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'65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue vs Twin Reverb?


wagdog

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All;

 

I've had my heart set on getting a twin reverb for some time. However today I played a new '65 deluxe reissue. It's cleans were sparkling and the bottom end was nice, full and round. It reminded me of a twin, just without the earsplitting volume. It seemed to have plenty of clean headroom and volume to play a small club.

 

I really don't need the volume of the twin, but every time I've played one I fall in love with the tone (with a strat).

 

Can someone who has played both, or maybe even owned both comment on the pros and cons of each one?

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Having owned both I have a couple comments:

1. 2 x 12 sounds bigger than 1 x 12. Not deeper but just bigger.

2. Clean headroom. You can get a DRRI to the edge of breakup easier. (not as loud) And a Twin is clean louder.

3. Tube rectifier in a DRRI.

4. There is a little difference in tone. 6V6 vs, 6L6 or tube rectifier, I think the tone stack is a little different in the mids. A little more sparkle in the DRRI.

5. I prefer a DRRI with a Strat and a Twin with humbuckers. Again, it's that slight tone difference thing.

6. 40-ish lbs. vs. like 80 lbs. DRRI is good on a stand, Twin on the floor.

 

They are both Fender Blackface clean amps with slightly different character.

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There is a BIG difference between two 6V6s and four 6L6s.

 

You can push the power stage with the Deluxe and not hurt yourself or your audience - that's why smaller amps are more popular with guitarists, sound engineers and everyone else in the room.

 

If you ever need to be louder than the Deluxe, then you can always mic it up.

 

My favorite amp is a Fender Princeton Reverb (also two 6V6s) because I can really push that little guy into a beautiful smooth overdrive that only comes from the power (output) stage.

 

A Twin is a great sounding all 'round amp but is main characteristic is LOUD.

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Do you gig? I've been using a 12 watt Tweed Deluxe for awhile now and it's plenty loud with a microphone, but the best thing about it is that it only weighs 25 pounds or so. I'm not a rich headliner with a bunch of roadies to schlep gear, so the weight is important to me. I wish I could gig with my AC30TBX, but it's too heavy.

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I don't think they are radically different. I have an older Twin II from when they were still point to point and not PCB. I had a DRRI for a while and I currently have a Tweed Deluxe and a Tweed Champ. I think for a single amp to cover all that you could do worse than the DRRI, but I'd really look around for a non-Master Volume Silverface if possible. They are usually a bit under $1,000 these days.

 

On the other hand, the Twins from 1967 - 1982 or so... well... if you don't mind the weight, that's an awful lot of amp for the money. They are probably one of the lowest priced amps that you'll likely never outgrow. If you like Fender cleans, they do that pretty damn well and some of them, esp the MV amps, do really well with certain pedals at almost sounding like a Marshall with the right speakers.

 

Having said that, I have the Twin II in the garage and I've previously had another Twin and a couple other 2x12 tube amps and I've always sold them because they are just so damn heavy.

 

For my money though, the Tweed Deluxe is where it's at. I've never been happier with an amp and I've had quite a few amps. The cleans aren't quite as sparkly as a Blackface type amp, but they are pretty damn good. And they crunch up much better than the DRRI. And as mentioned, they are very lightweight. About 20lbs lighter than a DRRI.

 

The DRRI and TRRIs are OK in stock form, but the speakers are REALLY weak links in my opinion. I had about 5 different speakers in my DRRI and for cleans, I liked the Weber P12NT the best and for overall cleans and moderate gain, I liked the EVM 12L.

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I've got a DRRI, and while I love the sound of a twin, it's just way too heavy for me to lug around. I love the DRRI, it nails that Fender clean sound and sounds really nice when you get it up high, just under it's breakup point. I don't really like the tone when it's fully cranked, but there is a definite sweet spot.

 

I also gig at a lot of different venues and it's great to have an amp that can do everything and still sound good. In smaller venues, a twin is just too much wattage to get good tone and reasonable volume.

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Doesn't putting in an EVM 12L take the portability out of a Deluxe?

 

I had a Twin with two EVM 12Ls in it an I must have been insane at the time. It looked ridiculous when two people carried this little amp into the clubs.

 

I borrowed my friend's Princeton one night for a small room gig and was actually able to carry the amp and my guitar at the same time. That night changed my life.

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Why not check out a Fender VIBROLUX CUSTOM REISSUE 40w 2x10.

 

 

If I didn't already have a Super Reverb I'd be all over one of those like a cheap suit.

 

40w ... 10" speakers ... half the size and weight ... what's not to like?

 

I mean ... like ... WHAT???

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If I didn't already have a Super Reverb I'd be all over one of those like a cheap suit.


40w ... 10" speakers ... half the size and weight ... what's not to like?


I mean ... like ... WHAT???

 

 

Mushy bottom end? :poke:

 

With some basic mods, it can be a pretty cool amp. But stock, blech.

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Do you gig? I've been using a 12 watt Tweed Deluxe for awhile now and it's plenty loud with a microphone, but the best thing about it is that it only weighs 25 pounds or so. I'm not a rich headliner with a bunch of roadies to schlep gear, so the weight is important to me. I wish I could gig with my AC30TBX, but it's too heavy.

 

 

I quite gigging w/a band last year and play solo. That said, I still sit in now and again and jam with a band once in a while.

 

I did notice that the DRRI was more portable then a Twin.

 

Something tells me if I get a DRRI though, I'll still want that Twin, just because I've wanted one for so long. I've seen used 70's twins for around 6 or 7 hundred pop up on craigslist - I may just wait out one of those.

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Ive got the twin and I want to get a deluxe reverb. Ill never get rid of my twin thouhg, it really has that classic Fender chime and when put a good OD/dist pedal in front it rocks out. Also the tremolo and reverb is pretty neato...I use trem way more than verb, I prefer delay...The answer is: get both!

h

theres also a vibroverb which has 2x10, 40 watts I think...

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Honestly, I'd go used.

 

Get yourself a well maintained late 60's Silverface Deluxe Reverb.

 

 

If you like the Deluxe Reverb you might also like to check out the new SuperSonic 22 watt. It's meant to have similar cleans to the DRRI and it has a great drive channel too. It's the same price as a DRRI too.

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if you don't need the headroom, and you'd like to save your back...go with the Deluxe. If yiou are going for the used market a twin might be a bit cheaper becuase their size is one of their biggest negatives. Can't go wrong with either one.

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Can't go wrong with either one.

 

 

Exactly. They're both classic amps.

I recommend getting a used example, an early Silverface for the Deluxe Reverb, and either an early Silverface or a Rivera era for the Twin.

 

Personally I'd avoid master volume and Ultralinear Silverface amps, but that's just me.

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Honestly, I'd go used.


Get yourself a well maintained late 60's Silverface Deluxe Reverb.

.

 

 

I have a 1971 Deluxe Reverb that I absolutely love. If you can swing it I'd make this my first suggestions, the DRRI 2nd and just say that I don't particularly care for the 65 Twin Reissue one bit. The older (non-master volume) Twins are OK but still a little loud for most gigs unless you have to have a REALLY clean sound.

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