EDIT - I'm now considering the new 68 Custom Vibrolux Reverb and forgetting the volume issues! In fact, I'm pretty much sold...
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Hello Forum...
Couple of things;
1. I currently use a HRDlxIII, which for lots of reasons, I'm very fond
of...but I recently test drove the 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb, and seriously loved
it - so, I'm thinking of 'upgrading'. I think my only reservation is
losing a dedicated tube driven overdrive channel, in exchange for
probably having to use a good overdrive pedal. I'm thinking I'll
probably us an ABY box, so I can still use the amp as two-channel; one
channel pushed slightly harder to essentially operate as a dedicated
drive channel.
Does anyone else work like that? Is there a flaw in my
plan? Has anyone else made the transition from a hot rod to a deluxe
reverb, and are you glad you did?
2. I was also thinking of buying a smaller amp more suited for home use,
but given the lower weight and smaller frame of the DR, I'm thinking
that would suffice if I were to use an attenuator to keep the volume
manageable (looking at the Weber Mass Lite 100)...again, has anyone used
their DR with an attenuator? Do they play well together?
Cheers.
Comments
Did you ever play around with attenuators?
It's an aural illusion caused by the very thing they do, reducing the volume.
You can fairly easily prove this by recording the same amp attenuated and unattenuated, normalising the recordings and playing back the results at the same volume.
Anything which reduces volume without affecting the tone appears to affect the tone, it's just the way your ears/brain works unfortunately!
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I agree with your comment in the most part; I believe you're referring to the phenomenon defined by the Fletcher-Munson curves - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fletcher–Munson_curves - but this doesn't account for the distortion of the actual speaker which would be achieved at higher volumes. However, I suspect the 'tone suck' could be partly resolved using EQ...
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
You imply you've owned both, but no longer own either...what are you using currently?
I have 3 amps
1972 Hiwatt DR103 and 1978 Hiwatt 4 x 12 with Fane Pulsonic spkrs.
Clapton Twinolux
Fender SF Princeton.
That should tell you why- I do like the DRRI- but I'd have a SF UL 70s Twin Reverb over it for less money.
I think they're cracking amps, but I also think there's better choices if you're not too fussed on a big amp.
I liked the DRRI, esp with a Weber upgrade. The HRD was a bit meh.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
I'd love a twin, but it's way too much amp for my needs...I did spot this, though, which is very tempting as a middle ground option between the DRRI and Twin - http://www.coda-music.com/fender-vintage-modified-custom-vibrolux-reverb-soon-p-17952.html
My original plan was to hang onto the HRD and get a Princeton as my home/practice amp, but having tried it, I changed my mind. Tried the DRRI and thought that would probably suit all my needs...so sell the HRD to get the extra ££ required. Honestly, I'm totally undecided; I've changed my mind three times over the course of this thread!
I moved into a smaller home recently (forced by a move down London way...)...so I like the idea of having a single, great quality amp, that will do everything I need it to. Currently I have the HRD and this (which I'm trying to sell, originally for the funds to buy a Princeton...but now, who knows), both way too big for home.
Beware those Vibroluxs.
On the plus side, lovely natural tone and warmth from the 10's
On the downside, noisy as hell and virtually everyone does a mod on them to remove the hissy crap- @ICBM would surely know more about this.
They're a frustrating amp- lovely underlying tone under a load of noisy slushy hiss.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I like the hrdx too though.
I like the Classic 50, but I'm much less keen on the 30.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Sounded great on both channels, and I put a Joe satch sig distortion in front. Sounded brilliant! No idea why I didn't buy it, I think (seriously) the tweed put me off.
Now, I've grown up