Two Deluxe Reverbs in stereo.......

[Luther Perkins]

So I love the idea of playing a couple of Fenders in stereo. I used to do it all the time when I needed more power, of course a Vibroverb and Super Reverb in stereo was kind of weird. Still I love the fatter fuller sound you get from that.

After watching some of my favorite guitarist have a couple of amps in stereo (Redd, Pete Anderson, Marty Stuart) I think I need to give a go at that. My big question is should I be doing it with Deluxe Reverbs. I already have one, which is why I'm considering using a couple of Deluxes.

My Vibroverb is 40 watts and I need all of that at a lot of my gigs, sometimes I need a little more. I can't gather the cash to get another Vibroverb, which is what I'd like to do. So two Deluxes gets me 44 watts, but if I need more power what to do? I have to choose between a TRRI (this gets me all the power I'd ever need) or another DRRI to run in stereo with the one I already have. I guess I should get in the hang of putting a mic on my amp instead of going with bigger amps anyway.

So do you think I should grab another Deluxe and just throw a mic on one when I need more clean? I just don't know which is the better idea. It's usually all clean that I need from my amps, but which will sound better.

So what do I do, will two Deluxes give me enough for most everything?

[Shidoin]

Although he's not doing it lately, Robben Ford used to use 2 DR's. Sounded pretty dang good. If you need more power than 2 DR's give, Being able to dial in the sweet spot on a pair of DR's and then miking it sounds like a pretty tasty tone recipie!

[patrickhowell]

You shouldn't get hung up on the watts. There are so many other things that go into the possible volume that you can get out of your amps such as cabinet design, speaker efficiency, room shape, number of speakers, and even the way that the wattage on the amps was measured.

Most people perceive an increase of 6 to 10dB as "doubling" the volume. Doubling your wattage from 22 to 44 by adding a second DR gives you about a 3dB increase, and adding a second speaker with the second DR should give you another 3dB. So, with an increase of 6dB, you can expect that adding a second DR will be twice as loud as one DR, or a little bit less (depending on your ears).

[Al Watsky]

I did 2 DR's for a while, over a year of regular weekend gigs.
I had a BF and a SF. Used my delay to split my signal.
It was my favorite sound ever.
Stopped doing it for small gigs.
For the last 2 years I have been running 2 amps using an amp switcher.
Usually rental Twins, sometimes HRD's, sometimes mismatched Fenders.
It always works.
Not stereo, just 2 at a time. Various amps. Sounds huge.
2 amps are better than 1. I have noticed that I can run any 2.
They need not be the same amp.
A DR and a Vibrolux.
I was running a Polytone MB and a Princeton together for a while.
It rocked.
Don't worry 2 DR's will be plenty clean enough. Unless your planning to
be VERY loud. Its more than enough.

[popthree]

someone told me once that setting the amps 12 feet apart was optimum... i'm not sure how or why.. just repeating someones words.

[JosephB]

Trey Anastasio from Phish used 2 deluxe reverbs in stereo.

[Paul in Colorado]

Try a Deluxe Reverb and a good Vox AC 15 together. They compliment each other so well. The DR is clean and crisp while the AC 15 has that soft clipping thing going on. I put a delay between them with the DR getting the repeats. Probably my favorite amp combination.

[BigDaddyLH]

Originally Posted by popthree

someone told me once that setting the amps 12 feet apart was optimum... i'm not sure how or why.. just repeating someones words.

3.6576 meters, is that some sort of magical number?

[Singin' Dave]

Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

Try a Deluxe Reverb and a good Vox AC 15 together. They compliment each other so well. The DR is clean and crisp while the AC 15 has that soft clipping thing going on. I put a delay between them with the DR getting the repeats. Probably my favorite amp combination.

I'll concur that a BF/SF and Vox AC go beautifully together. Here is my rehearsal rig, which is a SFPR and a Winfield Cyclone (AC15-ish clone) into a Showman 15 cab loaded with a JBL D130F (sometimes a 1x12 cab w/ Celestion Gold) run via a Radial ABY. I pretty much run them together all the time, with the SFPR pretty clean and the Cyclone just breaking up and love the results. I use a Fulltone Fulldrive for extra crunch and solos etc. I just have my one little area in my shared rental rehearsal space so I gotta stack em - no "magic 3.6 meters" for me

[Shiro]

I've A/B'd a Laney LC15R and a Superchamp XD for over a year now. Sound is huge, and they're easy to tote around.

[stantheman]

Originally Posted by JosephB

Trey Anastasio from Phish used 2 deluxe reverbs in stereo.

That's the best Tone in Trey's arsenal if You ask me!
Saw him with that setup twice I think.
Maybe more than twice.

[markcaster]

I just bought a DRRI.. I have a TRRI (blonde) and I think I'm gonna A/B them at my next gig. Get my clean on the TR at about 3.2 and crank the DR to about 6 for a dirty channel then throw down an TS808.. sounds like a winner there. no?

[Scott S]

I think if you could get the trem synchronized between the two, that'd make for a cool effect.

- Scott

[Al Watsky]

A/B-ing a TR and a DR will work OK. You have less sound pressure from the DR though cause its 1-12 rather then 2-12 , thats cool though. Depends on the room.
A DR and a PR would be more balanced. But thats the right idea.
AFA use of tremlo goes if I'm running 2 amps and one or more has trem I only use one and set it for more intensity. Not a rule its just what I do. I don't want to hit 2 trem switches. For me it would be overkill.
I'm gonna start using a PR and a Bjr. as a 2 amp rig. I tried it last night. Pretty cool.
30 watts 2-12 , one has a master vol. so ? They contrast so its richer sounding.
Light weight.

[Jakedog]

Originally Posted by JosephB

Trey Anastasio from Phish used 2 deluxe reverbs in stereo.

Trey used two behind him as his stage amps, but often up to four at the same time. Often times, there was another back by the drummer, and sometimes a fourth placed strategically somewhere else on the stage, usually cleverly hidden. His front of house sound though, came almost exclusively through two DR's.

I too think it was the best sound he ever had, which is why for awhile in the mid-90's, I copied that setup. Two DR's, two TS's, and a Ross compressor. Even though I didn't really play his style of music, at all... It was still a great sound. Huge, and smooth. I ultimately fell completely out of love with Fender amps, and don't foresee playing one again. But when I liked that tone, man, that was a LOT of it.

To the OP's question- As someone else here said, don't get hung up on wattage. Adding the second speaker will add a ton of percieved volume and spread. You know, you might even get by running your current Deluxe through a 2X12 or 4X12 cab. A small Fender like that into a 4X12 box gets really fat and punchy sounding. You might want to try it out and see if it cures what ails you.

I ran a '69 Princeton into a Marshall 2X12 (model 1936) for a couple of years for some pretty loud country gigs. It sounded cool.

[Teleman]

I ran two DRRI's for quite a while and loved it. As time went on that was too load for many gigs situations but I loved the sound of two amps. I now run two Limited edition tweed Blues jr's joined together with a stereo chorus pedal. It's been great

[dalandan]

meet Eric Johnson.



this is his rig in 2001, he started using the deluxes for smaller gigs again this year. I have current pictures but they're too large to embed. message me your e-mail address if you want them.