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65 deluxe reverb RI - Should I?

mojorison_75mojorison_75 Posts: 157
edited June 2004 in Musicians and Gearheads
I've currently own a Hotrod Deluxe that I love, but recently I've been eyeing the deluxe reverbs. I haven't really compared them yet, I just keep reading good things about the reverbs.

What do you think? I really like my Hotrod, but I'd have no choice but to sell it if I decide I want a DRRI. I'm going to compare them myself before deciding, of course, I just wondered what everyonelses take was on the DRRI's, especially in comparison to my hotrod.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    I say yeah. but you'll have to decide for yourself. I think the DRRI is a slightly better amp that it simplicity (no channel switching) leads to it's excellent tone. The overdrive is beautiful when you push it. Plus it has a vibrato. And the Reverb is damn nice.

    If you can swing it check out the vibrolux too while your at it.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    I've got a couple of them.
    One of them on 5 or 6 is my favorite guitar sound. The reverb and tremelo are both tube driven and so rich.
    They sound good new, but I changed out the speakers to Weber's and put some old NOS tubes in, and it REALLY warms them up.
    The other amp I like is an old twin, but too heavy anymore for my aching back!:D

    An amp that gets really close to this is my Mesa Boogie DC-5. It's more versitile but complicated, the eq can really fine tune those things. You can pick them up pretty cheap.

    I like the simplicity of the DRRI. Volume, treble and bass!
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • mojorison_75mojorison_75 Posts: 157
    Thanks

    How much headroom does the DRRI have? One of the things attracting me to it is the lower wattage, which will allow better tube saturation and overdriven sound, but I still need some headroom.

    All that being said, does anyone have one they want to sell? Anyone want to buy a mint 98 hotrod deluxe?
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Well, it's 22 watts. I'd say it has plenty. I heard a guy with a hot rod deluxe last weekend. He was playing a gorgeous USA hamer through it and I realized what it is that I don't like about the hot rod series. The clean is dirty and not in a good way. Obviously I'm being picky but it sounds like the speaker itself is rattling the whole amp kind of buzzes or rattles. Thats not the case with the DRRI. It's got more than enough headroom for pretty much anywhere we would play and if you're playing lets say Oak Mountain south of Birmingham you can always through a mic in front. You'll get at least up to mid way on the amp without getting to far into the breakup. The beauty comes in slamming the front end with clean boosts or overdrives. That way you can run the amp loud and clean all you want and change the entire character with the flick of a switch or two. That to me is one reason I love it. The hot rods have a lovely overdriven sound as well, but to my ear the DRRI is more focused. And you get that wonderful vibrato to play with. There's no bullshit in the DRRI.

    The hotrod series to me would be much better sans channel switching, better speakers, better tubes and a more solid construction, oh wait, that's how they make them affordable, nevermind.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mojorison_75mojorison_75 Posts: 157
    I thought the DRRI's were 22 watts? I've also heard that the DRRI's aren't as versatile and don't handle pedals well, but it would seems that your are disagreeing with this, Pac. Am I correct in that assumption?

    I'm definately considering this. It will probably take some time to make up my mind though. I'll have to come up with the xtra money to go from Hotrod to Reverb first anyway. Too much stuff to fix around the house lately to just fork out the money on spot.
    I also ran into this at eurotubes.com which is something for me to consider.

    "OK you Hot Rod Deluxe guys I have great news about a VERY viable alternative to a 6L6 tone! The new JJ 6V6 is so robust that I'm using them in HRD's to get a little earlier breakup and that upper mid range crunch that only a 6V6 can get. Now these will NOT turn your HRD into a bedroom quiet amp but it will cut the power down from about 40 watts to around 30 watts so it will still be plenty loud but it will have that cranked Deluxe Reverb vibe. For you HRD players still after maximum headroom stick with the JJ 6L6GC's. The 6V6's are also working VERY well in my 66 Bassman at 460 plate volts so for Bassmans, Bandmasters, Super Reverbs and other Fender amps the JJ 6V6's are a cool tone alternative!"
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    I'm incorrect. I didn't have a chance to edit. It's 22 watts.

    I have an 15 watt Orange that gives me decent headroom but not as much as I really desire obviously it's on the low end the overdrive is so nice I don't even care, eventually it will be the dirty side of a setup with a DR or Vibroluxe or Bassman if I can swing it. The deluxe has slightly more but honestly it gets loud enough.

    I don't know who told you it didn't handle pedals well but they don't know what they are talking about. Ask Exhausted, he uses loads of pedals with the DRRI. Hell for what they are going for now you might see if you can find a 4x10 59 bassman used, if you use a lot of pedals and it's got plenty of headroom.

    The clean will be fine in most 3 piece bands, sorry about the 40 watt comment, I was thinking Super Reverb/Vibrolux and typing deluxe. You may need a bit more if you have 2 guitar players but honestly the wattage of the deluxe is about as perfect as you can get in a club amp. The guy with the hot rod the other night nearly over did it and he turned down 3 times. You want the bass to be the loudest anyway, All I can tell you is that the deluxe reverb is one of the most popular fender amps ever because of its size tone and reliability so maybe that will help.

    If you're looking for more headroom the 2x10 Vibrolux will suit you quite well without being overkill but it is considerably louder than the DRRI.

    I personally think the breakup of 6v6 tubes comes later than the breakup of EL84's and it's smoother when it occurs more like the loose bass of a 6L6 than the british warmth and grind of an EL34 that the 84's are meant to emulate at lower volume.

    6L6GC's are very clean but honestly 7 out of 10 players don't need the extra headroom a little hair is ok, if you want perfect pristine clean you'd be playing an 85 to 100 watt twin anyhow and there's nary a chance of turning one of those beasts up into deluxe territory unless you're outside and the bass players got a 8x10 cab with 800 to 1000 watts+


    It might be a good idea though to try it out with 6v6's I've seen several HRD's loaded with vintage 30's and EL-84's. The 6v6 would have a lot more of a fender vibe and it might suit you really well.

    check out http://www.webervst.com if you decide to swap speakers.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    *ahem*

    THD Yellowjackets!

    http://www.thdamps.com/products/yellow_jacket.htm

    Now, if you could pick up a 70's JBL 12" speaker... one with an aluminum dust cone...

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47094&item=3730818593&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
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