Reeves Custom 6 with powerscaling

[rubbersoul]

I just came across this amplifier today and have read most of the past posts on it. I read good things about it, but don't remember reading much about the 6 and powerscaling, a few mentions but not many.

So how good is this amp with this option? Good crunch at low volumes? Take pedals well? I envision my Hotcake sounding great through this. How about the company? Builder? Quality of amps?

Just looking for some current opinions of this company and specifically this amp. The 6 and powerscaling may get me to the sound I need, crunchy, overdriven blues.

Cheers.

[daddyo]

I'm sure you read my review of the Custom 12 with Power Scaling. I'm sure the 6 is great.

[rubbersoul]

Originally Posted by daddyo

I'm sure you read my review of the Custom 12 with Power Scaling. I'm sure the 6 is great.

I did read it and it was a great review. What is your experience with the volume and drive dimed and then the use of the powerscaling? I know you said that it didn't act like an attenuator which is exactly what I thought it was supposed to do. I'm quite new to powerscaling but have heard that it is the wave of the future. Is it incredibly sensitive in that, one knotch is quiet while one more millimeter of a turn is loud. I've had that experience with different master volumes on Fender amps, just a hair turn is radically different volume wise. Is that how the power scaling works with the volume and drive dimed or is it more gradual (and useful)?

Thanks.

[straticus]

Originally Posted by daddyo

I'm sure you read my review of the Custom 12 with Power Scaling. I'm sure the 6 is great.

I just did a search but couldn't find it. Can you post a link please? I'd like to read it.

Cheers.

[farlowhigh]

Rubbersoul, powerscaling is very sensitive but only in the good ways in that you can get infinite and gradual gradations of loudness and retain however much crunch you want (with obvious limitations in how the ear hears low vs high volume sound and speakers pushing air or not). I have several amps now with power scaling and I am really really happy with it. There are certainly amps with great master volumes and that can work really well but I find power scaling to be more effective at retaining tone at almost any volume. Go watch Pete Thorn's demo of the Suhr Badger and listen to the clips of the power scaling demonstrated on suhrguitars.com. There is a very cool series of clips of the same riff played very loud to very soft and you can hear for yourself (inasmuch as compressed digital clips played over a computer can communicate this stuff).
the Reinhardt 18 can be had with power scaling and it is also an amazing rock and roll amp...the power scaling is really effective there as well. Apparently there are different ways to implement power scaling (scaling this or that part of the amp...big forum on powerscaling...can't remember the name offhand but something like powerscaling.com...).

I find the power scaling more than lives up to its own hype. Of course, if you want the amp to sound great at absolute whisper volumes, you might not be entirely happy but it can go down to loud conversational levels and it retains the tone really well.

I haven't heard the Reeves but people seem to like them a lot around here and they seem very reasonably priced.

the Fargen Miniplex II is also very effective at low volume crunch...it has power scaling AND a master volume.

Good luck in your search!

Eric

[rubbersoul]

Originally Posted by straticus

I just did a search but couldn't find it. Can you post a link please? I'd like to read it.

Cheers.

Here you go straticus...it's a good review.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...ghlight=reeves

[rubbersoul]

Originally Posted by farlowhigh

Rubbersoul, powerscaling is very sensitive but only in the good ways in that you can get infinite and gradual gradations of loudness and retain however much crunch you want (with obvious limitations in how the ear hears low vs high volume sound and speakers pushing air or not). I have several amps now with power scaling and I am really really happy with it. There are certainly amps with great master volumes and that can work really well but I find power scaling to be more effective at retaining tone at almost any volume. Go watch Pete Thorn's demo of the Suhr Badger and listen to the clips of the power scaling demonstrated on suhrguitars.com. There is a very cool series of clips of the same riff played very loud to very soft and you can hear for yourself (inasmuch as compressed digital clips played over a computer can communicate this stuff).
the Reinhardt 18 can be had with power scaling and it is also an amazing rock and roll amp...the power scaling is really effective there as well. Apparently there are different ways to implement power scaling (scaling this or that part of the amp...big forum on powerscaling...can't remember the name offhand but something like powerscaling.com...).

I find the power scaling more than lives up to its own hype. Of course, if you want the amp to sound great at absolute whisper volumes, you might not be entirely happy but it can go down to loud conversational levels and it retains the tone really well.

I haven't heard the Reeves but people seem to like them a lot around here and they seem very reasonably priced.

the Fargen Miniplex II is also very effective at low volume crunch...it has power scaling AND a master volume.

Good luck in your search!

Eric

Thanks for the great help...that tells me a lot of what I need to know. I believe I'll be checking this amp out a bit more.

Cheers

[rubbersoul]

Originally Posted by Snake Plissken

If the Custom 6 has the tone you like, you can't go wrong. Reeves builds are top-notch, and their Power Scaling implementation is great.

Thanks Snake Plissken, (cool name by the way!), that's encouraging. I do like the tone of the 6 quite a lot!

[daddyo]

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...d.php?t=370218

My review above.

[daddyo]

Originally Posted by rubbersoul

I did read it and it was a great review. What is your experience with the volume and drive dimed and then the use of the powerscaling? I know you said that it didn't act like an attenuator which is exactly what I thought it was supposed to do. I'm quite new to powerscaling but have heard that it is the wave of the future. Is it incredibly sensitive in that, one knotch is quiet while one more millimeter of a turn is loud. I've had that experience with different master volumes on Fender amps, just a hair turn is radically different volume wise. Is that how the power scaling works with the volume and drive dimed or is it more gradual (and useful)?

Thanks.

If you dime the volume and drive and reduce the sound level via the Power Scaling, the tone is very saturated and fizzy. You get the best tone by using the drive to set the "grind" level and then move the volume and PS together till the sound level is correct. Now that's my concept of tone which leans to the clean side ala Jimi Hendrix "Little Wing" etc. YMMV.

The PS isn't sensitive like you describe, it's very linear. All the controls are linear and usable including the tone controls which is a nice feature. So many less expensive amps seem to have useless tone controls.

[rubbersoul]

Originally Posted by daddyo

If you dime the volume and drive and reduce the sound level via the Power Scaling, the tone is very saturated and fizzy. You get the best tone by using the drive to set the "grind" level and then move the volume and PS together till the sound level is correct. Now that's my concept of tone which leans to the clean side ala Jimi Hendrix "Little Wing" etc. YMMV.

The PS isn't sensitive like you describe, it's very linear. All the controls are linear and usable including the tone controls which is a nice feature. So many less expensive amps seem to have useless tone controls.

Thanks daddyo...that's just what I wanted to hear. I appreciate the help.

Cheers.

[Fifthstone]

Bill at Reeves provides great customer care. His amps offer excellent tone and expert craftsmanship. I have both the Custom 6 and Custom 12 combo's, but neither with power scaling. In my opinion neither really needs it.