Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head Triple Channel

This amp was bought at the end of last year from the first buyer. I'am the second owner. This amp is certainly versatile enough to do many styles of music. But it's gear toward rock to nu-metal. If you dial it correctly you can cover just about any style from Jazz, blues and etc. This is a 3 channel head with channel switching capabilities. I wish it had a reverb other than that...it has all the features for my needs. For me I don't use the effects loop. It's definitely a must feature to have especiallly if you're into pedals. I use this amp for home, rehearsals and gigs and it has more than enough power to handle anything you can throw at it..especially a hard hitting drummer. It's been the standard for many bands around the mid 90's to 2000 era I don't see it changing anytime soon as with Marshall. These two amp companies set the standard for recording and for stage performances.

I use a Gibson Classic with JB/59 and ESP LTD EC-1000 w/JB/59. This combination along with my Mesa DR complements each other nicely. The amp is extremely quiet. Definitely a studio amp and why many bands have used it in their recordings. I run this amp with a Vertical recto 2x12 cab and it sounds fantastic and also an Avatar Vintage 2x12 with WGS Veteran 30's. The Avatar and DR sound incredible especially with the WGS speakers! I have to say that both are completely different sounding cabs. If you like a earlier break up with the Marshall tone the Avatar would be it since it's model after the enfamous bluesbreaker. The Mesa cab is very beefy with alot of braun. The sound of this amp is very clear, tight and focus. you need to watch the gain. It has a ton of usable gain that can make your amp a bit fuzzy sounding if you go crazy with it. The clean channel is great! Very warm and vibrant. Better than alot of high gain amps out there.

The thing that I did as with many tone freaks is changing the tubes, pickups,electronics and cables. For me I focused on tubes and pickups. I put all NOS preamp tubes in mind. I have Amperex for V1 and V5, Mullard for V2 and v3, Brimar for v4. I also switched the stock power tubes to Winged C 6l6 and it sounded alot better than the Chinese 6l6. It has alot of bass but certain frequencies on those tubes masked the amp making it sound like you have a blanket over the speakers. The Winged C 6l6 defintely gave it more of a 3D effect and the break up was smoother. Alot more balance than the chinese 6l6.

I hardly ever hear people having problems with Mesa. They build great amps. The quality control, components and craftsmanship are fantastic from a production amplifier. I have no doubt this amp will last me for many years to come.

They are great! They get back to you and they care about their customers.

I've been playing for 13 years and have played and owned many amps. I currently owned a Laney VH100R and that amp is unbelievable. It's my No.1 and the Mesa DR is my No.2 I've owned other Laney's like the TT50H(great versatilitiy but the tone didn't impressed me as much as the VH100R, AOR Pro II(it's too classic rock sounding for my taste), LH50R(great amp for everything except heavey metal, I still missed that amp) Mesa Stiletto( great tone but a bit too lose for the chugga chugga) Stiletto Ace( a nice improvement over the Stiletto in the palm muting department but doesn't have the natural organic tone that the Stiletto has. Rivera K55....nice cleans and very loud but very peircing and muddied . Orange Rockerverb 50( a nice sounding amp. Cleans don't stay clean when you turn up the volume, the distortion sounded a bit compressed for my taste..not worth the price for the performance). Engl Thunder 50( nice for recording but doesn't cut through the mix very well in live situations...as with the RV50 also. Marshall 2210...great amp but clean channel sucks not to mention the distortion bleeds through the clean the louder you crank her up. Marshall 30th Anniversary(blue EL34) Very organic sounding multi channel Marshall but has some high end fizz that is very difficult to get rid of. Marshall DSL 50....Great Marshall amp! Has the best cleans of any Marshall and the distortion is nice! Marshalls best sounding multi channel amp. I like it better than the JVM. Carvin MTS....crap! Line 6...Crap. I love everything about the DR. It's a killer amp in almost everyway like my Laney VH100R. I would buy it again if I lost or if it gets stolen. I would certainly look for a good deal first. I don't buy my amps used for quite sometime and I think alot of people are the same way. If you look carefully and patient. You'll always find great deals on just about any amp out there. I'm not going to fork out 1800.00 on a new DR or amp for that matter.

100W all tube amp. 3 channels, very versatile. FX loop, solo switch to give you a boost. Mine was made in 2006.

I'd like another FX loop. That way, I could use an EQ in one and actual effects in the other.

Absolute CRAP!! I bought this amp about 6 months ago, and was extremely disappointed. I probably tweaked the settings for days trying to get something that sucked a little less. Then, about a month ago I bought something on a whim...a MXR M-108 EQ pedal.

After I learned how to use the EQ, I've been able to get any kind of sound I want. The distortion is absolutely brutal, similar to System of a Down's Toxicity album. A lot of people hate the clean on this thing (I did too), but after figuring out how to get a setting that worked on the EQ pedal, it's been excellent.

I'm only giving the sound a 10 because of what it CAN be. On its own, it would be a 2.

No problems yet. Built like a tank.

Haven't talked with them, but the 5 year warranty is good.

I love this amp now. After learning how to use it, I would buy it again without even thinking. Loud as hell and sounds damn good.

My friend has a Peavey 6505 I've been playing around with. That too is a great amp, but this thing smokes it when trying to get a heavy scooped tone.

For anyone who has tried and hated this amp, give it another shot with EQs. I was very close to selling it and getting something better until I realized what it could do. Without Eqs, a POS like a Line 6 Spider sounds better.

Has three channels, etc. Others have already covered all this.

Some people may find this amp a tad basic compared to modern do everything amps, but personally for me it does more than enough, with a perfect mix of simplicity to gadgets. I love playing with knobs and buttons, but when gigging you don't want things to get too complex and fussy.

Suppose it would be nice to be able to mix in a more Marshal sound, but then it would be a Marshal Amp :) But maybe some sort of warm dial.. who knows. I'm very happy with it.

Has three channels ;
1 clean
2 Dist
3 Very Dist.

Personally I was amazed at how lovely the clean channel is. Maybe could be a tad warmer, but still lovely. I find I don't use channel 2 much, too half and half for me, but bought this amp for channel 3... fantastic. But its all personal.

Its been very reliable so far. Had it about a year now. I'm fussy about giving a 10 and a year isn't that long.

Haven't needed them.

Been playing about 20 years and had quite a lot of gear over that time. Personally I love this amp and would buy another if lost. The sound may be a tad personal so would probably recommend you hear it before buying.

Something that may be interesting is the cabinet type and volume. When played through a Mesa 4x12 this thing is awesome, but at low volumes in small cabs it obviously can't compare. What amp can ? But watch out for the weight of those large cabs... will put in A&E.

Not sure if its worth the money. For me yes, but maybe not for some. There is a lot of competition now.. some others are also very good.

My MESA DR 3CH was made in 2005. I play rock/metal it suites just fine... i fool around with other musical style... blues, funk, trash, etc... u name it... mesa delivers... not the best clean sound... but.. then again... just Fender clean will smash this little beast... it has tones of features... just try them all, figure out what they do n u'll see these r all useful.. it has 100W ... believe me.. enough horse power!!!

3 channels... 1 clean, 2 dirty... ch3 is has more muscle than ch2. ch2 is more bright.. and clean is just so sweet.. just use the EQ ;)

this baby has some heavy distortion... just turn it to modern sound (i prefer the vintage one...) and u can't go full gain!! its just so heavy.. :)

i own a Jackson soloist with emg 81/85. rhythm great.. solos awesome!

this Mesa can get very noisy using the FxLoop. u just have to figure out how to use the back controls for the FxLoop... and the noise will almost go away... add a noise gate and u'll be just fine...

harder than a rock... built for life... i gig with no backup... just my Mesa DR.

not yet... ;)

before i had this amp i tried other amps... some can level with mesa... not many... i like Wizard, Marshall, Diezel, Carvin... but i chose Mesa... I've been playing with my Mesa for 2 years now... i would not change this amp...

Made in 2003.

Excellent features. These has been covered. I gave it a 9 b/c of the lack of reverb. I use a Holy Grail verb through the loop - sounds good.

Plenty of power. Almost too much power, but sounds good at medium volumes.

I've had this amp for a few years and have been waiting for the right time to review. Had a Marshall TSL beforehand. Recently I bought another TSL as a backup and decided to use it ata gig for a change of pace and a reference point. The TSL sounds great, but now I remember why I bought the Mesa in the first place. Much fuller, warmer, rounder sound. I can live with both - some guys are Mesa guys and some guys are Marshall guys. To me, they both sound great, are versatile and useful enough, and I like using both of them depending on my mood.

It was a little hard getting past the stereotype that this amp brings. It is much more than a nu-metal amp. I use the amp for classic rock (no Nu-Metal stuff, just 70's, 80's, & 90's bar rock stuff). I also put JJE34L's and the ECC803S's and what a difference from stock Mesa tubes. The amp retains the darker tonal color but can be lively when dialed in right. The new tubes made all the difference in the world. EL34's don't make this sound like a Marshall, but do brighten the sound a bit. Less 'sonic destruction' and a little more musical.

I use a Strat with a Duncan Pearly Gates 'bucker in the bridge position. Beatiful, smooth sound. I couldn;t be happier.

Channel 1:
Keep on clean, not pushed. Generally keep all controls at 12:00.

Channel 2:
Vintage Mode. Excellent classic rock sound. I play this channel mostly with gain around 11:00.

Channel 3:
Also Vintage Mode, mostly for my lead tone. I keep the settings the same as channel 2 but with a little more gain to help disguise my poor chops.

I mix and match cabs & speakers (both 2X12, 1 open back & 1 closed back). They have Vintage 30's, G12T-75's, or a combination of the two.

I also have it set to Rectifier mode and Bold. The amp is a little tighter this way than Spongy mode, but still has a nice, liquidy feel to it. great for single note riffing.

The thing about this amp is that I first found it difficult to dial in a good sound. Some nights it sounded great, others sounded terrible. Once I got used to the dynamic EQ and got used to the different rooms we work, I figured out how to get a consistent sound that I am very happy with (it only took a few years).

I only use a reverb pedal, otherwise, its a pure signal path. This is an extremely quiet amp for such a thick distorion.

So many times at a gig people approach me and say "I've never heard a Dual Rec sound like that. What have you done to it?" I realize I'm in the minority when I use a Strat and play classic & pop rock, but I LOVE the sound I get from this amp. Couldn't be happier these days. (BTW - Like the PRS, My Les Paul sounds KILLER through the amp, its just not right/practical for what we do as a band).

Tank!!!!

I still bring a backup. Afterall, this is still an all-tube amp.

Haven't needed them.

Been playing for 25 years, mostly Marshalls.

I would replace this amp with a Mesa MarkIV. A little less 'recto' sounding and more versatile for what I need, but I still whole-heartedly recommend this amp.

I wish it had a power reduction feature or built-in attenuator. Using Spongy (lowers internal voltages) or pulling two tubes does not help the amp for lower volume applications.

Its funny reading the reviews here. I read all of them before I purchased. Of course, my ears were the ultimate judge, but I always find these reviews helpful. I think people either love this amp or hate it. All tastes are different. But I do know this: this amp needs patience, understanding, and tweaking. Unlike Marshalls which can be dialed in very easily, this amp is work. Sometimes too much work. But once it is understood, it is glorious.

This amp has everything that a rocker could ask for. The key is that you truly sit down and spend some time tweaking the sound on each channel. This thing costs a bunch, and its worth it, but you have to spend some time to get the sound your looking for.

To those who would rate this amp with nothing but 1's, I suggest you pick up a nice little Fender, or maybe a cool Crate and feel good about yourself. So many millionaires have been made by the sound this amp puts out that it boggles the mind. Obviously you have an ax to grind, but your bitterness falls onto deaf ears. The 3 channels on this amp will give you any sound one could imagine. You can make a Mesa sound like a Marshall, but there is NO way you can make a Marshall sound like a Mesa. Enough said!

I have owned a single Rec and now a Dual Rec. The single NEVER let me down, as I trust the dual never will. Built like tanks.

Never needed to contact them. I don't misuse my equipment, so chances are I will never need them.

I have been playing since 1969, so I'm no spring chicken, but I like my Mesa. I have spent a lifetime looking for the crunch Mesa has. If anyone tried to steal my amp my mixed-breed maniac mutt would have a chunk of his ass for dinner. So try...just try to relieve me of this tone monster...good luck!

100W head, made in 2006 (according to seller). 3 channels with different voicings (toggle) on each channel. Too many controls to count, but anyone reading this already knows that this is a professional amp with enough features for almost anyone.

From my experience, this amp can do absolutely anything. Granted, I bought it to play hard rock and it does that incredibly well (think Thrice, deftones, Norma Jean, Underoath). But it could just as easily be used for crystal clear cleans, soulful blues, country, death metal and anything you can throw at it.

There's plenty of power (too much really... i may pull tubes) to do almost anything. It's loud as hell.

Each of the three channels built into this amp are practically an amp in their own right. Unlike many other amps I've played though, it has a Jekyll and Hyde quality to it from the switches on the back. Flipping the tubes from "Spongy" to "Bold" opens up a set of sounds that just don't exist anywhere.

First, the clean. It comes with two voicings, clean and pushed. In the clean setting with the treble and presence rolled up, it's crisp, clean and almost fenderish. Still, the low end comes through really well, so, it's not so much a fender twin sound. On the pushed setting, this thing is a beast. This is the rhythm channel to use for awesome bluesy rhythm. The gain control on this channel is very responsive and gives great saturation to the sound so it breaks up rather nicely. the clean channel sounds best with tube rectification switched on and with tubes set to "Spongy"

Channel 2 is all about tone. Left in the "Vintage" voicing there's nothing it can't do. Anything from Santana-esque sustain to Metallica and Slayer growl.

Channel 3 is a fire-breathing monster. The presence control is even hotter than Channel 2 and when set above 12:00 with Gain above 12:00 is the definitive modern hard rock sound. It's just unparalleled.

never gig without a backup. never gig without spare tubes.

But i expect the amp to work for a while without problems.

I called them once before buying this to compare the triple rectifier head to the dual rec. I didn't reach them directly and was forced to leave a message. Their recording said "they call everyone back". I was pretty impressed when a bit later in the day a very knowledgeable guy from Mesa called me and answered all my questions.

been playing about 10 years and this is the first "good" amp I've owned. If someone stole it, I'd be pissed. It would be immediately replaced with a clone paid for by insurance.

This is a 2006 made amp. It would be in fact versatile, except that it really sounds disgusting in ALL three channels. This is the second one I purchased (unfortunately). The first one I purchased used, so I thought it was too beat up for it to sound good. However, I purchased the second one new and it still blows. I tried putting in expensive NOS tubes in it, and it still blows. Then I changed the preamp tubes to more expensive NOS preamp tubes and it still blows. The effects loop went bad after a few weeks of use and sounds horrible. There is too much noise added (and I know for a fact that is not due to my pedals, which are top of the line and all have true bypass in them). I really wish it was cleaner. This amp is ONLY good for that non-sense nu-rock BS that modern bands are coming up with. There is no sound definition at all. It does have a lot of power, but every tiny bit that you bring up the volume, it will add loads of noise. This was a major waste of money.

The sounds that come out of this thing very poor, toneless. The clean chanel totally blows, it doesnt even sound clean at all. The distortion is brutal, but it is not defined. My 5150 does a better job than that. My guitars are mostly custom made. I own a Jackson RR1 with EMG-KFK set in it, a gibson les paul studio with burstbuckers, a washburn idol, a fender strat with rio grande single coil set, and a custom made guitar with rio grande crunchbox and rio grande fat bastard pickups. All of the past guitars are awesome and beautifully set up. I used to have a ESP, but I sold it years ago. None of these guitars sounded good through a recto. In regards to noise, it blows!! is TOO NOISY!!.

My footswitch cable went bad in the middle of a concert (they are really cheap and bad constructed). Few weeks after that my fooswicth stopped working (on the chanel buttons). I had to get it replaced. The effects loop in the amp stopped working after a while. Had to get it fixed. An input jack went bad so I had to get it fix as well. The pots are now all loose, so I tighten them up again. Its pathetic. Poor construction.

This is by far the worst feature of mesa. Their customer service is the worst. Is really hard to deal with them. They never took responsibility of fixing my amp. In addition, I have placed several orders from the store and they have taken up to two months to get my stuff. They are really cocky and disrespectful over the phone. Try calling and they will transfer you to an answering machine. Is sad, is pathetic.

Mesa/Boogie blows!! dont spend your valuable money in this non-sense. Buy something else. There are many alternatives in the market that are better than mesa.

I WAS a GAS (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) sufferer, until I got this amp!! This is one of the newer three channel versions. Plenty of headroom!! Loads of sounds available with the various modes (Clean/Pushed or Raw/Vintage/Modern) and with adequate control of prescence. This is clearly a more Rock/Metal amp. More difficult to attain a light crunch sound (other than in Ch1 one with pushed mode, but then you've got no clean!). I will keep this amp until one of us dies! I've sold all my rack gear, bought a few boss pedals and refound my love for guitar PLAYING and not just gear BUYING!

I play a Ibanez RG570 with original Ibanez pickups and a Les Paul Standard (also original pick-ups).

The best channel is CH2 in Vintage mode. A really nice singing solo sound with a good audible level of pick attack. You wont find a modelling guitar amp that can match it (trust me, ive tried).

CH3 IS that Recto sound (everything from Foo Fighters to Metallica). Dont go looking for it somewhere else, BUY a Rectifier! Brutal Distortion but still musical!

CH1 is possibly the only drawback to this amp (but it still gets a 10). The new roadster and road king have adopted the Lonestar clean channel for a reason. The Rectifier is much more bassy and if not trimmed carefully, you can end up with a tinny sound or too muddy to cut through the mix. The right sound is in there (providing your using a Rectifier cabinet) but it's not a simple to find as the other channels.

One short note to the Roadster and Road King. There both great amps (with great prices!) but they pop when switching channels! Especially between channels 2 & 3 (regardless of volume setting). Mesa know about this but I havent heard of any recalls or modifications for this. Threrfore, if you've got a tight budget and want that Recto sound buy an original Rectifier. You can easily use an overdrive pedal to get that extra light crunch sound.

Not had it long enough to say, but its built like a brick sh$thouse!

Never spoke with them.

I have been playing for 26 years. Owned a lot of other Mesa/Marshall gear. I've been looking for "that Sound" for 3 years and I am sure that I have finally found it! Tried all the different Modelling gear (GT-Pro/GX700/PODXT etc) but it isn't real. Valve amps are not as forgiving as a solid state pre-amp. The solid state high High frequencies and dynamics are not as transparent. But if you master your picking technique then the sound achievable from a Valve (or tube) amp is truly Fantastic!! In the end its not the guitar, effects or amp that make the quality of sound, it's the quality of the player! :0) The Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head is the most flexible, dynamic and best value amp for the hobby and professional player.

I purchased my dual rec in 2002 and after taking it home and messing around with the settings for a while I got an amazing tone out of it. As you all probably already know it has three channels with different tone selection modes on each channel as well as seperate eq settings for each channel. I really enjoy the ability to swap out the rectifier tubes without having to rebias anything. Also the raw power of this amp is amazing. At times it almost feels like too much for certain settings. It has a versatile effects loops but I have never used it because it doesn't fit my playing style or needs. To be honest I wish I had just gotten the 2 channel because I rarely ever use two channels much less 3. But alas that is all they had in stock and I was inpatient. It is a great sounding amp if you are looking for high gain.

As stated above this ap sounds great for any metal, hardcore or rock high gain sound you are going after. The clean channel sounds a little to thin for my taste but I hardly ever use the thing. On the positive side tho as long as the gain isn't really high on the clean channel the sound wond distort even at high volumes. I have been playing guitar for 6 or 7 years and always played through a gibson les paul standard. I think that the two complimented very well for the genre of music I play. I am in a post hardcore/hard rock band and this amp meets all my needs. Our other guitar player is running a gibson sg through an orange otr 120 head and orange cab and the two amps really sound great together.

I've been in a nationaly touring band for the past 4 years and have taken this head on the road with me for long periods of time with no backup and never had any problems. In fact our manager at the time dropped it from about 5 feet onto cement and other then some dings nothing was wrong with it. I've never had any tube or fuse problems because I regulary clean and take care of it. I would trust this amp to last me on the road without a backup. It has done just that for years and I bet it will for many more.

I've never had to deal with this. I've heard good things though.

All in all I really love this amp. Its not for every style and every player. It is made to be loud and sound great with high gain settings. Recently I switched to synth in our band because I've been programming and playing them for much longer than guitar and we have a new guitarist who uses my mesa rig. If it were broke or stolen I would make him help me buy another one. Maybe this time though only the 2 channel because this amp has more than I need. I would also think about buying an orange because I love their tone. When compared to marshalls though this head kills them hands down. Try it out before you buy one because it might not be what u need. Make sure u run it through a good cabinet and have the volume turned up because otherwise it doesn't showcase the sound it can create properly.

This amp was made in 2005
I play thrash metal, hard, fast heavy and brutally distorted, but I also play blues for fun. For the metal the amp is unparalleled, tyhe best money can buy, for blues it's a different story, I can still get that deep tube tone for blues, but not quite like the amazing tone of say eric clapton. but then again, it's a metal amp NOT a blues amp, with a few effects it can get a really amazing blues sound. It obviously has 3 channels, 2 different modes for the first, and 3 different modes for the second 2. an effects loop, a preamp out, a rectifier selector switch and a few other need doodads.
I use to play in a band and did a buncha show with the amp and it excelled, the amount of power this amp has is unbelievable.
The one feature I wish it had come with is a headphone jack, but I can't complain because you could never get the amazing tone you get out of a 4x12, through headphones. I give it a nine for the lack of headphones.

For an amp that isn't supposed to be a 'jack of all trades' the dual rectifier does a wide variety of sounds. the clean channel isn't anything to call home about but it's still a great sounding versitile channel that doesn't get distorted at high volumes.
The distortion is amazing, at high volumes the tone just melts out of the tubes and pools at your feet. I can not begin to describe how amazing this thing sounds. I use the 2nd channel on the modern mode. the 3rd channel is too bright for me. but be warned, it is not an amp that will have your dream tone programmed into it out of the box, you need to sit down with it and really get the feel of the amp, read the manual. Too really understand the EQ I had to sit down, read the manual and find out where each EQ fits in the circuitry, for example, the treble knob is at the front of the circuitry, therefore the treble knob will have more of an effect on your tone overall than say your presence knob.
Through the amp I play a Dean ML-X with an EMG-81 in the bridge and 60 in the neck, my guitar is best suited for metal, as is the amp.
The amp is quite noisy, but nothing a Noise gate doesn't fix easily. I give it a 10 because it is Not a one trick pony by anymeans, it is a versitile amp that sounds mind blowing for the music I play

I've had the amp for a year now, played a bunch of gigs with it, bashed it around, dropped it etc etc, and it has only ever had one problem. the problem it had was my drummer set up the amp before I arrived, and he plugged the speaker cab through the slave out, there was no load and therefor blew the fuse and a tube, that could be under the neglect catagory.
The lesson kids, let drummers stick with there acoustic drums.
Despite the one problem I'm still giving this amp a 10, because the failure wasn't because of the workmanship, it was because of improper use.

As stated above I blew the tube, I took it to an authorized mesa repair shop (Ho's Electronics in Vancouver, BC) and he fixed it under warrenty. In vancouver Ho has been refered to as 'Dr Ho' because he performs amazing surgeries on guitar amps, and he's a really nice guy to boot.

I've been playing 8 years now and I love this amp
before it I owned a Line 6 spider 112 combo, and although satisfied with the spider, I needed to upgrade to a more proffessional amplifier.
If this amp was lost or stolen I would easily buy a new one, although I am curious about the Mesa Mark IV, but I don't think anything can come close to touching this, except maybe the triple rectifer but thats just obserd.
This is not a practice amp that sounds great at low volumes. It needs be cranked, it's like a lambourghini, the full potential isn't met until it's taken out on the road and opened up.
again, it's not a one trick pony, but it's also not a 'jack of all trades but a master of none'. it's a well rounded versitile amp that sounds INCREDIBLE for metal.

First off, this amp is extremely versatile. It has all the features you could ever need, 3 channels, 8 modes and the best effects loop I've seen... Sure, some people might even say it's "too much!" Those are the people that shouldn't buy one! :) Anyways, like said this amp is very versaltile... It can cover just about any style of music but it excells in the area of hard rock!

I mainly use 2 PRS Singlecut's with #7 pickups, and a PRS custom 24 with HFS pickups live. I play modern hard rock and the combination between my guitars and this amp are perfect for my style. As far as my effects are concerned I use a TC Electronics Chorus/Flanger, a Boss Phaser, Boss Delay, Boss Reverb and a BBE Sonic Maximizer (rack mount) through the effects loop. I also use a Morley Power Wah and a Boss Acoustic Simulator wich run straight in after my guitar (I like to have options) I run the amp through (2) Mesa/Boogie 4x12 Recto Cabs... I also have this baby stocked with EL34 power tubes rather than the 6L6's. Mainly it tightens the low end and gives the amp more of a touch sensative feel. It's really a matter of opinion on what kind of tubes you use and it also has alot to with your playing style. I suggest you try the amp with both kinds of power tubes before you settle. Anyways here's my take on the sound:

CHANNEL 1

I leave this channel set on clean mode... I get a good clean sound out of this amp. It's not the best I've ever heard but it sounds good! So as long as you don't have your gain set too high like an idiot, it wont distort. Not even at high volumes!!

CHANNEL 2

I leave this channel set on vintage mode... I keep the presence only about a quarter of the way up and I do not "scoop" the mid, I keep it about half way up. It produces a dark creamy sound covered with sustain. I mainly use it for slower-phrased soloing, as well as for slow-less aggressive rhythms... All in all this channel kicks ass!!

CHANNEL 3

I leave this channel set on modern mode... This is the channel I depend on the most! I keep my gain alittle over half way up, my presence about half way up and it produces a crunch that is too sweet to describe... I use it as my main rhythm and with one step of the solo boost it also becomes my main lead channel as well (quick scale runs & sweep picking sound superb!!)

Just remember how important the PRESENCE nob is when you first go to tweak it... If you don't know how to properly set your presence your going to sound like shit! Also, don't use a shitty cab or a shitty guitar with this amp because it'll show through!! I give this amp a 9 on sound quality mainly because there are alot of high gain amps with better clean channels...

Never had a problem...

Mesa/Boogie is a very good company that takes pride in there amps... They will help you anyway they can!

I'm 22, I've been playing for 10 years. I'm a full time musician and the band I play for is currently touring on a national level. So as you can imagine I've owned and played many amps. I use a Dual Rectifier because it sounds good, it's built tough, and most of all it's versatile. I own a total of 2 Dual Rectifiers... I would be lieing if I said that this was the best high gain amp I've ever played through... There are indeed a few that I think sound better but they all cost over $4,000 and aren't very road worthy or versatile... So I think if the amp suites your playing and/or genre then it's the best amp you can find for the quality and price. Go for it!! If either were stolen I'd get a new one :)

First off, this amp is extremely versatile. It has all the features you could ever need, 3 channels, 8 modes and the best effects loop I've seen... Sure, some people might even say it's "too much!" Those are the people that shouldn't buy one! :) Anyways, like said this amp is very versaltile... It can cover just about any style of music but it excells in the area of hard rock!

I have mainly use 2 PRS Singlecut's with #7 pickups, and a PRS custom 24 with HFS pickups live. I play modern hard rock and the combination between my guitars and this amp are perfect for my style. As far as my effects are concerned I use a TC Electronics Chorus/Flanger, a Boss Phaser, Boss Delay, Boss Reverb and a BBE Sonic Maximizer (rack mount) through the effects loop. I also use a Morley Power Wah and a Boss Acoustic Simulator wich run straight in after my guitar (I like to have options) I run the amp through (2) Mesa/Boogie 4x12 Recto Cabs... I also have this baby stocked with EL34 power tubes rather than the 6L6's. Mainly it tightens the low end and gives the amp more of a touch sensative feel. It's really a matter of opinion on what kind of tubes you use and it also has alot to with your playing style. I suggest you try the amp with both kinds of power tubes before you settle. Anyways here's my take on the sound:

CHANNEL 1

I leave this channel set on clean mode... I get a good clean sound of this amp. It's not the best I've ever heard but it sounds good! So as long as you don't have your gain set too high like an idiot, it wont distort. Not even at high volumes!!

CHANNEL 2

I leave this channel set on vintage mode... I keep the presence only about a quarter of the way up and I do not "scoop" the mid, I keep it about half way up. It produces a dark creamy sound covered with sustain. I mainly use it for slower-phrased soloing, as well as for slow-less aggressive rhythms... All in all this channel kicks ass!!

CHANNEL 3

I leave this channel set on modern mode... This is the channel I depend on the most! I keep my gain alittle over half way up, my presence about half way up and it produces a crunch that is too sweet to describe... I use it as my main rhythm and with one step of the solo boost it also becomes my main lead channel as well (quick scale runs & sweep picking sound superb!!)

Just remember how important the PRESENCE nob is when you first go to tweak it... If you don't know how to properly set your presence your going to sound like shit! Also, don't use a shitty cab or a shitty guitar with this amp because it'll show through!! I give this amp a 9 on sound quality mainly because there are alot of high gain amps with better clean channels...

Never had a problem...

Mesa/Boogie is a very good company that takes pride in there amps... They will help you anyway they can!

I'm 22, I've been playing for 10 years. I'm a full time musician and the band I play for is currently touring on a national level. So as you can imagine I've owned and played many amps. I use a Dual Rectifier because it sounds good, it's built tough, and most of all it's versatile. I own a total of 2 Dual Rectifiers... I would be lieing if I said that this was the best high gain amp I've ever played through... There are indeed a few that I think sound better but they all cost over $4,000 and aren't very road worthy or versatile... So I think if the amp suites your playing and/or genre then it's the best amp you can find for the quality and price. Go for it!! If either were stolen I'd get a new one :)

There is more on this amp than you will know what to do with. You can research Mesa for all the features. I have never felt that I needed more control or options than this amp provides. Amazing versitility. It's all there, and then some. TONS of tonal options. Full controls for whatever rig you can dream up.

Big bonus:
This head I like better than the Triple Rec because you can cut the power from 100watt to 50watt by removing two tubes for more tone options when the tubes are pushed harder. Plenty, believe me, PLENTY of power here.

No reverb or other effects, so it gets a 9. 9.5 if I could.

Amazing....simply amazing. Short of sparkly cleans, this amp will do it ALL. So many controls for tone that you seriously have 10 amps in one, and the cool thing is you've got 3 channels so you can footswitch between three different tones, volume boost, and your FX loop. A few tones I've dialed up with great delight are Vox, Marshall, Orange type stuff.

With enough nob tweaking, your sound is in there no matter what you want. And it will sound very, very good. Warm or thin, course or smooth, tight and punchy or breathy and natural, whatever. It's all there. Obviously you'll want to get a guitar/pickups that will give you the other half of the picture.

On top of all that, what this amp does that no other will do is a very tight and course roar with alot of bite. HUGE is the best description. Large and mean.

4 years, no trouble. Get's played about 4 hrs/week. Alot of gigs and transporting. Take care of it and you'll be alright. All tubes are inherently prone to go out though.

no need.

I've been on guitar for about 10 yrs. I play a Gibson SG with seymor duncan humbuckers and a Squier Stratocaster (all single coil) and get some really good rock tones. It has never let me down when I've reached for all kinds of tones and rig setups. In the end, it'll do the sound of any other amp, but no other amp can sound like this one.

Questo amplificatore ?? il piu versatile tra tutti quelli che io abbia mai visto, forse la Diezel Herbert pu?? competere, ma a quel punto il prezzo diventa veramente inacessibile. Tre canali completamente separati per eq, gain, master e presence. Per quasi ogni canale sono disponibili tre modi (anche se si differenziano solo per quantit?? di gain). Fx loop tra i pi?? sofisticati che abbia mai visto, anche se a causa del genere (thrash metal) che suono, non sfrutto. L'opzione solo ?? molto utile specialmente per le vie di mezzo tra il lead e la distorsione. Inoltre il controllo finale dell'output permette di mantenere ben proporzionati i livelli dei tre canali tra di loro. Insomma...una Mesa.

Sono passato da un solid state Marshall a una Mesa. Il cambiamento si ?? sentito e nei suonandola le prime volte sembrava un suono povero di gain, ma questi incovenienti capitano quando si passa dall'ascolto di armoniche dispari (emesse dai solid state) alle armoniche pari (emesse dagli ampli valvolari). Ed ?? un bene. Credetemi il suono valvolare sembra inizialmente piatto, ma non ?? cos??: ovviamente dipende dal tipo di cassa che si ha disposizione. Personalmente consiglio il Celestion V30. Fantastici. La mia testata e la mia cassa (Mesa Recto Cab 4x12) creano un volume enorme di eq, con un gain diverso dal solito ronzio dei solid state (a livello di gain battuto solo forse dalla mitica Peavey 5150). Questo ?? il vero suono, almeno per me, ognuno ha il suo...

Adesso che l'ho scoperta non potrei farne a meno. Quando mi capita di suonare con qualche altro ampli rimpiango amaramente di aver lasciato a casa il mio amplificatore. Per quanto riguarda la resistenza e l'affidabilit?? di questo amplificatore penso che potrei portarmela anche in guerra, ovviamente ora la tratto come un oggetto di cristallo delicatissimo, comunque questi ampli, Mesa in generale, sono magnifici...solidi come carrarmati.

Inizialmente ho avuto problemi per l'attesa della cassa che la mogar mi ha consegnato, tramite il rivenditore, circa tre mesi dopo la testata. Dopo un periodo liscio come l'olio, si ?? rotta una valvola finale e mi sono fatto una dozzina di volte la strada per il rivenditore dove ho comprato il tutto. Adesso sto esaminando il mio suono, forse un p?? cambiato o forse no...chi lo sa, in questi casi anche la mente fa brutti scherzi, sopratttutto quando ci sono in ballo parecchi soldi.

La pi?? versatile testata mai provata. Il suono pi?? pieno mai sentito. Possibilit?? sonore infinite. Silenziosa anche con il gain a livello massimo.

Mesa Dual Rectifier Solo Head Triple Channel

Per me, il massimo.

The features on this amp are amazing. There are so many features that it may be overwhelming for a novice, but given time and patience anybody can learn how to use this amp to their advantage. I really like the effects loop and different distortion settings. The only reason I am not giving it a 10 was I wish there was a wattage selector like on the Roadster and Road King.

I am playing a PRS Custom 24 with HFS Pickups and a '69 Les Paul Custom with EMGs. I have the 2x12 cab with vintage 30's in it, and Monster Rock cables through out. This amp can run the gauntlet between crystal clear and holy crap I have a monster in the room.

Seriously there is no sound you can not get. If you are a player that turns the treble up to 10 mid to 0 and bass to 10 then play a guitar with EMGs and think this is going to sound great, you're wrong. The secret to getting good tone with this amp is to read the manual play with the suggested settings, then adjust to your needs. I also can not stress this enough...FIND A CAB THAT FITS WITH THE HEAD AND YOUR DESIRED TONE. If you have spent this much on an amp head, go the rest of the distance.

I play just about every style, and this amp can do it all. Take the time to learn it and again READ THE MANUAL. If you bought it used and don't have one, download it from www.mesaboogie.com

Works great, no problems.

I spoke to Chris from Boogie before I got this amp. He took the time to help me narrow down which amps to demo prior to making my selection.

I have been playing for 26 years and hands down this is one of the best non boutique amps out there. If it were stolen I would buy it again. The only thing that it lacks is the wattage switch, everything else is there, you just have to find it.

2005 model, waited a year to review this. This thing has more than enough features, for me anyway. 3 channels, each with different modes, 4 different power combinations that completely change the tonality of the channels. Parallel effects loop, took some time for me to get use to but now I appreciate it's affectiveness. I use this for everything from small 20-30 crowds up to 1000+ crowds and any gig that this isn't powerful enough for, they better have a house PA and decent soundman.

OK, heres the opinion part, the first few weeks I had this amp I spent countless hours with the EQs and Power options and modes, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't frustrating at times, but it paid off. Once you learn how the EQ works,(a bit different than any other amp I've owned) especially the difference of each guitar plugged into it, it's an amazing tool. The cleans are beautiful, the gain control is perfect for adjusting between high output and low output pup's (of course low output pups sound better for clean sounds). Where the gain control is affects the rest of the controls as well. If you run the gain high lower all the eq's. The distortion is everything from creamy smooth to ear shattering crazy. This is the first amp I've owned that I didn't have a multitude of pedals running through to get my tones. There is buzz on the highest gain settings, but not nearly as bad as most tube amps I've owned, I don't even use a gate on this if that tells you how little hum there is.
I play in a few bands everything from progressive metal to classical and pop to jazz, and this amp fits every personality that comes out of my fingers.

The only problem I've ever had with this amp is the footswitch, the one it came with didn't work for all the functions, but I bought it from GC so they gave me a working one the next day, no hassles. If you treat this right it'll treat you right. Replace the tubes consistently, carry spare fuses and the such. I've never needed a backup, but always have my practice amp with me just incase, I can always run it through the pa.

Haven't dealt with them, but have heard great things. This came with a 5 year transferable warranty, but I think it might outlive me.

I've been playing professionally for about 10 years and I've found that no matter what you play through there are some good sounds to be found. Before you go and blow your wad for an expensive amp make sure it has a sound that will suite YOUR playing, I've had guitarists plug into my amp and hate it, and I've plugged into other expensive amps and hated them, and I've also loved the tones I've gotten out of cheap, beat up, and used heads, so just make sure your buying a tone and not a name. I can't complain about these being to expensive, because it's worth every penny to me, if you think it's over priced DON'T buy it. For how long I plan on having this it sure makes up for buying amp after amp after amp and selling them for half what I paid.

Made in 2006. This amp is very versatile and has features up the wazoo. Mostly, they are popular for modern metal but you could use is for just about anything. That's one of the problems. There are so many features it takes weeks to find the exact sound you want.

One thing it doesn't have is reverb. At this price and with all the features you think they could put some reverb in.

Very loud. Makes a good sounding rhythm guitar amp for rock and metal. This head did not provide a useful tone for leads without a bunch of effects going through the loop. I bought this head to replace a Peavey XXX but I like the Peavey XXX tone better for the 80s style metal/thrash that I play. And you can get a decent lead tone out of the XXX without effects.

Only had it three weeks and then returned it. Seemed pretty solid.

Called Mesa three times. Always got someone on the first try and the guy was very friendly and helpful.

Been playing 22 years and own several guitars and a Peavey Triple XXX. This amp was overkill for my situation. If I were a full time professional musician with a tech to make your settings, patch the effects loop, etc. I would probably have kept this head. But playing out once a week with a band it was not worth the investment. There are other amps on the market where the sound difference is subtle but costs $1000 less. You can't play a Mesa head at home because the volume where it starts to sound good is way too loud for a bedroom or basement. I admit when I bought it I thought it would be cool to show off a Mesa Dual Rectifier but I would rather get another nice guitar and keep my Triple XXX.

This amp features 3 channels. The three channels all have different modes as well totaling out to 8 modes. Channel one has clean and pushed. Channels two and three both have raw, vintage, and modern modes as well. It also comes with a 5 way foot switch. The rear panel features a bold a spongy mode, as well as a selection between vacuum tubes and hi power tubes. You can swap out the stock 6l6 and put in el34 tubes without getting the amp re-biased. The features are endless on this thing.

I use a Fender Fat Strat with stock pickups. This amp is unbelievable. At first when I bought this I didn't really get to crank it up at my music store. When I got home I didn't crank it up that loud either, so I didn't think the amp was exactly worth the money then, until I cranked this beast. I have it hooked up to a mesa 2x12 cab, and i was blown away. This thing sounds amazing. You can tell that this is what the big bands use. It gives you that chugg chugg chugg tone and goes from a warm overdrive, to a super heavy, blow your face off distortion. This really is the balls.

It seems pretty sturdy, I wouldn't want to drop this thing though, it is expensiivee. The tubes are probly going to have to be changed once in a while, but, no bid deal.

I've never have dealed with the company yet, but comes with a 5 year warranty and a 6 month warranty on the tubes.

I have playing guitar for about 5 years now, so im pretty good. If this thing were stolen, I would think about getting a marshall tsl after i beat the crap out of the ass crack that stole it, but I'd probly just try and save up for another. I did get ripped off on ebay trying to buy this used, so after I losst that money, I started saving up again and just bought it new. I love everything about this amp. Sure it's pretty damn expensive, but it is worth it. Rock on

Three channel: clean, vintage gain and modern (chunky) gain. Separate eq for each channel, can use 6L6 or EL34 power tubes, fixed biased, two rectifier tubes, bold/spongy switch, tube/diode switch, fx loop level control, 5 button footswitch and no reverb.

Versatile? Hell yeah!

Has everything I need and more. Don't care at all the Recto has no reverb because I never use it on other amps either.

I play a Gibson SG Standard (naturalburst) and a Gibson Flying V (ebony). The SG use to be my favorite guitar, but the Flying V has grown on me and definitely gets more play time.

I play some Punk and some Metal, but mostly play hard rock, think AC/DC, Velvet Revolver, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, etc. The Recto is a kick ass machine and I couldn't be happier with it. I like the fact that I can get vintage style distortion and then kick it into serious metal chunk. Even though I mostly play hard rock, I also like playing that "chugga chugga" metal and need an amp that can do both.

I traded in a Marshall DSL100 for this bad boy. I liked the DSL for the hard rock stuff, but it was lacking in that super saturated Metal chunk. I had to run an EQ in the loop and an overdrive in the front to come close to a decent metal tone and even then I still wasn't satisfied. I tried different pre-amp and power tubes, but still no luck. I tried everything, but at the end of the day all I had were a bunch of pedals, cords and dead batteries all over the floor and still no chunky tone. Too much hassle in my book and too many pedals to stomp while I'm playing. So I traded in the DSL and got the Recto. Now I'm only running the EQ in the loop and I don't have to fuss with any pedals, except the footswitch to change channels.

My only complaint is the clean channel, but honestly it's not even a complaint because I know high gain amps don't have the best clean tones. The cleans on the Recto are ok, it's not the best, but it's useable. High gain amps like the Recto will never sound like Fender or Vox clean because Recto's are made for distortion. Just like Fender and Vox will never have that killer distortion because they're made for cleans. I mostly play music with distortion so if I had to choose between a good clean or good distortion, I'll take distortion everytime.

Built like a tank. Fortunately, I've never dropped it and try to be careful with it, but you know how that goes. It is built solid. I've only had it a short while, but I'm fairly confident it will take a beating and still rip out that sweet tone.

Never dealt with customer service and I hope I never have too. I've heard Mesa's customer service is second to none, but I still hope I never have to find out.

I've been playing since 1984, mostly just plucking the strings when I was bored, but I've been playing seriously now for about 6 years. If it were stolen or lost, I might buy it again, but I might buy something different instead. There is always something better out there and I like trying different equipment. The recto is definitely kick ass, but there are a ton of other amps out there that I would like to have. I wish I had a lot of money because I would probably buy them all. Anyway, I give the Dual Rectifier two thumbs up........kick ass tone machine and definitely worth the price.

IT FEATURES JUST WHAT YOU NEED!!! Mine is a 2005, the amp is very versatile you just have to mess with it a little to get the hang of it.. but u can pretty much dial nething in after u figure it out.. dont listen to people who call this thing a metal amp... there are better clean channels.. but for almost ne type of disortion or overdrive.. this amp does better than any of them. I USE to be in a christian hardcore band.. not nemore i went off to college, but it does fine. IT IS SO LOUD!! the other guitarist in my band used a peavy 5150 head.. I could easily drown him out haha, such a great amp.

lets see... i use an american fender texas special fat strat with a seymour duncan in the bridge, and a american series telecaster. I recenly used an SG standard through it and fell in love.. plan on purchasing one soon. As again i play hardcore/metal/southern rock and does all 3 great. SO nething rock this thing is gonna own. IS IT NOISY??? if you want it to be it is.. if u dont u have to mess with the treble and turn it down.. see in mesa's the treble has alot to do with the gain..the more u turn the treble up the gain goes up. THIS THING IS KILLER!! the distortion is simply the best!!

well never gigged much with it.. but i have friends who gig with there and have been for 3-5 years.. and they do fine. MINE FEELS TOUGH.. I KNOW THAT FOR SURE.

I almost wasnt able to get one.. i had to call a guitar center in california for a new one in the box.. cuz all of the guitar centers have them on the floor.. but i wanted one in the box.. i mean c'mon if ur gonna spend this kind of money why not. But newayz the company helped me locate a new one.. and the closest one was in california and i was able to ship it down here.. man was i lucky!! but anyways the company seems fantastic!!

Ive been playing for around 3 and a half years... my guitars include american texas special fender fat stratocaster, a 2001 fender american tele, and a 2003 mexican standard fender fat strat(my first guitar, in which i wouldnt give up for nething). I plan on buying a gibson SG standard soon! amp wise i have my dual rectifier and i run it through a standard 4x12 mesa cab with vintage 30's, i also have a fender hot rod deluxe i love to jam on. and then i have some crappy fender champion 30(solid state PFT!!!) all i use besides this is a boss tuner pedal, im not much of an effect guy. IF THIS AMP WAS STOLEN I WOULD HURT THE PERSON WHO TOOK IT VERY BADLY.. if i could keep that same one due to damage.. i would deff. buy another one. I chose this over the triple rec. becuz i still like to play in my bedroom.. and you cant do that sorta thing with triple.. ITS JUST TOO LOUD.. i can barely do that with the dual.

Its a Mesa Dual Rec you knw what the deal is.

I use epiphone loaded with dimarzio pickups. It is the best amp I have ever played.It takes awhile to understand and it does have its qirks but it is an unbelieveable tool once you understand it. Now alot tof amps just seem unsophisticated to me. I know alot of people get on it beacause they are hard to get tot sound good but I never had too much trouble with it.

Bought it used havent changesd the tubes and it works great.

wouldnt know since I havent need tot to use them.

Alot of guys have opinions on this amp that are coming from a dislike of the music the amp is used for. Hey I dont get on victorias cause I dont like blues and I dont get on VOX because I dont like pop rock. If my REC were stolen the person responsible would be hunted down like a dog and shot. I have played plenty of amps from bogners to diezels to VHT to riveras and marshalls. Most of these amps are amazing, but I personally get the tone in my head out with this amp so Ill take it you guys with your voxs and marshalls and peavys go have fun.

Made in 2005, 3 channels blah blah blah, you know all the features.

I use a peavey 5150 4x12 cab with it, which blows the mesa 4x12 away.

I use Ernie Ball Music Man Luke guitars with it. I bought this amp about 6 months back now, l bought it cause thats what the other members in the band wanted me to get so l thought l'd buy it for the greater good of the band, l never have liked Mesa Boogie amps, and l haven't changed my mind. First things first, throw out the stock tubes, they are complete junk, sound like sh!t, l put jj tubes in, a huge improvement on the sound.

The clean channel, l can't get this channel clean, it distorts a bit, and it annoys me.

Another thing l should note as well, your pickups effect the tone of this amp, i've found l can only use the EMG's in my Luke to get any sustian out of this amp, if l use Dimarzio, which would sound fantastic through my old amp would sound fantastic, though this amp they sound like sh!t.

I'm gonna try putting el34 tubes in it, if the sound doesn't improve, l'm gonna get rid of it and get what l really wanted a rivera knucklehead.