[Jturbide]

I figured this was probably the forum where to ask sincr most people knows SMS because of the CTP. I already own a CTP JG and I love it. I was just curious if anyone had tried the revelation? Can't find any demo on youtube except one or two people who used it on pedal steel. A two SMS preamp setup with the CTP clean and the revelation maybe on the "edge of breakup" might be awesome?!

[BoogieMK2]

A late reply, but I just joined.

I picked up a Revelation second hand recently. Have not tried a Classic so I can’t compare. Maybe the following points would be helpful.

The Revelation is very clean. Haven’t gotten the edge of breakup out of it. There is a buffered loop up front if you want to add a pedal to help get there.

The variable input impedance control is nice. You can tame down a bright guitar or let it be bright. Not a treble control. I like this with my Tele. You can adjust this in conjunction with the tone stack and fine tune your high end.

The contour control is interesting, not sure I have it figured out but. Could help fine tune lower mids, considering your guitar and amp/ speakers.

Download and read the manual

I would see using a Classic and Revelation more like two amps rather than a channel switching single amp.

[BoogieMK2]

Got my Revelation rig together and played a gig this weekend. Super nice cleans and took dirt pedals very well. ART SKA-2 in bridge mode, Midiverb and Tone Tubby 40/40 speaker.

I used the Vari-z to adjust the Tele high end and the Color for mids. This is extra flexibility compared to the Classic preamp. The Midiverb was wired in the parallel loop. Could have used the XLR outs to drive the amp but didn’t have short XLR cables and didn’t see the need,

Also worked with my Les Paul and Studio Custom at home. The Vari-z is really nice to adjust your guitar to the input stage. Great tone from all guitars.

[zozoe]

Greetings,, I'm new to this 'rig' stuff, but I just scored a Mac MC30 & I'll need need a preamp. I was thinking of an FYD Dumble that (I believe) can switch between super clean & downright rocking Dumblesque drive.. Is this true?

About the Revelation, I noticed it has a Gain control as well as a Master...& will that give overdrive like a typical head or combo would?
Thnks, kenny 🕉

[BoogieMK2]

I have no knowledge of the FYD Dumble. Saw an old listing on Reverb, says you can get overdrive from it.

The Revelation is 100% clean no matter how you set it, by design. Subtle changes to tone will happen with higher gain settings but no distortion. The output control is the drive to whatever power amp you have via the main outputs. If you use the FX out, the gain is your only volume control. Brad said this is like coming off the end of a blackface Fender preamp.

The Revelation seems to take pedals very well. You could find a Dumble-type pedal and give it a go. I use a LovePedal Black Magic Zen drive and can get something similar to a Dumble overdrive tone to much more drive. Also have a Valve Reamer (TS-9 type) and get a different drive sound. If you find the right pedal (solid state or tube), you have lots of options with the Revelation or the more straightforward SMS Classic.

[BoogieMK2]

One more consideration is if you want an effects loop. The Revelation has a parallel effects loop, not so common. You can take the FX out into an effects chain and then go to your amp, a serial loop outside of the preamp. The SMS Classic has no effect loop, take the output to an effects chain then to your amp.

The FYD Dumble has a serial effects loop. How it is done is probably part of its “sound”.

The normal FYD and SMS Classic are about the way Jerry got his sound. What you are wanting seems to be a bit different, that’s OK. I’m not trying to clone the Jerry sound, either. The philosophy and technology from his rigs are great blocks to use for our own tone quests.