I've been using rack gear for a while now, but i feel its time to get back into amp heads. The music i've been dabbling in recently is very aggressive (fast articulate riffs, heavy breakdown type stuff, drop B tuning, etc). However, I also need an alternate, scaled back distortion, and a decent clean.

The two amps that i'm currently looking at are the Marshall Tsl 100 and the Boogie Triple Recifier (or dual). Both have distinctive tones (thick and chunky in different ways), and i like both, but I'm trying to figure out which one will hold up the best to the demands of gigging loud and often.

I've also heard that a triple rect with EL34's is a very nice set up.

Also, which one would probably better suit the rest of my set up: Gibson LP with Emg 81/85, dual 31 eq (pre eq and fx loop use), bbe maximizer, and vintage 30 cab.

Any advice would be appreciated, or other suggestions.

It kind of sounds like you are looking more on the marshall side of things, even though I hate them.

The TSL is a far inferior amp to the DSL in my opinion but it seems like your only looking for a 3 channel. A Triple rectifier stock or with EL34s would sound good but it's not as if there's anything it can do which the Dual can't plus the Dual sounds slightly better all around (again, in my opinion).

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I put my MySpace url in my sig cause that's the kinda guy I am.

www.myspace.com/welcometobatcountry

i say tsl, i never found the recto to be great for fast articulate riffs but i've never heard one with el34s either, seems like gibson and emgs into a marshall is popular for a good reason

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AM. Strat
Rg7421xl w\ emg 707's
n\t warlock emg 81\85
mim 5string jazz bass
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boss tu2\ge7
crybaby
vs h20
g-major
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bogner uberschall->mesa recto 412
marshall tsl 100->1960a

I own a TSL and think it's a wonderful amp. While checking amps out when I was shopping for one I checked the tripled and dual...And they seemed like one trick ponys. Tey can do clean alright, and they can do that heavy nu-metal sound. As far as crunch and whatnot I wasn't digging the Mesa at all.

However the marshall seemed to handle all the bases well. Plus the 2 footwswitchable FX loops are a plus and work well. The crunch is far superior in my opinion to Mesa, but you're not going to get that Mesa scream, but more of a chuggy kinda growl.

So my vote is the TSL...but if you do decide mesa, i'd say the Dual is the best sounding of the rectifier series.

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Look at me. I put my rig in my sig.

Gibson SG 61 reissue(57's)/Epiphone Les Paul LTD (both PRS Dragon II)->-1982 DOD 280 compressor ->- Dunlop Crybaby Wah ->- Marshall Jcm2000 TSL100 (Sovtek power/GT pre's) Marshall 1960 cab(FX-loop = Boss GT-3 w/ ext. CTL pedal)

www.myspace.com/terminalvanity

maybe try a dual recto instead of the triple. a triple is a lot of power and most people dont even use it all. its a big amp with lots of headroom but too much power for most peoples needs.

i am a fan of the TSL. great amps. The TSL and the Dual Recto are much the same.............3 channels.............100 watts.....they are very much alike. so your choice is either the marshall crunch or the boogie distortion. i like the last choice myself thats why i bought the boogie.

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Soon to have....

Mesa Boogie Road King - Ordered and coming my Way (With matching 4x12)
Keeley Katana
BJF Blues Devil

and...my dream pedal....

Toneczar Echoczar!!! (one day.....mmmmm)

ive said this many many times. tsl60 or single recto. do it. cheaper retubing. warmer tone. very very loud. I refuse to buy a 100 watt amp. It just doesnt make sense to me, the only reason i can think of is because to some people 100 watts just has that rockstar sound to it. 50 watts 50 watts 50 watts. 50 WATTS

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<3charlie

TSL = Clean, Crunch, Lead
Recto = Clean, 2x Hi-gain (choice of 3)

For me, the choice is as easy as picking between watching 2 girls or 2 guys kiss.

I sometimes surprise myself as to how much of those 100 watts I use. There have been times when I was very glad I didnt get a Single Recto. Also the Single lacks a channel and several of the features found on the bigger Recto amps.

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I put my MySpace url in my sig cause that's the kinda guy I am.

www.myspace.com/welcometobatcountry

Get a recto...with your eq's you can cut some of the low end to tighten and make it more articulate. Mesa Rectos are not one trick pony's at all. Sorry guys. Very versatile...but be prepared to work on eqing the puppy. I use el34s in mine and cut some of the low end and boost the preamp with a ge-7 in front of the amp. I just posted a clip of it on the forum. I would go Recto simply because of the reliability factor, and if it does mess up then they have good customer service.

If you go marshall i would go with an older one (jcm800 or jmp) and get it modded for more gain or whatever...

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-Trent-

Gear:
Jackson DKMGT (Sh-5-Bridge/A2P-Neck)
Mesa Boogie Rect-O-Verb Combo
Boss Ge-7

Amp Clips and Songs: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/trentcarlmusic.htm

I was faced with the same choice about six months ago - between a TSL and a 3-channel dual Recto. I went with the TSL. It came down to the fact that I cannot deny my love for Marshall crunch. It's the tone in my head. The Mesa was cool, but too modern for me. I think the Marshall is more versatile. The crunch channel alone can do more than the Recto by itself. I play a Gibson LP Studio w/ stock pickups and it's a match made in heaven. Ditch the BBE but keep the EQ. I run pre and post EQ with my TSL and it tightens up the amp tremendously. Actually cut the bass in front and add it back in the loop for tight articulation. And back off the gain some. It's really a great amp that sits well with a band. The Mesa covers up the bass frequencies too much. The Marshall sits nicely in that upper mid region. And the TSL lead channel gets mean and heavy - not how I use it, but again that just shows the versatility of it. Don't know if you use cleans much, but the TSL clean had more character. The Mesa was kind of dull and sterile. Play both for a long time before you make your decision.

This is the most logical response in this whole damn thread.

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Fender Cyclone II->Maxon OD820->Big Muff NYC->Music Man HD130 head->Traynor 1x12 cab
Guild Starfire II bass->Ampeg B100R

I have always heard that Mesa Boogies are very unreliable... I have seen a band have to stop mid-set because of one fizzling out... (could have been a pre-amp tube or something of some sort.... who knows).

I agree on the lower wattage stuff. Orange AD30HTC -- 30 Watts. And I love every one.

Voc AC30 is also 30 watts... you ask yourself why these are so desirable... Class A, for one, but also much warmer. I am encouraging my rythm guitarist to get a 50 watt JCM 800... and use tube screamer.

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My Band, The Quiet

I like the mesa F-50 more than the single recto (single recto seems kind of crappy to me). I do like an amp with a lower wattage, but I think i'd need the headroom of a 100 watt head with the band i'm currently jamming with. I'm using a mesa 50/50 ATM and it sounds great at gig levels--its the perfect amount of tube saturation to fill and smooth out a tone that at lower levels would seem too thin/fuzzy.

So i think its between a dual recto, and one of the JCM heads. I'm way more familiar with mesa products, so if anyone has JCM suggestions, I'd much appreciate it

+1 to all of these, except don't mod the older Marshalls for more gain buy a great pedal or two instead.