I'm currently running a Super Reflex/Staff tank solo starting from scratch(currently level 37) and it's been a breeze. I've been crafting and slotting as I go. Once I accumulated some Merits, I used them to buy converters, sold several on the Auction for seed money, and use the rest for converting IOs I can either slot or sell. One nice thing about soloing content is you get a ton of merits, you should have plenty of influence by the time you hit 50 if you spend some time converting IOs.
If I were to start again, I'd probably keep SR, but change my secondary. I've been a bit underwhelmed with Staff, although I still solo easily, including Elite Bosses.