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Post subject: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 8:58 am
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Hi all,

I know that these sorts of things get discussed ad nauseum on amp forums, but I want to see what opinions are given my situation.

I live in a townhome with seemingly reasonable neighbors. I'm able to play my VOX AC15C2 at what I refer to as "higher than bedroom" volume (master around 10 o'clock, Top Boost volume around noon or slightly higher) with no complaints thus far. Clean, I typically dime the master and set TB volume to around 8 o'clock. The VOX is a good amp, but I'm looking for something a little different. I've always loved Fender amps, but the only one I've ever owned was a HRD that had the typical volume taper issues.

This brings us to my question. I'm thinking of getting a DRRI and utilizing one of the many good OD pedals on the market, particularly Catalinbread's Foundation line. I'm never going to be able to get the natural saturation out of the Deluxe Reverb in my situation as I don't gig and my living arrangements simply don't allow that sort of volume. I'm fine with this, but my experience with this amp is limited, so I'm curious to know if the DRRI will be able to be set to a reasonable clean volume, and then engage an OD without a huge volume spike.
Opinions?

Oh, and I'm not opposed to a Princeton Reverb Reissue either!

Thanks everyone!

Brian


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:24 am
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It sounds like the PRRI might be a better tactical fit for your situation.

You might also consider a vintage Champ or Vibrochamp......those six watts can get mighty loud.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 3:56 pm
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"so I'm curious to know if the DRRI will be able to be set to a reasonable clean volume, and then engage an OD without a huge volume spike."

I'ts been my experience that almost every distortion pedal comes with a volume knob. That being said, you should be able to engage an OD without a huge volume spike. Just match the volume level on the OD to match the amps clean volume level.
Hope this helps.
socal323

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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 6:09 pm
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Thanks for the replies.

I had a chance to stop at Guitar Center after work this evening and tried the DRRI again. While I didn't try it with an overdrive pedal, I found that it was very easy to dial in a good low volume tone clean tone. It wasn't whisper quiet, but I could have a conversation over the amp.

And yeah, I guess I forgot about that ol' volume control on the pedal. :oops:

I'm fairly confident that the Deluxe will suit my needs perfectly. I was actually quite taken with the tones that this amp produced. It's very rich and warm, with that drippy Fender tube reverb goodness. My VOX sounds like cardboard by comparison.

Now to decide on which overdrive(s)!


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 7:00 pm
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If you can crank up your 15w ss amp that much, I think you could get away w/a DRRI volume on 3 or there about. I can get some very nice picking dynamics at that volume, from clean to very sight breakup. W/a pedal you can get any amount of grit you want. cheers


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 7:22 pm
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Yeah, I noticed that about the DRRI. It got some very slight breakup around 3 or 4, which with a P-90 loaded Les Paul, was to die for. I was in "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt 2." solo territory.

Oh, and the AC15C2 is actually all tube, sans the rectifier. :D It can be one loud mother!


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 11:27 pm
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bmurphyhd28 wrote:
Yeah, I noticed that about the DRRI. It got some very slight breakup around 3 or 4, which with a P-90 loaded Les Paul, was to die for. I was in "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt 2." solo territory.

Oh, and the AC15C2 is actually all tube, sans the rectifier. :D It can be one loud mother!

Oops my mistake. Well I'll tell you what, if you can get away w/playing the DRRI at 5 you may not even want an od pedal. You get beautiful breakup there. IMO nothing compares to that old school natural sound. I found it tolerable at 4 or 5 while playing in my little studio, unfortunately my neighbors didn't. So now I keep it on 3. :D


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:32 am
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Colleagues a question please! As a relative newb to this guitar/amp thing I am trying to find my way. I keep reading about the DRRI and volume setting at 5 for that great sound on the threshold of break up and all that other good stuff. But it is difficult because of how loud things get especially in a "home" setting.

My question is this, can you not set the amp volume at 5 and control the guitar volume? Or is the expectation that the guitar volume is always at max?

For example, with amp volume at 5, is the "sound" the same with guitar volume at 5 or at 10 other than the volume? or am I missing something?

ginop
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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:38 am
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What you describe won't work. The amp is being driven into natural overdrive due to the volume on the amp AND the input volume, i.e. your guitar. Turning up the amp's volume to get overdrive and then backing off your guitar's volume will only serve to clean the signal back up. To do what you would like, which is get that tube saturation at lowish levels, would require the use of a power attenuator.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:40 am
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Here's a link to Weber's page on attenuators.

http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:02 am
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http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm

Thanks bmurphy interesting read!
ginop


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 3:58 pm
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palermog wrote:
Colleagues a question please! As a relative newb to this guitar/amp thing I am trying to find my way. I keep reading about the DRRI and volume setting at 5 for that great sound on the threshold of break up and all that other good stuff. But it is difficult because of how loud things get especially in a "home" setting.

My question is this, can you not set the amp volume at 5 and control the guitar volume? Or is the expectation that the guitar volume is always at max?

For example, with amp volume at 5, is the "sound" the same with guitar volume at 5 or at 10 other than the volume? or am I missing something?


Hi Palermog,

what you're describing - setting the amp to a point of saturation and then rolling back the guitars' volume - would cause the signal to become clean. If the objective was to set the amp to a particular distorted tone and then decrease the overall volume from there, this would require the use of a master volume amp. (You see, there are master- and non-master volume amps. The DRRI is an example of a non-master volume amp. Old school. You turn it up, and it breaks up the harder you push it. Master volume amps have a second knob used to drop the overall volume once the preamp is pushed to a desired level.)


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 4:24 pm
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Hi Palermog,

what you're describing - setting the amp to a point of saturation and then rolling back the guitars' volume - would cause the signal to become clean. If the objective was to set the amp to a particular distorted tone and then decrease the overall volume from there, this would require the use of a master volume amp. (You see, there are master- and non-master volume amps. The DRRI is an example of a non-master volume amp. Old school. You turn it up, and it breaks up the harder you push it. Master volume amps have a second knob used to drop the overall volume once the preamp is pushed to a desired level.)


Thanks Toronado

I am beginning to see "said the blind man". I am beginning to see or understand the discussions around speaker changes in the DRRI to a lower 50 or 25 watt model to facilitate an earlier break up and still maintain some decent headroom. I just question why Fender would drop a 100W speaker in the DRRI when the fan base appears to not like the stock set up? Got em cheap or?
The attenuator option was also interesting, though I am not sure I would go down that road....still learning.......thanks again

ginop


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:34 am
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palermog wrote:
Thanks Toronado

I am beginning to see "said the blind man". I am beginning to see or understand the discussions around speaker changes in the DRRI to a lower 50 or 25 watt model to facilitate an earlier break up and still maintain some decent headroom. I just question why Fender would drop a 100W speaker in the DRRI when the fan base appears to not like the stock set up? Got em cheap or?
The attenuator option was also interesting, though I am not sure I would go down that road....still learning.......thanks again

ginop


I know what you mean.. My AC15 has a 15W Celestion Blue. I think the concept of a speaker "giving 'er all she's got" is a good mode to live by. :lol:


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Post subject: Re: DRRI - Low(ish) volume with dirt pedal
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:59 am
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palermog wrote:
I just question why Fender would drop a 100W speaker in the DRRI when the fan base appears to not like the stock set up? Got em cheap or?


+1

Whatever the motivation, it surely escapes me as well. "Back in the day", the OEM speaker for a Deluxe Reverb was a 30-watt driver from Jensen, Oxford, or Utah.

Arjay

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