Deluxe Reverb Reissue advice - Fritz mod questions

guitarblaster

Hey guys,

So, I'm wanting a blackface style amp and I'm looking at the boutique options like usual but really, a deluxe reverb would probably satisfy me just fine! I'd really like a Rift of Deluxe Reverb 64 HW but a DRRI would probably make me just as happy, it's just the bright cap that bothers me for pedals.

I did a search on here and found something about the Fritz mod, that sounds the most appealing to me as it seems to put the reverb and vibrato on the normal channel. I read that it alters something on the bright channel but then couldn't find that piece of information again! Is it to do with the gain?

How much would an amp tech charge to do the Fritz mod? I'm assuming it's common so most techs would do it? I live near Manchester and work in Liverpool if anyone had a recommendation!

TheMarlin

Many techs ask that you buy the mod kit, and take it with the amp for upgrade. 

guitarblaster

Ah interesting! Shows I know knowing about anything, I didn't even know there was a kit! I'll get googling 

Thanks mate. 

RiftAmps

The Fritz mod is simply moving one wire to another point on the board. It shouldn't take a competent tech any more than 1 hour to remove the chassis, perform the mod, reassemble everything back together, and test.

There's no change in tone, so worthwhile doing. Some customers like to have the bright cap removed on the Vib channel at the same time.

Cost entirely depends on the tech's pricing structure. I would charge £48inc VAT.


Roland Lumby is your man for Manchester/Liverpool - https://www.facebook.com/theampclinic/

ICBM

Alternatively, plug the guitar and pedals into the Normal channel input 1 and dial in your normal guitar sound, then connect a patch lead from the Normal input 2 to the Vibrato input 1. Set the reverb and tremolo intensity higher than you would normally, turn the treble down low on the Vibrato channel and use the volume control to blend in as much reverb and tremolo as you want.

The two channels are out of phase, but as long as the volumes and tones are set quite differently that doesn't matter.

Jimbro66

Modifying 65 DRRIs to try to sound more like the mid 60s originals started not long after the amp was newly marketed. If you play a DRRI alongside an original amp the RI sounds ‘stifled’ but also unpleasantly bright on the vibrato channel. The original seems to ‘breath’ more (not a technical term but you get the idea). I would expect boutique amps like the Rift Deluxe 22 also to have that quality. A popular early DRRI mod was one published on the Ted Weber Amp Board by a guy with the forum name ‘swinginglittleguitarman’ (really). He’d experimented with changing many components and speaker in a DRRI whilst constantly comparing with an original blackface Deluxe. A lot of DRRI owners then had their amps modified accordingly. I had the same mods done (except transformer change) when power scaling was installed in mine. End result certainly better than standard but would not be confused with an original in a blind test. It was more work than described above for the Fritz mod.

The 65 DRRI is certainly a nice amp but it now costs 50% more than the new price of mine. At that price I would certainly find the extra money to buy the Rift Deluxe 22 or a similar hand-wired amp.

guitarblaster

Hey guys, this place is just amazing for 1st class knowledge - amp builders and techs that are so generous with their knowledge.

Ok, I think you’ve all just confirmed that I shouldn’t go this route, I don’t think I’ll be happy! It’s a shame Fender don’t make the standard DRRI a little bit better/usable 

Thanks guys, this plan is abandoned!

TimmyO

guitarblaster said:

Hey guys, this place is just amazing for 1st class knowledge - amp builders and techs that are so generous with their knowledge.

Ok, I think you’ve all just confirmed that I shouldn’t go this route, I don’t think I’ll be happy! It’s a shame Fender don’t make the standard DRRI a little bit better/usable 

Thanks guys, this plan is abandoned!

are we reading the same thread? 

guitarblaster

TimmyO said:

guitarblaster said:

Hey guys, this place is just amazing for 1st class knowledge - amp builders and techs that are so generous with their knowledge.

Ok, I think you’ve all just confirmed that I shouldn’t go this route, I don’t think I’ll be happy! It’s a shame Fender don’t make the standard DRRI a little bit better/usable 

Thanks guys, this plan is abandoned!

are we reading the same thread? 

Perhaps I should of explained further,

I don't want to go the patch cable route as it'd bug me (but does sound like an easy solution!) and Jimbro's extensive modding stories have provided more intrigue to a rabbit hole I don't want to go down ... 

The comments have just reminded me that I don't want to go tinkering and second guessing, and constantly being critical of the tone. I just need to get something that's right without mods so I can concentrate on playing. 

 

Jimbro66

guitarblaster said:

The comments have just reminded me that I don't want to go tinkering and second guessing, and constantly being critical of the tone. I just need to get something that's right without mods so I can concentrate on playing. 

 

In that case sell your soul and take a trip to Brackley. Anything less is a compromise

noisepolluter

guitarblaster said:

Hey guys, this place is just amazing for 1st class knowledge - amp builders and techs that are so generous with their knowledge.

Ok, I think you’ve all just confirmed that I shouldn’t go this route, I don’t think I’ll be happy! It’s a shame Fender don’t make the standard DRRI a little bit better/usable 

Thanks guys, this plan is abandoned!

I had this mod done to my ‘65RI and it works brilliantly, in case that’s still of any interest. The normal channel with reverb added is bright enough most of the time, and if you want a bit more sparkle you can jumper and blend the other channel in, as the fritz mod puts them in phase with each other so no weird cancellation effects if both channels are at similar volume.

Fender have basically incorporated this mod into both their 68 Custom Deluxe and 64 Deluxe Reverb so there’s obviously merit to it. 

matone

I`d buy a DRRI and just play it first ! I had one for nigh on 20yrs unmodded and it was a great sounding amp.There`s a lot of meddling goes on for no good reason imho .