Hi all.
I need to know whether anyone has done this before and if so, whether there is a large improvement in tone.
I'm looking at getting a '65 Deluxe Reverb, simply because the venues and practice space I have, really have no use/need for a Twin, no matter how gorgeous that clean sound is.
My thought, take the lower power, slightly duller 6V6 tubes out of the Deluxe and replace them with almighty 6L6's for that sparkling, legendary fender clean tone.
Now this is all a theory, if this doesn't work or cannot be done, someone please correct me, and I know nothing beats the real thing but an 85w beast through 2x12" is massive overkill right now (ill never get it past 1.5-2). Alternatively, any suggestions of another fender amp that has that clean sound (you all know what i mean) would be much appreciated, I play alot of blues and rock (hendrix, clapton, SRV, mayer) and need to upgrade amps ASAP.

Cheers all

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I have a DRRI and have some 6L6's laying around. I'll try it and get back.

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Gary

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Ok, I just took out my JJ 6V6's and put in some TungSol 6L6s and the first thing I noticed was my mah bias was WAY high at 45. I turned it down to 24.5 mah @420 vdc and tried it there.

I guess it would depend on your guitar and pups, but I didn't like it and will be putting the 6V6's back in. And yes, it might of been clearer than the 6V6's, the tone was just too "Tinney" for me.

Back with a second thought after going back.

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Gary

6V6's will remain in my amp.

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Gary

Any comment about getting an attenuator
and keeping your amp and not modifying your amp
and not having to buy another amp?

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I'm curious about that to. I see no reason to lose a Twin for a DR. I'll trade him if he want's!

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Gary

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Thanks everyone. opinions are much appreciated.
Should've been clear that I was in the market for a DRRI OR a Twin Reverb. looking for a much overdue upgrade from a solid state POS.
Its sad to say your a gigging musician and still running high end guitars and effects through solid state amps.
Hou-Tex, much appreciated in trying that for me, considering looking at a super reverb as well, (lower wattage 6L6's) which i think is effectively a blackface bassman with a spring reverb and tremolo channel? Anyone tried/own one? and if so how do they compare in clarity to the twin?

Hey!!!
I have a couple of Solid State amps.
Real cool. Real light. Very flexible.
Different sounds & tones. Good stuff.
IMHO, each amp/guitar has it's own qualities.
Toppscore

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In the past, I havent minded solid states either; however, in recent times my own personal taste has developed, and those crisp highs and warm lows, an amp that responds to your playing technique and gear better than any other, just cant be replicated. That being said, they make very good practice amps, or for the starting musician. Im a real analog purist; analog delays and overdrive signal clipping, tubes, etc.
Each to their own i suppose

Once you go tube amps, theres no going back!

And I'm starting to get a pretty good collection of bottles. It's an addiction.

I LOVE my DRRI and am so glad I got it rather than anything else. The twin would of been much more power than I needed. But I wouldn't bother with trying 6L6's. I didn't like them. I'm using a set of JJ's in mine biased at right around 65% of plate dissipation and that seems to be the sweet spot. I also like the Jan Phillips 5751 that I have in V2 right now and have another on the way for V1 since I will be jumping both channels starting tomorrow. I have some TungSol and Sovtek 12AX7s I might play with for different tones.

Also have a speaker cab on the way since I already have the standard speaker laying around. That should give me more toys to play with. I'm a tinkerer.

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Gary

Thanks gary, I totally agree. Its odd how in this digital age so many people are going back to vintage style gear. Once you plug into a tube amp, that sound never leaves you.
from personal experience how would you describe the sound of your deluxe? Ill try one of course, but it gives me a rough idea. how loud does it get before it breaks up?

I don't go to the point up breakup because it will get me evicted. But I did find it around 5. Right now I'm sitting at a little over 2 on the vibrato channel since I was playing clean last night, country style with no effects. When I do want a little more hair I might go up to 4 and much depends on which pup position I am using which most times are single coils similar to an American Strat with my Godin. If I want a little more punch Ill use my MXR 10 band EQ and maybe drive the volume up while turning the amp back down a hair. Ill do this for blues and some old school rock when I don't want distortion, just a little oomph. I really like the MXR because I can increase the mids when I want a warmer tone than just the simple standard Strat sound. If you don't have one, get one.

You didn't mention what guitars you are using, but judging by your genre I would assume a Strat or something like that with single coils. On the vibrato channel the DRRI might be a thin/sharp for some pickers and thats probably why some do the bright cap clipping thing. I chose not to because sometimes I was a Tele sound and this amp is perfect for that on the vibrato channel. I never use the normal channel, at least not until I start channel jumping when my Big Shot arrives. Then I will be using both channels and see where that takes me.

My guitar has a Humbucker on the bridge and I dont like it for just about anything unless I am using my MXR and my Catalinbread Formula no. 5 box. Then I can get some much heavier tone out of my combination without sounding like trying to play metal through a Strat and a an amp that was designed for cleans. And that takes some tweaking.

Overall, I would rate the DRRI as the amp I wanted for my style of play as possibly the best for the money I was willing to spend. I'm sure there are boutique amps out there that sound much cleaner, but that comes with a price. At least for me, the DRRI was the perfect choice for me. A very good solid foundation to build upon. I never leave anything stock and this was the perfect amp for me to add my own little hop ups and have something I tuned myself.

I love it!

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Gary