OK - weigh in on my next pruchase, please

Stiles · May 1st, 2006, 07:13 PM

If a fella has $600 or so burning a hole in his pocket, does he get a DRRI or a 70s Priceton Reverb?
I currently have an Ampeg Reverbarocket that I rarely bother to drag to gigs and a MusicMan 110 - that I love - thats my main gigging amp. But something tells me that my '63 CSRI needs a Fender soul mate to be its best.
Or, I suppose I could sell it all and pursue a vintage Deluxe Reverb. But I don't want to be scared to take the thing on the road or any of the shady establishments I'm know to frequent.
Anyone care to toss in thier 2 cents?
Thanks, Pete

jdfoosh357 · May 1st, 2006, 08:05 PM

If you play really clean, go DRRI.

While PR's are pretty loud, cleans always sound better with more wattage, more air moving.

The PR will be a safer bet, I guess. It would be cheaper to fix (if need be), and it would be guaranteed to keep its value.

jjh37854 · May 1st, 2006, 08:21 PM

I'm thinkin SFDR

zombywoof · May 1st, 2006, 08:44 PM

I'd be draggin that Ampeg to the gigs. That is a helluva amp.

getbent · May 1st, 2006, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjh37854

I'm thinkin SFDR

Bing, bing... we have a winner

mojohen · May 1st, 2006, 08:58 PM

If it's a '71 or earlier, I'd go Princeton. If it's newer, then I'd go DRRI..
I had a '68 PR that was just plain gorgeous sounding. In later models, they began getting brittle sounding to me.
The DRRI is a nice sounding amp though, and it's priced ok to play dives... I knoiw how you feel about that. I used a Mesa Mark III hardwood to play a rough-assed bar once, and went to turn the amp on standby between sets only to find 2 sweaty beer cans sitting on the top. The third can rumbled to the floor and splashed on the wicker......
That was the last dive I played with that amp...
mojohen

cowboytwang · May 1st, 2006, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjh37854

I'm thinkin SFDR

Bing, bing... we have a winner

I agree, or maybe a Silverface Pro Reverb they're selling around $600 to $700.

Stiles · May 2nd, 2006, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombywoof

I'd be draggin that Ampeg to the gigs. That is a helluva amp.

I've been recording with it and it is a helluva amp. It gets to stay! Its my "twin" when I need one.

SFDR - Sounds like a winner! Any years/ models to avoid?
Thanks, Pete

jdfoosh357 · May 2nd, 2006, 03:25 PM

Good luck finding a SFDR for $600, but if you find more than one, call me!!!!!!!!

Stiles · May 2nd, 2006, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdfoosh357

Good luck finding a SFDR for $600, but if you find more than one, call me!!!!!!!!

I know! Thats why, in my original question I pitted the DRRI against the Princeton. Sure, why not an original BFDR for $600 while I'm at it!

mojohen · May 2nd, 2006, 07:10 PM

Believe this or not. Last summer, in a very small music store, they had a '65 DR, new speaker, tranny, sovteks etc.
$650!!!! And it sounded gorgeous... I didn't have the bones at the time, and next day, it was gone, gone,gone....
mojohen 8)

Stiles · May 2nd, 2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojohen

Believe this or not. Last summer, in a very small music store, they had a '65 DR, new speaker, tranny, sovteks etc.
$650!!!! And it sounded gorgeous... I didn't have the bones at the time, and next day, it was gone, gone,gone....
mojohen 8)

A reissue or a real '65? I see reissues for around $600 all the time. The vintage ones usually sell for WAY more that I can spend...

mojohen · May 2nd, 2006, 09:39 PM

No,no,no,no...
A REAL 1965! I wouldn't mention a re-issue...
This had alot of work done to it, but it was awesome sounding.. It was on consignment..
Right now, the same shop has a '66 Bandmaster Head with a '67 Showman cab.. $999 for the set, and they sound incredible! Probably would take less too. Not sure of the speakers in the cab, may or may not be original...
mojohen 8)

BTW, The owner plays a Vibrolux exclusively, and knows his stuff.

jjh37854 · May 2nd, 2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Good luck finding a SFDR for $600, but if you find more than one, call me!!!!!!!!

I know he would probably have to go to $800 or so for a SFDR, but he mentioned selling it all and going huge. If he gets the SFDR then the musicman will be essentially useless, so dump the musicman, you'll get like 300 or so for that, then apply that to the 600 and there ya be!

Quote:

I suppose I could sell it all and pursue a vintage Deluxe Reverb. But I don't want to be scared to take the thing on the road or any of the shady establishments I'm know to frequent.

If you play music in bars, then dont get a museum piece with a friggin wicker grille, or some insanely priced BFDR. Buy an amp that sounds good, suits your playing style, then play the mo-fo into the ground....which is nearly impossible with a hand wired amp that sees a servicing every now and then.

If you want to collect, then collect, but it seemed to me you wanted and amp to play that sounded good and had the right power for your situation.

my requested 2 cents, YMMV

jesse

dean · May 3rd, 2006, 12:28 AM

For $600+, I don't think you can beat a Princeton Reverb. Of course you'd want to get the earliest one you can find for your price range. It sounds like the amp won't be a gigging amp, and outside of a vintage DR, there's nothing better in that price range. The PR has a nice sounding tremolo, a very good reverb, and it is extremely responsive to speaker choices. The PR can do adequete cleans and excellent grind when cranked - it's a very versatile amp. If you get a DRRI, I'm thinking that the amp will depreciate over the years while a 70s PR will definitely appreciate. My experience (somewhat limited) with the DRRI was that it didn't have nearly the tone that I've found with a number of PRs (that's an opinion).

I'm really sold on the PRs - possibly the best all-around small amp ever made! Have fun with your search.

Dean

May 1st, 2006, 07:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
Stiles Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Austin Posts: 133 10 Photos	OK - weigh in on my next pruchase, please If a fella has $600 or so burning a hole in his pocket, does he get a DRRI or a 70s Priceton Reverb? I currently have an Ampeg Reverbarocket that I rarely bother to drag to gigs and a MusicMan 110 - that I love - thats my main gigging amp. But something tells me that my '63 CSRI needs a Fender soul mate to be its best. Or, I suppose I could sell it all and pursue a vintage Deluxe Reverb. But I don't want to be scared to take the thing on the road or any of the shady establishments I'm know to frequent. Anyone care to toss in thier 2 cents? Thanks, Pete __________________ http://www.myspace.com/themeatpurveyors http://www.ransomtullis.com

May 1st, 2006, 08:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
zombywoof Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Back in the Heartland Posts: 2,923 17 Photos	I'd be draggin that Ampeg to the gigs. That is a helluva amp. __________________ "I don't play a lot of fancy guitar. I don't want to play it. The kind of guitar I want to play is mean, mean licks." John Lee Hooker

May 3rd, 2006, 12:28 AM	#15 (permalink)
dean Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Age: 60 Posts: 2,042	For me, a no-brainer . . . For $600+, I don't think you can beat a Princeton Reverb. Of course you'd want to get the earliest one you can find for your price range. It sounds like the amp won't be a gigging amp, and outside of a vintage DR, there's nothing better in that price range. The PR has a nice sounding tremolo, a very good reverb, and it is extremely responsive to speaker choices. The PR can do adequete cleans and excellent grind when cranked - it's a very versatile amp. If you get a DRRI, I'm thinking that the amp will depreciate over the years while a 70s PR will definitely appreciate. My experience (somewhat limited) with the DRRI was that it didn't have nearly the tone that I've found with a number of PRs (that's an opinion). I'm really sold on the PRs - possibly the best all-around small amp ever made! Have fun with your search. Dean __________________ "I used to be clueless, but I've turned that situation around 360 degrees."

May 1st, 2006, 08:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
jdfoosh357 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 566	If you play really clean, go DRRI. While PR's are pretty loud, cleans always sound better with more wattage, more air moving. The PR will be a safer bet, I guess. It would be cheaper to fix (if need be), and it would be guaranteed to keep its value.

May 1st, 2006, 08:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
jjh37854 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Francisco Age: 35 Posts: 1,187 7 Photos	I'm thinkin SFDR

May 1st, 2006, 08:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
mojohen Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NY Posts: 177 12 Photos	If it's a '71 or earlier, I'd go Princeton. If it's newer, then I'd go DRRI.. I had a '68 PR that was just plain gorgeous sounding. In later models, they began getting brittle sounding to me. The DRRI is a nice sounding amp though, and it's priced ok to play dives... I knoiw how you feel about that. I used a Mesa Mark III hardwood to play a rough-assed bar once, and went to turn the amp on standby between sets only to find 2 sweaty beer cans sitting on the top. The third can rumbled to the floor and splashed on the wicker...... That was the last dive I played with that amp... mojohen

May 2nd, 2006, 03:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
jdfoosh357 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 566	Good luck finding a SFDR for $600, but if you find more than one, call me!!!!!!!!

May 2nd, 2006, 07:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
mojohen Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NY Posts: 177 12 Photos	Believe this or not. Last summer, in a very small music store, they had a '65 DR, new speaker, tranny, sovteks etc. $650!!!! And it sounded gorgeous... I didn't have the bones at the time, and next day, it was gone, gone,gone.... mojohen 8)

May 2nd, 2006, 09:39 PM	#13 (permalink)
mojohen Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NY Posts: 177 12 Photos	No,no,no,no... A REAL 1965! I wouldn't mention a re-issue... This had alot of work done to it, but it was awesome sounding.. It was on consignment.. Right now, the same shop has a '66 Bandmaster Head with a '67 Showman cab.. $999 for the set, and they sound incredible! Probably would take less too. Not sure of the speakers in the cab, may or may not be original... mojohen 8) BTW, The owner plays a Vibrolux exclusively, and knows his stuff.