Deluxe reverb clone
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FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
All tubes are JJ you say...
So the 6v6 too?
I don't like those, it's hard to describe what I hear but I feel like they sound "deep", "full of bass", and not wanting to break up smoothly. They are loud and cold to me, like the bigger 6L6 tubes... But not as smooth.
To be honest I find the JJ 12ax7 nearly the same. A dark sound. Not "sweet".
If you can only get new tubes, try the Electro Harmonix 6v6, or Tung Sol 6v6.
If you must stick with the JJ, I find they sound best to me with a hot bias. They have huge plates inside the tube to make them strong and long lasting in amps that beat up 6v6. So I feel like the bias settings for regular 6v6 are too cold for JJ. they can handle a high bias. Too high and they become noisy but I have never seen them get red plates which means the bias is too hot.
So when you can try to find some "normal" 6v6, I think they help a lot.
Try to find a brighter tube for your first 12ax7 for what channel you use (v1 for normal, v2 for vibrato channel). Electro Harmonix or Tung Sol are good and I like Sovtek LPS also. Chinese even works.
Also remember that if you're using the vibrato channel, there is a capacitor that gives more treble at lower volume settings, the cap effect goes away when you turn it up loud. Try to turn the volume up very loud, then turn your guitar volume to low. Like half or less volume on the guitar. It makes the amp have less treble and the guitar have less treble too.
What else...
The old amps had cabs of Pine wood. If yours is not pine it will not sound like the old ones. Many new ones are made of Birch but some are Pine.
A lot of old deluxe reverb are not "perfect" like they were new. Various parts values drift with age. If you play some of the old amps they can each have their own sound because the parts don't age the same.
Transformers... The old transformers people say they sound different. This can make big difference.
The old speakers were often ones called Oxford. They were not loud and they had... A vintage sound? Hard to describe. Maybe you are thinking of that sound.
And old tubes sound different also! They were made differently back then. I try to buy old tubes when I can afford them. They sound better to me. A lot better.
But you have a good amp from what I can see inside. I think a big part of the modern sound you get is from JJ tubes. They are good tubes for some amps bit I don't like them in fenders unless you want a loud, "hard" "deep" sound.
Also this is hard but... Try not to think about it too much. If you add other instruments with a band, no one can tell if you have an old or new amp except those few in the audience who are "guitar obsessed". It looks like a good amp from here! Congratulations and I hope you find ways to get your vintage tone
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All tubes are JJ you say...
So the 6v6 too?
I don't like those, it's hard to describe what I hear but I feel like they sound "deep", "full of bass", and not wanting to break up smoothly. They are loud and cold to me, like the bigger 6L6 tubes... But not as smooth.
To be honest I find the JJ 12ax7 nearly the same. A dark sound. Not "sweet".
If you can only get new tubes, try the Electro Harmonix 6v6, or Tung Sol 6v6.
If you must stick with the JJ, I find they sound best to me with a hot bias. They have huge plates inside the tube to make them strong and long lasting in amps that beat up 6v6. So I feel like the bias settings for regular 6v6 are too cold for JJ. they can handle a high bias. Too high and they become noisy but I have never seen them get red plates which means the bias is too hot.
So when you can try to find some "normal" 6v6, I think they help a lot.
Try to find a brighter tube for your first 12ax7 for what channel you use (v1 for normal, v2 for vibrato channel). Electro Harmonix or Tung Sol are good and I like Sovtek LPS also. Chinese even works.
Also remember that if you're using the vibrato channel, there is a capacitor that gives more treble at lower volume settings, the cap effect goes away when you turn it up loud. Try to turn the volume up very loud, then turn your guitar volume to low. Like half or less volume on the guitar. It makes the amp have less treble and the guitar have less treble too.
What else...
The old amps had cabs of Pine wood. If yours is not pine it will not sound like the old ones. Many new ones are made of Birch but some are Pine.
A lot of old deluxe reverb are not "perfect" like they were new. Various parts values drift with age. If you play some of the old amps they can each have their own sound because the parts don't age the same.
Transformers... The old transformers people say they sound different. This can make big difference.
The old speakers were often ones called Oxford. They were not loud and they had... A vintage sound? Hard to describe. Maybe you are thinking of that sound.
And old tubes sound different also! They were made differently back then. I try to buy old tubes when I can afford them. They sound better to me. A lot better.
But you have a good amp from what I can see inside. I think a big part of the modern sound you get is from JJ tubes. They are good tubes for some amps bit I don't like them in fenders unless you want a loud, "hard" "deep" sound.
Also this is hard but... Try not to think about it too much. If you add other instruments with a band, no one can tell if you have an old or new amp except those few in the audience who are "guitar obsessed". It looks like a good amp from here! Congratulations and I hope you find ways to get your vintage tone
Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk
Nostalgic Distortion
New member
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
I had the exact opposite problem with my 6V6 “Deluxe Clone” & the JJ 6L6 voiced 6V6’s were essentially how I solved it! So in your case I’d definitely start with some different valves...
Mine was originally loaded with these NOS Sylvania 6V6’s & they gave it a almost Tweed Deluxe breakup & early too! Perhaps something similar would work for you? The build quality of your clone definitely looks great though!!!
I had the exact opposite problem with my 6V6 “Deluxe Clone” & the JJ 6L6 voiced 6V6’s were essentially how I solved it! So in your case I’d definitely start with some different valves...
Mine was originally loaded with these NOS Sylvania 6V6’s & they gave it a almost Tweed Deluxe breakup & early too! Perhaps something similar would work for you? The build quality of your clone definitely looks great though!!!
Nostalgic Distortion
New member
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
a deluxe reverb never came stock with an alnico speaker. usually a fairly wimpy oxford during the bf era.
i like jj power tubes but they dont sound like a vintage 6v6. the tung sol is a fine option. i know nothing about a late 70's p12n. the old 50's & early 60's ones are great speakers though
a deluxe reverb never came stock with an alnico speaker. usually a fairly wimpy oxford during the bf era.
i like jj power tubes but they dont sound like a vintage 6v6. the tung sol is a fine option. i know nothing about a late 70's p12n. the old 50's & early 60's ones are great speakers though
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
I like jjs. They just do the job reliably and with no complaints.
There are a lot of factors at play. Perhaps the op has simply found that the blackface style sound is not for him. Perhaps looking at a tweed deluxe is a good option.
Perhaps it is the guitar. We dont know.
Perhaps it is the speaker. Certainly something like a cannabis rex will add deep warm lows and smooth off the tops. Perhaps the speaker is not the issue at all.
"Too modern" and "vintage" could be a bunch of different things to different people.
But if i had to guess about the problem..i would be looking at the "bright cap". If you are running the amp on full it wont make a difference but most people run their deluxes around 4. Removing or snipping the bright cap will create a much warmer, fatter, less brittle tone at lower volumes. It is an easy, free of cost, popular and reversible mod.
The other less well known mod that makes a noticeable difference is known as the "nashville mod" and involves changing the 4.7k resistor in the tone stack to 10k. This is the equivalent of simply turning up the "non existent" mids knob on the deluxe. Again an easy, cheap and reversible mod.
It is a fools errand to spend money on fairly expensive stuff like looking for nos tubes or speaker swapping without trying these two simple mods.
I like jjs. They just do the job reliably and with no complaints.
There are a lot of factors at play. Perhaps the op has simply found that the blackface style sound is not for him. Perhaps looking at a tweed deluxe is a good option.
Perhaps it is the guitar. We dont know.
Perhaps it is the speaker. Certainly something like a cannabis rex will add deep warm lows and smooth off the tops. Perhaps the speaker is not the issue at all.
"Too modern" and "vintage" could be a bunch of different things to different people.
But if i had to guess about the problem..i would be looking at the "bright cap". If you are running the amp on full it wont make a difference but most people run their deluxes around 4. Removing or snipping the bright cap will create a much warmer, fatter, less brittle tone at lower volumes. It is an easy, free of cost, popular and reversible mod.
The other less well known mod that makes a noticeable difference is known as the "nashville mod" and involves changing the 4.7k resistor in the tone stack to 10k. This is the equivalent of simply turning up the "non existent" mids knob on the deluxe. Again an easy, cheap and reversible mod.
It is a fools errand to spend money on fairly expensive stuff like looking for nos tubes or speaker swapping without trying these two simple mods.
Last edited:
dystrust
New member
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
It really depends on what you're after as well. I have JJ 6V6s in my Egnater Tweaker, but I mostly use it for clean or edge of breakup tones and the 6L6 vibe is definitely a plus for that.
It really depends on what you're after as well. I have JJ 6V6s in my Egnater Tweaker, but I mostly use it for clean or edge of breakup tones and the 6L6 vibe is definitely a plus for that.
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
Yeah, I was using the amp for dead clean. It was too bright with the JJs. Funny, the EH or Mesa tubes are the best sounding in there.
Yeah, I was using the amp for dead clean. It was too bright with the JJs. Funny, the EH or Mesa tubes are the best sounding in there.
justFred
Well-known member
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
think Mesa designs their amps as a fully integrated system...have tried swapping tubes and speakers in mine and it just doesn't sound good...Fender is horrible in that regard...they will put a $5 "Special (lowest bidder) Design" speaker in a thousand dollar amp...
think Mesa designs their amps as a fully integrated system...have tried swapping tubes and speakers in mine and it just doesn't sound good...Fender is horrible in that regard...they will put a $5 "Special (lowest bidder) Design" speaker in a thousand dollar amp...
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
With due respect most of Mesa stuff comes in at a higher price point than your usual supersonic or hot rod DeVille etc. If I wanted the same stuff as my supersonic at the same price, from Mesa, I would have had to go used or stick to the express 5:25 which has a boxy sound to me (very good amp though).
And as far as $5 special design
It's not everyone's taste but the lightning bolt by eminence is a good speaker. Not super great but it doesn't need a speaker swap right away. Many still do swap it, but I think they either know their taste very well or are not giving the lightning bolt a fair shake or just don't trust special design speakers... I get that. They used to be kinda bad.
The one in my supersonic is versatile and has a decent thick breakup. It is not nearly as stiff and harsh as that c12k they stick in the deluxe reverb ri... I went back to the lightning bolt for a few months to see if I still liked it after putting a regular production eminence in for a while and it doesn't sound cheap.
Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk
With due respect most of Mesa stuff comes in at a higher price point than your usual supersonic or hot rod DeVille etc. If I wanted the same stuff as my supersonic at the same price, from Mesa, I would have had to go used or stick to the express 5:25 which has a boxy sound to me (very good amp though).
And as far as $5 special design
It's not everyone's taste but the lightning bolt by eminence is a good speaker. Not super great but it doesn't need a speaker swap right away. Many still do swap it, but I think they either know their taste very well or are not giving the lightning bolt a fair shake or just don't trust special design speakers... I get that. They used to be kinda bad.
The one in my supersonic is versatile and has a decent thick breakup. It is not nearly as stiff and harsh as that c12k they stick in the deluxe reverb ri... I went back to the lightning bolt for a few months to see if I still liked it after putting a regular production eminence in for a while and it doesn't sound cheap.
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FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Deluxe reverb clone
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Someday, when money is better, I really believe old glass helps, but for now do the best with what you can! I can't afford the tubes I want right now either so don't feel bad.
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