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Thread: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I'm really happy with my DRRI, but I realize at times that I need a bigger amp.

    I've thought about a Fender Twin and an EVH 50 watt head. I like to have a bit of distortion, but I don't need something over the top. I like full, rich clean sounds, and it has to be a tube amp

    I can't really afford a boutique amp. I like Marshalls, but I don't love them. I need something that can do a big club or a big outdoor gig.

    What would you recommend?
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I'm not one to give advice, Ch willie, as I started with a Twin! I had a practice amp from the old days that I rehabbed, but figured the Sho-Bud needed more. After hauling it around some, I built a Deluxe Reverb, much easier to move. The last time we jammed, I took my 5E3, and a reverb pedal, still didn't miss the Twin!
    (I know your venues are much louder than our jams, so maybe you do need a Twin!)

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    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    I'm really happy with my DRRI, but I realize at times that I need a bigger amp.

    I've thought about a Fender Twin and an EVH 50 watt head. I like to have a bit of distortion, but I don't need something over the top. I like full, rich clean sounds, and it has to be a tube amp

    I can't really afford a boutique amp. I like Marshalls, but I don't love them. I need something that can do a big club or a big outdoor gig.

    What would you recommend?
    A properly serviced Bandmaster should come in under 1 grand.

    Personally though I find Fenders other than Dual Showmen and Twins offer inadequate clean headroom for their rating; so I'd recommend an Ampeg. Inexpensive, sound great, perfectly reliable.

    If you get really lucky, you might find an amp like my little Mesa MkIIA; 60 watts and has an EVM12L in it and I paid 600 in a Christmas sale a few years back because people don't want loud clean amps. If you want to know how good that sounds, you should ask Steve Kimock about that amplifier.

  4. #4
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I probably should have said that I want something with luscious cleans but with the ability to overdrive without going over the top. I've heard that you have to turn up a Twin to about 9 before you get the breakup. I like the overdrive on the EVH head, but I don't know anything about its clean sounds.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I bought a Sennheiser e906.

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    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Holy F - how loud do you need to be!? I've done outdoor stadium shows with a DR. A DRRI is a loud little sucker. If I run one past 5 nobody can hear anything else onstage.

    What you need to do is start mic'ing it if you need more FOH. That will give you a lot more grunt and girth since you'll have the power of the mains. No stage amp is going to outshine a mic'ed Pignose going out through 5000 Watts of Crowns into the mains. Plus, once mic'ed you can get you monitor mix right so you know what it sounds like out front. Win-win.

    You don't NEED a bigger amp, you just want one.

    Chuck
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Holy F - how loud do you need to be!?

    You don't NEED a bigger amp, you just want one.

    Chuck
    You’re right on both counts. I love my DRRI. It’s got just what I like and need. What was I thinking? Seriously.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    I probably should have said that I want something with luscious cleans but with the ability to overdrive without going over the top. I've heard that you have to turn up a Twin to about 9 before you get the breakup. I like the overdrive on the EVH head, but I don't know anything about its clean sounds.
    A Twin at 7 is no longer clean.

    Yes it's loud.

    2x6L6 blackface Fenders are not clean at any sort of volume unless you have a very specific speaker setup.

    Also if you want end game level cleans and overdrive and to not die (because a JTM45/100 can deliver but it's earth shatteringly loud despite it "only" being about 80 watts, so too can a circa 67 SuperBass Marshall or a HiWatt DR103 but then you're looking at well north of 100 watts) the only thing I know of is a Trainwreck Rocket. I have one built by Mark Kane; nice amp actually. He's not the only one who makes them. I mean I like the 5E3 too but it's not got even close to enough juice unless you bring a microphone.

    Personally I'd rather have a great clean amp and use a decent drive pedal. Secondhand zendrives are around for like 140 and I still haven't found anything strictly better sounding than that other than the new Origin pedal.

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Holy F - how loud do you need to be!? I've done outdoor stadium shows with a DR. A DRRI is a loud little sucker. If I run one past 5 nobody can hear anything else onstage.

    What you need to do is start mic'ing it if you need more FOH. That will give you a lot more grunt and girth since you'll have the power of the mains. No stage amp is going to outshine a mic'ed Pignose going out through 5000 Watts of Crowns into the mains. Plus, once mic'ed you can get you monitor mix right so you know what it sounds like out front. Win-win.

    You don't NEED a bigger amp, you just want one.

    Chuck
    I agree on the bring a mic plan.

    However you must be thinking of some other amp because a Deluxe Reverb dial only goes up to 3.

    (ps that's mostly a joke but seriously a DR isn't even close to loud enough for me before it starts breaking up which ain't my scene which is why I have a 100 watt Two Rock that can stay clean until the end of time)

  9. #9
    Forum Member FrankJohnson's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    I bought a Sennheiser e906.
    YOU are ON! I was going to post EXACTLY that!
    Kenny Belmont
    >:^{I)>

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    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I thought you had an ampeg V-4? Use that with a pedal

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by DanTheBluesMan View Post
    I thought you had an ampeg V-4? Use that with a pedal
    Bass amp
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    Bass amp
    In the same way a Bassman is, absolutely.

  13. #13
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I’ll give it a try!
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    V-4 and V-4B are same amps, one has reverb.

    heck yeah, use it for a guitar amp. that's the beauty of those beasties. I'm still jonesing for one myself.

  15. #15
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Tried it. Sounds great!
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Really, the main difference between a V4 and V4B is tge reverb. I love using my Flip Top too, it takes pedals really well!!! But I wouldn’t say they sound much like a Fender amp, they have their own thing going on and it’s fantastic! Have you tried a Super Reverb?
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  17. #17
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by chuckocaster View Post
    Really, the main difference between a V4 and V4B is tge reverb. I love using my Flip Top too, it takes pedals really well!!! But I wouldn’t say they sound much like a Fender amp, they have their own thing going on and it’s fantastic! Have you tried a Super Reverb?
    I haven't tried a super reverb. One thing I did notice with the V4B is that my DRRI is a bit louder. But the breakup on the V4B, with it's gain volume turned up, has great gritty overdrive. Even without the gain, it's got a good tight but fat sound.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I no canna believe a DRRI is louder than a V4B

  19. #19
    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    if you need a bigger blackface amp, Roy Blankenship used to make an amp called the Twinplex.

    Mine is the typical 4 tube configuration; 6550s. Power output is nominally 180 watts. It's about the same size as a small box Marshall but look out it will blow the doors off a Super Lead on 10.

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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Something to consider. I started running a second amp and really had a oh wow moment when I did. Increased volume and fullness in sound.

  21. #21
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    I have used the VB4 as a guitar amp, and it's good. I don't need a second amp when I have that for large gigs.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member CoyotesGator's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    I haven't tried a super reverb. One thing I did notice with the V4B is that my DRRI is a bit louder. But the breakup on the V4B, with it's gain volume turned up, has great gritty overdrive. Even without the gain, it's got a good tight but fat sound.

    I missed this.

    What speakers were you using?
    What happend?
    Who let the magic smoke out?

  23. #23
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by CoyotesGator View Post
    I missed this.

    What speakers were you using?
    An Ampeg Heritage cab with four 10s
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Re: Fender DRRI--What Bigger Amp Do I Need?

    Quote Originally Posted by mikesr1963 View Post
    Something to consider. I started running a second amp and really had a oh wow moment when I did. Increased volume and fullness in sound.
    This.

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