Anyone Still Digging Their Blueverb?

[spence]

Not much talk about this amp around here lately. I guess it's flying under the radar somewhat. I've got one on order and as soon as my custom cab is delivered, Smitty is going to send a demo head for me to try out. Are any of you guys still enjoying yours now that you've had some time with it?

 

[TRW]

Love it!

Yes it is under the radar at the moment - seems this place has gone Dumble crazy the past few weeks.

Mine is stunning - I know clips on the net are pointless really, but I listen to most posted here when it's of a cool amp.

Everytime I hear the dumble type clips, the brunos (UG and Cow) or something like the Glaswerks, even the Komets etc I like what I hear but I turn on my BV and forget about them.

I don't feel like I have a second rate amp here whatsoever - I would put it up against any amp.

I keep finding new, interesting sounds...I can dime the treble and mids, set the sparkle and smooth very high so the amp is dark, set the preamp to max overdrive and sit the pre master just right (6-7 is right for me) - too much of that and its gets more Marshall-esque and gritty...however set it right and the OD is so smooth.

My cleans are massive. Can be tight and jazzy or punchy as hell. I've actually started liking setting the amp soul control to zero as it makes the amp tighter and more in line with what I like, although I dig it set to about 3-4 as well...not a fan of it too high, but many would love it, gets quite SRV.

I found a cool swell sound last week where I had the pre master all the way down so its 100% wet reverb, by driving hard into the reverb tank its possible to get feedback into the verb. By swelling chords up and down on the guitar volume the thing creates a very deep and unusual distorted reverb swell with ambient feedback, which would be great underneath another part in a mix.

I will do some clips but I really have no time at the mo...and they are a 'little' pointless in a way.

Yes it's gone quiet here on the BV, but no-one is selling them if they have one...or at least rarely - so that will tell you something.

They are all unique.
-T

 

[guitarplayaman]

Blueverb stuff is great...

I have two early Blueverb modded amps. Smitty can do the dumble thing as a mod on most Fenders.

I've got a bass man head he did for me...it slays...
Also have an old SuperReverb that was an early prototype of the Blueverb.....man that amp kills.

Dumble thing is cool but you can get just about any tone ya want with a blueverb.

 

[spence]

Should I just go ahead and get the 50 watt model since it has a pre and pre master control? That way I'll be sure to have plenty of headroom.

 

[RedLizard]

Just sent my final payment on BV057 yesterday. 30 watt 4x10. Been a long wait, hoping FedEx drops it on my doorstep soon.

 

[riffmeister]

Been a long wait, hoping FedEx drops it on my doorstep soon.

You should never wish that FedEx will drop something!

 

[RedLizard]

You should never wish that FedEx will drop something!

Even if a mother-in-law is directly beneath said box?

 

[TRW]

How goes it Rhylick - what do you think how you've had a little more time?

I hear it impressed a few people at the show...
Tom

 

[* velcro-fly *]

How goes it Rhylick - what do you think how you've had a little more time?

I hear it impressed a few people at the show...
Tom

I played it and loved it - killer amp. Period. That sitting next to my Aiken Intruder would be an awesome A/B rig.

Steve E

 

[JB Eckl]

Friggin' killer amp. Since playing your Blueverb yesterday I feel like that's the Fender I want. By the way - which configuration did you order? Amount of drive, speakers, etc...

And what part of town do you live in? I'd like to bring my 335 over sometime.

 

[TRW]

Cool Brad! Thats pretty much how I feel about it, it covers so much ground that you don't really need anymore amps...

Do you have 6V6s in 35watts?

I'm running EL34s at 55Watts into a ducted port 2x12 loaded with RWBs. Utterly amazing speaker cab, whoever claims the RWBs are dark...well not in this cab. Amazing high-end, never peaky (just powerful when loud), great mid-range and bottom is sickening due to the port/cab size.

I think I have what Smitty is now calling the Bukoverb OP transformer...with variable sag control instead of triode/pentode switch.

Did your manual state that yours has a tonestack similar to the Dumble Skyliner?

Also what do you think to the 'secret' controls on the back?
-T

 

[pjrhd28]

My Blueverb (2 x 10, El-34's, Bassman transformer,super overdrive voicing) delivers even more than what I expected. The cleans are as good as my Carr Slant 6V (I was really not expecting that) and the dirt gets "Marshally" when you open it up. So focused, so BOLD, so crisp, so tight.........

AND FLEXIBILE

Best pentode/ triode switching I've ever heard.......

And that Soul control is genius. Clean and tight to "loose".

The gain level right in front of the reverb give a whole other level of reverb control-way beyond the volume, tone dwell in even the finest reverb units.


Only complaint?

In the combo, its pretty heavy-- 60 LBS?????

Could be a head in my future- maybe with a little more low end "whumph"

 

[TRW]

The heads are damn heavy too! LOL

I'm curious pjrhd28 - where are you liking the mids set on overdrive and do you use the hot input much?

Agree on the reverb thing, the drive pre reverb is what allowed me to get that crazy arsed reverb swell feedback thing...awesome!

-T

 

[pjrhd28]

TRW-

I'm more of a blues guy so I'm almost ALWAYS in the "Not" input; I just find the "Hot" input to get too dirty too quick (but again, my amp is super overdrive voicing so, of course, your mileage might vary).

How about you???

If I was into recording, though, I'm quite sure I'd use it for some solo work.

I rarely run the mids (or treble) past noon with the bass typically at 3/4 or more- the two 10's and the super overdrive voicing keep the amp "bold" with a tight, clear bottom end that I try to fatten up a little with the tone controls.

Sometimes I run ith with a 2 x 12 ext cab (so its running the 2 x 10's and the 2 x 12's all at once) and that helps the bottom.

It sure sounds like you get PLENTY of low end "whumph" from your speaker cabinet. Is your cabinet home made???



That reverb drive is truly amazing (I don't use a lot of reverb). At first I found it a little frustrating as I would try to dial in a litle more dirt using the first gain and the reverb gain (trying to keep them equal, which I think Smitty recommends). Of course, it changed the "texture" of the reverb and I had to work a little more (typically, backing it off a little more). But its amazing what it does to the reverb.

My next gig looks like February 15th and its going to be a blast with the Blueverb and the Carr 2 x 12. That'll give me my first real test.

 

[TRW]

Thanks - I find myself pretty much in the NOT input all the time as well, although I like HOT when I run volume and drive lower.

Right now I'm sat with it on, running the vol and drive at 10, with treble at 8, Mids on 10 and Bass on 2-3, amp set fully dark on the voicing (hence the high treble and mids) and its sounds quite Dumble-like - mixed with a Marshall. Pre at 6-7, Post on as loud as I can 5-10 when no ones in..which is now! woo.

I find too much bass when the amp overdrives makes it less smooth, I understand HAD trimmed the bottom in his amps to keep the OD smooth.

I don't miss bass at all as the 2x12 cab is rocking, Smitty made the cab and voiced my amp to it - it shows!

I think he suggested keeping volume and drive the same but I quite like running vol at 10 and drive at 6 for a more gentle and articulate blues OD.

EL34s drive so nicely, but god this amp sounds like a REALLY good 6L6 Fender when clean.

T

 

[spence]

I'm really glad to see that everyone is happy with their Blueverb. I was lucky enough to get in under the gun before the price increase. I'm waiting on my Swanson 4-10 slant cab to get here. I'm going to put a couple Rajun Cajuns and Copperheads in it. I don't know what to expect, but I'm hoping for the best. I'll be pairing it with an Aiken Invader thru a Swanson 2-12 slant with Heritage G12H's. I just need to decide what tubes & tranny I want to get.

 

[RedLizard]

rhylick, what serial number are you? I'm BV057 and hoping it gets here soon. Smitty told me both my cab and chassis are ready, just needed to be mated together. BTW, spent 13 years in PDX (Laurelhurst & NW) - definitely miss the brew, green winters, cool neighborhoods.

Mine's a 30 watt, 6V6, standard voiced, Bassman transformer. 4x10 combo in blue tolex with black faceplate.

 

[TRW]

Hey Scott - not long to go then...took about 2-3 weeks for mine to get here after I had 'that' email..and that's with shipping to the UK, plus there was an issue with my cab woodwork that had to get sorted.

No long - not long at all now!
Woot!
T

 

[klaetos]

Tell me about the Blueverb with the EL34's?? How is the OD.. is it close to Marshally with a great cleans? Can you swap tubes to 6L6 or 6v6?

If anyone has clips of the EL34 OD that would be great to hear it.

Thanks!

 

[pjrhd28]

I'm not able to post clips- just not there technologically.

What AMAZED me about my EL-34 Blueverb is the cleans- every bit as good (or better) than Fender cleans- crisp and clean.

But then when you open it up, it gets MArshally based on where you set the gain controls.

I have mine set at what I call about 3/4 Super with 1/4 Marshall. Think of a Super with just a touch of Marshall grit, snap, and snarl. But back off on the guitar volume and it cleans up like a Fender. It has that tight, focused MArshall tone.

Don't know about the tube swapping but my guess is some re biasing would be in order.