Fender 65 Deluxe RI

dean111music

I'm guessing there is a lot of people that own or have owned this classic amp.

What are the RI like compared to the 68 deluxe. I understand there is a lot of hissing problems with the 68.

I'm interested in reliability, idle noise, quality, whats the speaker like? tubes worth upgrading.


Good with humbuckers? break up at what volume?

Thanks for your help in advanced!

noisepolluter

I own one (65 DRRI). Bought it second hand about 5 years ago, and I suspect it's at least 5 years older than that, as it has the photo cell tremolo circuit that they're not allowed to sell in the EU as of a few years ago. Reliability-wise it's been rock solid - some of the valves are even original stock! Background hiss hardly noticeable even when turned up. I've had EHX power valves in for a few years and still going strong on the same set. 

Headroom wise you you might get away with clean unmiked at a fairly restrained pub gig/blues jam depending on pickups and playing style/band. 

Recently I had the circuit modded slightly (basically copying the new 68 custom deluxe to have reverb and tremolo available on both channels, and put them in phase to blend/stack them properly). Effectively this has made it a lot more versatile and pedal friendly especially at lower volumes, as you have full control over the amount of brightness. Look up my post on the Fritz mod if you want to hear about in in excruciating detail. I took it to a guitar and amp tech to have the mod done and it was cheap and (according to him) quick and easy. I left the negative feedback resistor alone as I wasn't interested in earlier breakup, and had also heard this could increase background noise.

More recently I swapped the stock speaker (Jensen C12K) for an Eminence Cannabis Rex. Largely out of curiosity and happened to get a great deal on the forum. Again, very happy with the result - the overall sound is nicely balanced and clear. The previous speaker was OK but seemed to go from muddy at low volumes straight to harsh and clangy at higher volumes. Again, more in recent post if interested.

I was pretty happy with the amp for a few years before making these changes. Now I've done them it's become my only amp for home and playing out and have sold my other valve amp - absolutely delighted with it. 

dean111music

I owned the Vibrolux 68 before and did experiment Smith blending them and using a A/B Box. Have you found one side is cleaner than the other? Different breakups?

Is yours an US model then? Is there a difference in quality between the US and mexican built? 

The eminence always gets good reviews and glad it works well in the deluxe reverb. SO the speaker is nice and balanced now. Have you got it into the sweet spots at gigs yet? i guess 6-8 on the volume?

noisepolluter

The 'normal' (originally no reverb/vibrato) channel is less bright, though running it through the vib/verb has brightened it slightly. Now it's effectively wired up the same as the custom channel on the 68.

The other channel has a capacitor on the volume control to brighten it. The lower the volume, the brighter it is - at low volumes it can make a lot of drive/distortion pedals sound harsh and fizzy. A lot of folks disable the bright cap. The Fritz mod is the other way of getting round it.

The gain/breakup on both channels seems to be pretty much the same (though I think I have a different brand of preamp valves in one - just not replaced the other yet). When jumpering the two channels together it's as I assume you found with the 68 - fatter and louder with both together than individually. If you have more of the brighter channel dialled in it's brighter overall, and vice versa, with less difference in brightness the louder you go. Equal amounts of both seems to work really well especially with drive pedals.

I was originally planning to get an ABY box but found I was happy just blending the two channels. 

Not tried the 68 but from everything I've heard it's a virtually identical amp with a couple of different components, different speaker and slightly different wiring. Should be just as solidly built I'd have thought.

I found volume 4-5 and digging in got the amp growling nicely even with a strat/tele but then again I don't go in for lots of gain. I've not had the new speaker long and haven't gigged it yet so we shall see. On paper it's more efficient which may mean more headroom but it's a different manufacturer so could work out the opposite! 

dean111music

The mod seems like the way to go for these amps then.

thanks for your input so far.

any difference between the us version 

noisepolluter

As far as I'm aware the US 65 reissue has stayed pretty much the same except for a change in the tremolo circuit in the models exported to Europe 10-ish years ago because of cadmium(?) in the opto-resistor thingy which fell foul of environmental regs.

richardhomer

dean111music said:

any difference between the us version 

The 65 DRRI is still US built - the 68 Custom series is Mexican. The lower priced parts of the Fender range (Blues Deluxe, Pro Junior, etc) have been built in Mexico for years.

dean111music

That explains the higher price then between the 68 and 65. 

Did anyone buy guitarist mag a while ago when Simon law tested a load of different speakers in the deluxe? Can't remember which one was his fav. Think they where all celestions 

ThePrettyDamned

dean111music said:

That explains the higher price then between the 68 and 65. 

Did anyone buy guitarist mag a while ago when Simon law tested a load of different speakers in the deluxe? Can't remember which one was his fav. Think they where all celestions 

True, but I remember a post on here when an amp tech opened up the amps and found they actually used the same components and similar (or even the same) pcb. So you are probably not getting any more quality from the USA, just a higher price. 

ICBM

They do appear to use the same PCB, with a couple of 'factory mods' on the '68.

If there is any difference in quality, I would expect the Mexican ones to be slightly better - the Hotrods are, compared to the earlier US ones.

Trumped...

noisepolluter

The 68 custom must have dented sales of the 65, I'd have thought. The only quibble I've heard about the 68 is the increased background noise. If they made the negative feedback resistor value switchable on the 68 they'd probably bury the 65 at least for export.

57Deluxe

Amazes me how people think about modding an amp even before they have any experience of it! The Deluxe Reverb has proven itself endlessly throughout its lifetime live and in the studio - it doesn't need any further 'enhancements'!

crunchman

57Deluxe said:

Amazes me how people think about modding an amp even before they have any experience of it! The Deluxe Reverb has proven itself endlessly throughout its lifetime live and in the studio - it doesn't need any further 'enhancements'!

The only problem with the newer ones is the ROHS compliant tremelo circuit.  You can get the parts to put it back to the "correct" circuit easily enough.  By all accounts the old version does sound better.

noisepolluter

57Deluxe said:

Amazes me how people think about modding an amp even before they have any experience of it! The Deluxe Reverb has proven itself endlessly throughout its lifetime live and in the studio - it doesn't need any further 'enhancements'!

The most popular mods just seem to be about making the amp work better with subsequent gear developments e.g. drive pedals, and/or reflecting the change in people's requirements and playing setup. Fender took notice of this with the 68's which seem to be going like hot cakes so there must be something in it. 

noisepolluter

crunchman said:

57Deluxe said:

Amazes me how people think about modding an amp even before they have any experience of it! The Deluxe Reverb has proven itself endlessly throughout its lifetime live and in the studio - it doesn't need any further 'enhancements'!

The only problem with the newer ones is the ROHS compliant tremelo circuit.  You can get the parts to put it back to the "correct" circuit easily enough.  By all accounts the old version does sound better.

I don't think I've actually heard the new ROHS trem. The opto one sounds great at higher volumes -almost like a vocal effect- but below 2 on the volume dial I find pedals sound better.

james

I have a DRRI with the new trem in and don't really see any issues with it. It's in a band mix, and does the job fine. 

At home, I tend to use the normal channel as the trem channel is too bright, but that lacks the reverb. I like the idea of having the two different channels, so I'm going to go for a resistor clip type mod for mine. 

I'd really like to try an alnico speaker in it some time. 

ICBM

james said:

At home, I tend to use the normal channel as the trem channel is too bright, but that lacks the reverb.

Just jumper the channels with the guitar going into the normal channel and the reverb set higher than normal, so you don't need to dial in as much of that channel.

noisepolluter

james said:

At home, I tend to use the normal channel as the trem channel is too bright, but that lacks the reverb. I like the idea of having the two different channels, so I'm going to go for a resistor clip type mod for mine. 

I'd really like to try an alnico speaker in it some time. 

It's worth considering the Fritz mod in place of clipping the bright cap. You get reverb on both channels, but keep the option of bright or normal, as well as blending the two together for 'all points in between' levels of brightness. Works brilliantly (no pun intended). Basically wires it up the same as they've done with the 68 custom. 

Also do recommend trying a Cannabis Rex speaker. 

ChrisCox1994

I put 5881s and a creamback 75 in mine, its a beast now, was good stock, but suits the styles i play far better now. 

james

ICBM said:

james said:

At home, I tend to use the normal channel as the trem channel is too bright, but that lacks the reverb.

Just jumper the channels with the guitar going into the normal channel and the reverb set higher than normal, so you don't need to dial in as much of that channel.

I'll give that a try. What do I jumper to what? Normal 2 to Reverb 1?

I'm not so keen on the Fritz mod as I use an ABY at the moment to push different non-reverb sounds to the Normal channel. I've tried a Cannabis Rex in my friends DRRI and it sounds really good, definitely on the shortlist for mine!

57Deluxe

you need a phase correcting cable to jumper Deluxe and Super Reverbs...