dual Rectifier Review

The amp has 100 watts and the aformentioned 3 channels which are changed through the use of the included 'Big Foot' footswitch.

Features:	9.7
Sound:	9.7
Reliability:	9.6
Impression:	9.8
Overall rating:	9.7
Users rating:	8.8
Comments:	71

Featured review by: unregistered, on october 29, 2004

Price paid: $ 3500

Purchased from: Geneva

Features: This is the newer version of the Dual Recto with 3 independant chanels. I manly have clean cruch and altogether nasty disto sound. I play post grunge rock on it in the lines of Creed and Nickelback types of sound. I have a TC Electronics G-Major in the loop that I also use to do Chanel switching on the three chanels via the trigers of the G-Major. The G-Major is piloted via midi by a Rocktron Midi Mate Padal board. The power his more than enough to rock a whole concert room and you do need to drive it quite loud to get all the punch, otherwise it might sound thin. // 10

Sound: I use Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 and 24. The noise level is really low, I do have a gate in the TC electronic but I rarely use it. The sound of the Mesa is very typical and this is mostly the reason why people buy Mesa. If I was to buy it again I would buy a 2x closed cab plus a 2x open cab because the clean sounds are not to good with a closed cabinet. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Would I use it without a backup? Hey it's lamps, although the constructions is extremely rugged I would be a fool not to have at least a set of spare lamps. // 8

Impression: I also have a Recto-Verb small combo 50 watt from Mesa and it's also a Rectifier type amp but it doesn't stad comparison with the dual recto. I love the fact that you don't have to spend two hours to get a decent sound even with all the knobs at noon it sounds. When you play with the knobs you can actualy hear the effect unlike other amps where the knobs seem to be purely cosmetic. I wish it would have a cabinet switching in it to assign diferent cabinets to different chanels (well they do but it is called a Road King and it's very expensive and hard to get in switzerland). My favorite feature is that I can switch the 3 chanels through the back trigers with only two connectors (yes trig 1=chanel 1, trig 3=chanel 3 and trig 1+3= chanel 2). // 10

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: metal_man12, on september 11, 2006

Price paid: $ 1090

Purchased from: Ebay

Features: I have the 3 channel Dual Rectifier. This amp is very versatile. I frequently go from playing hard thrash and prog stuff to clean and smooth jazz and blues and it handles everything really nicely. The clean channel has two modes, clean and pushed, and the two drive channels have three modes, raw, Vintage, and modern. The amp has a solo boost feature which allows you to set a level above the volume you are playing at that you can switch to when you need that extra boost. the amp also came with a foot Switch that allows you to change between the 3 channels, turn the effects loop on and off, and activate the solo boost. I haven't really used the effects loop much yet, because the amp I was using before the Dual had all it's effects built in, and I didn't need to get any external effects. I use this amp in my basement, basically just for band practice, and the feature that really makes the dual rec awesome for every situation is the ability to run it at half power. When you pull two of the power tubes (inner pair or outer pair) and one of the rectifier tubes, the amp runs effectivley at 50 watts, as opposed to 100. This cuts out some of the head room the amp had, and allows you to crank the tubes at lower volumes, so you can get that great tube sound without blowing your ears off. The amp also allows you to Switch between tube rectification, which gives you a smoother and mroe elastic feel, and silicon diode rectification, for more gain and etc. You can also switch between two modes of power, spongy, which makes things a bit softer and fuzzy, and bold, which tightens up the sound. The dual rec has fixed bias, which you can toggle between el-34 bias and 6l6 bias. // 10

Sound: I use the Dual Rec with an American Fender Double Fat Strat, and it sounds beast. My band covers Liquid tension expiriment, Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax, Dream Theater, Steve Vai, ac/dc, pantera, and etc. We also like imrovising blues and jazz. The dual rec blows through all those styles with great tone. I can get a pretty nice petrucci lead tone out of the 2nd channels Vintage mode, though if you want the classic petrucci tone back in the day I'd like to point you in the direction of a mark 4. The raw mode on the 2nd channel is great for classic rock and blues. I get a nice Metallica and thrash tone also out of the 3rd channels modern mode. The clean channel is very clean, haven't had it muddy up at all. switching it to the pushed mode gives you a nice tone for blues rythym and etc. I'm running the amp with 6l6 power tubes, and the 5u4gB rectifier tubes. It sounds great, though the 5u4gs make the tone sag a bit. The distortion can get VERY brutal, that's what the recs are all about, but, they can still clean up very nicely for blues and etc. One thing to remember about dual recs and the like when searching for tone, the EQ doesnt't work like a Marshall, or Fender, or etc. Your tone will mostly be shaped by the treble, presence and Drive knobs. The mid and bass will effect the tone, but not like any old run of the mill amp (no offense to Marshall, great amps, but hey), bass adds thump, or boom, not nessecarily low end, and the mid makes it punchy, and etc. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I haven't gigged with it yet, but I can't wait to. The only thing I'd bring would be and extra fuse, and some power tubes. The amp hasn't broken down on me yet, and it's had at least five years of use, and a trip from tenesse to maryland. The midi chord for the pedal is kinda twichy, which is probably from the long trip. // 9

Impression: I play rock, metal, prog, and jazz and blues. Like I said, this amp does a great job in all of those genres. I've been playing for about 3 and ahalf years, and I own the Johnson jm150 modeling amp, which models the recto. Needless to say, the recto blows it out of the water. If this amp was stolen, well, I'd be pretty f--ked 'cause I doubt I'm gonna be able to pull another thou outta my ass any time soon, but I'd definetly be saving for another. The only thing I really disliked about this amp was the eq. At first, I struggled to get a good tone, but after reading the manual, and really fine tuning the tone, it was simple to find great tones fast. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: schecterboy3000, on february 05, 2007

Price paid: $ 1

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I got a brand new 2006 model. It's extremely versitle and overwhelming for the first couple of weeks until you get oriented. I play modern rock, alternative rock, and jazz. It covers everything perfectly. I'm a teenage musician and I needed a good amp to last really long. Since I don't need all the power I got a 2x12 cab instead of a 4x12. This thing is still freakin loud. There are a lot of knobs and stuff in the back. I have no comment of the effects loop and stuff because I'm not an effects freak. No, no headphone jack (what kind of dumbass wants a headphone jack on a halfstack). Look, I see some people may want reverb. If you want reverb buy A pedal! The fact that this monster doesnt't have reverb is no reason for anybody to not consider it, it has everything you need trust me! Enough said. If you want all the features, be smart and go on mesaboogie.com. // 10

Sound: Ok, I play a Schecter C1 Classic and a crappy Fender squire with a dimarzio yjm at the neck and a chopper at the bridge. This thing Is insane for rock. ok, heres a description of the sounds:

Channel 1 Clean - very glassy, smooth, and punchy. I love the clean channel!
Channel 1 Pushed - sounds exactly like Nickelback's Rockstar And Photograph. Really useful and sounds really good.
Channel 2 Modern - like Blink 182, Unwritten Law.
Channel 2 Vintage - kinda scrapes the distortion off allitle. Can tweak some nice classic rock.
Channel 2 Raw - I would say I use this the least. Really scrapes of distortion, it still sounds amazing, I just don't use it.
Channel 3 Modern - this will getya some nice Avenged Sevenfold tone. Crank up the gain and you get that As I Lay Dying tone from 94 hours. Oh, and Metallica tone with mid all the way down.
Channel 3 Vintage - this gives you almost a Marshall tone kinda like Malmsteen sound.
Channel 3 Raw - like I said I don't use raw as much.

This has more distortion than you will need. I don't raise it over 6. The mid knob doest really go down a lot. This is not an extreme deathmetal amp. Yes as I said great variety, doesn't break up. It is a little noisy at times. Not all the time. And yea duh crappy single coils hum still. This amp has a really recognizable tone. I can now listen to the radio and identify who is using a Mesa Boogie. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Very dependable. Don't be an idiot, let the thing warm up and don't turn it off suddenly. Use standby! And uh ya it's a tube amp ye gotsta change the tubes! The only real issue is that there is a loud pop and a short delay when changing channels with the footswitch. I figuired out that it's a really loud pop just after you turn on the amp. Once it's more warmed up, and cranked up the pop is more subtle. // 10

Impression: Great amp. I don't know how an amp could deliver any more. And I route it through a mesa cab, with a closed back. Honestly I cannot give you an opinion about the cab. I just don't have the ear for that crap nor do I have any other cabs. Look, if you're contemplating between this and a Marshall. Do yourself a favor and go play them. Marshall is better for crunch like acdc and stuff. And I have heard that they can have problems. Mesa Boogie products are handmade in the USA Marshalls are made in a factory in the UK. And if it were stolen, no I wouldn't buy another one because I don't have the money! If I ever found the guy that stole it I would get the amp back, strap their head to it and crank it! It's really good. If you don't have the money get it with the smaller cab like me. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on january 20, 2004

Price paid: $ 1250

Purchased from: ebay

Features: 3 Channels, absolutely perfect. I've wanted a Boogie for so long and finally sold my old P.O.S. stack to get a Mesa stack after years of saving. This amp couldn't be better. The cleans are amazing, channel two produces a beautiful crunch and can give more distortion than you need. Channel 3 screams with gain and tone. The 5 12AX7 tubes give lots of gain and you'll never need more. And it is LOUD as fuck. I play 500 person venues without cranking it. // 10

Sound: Play with a Fender American strat (single coils) and I'm in love. Not noisy at all and can play all styles of music. The Clean sparkles and just cries out with amazing tones. The second channel dishes out thick, yet warm distortions found on all of your favorite albums. The third channel gives you the warmest, yet thickest gains you could ever imagine or dream for. The solo addition adds more gain to your higher strings and this amp SINGS!!! // 10

Reliability & Durability: I've owned this amp for about 6 months and have not had a problem. Granted, it's a tube amp so you're going to have to replace tubes after so many hours of play, but if you're gigging and the tubes don't have a ton of hours then you don't need to worry about a backup. Besides, once you start playing a Mesa, only a Mesa will do for a backup or else you're going to be pissed with how shitty the backup amp sounds. The only problem with owning a Mesa/Boogie is that it sets very high standards and you won't be happy with anything else after that. But hey, is that such a bad thing??? // 10

Impression: I play an indie style of music and this amp couldn't give me anything more. I run my MXR Phase 90 and Boss BF-2 Flanger through the effects loop which I can turn on and off from the amps footswitch which is quite convenient. I would advise playing through a cabinet that can handle at least 200-240 watts or else the cab will be blown quite quickly. Mesa puts out ad's with Dual Rectifiers on top of 2x12 cabs. Don't Do That!!! That 2x12 cab will last until you put the amp at what would be around level 3 or 4 and then you can kiss it goodbye and go find a replacement on ebay. Ebay is an excellent place to get good deals on gear by the way. // 10

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: super666fender, on december 28, 2006

Price paid: $ 987.5

Purchased from: guy off craigslist.com

Features: This is a 1994 Two channel version. Never really played that much with a 3 channel (I was too freaked out by all the knobs and switches at the back. The exterior I in faily poor shape (aftermarket tolex, it's green, a lot of ripps and scuffs on it and the corners are from what it seems like a Fender. But I love it, gives the amp some character) When I bought it it had a Brand New set of Mesa tubes, including the 6L6's. This amp is extremly versatile, can go from jazzy cleans to testicle crushing distortion. I play thrash/death metal and this amp cannot be more perfect for me. As mentioned earlier this is the 2 channel version. Channel one being Orange and channel two being red. Each channel can be voiced for eaither modern or Vintage and cloned. For example instead of channel one being clean and channed two being overdrive. You can have channel one as a Vintage overdrive and channel two as a searing lead tone. It also have a footswitch capability, effects loop, but no headphone jack. The amp also features auto biasing switch to use eitehr 6L6's or EL34's. Has a Switch for bold or spondy voicing as well as SS or tube rectification. It has allt eh features I need. I never was a big fx guy, so I don't use the loop at all which retains a pure unobstructed circuit for best tone. I use this amp at home for practicing and at band practice. It is more than enough power for anyone. At home I can't have it past 1.5 for reasonable room elvles, and at band practice I have to keep her under 3 or esle I start to drown out the bass and drums. // 10

Sound: I am using a Epiphone G400, stock pups, GHS TNT strings, Dunlop 1mm picks and like mentioned in the above paragraph it suits my toanl needs completely. Once I heard one of these ina music store a couple years ago, I knew thsiu is the only amp I would ever want. After a year of saving I finally bought her. Never regreted the purchase. Ever. The clean channel is a bit noisy when it is in modern rhythym mode (that's where the cleanest most shimmering tone can be found) but it's not that big of a deal. Feedback is very tame and controllable(when I ahve it louder in my room I get it all the time, but that is only because I am about a foot away from the amp.)I've never had the clean channel high enough to overdrive on me (at lest on modern voicing). The distortion at band practice levels is insane to say the least. Mes'as have some very intiguing EQ designs, as the gain acts almost as a master volume for that one channel. On the red channel I keep gain at about 1-2 oclock. Past that at low volumes it starts to found too fizzy andtoo liquidy for massive chugging riffs. I am also going to purchase a TS9 to boost for leads as I hear it mnakes the overdrive super smooth. If you haven't gotten the message yet, the distortion is absolutly insane. If you think you need more, your insane. I forgot to mention earlier, I play though a Behringer BG412H and it complements it very nicely. My balls shake at band practice when I stand infront of the amp. // 9

Reliability & Durability: It is very dependable, it has been around since 94, with only tube changes and 1 fuse blowing in it'e whole life. Yeah I would gig without a backup becuase I would be ashamed to play through my Marshall MG15 which I had before. The only thing I would do is bring some spare tubes and an extra fuse. I've only had the amp for about 2months so I do not have enough experisnce yet to see first hand how reliable this bad boy is. But I've never heard of any reliability issues with Boogies. // 10

Impression: I feel like I'm repeating myself. This amp suits my tonal and musical needs exremely well. I have been playing for just over 4 years now and this is the best purchase I could have ever made. I also own a Yamaha acoustic, Epi G400, Behringer xvamp fx processor, Behringer BG412H 4x12 cab, and soon to be Morley wah and Ibanez TS9. I was comparing amps for about 2 years before I got this baby, and I can easily says thsi amp slays all of them. I would never lose thsi amp, bt if it was ever tolen(I don't know how, it's so dman heavey) I would be heartbroken and probably want to quit guitaring but yes I would buy another one. I just lvoe everything about it. nothing to hate, no player haters up in here man. The chrome Diamond plate grill gives it that garagy in your face kind of look and the worn and tattered tolex just adds to it. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on april 07, 2008

Features: I recently purchased a Mesa Boogie 3 Channel Dual Rectifier 100W Head. One weird thing is that the amp switching is on a knob around the back panel of the unit, though no biggy, since the footswitch it comes with solves this problem. As previously stated a million times, this amp is incredibly versatile. At the moment I'm playing in my music room, and this amp has too much power. For gigs, no one needs to say 100 watts of gut wrenching tube power is more than enough. Yes there is an effects loop, run in parallel, though no headphone jack. // 10

Sound: At the moment I use an Ibanez RG with stock pickups, almost always set on the bridge pickup. The pickup pattern is HSH. This amp suits my play style and tone very very well. In some cases I wish the distortion was a little tighter, but again, you can't have everything(well, you can, just not in one amp. Even though Mesa is world renowned for their brutal tone on the recto's, there is always a handful of people bashing everything about them. This is totally unfair. One thing to make sure of when deciding if you want to get this is that you like it's sound. Recto's have a personality and tone all to themselves, and at times can be a little fuzzy. For the people Who plugged one of these in at a store and said it sounded terrible, I have a feeling it was simply the EQ. The EQ on this works a little differently, and the Treble and Gain will shape the impact the rest of the EQ has on your tone. One look at the manual tells you this is not, I repeat, IS NOT a plug and play amp. It takes a good while before you truly start pumping out the tone your looking for, and slight changes in the EQ may make you turn your head twice at the incredible sound you just stumbled upon. Take your time and get familiar before you bash something based on bias only. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I haven't had this amp for long enough to determine it's reliability, though I would gig with a backup. The main reason being I don't have enough money to buy another amp of a close enough quality to back this up at a gig. Though from anyone you talk to, whether you like the amp or not, there is no denying that they will tell you it's built solid. // 10

Impression: Many people will say that while this is a great amp, it doesn't compare to Engl or Bogner. Well, I don't really agree, as it definitly holds its own, but while I picked this thing up for relatively cheap(about the same price of a Peavey Triple XX after taxes) I really doubt I'd get a Engl Special Edition or a Bogner Uberschall for the same price. Think about the jump your talking about. While I wish I had an Engl or Bogner, it's not going to happen for a long, long time. Luckily, at the moment, I can afford the next best thing. // 9

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: jolleymuse, on june 01, 2009

Features: This is the newer, 3 channel Dual Rectifier from Mesa/Boogie. The amp has 100 watts and the aformentioned 3 channels which are changed through the use of the included 'Big Foot' footswitch. The footswitch has 5 buttons, one for each channel, one for the effects loop and a 'solo' button which switches the master volume control used enabling you to engage a volume boost for solos.

Each Channel has the standard Treble - Middle - Bass EQ, a presence control, gain control and a volume. The first channel has a Clean/Pushed Switch and the other two channels have a Raw/Vintage/Modern. Some other features of the amp are:

-Power amp output
-Effects Loop
-5 outputs for speaker cabs
-extenal switching inputs for channels 1, 2 & 3, solo and effects loop
-Spongy/Bold Switch which switches from tube to solid state rectification
-Fixed Bias with a 6L6/EL-34 selector

I do wish it had a Reverb but I can Live without untill I buy a reverb pedal. It could also do with four channels due to the huge array of sounds that can be accessed on each channel (I think the Road King has four channels). I probably ought to mention that the amp is obviously tube, there are 11 in total, 4 6L6's, 2 5U4's, and 5 12AX7's. // 9

Sound: I am using this amp with a Gibson Les Paul Studio and I was shocked with how versatile the amp is. I was expecting it to be a great metal amp but it really - with the right settings - can nail a huge range of tones.

Channel 1:

Clean - I would say this is the easiest channel to get a good sound out of. I keep the presence on really high and you can get some great Metallica-esque clean sounds out of. Crank up the mids a little and you can get a fuller sound with a nicer break up at higher volumes. The headroom isn't the best but it isn't bad either.

Pushed- This is the real dark horse of a channel in my opinion, people tend to focus on the higher gain channels but some of the best sounds to be had from this amp are on this channel. Lots of presence and treble and you can get past this amps dark tendancies to get some nice bright crunchy sounds.

Channel 2:

Raw- I tend not to use this as it is probably the hardest setting to get a good sound out of. It has less gain than the other two settings and looses volume aswell.

Vintage - This channel is optimised for this mode and you can tell. I leave the gain just under half and with full mids I get tones not a million miles away from that of josh homme on a few qotsa songs and other medium gain rock.

Modern - I don't use this very often as a like the Vintage mode more but it is a great option if you need two high gain channels, it is similar in nature to channel 3's modern but has a less responsive presence control.

Channel 3:

Raw - Same as channel 2, dont use it often, lower gain, a little dark for my tastes.

Vintage - A good option if you don't like such a compressed sound and are into more Vintage, classic high gain sounds.

Modern - This setting is that the amp is famous for, it has more gain than you will ever need and a great chunky, fat bottom end. It should be noted that the mid control is very different when compared to other amps - to get a scooped mid sound the control has to be dailed off almost completely. I have my mids around 10/11 with a decent amount of bass and treble and it is a fantastic metal sound very reminicant of Metallica in my opinion. The bottom end can get a little flabby and if you like it tighter then the bold, solid state rectification option is deffinitly for you. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This amp weighes a tonne and feels very, very sturdy. It seems well built and I have had no problems yet. I would use it at a gig without a backup but I would always have a spare set of tubes just encase of an accident. A great feature about the amp is the fixed bias which means that there is no fiddling arround with bias and it can never need rebiasing. // 10

Impression: Overall, I love this amp and wish people would realise how versatile it is and that it is not just a brutal metal amp. I play virtual every style of music and it suit's nearly all of them - with the right settings. I think that the major stumbling block with people and this amp is that it is much harder to get a nice sound out of than other amps, but once you have found that sound, it's fantastic.

If this amp were stolen I would deffinitly consider getting another, I might save up a bit more and get a Diezel VH4 but I certainly have no regrets in buying this amp and hope to have it for a long time to come. // 10

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: Arpegio, on november 19, 2009

Price paid: € 3500

Purchased from: Greece

Features: I recently got the Dual Rectifier. Its a 3 chanel all tube amp and suits me just fine. I play in a prog metal/rock band with a Caparison horus. Its got no effects (reverb..) and I prefer it that way.

This thing is LOUD. If I must find a flaw is that it way too much power.But for my style thats not a problem...the contrary I must say. It is not intended for your average rehearsal basement. I need it for gigs and so far I used it once For an outdoors Live and it was just amazing. The other guitarist was playing through the PA with a Line 6 POD and the differnce was obvious.No matter how much he turn up the volume his sound had no clarity.

Also this amp need to play over 5 to fully understand how great it sounds. // 10

Sound: I use a Caparison Horus SG, a Kramer striker with DiMarzio (Puff pro, fast track 1)and an Epiphone zakk wylde (EMG 81,85). As I said my band is playing prog metal/rock and we try to experiment and mix diferent styles of music. I could really go for something much cheaper. Like a Marshall or a Randall. But I guess I couldnt find the versatility MESA has. Randall is straightforward metal. Even though Im a headbanger in my style I dont want to be limited.

I know the rectifier is the Heaviest of all mesa models...but still I found that I can get some amazing clean almost jazzy sounds. For heavier setting you just cant go wrong. Just crank the gain all the way up and you can get some amazing nevermore sounds.Still in the manual it says don't do that.Use common sense it says. For that reason I use zakk wylde overdrive to add the right amount of gain when its time for a solo or a dime riff. // 10

Reliability & Durability: No its really heavy and built like a tank. But the cabinet was damaged during the transport. The front sheet was riped a bit. Forunately the speaker was intact. // 9

Impression: The thing I loved about the rectifier the most is that it treats every gain level diferently. If you have the Orange channel in the Vintage position you can get almost the same sound as Slash (I used it on a Gibson and I was blown away) or in the red chanel with the gain at about 4 its great for 90s stuff like alice in chains or soundgarden if you turn it up to 8 Machine Head....10 its death. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on december 23, 2007

Features: This is an I guess newer version of the old Dual Rectifier. The amp I own is the 3 channel solo head. This amp is absolutely versatile to the max. I personally am in a hardcore/screamo band, but I also like to play classic rock and blues. This amp can cover all the grounds. From thrash, to hardcore, to punk, blues to classic, there really is no boundaries for this head. It really sounds amazing for each style of music. On one note though, the only thing it needs to put it over the top as with any other great amp, you need a great pedal setup. Since there are no built in effects. Really just give me a nice chorus pedal, reverb and a delay pedal and I'll be set for sure. I have yet to gig with this head, but I know one thing, my neighbors hate it already, so basically it has enough power to keep me satisfied. // 10

Sound: I use an Ibanez S520EX electric guitar with the stock pickups and I'm currently working on new pickups, perhaps EMG's or maybe some nice Dimarzio's. I happen to play lots of metal and hardcore styles like most mesa users. This amp gets pretty noisy though, it's either very quiet and it doesn't sound that great, or get it to sound great and the apartment shakes. So basically I just got my beast up and working in the last two days and it has yet to leave my room, so I don't really know the full sound potential, but I'm gonna work on that. But so far I've really been trying to get the best sounds out of it as possible by playing a lot with the settings. The 3rd channel sounds insane for distortion and for it's extremely low end crunchy distortion, it has amazing clarity. The 2nd channel took a bit more working on. I wanted to get a noticeable sound change between the 3rd and 2nd channels so I happened to tweak the sound more to a more high-mid, bassy sound for fill pieces and song breaks. And the first channel. The clean channel sounds so amazing to me. Since I am a lover of blues and such, I happen to use the clean channel a lot. I do a lot of messing around and I get into my little SRV world I fall into ever so often, and I seem to get out of it less with this amp due to the great sounding 1st channel, even at high volume levels. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I haven't had this amp long enough really to tell whether or not it will prove to be reliable and such, but I would spend the money time or energy into getting an amp of this magnitude if it wasn't going to be reliable or durable. My amp hasn't broken down so far and I plan on keeping it that way. The person Who owned it before me took really good care of it, and I can tell it wasn't used at very high volumes because the tubes don't seem to be worn out really at all. They look almost new. This amp hasn't and will not get neglected. Why would anyone want to neglect an amp like this anyways. If you neglect an amp such as this, you shouldn't own one. // 10

Impression: So really, I play hardcore/screamo and I also play blues/classic rock and this amp can really reach all of those styles with ease. This amp is already proving to be a match made in heaven for me. I have been playing for about 2 1/2 years, and I own this head, I matched it with a Peavey 5150 412 slnt cabinet. I also own a '70s Traynor ygl mark III combo amp, a little Roland Micro Cube for fun and then I have a Fender sidekick 2 with reverb. And in the way of guitars I only have a couple. An old Aria acoustic that was given to me, and a cool little Epiphone SG Special. If my mesa was stolen I would most likely cry, because of it's extremely high price and it's not really easy to come up with another thousand dollars, but I would try my hardest to get another one though, because I really love it that much already. // 10

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: mrmnson, on march 08, 2007

Price paid: $ 1135

Purchased from: Ebay

Features: This amp is versatile enough where I can get decent cleans, crunchy distortions, and hard chuggy distortion. I use this amp for everything from Led Zepplin to Slayer. It gives ou the option to use tubes or silicon diodes. It also has a variac Switch which allows you to choose between spongy and bold. Another added feature is that you can install EL-34 power tubes and rebiasing the amp is as simple as flipping a slider. It has 3 channels (clean, distortion, more distortion) with a 5-button footswitch (3 channels plus a solo Switch which increases your volume according to what you set the solovolume level to, and a fx loop Switch). The effects loop has input and output volume controls. Unfortunately there is no headphone jack. The only thing that I would consider it lacking besides a headphone jack is reverb. I use this amp in my home and it has more than enough power. I really need to get a hot plate but I don't have to get one to get a good tone out of this amp. Another feature that I like is that instead of having a Switch for impedence, there are 5 separate jacks: 16 ohms, 2x8 ohms, and 2.4 ohms. // 9

Sound: I play a Gibson Les Paul Standard and a Fender Telecaster through it. I can make the cleans sound decent but they aren't awesome. The cleans are not what you buy this amp for. After about 15 years of trying to get the Boogie sound without buying a Boogie, I finally broke down and bought it. I was not disappointed as the sound was exactly what I was looking for. At first I wanted the Metallica tone from the '80s then I was looking for a Jerry Cantrell-type tone, after that I wanted a Creed tone. I can get all of these from this amp. When you have the gain turned up (2:00 because maxing it out saturates it way too much) there is a slight hum but nothing that is overwhelming. It is relatively quiet compared to most amps. // 10

Reliability & Durability: No problems so far. There is a key post from one of the tubes broken off inside the socket but I don't think it will be a big deal to get it out when I am ready to change the tubes. It still runs fine though. I just have to make sure that that tube is in tight which is easy since the back is open with only a metal band across the middle. // 10

Impression: I play many styles of music within rock. This amp gives me everything I need. I had a Marshall JCM900 before this. I went ahead and got the Mesa because I can get the Marshall sound out of the Mesa but I can't get the Mesa sound out of the Marshall. I have been playing for 18 years. If this were stolen, I would definitely get another one. This is the end-game amp for me unless I get a Road King which would be more of an indulgence. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: ShimmyShimmy, on december 08, 2006

Price paid: $ 1800

Purchased from: Guitar Center Oxnard

Features: This head was manufactured in the USA in 2006. I know for a fact that this is the most versatile amp I have ever played because I play it every day. There are so many quality tones you can pull from this amp it blows my mind. It is very sensetive to changes in the knobs and this results is a wide range of tones from high gain scooped tones to lightly distored clean tones and some very nice Vintage tones. It has 3 channels, and the footswitch gives very smooth channel switching. This amp has countless features, there are just too many for me to remember because it is a boogie. // 10

Sound: I use a Gibson Les Paul Studio plus through this amp usually. It is the best setup I could ask for for a pop rock band. I love the tone this produces and the distortion is so authentic because of the tubes. When I use this amp to record it blows me away cranked. The breakup is just beautiful. I am running EL34's in it and every note is clearly defined. This amp gives such an authentic almost clean sounding distortion. Don't be mistaken, when I say a "clean" distortion that is a good thing. I love a heavy distortion sound, but is something that has to be heard to understand. You get the note clarity of a clean sound with a heavy distortion. And believe me this amp produces a heavy distortion. As for the clean channel. I honestly have not heard a better clean tone from my les paul than through this head. It is so warm and juicy and well, clean. It is a brilliant sound at all volume levels. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I haven't taken this amp on the road yet, but it has been great so far. I must say that it is a fairly heavy head. I will obviously have to buy a nice case for it for the road. As with most tube amps, it is a more fragile amp and should be taken care of. The tubes in the back are exposed except for an aluminum bar. I would not take this on tour without a case. Mesa was kind enough to throw in a dust cover which is actually very nice. If you have any experience with tube amps you know that it is a very smart idea to carry extra tubes around with you! // 10

Impression: I play everything related to rock. I have a passion for '80s shred like Van Halen, but I play in a pop rock band. This amp does it all. It is perfect for what I am doing. I have been playing for 8 years. If it was stolen I would definately buy a new one. The price is gut wrenching, but oh so worth it. It takes your music to a new level. I don't like that this thing weighs a ton but what am I gunna do? I compared this amp with all the alternatives, Marshall, Crate, Peavy, Ibanez, Krank, Fender in search of an amp that wouldn't break my bank like this would. I finally realized that those amps came close to this quality, but were not what I REALLY was looking for. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on march 24, 2008

Price paid: $ 1200

Purchased from: eBay

Features: Own this amp for a month now, it was made in 2005 but looks like just came out of factory. It's the newer Dual with 3 channel. I play anything from Gun N' Roses to Children Of Bodom and the amp does a good job for hard rock and metal music. Channel 1 has clean and pushed which sound great. I'll give it an 8, the Fender Twin Reverb is 9 and Bogner Uberschall is 10. No reverb but it's an easy fix. Channel 2 has raw, vintage and modern. The best mode is Vintage. If you want Vintage rock sound like '80s rock than this is your channel. Channel 3 has the same modes but a lot more gain. The modern modes is brutal distortion, u'll feel the bass go through your body when doing palm muting riffs. The solo boost is nice for live gigs, footswitch does a minimum job of changing channel but not the modes in each channel. There's a shitload of knob in the back for FX loop and channel that I'm still trying to figure out. No headphone jack but Who use headphone on a tube amp like this? Crank it up if you can to fully appreciate this amp. It't 100W and I never had it past 12 o'clock on Channel 3. // 8

Sound: I have an ESP Alexi-600 with EMG 81 and it sound great thru this amp. I only use clean on channel 1 for clean riff, vintage on channel 2 for solo and modern on channel 3 for Chidren of Bodom stuff. I recommend reading the manual to understand the amp and try out their suggest setting then you can tweak it to your taste. Be patience cause it will take you a while. Don't give up, you'll find your sound cause this amp is really versatile. But if you want a tube amp for clean channel than I suggest Fender or Bogner cause this amp focus more on distortion sound. // 9

Reliability & Durability: Like all tube amp, always have spare tubes and fuses. Only had it for a month so can't say anything on the durability but it's look like it can take a beating. All the part is high quality even the knob. As for now, I will definitely depend on it for a gig cause it look like a black box. Just be nice to your amp and it will work for as long as you want it to. // 9

Impression: This is the perfect amp for me. I prefer this over Marshall because of my ear told me so. So if you trying to decide between this amp and other amp, go play it first. My first amp ever was the Line 6 Spider 75W, then Fender SuperSonic and Marshall DSL 100, and to me this Dual is my favorite. I'll give this amp a 9 overall for it's price and versatility. To me, only the Bogner Uberschall and the Eng Powerball deserve a 9.9 (a 10 is just plain impossible) but they will make you homeless. Only thing I wish it had is better footswitch to Switch between the modes. // 9

Comments

[cerveza]

ya, mesa kicks ass and i'm buyin one of these soon

[aidandude]

go mesa!

[cerveza]

I'm buyin one of these next week

[guitarjared]

I know about a million people who use 100 watt amps with 2x12s. It won't blow out if the wattage of the speakers and ohms match. It would be nice if people reviewing nice amps such as Mesas actually knew what they're talking about.

[Bloody Mary]

guitarjared wrote:

I know about a million people who use 100 watt amps with 2x12s. It won't blow out if the wattage of the speakers and ohms match. It would be nice if people reviewing nice amps such as Mesas actually knew what they're talking about.

Agreed

[KoRnFr33K7]

Ive got a MESA DUAL REC. Probably the best investment ive ever made. Lasts through anything and may i say, probably one of the most powerful amps ive ever seen. i thought krank had competition with it, but when i finally played one, hahha didnt even compare.

[guitarrocka205]

Already have the Dual Rec and 4X12 H/S. It's freakin' heavenly. I wouldn't trade it for anything... except a Diezel VH4... I know I know.

[cerveza]

i have a dual rec solo head with a Rectifier standard slant cab and a marshall JCM 800 4x12. Vintage 30's and Greenbacks together make the sound orgasmic. (and powerful enough to destroy a small country)

[super666fender]

Just got me a '94 dual rec (which im recovering in snakeskin!! \m/!) and it sodusn HEAVENLY! i havent gotten a chance to crank it yet, but i will tomorrow at band practice. Even at low volumes the amp is orgasmic. I will post a review of it in the next little while

[Zolrak]

I like this amp a lot, it fits really good with my style.

Y para el primer review: ¿De casualidad no eres Juan?

checked

[paddo]

cerveza wrote:

i have a dual rec solo head with a Rectifier standard slant cab and a marshall JCM 800 4x12. Vintage 30's and Greenbacks together make the sound orgasmic. (and powerful enough to destroy a small country)

lucky son of a gun

[sp0ckr0cks]

i personally like the single rec. because then i can CRANK the sucker and get a really good tube tone out of it...i mic it for gigs

[sp0ckr0cks]

btw, good to know there are some mesa fans out there

[sp0ckr0cks]

i think it's bull that everyone is Marshall crazy...although i wouldn't hate a marshall...but anyway, i like mesas much better. the sound, and there is no better way to say this, is just plain BALLZIER than a marshall. Boogies are hard to come by in these here parts (southern West Virginia). But i live about an hour away from the ONLY Mesa dealer in the state. But i digress. MESA KICKS ARSE!!

[zerowing]

I'm interested in buying a mesa. now.. if i get the triple rec what cab should i buy with it. my price range..uhh.. idk. i konw the rectifiers 1300~
so uh..2000?

[NickBinford]

i have the marshall jcm 800 vintage first 1000 ever made with the celestian green backs and im going to guitar center today to either order a krank rev or buy a mesa dual rec!!!!! yeah!!!!!

[NickBinford]

bought a mesa boogie dual rec yesterday instead of krank, krank is all talk and endorsment it had alot of distortion but to much and is only a one trick pony you can only play metal out of it dual rec is a much more versitile and comes with 5 year warranty peace im outta here!!!!!

[Shizzster]

damn this thing looks sexi, never played one but i want too, its so expensive so if i do like it i wont be getting it for another 3 years

[taylorfrey66]

whats the diffence between this and the triple? just wattage?

[DOOdooroCK]

damn i wish i had tha money for a mesa boogie

[Chronus]

Can anyone tell me, how good is this for metal?

[bgarnham]

metallica and linkin park amplifier, isn't obvius? perfect for metal
the best amp ever i'm not joking

[DeathByStereo23]

Mind that,there's a reason that explains why soo many people sells their mesa on ebay.....I tried out one,and I been totally disappointed.....how can they sell it at 2300 euros I mean!
Shame on you,Mesa!
ENGL is waaaay better,with a half of the cost

[DeathByStereo23]

bgarnham wrote:

metallica and linkin park amplifier, isn't obvius? perfect for metal
the best amp ever i'm not joking

WHAT? It's obvious that you never tried out some ENGL shit.
And how can you say that Linkin Park are metal? They're the WORST band out there.....also Metallica are.

[wyldeshredder]

how do u think a marshall mf350 would do vs. this thing

[hvymtl939]

How much are you gonna shell out for one of these new?

[Knight_Arsis]

I was looking at a Peavey 6505 and it had cool tone for riffs and shit but absalutely no lead. can be fixed with a pedal perhaps. But now im looking at this amp. Is it good for leads and solos adn shredding along metal riffs and clean arpegios and chording?

[nightimedweller]

bgarnham wrote:

metallica and linkin park amplifier, isn't obvius? perfect for metal
the best amp ever i'm not joking

dudeee linkin park can suck my left ballsack they dont deserve a mesa boogie and they are not metal....listen to some real metal not that crap

[nightimedweller]

DeathByStereo23 wrote:

Mind that,there's a reason that explains why soo many people sells their mesa on ebay.....I tried out one,and I been totally disappointed.....how can they sell it at 2300 euros I mean!
Shame on you,Mesa!
ENGL is waaaay better,with a half of the cost

theirs few mesa boogie amps being sold and their mostly because their college kids who need money or people who found out they dont need this loud of an amp.....they are awesome amps for any style of playing

[SkateEmerica987]

DeathByStereo23 wrote:

Mind that,there's a reason that explains why soo many people sells their mesa on ebay.....I tried out one,and I been totally disappointed.....how can they sell it at 2300 euros I mean!
Shame on you,Mesa!
ENGL is waaaay better,with a half of the cost

Half the price? ya right, engls are like $2300!! unless you want a crappy one, the ones half the price of the mesa dont even compare to a mesa, but ya a top of the line engl is better than a mesa, but it should be for those costs.

[espltdtosh]

how much in pounds please?

[TDAJGuitarist]

cerveza wrote:

i have a dual rec solo head with a Rectifier standard slant cab and a marshall JCM 800 4x12. Vintage 30's and Greenbacks together make the sound orgasmic. (and powerful enough to destroy a small country)

Awww....Drool. lol
Nice set up!

[LRZ3333]

I've had a Marshall JVM for the past 6 months. It rocks. It has all the Marshall tones I could ever want and then some. It has retarded amounts of gain as well. However, I did play a Mesa Recto with 6L6 tubes and it freaking rocked my socks off. If your a fan of many bands that use Marshalls and want their tone get a JVM. Otherwise, if you like raunchy metal sounds get a Mesa. Linkin Park, Distrubed I like the versatility of the JVM but Rectos make my mouth water (literally! I'm like that damn Pavlov dog!). haha

[cobfreak89]

Hey...i dont know shit about amps..so dont mind this question thats gonna be stupid most likely....Is it alright if i hook up a 100W dual rec head to the 2 x 12 rec cab?? im switching to mesa but dont need a 4 x 12 itd be too much power for my home and performance status right now...plus ive heard dual rec owns single so i wanna get a dual

[E_squared]

*SIGHHHHH*

Man, do I ever wish that I was rich...

[wildchild6660]

E_squared wrote:

*SIGHHHHH*

Man, do I ever wish that I was rich...

That makes the two of us.

[TDAJGuitarist]

cobfreak89 wrote:

Hey...i dont know shit about amps..so dont mind this question thats gonna be stupid most likely....Is it alright if i hook up a 100W dual rec head to the 2 x 12 rec cab?? im switching to mesa but dont need a 4 x 12 itd be too much power for my home and performance status right now...plus ive heard dual rec owns single so i wanna get a dual

It would definatly work...I love mesa!

And the single isnt much different....It just has less power...

[guitarchicPTH]

Mesa rec with a 4x12 or 2x12 orange cab sounds sweet and crisp. No lies. The cab is a little pricey but the tone you get its well worth every penny. I can personally tell you.

[fleh]

cobfreak89 wrote:

Hey...i dont know shit about amps..so dont mind this question thats gonna be stupid most likely....Is it alright if i hook up a 100W dual rec head to the 2 x 12 rec cab?? im switching to mesa but dont need a 4 x 12 itd be too much power for my home and performance status right now...plus ive heard dual rec owns single so i wanna get a dual

depends what sound u want- single will break up al lower volumes so would be better for metal unless insane volumes arent a problem for you. a 100w is NOT twice as loud as a 50w- it sjust got more headroom (wont break up as easily)- dont assume the duals better ud be best of playing them. Also the volume is determined in the output power of the head so having a 212 wont be 'quieter' than a 412. Number of speakers affects tone in a compicated way but basicly a 412 will sound 'bigger' than a 212 which will souind more 'cutting'. Also having half as many speakers means there is twice as much power going through each speaker. Like tubes, when a speaker is played at volumes approaching (or sometimes surpassing with speakers - think of RMS and peak)full they can break up, this again affects your tone and is something you will need to experiment with to find what you like best. You may save a bomb getting a single rec with a 212 rather than the double and a 412 and get a sound you actually prefer. Dont think of everything as better or worse (especially with mesas they dont make anything you could call worse) you just need to find what you prefer to get the sound youre looking for.

[HELLSHREDD]

I bet Randall would be the route 2 go if metal is the main highway, can anyone answer this ???

[Rmm1287]

Im looking into getting a dual rectifier head and cab. or maybe even a single but im not sure what to do. I play a lot of metal and hard rock. Right now i have an ibanez tbx150h and it doesnt do the trick. does anyone have any suggestions?

[Rmm1287]

im looking to get a dual rec head and cab, or maybe even a single but idk what i should do. i play a lot of metal and hard rock. i have an ibanez tbx150h right now and it definitely does not do the trick. does anyone have any suggestions?

[Rmm1287]

damn didnt mean to do that twice

[Black-Goat]

can anyone tell me what amplifier has better sound to play deathcore(like through the eyes of the dead,all shall perish, etc)
mesa boogie dual rectifier
or
line 6 spider III

cuz im gonna buy one of these very soon u_u!
but i need some advices before doin it =S!

[Jake B.]

Black-Goat wrote:

can anyone tell me what amplifier has better sound to play deathcore(like through the eyes of the dead,all shall perish, etc)
mesa boogie dual rectifier
or
line 6 spider III

cuz im gonna buy one of these very soon u_u!
but i need some advices before doin it =S!

Deff go with the Dual Recto.
I have a line 6 spider II and it doesnt sound very good at all.
My friend has the dual recto and it does that metalcore sound perfectly.

[TDAJGuitarist]

Black-Goat wrote:

can anyone tell me what amplifier has better sound to play deathcore(like through the eyes of the dead,all shall perish, etc)
mesa boogie dual rectifier
or
line 6 spider III

cuz im gonna buy one of these very soon u_u!
but i need some advices before doin it =S!

Line 6 sucks....Mesa is the Best....End of story.

[GoodCharlotte92]

how much can i get one of these? thinkin of buying from guitar center, but i don't want to pay $1800 for it. think i can ge the sales guy to knock off about $500????

[strat73]

Black-Goat wrote:

can anyone tell me what amplifier has better sound to play deathcore(like through the eyes of the dead,all shall perish, etc)
mesa boogie dual rectifier
or
line 6 spider III

cuz im gonna buy one of these very soon u_u!
but i need some advices before doin it

The new Line 6 spider valve Bogners are pretty good amps for the money, they are the all-tube amps and the 2x12 models are great but their 1/2 stacks are super loud. They are modeling amps, so although they are going to come pretty close to the sound you want, they still don't sound like the actual amps. I have had the opportunity to play a mesa triple rec, an EVH 5150 III, peavey 6505+, a modded Soldano and several Marshall heads within the last couple of weeks and they are all great amps.
The Soldano demands to be turned up and is just awesome, but at $2800 used its a bit too pricey for me. The peavey 6505+ is pretty cool and if you just played it without playing anything else it sounds awesome, a lot of gain. The Marshalls are all crunch machines and have a great sound, but the Mesa Triple Rectifier is in a different class. It is pure volume and punch. The EVH 6505+ is a pure tone monster with a ton of gain and a clean channel that oozes tone, but I still am going to go with the Mesa Triple. It just has that punch that will cut you in half if you are not careful.
I think that if you want to get a certain sound without spending a ton of money on pedals and effects then go with a Line 6 Spider Valve Bogner and use their presets and you will love it, But if you want to create your own sound and don't mind dialing in your amp and pedals, then go with a Single, Dual or Triple Rectifier (most of the time the single rectifier will be plenty loud enough-me I just love the power of the triple and I tend to beef up the bass, so I want the headroom)

[strat73]

Oppppps, I meant the EVH 5150 III are the pure tone monsters, not the 6505+ geeeeesh, please Eddie, don't shoot me!

[travd92]

mesa boogies are the best amps for versatility. i played on a dual recto in a shop in SLC a month or so ago, and my dad almost had to drag me out of the store. the beast was amazing. i loved it. 11/10.

[schecterboy3000]

theyre amazing but theres other good amps too. so vht, bogner, deizel, h&k, marshall, and engl are also other options around this price area to check out. however, my opinion about this amp is that it is the most FULL FEATURED amp. individual knobs for EACH channel, OUTPUT, and SOLO. you wont find those features all at once on any other amp!

[schecterboy3000]

those 5150's are they soupy sounding?

[metal jello]

Hey, should I get this, or the triple rectifier? I know the triple's about one hundred dollars more, but is it really worth it?

[metal jello]

Hey, should I get this, or the Triple Rectifier????

[Seanold]

The triple rectifier is good for heavier stuff, i know a guy who has the triple rectifier for his hardcore/grindcore band and it does the job well. I want to know if the dual rectifier is good for power metal and symphonic metal like Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, etc.- cuz thats what i play.

[samlocke14]

Seanold wrote:

The triple rectifier is good for heavier stuff, i know a guy who has the triple rectifier for his hardcore/grindcore band and it does the job well. I want to know if the dual rectifier is good for power metal and symphonic metal like Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, etc.- cuz thats what i play.

nightwish guitarist uses dual recto's i think so go 4 it

[SaintsinneR82]

out of the amps ive had to play out the dual recto triple rec and the peavey 6505 have been my favs...i mean its jus the way you can totally change your jus by lowering your volume a lil bit..its rock to metal is jus a twist of the volume knob...awesome amp..cant say that anymore...jus sounds so thick and full...ugh i hate being broke..i would buy this thing asap...

[Seanold]

samlocke14 wrote:

Seanold wrote:

The triple rectifier is good for heavier stuff, i know a guy who has the triple rectifier for his hardcore/grindcore band and it does the job well. I want to know if the dual rectifier is good for power metal and symphonic metal like Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, etc.- cuz thats what i play.

nightwish guitarist uses dual recto's i think so go 4 it

ya he uses them with marshall cabs for some reason, i was more worried about it not being able to be light enough for stuff like power metal

[Destroy-Rebuild]

dude I just bought one and it's being shipped right now
Ahh I'm so impatient!

[chouchen]

how do yall think about crate solid state amps and tube amps.i think the sound can be compare to this amp. I can say this because i own both a crate gtx212 and mesa dual rectofier.

[CrimsonXD]

uhm someone said their Fender American Standard strat didnt have any noise while playing. and i totally disagree, my strat has CRAZY buzzing when past the 9 o'clock. im sure some pedal would cure this. or just get a stacked humbucker

[MetaMegaMagic]

Doesn't Kirk Hammett use these?

[Vitooch]

metallica does use these, but more of the mark 4

[martyrdood]

"My balls shake at band practice when I stand infront of the amp"

lol classic =]

[brentondig]

How would a dual rectifier do covering things like black or death metal? Some guy is selling one for 1400 on kijiji, and he says he just had the tubes replaced and everything.

[JFRules]

Bought this yesterday it is freaking insane! So loud its crazy. There goes the neighborhood lol Lot of options on this amp I have lots to learn! Lucky I got a hotplate with it cause I live in an apartment haha.

[Pat_s1t]

Hell, if people from Paul Waggoner to Kirk Hammett get their tones from a Mesa, then I'm sold.

However, I'm still pondering between this and the Peavey JSX Signature Head. Both have three great channels I've heard, so I'm not sure which to go for.

[metal jello]

I'm looking for kind off a Marshall type sound but tighter on the low end, punchy, medium gain kinda sound. I really like tight, and clear sounding distortion. Can the Dual Rec. get that kinda tone? Maybe like channel 3 vintage mode?

[dtwitty]

Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
http://hubpages.com/_2ac9gc055qpf9/hub/Mesa-Boogi e

[dtwitty]

Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
Mesa Boogie Amps