I love my Mesas, and play a Rectoverb these days, but let's be honest - Mesa isn't known for their lush, deep reverb. I rarely even use it, except sometimes on the clean channel - mostly I use a delay to add a bit of light ambience for solos.
"I recently got to play through Eddie Van Halen's rig. Had been dying to do it for a long time. I was really surprised when it sounded like Ted Nugent."
Every once in a while I have to remind myself that the person playing has a lot to do with the tone.
Crossed my mind that it was time.
What happened to the OP? Would like to know what his friend "settled" on.