Help! Amp Problems

[DisposableHero]

Hey guys!

I bought a used Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier 50 watt Solo Head and a Marshall 1960A cabinet to go with the head this past Saturday.
Right now, I am running a Jackson Randy Rhoads with the EMG ZW set installed.

Before I bought the half stack I had a Line 6 Flextone II 2x12 XL, and I still have it.

I am having trouble getting a good distortion tone with a warm full bite to it. I am considering bringing the Mesa back and trying something else.

Opinions please, or settings that will give me my desired tone
Thanks guys

Rob

[I Suffer]

Its most likely something simple that your looking over...What do you have all your settings at on your amp?

[DisposableHero]

Output 9 o clock
Master 9 o clock
Presence 10 o clock
Bass 5 o clock
Mids 1 o clock
Treble 1 o clock
Gain 2 o clock

modern and vintage mode the same+

[SLY]

I have no experience with Mesa amps , but from what I hear , you've gotta spend sometime tweeking to get a decent sound from it.

[hairbndrckr]

You must immediately pack that damn POS amp and send it to:

Hairbndrckr
9820 SE ***
Ocala, FL ***** LOL

You must be kidding me man, the Mesa Recto sound is one of the most emulated distortions next to the Marshall JCM 900... Even the Line 6 you have emulates it...
The only possible way that beast won't crank out the fuzz is if the tubes are completely shot. Is the amp new or used?

[DisposableHero]

used...ill try new tubes but i got it sounding pretty good right now so maybe not

[Hammurabi]

Originally posted by DisposableHero
Output 9 o clock
Master 9 o clock
Presence 10 o clock
Bass 5 o clock
Mids 1 o clock
Treble 1 o clock
Gain 2 o clock

modern and vintage mode the same+

There's your problem right there. That's not going to work for anything.

Depending on the pickups (I've never used those) try something like-
bass: 5
mids: 4-6
treble: 4
gain: start at 1 and turn up when you get the eq set
And turn the presence down if you want a warm sound.

I'm kinda guessing with those because I've never used that type of amp, but it shouldn't be hard to get something that sounds better than 5/1/1. Mesa is definitely a tweakers amp, I would play with it for as long as possible before making a decision.

And, if all else fails, check the tubes.