It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:22 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
Post subject: Re: 65 or 68
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:39 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:07 pm
Posts: 303
francric wrote:
I'm sure this may have been asked before. I'm in the market for a Fender amp. I really like the 65 and 68 Reissues. I lean a bit towards the 68 cause of the custom channel and the reverb and trem on both channels but the made in Mexico makes me worry a bit. Is that something I should worry about? Thanks.


Did you decide on which Fender is for you?

The first 68 CDR I bought last August went out on me in a couple of days.
GC replaced it quickly.
The second one, I originally thought had a problem with scratchy pots, but the issue turned out to be non OEM pre tubes I was using. That's the first time I had ever experienced pre tubes causing volume pots to be scratchy.

So, I thought it was the amp but it wasn't.
By the time I figured it out GC had sent me a 3rd CDR, but the second amp really didn't have any problems.

Both the DRRI and CDR have their have their positives.
You really do need to play them side by side to decide which one suits you best.

For me it is the CDR, obviously. :)
To my ears the CDR has a warmer tone, more mids. The highs are toned down and I think that's why some people say the DRRI is "cleaner".
But to me both amps are equally clean until you turn them up to where the power tubes start to break/distort.
With the CDR this happens about 1 notch lower on the volume on both of it's channels.
The effective volume level is not significant though.
DRRI goes on the tubes around 5-6, CDR around 4-5, but the volume level difference is barely noticeable.
The distortion is more noticeable.


Last edited by Rverb on Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: 65 or 68
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:56 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:07 pm
Posts: 303
Lynn Nicholson wrote:
I've owned two 65 TRRI's, a 65 DRRI, and a 68 Custom Vibrolux Reverb along with tons of other tube amps. You cannot add "clean" to an amp that distorts early on. However, you can add distortion to a perfectly clean amp like the 65 Twin Reverb. When the 68 CVR first came out I had hoped for a lightweight, lower power version of the Twin. The 65 Twin weighs 64 lbs. and the 68 CVR is about 42 lbs. I'm 67 and was getting tired of hauling 64 lbs.! I live 200+ miles from the nearest GC and at the time, GC's didn't have the 68 Custom series in stock. So there was no way for me to test drive one. I mail-ordered my 68 CVR, bought different, much better speakers and hard JJ 6L6's. And NOTHING I did could give me that sparkling clean sound of the 65 Twin. It was very good, but still ate at me that it wasn't a Twin sound. And so, in essence, you need to decide if you like/need that sparkling clean of the 65 Twin or if you can be happy with a little bit of grit in everything you play. Good luck whatever you decide. :)


Have you tried the HR DLXIII?
It's not a Twin, but when I had my HR I really liked it's clean and loud tone very much.
Of the modern Fender amps I've tried the HR was the closest in clean volume to the Twin.
The HR doesn't have the cache of the Twin, nor exact tone, but for the price it's one very nice Fender amp.

I think the thing with the 68 CVR is that it has a more compressed tone compared to the Twin, which has a more "open" tone to my ears.
The 68 CVR is it's own beast and seems to be tonally between a Twin and 68 CDR.

Sounds like you may be headed towards getting a Twin. :)
Have you played both the 65 and 68 versions?
I haven't had an opportunity to try a 68 Twin.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: