Question for Mesa single rectifier owners/users

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jimmy77611

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I purchased a used single recitifier solo head (series 2), and the output knob seems REALLY sensitive. If I have the master volume of each channel is up around 12:00, the output knob goes from barely any sound to a massive amount of volume with a slight hairline turn of the knob. Is this normal?

It's not maxing out the volume by any means when this happens, it just seems like there is not a lot of middle ground, or you just barely bump the knob and it is creating too much of a volume change.

It could just be me, since this is my first tube amp!
 
well, it's not all or nothing. It doesn't go to full volume. It is definitely variable, it just seems to have a very short throw from nothing to really loud.
The "master" knobs on the channels do the same thing when the "output" knob is up about halfway. I'm just wondering if this might be a characteristic of these amps. I don't think the pot is damaged.

Maybe I'm using the amp wrong. Maybe when I'm practicing sitting in front of the amp at lower volumes, I don't need the "master" knobs up to half way????
 
I've got a Single Rectifier Rect-o-verb 50 1x12 combo sitting in my hallway outside my bedroom right now as I type this, and a Dual Recto Roadster head inside my bedroom on a 2x12 cab.

The (lower wattage) Single is WAY more volume sensitive than the Roadster. It's crazy. Something about the way the amp is designed, I guess. Mesas are loud to begin with, but the Single Recto gets very loud, very quickly.

I used it with a THD Hot Plate which really makes a huge difference - it impacts the tone somewhat, but the ability to knock -16db off the output of that amp really lets you open up the power amp a little bit, which does wonders for the sound of the amp (and makes you less afraid of, you know, breathing on the volume knob ;)). Weber makes great attenuators, too - if you have the cash, that would be my recommendation, as otherwise this amp isn't really apartment friendly. Strangely, the Roadster can be used without it, but the Single, my experience was at any rate, cannot.
 
Thanks Drew! I appreciate the feedback. I was hoping that it was just the way the amp was designed. It sounds great, just wasn't sure if the volume was supposed to be that sensitive. I'm definitely going to get an attenuator. seems like the logical way to go.
 
jimmy77611 said:
Thanks Drew! I appreciate the feedback. I was hoping that it was just the way the amp was designed. It sounds great, just wasn't sure if the volume was supposed to be that sensitive. I'm definitely going to get an attenuator. seems like the logical way to go.
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Oh yeah, your amp behaves exactly like mine. They're either both fucked up, or we're fine. :D

It's an interesting amp - seems a bit brighter than most Rectos, and definitely brighter than my (fairly dark) Roadster. If you can get the channel to 9-10 o'clock, the gain halfway or so, and the master a bit over noon, something magical happens in the power amp. It's just a gorgeous lead sound, though anyone in 100 yards will explode, more likely than not. Ahh, the price of godly tone...
 
My Boogie's master volume does not much between 0 and 1.5. By a whisker under 2 the volume has kicked in and sounds beautiful but loud for home use. From 2 to 10 it increases like a normal volume. I'm not sure if that sudden leap from almost nothing to a healthy volume is the same as your. I have had my Boogie for over 20 years and it has always worked like that so I have thought of it as normal.
 
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