kzoolou Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Lately, I've seen a ton of halfway vintage Twin Reverbs for next to nothing. I know they're heavy and loud, but is it possible to get great tones out of them at lower volumes without an attenuator? I'm not talking bedroom volume, but moderate jamming volume. I've never been able to get great tones out of my JMP 50 without playing it at rafter shaking levels or loading it up with pedals. I would be fine with pedals or even an attenuator, but I really want to get that Fender clean sound and I'd like to keep what's left of my hearing in tact. I don't care about the weight. It wouldn't be an amp that I travel around with much. It would probably stay in my music area most of the time. Plausible or better off just paying a few bucks more and getting a Princeton/Deluxe Reverb/lower end boutique to get that sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 There is no better clean than the Twin. I've had it eat some formidable gain pedals and still sound clean. Lots of iron means good, tight bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP515 Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I agree, the Twin is evil, but it's hard to find better cleans. I had to take the lesser level Fender with the HRD. It works but it isn't as good as the Twin. They both take pedals better than anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanschoyck Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 If you truly want clean a twin is great. It will get very loud before you get anything not clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunote Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 My Deluxe Reverb (KBP810) clone has a really sweet crunchiness with the volume up around 7 on the dial. That's too loud for household use. A twin would be even worse. You can always use a pedal, but I think a high quality attenuator would be the best solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yooper Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 For moderate jamming volume, the Deluxe Reverb will deliver. The demand is so high for older DRs that they are priced nearly the same as Twins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hfan Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 My Deluxe Reverb (KBP810) clone has a really sweet crunchiness with the volume up around 7 on the dial. That's too loud for household use. A twin would be even worse. You can always use a pedal, but I think a high quality attenuator would be the best solution. I have a Reverb Deluxe as well. KBP had to build it pretty quickly just before I met him at PSP in 2011. He added extra gain and reverb to channel one..nice amp. He added an EV speaker with a big magnet that he had around..no time to order one. I recently looked at the model number and was surprised it is a $300 speaker when purchased new. Incredible lows. I also have a blackfaced 73 Twin with Eminence Red White & Blue speakers. It is a monster, can't get it past 3 in my home. The walls shake. And it puts out some heat, I could heat my garage with it. Great amp but too much for me, think I'll sell it some day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanschoyck Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I also have a blackfaced 73 Twin with Eminence Red White & Blue speakers. It is a monster, can't get it past 3 in my home. The walls shake. And it puts out some heat, I could heat my garage with it. Great amp but too much for me, think I'll sell it some day. My old 60's twin never got up past 3, anywhere; even in clubs that held 300 people or more. And even then I was often asked (under threat of being fired) to turn down. Maybe that was more a comment on my playing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunote Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 ^^ Brian really liked the sound of yours with the EV speaker. Only problem was the weight of it. I use an Alex Attenuator which is now being produced by Scumback http://www.scumbackspeakers.com/attenuator.html. It isn't cheap. I look at it as an investment that allows me to get the maximum value from all of my amps. I'll probably never sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hfan Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 ^^ Brian really liked the sound of yours with the EV speaker. Only problem was the weight of it. I use an Alex Attenuator which is now being produced by Scumback http://www.scumbackspeakers.com/attenuator.html. It isn't cheap. I look at it as an investment that allows me to get the maximum value from all of my amps. I'll probably never sell it. I think I had it on 10 trying to keep up with Brent's Colonial. I don't recall the amp being too heavy..haven't lifted it in a while. Thank goodness the Twin is on wheels. Maybe I'll try an attenuator one day, wonder what a Twin on 10 would sound like with an attenuator? I bought a Lil Dawg Tweed that has an attenuating speaker (Eminence Maverick). The Tweed is a 25 watter so it doesen't hurt having the Maverick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 This past Winter at the Missouri Fairs and Festivals convention I used a backline Twin. I generally have my pedals set to give me just that edge of breakup - like most of us do. I use a JHS Morning Glory for my rig. Plugging into the Twin was different. Clean? Yup! So, turn up the gain on the MG just a bit. Still Clean? Yup! I ended up with the gain dimed on the JHS, and it just then started to get that hair. But lordy!! What tone. I think I had the volume on 4, which was probably still blasting. Back in the '70s we played our Twins on 3 - 3.5. So 4 was probably more than bedroom volume. But I got to say, I still think about that tone. And another local band that was there, their guitar player still brings up that set and amp when we hang. All in all, just a marvelously LOUD clean amp. But probably not bedroom worthy. Neither is my Mesa Lone Star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP515 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Neither is my Mesa Lone Star. +1 but that doesn't stop me from trying. Just have to use the preamp for dirt and choke the power tubes. Doesn't compare to letting it breath, but still has a lovely tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzoolou Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Great feedback, thanks! I guess it's a matter of me fighting the urge to get an amp that's too big for what I want to use it for just because it's cheaper than a smaller one that actually suits my purposes better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark555 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 What ever you do, do not touch a red knob twin. They have beautiful tone but that amp will break your heart. They have valves placed straight into a flow soldiered circuit board. I had one and ht e board just got fried. I really looked after it, but they are notorious. The Blues Deluxe is very nice, 40 watts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockabilly69 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 What ever you do, do not touch a red knob twin. They have beautiful tone but that amp will break your heart. They have valves placed straight into a flow soldiered circuit board. I had one and ht e board just got fried. I really looked after it, but they are notorious. The Blues Deluxe is very nice, 40 watts. In the history of all the amps I've owned, the biggest piece of crap, or let me phrase it a bit differently, THE MOST UNRELIABLE AMP I've ever owned was a red knob Super 2-10 which had that same type of construction as the Twin. When it worked it sounded fine, but it was broke more than it worked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I had a SF twin as my only amp for years..it was great. except when I had to move it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Great feedback, thanks! I guess it's a matter of me fighting the urge to get an amp that's too big for what I want to use it for just because it's cheaper than a smaller one that actually suits my purposes better. From reading your posts, it seems like a Twin might be a bit more than you need, but still like its features. Like many others, I have a love-hate relationship with those big, heavy clean machines. Perfect for a backline, but the worst for one's back. If you are open to other similar amps, check out Blackface Pro Reverbs, or even '80's Concerts. To me they are very close to Twins, but more manageable in every sense of the word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I say get an old Champ (or make one) and crank it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjsanders Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 you might consider a Heritage Patriot. the one i played sounded "better" (more harmonic content at lower volumes) than any BFTwinR i've played (many) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 you might consider a Heritage Patriot. the one i played sounded "better" (more harmonic content at lower volumes) than any BFTwinR i've played (many) +1...Plus with the Mood dial full on, the Patriot also gives up some of the best Bassman tones I've ever heard...and at higher volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzoolou Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Definitely something to consider. The Patriot sounds like it's just about what I was thinking. If only there were somewhere on the Internet where someone could find good deals on Heritage stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Definitely something to consider. The Patriot sounds like it's just about what I was thinking. If only there were somewhere on the Internet where someone could find good deals on Heritage stuff Heritage amps come up for sale every once in a while here. There are at two Patriots for sale right now by HOC members. There's a brand new one (NOS) for sale here.... http://www.imagineguitars.com/amps/heritage/HeritagePatriotCombo.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hinesarchtop Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Look for a Pro reverb with a single speaker. I love twin's, and even had a 4/12 Quad reverb.....talk about heavy! The sound was great though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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