Louis Electric Columbia Reverb opinions?

Jimbro66

I have the opportunity to pick up a Columbia Reverb at reasonable cost and would welcome any opinions/advice from present and past owners of this model.

What are the Columbia’s good points and not so good points (if any)?

This one has 6V6s but I’m told it will accept 6L6s for greater output and more clean headroom. What is involved in that swap?

It has a Jupiter speaker -  are they good?

Any comments gratefully received. Thanks.

bandmaster188

Had mine for a couple of years now. Mine came with 6l6’s but I changed to 6v6’s running at 18 watts. Still loads of headroom and plenty loud enough for most occasions.
the Jupiter takes a while to break in and is also an efficient speaker so adds to the loudness of the amp. I’ve been running mine with a greenback which is nice but you do lose some low end. Gonna try the neo Jensen at some point.
if you like that fendery thing then you won’t be disappointed but you won’t get that early breakup like a regular Princeton. Colombia’s are loud and clean up to around  7 on the dial. Trem and reverb are awesome. 

Jimbro66

Thanks for the comments @bandmaster188. From what you’ve said it seems you might have been trying to reduce the clean headroom with the speaker change? Just out of interest, you say yours came with 6L6s installed so how did reducing the output with the 4k/8k switch compare with fitting 6V6s to reduce output? Is the Jensen neo about reducing the amp’s weight or for sonic qualities? According to the Louis Electric web site the Columbia Reverb is quite a bit lighter than my 65 DRRI, if that’s not a typo.

Since posting this thread I’ve found another thread started by @StuartMac290 three years ago after he bought a Columbia. Lots of interesting info in that thread and lots of enthusiastic comments from owners including yourself, @mgaw and @simonk. The only adverse comment, if you can call it that, seemed to be that the Columbia is very loud even with 6V6s and doesn’t break up at all until fairly high volume -  particularly compared to a 65 Princeton Reissue. No problem, that would suit me just fine as I particularly want plenty of clean headroom.

Any feedback from those other owners I’ve mentioned after a couple of years or more of their Columbia use would be much appreciated. Is the love affair over or still blossoming?

I was also interested to see that @octatonic had bought the Columbia’s little brother, the Roadrunner. I wonder how that worked out?

mgaw

fantastic sounding amp but LOUD, that was the only reason I had to sell it....absolutely loved it but would have deafened me:)

Jimbro66

mgaw said:

fantastic sounding amp but LOUD, that was the only reason I had to sell it....absolutely loved it but would have deafened me:)

Did you consider replacing it with the 12w Roadrunner or did the 10” speaker put you off that?

bandmaster188

Yep, the speaker change was definitely a volume reducing exercise although I was never quite convinced about the Jupiter. That said, I don’t really think the greenback is the ideal speaker for it. Hence wanting to give the Jensen a go. Not for weight reasons, but because they are supposed to do the American voice very well and are 97db sensitivity so still low efficiency compared with the Jupiter. The Jupiter’s are made by WGS.
I never really messed around with the 4K/8k at any reasonable volume and changed to 6v6’s after a couple of weeks. So can’t really comment or remember to be honest. 
Loves a drive pedal so that’s how I get my dirt. Also sounds great plugged into a 4x10.

Jimbro66

bandmaster188 said:

Yep, the speaker change was definitely a volume reducing exercise although I was never quite convinced about the Jupiter. That said, I don’t really think the greenback is the ideal speaker for it. Hence wanting to give the Jensen a go. Not for weight reasons, but because they are supposed to do the American voice very well and are 97db sensitivity so still low efficiency compared with the Jupiter. The Jupiter’s are made by WGS.
I never really messed around with the 4K/8k at any reasonable volume and changed to 6v6’s after a couple of weeks. So can’t really comment or remember to be honest. 
Loves a drive pedal so that’s how I get my dirt. Also sounds great plugged into a 4x10.

Thanks for that. It sounds like you are pretty happy with the amp and are just trying to fine tune it to your taste. BTW I didn’t know WGS made the Jupiter speaker. All useful info

bandmaster188

No complaints yet! Welcome to come and try mine out if you’re down the south coast neck off the woods.

Lebarque

My lasting memory of playing a Colombia was that it sounded 'old' compared to the Fender reissues. That's a good thing.

mgaw

Jimbro66 said:

mgaw said:

fantastic sounding amp but LOUD, that was the only reason I had to sell it....absolutely loved it but would have deafened me:)

Did you consider replacing it with the 12w Roadrunner or did the 10” speaker put you off that?

I did and I tried one but didn't get on with it as well as I had hoped, but I am fickle

merlin

I had one and liked it very much. Somehow I prefer my Abbott 5e3 with 2x10" Jensens and Rob Robinette mod. I could see me easily going back to a Columbia in the not-too-distant though. Or a Rambler again. 

Jimbro66

merlin said:

I had one and liked it very much. Somehow I prefer my Abbott 5e3 with 2x10" Jensens and Rob Robinette mod. I could see me easily going back to a Columbia in the not-too-distant though. Or a Rambler again. 

Hmmm yes, tweed or blackface? (Or brown face as a sort of compromise). With a really nice amp like the Abbott 5e3 paired with a Columbia Reverb I would imagine you’d have both bases perfectly covered.

Lebarque

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/156455/fs-louis-electric-deltone-reverb#latest

Jimbro66

Lebarque said:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/156455/fs-louis-electric-deltone-reverb#latest

Thanks for that link mate. Very timely

That’s the Deltone, the LE blackface Deluxe Reverb equivalent. Even more power than the Princeton-influenced Columbia and two channels of course. That’s a great price for a mint Deltone. The Columbia on offer is a little cheaper but that’s to be expected. Hmm. Decisions.

EDIT: OK, One of the things that appeals to me about the Columbia is that it is smaller and lighter than my 65 DRRI whilst still having plenty of clean headroom. The Deltone is actually slightly larger than the DRRI and quite a bit heavier than the Columbia so I’m inclined to go for the Columbia even though that advertised Deltone is a rare bargain.

Lebarque

Spotted a Colombia on Facebook @Jimbro66 ;

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/664760167287829/

Jimbro66

Thanks for that link @Lebarque, it’s useful as a guide to price but Doncaster is a long way from me. The one that’s been offered to me is for £1,500 firm which seems a very good price but I’m getting the feeling the fella is having second thoughts and wavering. I can’t blame him as he could regret parting with it and then they are not easy to find. Coda imported them for a relatively short time so not too many about. I’m gently nudging him but don’t want him to be pressured into the wrong decision

I wouldn’t mind a little Roadrunner too just to keep in the living room but they are even harder to find. I get the feeling that Coda only sold one and octatonic has it