I'm sure this has been beat to death but I am asking anyway. I need some help / guidance with a possible new amp purchase.

To start I've been playing a Peavey Classic 50 for several years now. I love this amp and can't say enough positive things about it. I would recommend one to anyone looking for a solid, tube amp. That being said I am not 100% satisfied with it. The clean channel is not as lush and pristine as I would like (Think Steve Miller Band).

I'm convinced that with the insane amount of pedals available on todays market I can get any dirty / distorted sound I want. However, no pedal will give you the clean sound your ear desires. That's all amp baby!

Knowing this I've been considering selling my Classic 50 and buying a DRRI.

This is where you guys come in. I think I have heard all the positive things there are about the amp. That being said there are two sides to every coin.

What are the negatives of the DRRI? Is there a better amp choice than the DRRI considering the styles I like?

Classic Rock = Cream, Steely Dan, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd
Hard Rock = Van Halen, STP
Southern Rock = Outlaws, Skynard
Blues = Clapton, SRV, Albert King, Outlaws

I can't say for sure, because I do not own a DRRI but I believe that they are a favourite among those looking for pristine cleans. At 22 watts I might be concerned as to the amount of clean headroom available if you are a gigging musician. I am sure that there are others on this forum who would be able to give you first hand info.

I was raised on Strats, Teles and Marshall amplification, groovin to the same artists that you mention above and I have no intention of ever using anything else. However, if i was ever inclined to join the other side I would certainly be looking at a Custom Vibrolux instead of a DRRI. 40 watts, reverb and vibrato in both channels and two 10" Jensens make it worth a serious look.

Hope you find your answer

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Tim

Thanks for the response 7T.

I 'm not a gigging musician, but I've been told 22 watts is plenty. It's also my understanding that the DRRI's were designed for maximum headroom. I would imagine if you need something louder than 22 watts then the venue would more than likely have a PA system already in place. Maybe I'm wrong on that.

The vibrolux is nice but I prefer the sound of 12" speakers over 10's.

Pristine cleans can seriously be gotten from a Twin. The downside is, it's loud and heavy. I lugged mine around for over 30 years.
The DRRI has nice cleans to a point.

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal

Not at all I appreciate the input. I don't gig, so no access to a PA System.



I was under the impression it took a lot to break up a DRRI. Sounds like I need to do some more research.

Anybody tryout the new Ampeg line? They sound "Fenderesque" online but I've never played one in person.

You might want to look outside of the Fender family. I like the clean tones on the Jet City and Vox amps. If you are not gigging why not look into something like a Mustang. I think the Fender Super Sonic has a nice clean channel and two different voices.

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Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. Therefore, trust the physician and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility.-Khalil Gibran

Mustang is out because I don't care for amps with on-board digital effects and I am a tube amp snob.

I just checked out the Super Sonic demo over at Pro Guitar Shop. That's a nice sounding amp. If I understood it correctly, it's the same or similar to the Deluxe Reverb with an overdrive channel. This is now on my list of must check out. thanks Krab

No problem. Yeah the super sonic has the bassman and twin sounds. KWS uses one. I have to say I'm really happy with my Jet city, though a bassman is still in my future.

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Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. Therefore, trust the physician and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility.-Khalil Gibran

Not trying to add more to your plate, but another amp (one that I own) with a lot of headroom is the Fender Pro Junior. It is a bare bones amp (volume and tone, that's it) but you get a equilizer pedal and plug her in and you have a hell of a lot of diversity and headroom. It's all I need. You should plug into one if you are a lover of clean and don't do big gigs.

The DRRI gets pretty sweet around 5 or 6.
Ampeg has some very clean sounding lower wattage amps.

You have the remember, the higher the wattage, the more useable headroom there is.

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal