MartyGrass Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 I've been lukewarm to Fender guitars and amps for decades, maybe because I'm from Kalamazoo. A Twin Reverb was my workhorse for years and I've lugged around several others as well. So I'm generally hard to impress with a tube amp. They are heavy, they hiss, hum and crackle, and they are needy. I've felt very well served with a Henriksen and an Evans. It's a long story, but I just got a KBP810 Deluxe Reverb from RhoadsScholar. It came with two 10" Ragin' Cajuns. This is hands down the best tube amp I've ever heard. The hiss and hum is damped due to Brian's wizardry. The spring reverb is lush. The controls don't require any learning curve. It doesn't weigh a ton. The looks speak for themselves. The speakers are loud. There is a lot of head room. The sounds coming out of this amp can match the best I've ever heard. For clean jazz, this is it. I'm not exaggerating. I'm willing to do the extra work it takes to live with a tube amp. It's well worth it. I've heard great things about the KBP810 amps and thought it must be the usual hype. The reputation is well earned I'm telling you. This is an unexpected and best Christmas present in a very long time. I'm walking on clouds.
Kuz Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 Brian's amps are worth their reputation. I am surprised about your opinions on Fender tube amps. My '67 Vibrolux Reverb is easily the best jazz amp I have played. It is quiet. It is light for a tube 2x10 amp. And at 35 watts it has plenty of clean headroom but not so much wattage that it sounds "cold" clean. The tubes can still be working for the fat, clean big tone. Maybe you just had Fender amps with too many watts (Twin and a Super Reverb). Brian's Deluxe Reverb you have now is 22 watts, and I will bet anything that is one of the reasons why you love it. Congrats on the early Christmas Gift!!!
barrymclark Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 Nothing more beautiful than the right amp for a guitar. No doubt. Brian certainly put a lot of love into his work and that is one of my favorite Fender platforms.
2bornot2bop Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 what a nice lookin' combo! congrat's on that find! I recently acquired my first twin reverb. I'd not been impressed with stock twin's but when I happened upon a modified twin that possessed NOS tubes and british weber blue dawg speakers I took the plunge. Having owned a former Heritage Patriot, and currently a Hendriksen JazzAmp 110, the modified twin made a believer out of me.
skydog52 Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 I'm glad that worked out for you Mark. I can attest to it being light in weight. That Mesa you had was a load!
schundog Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 I love Fender amps. I love KBP810's take on them, especially the 5E3 he built for me. I had it cranked last night through my Baja Tele and my 525( it is remarkable how loud you can get with that guitar and not have feedback). I have a Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue, and would love to hear it side by side with a KBP810 Reverb Deluxe. I'm glad you are digging it, Mark!
Blunote Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 MG, I remember at one time or another you had a Millie Ultra Std. The one I have has HRWs and makes some of the creamiest, chimiest tones through a blackface DR or twin. Whether you still have that guitar or not, if you have one with HRWs, it should sound fantastic through that amp.
Keith7940236 Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 Wow, that's fantastic news, I really love the reverb unit that Brian made for me. I bet that amp sounds fantastic, congratulations
MartyGrass Posted December 23, 2012 Author Posted December 23, 2012 Oops. It's a Reverb Deluxe. It must be my DAHD acting up. It turns out the amp made quick friends with my Johnny A, which has Gibson 57s. It did a nice Peter Gunn sound. Still working on the HRWs in a H157. That will take a little more time. The big test was the Alumitones in the H576. Great match there.
knopfler74 Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 Brian's amps are, in my opinion, the best I've played. He made me a Matchless Lighting Clone (sort of - we tweaked some stuff), and it is hands down, the best amp I've ever played. That would include two blues jrs, a Deluxe Reverb Reissue, a Mesa 5:50, a Vox Night Train, a Hot Rod Deluxe, a Blues Deluxe, and a AC30. Of all of them, the only one that even came close to Brian's amp was the AC30 - a different animal, so it may even live on the same plain as my KBP. I'm about to get a 2x12 cab for my KBP because I live in a house, with no neighbors and I want to turn it up loud enough to numb my face I heard a rumor that Brian isn't building anymore - true? If so, that stinks because I wanted him to make me his Reverb Deluxe!
RhoadsScholar Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 Great News Mark... A perfect match for those archtops. I still have a wonderful KPB810 Tweed Deluxe which does the trick for me.
DetroitBlues Posted December 23, 2012 Posted December 23, 2012 It's great to hear more people discovering how special his amps really are.
Blunote Posted December 24, 2012 Posted December 24, 2012 I've had my KBP810 Reverb Deluxe plugged into a DR Z Brake lite. And most recently a heavy duty "Alex Attenuator" a friend loaned me. Some of you who hang out on the TGP may have heard of it. I'm told it provides impedance, inductance and some other type load to more perfectly simulate a speaker (I really like it). Anyway, the Reverb Deluxe just sounds fantastic cranked up to 7-10 on the volume, and a little reverb (2 or 3 on the dial). Even attenuated, the wife was down here a few minutes ago telling me to go acoustic. Some people just can't be pleased .
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