Advice on new amp!

[Hiwatt]

Hi folks!I'm looking into getting a new amp!In the past I've played a boogie mark II and a music man among others.I love natural tube overdrive and would like to go down that road.I've read a lot of good things about the Deluxe reverb but I'm not sure that a one channel/clean amp would get me the tone I need without an overdrive pedal?I would really appreciate some advice and what works for people here?I obviously love the fender clean tone.I play a strat and a les paul and play a slightly broken up sound to a sweet sustainy lead sound,Playing in various sized clubs/pubs.Thanks folks.P.s has anyone tried the Fender supersonics?If so how are they?

[Doc W]

If you want an amp with a lot of gain for that very sweet overdrive, then the DR is probably not the amp for you. It is pretty clean although it does break up some when you get it up around 5 (depending on the guitar of course). The breakup can also be enhanced with a different speaker choice.

I love my DR (an original 1965) but it is a very specific kind of sound.

[Don]

You won't get natural tube overdrive from a Deluxe Reverb unless you play it really loud!

I've played a Supersonic 22 and really liked it! Though it has tube overdrive, it is preamp tube overdrive like a Mesa/Boogie.

I have a Mesa Express 5:50 1x12 combo that I like a lot. It has a great clean sound as well as really good tube overdrive sounds. With a speaker change, its clean sound even sounds kind of like a blackface Fender (though the Express has more bottom end and more "punch").

When I bought the Express I had the same mindset as you. But, as much as I like this amp, I find more tonal versatility with a good clean Fender amp and overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedals.

[photoweborama]

The supersonic 22 sounds like just the right amp for you.
It's based off the Deluxe Reverb, with different gain stages added on. Basically a DRRI with overdrive. I've heard them and they are awesome.

I just got a DRRI and use pedals for overdrive, but I prefer it that way. It takes OD pedals better than any amp I've had before. It makes any pedal sound like a million bucks.

[Gravity Jim]

I like the SuperSonic, too, but be prepared to demand an exchange if you get a noisy one... I've heard they have a random problem.

I would also suggest trying out an Egnater Rebel 30 or Tweaker 40. They're both two-channel amps that feature Egnater's slightly mad array of tone shaping tools and signature "Piles O' Gain" circuitry.

[Rickenjangle]

Also people in the past on here have enjoyed playing through the Rivera Pubster, Clubster, and Chubster amps. Rivera amps generally have a Fendery clean and a Marshally lead with lots of tonal options.

[Don]

Does the Pubster have enough pre-amp tubes in it to offer "natural tube overdrive" along with an effects loop and reverb?

It has 2-12AX7s.

I only ask because it seems important to Hiwatt. It seems like a nice amp and the price is not bad!

[Cygnus X1]

Sorry, I have to chime in.
I've consistently hated the Rivera inspired driven tones.

Made some money gutting those amps recently, kind of inspired by our friend TJ.
Better off going with Don's suggestion on an Express.
Make a trip to some music stores and try some out.

And always pay attention to Silent J., he's our resident certified professional!
(Not to say the weekend warriors are not...you know what I mean).

[Gravity Jim]

I auditioned a bunch of Rivera amps back in the day, based on praise from a member of this forum, but couldn't like them.

And I know nothing about amps... Kap'n, TJ, a bunch other guys here have better ears and deeper knowledge than me. I just know what works for me at work.

[Hiwatt]

Thanks a lot for your opinions guys.Much appreciated.Silent J I have tried the Egnater Rebel 30 and it sounded really good in the store!I maybe should try a deluxe reverb with a good overdrive to see how it sounds..What OD pedal(s)do yous DRRI oweners like to use?I know a lot of folk like the tubescreamer with the DRRI?

[Offshore Angler]

Does the Pubster have enough pre-amp tubes in it to offer "natural tube overdrive" along with an effects loop and reverb?

It has 2-12AX7s.

I only ask because it seems important to Hiwatt. It seems like a nice amp and the price is not bad!

Hmmm....... When I think of "natural tube overdrive" I'm thinking power section and not preamp. Cascaded gain stages is more of a distortion thing.

[photoweborama]

My favorite OD pedal into my DRRI is still my cheap, plastic Arion Tubeulator. I have a TS-9DX, but it seldom gets used. The TS-9 sounds great, but the Tubeulator has more dimension. That is why I've always come back to it over the years.

I wonder.... Do I keep the TS-9 on my board only to please the pedal snobs that look at my board? humm...

[Rickenjangle]

Hmmm....... When I think of "natural tube overdrive" I'm thinking power section and not preamp. Cascaded gain stages is more of a distortion thing.

Yep, and the Riveras and most of the Boogies use preamp tube clipping to achieve their gain...

But a clipping DRRI is generally too loud for most small-to-medium clubs. Unless you're playing punk, metal, or hardcore, in which case you don't want a DRRI either.

It's definitely a conundrum for those of us who are not playing large stages. I'm with Phtotoweb and OSA - even though you can't comfortably overdrive the DRRI, a Fulltone Fulldrive into it will give you some good, natural-sounding overdrive/gain options.

[Don]

Hmmm....... When I think of "natural tube overdrive" I'm thinking power section and not preamp. Cascaded gain stages is more of a distortion thing.

This is true, though preamp clipping in moderation is probably what he's looking for. It's still more interactive with playing technique than many (though not all) OD pedals. There are a lot of amps that can provide this. It's not all or nothing like the channel switching amps from the '80s (sterile cleans and muddy/buzzy dirty).

I like that my Express has masters on the clean and the dirty channels so I can get the driven cleans and the moderately broken up dirty sounds that I like. It also has the option of moderate gain modes.

My concern about the Rivera Pubster is that it doesn't seem to have enough preamp tube stages for tube cascading gain along with it's other features.

For poweramp clipping he'd need a smaller amp like a tweed Deluxe or smaller. With my tweed Deluxe clone I can play a jam session or a small gig with just a Tele and the amp and switch from the driven cleans and moderately broken up sounds that I mentioned above with the guitars volume control or just picking style. In an ideal situation, it's the ideal way to play the ideal amp.

Overall, I think a regular Fender amp with a couple well chosen OD pedals is the way to go.

[thegeezer]

You might check out a Vox AC15 C1. It might fit you ticket.

[rudutch]

You might check out a Vox AC15 C1. It might fit you ticket.

you beat me to it

[Offshore Angler]

For low volume situations with the DRRI I find the good ol' Boss OD-3 works rather nicely. A bit too SRV-ish sometimes but all in all a very nice sound, but for me and others the secret to good DRRI tone at lower volume is to get rid of the dreaded C10, or at least replace it with a good cap, not that cheezy blue one.

[fatdog]

I like the SuperSonic, too, but be prepared to demand an exchange if you get a noisy one... I've heard they have a random problem.

I would also suggest trying out an Egnater Rebel 30 or Tweaker 40. They're both two-channel amps that feature Egnater's slightly mad array of tone shaping tools and signature "Piles O' Gain" circuitry.

I recently purchased an Egnater Renegade (212 combo). As you say, there's certainly tons of gain to play with.

It's just a bit on the heavy side lugging around!

[Fripperton]

You might check out a Vox AC15 C1. It might fit you ticket.

+1

I have a vintage Vox 15 and the OD from the EL84s is real sweet and acheivable at a lower volume. Add a couple of pedals to this to flavor and you should be producing some rockin' tones. It goes along with the suggestion to use a tweed Deluxe. Same idea just a matter of personal taste. A small amp turned up is a great gig amp if you couple it with a good speaker. I like to use something more efficient like an Altec or an EV to help get some clean tone before the amp starts to overdrive whereas an old Jensen will let them acheive the saturation point earlier.

[Kap'n]

I auditioned a bunch of Rivera amps back in the day, based on praise from a member of this forum, but couldn't like them.

And I know nothing about amps... Kap'n, TJ, a bunch other guys here have better ears and deeper knowledge than me. I just know what works for me at work.

Based on the one friend I know who loves his Rivera, it's as much of a pain in the ass to dial in as a Boogie, but when you find the spot you like - you're happy. Assuming, you like what it has to offer, of course.

I'm always wary of a statement like "natural tube overdrive." It seems that people have wildly differing opinions of what that is.

Most of them are either not natural, not tubes, and a far cry from what I'd consider "overdrive."

[Mikey]

Why not just pick up a 5 or 10 watt amp like the Vox or a small Gibson or some other small tube amp, set it to where it breaks up with your guitar controls at 3/4, and then place a SM 57 on the speaker cloth. That way, you can get nice sparkley rhythm tones and by merely turning up your volume knob on the guitar move into a great, natural overdriven tube noise. Ends up to be a really inexpensive solution that works every time and is a lot easier at load in/out time. I personally use an 8 watt home made Princeton clone for the same thing.
CAVEAT ALERT!!!!! I'm a drummer in real life and only fart around with guitars and amps because I love them. I also have a degree in electronics from the late 60's. What I said above is based on practical experience since then. Your mileage may vary.

[Hiwatt]

Thanks for all the suggestions/advice folks!
Mikey I've tried a small amp and it just got lost and sounded really "thin" playing live with the band so I definitely need something not too quiet.Thanks folks!

[buckaroo]

fender tweed '57 Deluxe

[NoNeck60]

I'm sure you're going to get 3,000 different answers. For me, Ive found that my BOSS SD-1, at a very mild setting works fantastic through my '65 TRRI, as well as my '63 Vibroverb RI. I play a Les Paul, PRS, Strat and Tele. I'm very happy with the tone i get and have had numerous compliments on the sound...my playing?..well thats a different story...lol
Marshalls were way too crunchy for me, Mesa's...nahh no thanks, boutique amps?..nope none of them worked for me.....
Best wishes in your search!

[Kap'n]

fender tweed '57 Deluxe

Not a bad amp, but you can do a lot better with a clone, either homebuilt or made my one of several folks.

[Don]

Not a bad amp, but you can do a lot better with a clone, either homebuilt or made my one of several folks.

Yep! A member here built me a beauty a few years ago and then I turned around and built another, a Weber kit, for a friend. Together, they cost well under what the Fender sells for, in fact I could build another Weber and all three, added up, would cost less than the Fender!

[Kap'n]

The best thing is you can do tweaks to them (speakers, small circuit mods) without worrying about meesing with resale.