A smaller amp to go with my DRRI?

[Blues Jr]

I've got a beautiful blonde DRRI.
I'd like a smaller amp to compliment it. Nothing fancy, just something I can use when the DRRI is just too much amp, around the house and the odd jam.

I was looking at maybe a 70's SF Champ, or maybe something current like a Pro Jr, Blues Jr, or the new Champ 600.

[CancerLeoCam]

Champ is plenty loud.

[marshman]

I'm guessing that the Pro jr and Blues Jr will not seem like much less amp than the DRRI. For an amp to have half the 'loudness' it will need to have something like 10% of the power...with that in mind, any decent 5 watt-ish SE amp should fit the bill. I'm rather fond of my VJr, but I've tweaked it to within an inch of it's life. It seems a few other manufacturers are springing to the 5 watt all tube game now, though.

[Califiddler]

SF Champ or Vibro Champ.

[stantheman]

The Undisputed Champ!!!
A Champ is the seminal TONE.
BUT - If I still lived in a Condo/Condex/Flat/Apartment
I'd own an Original Pignose without a doubt!

[Stuco]

Silverface or blackface champ, keep in mind if it hasn't been serviced you will have to update somethings to get it up to playing condition. Speaker, Plug, caps, tubes etc. Valve Jr is the cheapest solution. I like the vox pathfinder 15R it's a great sounding Solid state amp that is quiet.

[timgreene]

princeton reverb. A champ has a different tone, than the DRRI.

[pbenn]

SF Champ. They have a one-watt stronger transformer than a BF and are $100 to $200 cheaper. Try a few; play one chord at identical settings. Nos. matching speaker is worth more, but you can upgrade with a Weber or Kendrick 4-ohm. May need to be properly fixed but it's not rocket science. You'll learn all about 12AX-7's and 6V6's. It won't blow you away immediately but in six month's time you'll wonder how you survived without it.

[maestrovert]

1st recommendation: a Sf Champ
2nd (& a very close 2nd) : a Princeton

[Jeffscreamedcorn]

I tried a new Champ 600 - was not impressed. I'd go for a regular Champ, or a Princeton if it could be afforded.

[Doc]

Vibrochamp
Tweed Deluxe

[studio1087]

Champ or Pro Junior. I have both and I go back and forth as far as which is my favorite.

If you want a new amp, try a Pro Junior.

[Big Steve]

The DRRI is only 22 watts and is realatively easy to carry. Buy yourself a dirt pedal and use it at the lower volumes as well.

[soma5]

Originally Posted by timgreene

princeton reverb. A champ has a different tone, than the DRRI.

They all have different tone, but I get your drift. I'd also recommend a PR. Put a 12" speaker in it and you will have an amp you can play at those smaller gigs. Shoot, leave the 10" speaker in there and you will have that amp. The 12" will make it sound more like the DR, not boxy at all. My BFPR is not as loud as my BFDR and I use it for those small venues. I used to own a Pro Jr. and I thought that it sounded better than a Blues Jr. but it was definitely a little boxy-sounding. I got the BFPR and the PJr was out the door.

It is my opinion that anything smaller than the PR is going to sound boxy live. Everything changes if you are use it for recording.

-soma5

[ToneFan]

I have both a '60s Champ and a '60s Princeton Reverb... I find that although the Champ is alot easier to overdrive at low volume, it does sound boxy... The PR has more of a typical Fender sound, just with lower power... So although it doesn't get as loud as a larger amp it's still got all the tone, and without the boxiness... I also think the Reverb is a big plus for the PR over the Champ... So to get back to your question, a used PR is probably as close as you are going to get to a smaller version of a DRRI... You can probably pick up a SF '70s version for a reasonable amount of money, which will do the trick...

Cheers,
JM

[tombm3]

Originally Posted by Big Steve

The DRRI is only 22 watts and is realatively easy to carry. Buy yourself a dirt pedal and use it at the lower volumes as well.

I support Big Steve on this one. You can get 2 or 3 pedals and still come out ahead compared to getting a 2-15 watt amp. Unless portability and physical footprint is the concern for moving it to the living room, out on the back porch, to the bedroom, etc... Then I'd look into one of the 5 watt amps that are out. Although, going from a 12" with a nicely proportioned cab to a 6" or 8" speaker squeezed into a small "cardboard" box will have a completely different sound too. Not a bad sound but different.

If you can try before you buy and return it locally, that may be a good way to go. You really can't tell how a small amp will work for you until you get it into the situation that you want to use it in.

Good luck, hope you find what you're looking for. Let us know what you finally decide.