All user reviews of 4/5 for the Mesa Boogie Roadster Head

This amp is everything I had hoped for and more. I play in a cover band and we cover everything from CCR to Slipknot. I need an amp that could cover this range of music and provide inspiration when working on original material. The Dual Rectifier Roadster does not disappoint.

I use this amp with a couple of Fender American Deluxe HSS model strats. The cleans range from sparkling pristine to fat and warm. I absolutely love the brit mode in channel two. It's great for AC/DC and other classic rock tones. The amp has the Dual Rectifier sound in channel 3 but don't think that this is all the amp can do. This is the most versatile amp I have used and I have tried a lot of different amps before this one.

UTILIZATION

Aside from the awesome tone, the thing I love about this amp (and Mesa Boogie in general) is the attention to detail that has been put into it. The amp comes with a 30' footswitch cable. Never again will I have to set up right on top of the amp because the cable is too short. The amp also comes with a cover and is built like a tank.

SOUNDS

The clean channel blows my mind. I like playing Jazz from time to time and the clean channel can dial up some amazing rich warm tones as well as bright cutting Fender chime.


OVERALL OPINION

This is the last amp I'll ever need. It's like 4 amps in 1 and love the reverb with it too. It has all the gain you could ever need. After a 5 month "quest for tone" going out, trying other guys junk, waiting till someone is done showing off at crowded stores, buying a JCM900 SL-X and putting $300 into it and NOT liking the tone, I talked with my touring buddy who was selling his beloved Roadster to upgrade to a Mark V.

4-channel all-tube, 2 clear, 2 saturated. Mont original 6L6GC.

In 50 or 100 watts per channel

Connection with some more classic:
input, effects loop mono, outpout April 8 and 16 ohm ... Big trouble! Abscence of noon!
You can use the Z for 11 trs engl works well.

7 for the lack of connection even when it's twelve o'clock boring.

UTILIZATION

Rather simple configuration. The manual offers an approach Premire but we must spend time on bte to tame. Like any high end amp for that matter.
We must explore every nook and cranny of each channel as they reclent trs often enjoyable surprises.

SOUNDS

It's perfect my music.
I make mtal, channel 3 is more than enough.
The beautiful clear in channel1
The british crunch that goes into channel 2
And heavy distortion channel 4

It is basic that is obtained quickly without trs rglage end.
With research, we can bring to a crunch and catchy distortion to the light crunch with a strong attack.

One for clean sounds really good.

I use 50 watts per channel in a grain that seems tighter. It's more than enough!
It is a power amp dcuple tural hallucinating. Diezel VH4 the burying of my comrade.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had three weeks.
Premire approach: you plug, you play low volume and sounds dj.
You really feel a power reserve of a standard and gain incredible.

The distortion is not easy rgler. I move closer to that to which I tender little small but have not found my sound exatement. But not now!

What I like least: The abscence of noon. It's a shame given the price and the quality of the head.
What I like most: the rest ....

I played forward on triaxis/2-90 ... there's no photo, the head is really what I want.
8 because I expect to have some exprience on this head pourpouvoir note 10.

It remains but becomes affordable CHRE good opportunities as a t the case for me.

I am happy with my purchase trs.

To have the best is to go on the site of Mesa, they do better than me
I can only say that it is full rev, I think there are plenty that morning. Hlas must buy a Z11 or Engl Rockman Octopus, and saw the taking of the roadster is a bit unfair. I does so because of that 9 a.

UTILIZATION

The config is very simple to use. Personally, I went to a system that rack (TriAxis / 2:50) and I wanted to change to a config paramtrable live more easily (the big problem of TriAxis for me). On the roadster, it's clear trs. What a head amp! You just have to take a little head, and ears, to find the sound you want on each channel.
Indeed, no channel is really a ddi SPECIFICATIONS because its pushing the gain, by playing on the power or the choice of lamps as well as the three modes on offer, the palette of sounds is trs trs wide.
As prconise the manual, it is best to start with all potentiomtres noon and the sound is good dj trs. Then began the long hours of arriving cornliens choice: it is the sound clear, but it s also, and the other is super ...
I t really cleans sduit by all when I try this head. Since I have, I am also bleuff by distos.
In short, I use the Tweed mode on channel 1 to have a dig with my trs its strat between Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. this channel is duly. I then use the fat mode on channel 2 (in fact it is my clean), the vintage mode on channel 3 (the most demanding of Contents rglage, and also channel the least forgiving case of bad multi-effect in the loop. It's obvious with my G-major, damage. The quality called ), quality which allows for a crunch or a greasy bluesy lead trs crmeux, it depends. Then Channel 4 I RULES in modern, and it is the correct standard distortion I've ever had with my russi Triax. Bliss.
J'hsite still on the feeding mode choice as spongy, compared to the bold sounds were less aggressive, trs trs enjoyable round and play on channels particulirement 1 & 2. Remaining costs a great volume, I have not done.
As usual, the manual is clear and trs prcis in Mesa, and is best read in its entirety to understand the interaction between the gain / treble / middle / bass.
In short, the sound of this head is terrible. There was a long time since I had taken as much fun playing, I carrment redcouvert my guitars!

SOUNDS

It should be my humble opinion, all styles of music ever!
I play with a fender and a peavey wolfgang ultra and the sound of each guitar is truly magnificent show respect.
There is no sound that I dtest. Just some I like a little less (and still is plutt because I did not use).

OVERALL OPINION

I've had three weeks just prs. The FTEs force, I did that in my essay, so I would put my mind qd days I made RPTES scnes and short, ending for.
I tried a marshall JVM410, which has little prs mm the benefits of connectivity, MIDI and more. I would try it before the roadster because APRS ...
Level qualitprix report is trs expensive, too I got, but hey, since there was this head that I liked, no choice.

Opinion APRS over a year of use:
I almost resell my head after 2 months because I was really struggling in the rgler RPET. But by taking all quiet (and the manual really necessary), I really found the sound I wanted. This head is truly amazing: extreme versatility, quality workmanship, and sounds really terrible in the studio (the possibility to zap the game master and loop, and thus to minimize the fact that a linkage its an incredible purity).

The Mesa Boogie Rectifier Roadster is one of the company's flagship Rectifier amplifiers. It features four channels with a whole myriad of different modes available and many different tones within. It's a 100w tube head that is selectable between 6L6 and EL34 tubes. Since it's such a complex amp, here's Mesa's full list of specs:

Multi-Watt™, Channel Assignable Power Amp (Patent Pending) allows you to assign either 2 or all 4 Power Tubes to each Channel for Power Ratings of 50 or 100 Watts of Class A/B Power via independent 50/100 Watt Power Switches / 4x6L6, 6x12AX7, 2x5U4
Bias Select Switch (6L6/EL34)
Fixed Bias for Consistent, Maintenance Free Performance
4 Fully Independent
Channels with 12 Modes (Channel 1 = Clean, Fat or Tweed™, Channel 2 = Clean, Fat or Brit, Channels 3 & 4 = Raw, Vintage High Gain or Modern High Gain)
Each Channel features Independent Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence, All-Tube, Long Spring Reverb, Channel Assignable Dual Rectification with Recto Tracking™ (Diode or Tube Tracking – Patents 5,168,438 & 7,193,458), All-Tube FX Loop with Send Level Control (over all channels when activated)
Output Level Control
(over all channels when activated)
Footswitchable Solo Level Control – Patent 6,724,897 (over all channels when activated)
Bold/Spongy “Variac” Switch (Patent 5,091,700)
True “Hard” Bypass Switch that removes FX Loops, Output Level & Solo Level Controls from signal path
Slave Out w/Level Control
Fan Cooled (combos only)
External Switching Jacks for Channels 1, 2, 3, 4, Solo, Reverb, FX Loop & Hundred Watt
8 Button Footswitch (Channel 1, Channel 2, Channel 3, Channel 4, Reverb, FX Loop & Solo)
Slip Cover

UTILIZATION

Dialing this amp in is a fair bit harder to do than certain Mesa amps for sure, simply because it is a 4 channel head that contains many different switching options and sounds for the player who is never satisfied and is always searching for a new tone that will work. It does everything from spanky, jangly cleans to bluesier mid gain tones to the highest order of metal fury, so it can take time to fully get dialed in to your taste. Each channel is laid out with gain, bass, middle, treble, presence, and master volume controls, and in true Rectifier fashion, it takes a bit of time to figure out how the controls react to one another. That being said, when it's all dialed in it sounds excellent.

SOUNDS

I've tried the Dual Rectifier Roadster with many different Gibson and PRS guitars. The clean sounds remind me of a slightly more hi-fi sounding Fender amplifier, though it doesn't quite have the typical warmth and forgiveness that I prefer in my clean sounds. The crunch tones are surprisingly good for a Rectifier, and at their best they remind me of a slightly fuller 6L6 loaded Marshall type tone. Channel three is where the fun starts to begin, and that's where the hard rock and classic metal tones begin to appear. This channel has a fair bit of gain, but still has enough of an open quality to work for 80s rock/metal stuff. Channel four is where the modern and super compressed high gain tones live, and this is the channel where you grab your dropped B guitar and just let loose with a barrage of chugalug. Despite playing at such high gain levels, this amp never lost definition or "mushed out," but rather it remained clear and defined at all times.

One thing to note... this amp loves volume. It's not for bedroom players unless you play in a hockey arena sized bedroom. This amp is built for the stage and to be cranked up. At lower levels it's generally too fizzy and weak for my liking, but as soon as you crack the master volume... look out.

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I feel that the Mesa Dual Rectifier Roadster is a great sounding, versatile amp in the Rectifier series. I'm more of a Mesa Mark series guy, but I found myself loving the tones of this amp overall. Like I stated prior, it does need volume in my opinion to sound its best, but when it's given that it's a firebreather. These amps come in at about $2,000 new, which isn't bad. You can find them for about $1,300-$1,400 used if you look which is a stellar deal for this versatile, metal shredder's dream.