GuitArtMan Posted December 29, 2011 Posted December 29, 2011 Actually I've had it for two weeks now. I've had high hopes for this amp ever since the pre-release info was leaked on the web about three months back or so - I was not disappointed. I've bought five new amps in the past twelve months: Mesa Transatlantic TA-15: Nice, but didn't bond with it. Fryette Memphis 30: Killer amp that still sails under the radar. I think it's because Fryette is known for metal amps and Memphis 30 is not a metal amp. Tungsten Crema Wheat: Killer take on the classic Tweed Deluxe 5e3 with some welcome tweaks/improvements. Heritage Lobo: Killer take on the classic Black Face Deluxe with some welcome tweaks/improvements. I've had the most fun with the Mini-Rectifier. Great cleans, nice raw pushed tone, killer crunches and of course singing scream tones, this little amp does it all in spades. There are two channels with two voices each: clean/pushed and vintage high gain/modern high gain. Both channels can be independently switched for 10 watt triode operation or 25 watt pentode operation. These is also a switchable (on the amp) effects loop. Both channels take pedals well so the range of tones available is incredible. I'm playing it on top of a Suhr 1x12 cabinet with an Austin Speaker Works KTS-70. The combination just kills. The cabinet is ported and sounds HUGE for such a compact package. I've become a big fan of the Austin Speaker Works having three of their Alnico Absolutes and now this KTS-70. Great effin' speakers that sound like sweet, sweet broken in Celestions right out of the box and just keep sounding sweeter the more you play 'em! It's hard to believe such a tiny little amp (all 12 pounds of it) can sound so big but it does. Head on down to your local Mesa dealer and take one for a test drive.
FredZepp Posted December 30, 2011 Posted December 30, 2011 That seems like it would be a great versatile amp. It seems like the latest amps coming out can do sooo much and Mesa makes great stuff. And you've found the speaker for it also.... enjoy.
Gitfiddler Posted December 30, 2011 Posted December 30, 2011 You've had quite a few NAD's of late! That little Mesa lunch box mini rectum fryer is the shizzle. Turn it up!!
DetroitBlues Posted December 30, 2011 Posted December 30, 2011 Mesa does make some really nice amps. A bit pricey, but I'd imagine its all worth it. Never really tried them out because they were so expensive and mostly high gain/high wattage. I may try this one out when I get a chance..... Just to add, I've heard really good things about this amp ( )
koula901 Posted December 30, 2011 Posted December 30, 2011 Congrats on your NAD! Guitartman, didn't you sell all your Heritages? Which would mean you're playing strats/teles through this rig? I know Suhr makes great equipment, so it was interesting to read about the speaker.
GuitArtMan Posted December 30, 2011 Author Posted December 30, 2011 Congrats on your NAD! Guitartman, didn't you sell all your Heritages? Which would mean you're playing strats/teles through this rig? I know Suhr makes great equipment, so it was interesting to read about the speaker. My main guitar for over 10 years now has been a Tom Anderson Hollow Drop Top Classic. It's a SSH strat style guitar. I actually had three, but recently sold one to make pay for my next purchase (still shopping). I also have a Michael Tuttle Classic S model for when I'm jonesin' for traditional/vintage strat tones. I don't have a tele but am starting to warm up to them - maybe a Tuttle Tele... When I'm jonesin' for a Les Paul tone I pull out my Don Grosh Set Neck or my Gbrand Pre-Historic '59 Flame Top RI. I would love to have a 535, but it's a love/hate relationship for me. I love the way they sound, but the body shape just isn't comfortable for my small frame. I've had four beautiful 535s through the years and have sold every one - I love the tone, but they just aren't comfortable to play for me. I've been going through a bit of a splurge and purge phase trying to get rid of the equipment I don't use and get down to a solid core of guitars/amps I actually play on a regular basis. I have a good feeling the Mini-Recto is here to stay.
GuitArtMan Posted December 30, 2011 Author Posted December 30, 2011 Congrats on your NAD! Guitartman, didn't you sell all your Heritages? Which would mean you're playing strats/teles through this rig? I know Suhr makes great equipment, so it was interesting to read about the speaker. PS About the cabinet: When people ask who makes the best 1x12, the Bogner cube is one that pops up as much as, if not more than any other cabinet. Someone mentioned if you like the Bogner, check out the Suhr 1x12. When I started looking into it, the Suhr has nearly identical (if not identical) construction to the Bogner, and nearly identical dimensions. My guess is that Suhr "borrowed" the design from Bogner. Well I've known the local Suhr dealer for 10+ years and was able to get a killer deal on the cabinet empty as I already had the KTS-70. The cabinet sounds great! About Austin Speaker Works: After reading about them for years (well maybe a year) my first experience with them is with two Celestion Alnico Blues I had them "retone". The "retone" is a recone with their proprietary cone. I had originally slated the pair for my THD 2x12 (another great cabinet) but UPS had other plans and destroyed one of them on the return trip. I decided to try out the good one in my Vox AC15 just to see how it sounded. OMG! - there was the tone I was looking for!!! I was ready to sell the amp as it just didn't sound right - to harsh in the high end and the ef86 channel especially sounded harsh. Well the retoned Blue sounded effin' great in there - Vintage Vox tone in spades. Great sweet Vox chime with not hint of harshness. The speaker is not coming out of the amp! I might have to send the stock blue in to be retoned - they sound that good!
111518 Posted December 30, 2011 Posted December 30, 2011 Congrats on the amp, and interesting about the speaker "retone." Theres a Vox in my future at some point, so I'm always interested to hear about what works and what doesn't. I guess the Vintage Guitar was there for size comparison, but ... seems also pretty clear that as Boogie's get smaller, Vince Gill is getting bigger. Coincidence?
pegleg32 Posted December 30, 2011 Posted December 30, 2011 I say G-man, you have had a great year of new amps, and they all sound like good amps too. I can't remember your favorite genre, is it blues? They sound like good blues amps. p.s. I love my new Lobo also, been around the block a couple of times, but it sure does the blues well.
GuitArtMan Posted December 31, 2011 Author Posted December 31, 2011 Congrats on the amp, and interesting about the speaker "retone." Theres a Vox in my future at some point, so I'm always interested to hear about what works and what doesn't. I guess the Vintage Guitar was there for size comparison, but ... seems also pretty clear that as Boogie's get smaller, Vince Gill is getting bigger. Coincidence? LOL! Yeah the VG was there for size comparison, but I did notice Vince was looking a little portly on the cover. Wish I had his chops though! And voice!
GuitArtMan Posted December 31, 2011 Author Posted December 31, 2011 I say G-man, you have had a great year of new amps, and they all sound like good amps too. I can't remember your favorite genre, is it blues? They sound like good blues amps. p.s. I love my new Lobo also, been around the block a couple of times, but it sure does the blues well. I play a smattering of style: classic rock, blues, pop rock, contemporary christian, etc.
martyb Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 I also just picked up the Mini Rectifier, and am nothing but thrilled. Extremely versatile, great cleans, and crunches to high heaven. I have it paired with the Mesa 1x12 Thiele, which means "small" and it's barely larger than the actual speaker, plus a front port. Just got a 1992 Heritage H-140 goldtop with original Schallers, and that thing just sounds incredible with the Mesa. And, as I head further from age 50---the amp weighs 12 pounds, the speaker cab 26, versus the 67 pound combo... Life, as they say, is mahvelous...
tulk1 Posted January 1, 2012 Posted January 1, 2012 I remember seeing that "leak" on the web. Thought it very interesting. I've always like the Recto, so seeing this in a lunchbox is pretty cool. The "pushed" on the original is one of my favorite amp sounds. And it sounds like the baby recto does it as well!! Coolio. And just because .... I've really bonded with my TA-15. It's my gigging amp.
GuitArtMan Posted January 1, 2012 Author Posted January 1, 2012 I also just picked up the Mini Rectifier, and am nothing but thrilled. Extremely versatile, great cleans, and crunches to high heaven. I have it paired with the Mesa 1x12 Thiele, which means "small" and it's barely larger than the actual speaker, plus a front port. Just got a 1992 Heritage H-140 goldtop with original Schallers, and that thing just sounds incredible with the Mesa. And, as I head further from age 50---the amp weighs 12 pounds, the speaker cab 26, versus the 67 pound combo... Life, as they say, is mahvelous... I thought about the Thiele cab as well. To be honest, the fact I could get a discount on the Suhr swayed my decision a bit, but I'm not disappointed at all. The cabinet sounds great! I hear you about the weight.
Gitfiddler Posted January 1, 2012 Posted January 1, 2012 Are you using an open or closed back Thiele cab with your mini?
JeffB Posted January 2, 2012 Posted January 2, 2012 I remember seeing that "leak" on the web. Thought it very interesting. I've always like the Recto, so seeing this in a lunchbox is pretty cool. The "pushed" on the original is one of my favorite amp sounds. And it sounds like the baby recto does it as well!! Coolio. And just because .... I've really bonded with my TA-15. It's my gigging amp.
martyb Posted January 2, 2012 Posted January 2, 2012 Hey Gitfiddler, I got the closed back, front ported Thiele. Sounds great, although I have not had it out in a big space, cranked, yet. It is a VERY solid cabinet, much heavier than it looks. Mesa's construction is uber-solid. I'll post a pic later today.
brentrocks Posted January 2, 2012 Posted January 2, 2012 that is a cool little amp!!! i played around with one of those at a music shop a couple months ago...it rocked!!!!!
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.