New Amp

[High Peaks]

Hey all-

I need a combo amp to practice and play with at smaller gigs. I really think i have my heart set on this 70's silverface deluxe reverb at the local shop here, but i want suggestions. Anyont play through anything in a 1 x 12 combo. I really want the 12" speaker set up because i will drop an e120 in it. I had a blues jr. I put a preamp out tap on it and everything. It just screamed a little too much for me. Not enough headroom.

Anyone know any good mods for a Deluxe. I'm trading my mesa mark III head and snake cable for the deluxe. I played it through two of my guitars, and fell in love. Not quite as Jerry'esque as the Twin, but with some tweaking i think it will work fine.

What are comparable models out there? All i really know is Fender.

[jonarobb]

Hey all-

I need a combo amp to practice and play with at smaller gigs. I really think i have my heart set on this 70's silverface deluxe reverb at the local shop here, but i want suggestions. Anyont play through anything in a 1 x 12 combo. I really want the 12" speaker set up because i will drop an e120 in it. I had a blues jr. I put a preamp out tap on it and everything. It just screamed a little too much for me. Not enough headroom.

Anyone know any good mods for a Deluxe. I'm trading my mesa mark III head and snake cable for the deluxe. I played it through two of my guitars, and fell in love. Not quite as Jerry'esque as the Twin, but with some tweaking i think it will work fine.

What are comparable models out there? All i really know is Fender.

I'd pass on the Deluxe Reverb. It's a pine plywood cabinet with a particle board baffle. The Deluxe Reverbs in my opinion are just way overhyped and ridiculously overpriced for what the amps are actually made out of. They really are junk. It's only 20 watts at best, with a tube rectifier which will guarantee it to be a one trick pony. Volume gets to a certain point and all you get is a bluesy compressed distortion. Hold onto you Mark III head and buy yourself a good hardwood 1x12" or 2x12" extension cabinet. The clean channel on the Mark III head is for all intents and purposes a Fender preamp circuit.

If you find you need a one piece combo, get something with a little more headroom. You'll be grateful you did.

This'll cover all your needs:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=004

[High Peaks]

My point is to get a smaller combo to travel with. I understand about the watts, but 22 watts with a mic sitting on it with an e120 in it will still get a nice tone. As far as it being only plywood, so is the amp in the link you provided.

I have a modded Twin head with a 2x 12 cabinet, so i have the bigger stuff covered. Both are built with baltic birch, so i understand wood and benefits there are to good wood.( I just said good wood!!)

I have played through a bunch of Rivera stuff, and i got to be honest- i wasn;t impressed with them at all. Fender II's, red knobs, they all sound to thin to me. I really think there is a lot to be said about vintage circuitry and craftsmanship.

I would like to get a mesa 1 x 12 combo, but they are ridiculously overpriced. the Deluxe is at about $800, and in good shape for a 30 + year old amp.

[jonarobb]

My point is to get a smaller combo to travel with. I understand about the watts, but 22 watts with a mic sitting on it with an e120 in it will still get a nice tone. As far as it being only plywood, so is the amp in the link you provided.

I have a modded Twin head with a 2x 12 cabinet, so i have the bigger stuff covered. Both are built with baltic birch, so i understand wood and benefits there are to good wood.( I just said good wood!!)

I have played through a bunch of Rivera stuff, and i got to be honest- i wasn;t impressed with them at all. Fender II's, red knobs, they all sound to thin to me. I really think there is a lot to be said about vintage circuitry and craftsmanship.

I would like to get a mesa 1 x 12 combo, but they are ridiculously overpriced. the Deluxe is at about $800, and in good shape for a 30 + year old amp.

$800 is not bad at all for it. I've been seeing Silverfaces go around here in NYC for ridiculous prices and then the cats that buy them still have to tweak em', tubes, speakers, etc. So it's ends up being alot of bread.


The Rivera stuff, by the way, IS vintage circuitry and craftmanship. They're top shelf. But I understand where you're coming from.

What about the Mesa Mark I Re-Issues? Have you had a chance to check them out. They can sound amazing with just minor surgery and I see them coming up on Ebay for under a grand.
I'm a huge Mesa fan and use an old Mark I

[pappypgh]

I just recently purchased a Deluxe Reverb re-issue. I freakin' love it. GREAT, CLEAN tone when you want it. Put it up over 4 on the volume if you want a little more dirt.

Mesas are great, but insanely priced. Their smaller ones do not give me the tone I'm after at all, however the 2x12s are phenomenal.

The 22w 1x12 on this Fender D.R. is just great. It gives me a very pure tone and allows me to get true tones from my pedals, when I want them.

A lot of people put a lot of money into their amplifier choices - as a father of 3, full-time job and the only income in the household, I just can't justify (as much as I'd love to) spending thousands of dollars on a kick-ass rig like some of these wonderful players on this site use. They make me jealous, but I did a lot of research in finding an amp that gives me what I want and what I NEED. I play out 2-3 times per month - sometimes at decent sized venues (I'll be playing in front of several hundred - possibly a thousand or so - people at the Pittsburgh Blues Festival next weekend) and this amp is it for me. If you wanna hear it, go to www.theCAUSEjams.com/links and scroll down to the YouTube section. Everything at Potter County XV is me w/ that Fender Deluxe Reverb.

[pappypgh]

PS - I paid $779 plus tax at Pianos 'N Stuff in Blawnox, PA. www.pnsmusic.com

[strumminsix]

It's a great rock and bluesy amp.

However, it was not constructed for the BIG cleans.

I play custom Fargen amp which is "half a twin" but better.

For what you've described ya need 2 6L6s & a larger trannies.

Anything short will not get the tones I think you desire!

[pappypgh]

SS - I saw Barry Sless play through a Fender Frontman in front of 5,000+ people. You can get great tones from small amps and let the system do the work.

I will disagree with your "big cleans" assessment. You get a great clean out of this amp at 3 - 3.5 on the volume, then mic it well and put it thru a great sound system.

Just my opinion.

[strumminsix]

Pappy, the OP talks about needing clean headroom.
A 22W amp with small trannies won't give ya that.

They sound great, great vibe, and wonderful mic'd!
Ideal choice for a small amp in mic'd situations.

But that doesn't sound like what the OP described.

[Pete B.]

I had a Rivera era "Fender 75" with an EVM-12L at one time.
I shouldn't have traded that one away.

About two years ago I had a SF Deluxe Reverb with an oversized output tranny, BF mod on reverb channel, biased for 6L6's instead of 6V6, (all mods done previous to my ownership)... clocked about 62W on the bench... Never really sounded right though, I kinda fought with that one, finally traded it to a Harmonica player who thought it was his holy grail amp.

fwiw, Peavey makes alot of 1-12" combos that, besides being American made, are probably the best value in that market.

[strumminsix]

Pete, pulling 62W out of 2 6L6s seems crazy?!
The battle isn't surprising in the least...

I'd say 45 is about idea for a pair.

BTW, for an interesting value amp: Fender Super Champ XD.

Under $300, decent tone nice direct out.

Been pondering one for a jam session amp...

[pappypgh]

SS - who's the OP? I don't understand.

The person who started this thread (High Peaks) said he fell in love w/ the Deluxe Reverb and wants it for smaller venues & practices.

IMO, this is the perfect amp. ALSO - as I said - mic'd properly it will work for any gig. I understand more 'headroom', but you gotta pay out the ass for more headroom in a combo amp. Period. Unless you can steal a great used one.

[Pete B.]

Pete, pulling 62W out of 2 6L6s seems crazy?!
...

The Fender "75" is/was only 2 6L6's, also.
I never had it tested for actual power, but it was spec'd @ 75W.
http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/

[strumminsix]

Pete - that is crazy. Seems crazy still to me. I would imagine that baby burns through tubes like nobodies business. The volume difference between 50W & 75W is not all that much. I cannot imagine why they'd do such a thing. Can only imagine 75W looks nice in advertising!!!

SS - who's the OP? I don't understand.

The person who started this thread (High Peaks) said he fell in love w/ the Deluxe Reverb and wants it for smaller venues & practices.

IMO, this is the perfect amp. ALSO - as I said - mic'd properly it will work for any gig. I understand more 'headroom', but you gotta pay out the ass for more headroom in a combo amp. Period. Unless you can steal a great used one.

Sorry to confuse, Pappy. OP = original poster

I do believe I read his post incorrectly or we read it differently. What you said is all valid and I agree. I got the impression that he wasn't sold on the DR but thought it would be perfect. You are right, combos w/hi headroom cost some $$$!

In my experience one needs more than 22W of tube power to have decent headroom for unmic'd situations which I *assumed* he was looking for.

[High Peaks]

Just to give a better picture-- ideally i would like to keep the MArk III head. The problem is i want a small combo. I have the Twin Head with the truckers clone cab, believe me, i've spent a lot of time researching and building my rig.
So what i want is something with a little more versatility. Also because of venue sizes, and stage sizes. My main rig takes up space, and thats not always fair to the other players. Plus, my back is starting to need rest!!

I really only could think of two choices that could come close to the tone. Deluxe Reverb and a mesa mark I combo. Problem is Mesa's are ungodly expensive.

My main question should have been:
Does anyone use a smaller combo (1 x 12) and feel reasonably confident it can pull off some Garcia tones in a small to medium sized room.

I plan on modding the circuit, thats why i prefer tube, point to point handwiring. I plan on replacing the speaker with a JBL e120. At this point i probably won't put a tap out because if i need to run it thru an external power amp, i would just use my other rig.

Thanks for all the feedback guys.