I’m also having bad thoughts

[tugboat]

I’m back playing after a long hiatus and one of my goals is to actually play with people. Don’t care about what capacity as of now but an occasional jam or bar gig would be fun. But, my amp ia a 1 x 10 5f1 circuit champ. Love it for home, I can get a nice sweet clean sound that takes OD pedals well (on the search for a reverb/trem pedal too if you have any suggestions? Strymon Flint?). When the wife and kids aren’t here I can crank it and my ears don’t bleed.

But, aside from a coffee shop gig it’s not giggable. Depending on the jam situation it may not be jammable either. Just a couple dudes in a living room, probably fine. If there’s a drummer, probably not.

So I’m starting to chew on something bigger but not too big. Something I can still play at home but has enough headroom to get over a reasonable drummer, and I’d mic it if I’m in a gig situation and need more.

My immediate thought was a 5E3 with a nice loud speaker like a Celestion Blue. But then I thought, maybe I could get something different than a tweed for more variety at home? Maybe a Princeton Reverb kit? AC15 kit?

I know “oh those amps are TOTALLY different” blah blah blah. Reality to my ears…would the Revolver album sound worse if they used Deluxe Reverbs instead of Voxes? No. I tend to be somewhat ambivalent with amps, as long as it’s good I can figure out a good sound and roll with that. Maybe a pedal for an OD sound or two, and go. When I’m bedroom mouse fart playing with my iPhone in GarageBand I interchangeably go between the Vox, Blackface, and Tweed settings. I like all three.

Any thoughts on these 3 amps as home/small jam/small gig amps? May not really get an opportunity to play them, not much selection around where I live.

[phantomman]

I don't think you could go wrong with a Deluxe Reverb. Plenty of volume, the dynamic range of a 12-inch speaker, plus reverb and trem for when the situation demands them. You might even consider the Tone Master version if weight is an issue.

[Offshore Angler]

OK, I'll go there: Why is it not giggable? Seems like a nice amp to play out with.

[tugboat]

I don't think you could go wrong with a Deluxe Reverb. Plenty of volume, the dynamic range of a 12-inch speaker, plus reverb and trem for when the situation demands them. You might even consider the Tone Master version if weight is an issue.

Weight isn’t an issue. What’s the big difference between a Deluxe Reverb and a Princeton Reverb? A speaker and 7 watts? Was toying around with a Weber kit with a 12” speaker for a Princeton.

[tugboat]

OK, I'll go there: Why is it not giggable? Seems like a nice amp to play out with.

I actually do think it could be taken out in certain circumstances. I’m not sure it would keep up in a band situation though?

[jrgtr42]

Have you seen the new(ish) Tonemaster series amps from fender?
They are digital / modelers, but of the specific amp, Dlx, Twin and Princeton, I think.
I played a Deluxe a while back and it was really impressive. i didn't play it side by side
with a real tube version, but on it's own it behaved very near the original. Plus it has power scaling all the way down to .2 watts, PLenty quiet for home use, but back up to full tilt the Deluxe is perfectly useful in band situation.

[Cogs]

I just bought a 65 Princeton Reverb, I am extremely happy with it. Of course, I want a Deluxe, but never mind about that

[tugboat]

Have you seen the new(ish) Tonemaster series amps from fender?
They are digital / modelers, but of the specific amp, Dlx, Twin and Princeton, I think.
I played a Deluxe a while back and it was really impressive. i didn't play it side by side
with a real tube version, but on it's own it behaved very near the original. Plus it has power scaling all the way down to .2 watts, PLenty quiet for home use, but back up to full tilt the Deluxe is perfectly useful in band situation.

I’m partial to tubes of “real amp” use (real amp defined as not a phone/tablet). I have GarageBand on my iPad for modeler use.

Cogs, why do you want the Deluxe Reverb when you have a Princeton out of curiosity?

[phantomman]

Cogs, why do you want the Deluxe Reverb when you have a Princeton out of curiosity?

It's called "GAS"......gear acquisition syndrome.

Most of us suffer from it to one degree or another.

There is no cure.

[tugboat]

It's called "GAS"......gear acquisition syndrome.

Most of us suffer from it to one degree or another.

There is no cure.

Truth.

[Offshore Angler]

I actually do think it could be taken out in certain circumstances. I’m not sure it would keep up in a band situation though?

It most certainly will.

[Offshore Angler]

I actually do think it could be taken out in certain circumstances. I’m not sure it would keep up in a band situation though?

It most certainly will. Fact of live playing - a small amp turned up will almost always sound better than a bigger one on 2.

Even on big stages, when I use a Deluxe Reverb it never goes past 3 onstage - ever. Iso'ed is an another story, but chances are you won't be using iso cabs for a while. (And in reality, we rely on Fractals more than iso cabs for FOH these days.)

If you're playing on a stage and the band is drowning out a Champ you're in the wrong band. A Champ will get you anywhere you need to go.

Sure, back in the day we needed big amps to push the sound out but today it's totally unnecessary. Even guys like Bonamassa who are using Bassmans and Dumbles have them baffled and mic'ed onstage. That sends the sound up instead of out. Stage volume is kept livable and it helps with the hollow feeling stage sound a high ceiling can cause.

The monitors are your friends!

Chuck

[Cogs]

Cogs, why do you want the Deluxe Reverb when you have a Princeton out of curiosity?

I'm trying to come up with a good answer & keep striking out. Phantomman has already given the best explanation

[tugboat]

It most certainly will. Fact of live playing - a small amp turned up will almost always sound better than a bigger one on 2.

Even on big stages, when I use a Deluxe Reverb it never goes past 3 onstage - ever. Iso'ed is an another story, but chances are you won't be using iso cabs for a while. (And in reality, we rely on Fractals more than iso cabs for FOH these days.)

If you're playing on a stage and the band is drowning out a Champ you're in the wrong band. A Champ will get you anywhere you need to go.

Sure, back in the day we needed big amps to push the sound out but today it's totally unnecessary. Even guys like Bonamassa who are using Bassmans and Dumbles have them baffled and mic'ed onstage. That sends the sound up instead of out. Stage volume is kept livable and it helps with the hollow feeling stage sound a high ceiling can cause.

The monitors are your friends!

Chuck

Very interesting on the DR! Especially with a good efficient speaker and a 5751 tube in V1 I think people will be shocked at how loud (and how much clean volume) 5w can really be. You do make a great point!

[Offshore Angler]

I'm trying to come up with a good answer & keep striking out. Phantomman has already given the best explanation

Just depends. For me, a PR will bring in some grind a little - but not much - before the DR. I have a really nice DR so that's what I use when I need a combo, but if I didn't have it I'd likely choose the PR over it.

The DR is kind of a "tweener" to me, it sits in-between the PR and the tweed Bassman.

BTW, I also have a very strong attraction to VibroVerbs :)

Chuck

[phantomman]

The fifteen-inch speaker can bring a new sonic dimension to a Deluxe Reverb or a Princeton......

[Cogs]

Oh man. I don't know if I have ever seen this one before. Does it sound as cool as it looks? The blonde Deluxe, I mean

[phantomman]

Oh yeah. It was the original prototype for my Spankmaster Reverb conversion. I built a total of six.

[tugboat]

Oh yeah. It was the original prototype for my Spankmaster Reverb conversion. I built a total of six.

Dude those look sick!

[phantomman]

Indeed, some of the sickest ever made......





These are merely the nebulous experimentations of a madman, pay them no mind.

[Cogs]

Where di you manage to find the aluminum for the "drip edge"?

[phantomman]

Ebay.

There was a vendor who seemed to have tons of the stuff and would pre-cut it to order. No corner pieces though, I had to harvest those from a derelict Bandmaster head shell. Affixing the aluminum was somewhat problematic -- originally it was attached using a pneumatic staple gun but not having one of those handy I had to resort to countersunk wood screws. No matter, the hardware is not visible without removing the baffle board.