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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:33 pm
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Building your own amps does not always end in a result you desire. But maybe the success rate is greater than buying retail currently. And it does help to live in a country that has ample supplies on parts and chassis for D.I.Y. Not every country has the second hand market or parts manufacturers that allows one to easily shop around or D.I.Y.

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:51 pm
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AaronK wrote:
Building your own amps does not always end in a result you desire.


Perhaps.

But having a collection of time-tested and sonically-proven vintage gems designed by Leo and maintained to factory specs virtually guarantees results.

If it didn't, all those old amps would've been discarded decades ago and we'd all be playing contemporary fizz-boxes that the MTV crowd swoons over.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 3:15 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
AaronK wrote:
Building your own amps does not always end in a result you desire.


Perhaps.

But having a collection of time-tested and sonically-proven vintage gems designed by Leo and maintained to factory specs virtually guarantees results.

If it didn't, all those old amps would've been discarded decades ago and we'd all be playing contemporary fizz-boxes that the MTV crowd swoons over.

Arjay


+1,000
I agree somewhat about the end result. That was not the case with any of my builds. I have been nothing but thrilled with the tone and reliability so far. As far as living in a country without parts availability, you probably won't find good amps there either vintage or new. No parts, no repairs or builds. I would go boutique if I didn't build. I'm a huge fan of Victoria amps. Best Fender amps being built today IMO.

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 8:21 am
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63supro wrote:
....................I would go boutique if I didn't build. I'm a huge fan of Victoria amps. Best Fender amps being built today IMO.

What about the RedPlates? Seem to be very Fender-like (from specs and Demos). How do they compare w/ the Victoria?

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:59 am
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IM4Tone wrote:
63supro wrote:
....................I would go boutique if I didn't build. I'm a huge fan of Victoria amps. Best Fender amps being built today IMO.

What about the RedPlates? Seem to be very Fender-like (from specs and Demos). How do they compare w/ the Victoria?


Victoria has one huge advantage. A Lifetime Warranty as opposed to RedPlate's three year warranty. Too many bells and whistles for me but they look great. I saw a demo and the only one I didn't like was a Tweedyverb. Sounded a little boxy at lower volumes, but nice cranked up. But their Signature series is off the hook. I'd still go with Victoria. I had a chance to gig with one that a dear friend lent me. It was magic.

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:42 pm
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63supro wrote:
Victoria has one huge advantage. A Lifetime Warranty as opposed to RedPlate's three year warranty.


+1

And ironically, Victoria's products are the amps that are least likely to need such an assurance among all the available brands (whether they're the "600-gorilla" or a boutique builder).

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:08 pm
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+1 Arjay!
Redplate, takes basic Fender designs and modifies the snot out of them adding gain stages midi outputs etc. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a simple great sounding design. Complexity yields problems. That's why Leo's designs are still working 60 years later. There's something to be said for simplicity. Effect loops? My Egnater has an effects loop that I never use. My Twin, Bandmaster, Vibrolux Reverb, Champ and Deluxe Reverb never had them. Nether did my Danalectro's, Sunn or Ampeg. Just one less thing to go wrong.

I'm not saying Redplate and other boutique amps are bad by any means, just that the simple amps seem to be the least trouble prone. Dr. Z, Carr and many others do a great job. My Egnater Rebel 20 is the most complex amp I own. It sounds great and has been trouble free for the past three years, but I know I won't get 30+ years out of it. Once I build my next amp, I may even sell it. I;m going back to a simple approach. It's amazing how many tonal varations you can get from a simple 5e3 circuit especially when you jumper the channels. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:45 pm
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63supro wrote:
Complexity yields problems. That's why Leo's designs are still working 60 years later.


+1000

Stick with a basic-but-reliable amp platform and let the stompbox designers do the heavy lifting.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 11:54 pm
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Can't go wrong with that advice.

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 7:00 am
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my DRRI (new) has that same reverb issue, but I really don't use the reverb past 3 &, in practical terms, it hasn't been a problem; 'frustrating, 'tho-I agree that spending $1000 for a piece of gear that is immediately problematic is......oh, well.......BTW, B sure that the VIBRATO footswitch button is OFF even if both control knobs are @ 0


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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 3:25 am
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Hello folks,1st post.
I'm probably past due on this but hopefully can ease the panic button a little bit.Recently purchased a 65 DRRI myself and had a little "quality" time to spend with the 12AT7s.I agree with the person who says that a stout 12AT7 should be used.Once I found out exactly which tube was problematic I ordered a new pair of them(12AT7s).Upon insertion into the amp I got the howling/feedback you guys are describing(crap!),I swapped it out with the other from the pair and it worked,the pair was supposed to have been checked for low noise and microphonics?So ya they can be a problem straight out of the box,or in a new amp as the case may be.
The other issue I came across while trouble shooting the tubes was the reverb tank itself.Its not exactly screwed into the bottom of the amp,its held in place with the 2 screws (where it sits/rests) in the bag its contained in,which rests on top of a cardboard sheet.I removed the cardboard from under the tank and applied self adhering 1/8 x 1/2" foam strips to the bottom flanges of the tank.This works really well with the over excited "footfall" noise from the tank through the amp.Hope this might help some folks who might run into the same issues/problems with their amp.


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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 6:49 am
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" Little "quality" time to spend with the 12AT7s. "

This tube is placed in very critical positions. Esp for a quiet, warm-rounded tone amp. The reverb driver and the phase inverter. I use mil spec 12AT7WA (6201) in the reverb driver. This tube is really the driver of a small single-ended amp that powers the tank --- the more potent the 12AT7 the better the reverb tone. Mil spec tubes can handle the current demand of the reverb section. Many 12AT7 lose potency or become noisy in this postion.

And a quiet, well-balanced (across the two anodes) 12AT7 for the PI (in amps that use this tube). This lends to a better tone. Better onset of OD. IMHO.

This makes a big difference. As much as any fancy 12AX7 (ECC83)...


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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 3:35 am
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Thanks for the info BMW2002Ti,I will try and locate some of those.


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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:06 am
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rhythmism wrote:
...The other issue I came across while trouble shooting the tubes was the reverb tank itself.Its not exactly screwed into the bottom of the amp,its held in place with the 2 screws (where it sits/rests) in the bag its contained in,which rests on top of a cardboard sheet....


That is done on purpose in some combos to prevent mechanical coupling of the tank and cab, reducing the likelihood of feedback in the reverb tank. The more solidly the tank is mounted, the more likely it is to get the "howl" or feedback. Leaving the tank loose inside the bag is common for many Fender amps, it isn't meant to be mounted solidly. Heads usually have the tank mounted more solidly, albeit with rubber grommets so that it isn't too solid.

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Post subject: Re: New DRRI Issues
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:56 am
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shimmilou wrote:
rhythmism wrote:
...The other issue I came across while trouble shooting the tubes was the reverb tank itself.Its not exactly screwed into the bottom of the amp,its held in place with the 2 screws (where it sits/rests) in the bag its contained in,which rests on top of a cardboard sheet....


That is done on purpose in some combos to prevent mechanical coupling of the tank and cab, reducing the likelihood of feedback in the reverb tank. The more solidly the tank is mounted, the more likely it is to get the "howl" or feedback. Leaving the tank loose inside the bag is common for many Fender amps, it isn't meant to be mounted solidly. Heads usually have the tank mounted more solidly, albeit with rubber grommets so that it isn't too solid.


+1

That's why only the bag is screwed to the bottom of the cabinet. The tank itself "floats" to kinetically decouple it from the primary source of potential vibrations.

Arjay

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