Mesa-Boogie SOLO 50, RECT-O-VERB 50 User Manual
M
ESA
OOGIE
B
Owner's Manual
The Spirit of Art in Technology
1317 Ross Street Petaluma, CA 94954
USA
Greetings From The Home Of Tone
YOU, the smart player and all around intuitive human, have put your trust in us to
be your amplifier company. This is something we do not take lightly. Our reward is
that we’ve made a classic amplifier and by choosing this amplifier, you have become
part of the Mesa family...Welcome! Our goal is to never let you down. Your reward is
that you are now the owner of an amp bred of fine all tube heritage...benefiting from
the many patented pioneering Mesa/Boogie circuits. Feel confident, as we do, this
amp will inspire many hours of musical satisfaction and lasting enjoyment. It was
built with you in mind, by players who know the value of a fine musical instrument
and the commitment it takes to make great music. The same commitment to quality,
value and support we make to you...our new friend.
PRECAUTIONS:
Table of Contents
OVERVIEW: ____________________________________________________________________________ 1
INSTANT GRATIFICATION
(3 DEMONSTRATION SETTINGS) __________________________________________________________ 2
CHANNEL / MODE SELECT:
RHYTHM CHANNEL: CLEAN & PUSHED ___________________________________________________ 3
LEAD CHANNEL: VINTAGE & MODERN ____________________________________________________3
CONTROLS:
GAIN __________________________________________________________________________________ 3
TREBLE _______________________________________________________________________________4
MIDDLE _______________________________________________________________________________ 4
BASS _________________________________________________________________________________ 4
PRESENCE ____________________________________________________________________________ 5
MASTER_______________________________________________________________________________5
OUTPUT CONTROL _____________________________________________________________________ 6
SOLO CONTROL_____________________________________________________________________ 6 / 7
TOGGLE SWITCHES:
STANDBY______________________________________________________________________________7
POWER _______________________________________________________________________________ 7
BACK PANEL:
AC RECEPTACLE _______________________________________________________________________8
FUSE _________________________________________________________________________________ 8
SLAVE OUT ____________________________________________________________________________ 8
SPEAKERS ____________________________________________________________________________9
FX LOOP: SEND / RETURN / MIX _________________________________________________________ 9
REVERB: RECT-O-VERB COMBO & RECT-O-VERB HEAD ____________________________________ 9
CHANNEL SELECT TOGGLE______________________________________________________________9
FACTORY SAMPLE SETTINGS PAGE _________________________________________________ 10 / 11
PERSONAL SETTING PAGE _________________________________________________________ 12 / 13
TUBE TASK CHART ____________________________________________________________________ 14
TUBE MAINTENANCE ______________________________________________________________ 15 / 16
SPECIAL ARTICLE REGARDING TUBE BIASING By Randall Smith ______________________ 17/ 18 / 19
PARTS SHEET _________________________________________________________________________ 20
Your MESA/Boogie Amplifier is a professional instrument. Please treat it with respect and operate it properly
.
USE COMMON SENSE AND ALWAYS OBSERVE THESE PRECAUTIONS:
Do not expose amplifier to moisture, rain or water, direct sunlight
or extremely high temperatures.
Always insure that amplifier is properly grounded.
Always unplug AC power cord before changing fuse or any tubes.
When replacing fuse, use only same type and rating.
Avoid direct contact with heated tubes.
Insure adequate air circulation behind amplifier.
Keep amplifier away from children.
Be sure to connect to an AC power supply that meets the power
supply specifications listed on the rear of the unit.
If there is any danger of lightning occurring nearby, remove the
power plug from the wall socket in advance.
To avoid damaging your speakers and other playback equipment,
turn off the power of all related equipment before
making the connections.
Do not use excessive force in handling control buttons, switches
and controls.
Remove the power plug from the AC mains socket if the unit is to
be stored for an extended period of time.
Do not use solvents such as benzene or paint thinner to clean the
unit. Wipe off the exterior with soft cloth.
Be sure to have the warranty card for this product filled out by the
store at which it was purchased and return to Mesa Engineering.
YOUR AMPLIFIER IS LOUD! EXPOSURE TO HIGH SOUND VOLUMES MAY CAUSE
PERMANENT HEARING DAMAGE
NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE: Refer service to qualified personnel. Always unplug AC
power before removing chassis.
EXPORT MODELS: Always insure that unit is wired for proper voltage. Make certain grounding
conforms with local standards.
READ AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER USAGE.
Table of Contents
Overview:
Congratulations on your choice of the SINGLE RECTIFIER 50. You have purchased a handbuilt instrument of the finest quality
and craftsmanship. A unique blend of yesteryears’ black magic power section design combined with our race-shop approach to finely
tuned, high gain pre-amp circuitry leaves the RECT-O 50 standing alone...instantly a classic destined for vintage status. With two
channels housing four definitive and distinctly different Modes, a complete array of amazing guitar sounds can be obtained quickly
and easily.
Looking to the Rear Panel assures that all your interfacing needs are covered. A Parallel Effects Loop with a MIX control provides tone
insurance for even those questionable effects. To use the SINGLE RECTIFIER 50 in larger rack systems, or to interface to other
power sections, the SLAVE jack and is a welcome feature. Two speaker jack combinations have been provided - two 4 Ohm and one
8 Ohm - to ensure the proper impedance match to many types of speaker enclosures. The other features will prove to be quite
valuable to you and further along in this manual they are covered extensively.
FRONT VIEW HEAD VERSION:
SOLO HEAD 50
ONON
POWER
STANDBY
SOLO OUTPUT
REAR VIEW HEAD VERSION: SOLO HEAD 50
LEAD
SOLO HEAD 50 ALL-TUBE AMPLIFIER
WARNING
:
To reduce risk of fire or
electric shock, replace fuse with
same type and rating only. Do not
expose this unit to rain or moisture.
SET TO RHYTHM
WHEN USING
FOOTSWITCH
RHYTHM
REAR VIEW - HEAD VERSION
FRONT VIEW COMBO VERSION:
CLEAN
INPUT
PUSHED
VINTAGE
MODERN
GAIN
HANDBUILT IN PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
CAUTION
:
To reduce risk of fire or electric
shock, do not remove cover. No userserviceable parts inside. Refer
servicing to qualified personnel.
RECT-O-VERB 50
Instant Gratification Demo Settings
GAIN
SLAVE
OUT
CLEAN
PUSHED
VINTAGE
MODERN
POWER FUSE
120 V~
50-60 Hz
2.5 A
INPUTFT.SW
WARNING:
Unplug power
before replacing
fuse or removing
bolts mounting
chassis.
S
E
U
F
F
U
E
S
2.5 A
SLO
BLO
ONON
POWERSTANDBY
RHYTHM
TREBLEMIDPRESENCE BASSMASTER
LEAD
EFFECTS LOOP
%
0
0
1
10%
FX MIX
RETURN
SEND
RHYTHM
PRESENCEBASSTREBLE MID
MASTER
SPEAKERS
4 OHM
8 OHM
PATENTED 4,211,893 AND OTHERS PENDING
4 OHM
OUTPUT
LEAD
REAR VIEW COMBO VERSION:
WARNING:
Unplug power
before replacing
fuse or removing
bolts mounting
chassis.
S
E
U
F
F
U
E
S
POWER FUSE
120 V~
50-60 Hz
FT.SW
2.5 A
SLO
BLO
2.5 A
FT.SW. LOCATED UNDER CHASSIS
SLAVE
OUT
SPEAKERS
4 OHM
8 OHM
PATENTED 4,211,893 AND OTHERS PENDING
RECT-O-VERB 50
EFFECTS LOOP
%
0
0
1
4 OHM
10%
FX MIX
RETURN
SEND
PAGE 1
1
REVERB
2
WARNING: To reduce risk of fire or
electric shock, replace fuse with
same type and rating only. Do not
expose this unit to rain or moisture.
CAUTION: To reduce risk of fire or electric
shock, do not remove cover. No userserviceable parts inside. Refer
servicing to qualified personnel.
SET TO RHYTHM
WHEN USING
FOOTSWITCH
RHYTHM
LEAD
RECT-O-VERB COMBO & HEAD
FRONT PANEL:
First familiarize yourself with the layout of the Front Panel. Next, remove the footswitch from the transport pouch located inside the
cabinet ( combo ) and connect it to the proper jack. RECT-O-VERBS use a DIN jack located on the rear of the chassis directly
behind the label FOOTSWITCH. SOLO 50 HEADS use a 1/4 jack on the right side of the Front Panel. If the footswitch is not
available, you may select the two channels via the manual Channel Select toggle located on the far left of the Rear Panel.
GAIN
CLEAN
PUSHED
VINTAGE
MODERN
INPUTFT.SW
POWER
ONON
STANDBY
SOLO OUTPUT
RHYTHM
TREBLEMIDPRESENCE BASSMASTER
LEAD
SOLO 50 HEAD VERSION
POWER-UP:
First remove the protective covers from the tubes (plastic webbing) before connecting the A.C. cord to a power
receptacle. Connect your favorite guitar to the instrument INPUT jack. Flip the POWER switch to the ON position while leaving the
STANDBY switch set to STANDBY.” (It is always a good idea to practice this start up procedure as at least 30 seconds of warm-up
time lessens the shock on cold power tubes, thus prolonging their life substantially.) Next, using the example below as a guide, set the
controls as illustrated and flip the STANDBY switch to the ON position to listen to the two distinctly different channels using either the
footswitch or the Channel Select toggle switch as mentioned in the paragraph above.
Before discussing each control, let’s audition a couple of possible ways the two channels might be configured for footswitchable
sounds. The first example leans towards a more traditional format with a clean rhythm dialed up on the top RHYTHM ( Green )
channel and a moderate gain, vintage style solo sound dialed up on the bottom LEAD ( Red ) channel.
GAIN
CLEAN
PUSHED
VINTAGE
MODERN
INPUTFT.SW
POWER
ONON
STANDBY
SOLO OUTPUT
RHYTHM
TREBLEMIDPRESENCE BASSMASTER
LEAD
This second example leans in a more aggressive direction with the top channel switched to PUSHED for a crunchy high gain rhythm
sound and the bottom channel switched to MODERN for a blistering lead voice.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION: Demo Setting #2
GAIN
CLEAN
PUSHED
VINTAGE
MODERN
INPUTFT.SW
RHYTHM
TREBLEMIDPRESENCE BASSMASTER
LEAD
POWER
ONON
STANDBY
SOLO OUTPUT
NOTE: CAUTION - REDUCE THE OUTPUT LEVEL CONTROL BEFORE PLAYING THESE SOUNDS AS THE ADDED GAIN
INCREASES VOLUME LEVELS.
Now that you’ve heard the SINGLE RECT-O 50’S two channels, let’s move on to understanding the controls and their interactive
roles in achieving the sounds that you want to hear.
PAGE 2
CHANNEL / MODE SELECT:
Each channel of your amplifier contains two different Modes of operation that may be selected depending on your application. In this
way you may decide to use the channels for their most obvious sounds or with the flick of a switch - invert the channels for the opposite
sound style. The voicing of the modes is accomplished by rerouting and reconfiguring the circuit in both pre-amp and power sections
CLEAN
PUSHED
INPUTFT.SW
HEAD VERSION
conservative 50 watt rating. It may also be cranked to produce a vintage style clip when the GAIN control is maxed that is relatively
uncolored when compared to the PUSHED sound. This is preferable when you wish to retain more of the guitars’ natural character
and don’t need thick saturation.
PUSHED: (toggle down) adds substantial gain by saturating another tube stage and revoicing the treble frequencies to respond
much better with overdriven sounds. A by-product of adding this extra gain is a masking of some of the sparkling highs - which lends
a sort of natural tube compression, making PUSHED an alternate and quite amazing lead mode - along with its obvious crunch rhythm
potential.
LEAD ( Bottom ) Channel
VINTAGE: (toggle up) is the creamier, warmer sounding of the RECT-O’S two lead modes and therefore excels at single note solo
sounds by producing a rounder attack with more elasticity as the notes decay. Often first misinterpeted by short demos, this mellower
blend becomes many owners’ favorite sound as they explore the ever changing harmonic content and precious attack envelope.
of the amplifier. Here are the choices;
RHYTHM ( Top ) Channel
CLEAN: (toggle up) delivers a sparkling rendition of the classic black face style rhythm sound with the added
dynamic response of the RECT-O 50’S super quick driver circuit. This is a low gain mode that is optimized
for fast clear attack, huge breathy low end response and the impression of headroom far in excess of the
VINTAGE
MODERN
HEAD VERSION
INPUTFT.SW
MODERN: (toggle down) is emphasized attack. This is by far, the most aggressive, forward, in your face
sound in the RECT-O’S quiver of modes. By stripping negative feedback from the power section and revoicing
the pre-amp to respond with a more urgent feel in the time domain, a beast is unleashed and the amp that was
moments ago singing with a sweet languid voice, becomes downright dangerous.
NOTE: It is normal to hear a volume increase when the MODE SELECT is toggled between the VINTAGE and MODERN Modes in
the LEAD channel. This is a result of the substantial change in power section sensitivity as negative feedback is removed and applied
with the change in modes.
CONTROLS:
GAIN:
Like most amplifiers, the GAIN control in each channel determines its sensitivity and overall tonal characteristics. It meters the
amount of Gain that your guitar signal will produce. In the RECT-O 50, we paid special attention to the amount and frequencies of
gain present in each mode, making sure the whole range of available gain is musically usable. We also worked diligently with our
suppliers to develop pots with tapers useful to players that require that touch sensitive
CLEAN
PUSHED
GAIN
VINTAGE
MODERN
INPUTFT.SW
HEAD VERSION
the RECT-O 50 is a hyper-tuned gain machine some of the best and most musical sounds are found in the middle ranges of this
control. In other words...more is not always better.
relationship of input signal level to gain saturation. An essential ingredient to a great
amps expressive nature. To maximize your expression, spend time learning the different
regions of the GAIN control in each mode and tonal colors they enhance. Almost more or certainly equal to the tone controls - the GAIN control shapes your sound.
As a general guideline, the lower regions of this control produce brighter, tighter, faster
sounds with enhanced dynamics...the higher the GAIN control setting - the warmer, fuller,
more saturated and more compressed ( less dynamic ) the sound becomes. Remember
that with this sensitive control the entire character of the channel is determined. Because
PAGE 3
CONTROLS:
(Continued)
TREBLE :
As with most guitar amplifiers, the TREBLE control is the strongest of the three rotary tone controls. Its setting on the RECT-O 50
determines the blend and strength of the MIDDLE and BASS controls. Set high, it is the dominant control, thus minimizing the amount
of Mid and Bass that would be possible in the mix. Set low, the TREBLE becomes the recessive control and
a warmer, darker blend is produced. Dial with care. Subtle tweaking of this control tends to produce the best
results.
TREBLE
GAIN
HEAD VERSION
MIDDLE :
The MID control determines the blend of midrange punch and boldness. It also has a great deal to do with how a sound feels to play.
Setting the Midrange low scoops the attack, making the sound and feel more liquid and resilient. Setting the MID control higher
introduces more punch and authority, helping sounds cut through a mix better. Setting the Mids very high may make the strings feel
a little stiffer and less spongy. Keep this in mind when dialing up your sounds so that you can retain the best
feel on the strings, allowing you to always play your best.
In the PUSHED Mode, the MID control set low produces a sweeter, smoother clip and really allows this
MID
TREBLE
sound to purr. Try the GAIN control set at around
or so and the MID control set at around to
for a tasty blend of smooth dynamic overdrive. Add Treble to focus the attack and fatten with the BASS
control. Presence will “Open up” or compress this beyond vintage sound that howls with authenticity. This
has to be one of the best sounds in the RECT-O 50 !
HEAD VERSION
aggression. For the tightest crunch chording, set the MID control high, say around
more liquid, reduce the MID control to around
At high Gain settings in either the Vintage Orange or Modern Red Modes, the MID control dials in punch and
. To make single notes feel juicier and
or so. In the Modern Red Mode, using the Mid higher and in conjunction with the
PRESENCE control also set high, delivers a down right ugly crunch that’s huge and angry - not fit for the meek! This setting also
sounds great and becomes easier to play and more elastic feeling with the GAIN control set at
or higher.
BASS:
This control blends in the lower frequencies and its effectiveness, again, depends on the setting of the TREBLE control. It should be
set with moderation as extreme settings in either low or high directions can produce an unbalanced tone. Be “especially” careful in
higher Gain settings of either channel. Too much Bass will cause a flabby unfocused sound.
Try setting the BASS control to
for clean sounds in the clean Mode and or below when dialing up
high gain overdriven sounds in this Mode. In the LEAD Modes, try setting the BASS somewhere between
BASS
MID
HEAD VERSION
and . These settings will vary with the amount of Gain and Treble you have dialed up.
PAGE 4
CONTROLS:
(Continued)
PRESENCE:
These are controls that work in the power section to reduce attack and brightness. They work on a different frequency than the
TREBLE control, and depending on the mode chosen and the amount of Gain dialed up, can sound higher or lower than the Treble
frequency.
In the RHYTHM mode it dials in sparkle and shimmer, letting clean sounds cut through better. Balance the
Treble and Presence until the desired blend is reached. When you have high gain or distortion sounds
dialed up, you will find it very helpful in darkening and compressing the sound for single note work. Set the
PRESENCE
This switching makes the complete transformation possible that delivers the VINTAGE Mode authentically and the Modern high gain
Mode absolutely over the top! In the Vintage Mode the Presence is similar in strength and frequency to that of the Green RHYTHM
channels’ CLEAN Mode. Set low it warms up single notes ‘til they purr. At high settings it adds bounce and improved dynamics that
can really help when you want to back your guitar volume down and “clean up” for rhythm playing.
When the Red Modern high gain Mode is called up, the PRESENCE control makes the move to a new place in the circuit and gets
revoiced to work on a lower frequency. Just right for adding attack and urgency, this Presence is the aggression control. It is normal
for high settings of this control to make Modern Red seem extremely loud in comparison to the other Modes. This is a result of
“unclamping” what worked as the Presence in the other three Modes and letting the RECT-O’S ponies run free. It is in fact, the
loudest setting on the amplifier.
BASS
HEAD VERSION
PRESENCE control low and this compression will also focus the notes and omit any unwanted “buzzy”
frequencies. For high gain chording try higher settings of the PRESENCE control to bring out the harmonic
haze. In the LEAD channel the Presence circuitry is quite advanced because it switches from one type of
Presence located in one part of the power section, to a different Presence circuit located earlier in the preamp section.
Use this Presence with discretion as it can make for some ear damaging, almost harsh sounds if set too high. Try the Modern Mode
with the GAIN control set high, around
to . Dip the MID control to - then increase the Presence to dial in the right
attack and blend of aggression. You may want to play with the balance between the MID and PRESENCE controls as they are
somewhat similar in that they are very powerful and dominant in Modern. With these two controls dialed right, Modern is to this day the
most huge and heinous crunch we’ve come across. When you hear this, you will probably won’t believe that this could be the same
amp that moments ago was crying the blues with such mournful conviction.
MASTER:
A simple control found on most amps today, these serve to balance the playing level of the two channels. They enable the pre-amps
GAIN control to be used in a wide range of settings, while never having to affect the listening level. On the SINGLE RECTIFIER
50 these MASTERS serve another purpose as well. When the FX LOOP is in use, these MASTER controls double as Effects Loop
Send Level controls.
This is not their primary function, but the setting here does affect the channels’ Send strength. We have
MASTER
PRESENCE
found the middle ranges
this region should make for trouble free effects interfacing when using the loop.
through to be vary well behaved for most effects. Setting the MASTERS in
HEAD VERSION
PAGE 5
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