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Post subject: I modded my DRRI
Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:13 pm
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Well, of course I love my DRRI. But, I usually play at bedroom levels and the 47pf cap on the vibrato channel has been killing me. It's great for clean-really great for clean so I didn't want to clip it. I thought about putting the cap on a switch, and I still might, I don't know. Anyway, the normal channel is just awesome for my od pedals, but it has no reverb. And I LOVE the DRRI's reverb. I mean, it's called a Deluxe Reverb right? So, I jumpered the normal channel into the reverb/vibrato circuit and clipped the resistor that goes to the phase inverter. You can look up "Fritz mod" on the internet for pics, schematics, and step by step instructions. So, now I have reverb on the normal channel(plus another gain stage, same as the vibrato channel) plus both channels are now in phase so they can used together. I now have the best of both worlds of this amp. Or do I?
So, what's your opinions about what I've done? Should I have left well enough alone? Maybe bought a good reverb pedal and an A/B box?
Anyone know if this will "hurt" the amp? I can always undo what I've done.
One thing though: when I switch the amp from "on" to "standby", like when I'm about to shut it off, it makes a POP! that it didn't make before. Any thoughts?

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:54 pm
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I would probably use a shielded "flying lead" on that run. It looks like it is running by some high voltage.


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Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:12 pm
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Yeah Hollis, switch the amp off before switching the standby. The idea of idiling down an amp in "standby" just doesn't seem to exhibit the gradual cool down benefits that we might expect. The tube atoms are not realigning themselves by this one step method. Most of the electrolyitic caps are being shut off with the standby switch and the rest with the off switch. The thermal mechanical valves(tubes) will gradually cool to room temperature at a slower rate than their warm-up to operating temperatures. The mod for reverb on both channels is a common mod. Fender uses it on a number of amps. I'm not sure what wiring scenario you used, but it is unlikely it could hurt the amp. As for the .047uf cap, I'd go with a .022uf cap. In fact I use .022uf in place of the .1uf cap in that tone stack, too. It seems to give it a more natural tone and response, in my opinion. Don't know which tone caps you're using, but Sozo has started making caps to sound like the old Astrons used in the '60s Fenders. I use Alessandro foil in oil caps in my old Fenders, but they're kind of large and pricey. Good luck with your efforts! Art

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Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:31 pm
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My DRRI gives a pretty good thump when I turn it off too.
I have hit the standby first when i shut it down also, sounds as if this might not be the best idea ???

One of those questions I mean to ask and never do

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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:10 am
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blues bondsman wrote:
My DRRI gives a pretty good thump when I turn it off too.
I have hit the standby first when i shut it down also, sounds as if this might not be the best idea ???

One of those questions I mean to ask and never do


I have a new DRRI and noticed the same thing so I e-mailed Fender Support just to be sure I'm not hurting the amp. Here's Fender's Jeff Krause's reply:

"Thanks for writing in. The pop you are hearing is perfectly normal.
That switch is a "break before make" switch, and the pop you are hearing
is the "break". It happens with just about any amplifier with a standby
switch. I hope this information will help you out."


I don't really follow the explanation but if it's normal I'm not going to worry about it.

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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:28 pm
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Interesting. I've got a '95 Blues Deluxe right next to me, and I can barely hear a "pop" while I move the switch from standby to on or on to standby, unless I've got everything on "12".


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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:18 pm
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I turned mine off all day today using the power switch instead of the standby and didn't get a single pop.

So I guess the standby is for powering up only ???

Still can't believe how sweet the tone is on this little guy and you can crank it at home without totally causing trouble.

Mine had the Power tubes switched out when I bought it, it has Reissue Tung-Sol 6V6's in it now

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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:31 pm
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Cool, so I guess it won't hurt anything to keep it modded then. It really is ideal for me. I like the amp even more now that I have reverb on the normal channel. Thanks for all your input guys. I really appreciate it.

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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 8:35 am
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I would sure like to hear it with your mods.

But other than swapping tubes, I can't imagine changing a thing.

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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:43 pm
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Yeah, tone wise I think it's perfect. I just wanted reverb on the normal channel for playing at bedroom levels. The mod didn't change the tone at all. This amp is now perfect!

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:10 pm
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Sounds worthwile. I had a DRRI for a couple of years, and clipped the bright cap as soon as I got it - which I never regretted. These little changes are very very easy to undo, and let's face it there are a million DRRIs out there so it's not like modding a rare vintage amp is it? I got such a good deal on mine new that I ended up selling it for the same price, after a couple of years of gigs!

Always sounded great, the rev on normal channel mod would have been even better. Remember - sounds good, is good.


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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:15 pm
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oh yeah...

and as for the standby switch - you don't need to use it on a fender amp with a tube rectifier. The rectifier does the job of limiting current rush during the seconds it takes to get up to full power. There's a lot on the net about this if you check it out. With my Vibroverb I only ever use the power on/off and leave the standby in the open position all the time - no pops ever.


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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:17 pm
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Well, I did what you said Nickbeatnik and I've had no pops whatsoever. I use the standby to turn the amp on, but to turn it off I just kill it. Thanks for the great advice! I'm still very happy with the mod. I like my amp even better now!

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PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
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DRRI


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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 10:42 pm
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still in love with mine too.

I was looking for an amp that could give me the sweetest clean sound 80% of my playing, slightly crunchy 15% of my playing and high gain 5% or less of my playing.

The Super-Sonic came very close to giving me everything I wanted, but the clean just didnt go all the way.

I've learned there most likely is not an amp that can do it all and so I started looknig for pure clean fender tone, tried a 59 bassman RI and it was sweet for sure, the 65 RI seems to get me where I want to be tone wise and when I get an urge to get Chicago blues crunch it will do that too.

When I want to get soaring everlasting sustain, super high gain, I just borrow my son's half stack of another manufacture and blast away the cobwebs.

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1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:58 pm
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I like some high gain stuff sometimes too. I don't use it in any real world situations; I just like to have fun with it at home sometimes. I run my TS-9 into my Fulltone GT-500 for over the top gain. Other than that, those two pedals are pretty much worthless to me. The GT-500 does have a great clean boost though (it's the same circuit as Fulltone's Fat Boost2). The problem is that the "Distortion" side is too fizzy. Although the normal channel tames it a bit, it's still not my cup o' tea. I'm currently searching for a mid/high gain pedal. So far, I'm looking at the Purple Plexi from Lovepedal, the Gain Stage GS3 from Jetter pedals, or one of Barber's pedals. What are you guys using?

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PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI


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