I Am So Glad I Got This Amp.....

[Denny]

As some of you know I've been on an amp quest for the past 2 weeks or so and have really learned a lot. I returned my new Vox AC15CC because it didn't fit my style. I've been looking into every amp imaginable in the 6 to $700.00 range and decided to try a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue - Well -

I just played my DRRI for the first time and I have to say I really like it. Of course I have nothing similar to compare it to, but none the less, my 45 years of experience playing guitar tells me this amp is a keeper - so far - just the way it is. this is a sweet amp stock-out-of-the-box (to my ears anyway). It MIGHT get a speaker change down the road - I MIGHT change the tubes or clip the treble cap - but for a stock amp - Fender did a great job. Breaks up nicely at medium volume, nice growl and sustain, I DO NOT FIND THIS AMP TO BE TOO BRIGHT or too bassy. My main amp is a Budda superdrive II, 18 Watt 1x12 (which I really love), but I can see me bringing this into the stage set up with a pedal or two - hell - it really doesn't NEED a pedal to sound good. I've been playing Mesa's since Carlos first started using them, and really stayed away from the Fenders because of the bad press the seem to get from some folks - "..has to be vintage.....has to be point-to-point...has to have this mod or that mod.... Maybe it's me and I'm finally realizing in my old age that tone comes mostly from my heart, soul and fingers and just a little from my gear!? I say - great job Fender. And thanks everyone here a TGP for all the input and advice I've gotten from all of you.

Denny

[Rockin J]

Agreed. The DRRI is a great little amp at a good price. It sounds great run in stereo with other amps. I been playing mine in stereo with a Top Hat Super Deluxe. The Fender thump and Top Hat chime sound fantastic together. Try it with your Budda.

[clunk]

I own an original 65 (64 parts) and have tried out the re-issue. The DRRI does sound pretty good. I wouldnt say its as good sounding as an original but cranked it comes reasonably close. Its also not as loud. With volume at 10 its about as loud as an original at 6-7.
Still, if you like that vintage DR sound and dont want to pay modern prices for an original, I would say soundwise this amp does a good enough job of getting you there.

Clunk

[Formvar]

I used to work at a music store years ago. When Fender reissued the blackface deluxe reverb, my co-workers (fellow gear freaks) and I lined up the DRRI w/ original `65 and `66 deluxe reverbs. Guess what...the reissue didn`t sound as nice. A bit constipated sounding. Just for fun we plugged the reissue into the `65 and `66 speakers one by one. All of a sudden, the reissue could hang in there with the originals. The difference was about the same as the difference between the `65 and `66. Just goes to show how important the speakers are in the chain.

[Champlifier]

Yes, the speaker(s) will, usually, have the most dramatic/noticable affect on the signal chain. I messed around with tubes, strings, pickups, necks, bodies, etc.,and the speaker usually has the biggest/most noticable affect on the overall tone.

[Dollar]

I had a DRRI and a freshly serviced but otherwise all original 65 and I prefered the re-issue. The original was harsh and piercing and my DRRI was just as Denny described. The original had an Oxford speaker and I believe that was atleast part of the problem. That said, I think what it really boils down to is that an individual amp is only as good as the sum of it's parts. I think two can come off the assembly line one after the other and sound different. That was probably even more true back in 65. Components are probably a lot more consistent today than they were then.

Great amps though. I will have another one day. Maybe soon?
Damn you Denny!

[Denny]

So true - and part of that sum are your hands, head, soul and heart!!! I just got some NOS tubes and I can't wait to hear the difference (is ther is any difference). I figured there's so much hype about the NOS stuff, I'd just go and see what it was all about. I'll be sure to report back when I install them and get 'er up and runnin'. I'm absoultely loving this thing man. I didn't think I'd fend another amp that I loved as much as my Budda but the DRRI does it for me - not that they're even the same universe as each other, but the organic feel is definately there. I'm so gald I sent the Vox back. The DRRI is inspiring me to play stuff I haven't tried or stuff I haven't wanted to play for centuries. Again I'll say "GREAT JOB FENDER".

Denny

[jpage]

I own an original 65 (64 parts) and have tried out the re-issue. The DRRI does sound pretty good. I wouldnt say its as good sounding as an original

Guy starts a thread about how happy he is with an amp and somebody just has to try and piss in his cornflakes...

[papa taco]

Originally Posted by jpage

Guy starts a thread about how happy he is with an amp and somebody just has to try and piss in his cornflakes...

+1.

[B Vance]

I really enjoy my DRRI. It's clean tone rivals that of just about any other amp I've ever played. I love to use it for recording especially. http://alive.artistovation.com/ViewE...ntrantId=10273

This is some of my DRRI recorded on the rough scratch track for the band that I have been doing studio work for. Setup = Fender Am Std Telecaster, neck pickup,> Vib Channel Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue> Fender 62 2x12 Extension Cab with Cele. Greenbacks. Four mics, one on the front of the DRRI, one on the open back, two on the cab in front of each speaker.

[jpervin]

Originally Posted by Denny

So true - and part of that sum are your hands, head, soul and heart!!! I just got some NOS tubes and I can't wait to hear the difference (is ther is any difference). I figured there's so much hype about the NOS stuff, I'd just go and see what it was all about. I'll be sure to report back when I install them and get 'er up and runnin'. I'm absoultely loving this thing man. I didn't think I'd fend another amp that I loved as much as my Budda but the DRRI does it for me - not that they're even the same universe as each other, but the organic feel is definately there. I'm so gald I sent the Vox back. The DRRI is inspiring me to play stuff I haven't tried or stuff I haven't wanted to play for centuries. Again I'll say "GREAT JOB FENDER".

Denny

You know, everyone who owns a Deluxe Reverb goes on about how good (or sometimes how bad) the vibrato channel sounds. Hardly any mention about the normal channel (vol/bass/treble). When I owned my DRRI I would often plug into the normal channel for s*its and giggles. It's quite surprising how warm and bluesy-sounding that channel is. There are even mods out there where you can tie in the reverb circuit (and possibly the tremolo...not sure about this) over into the normal channel. If I wanted reverb though, I'd just run a Holy Grail reverb pedal in front of the DR and go.

[Denny]

I love the normal channel but it needs reverb (for my ears) - I think I'll try my GT-6 in there tonight and see how it sounds with that.

d.

[gjf]

Originally Posted by jpage

Guy starts a thread about how happy he is with an amp and somebody just has to try and piss in his cornflakes...

I totally disagree -- this board is about sharing information. If someone can't respectfully say something that is factually based and mildly disagrees with someone else's ode to their new amp, we end up with a series of posts from people saying how much they love the amp they happen to own at the time. I would rather hear people express opinions either way and make up my own mind.

[JubileeMan 2555]

Originally Posted by Denny

As some of you know I've been on an amp quest for the past 2 weeks or so and have really learned a lot. I returned my new Vox AC15CC because it didn't fit my style. I've been looking into every amp imaginable in the 6 to $700.00 range and decided to try a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue - Well -

I just played my DRRI for the first time and I have to say I really like it. Of course I have nothing similar to compare it to, but none the less, my 45 years of experience playing guitar tells me this amp is a keeper - so far - just the way it is. this is a sweet amp stock-out-of-the-box (to my ears anyway). It MIGHT get a speaker change down the road - I MIGHT change the tubes or clip the treble cap - but for a stock amp - Fender did a great job. Breaks up nicely at medium volume, nice growl and sustain, I DO NOT FIND THIS AMP TO BE TOO BRIGHT or too bassy. My main amp is a Budda superdrive II, 18 Watt 1x12 (which I really love), but I can see me bringing this into the stage set up with a pedal or two - hell - it really doesn't NEED a pedal to sound good. I've been playing Mesa's since Carlos first started using them, and really stayed away from the Fenders because of the bad press the seem to get from some folks - "..has to be vintage.....has to be point-to-point...has to have this mod or that mod.... Maybe it's me and I'm finally realizing in my old age that tone comes mostly from my heart, soul and fingers and just a little from my gear!? I say - great job Fender. And thanks everyone here a TGP for all the input and advice I've gotten from all of you.

Denny

Glad you like it. Its sorta funny. My Stage rig is like your exact rig X 2.... I run a Budda SD 80 for dirty and a Vintage Twin Reverb for cleans... and technically, both those amps are about twice as much power as your setup. I think thats cool.

Enjoy, there is nothing wrong with reissue fenders. Personally, I think they are what the vintage ones probably sounded like brand new.

[JubileeMan 2555]

Originally Posted by gjf

I totally disagree -- this board is about sharing information. If someone can't respectfully say something that is factually based and mildly disagrees with someone else's ode to their new amp, we end up with a series of posts from people saying how much they love the amp they happen to own at the time. I would rather hear people express opinions either way and make up my own mind.

hmm...sort of. I think the "cornflakes" comment is in regards to a poster trying to one-up on the original poster and not a sharing of information. He wasn't saying that in his experience her personally didn't like the sound of the DRRI, he more or less tried to say how much better his vintage Deluxe is than the poster's new amp...which is an OLD arguement that goes around in circles.

Possibly a better phrasing would have been. "Now that you've found you like the tone of a DRRI, maybe you should tryout a vintage one and see if you might even like it better..."