Rivera Fender Concert 1-12

[111518]

I have a line on one of these with a replacement celestion for 5 bills, might even be able to negotiate a little lower. I need another amp like the proverbial hole in the head, but ... is this too good a deal to pass up? I'd appreciate your thoughts. The price of these amps on ebay seem to be all over the map.

[212Mavguy]

For that price I'd be all over it. GREAT amp. Might need some love, they weren't made yesterday, Maybe cap job and tubes to bring it to glory.

[Guest tomdread]

Ive owned mine for over 2 decades and have gigged it most of that time.

Its a great platform for pedals. Reliable, P to P hand wired.

It loves to be turned up. I run mine on THD yellow jackets with EL84's for a while. Great results.

I wont ever sell this amp. Centimental reasons. Ive converted it to a head. The original speaker was horrible.

Not saying its the best fender amp I have ever owned in terms of sound but probably the most useful. Takes pedals really well.

I paid $700au for it way back then. I might get $700- 800 for it now.

[peteraltongreen]

I have a line on one of these with a replacement celestion for 5 bills, might even be able to negotiate a little lower. I need another amp like the proverbial hole in the head, but ... is this too good a deal to pass up? I'd appreciate your thoughts. The price of these amps on ebay seem to be all over the map.

I bought one of these in the '80's,new as a spare amp head,never used it until last year.What a waste.It's the best sounding amp I've got bar one,my Fender Dual Showman head.

I use it with a 2 x 10" cab,it's great.Don't miss out on a great amp.

[JeffB]

I bought one of these in the '80's,new as a spare amp head,never used it until last year.What a waste.It's the best sounding amp I've got bar one,my Fender Dual Showman head.

I use it with a 2 x 10" cab,it's great.Don't miss out on a great amp.

Hey Peter,

Have you ever found a use for the 2nd ch as anything other than a different clean? Ive never been able to find a use for it at any setting. The gain just doesnt sit right for me. Neither marshall, fender or mesa. Kind of an angry frustrated nothing.

When I swapped the 6l6's for THD yellow jackets and el84's I also swapped the speaker to a g12m. It was like I had a whole new amp. Very cool.

Ive since converted mine to a head and use it with different 212 or 412 cabs.

[rjsanders]

the rivera-era concerts have never been appreciated in the market. come to think of it, neither have rivera engineering amps - they all go for great low prices (except maybe the Superchamp, which is a little pricey). i've had the Concert 4x10, the head, and two 1x12s. drive/OD/distortion sound is not to my taste, but the cleans are great and they take pedals very well.

[Gitfiddler]

the rivera-era concerts have never been appreciated in the market. come to think of it, neither have rivera engineering amps - they all go for great low prices (except maybe the Superchamp, which is a little pricey). i've had the Concert 4x10, the head, and two 1x12s. drive/OD/distortion sound is not to my taste, but the cleans are great and they take pedals very well.

 

 

I agree with rjsanders on the Rivera-era Fender amps. Check out Ebay and you'll now start to see them start to creep up in value.

 

Go for the Concert. Even if it needs a bit of work, they are easily serviced and not too costly to do so since point to point wiring.

[rjsanders]

I agree with rjsanders on the Rivera-era Fender amps. Check out Ebay and you'll now start to see them start to creep up in value.

 

Go for the Concert. Even if it needs a bit of work, they are easily serviced and not too costly to do so since point to point wiring.

 

 

yeahman. same's true of some BF Fenders (e.g., Showman), 70's Traynors, others...

[JohnCovach]

I've got a Concert 1x12 that I bought new in 1982 or so. It has served me very well over the years.

[111518]

Thanks everyone for your feedback (pun?). I'm still not sure what I'm going to do on this one, but I don't think I'll leap, despite the (expected) positive comments. Here's my dilemma:

Positives:

--cool, undervalued amp.

--point to point, so good vehicle for getting my feet wet in understanding/modifying tube amps, which is a project I really want to engage

--I'm a Rivera fan, and own three ... so this would fit into that collection well. I remember when these amps came out. I was playing Musicman, and the shop where I worked sold them so I could get deals and felt an obligation to fly the flag, but I had to admit the all-tube Fenders were much more responsive than the SS pre-amp Musicmans, even though I liked those amps.

 

Negatives:

--house is disrupted with renovation, teaching studio at school is slated to move and be downsized: not a good time to be buying more stuff?

--already own a channel-switching 6L6 amp --my old Musicman, now all-tube as modded by Fuchs-- and a fender-ish clean point-to-point 6L6 amp in my recently purchased Carr Rambler ... when am I going to be inspired to actually play the Concert?

 

The amp has been listed in the local entertainment guide at $600 for months, just reduced to $500. I'm guessing if anyone had actually offered five it would already be gone. If I get a full lesson schedule (in doubt, they've made lessons more expensive for students, more difficult to qualify for free lessons in association with music courses), maybe I'll reconsider; really don't know what my income is going to be this semester. And, the hole in my amp collection is an el-84 amp. I'm taking my Blue Angel to NC next week to put on sale in the old shop, and that amp never had the classic ac/el-84 sound. Maybe that's what I should be looking for?

 

Thanks again. I value everyone's opinion and appreciate that you took the time to write. Some great experience here on HOC to sample.

[111518]

Thanks everyone for your feedback (pun?). I'm still not sure what I'm going to do on this one, but I don't think I'll leap, despite the (expected) positive comments. Here's my dilemma:

Positives:

--cool, undervalued amp.

--point to point, so good vehicle for getting my feet wet in understanding/modifying tube amps, which is a project I really want to engage

--I'm a Rivera fan, and own three ... so this would fit into that collection well. I remember when these amps came out. I was playing Musicman, and the shop where I worked sold them so I could get deals and felt an obligation to fly the flag, but I had to admit the all-tube Fenders were much more responsive than the SS pre-amp Musicmans, even though I liked those amps.

 

Negatives:

--house is disrupted with renovation, teaching studio at school is slated to move and be downsized: not a good time to be buying more stuff?

--already own a channel-switching 6L6 amp --my old Musicman, now all-tube as modded by Fuchs-- and a fender-ish clean point-to-point 6L6 amp in my recently purchased Carr Rambler ... when am I going to be inspired to actually play the Concert?

 

The amp has been listed in the local entertainment guide at $600 for months, just reduced to $500. I'm guessing if anyone had actually offered five it would already be gone. If I get a full lesson schedule (in doubt, they've made lessons more expensive for students, more difficult to qualify for free lessons in association with music courses), maybe I'll reconsider; really don't know what my income is going to be this semester. And, the hole in my amp collection is an el-84 amp. I'm taking my Blue Angel to NC next week to put on sale in the old shop, and that amp never had the classic ac/el-84 sound. Maybe that's what I should be looking for?

 

Thanks again. I value everyone's opinion and appreciate that you took the time to write. Some great experience here on HOC to sample.

 

 

In the interest of full disclosure, and in fraternity with Tully's sense of helplessness in the face of his addiction, I thought I'd post that I just bought this amp today. After being offered for private sale, first at $600, then at $500, it ended up at the one semi-reputable music store within an hour's drive of me, and, after sitting there for six months priced at $575, they knocked the price down to $430 a couple of weeks ago to move it. I resisted til I knew for certain what this year's tax bite would be, but with that resolved I stopped by the store and played it --everything seems to function, no scratchy pots, speaker had been changed to a nice Celestion (some came originally with Fender Eminence speakers that most seem to think should be replaced), and, it really does have a very nice, bright, Fender 6Lc clean sound. So, given positives listed above, and the fact that now I am moved into my new teaching space and I have a spot for it, just couldn't resist. Need it? As I told the guy at the store, about like another hole in the head. But, I think I'll get some pleasure out of it down the road, and I'm thinking this was probably my last chance to ever buy an original turret board wired Fender amp. So, one more HOC Concert owner --Tully, John, Tomdread, PeteraltonGreen, Gitfiddler, any others?

[JeffB]

Im sitting here contemplating which amps to sell and had finally resolved to sell my Concert. Then this thread reappears with me posting "I wont ever sell this amp. Sentimental reasons."

Im not superstitious but......

 

Congrats on the new amp. IIRC Channel 2 works different when it has a foot switch plugged in. Not sure it even has to be the right footswitch. Alters they way the gain stages work or something. Might be the Master volume. From memory it sounds better with a jack in the footswitch input. Might be wrong though.

[Hfan]

Im sitting here contemplating which amps to sell and had finally resolved to sell my Concert. Then this thread reappears with me posting "I wont ever sell this amp. Sentimental reasons."

Im not superstitious but......

 

 

 

I notice I have the same problem, have an old blackfaced Twin Reverb I should sell, mainly a home hobbyist it is a bit much...but I am sentimentally attached. Maybe because I did the restoration and blackface myself and it was my high school amp in the early-mid 70's. I can afford additional amps (kind of) but don't have a proper man cave ..short on room...wifey may be at her limits..

 

Your test was very cool by the way, nice to have so many amps to play with..

[JeffB]

Thought I would spend all day playing through the MKV but instead spent most of it playing through the Concert. Stacking ODs and fooling around with graphic eq's before the amp and in the loop. What a cool amp.

[JeffB]

Best demo on youtube Ive found for this amp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H2cPWkfsNo&feature=related

[111518]

Thought I would spend all day playing through the MKV but instead spent most of it playing through the Concert. Stacking ODs and fooling around with graphic eq's before the amp and in the loop. What a cool amp.

 

I ended up playing through my new one for several hours yesterday afternoon as well. As it warmed up, it became significantly less noisy than it was at first --often the case with tube amps that have sat around unplayed for a while, but nonetheless was pleased. I like the sound of the thing --the clean channel reminded me of an old bandmaster or playing guitar through a bassman. The lead channel, which for some reason and unexpectedly is less noisy than the clean channel, seems pretty useable with the volume/mastervolume and gain. Wasn't in a space where I could crank the thing, but seemed like this channel could be set up on the edge of distortion, without massive volume, such that you could roll in some distortion with the guitar. With two usable channels and a fulldrive, should yield a good range of foot button accessible tones. (except I didn't get a footswitch, so I'll need to be on the lookout. Anyone of you Concert owners ever deciphered how the footswitch funtions? Figure I could always put one together if I can't find a replacement.)

 

I did discover that the Celestion speaker that someone had installed is 15 ohm, while the speaker output designates 8 ohm. So, looks like I'm on the market for a different speaker for this thing. I know the choices from fender were "fender-designed" eminence, with the option of an EVM. I'm leaning towards looking for a used EVM --I've always been fond of those speakers, which I have in several amps. Disadvantages are cost and weight(the amp is pretty seriously heavy, even with the celestion. What do you Concert owners have in yours?

[JeffB]

The amp acts differently with the footswitch.

 

 

Other quirks - most of the reverb is unavailable in the drive channel because Paul Rivera's design takes half of the reverb driver and makes it a gain stage. Also it sounds a lot different when you don't use the footswitch. The lead channel volume gets cut substantially with the footswitch engaged. Can't explain it, and it sure is annoying- but it is a well documented fact. And finally don't forget the custom footswitches, which go for a lot of money (75 to 150 bucks) and don't work on any other amps, and which only work on the Fender Riveras. You can build the footswitch for about 40 bucks or so.

From: My link

 

I used the standard fender issue for yrs. Right now have a G12H-100. But have had G12m when I run it with THD yellow jackets. But For the most part I now stick it in a Mesa head shell and run it through a 212 closed cab with v30's.

I tried a Jenson C12n (I think) it made it a very good sounding clean fender combo but I didnt like the way that speaker dealt with gain.

[111518]

The amp acts differently with the footswitch.

 

 

 

From: My link

 

I used the standard fender issue for yrs. Right now have a G12H-100. But have had G12m when I run it with THD yellow jackets. But For the most part I now stick it in a Mesa head shell and run it through a 212 closed cab with v30's.

I tried a Jenson C12n (I think) it made it a very good sounding clean fender combo but I didnt like the way that speaker dealt with gain.

 

Thanks much, Tully. Seemed like I remembered that these amps had a unique footswitch --atypical switching seems to be characteristic of Rivera designs --having the schematic gives me the option of either building one or having one built, if I can't find one. These amps seem to be a tinkerers delight --lots of threads about them on the internet. I've got a 2-12 closed back with v30s myself, so I'll give it a listen through those speakers.

[Gitfiddler]

Here is where I scored a brand new Concert footswitch for my amp. I think he makes them under the name "Switch Doctor" and advertises them as better than the originals. I have no complaints about mine and it functions as a channel switcher and reverb switch, exactly like the original Rivera era pedals. They cost about $100.

 

Balancedclarity Switch Doctor

 

 

[111518]

Here is where I scored a brand new Concert footswitch for my amp. I think he makes them under the name "Switch Doctor" and advertises them as better than the originals. I have no complaints about mine and it functions as a channel switcher and reverb switch, exactly like the original Rivera era pedals. They cost about $100.

 

Balancedclarity Switch Doctor

 

Thanks Gitfiddler. That's a great help. So, how are you liking the Jensen in your Concert?

[Gitfiddler]

Thanks Gitfiddler. That's a great help. So, how are you liking the Jensen in your Concert?

 

 

 

Overall the Jensen is smooth with nice highs. The one thing that I noticed is the slightly narrower sonic field. What I mean is that now the amp has a bit less bottom and highs. The amp has its own midrange thing going on, especially on the drive channel. The Jensen seems to allow its better tones to come through. There are no extremes, just a nice amp at low volumes, and a very conservative and balanced amp at louder volumes.

 

I never noticed any difference in the reverb between channels on my amp. Reverb is so strong I leave it at 3 - 3.5 much of the time. Maybe its the tubes, or I got lucky.

 

Now I see why this amp is tinkered with so much. It responds to every change made, no matter how subtle. That makes it a fun project and gigging amp.