Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head Triple Channel

Everyone knows the features by now....

Well, this thing ripped my face off. I previously owned a TSL100 and not everyone is going to like this but the Mesa TOTALLY ANNIHILATES it. Every possible distortion, crunch (Brit or American), Grind, Brown, sound is possible with this. IT IS DEFINATELY NOT A ONE TRICK PONY. Because i own both the amps mentioned above i have a/b 'd them a lot at stage volumes and after playing through the Mesa it makes the Marshall sound scratchy, weak and nasally. One important point to consider. dont expect instant results, When i first played through it i was a little dissapointed it took me a while to get to know the amp and how it responds the note seemed to jump out before i played them. Also this is a live amp, bedroom levels dont do it justice. take the amp out gigging and let her breath a bit (Fire that is!!). Mr Randall Smith has provided you with an excellent manual in order to get the best out of this beast so use it. This amp does not sound like a Marshall, it is not a Marshall! Duh!! But over here in Britain everyone and their bro owns a Marshall, so i thought that i would be a little different, fork out the extra dollar and buy a PROPER amp. Damn it every time i hit a fat chord through this amp it rips me a new arsehole. One slight gripe i think the amp could possibly do with a bit more headroom on the clean channel as i find that it breaks up a bit too soon but this sounds so good that it doesnt even really matter. Obviously American people like the British sound and Brits like the American sound and vice versa. I personally like both. Sometimes this amp can sound a bit too Hi-Fi (no bad thing) so i will plug into my Marshall and have a bit of a dirty crunch up. For sheeeeeerrr power, guts, tone, the Mesa is the best out there and it completely nails anything you can throw at it. This amp is the Best PERIOD and what a Marque it is.

Built like a Bunker

Never dealt with them so that is good! Most others have given glowing reviews.

Nothing else can touch it.... USE A MESA CAB, MARSHALL CABS ARE INFERIOR AND ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE USED WITH MESA AMPS, IT WILL KILL THE SOUND.

I am very disappointed with this amp, I?ve had it for just over two months and already I?ve had tubes blow and two fuses pack up and I know what your thinking.. "he?s got the gain all the way up, he?s doesn?t let it warm up before he starts playing, he doesn?t look after he?s Mesa"... WRONG! I?ve looked after my mesa like nothing else and I still having problems... I?ve never even had the thing past half way for gods sake! (volume!). I would think that for a piece of kit that?s worth nearly two thousand pounds it would be just a little more robust. If you know what I mean.

I have a 2000 Dual Rectifier 3 channel solo head. 100 watts, plus a solo volume boost and effects loop. The footswitch controls the solo boost, channel selection, and an on/off toggle for the effects loop. Came stock with 6L6 tubes and the usual specs as listed at http://www.mesaboogie.com/. One complaint is that the amp comes with no reverb, which would help mostly for solos and the clean channel. However, for most venues where I have gigged with this amp, this was not necessary.

I have played an Ibanez USA Custom as well as a cheaper Ibanez G10 7-string (with an Dimarzio Air Norton neck pickup and a Dimarzio Tone Zone bridge pickup, both coil-tapped) through this amp and, for heavy rhythms, this head excels. As many have said, you do have to turn up in order to hear the sweetness, especially for the channel 2 (orange) vintage voicing. I play a wide array of styles from metal to ska to jazz and, with some tweaking, these sounds can be had. At first, I was able to get satisfactory tones, but as I tweaked with time, I was able to dial in more of my sound which can cut through at gigs. I found this amp to be fairly quiet with my humbuckers, but it is hard to play any more complex chords such as dominant 7's or any jazz inversions and have the notes come through. Also, good lead sounds can be had, given some time.

Unfortunately, the only backup I could afford is a cheap Peavey Bandit, but thankfully, this amp has never broken down. It is a true workhorse and has indeed paid for itself.

I have been playing for about 13 years and have a TC Electronics G-Major unit for effects in addition to a Boss DS-1, a Dunlop Stereo Chorus, and some other nicknacks.
I was intrigued to try out this amp by hearing Vernon Reid and John Petrucci laud it in the early 90's. I really like the layout of this amp in terms of the features, and it really set a new standard in high-gain amps. However, I found myself wanting more in terms of the tones I could produce and had my Dual Rec modified by Trace at Voodoo Amps. Since then, I have not thought about replacing this amp with anything, but perhaps adding more to the arsenal with some more vintage-sounding amps. That said, I have heard many players who have absolutely burned with stock Dual Recs.
If stolen, I probably would not get another Dual Rec. Instead, I would lean more towards the Voodoo Hex/Rivera Knucklehead 2/Bogner Ubershall route. In fact, I find myself frustrated when I play stock Dual Recs at the local music store, since I cannot tweak it to get the modded tones I now have. Really, it all boils down to opinion when you investigate the higher-end high-gain amp niche. Make no mistake; this is a very fine amp, but my personal sound evolved away from what I could get stock. Nothing substitutes playing this amp for yourself loud, and the features are all very well thought out, in my opinion.

2002 Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head 100 Watt... You guys know what it is... THE SOLO BOOST ROCKS! :P

The only thing this amp doesn't have is reverb. I use a boss reverb but this amp does not sound dry!

I use two guitars through this amp. My main guitar is a 2001 PRS Singlecut and my second guitar is a 1998 Gibson Les Paul Standard. My four main influences are, Led Zeppelin, Creed, Pink Floyd, and 3 Doors Down. Hopefully that gives you an idea of the type of music I play. I'm also heavely influenced by blues which is something I try to combine with my harder side. I am probably the only person that will tell you this but this amp is not JUST for Hard Rock - Metal players. You can do anything you want with this amp, it's extremely versatile. More versatile than most of the amps you'll find out there. I previously owned a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 100, which I used for over 3 years. The difference between my Marshall and my Mesa is the distortion. Marshall's have a much heavier sound, no matter how far you turn down the gain on a marshall its going to have that sound. If you turn down the gain on a Mesa you can capture so mainy different tones, the possibilites are endless. I'm not putting down Marshall in anyway. Believe me, if Mesa wasn't around I'd use a Marshall. I have great respect for Marshall and I think there amps are killer but I'm being honest when I say... MESA IS BETTER!

Channel 1

CLEAN: The clean sound is really good, it's very original, I can't compare to anything really. I can say that its one of the best cleans I've heard from any stack amp. Besides maybe the Rivera Knucklehead. It will distort if you have the gain turned up real high. (DUH!)

TWEAK: I don't use the tweak mode very much but its got a killer sound. It reminds of an old fender amp.

Channel 2:

RAW: This is your basic overdriven type sound.

VINTAGE: I love this mode! I use it for rhythm and leads but it's where I go mostly when its time for a solo. I get a great carlos santana type sound out of it! Just a great sound...

MODERN: I use this mode only for agressive leads. It's cool for rhythm too but you'll never use it for that after you here the modern mode on channel 3. :)

Channel 3:

RAW: This mode is my classic rock mode... anytime I want a Clapton or Hendrix type tone this is where I go, case closed. :)

VINTAGE: Great sound!! Awesome if your looking a good solid distorted tone. It's basically the sound you'll find on those old Mesa Amps.

MODERN: THE ABSOLUTE BEST RHYTHM SOUND ON THE PLANET!! This mode is mean! It's heaven for anyone like me that likes to go from a clean verse to a heavy chorus. Its also killer for VERY LOUD SOLOs! This is the mode for all you metal players out there... I myself don't turn the gain all the way up... but if you do it becomes the most heaviest distortion you'll ever hear!!

NOTE: This amp sounds good with the 6L6 tubes but it sounds much better with the EL34's!! You wont believe the difference.

This amp is built like a tank. Mesa uses metal where most use plastic. One of the coolest things about this amp is you can switch it to solid state. So if you blow a tube you don't blow the gig.

Remember this amp sounds way better with EL34's! :)

I'm 18, been playing for over 6 years. I've owned Marshalls, Fenders, and Peavey-(never again). This amp is just simply more versatile with far more features than most amps. I compared this amp to a Marshall TSL 100 and a Mesa Nomad 100. I liked it better and I rhink most people would. It's not a good amp if your looking to hide your mistakes with gain. What's really cool about this amp is that you can play a heavy chord but when you go to play a lead it cuts through that distortion. I couldn't do that with my marshall... The leads sounded more distorted than the rhythm. And if you turn the gain down on a marshall it sounds like shit. So basically a Marshall is good for one thing, sounding like a Marshall. And even though I like that sound sometimes I just don't want it the other times.

If this amp were stolen I'd buy another one! :)

Everybody has heard this before about a million times, but this is an awesome amp. It has all the features that, personaly, i think you need. Yeah, reverb wouldn't hurt, but most of the time reverb is really gay. The awesome tone and versitility definitely make up for the petty absence of reverb...and don't let that keep you from making the choice to get this amp, outboard reverbs are always better anyway.

Nothing is perfect....I use a Gibson standard les paul double cut-away and it sound sweet through this amp. I don't know about the rest of you, but when i was reading reviews of amps that I was considering of buying it got me pissed when i would read one and it would say "I play nu-metal and this amp rocks!" or "This is an awesome amp for country, hip-hop, and 80s rock" I wanted to hear if it suited my style of music (obviously being at the point where i had not gotten the opportunity to play one myself). So if you are like me you will enjoy this. This is the best amp out there for hardcore, pop-punk, emo, and alternative music styles. Basicly, if you are seeking guitar sounds that are ballsy and have high-gain yet have crystal clarity... this is your amp. ( i play through a marshall 1960 A cab)

One of the infinite beauties of this amp is that it can run vaccum tubes or silicone diodes (solid state). this means if you are playing a gig and you blow a tube or something this is what you do.... you stop playing, start to think "what the crap", be like "CRAP!!", then come to the nice realization that you have a MESA and walk back to your gorgeous dual rec and switch it on the back to silicone diodes (turning off standby before you do this of course) and proceed! Doesn't that rock? and MESA is cool. built tough. ive had no problems yet.

i dono yet

I'm still in high school, but i've had my share of musical gear. This is most definitely the best amp i have ever owned. I almost purchases the Peavey Triple X, a very very worthy competitor/imitator of the Mesa, but i decided to get the real one and don't regret it at all. As for the other recs...Screw them. this is the best. you get the three channels that the tripple rec offers and lower wattage. if three channels isn't your thing the single or 2 channel recs are also very awesome, but three channels can't harm. The tripple rec is just freaking stupid. 150 watts. holy crap. no one needs that much in a guitar amp. the 100 watts will be perfectly, ear spliting, deafining fine. with tube amps the more they are cranked the better they sound, so with the tripple you have to make your amp way too loud to achieve the same awesome tone availabe at a still (holy crap) loud enough level that you can achieve with the dual. so, the three channel dual rec is just a better tripple rec. also, the dual can be opperated at half power by yanking a power tube, but dont take my word for it. ask a pro in this area before you do that or else you could ruin something.

I bought this amp approx. 6 months ago, so it is a 2002 model.
This has to be one of the most versatlle amps out there, it has so many options that change your tone in so many ways its crazy.
But there are more versatille amps out there digital amps that have no tone or amps like mesa's road king or triaxis or the new Randall RM4 preamp. So thats why I give this a "9"

My setup consists of esp explorer w/ emg 81 and a emg afterburner that I never use, going in to a custom made 4x12 cab w/ vintage 30's at 4 ohms. This amp totally suits my suits my style which is melodic clean, vintage evil crunch, and all out heavy grinding. Now that covers all three channels doesnt it, so yeah it fits my style perfectly. Yeah the amp is noisy at high volumes, what high gain tube amp isnt. I bought this amp for its huge grinding tones out of the modern mode. I am amazed at some of the reviews that say this thing doesnt have much bass. They must be using marshall cabs lol. This thing has a huge low end, some people say that it loses its low end when you crank up the volume. Thats not totally true, as you increase the volume the power tubes start to distort and the amps starts to scream, which is GOOD for vintage stuff (think slayer), but for modern huge grinding guitar sound (think coal chamber) that is bad. So you have to change your EQ at loud volumes, dial back the highs and presence, and presto you have your huge sound back. Amazing aint the EQ actually does change your sound unliike most amps lol. But the amazing thing about this amp is its vintage sounds I can get out of it that I USED to not be in to. When I bought this amp I knew it was going to be totally hard core, but I did not expect it to cover the whole spectrum of sounds. The clean is so good I dont even use chorus of reverb anymore to spice it up, because the thing sparkles so damn good by itself! One last note to those of you who own this amp and cant get a huge sound out of it try this EQ setup for a change of pace. What I do is use the rectifier tubes set the amp on spungy and use modern mode on channel 2 (yeah the orange channel) put the bass at least on 3 o'clock the gain at three also, scope the fuck out of the mids and use the highs and pressence vary sparingly just use ENOF to get the job done, becasue the highs are so dominate on this amp it tends to drown out the lows so that is why I use the channel 2 on modern instead of channel 3 as most people do because the pressence is easier to control/tame on channel 2. And as far as people think this amp has no vocus and is only good for modern sluggy rock, well they must not be using the RAW or VINTAGE modes because they are plain spectacular, or they plain just dont know what vintage rock sounds even are because they have been playing marshalls too long and any sound that doesnt scream marshall isnt good whether the sound is good or bad they just want it to sound like a marshall!
Also the sound does sound compressed as many people say which can be bad, BUT if you crank the volume the compress sound goes away! In case you didnt know compression is supposed to keep the sound tight in extreme settings, and the rectifier does it superb, but if you just play thing at bedroom levels you probably might not like the sound, maybe you should have bought a less powerful amp single rectifier or maybe better yet for bedroom players the rectifier 1x12 combo!

Well it is totally tube driven, so you should have a backup amp when you gig or at the vary least have a spare set of power tubes. I was kind of let down my the factory power tubes they didnt last the 6 months they are warrantied for.

But the service is very good with Mesa products as this is my third Mesa amp. When I brought my power tubes back to the mesa dealer that I bought the amp from they gave me new power tubes no questions asked. I mean the old power tubes didnt stop working they just lost all of their balls (gain, low end, volume). They just took my old tubes and gave me new tubes, and I forgot to bring (2) of the power tubes but they didnt even care they just took my (2) tubes back and gave (4) new ones. And thats fuckin alright to me!

Yeah its expensive but hell sports cars are expesnive too, you get what you pay for!

2001 or 2002. 3 channel dual rectifier. I use this amp primarily for gigging. I wish it had reverb, but can live w/o that.

I've been using it live for almost a year now and I gig often. I generally love the sound, but would like to comment about it's sonics in a live band: Using Les Pauls and two Mesa 1x12, 3/4 open-backed cabs, the mids and highs always need to be goosed and the lows no higher than 10:00. I set the modes thusly: Modern for 3, Vintage for 2, and Clean for 1. Like Marshall's TSL100, the third channel's voicing sounds mid-scooped compared to channel 2 regardless of how you set it, so that makes it difficult to get a more mid-boosted solo for channel 3 (setting ch. 3 for Vintage doesn't help because 2 and 3 are NOT identical). The gain is killer, the tone is about three asses fat, although the top end of channel 3 is a bit "slicey-thin". The entire Rectifier line's tone is obviously focused in the lower midrange rather than the upper midrange. I do wish that the mid controls were focused around a bit higher of a frequency. The clean channel is good or bad depending on how you like your tone- not alot of "sparkle", especially live, and the mid control usually is more like an "upper-bass" control at times. It lacks some of the Fender-like lows that are present on the Rectoverb. The amp I have is VERY quiet, even at loud volumes. I do wish chan. 3 was an exact clone of chan. 2 which I think is the best channel on the amp, and I wish the clean had more top-end sparkle. I don't use tube rectification, so I removed the two tubes from the amp so that they don't burn uselessly and become a waste later on. It's likely that I'll switch to EL34's for a while, and only use two of those instead of four since this amp and it's masters rarely make it above a 10:00 setting on "Spongy"- it's LOUD!

Very reliable and very well built. Mesa replaced all power tubes for me after the first 4 months when one went bad. My footswitch only pops the first few clicks after turning the amp on each time. Popping is a problem with many channel switching amps, especially ones with 3 channels. There are very minute volume swells/dropouts when switching some channels- not enough to inconvenience.

I dislike that I can't ask the simplest of questions via email without getting instructed to make a phonecall.

I've been playing and giging for almost 25 years. I'd buy one again because of the tone, versatilty, and quality. I do wish the midrange were voiced a little higher, or that there were a switch to shift the mid voicing a bit higher. Regardless, the tones are all very nice on this amp, and for the price range I feel there aren't many other amps on the market that can compete with the Dual Rectifier. I also have a Marshall TSL100 which I also like, but that's another review. For quality though, the Recto wins of the two.

Lack of reverb, a mid voicing/shift control, and an "ok" clean tone are my beefs.

I purchased my amp in September of 2002 which was the best investment that I've ever made. I play modern rock originals and covers so this beast can cover it all! It comes with 3 channels (clean, and 2 crunch channels),a solo channel (which is the best an amp could ever have) and a effects loop channel. All which are footswitchable. The effects loop is crazy. It also has the ability to control each footswitch through a midi controller. Its a hundred watts of pure rectified power all tube. The coolest thing about this amp is that if you blow a tube during a show, there's a switch on the back of the amp to go to silcone diodes (solid state). The change isn't that drastic of tone either. Another good point is that purchasing a mesa boogie amp, you never need to bias the tubes when replacing them (as long as they are mesa tubes). Just plug them in and you're golden!

I have a PRS custom 24 with the dragon pickups which sound so sweet. The ability to control my tones and volumes is very important in the style of music that I play which this amp has. I have a BBE sonic maximizer hooked up throught the effects loop along with an aray of pedals, but what a difference adding that one piece of equipment. It sounds like ten cabinets behind me. It's amazing. This is a very quite amp unless you really drive the distortion. But then any amp will do that. The third channel (which I have set for the more heavier tunes) can become really saturated and almost naturally compressed when turned to 11! The clean channel is a little weak, but with the sonic maximizer hooked up, it beefs it up nicely. The second channel (lighter crunch) has real nice depth and tone for rhythms and light leads with plenty of sustain. The cabinets that I use are the Genz Benz - George Lynch model 2x12. Those can't touch a 4 x 12 cabinet! I had a loaded Celesion 4x12 cab, but traded it in for one of these. I own two, but only bring one on the road.

Well, I've only had for a couple of months, but using almost every night, it seems to be a solid amp. I would never neglect this baby!!

I haven't had to call customer support, but it comes with a two year warrrenty. Hopefully I'll never have to call them!

I've been playing guitar for about 14 years and have played a large variety of amps. I used to own a Mesa Mark III head, but sold it for a peavy. (stupid!) I also owned Mesa Nomad 4 x 10. That was a great amp, but didn't have the crunch I was looking for. I currently own a Marshall TSL 100 and a Fender Stage 100. I've even used the Line 6 products, but for me, they were too much hassle trying to get my volumes and sounds for different rooms.
Overall, this amp is the best thing I've ever bought. It can be played at low volumes or screaming, blow your head off levels!

This is brand new amp, straight from Guitar Center, in the box. It has three channels and all the other stuff people already mentioned ahead of me....

I am using American Jackson SL2H soloist (Seymour Duncan Custom humbucker-bridge, JB-neck), LTD/ESP Kirk Hammett 502 (Duncan Custom-bridge, ESP HiZ-neck). Mesa Boogie Traditional Oversized cab, two Carvin cabs and a Genz-Benz cab. Yes, that's two full stacs!!!
I play guitar for 15 years and I am in a signed band....
I am VERY DISSAPOINTED with this amp. I play Testament, Pantera, Exodus, old Metallica, Whiplash, Ageht Steel, Helloween, Flotsam&Jetsam - thras/speed style. This amp has a fat but very CLUMSY UNFOCUSED SOUND, I call it BLIMPIE or BUBLE sound....NOT EVEN CLOSE TO SHARPNESS AND DISTORTION I need.....BIG DISSAPOINTMENT!!!!

I don't care about reliability I am getting rid of it......

I delt with Mesa Boogie few times regarding some other equipment I have. They were more than great!!!!!

I also own Mesa Boogie 50/50 Power amp, which is GREAT amp. I own Digitech 2112 and for the last 15 years has changed through lot of other brands and names.....

100w head. 3 independent channels and everyone has it?s configuration (bass, middle, treble, presence, master and gain). The first channel (green) has two modes: clean or pushed. The second and the third channels have tree modes: raw, vintage, and modern. There are also two knobs to control the overall and solo volumes (linked with the fx loop). You can choose between EL34 or 6L6 (standard) tubes and also there are two switches on the back that allow you to change the tone (spongy/bold and vacuum tubes/silicon diodes). The amp includes a giant footswitch with 5 buttons (ch1 ch2 ch3 solo fx) and a useful slip cover.

I play in a melodic-hardcore band (Lagwagon, UselessID, Belvedere, etc?) so what I need from this amp is a medium overdrive and a brutal distorsion. I don?t use very often the clean mode, but I like it. I use a Gibson SG with Di Marzio Dual Sound pickups (superdistortion but splittable in single coil if you want). I never use fx through this monster because it doesn?t need them. As speakers I?m using a classic 4x12 Marshall cab (1960A) and with this the amp has a bit darker sound than using it through a Recto cab, but it?s not a problem when you are playing heavy music.

Green channel: this is the cleanest channel of this amp. In the clean mode at low gain settings you can obtain a crystal sound (seems acoustic) rounding between country or ska. In the pushed mode the things change: the rectifier tone begins to come out from your speakers and you can obtain an incredible blues sounding or a old rock?n roll tone.

Orange channel: great channel! I use this channel in vintage mode and it allows me to have a liquid overdrive very good for soloing or to make some riffs; but from this channel, changing modes and playing with knobs, you can have an infinite variety of overdriven sounds, from jazz to nu-metal. It?s really incredible!

Red channel: it has the same features of the orange channel but with more presence, low frequencies, and gain. I mainly use this channel in modern mode with low presence settings, mids cutted, medium trebles and bass, and the gain at 1 o?clock ? whow! The best power distorted sound I ever heard! Ultra sustained, full, saturated but with definition, with a palm-muted tone that if cranked can be used as a mass-destruction weapon? This is the Mesa sound you can hear all over the world in heavy-rocking, hardcore and metal bands. Only when you have played with this super sensitive sound you are able to understand why Mesa has became the new standard for high gain distortion guitar sound.

So finally I have to say that this monster is the best amplifier for distorted sound, but you must have the patient to search your sound playing with settings for a lot of time. This is not difficult but it may takes you a lot of time. Also remember that this Dual Rectifier is made to play most of all heavy rock stiles of music, so you can?t pretend to reach also an ultra-clean Diezel sound or a warm bluesy Fender sound, etc? and also you can?t pretend to avoid a little noise when keeping master and gain cranked in modern mode? this beast needs to scream out all your 100w power, and if you use it like a small 20w combo in your bedroom it will suffer and you?ll not be able to reach a decent sound. You can?t buy a Ferrari F50 Maranello and then using that 500hp beast to go shopping at Saturday morning, ? it will hate you. So before buying this amp think a moment if you need all this power. One last thing: you can?t use this amp like a Marshall or a Laney one, cranking the knobs all the way up to reach an heavy sound! Read with attention the manual and you?ll discover that for example if you want a powerful distortion in modern mode, you have not to go after the 1 ?1:30 o?clock with the gain setting, because if you do it you over-saturate the sound and the amplifier will reply to you with a terrible muddy sound? so pay attention, and also in this amp a little variation of a single knob position will make a giant change in your sound! It makes the amp a bit difficult to master, but in this way you can have every sound, and everyone can found his own personal sound.

It's new ... but it seems to be very strong ... i hope.

Never talk with them, and I hope I never will ...

The best amp in its category (Heavy distorted sounding). For the music I play it?s unreachable. The only negative thing is the price? but when you turn the power switch on for the first time, you?ve already forgotten all the sacrifices you done to have all those money. I love this monster and it loves me? If you?re looking for a serious professional amplifier for hard rocking music, try this beauty and you will fall in love! Thank you Mesa!!!

I won't bother; been said a million times before.

I've owned three of these amps - each time, I was quite underwhelmed with them, and I've vowed that I'll never get/try another. My guitars are ESP Custom M-II's - one with EMGS (81 & 60) and the other with a Duncan JB & Duncan single coil (forgot the model) I understand that a lot of guys like this amp, and I'm happy for them, but it's not my cup of tea. Believe me, I tried to like it, but it's very un-musical. It has a real loose, "boiling" distortion (only word I can think of - very sloppy) that's great for laying down a wall of downtuned noise (ala most Mall Metal bands today) but worthless for articulate/complex riffing. I'm not going to rate it because I don't want to turn anyone off to this amp, I just want people to make sure that they REALLY LIKE IT. If you take it home, and you're not really digging the sound, TAKE IT BACK. If you are trying to like it, then it's not the amp for you. Also, it's REALLY LOUD. I emphasize this because you don't realize how loud 150 watts is until you've got it screaming in your face. Problem is, a 15 watt tube amp cranked will sound beter than a 150 behemoth. Cheaper to maintain, too.

It is built very solid - M/B has built a reputation on making quality gear - the fit and finish was excellent (on all 3) and overall it's a very substantial piece of equipment.

Great company to work with - they will actually call you back. However, I've been hearing that they are starting to get a little too big for their own good.

I've been playing for 10 years now. This is a great amp, it's just not the sound I want. If you by one of these, make sure you take it home and really dog it - this is a substantial amount of cash, and you want to make sure you like it 100%. Don't let other's opinions decide what amp you get - get whatever works for you, regardless of the brand.

Aside from all the main features, it has the Effects Loop Bypass, the choice of rectifier and the bold/spongy options.

I play in a 2 cover bands and I needed an amp that could be a versatile back-up/2nd option to my Mark IV. The songlist is pretty wide in range so a killer clean is mandatory along with an ac/dc rock tone, a stones-kind-of overdrive and a chunky metal tone. I usually use a 78 Marshall mk II for the ac/dc tone...it just needs alot of bench time at 24 years old and I want to keep it at home. Price was also an issue and I'm not gonna spend 2 grand or more for any amp.

The Mesa stuff I have played does not give me the killer rock tone I want, however, it's good enough for government work...I knew going into it that I would not get it from the rectifier but I was really attracted to the versatility, the reliability and the 3 channels.

Here is my opinion for my needs on this beast channel by channel:

Ch 1: clean: 8
I don't use the "pushed" mode but it's good. The clean sound is, for me, very useable and not annoying. I could rely on this clean sound alone for all my needs. After tweaking at home and several gigs, I don't think it's as glassy and full as the Mark IV, but still I like it. I find that with a Strat in pos 2 (out of phase middle and bridge pu's) and a compressor on the front end for a little "snap" that I'm very happy with the tone.

Ch 2: Vintage Mode, Rock tone, 7
Great high gain sounds! I can find very nice tones in all the modes, but, I really need that "open", "punchy" and defined-low end overdriven sound that says "Angus". Once that sound is dialed in, I need to be able to roll back the volume a bit (or split humbuckers and switch to the middle pos on my Schecter PT) and get a "stones" sound. This is where Marshalls steal the show in my opinion, but I can't carry every amp I want to get different sounds. I think the Recto does an adequate job in this category...at stage volumes it actually sounds pretty darn good; not exactly what I want but useable and good enough to keep me motivated.

Ch 3: Vintage Mode, hard rock/Metal sound, 8.5
What I use this tone for is obvious things like Santana type soloing, Van Halen stuff, Metallica, UFO (minus a little gain)..I'll goose the front end with a newer TS-9 Tube Screamer to put it over the top. This channel and the clean is what I knew I would get with this amp. I can get pretty much exactly what I need from this channel in vintage mode for all of my higher gain needs..Surprisingly, there are some nice rythym tones with the right guitar if you roll back the volume a bit.

A few notes:

1. no amp is a ten
2. The recto outperforms the triple XXX in gain useability, clean tone and lower gain tones. The triple xxx is a decent amp, I own one, but don't think it will eat a rectifier. The rectifier, in my opinion, is more versatile and more thought out in terms of versatility.

3. If you have the space and friendly band mates to allow a 2 "main" amp rig, I think driving 1 half stack with a recto and a 2nd half stack with an older marshall (Jcm800 and earlier)will be a killer setup.

We will see...Usually hit about 7-10 gigs a month

Jimbo at Mesa Hollywood treated me and my family great...Unmatched service and attention at that place..They make sure you are happy before you leave

I like this amp and will use it regularly. At age 39, the holy grail tones that I grew up hearing were mostly from marshalls and fenders. I don't expect mesas to cop those sounds. Mesas sound good, are reliable and versatile...Professional products. Mesa's claim to fame is the buttery, fat high gain solo tone and I can get a killer "version" of that from this amp.

Feel free to email with questions

2002 dual rectifier triple channel 100 watt head. very versatile from blues, jazz, to metal. I play really heavy music and did not need the
raw modes or the pushed mode on the clean channel.plenty of power.the foot controller is very cool, has alot of features.The solo boost switch rocks!

I have a gibson les paul std., with emg's (81 &85) and a peavey wolfgang std. arch top. The amp sounds great at low volumes with silky distortion, but when you turn it up it really loses its balls. The amp gets very loud, but the distortion cleans up and just does'nt have the grind.A/b'd it with a marshall tsl 100 and it could'nt keep up. The marshall atleast sounds better at louder volumes. when you switch modes from vintage to modern on the red channel it has a drastic, loud volume change(too much volume difference).If you want heavy get a bogner uberschall, smokes the shit out of any boogie, with more tone!

Did'nt have it long (2 weeks). took it back to the store and got my money back. Well constructed, but the fx return jack was messed up. It was a simple fix, but for 1650.00 nothing should have been wrong with it.It was new out of the box too.

The techs are real freindly over the phone and are willing to help out in any way. They offered to listen to the amp(older studio preamp)over the phone the try troublshooting the problem before i shipped it.

I've been playing for 12 years. the amp sounds good, just not what i'm looking for. I've gone through alot of amps(gear head)and the dual rectifier really did'nt do more than my tsl 100. Difinetly not on the same level as the uberschall, which i bought after taking the boogie back.If your not really picky on the sound this is a good amp.

I just bought a 2001 Dual Rectifier solo head triple channel about two months ago and this motha kicks ass. I dont have the mesa cab,but I get good sound and tone from my marshall 4/12 cab. Their are a few things that you should know about this amp. As with any tubed amp you have to let the tubes warm up first. The hotter the tubes get in the boogie the meaner it sounds. This is a high gain amp so don't max out the gains on channels 2 and 3.I keep my gain on channel 3 at about 9:00 to 10:00.I use this channel for my "alittle more than overdrivin sound". I set my selector on ventage. Channel 2 is where I stay most of the time. My settings on channel 2 are as follows-Bass is turned all the way up,mid is at 8:00,treble is at 1:00,gain is at 12:00,and the presence is all the way up,and put the selector on modren. If you like Mark Tremonti's sound than you will like this setting.

I play a PRS Tremonti model through this amp and with the settings that I told you earlier it matches Marks sound to a tee. I do suggest that you only play a guitar with humbuckers through it. I have two stratocasters and they make the amp sound weak.

So far so good

Have not had to use it yet

I would suggest this amp to anyone.As far as the price goes,I dont care.I look at it this way,I spent the past 24 years learning the guitar and if I want my sound to sound awsome,I dont care how much it cost.

2002 model i think, soooo versatile 3 channel ,1 clean 2 dirty. 8 overall modes, i just bought this amp today, after nearly 4 years of swooning, i bought it with my uni student loan (don't tell anyone).
It's the most beautiful amp on the planet. I desided that i was gonna buy an amp that was worth spending all my mony on, thus the MESA BOOGIE. I couldn't afford the MESA cab as that is #950 on top, so i bought a cheap Marshell cabbie and it sound sooo phat and crunchy, i could knock down walls with this thing. not as good as the MESA cab but what do u exspect. I haven't ryed my FX pedals wit hit yet as i'm still playing with the tones to get what i like. I don't image that i will have any problems though. It looks quite intimidating at first will all these shiny knobs as switches but trust me 10 minutes and you'll have it sounding sweet. I love the foot controller its a wicked idea and allows total control.

How do u describe sound to someone.... its Amazing!!!, you have to hear it to appreciate what i'm on about. I've played MArshells, Laneys and H&Ks and this amp stomps on them all with the greatest of ease. I play heavy, heavy music and this complements my playing to a T!. The distortion in this amp IS BRUTAL, channel 3... it just insane! i love it. I'm taking serious thought to not use my bigmuff anymore and that pedal had been with me from day one of my metal playing. Serious stuff right here!

I have heard that MESA are the best at Reliability, i would believe them... hands down.

Like i said before SERIOUS STUFF, this amp is SHIT HOT! nothing can touch this. Sound, features, looks the whole nine yards. Its all i could ask for and ever want in a amp thats sound as feels this good.
TOPSPEC!

2002 Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (Triple Channel) Custom Shop. I play melodic metal, and this amp can cover all the range I need from a warm and smooth clean to a heavy, powerful, ear-bleeding crunch that puts shame in the hearts of Marshall owners. I play a 2000 PRS Custom 24 through this amp, and out of my collection, this is the only guitar that gets any play-time through this rig, with the occasional switch to my ESP 7-string. Both guitars sound great, but no one can top the sound of the PRS with the Mesa Boogie. The solo switch is awesome...when you're already hitting hard, but when you need that extra "push over the edge" (spinal tap reference) it gets the job done and then some.

I play a PRS Custom 24 with the HFS pickups. I also have a 7-string ESP. Both guitars sound incredible. The tone between the PRS and the Mesa is untouchable. It's what I've always dreamed of achieving with an amp.

I haven't had this amp long...but it seems to be a very well-built machine...

haven't had to worry about customer support yet...that's how good this amp is!

I've been playing for 9 years and have always dreamed of having a PRS and Mesa rig. Now, I finally have it. Before I got the Mesa, I was considering the Marshall JCM2000 TSL half-stack, but the Marshalls tend to have a lot of structural problems with the circuit board and pots for each channel. Plus, this custom shop head sets it off. Charcoal grey cover w/ a black metal face (instead of chrome). It looks awesome. Black knobs are on the way from Mesa right now...

2001 3 channel Dual Rectifier. I am amazed this amp received any poor reviews at all. The minute Mesa makes a serious amp for real musician's, they get chastised by all the rookies who need more compression and less definition to sound good. I for one could not stand the over-compressed sound of the original Dual Rectifier. This new 3 channel model blows it away. This may shock alot of you, but those things called knobs on the front panel can be turned, and they actually do change your sound. I get evrything from The Stones to Stone Temple Pilots To Godsmack to System of a Down... even old Southern Rock tunes sound excellent on this amp. The 3 channels can be set for different levels of gain and compression...I leave my first channel setup with a blues-rock sound, for Stevie Ray or Hendrix or even heavy blues. If you have not found this setting, then you should spend more time with your amp and mark down the knob setting for tones you like. I keep the other 2 channels on the Classic settings, which results in channel 3 being fairly aggressive with more presence. I do not enjoy the harsh modern tones much... to each their own. The 3 available channels with all their possibilities rate this amp a perfect 10. It dwarfs the other boutique amps in terms of features. You novice players out there really screw this system up with your lack of music knowledge past listening to heavy metal.

I am a pure humbucker man. Single coils are for wimps .. it is much harder to get any kind of treble out of a humbucker. You have to hit harmonic pinches through most of your leads to get the notes to scream .. but that is the magic of it. This amp with ANY humbucker equipped guitar is phenominal. Some may prefer the sound of the old more compressed amps ... but I have played for many years, and I don't necessarilly think of heavy metal when I think of a Dual Rec.. Many great tones are in there ... and more are to come for the people who do not just set the amp up for bombastic destruction. People love the sounds I get when I play through this amp ... it wails. There is nothing else to discuss. The audience lets you know when you are kicking butt. This amp tears down walls.

Many tubes ... if they go, so goes the gig. So bring spares, and treat your tubes nicely by warming the amp up before use and cooling it down after.

Awesome ... what a treat to talk with people who are totally into the company and want to help you in any way they can.

I like all rock styles, and I play them all at an advanced level. I taught guitar for years as well as gigged in a variety of bands. No amp is perfect unless it makes you sound like a rock god all night. If you are not very good with leads, and need a bit of the training wheels on your amp, go for the older squashy Dual Rec. The modern one was created with real players in mind, and it is a serious piece of gear. It is certainly worth the investment. You drop as much on boutique 20-40 watt amps that only allow you to play clean blues all night. This is a 100 watt monster .... man, I love these amps!

This amp was manufactered in 2001. I bought it new. The clean channel is a little underpowered compared to channels 2 and 3 but does have a nice crunch in the pushed mode. I don't use the clean channel at all because my effects rig is wired in such a way that I can bypass the preamp and get my clean tones from just the power amp section. Which, by the way, has a very warm and pleasing sound. The solo volume boost comes in very handy when punching up the volume to cut through the band. The lack of reverb isn't a problem as there are so many quality reverb effects units out there. I can get tones ranging from mellow drive with the vintage mode on channel 2 with the gain set at about 3 or 4 all the way to bone crushing shred metal with the modern mode on channel 3. This amp is quite verstile with plenty of power for any situation.

I use two guitars with this amp; a Gibson SG with stock pickups, and a Hamer Diablo with Seymour Duncans. The SG has a fairly bright sound and absolutely screams through high gain settings on channel 3. The Seymour Duncans in the Hamer are a bit darker sounding so it lacks the hard edge of the Gibson, but it does produce a warmer, smoother sound. Power chords produce a wall of sound so thick, you can cut it with a knife, and lead tones sing with sustain. But since I use the 2x12 Recto cab, extreme volumes tend to mush the speakers, but you have to get it to ear-splitting volume to do that. If you do play at that volume, a 4x12 cab is definitely the way to go. One great thing about this amp is that it doesn't get mushy on the bottom end. Bass string palm muted lines punch clean and defined. Although at extreme gain settings, the definition can go out the window, as with most high gain amplifiers, adding some mids and treble helps the higher strings cut through. One thing needed for this amp is definitely a good noise gate because it's fairly noisy at high gain settings. Also it pops when switching channels, which isn't a real problem for me because I rarly switch channels. If brutal, in your face distortion is what you're after, this is definitely your amp. If I had to describe the sound with one word, it would be "MEAN". My sound quality rating goes to 9 though because bringing in enough treble to make the high strings cut through produces a razory, brassy kind of tone, but that's about the only aspect of the sound that's undesirable to me.

I've had this amp for over a year now and haven't had one problem with it, and it gets packed up and travels in a truck quite frequently. I use it without a backup only because I can't afford two of them and no other amp even comes close to the sound.

I bought my amp from Mesa Boogie Hollywood and they've always been extremely helpful and cooporative. You can email them a question and they'll usually respond within 1 or 2 days.

I've been playing for over 30 years and have played through many different amps including Fenders, Marshalls, VHT's, etc. The Marshalls do come the closest to the brutal tone of the Mesa, but aren't quite as ballsy as the Dual Recto. If it were stolen, I would definitely buy another one. For my playing style, this amp gives me all the performance I could ask for. It's not for the faint of heart. This is the best sounding amp I've ever played, bar none.

This is maybe a year or two old. The newer three channel version. It has more features than most any other amp I've tried. Channel on has two modes, clean and pushed whith it's own set of EQ knbs, master, gain, and presence. Channels two and three, have the same three modes, Raw, vintage hi gain, and modern hi gain. Also, both channels with it's own Eq knobs, gain, etc. The only difference between channels two and three is the voicing. The presence knob on Channel two leaves off at 10 where it begins on channel three at 0. You can create three different settings and switch between each via the footswitch. There ia also an overall output knob that raises the volume of all the channels, as wel as a solo knob that acts as a volume boost needed for solo's during live performances. These two knobs are activated only when using the FX loop on the rear panel. The rear panel also features a very nice bias switch which allows you to switch from 6l6 tubes to el34's by simply flipping the switch. You can also switch between vacuum tubes or silicon diodes. I honestly don't detect much of a difference here. There's also a power switch where you can select "bold" or "spongy". All this does is slightly lower the overall output of the amp when selecting spongy. Not particularly useful. There's almost too mmany features, which lowers my rating to 9.

I'm using three guitars, a Jackson RX10 equipped with a Seymour Duncan JB pickup, and a 59 in the neck. And ESP with a Duncan Distortion, and an ESP strat with a Dimarzio Fast track 2, Gold Lace Sensor, and Hotrails in the neck. I'm also using a crybaby wah, and a Boss SD-1 in front of te amp, and a Boss CH-1 and Ibanez delay-echo through the FX loop which makes my leads sound unreal. This amp is the real deal. I've been playing for several years, and needed to try the Dual rectifier. I tried many other amps before choosing this one. The clean channel is great, and produces many quality tones. However, it's too quiet when compared with the dirty channels. You have to turn the volume up almost all the way. Not a big deal though. The pushed mode delivers a great overdriven tone, especially with the gain knob maxed. A real quality sound that I wasn't expecting. I play mostly metal, more older stuff, when lead guitar and solo's were still in style. Mesa/Boogie is not merely for the newer age metal guitarist. I'm powering a Marshall 1960A 4X12, instead of the Rectifier Cab, as it seemed to be voiced a bit too dark for my tastes. The modern mode on channel's two and three is what attracted me. I compared it with the Marshall TSL, and it just didn't have the same "authority" as the Boogie. It's very loud, as is expected from a 100 watt tube amp. At lower volumes it obviously isn't gonna sound great, but that problem is solved with my Boss super overdrive. I just use a little drive to boost the sound, and you got a great powerful tone at lower volumes. Cranked, you don't need the overdrive pedal. There's more gain on this amp than even needed. One problem is that maxing the gain, you loose a lot of definition and clarity, and it really sounds like crap. It tells you this in the manual, and I suggest reading it. The vintage and raw modes are basically quiter versions of the modern, and I don't use them often. The vintage mode is a bit warmer, and you can get some nice leads from it. I also haven't found my sound yet at cranked volumes. It sounds great, but I can't get the kind of low end I desire even cranked. The modern channel is very extreme and loud, and it rips great when palm-muting aggressive speed riffs, but I can't get the sound I'm looking for, which is a problem since that's an important part of my style. It's a very harsh sound which is great but if you're looking to get that ultra processed Metallica sound, I wouldn't count on it. If that's what you want get a Triaxis and a power amp, with an effects processer, etc. which is what James Hetfield actually uses. Overall a great amp, with great tone. I tried out the Marshall TSL, Peavey XXX, and several others. It's a bit overpriced but worth it if it fits your style. I recently played the Marshall DSL, and it's the only rival to this amp. I can get the low end tone I want from it, but I'm not sure if it's as aggressive overall. My lead tone is absolutely perfect, but I haven't yet found my ideal rhythm tone, still searching, I hope it's there. I've had it for a couple months, and have been playing it constantly. cranked and quietly.

No problems yet, but i've only had it a couple months.

Haven't dealt with em.

definitely a 9.5. You loose too much definition when maxing the gain. Keeping the gain at about 3/4 is about as high as you can go while maintaining good tone. This isn't really a problem though. The only real issue I have with the sound, is the low end tone. I can't get that thick low end thump that I need. With the recto cab sure, but then I loose the high end I require from the Marshall cab. It's not quite what I'm looking for, and it took many hours of playing to realize this. If your interested definitely play it several times before considering it, there's a lot of other amps worth a lot less. It's still the best amp I've ever played, with the exception of the Marshall DSL which is a ? as I'm still trying it out and comparing.

PLEASE READ: This is an update from a review I did about a year ago.

I have learned alot about how to get what I want out of this amp. First of all, all time based fx and pitch modulators should go in the FX loop, right ? WRONG! My flange, chorus, phase shift and reverb pedals were completely nonexistent in the fx loop. I struggled for 6 months with a disappointing sound and then decided to put these pedals in front of the amp. Wow what a difference! I now only have my boss dd5 and eq pedals in the fx loop. All other time based fx are in front of the amp. Try it and I think you'll love the results!

My original tubes did not last a year and I only played out once or twice a month at the time. When I went to get replacement tubes some idiot tried to tell me that the amp need re-biased before I could install new tubes. MESA AMPS NEED NOT HAVE THIS DONE. The biasing is set and there is no way to change it that I know of. Also, a note about Mesa preamp tubes : They are color coated yellow, red and I think some other color. The red tubes run a little hotter in my opinion than the yellow ones. Experiment with this and see what you like. You can change all the tubes in the amp in less than 5 minutes- God blees the good people at MESA/Boogie.

USE ONLY DELAY AND EQ IN THE FX LOOP. PUT ALL OTHER PEDALS IN FRONT OF THE AMP.

2002 model, 3 channels, 8 modes, effects loops, solo boost, tube amp. 100 watts. Loud enough for anyone, even the deaf could hear this thing. Great amp. Extremely versatile...covers everything from clean, to rock'n roll, to heavy heavy metal. I does not have reverb, which i really only miss on the clean channel. the distortion channels are so thick they don't really need it. This model year changed a bit... clean channel has Raw and Pushed, and other 2 distortion channels have raw, vintage, and pushed. Endless possiblities. also has a master volume and presence. Can sound like chuck berry one minute, step on the pedal, and sound like Meshuggah the next. Has a power cut and a different voicing that lets it run hot even quiet, so it sounds great quiet (I live in a condo, so can't be too loud) Would have gottan a 10 if it had reverb

Im using an Epiphone Les Paul Custom straight into it. Sometimes, i'll plug in a wah. My style varies...the band I'm in plays different stuff...I love speed metal, my other guitarist loves blues and classic rock, and our drummer and bass player are stuck in hair band heaven. So, we have a big variety, and this amp covers all the bases quite well. The clean channel is great, to my ears, and the distortion is god-like. Almost no background noise at all. I'm not sure why people say they can't get a good tone out of this amp... this amp is NOT a marshall...if you twist the knobs all over the place like a marshall, its gonna sound really muddy. IF you actually READ the owner's manual, they provide a lot of sample settings. If you treat the bass, mid, and treble like PARAMETRIC eq's or boosts, you will have much more success getting good tone. A little move here or there makes a huge difference, so take your time and experiment.
one GREAT feature is the power settings on the back....you can cut the power significantly by selecting a different tube setting, and can set the power from hi to low. This lets me play this amp through a 4x12 cabinet in my CONDO. It is quiet, but has full distortion and still sounds kicking at low levels. Great feature that adds to the versitlitly. I've played a lot of amps, and this is by far the most versitle, with exception of emulators like Line 6- but this has great tone and is more honest sounding than the Line 6.

I've only had it a couple of months, but have not had any problems. A great feature is that you can change the tubes yourself, as they are all biased the same. just pop the bad out, and plug the new in. Seems to be built quite well (handmade), but I have not had it long enough to be fair either way...

have not called them

I've been playing for 8 years. I also own a peavey special 212, several Boss effects boxes, a 4x12 cabinet, a Jackson Kelly guitar.
If this was stolen, i would cry. cry like a babe. this thing is not cheap, and if it wasn't for 12 months no finance or interest, i would be able to own one at all. I would have to sell body parts to buy another one, because this is fantastic amp.
I love the features, love the versatility, love the tone I get with it, love the power, and hate the price. It's worth it, because i play every day, but, jeez, 1600 bucks is a lot of dough...
I compared it to Randall, Marshall, Peavey, Line 6, Johnson, Crate...this was the most versatile, honest sounding, best distorted amp of the bunch. I only wish it had reverb (even though it only really needs it in the clean channel) I actually own this amp, and play it every day, unlike some people who post after hearing it at guitar centers. This amp can sound like anything you want it to, unlike a marshall, which only sounds like a marshall. if you want a well-rounded amp that screams loud, yet is also quiet enough to practice with, this is worth looking into. A word of advice; try EVERYTHING you can get your hands on before you buy- odds are you will be happier in the long run.

i believe my amp to be either a 2000 model or a 2001... probably the latter. i won't go over the features of this amp since almost every other review has.

for guitars i use a gibson les paul and a customised fender fat strat along with many other custom fenders. my signal chain is... guitar to shure wireless - boss ns-2 - boss ge-7 - boss sd-1 - mosrley bad horsie wah 2 - dunlop crybaby - dod phaser - ibanez flanger - ibanez stereo chorus - line 6 MM4 - line 6 DL4 and then into my dual rectifier. i use 2 mesa 4x12 cabs powered by the head and i use 2 more mesa 4x12 cabs powered by a seperate poweramp in my rack, taking a signal from the slave out on the head.
chn 1- very nice clean sound. cuts through the mix very well. only complaint with this channel is that it could use a little more bass. other than that it is great

chn 2- great distortion sound set on the modern mode. i don't really use the other 2 modes but i have tried them and depending on what you play can be very usefull. the trick with this channel is not to crank the bass to 10 and to have the mids set at about 9 o'clock. be carefull not to turn the gain too high since that will cause excess noise. i use this as my main distorted channel. with the gain set at about 60% you get a nice crunch with good definition.

chn 3- ok, this channel is not my fav. i find that in the modern mode it is too shrill sounding, even for my leads. this may suit some people but for me it just doesn't cut it. also, this channel does not have enough bass, even with it maxed out. i find this to be the case with the other two modes on this channel as well. now, this channel isn't a total write off, i use it in the modern mode with the gain at about 7 o' clock to give me a nice overdriven sound. this is about the only use i've found for this channel and for it does this quite well.

over all there are a lot of great sounds available in this amp and i'm just starting to explore some of them

i've been gigging constantly with this amp for the last 6 months. i have yet to have a single problem with it. i'm the kind of guitarist who has a back up for their back up. i never leave my place without something to back it up. this is just the way i am though. if forced to, i would gig with out a back up with confidence. the reason i gave a 9 is because i haven't had this amp t