The boom in modded Rectos

[Desertdweller]

I noticed there's a bit of a boom in these recently, at least on social media. It's great to see my favorite line of amps getting some love from modders, I'm wondering how long it will be until Mesa decides to bring some of these ideas in-house. The Hermansson mods especially sound great to me, but granted these are YT videos and I haven't played one of these or heard them in the room. I think they're all doing roughly the same modification (though I'm a total novice inside an amp so take that with a grain of salt), and to my understanding its a fairly simple component change. I'm not about to try it myself, so getting one of these modded may be a good idea for some.

Ground Zero modded Triple:


Hermansson modded Dual Rec:


Classic Voodoo modded:


FJA Modded DR, shown off by Fluff:


KSR modded, btw check out Draven's channel, he's an awesome guy:

 

[Desertdweller]

And finally a palate cleanser back to basics. Road King, Tubescreamer, 7 string, awesome musician:

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Yet to hear a modded recto that sounds even half as good as one stock (or boosted with a pedal). Some of them totally remove any trace of what makes a Rectifier what it is.

A lot of hype around the Hermansson recto mods, but they just sound bad to me. Would love to hear a well recorded clip of one that sounds good, I really want to like it.

 

[DrewJD82]

That Hermansson interests me a lot. That sounds like it adds a Marshall attack/top end to it and if it can still do the Recto low end thing then JFC I need that right now.

 

[SKU]

Timeline is starting to reverse. Nu-metal is cool again, emule is popular and internet forums are new and exciting. Rejoice!

 

[Life Eats Life]

Yet to hear a modded recto that sounds even half as good as one stock (or boosted with a pedal). Some of them totally remove any trace of what makes a Rectifier what it is.

A lot of hype around the Hermansson recto mods, but they just sound bad to me. Would love to hear a well recorded clip of one that sounds good, I really want to like it.

I hear what you mean

 

[Life Eats Life]

It’s that wall of sound & sizzle…
-that’s rectifies in the mix

 

[Desertdweller]

It’s that wall of sound & sizzle…
-that’s rectifies in the mix

They do mix very well. Sounds like thunder on a stage as well.

 

[RaceU4her]

And finally a palate cleanser back to basics. Road King, Tubescreamer, 7 string, awesome musician:

this is how a recto is supposed to sound, not a fan of any of these modded ones

 

[2112]

Yet to hear a modded recto that sounds even half as good as one stock (or boosted with a pedal). Some of them totally remove any trace of what makes a Rectifier what it is.

This.

The commonly perceived "flaws" are what give Recto's their unmistakable character.

 

[adam]

I just bought my first recto yesterday - a series 1 rectoverb combo. I know it's not quite the real thing, but I'm still as excited as feck to crank it up.

I've been watching some hermannson clips while gassing and they sound good. I'd like to do the parallel/serial loop mod on mine, and I've debated a getting a bias mod done so I can play with different tubes, but for now I'm just going to play it and enjoy

 

[Life Eats Life]

I just bought my first recto yesterday - a series 1 rectoverb combo. I know it's not quite the real thing, but I'm still as excited as feck to crank it up.

I've been watching some hermannson clips while gassing and they sound good. I'd like to do the parallel/serial loop mod on mine, and I've debated a getting a bias mod done so I can play with different tubes, but for now I'm just going to play it and enjoy

Leave it alone

 

[Life Eats Life]

This.

The commonly perceived "flaws" are what give Recto's their unmistakable character.

Very similiar to the vajayjay in a marriage

 

[EOengineer]

A

Yet to hear a modded recto that sounds even half as good as one stock (or boosted with a pedal). Some of them totally remove any trace of what makes a Rectifier what it is.

A lot of hype around the Hermansson recto mods, but they just sound bad to me. Would love to hear a well recorded clip of one that sounds good, I really want to like it.

I’m with you on this. These mods are for people who picked the wrong amp. Plain and simple. Go find another amp, don’t hack these originals up.

I just bought my first recto yesterday - a series 1 rectoverb combo. I know it's not quite the real thing, but I'm still as excited as feck to crank it up.

I've been watching some hermannson clips while gassing and they sound good. I'd like to do the parallel/serial loop mod on mine, and I've debated a getting a bias mod done so I can play with different tubes, but for now I'm just going to play it and enjoy

Don’t listen to anyone who throws shade, those amps are killer. Yes there are some differences compared to older circuits but they sound great.

FWIW I don’t think the bias mods are worth it, fx loop may be for some use cases.

 

[Desertdweller]

I just bought my first recto yesterday - a series 1 rectoverb combo. I know it's not quite the real thing, but I'm still as excited as feck to crank it up.

I've been watching some hermannson clips while gassing and they sound good. I'd like to do the parallel/serial loop mod on mine, and I've debated a getting a bias mod done so I can play with different tubes, but for now I'm just going to play it and enjoy

Hey Adam! As someone who's owned 7 or 8 rectos now, just do the loop mod, throw a tung sol in v1, and be done. It's going to be perfect just like that.

 

[dk_ace]

I just bought my first recto yesterday - a series 1 rectoverb combo. I know it's not quite the real thing, but I'm still as excited as feck to crank it up.

I've been watching some hermannson clips while gassing and they sound good. I'd like to do the parallel/serial loop mod on mine, and I've debated a getting a bias mod done so I can play with different tubes, but for now I'm just going to play it and enjoy

I’d just enjoy it for what it is. Congrats!

I’ll echo the others, I’ve yet to hear a recto mod that I liked better than the normal amp. The ones that I’ve heard that sounded interesting no longer sounded like a recto.

Personally, I’d rather just have two amps if I wanted something different and leave the recto alone.

D

 

[Life Eats Life]

A

I’m with you on this. These mods are for people who picked the wrong amp. Plain and simple. Go find another amp, don’t hack these originals up.

Don’t listen to anyone who throws shade, those amps are killer. Yes there are some differences compared to older circuits but they sound great.

FWIW I don’t think the bias mods are worth it, fx loop may be for some use cases.

Yep, the bias install is a lot of work and you just end up going against the artifacts.
Mesa’s tone isn’t in the tubes because they run so cold.
The old stuff does sound good with Sylvania’s etc, though.
A lot of ‘it’ is in all that labyrinth of circuitry.
The best thing you can do is boost it with a pedal.
So many good pedals nowadays to tighten up the bottom while leaving alone the raunch we all crave.
EQ pedal in the loop can do wonders also.
Even the Mike B mods don’t make a world of difference.
More functionality etc.
-he’ll even tell you that looking at your amp talking to you over the telephone

 

[FuzzyAce]

Isn't the Recto just some kind of modded Marshall variant?

 

[adam]

Hey Adam! As someone who's owned 7 or 8 rectos now, just do the loop mod, throw a tung sol in v1, and be done. It's going to be perfect just like that.

Thanks mate, if I run into issues dialling it in I may send you a pm for some tips

 

[la szum]

This.

The commonly perceived "flaws" are what give Recto's their unmistakable character.

Precisely! It's like people butchering their iconic Fenders and Marshalls to "improve" them
throughout the 1970s and 80s. I thought we left that nonsense behind.




If an arguably Great Amp doesn't give you want you want, then there's dozens
out there that will. Go buy one of those and leave these poor amps alone.