Reeves amps?

[J Moose]

Anyone have hands-on time with one of his creations? Specifically wondering about the 6-18 watt models and what the actual flavors & variety of tones are. Grapevine says these amps rock... and while I rarely put stock into clips & only hope to get an inkling of what an amps about, some of the ones on the site are truly bad... hiding behind midi drums and the like.

The 10 watt custom in particular has me intrigued... http://www.reevesamps.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=54

Thanks!

 

[loudriver23]

Re: Reeves amps?

I've played the Custom 50PS. Their take on the Hiwatt.
I really enjoyed this amp, and if I had enough money I would have bought it on the spot.
I didn't try to 10 watt guy.

 

[J Moose]

Re: Reeves amps?

Was the 50 really "like" a Hiwatt, or of the vibe with some different spices?

Build quality? Tonal range? Spill it mang!

 

[loudriver23]

Re: Reeves amps?

I can't answer that honestly as I've never played an actual Hiwatt. Strange I know, but that would make sense for me. I'm not very good at describing amp sounds, and since i was playing a loaner LP instead of my beloved strat it wasn't the best demo in the world.
That said, the tone was clean, and warm without being muddy or sterile. Clean but not in that Fender kind of way. As pushed the amp a little harder the light hair OD was really quite nice. Not woolly or creamy, just a little hair like a slight bump from a TS. I experimented with the power soak a bit and found it did a pretty good job at keeping a decent tone as I turned down the loud.
I wouldn't mine another more extensive test drive with my own strat someday, and I'm kicking myself for not bringing it to the show.:banghead::banghead::banghead:
I hope this helps a tiny bit.

 

[claytonc]

Re: Reeves amps?

I have had considerable experience with Bill's (Bill Jansen owner of Reeves Amplification) amps. Being only an hour and a half away from me, Bill has come to the Vintage HIWATT Convention all 3 years. He always brings several amps to show.

For the last three years Reeves amps have been built in Cincy. Prior to that he was simply rebadging amps produced by Music Ground/HIWATT UK.

Now Bill is producing amps of Higher quality than HIWATT and at better prices.
As he likes to put it, he is out HIWATTing, HIWATT. Sadly today's HIWATTs are no where nearly as well built as those built from 1966-1981.

I am a Dave Reeves / Vintage HIWATT fanatic.

The Custom 50 uses the exact same circuitry as the new HIWATT Custom 50's, but has better transformers, and is built with more attention to detail and care.

The custom 18 is a hot little Rocker! This amp has 1970's-1980's rock tones in spades!

The HG 10 is a nasty little devil, that does just what it's name implies. this isn't my thing, but it is good for what it is.

Hope that helps!

-Clayton

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Reeves amps?

i'd love a Reeves!!!!

 

[FAC]

Re: Reeves amps?

Can't comment on the lower wattage models, but I do have experience with Reeves. I've had a Custom 50 combo since June. The amp is stellar. The customer service is stellar. I love the tone. I would HIGHLY recommend them.

Two of my other amps have been sold since I got the Reeves (both excellent "boutique" amps, in their own right...um, just not when sitting next to the Reeves, hence, they're gone). I'm down to the Reeves and a Victoria 20112.

I had plans to perhaps pick up a Reeves Custom 30 with Power Scaling, to use as the "dirty" amp with the Custom 50 as the "clean" amp, but I have been so happy with the Custom 50 with pedals that I have not followed through on that yet (I still might, when finances get better).

edit: and yes, the Custom 50 has that Hiwatt sound! I am certainly a Hiwatt-style amp convert!

 

[J Moose]

Re: Reeves amps?

The custom 18 is a hot little Rocker! This amp has 1970's-1980's rock tones in spades!

The HG 10 is a nasty little devil, that does just what it's name implies. this isn't my thing, but it is good for what it is.

Hope that helps! I doubt that you would be anything but impressed with a Reeves!

-Clayton

Yes indeed it does a bit...

Right now I have Fender & Marshall tones covered in spades and I'd like to unload my '84 JCM800 to get something with a different flavor. Tried a lot of different amps over the last few months and I'm starting to narrow it down a bit... I also have a UK built AC30 that I'm wavering on unloading. I love the tone but I don't play as many gigs as I used to and it's a little much these days.

Whatever I get will be used primarily for work/production so I don't really need a "giggable" amp... though it's gotta have enough headroom to hang with a drummer. If I sell the Vox I'll want something that can touch on the "chime" and open quality of that amp... The clips of the Reeves Custom 6 seem to embrace some of those qualities.

How similar is the voicing between the 6 and the 12? The clips sound NOTHING alike, and I prefer the 6 there but probably need the headroom of the 12. Also wondering if they have any clean tone/headroom to speak of, so many low-wattage amps I've played are instantly dirty with "one" volume... loud! Which, incidentally is why I consider keeping the AC30... because for as loud as it is, most all of the 18 watters I've run into aren't much quieter once I've got a tone I like.

And that HG10... are there clean tones in there too? Or is it mainly a "rock" machine? I like the idea of a single EL34 'cause other then the AC30 I haven't really liked a lot of EL84 amps.

I'm sure the Custom 18 would nail both cleans & dirt... that seems like a bad-ass.

Thanks again!

 

[J Moose]

Re: Reeves amps?

Two of my other amps have been sold since I got the Reeves (both excellent "boutique" amps, in their own right...um, just not when sitting next to the Reeves, hence, they're gone). I'm down to the Reeves and a Victoria 20112.

Which amps did the Reeves replace, and why?

 

[FAC]

Re: Reeves amps?

Which amps did the Reeves replace, and why?

The amps I sold were both great, high-quality amps, built by great companies run by great guys, so selling them had nothing to do with their quality...more to do with my tastes and how the amps fit in, or didn't, with the "sound in my head", and my inability to afford to have a large "stable" of amps lying around...

I sold a Carr Rambler (dual 6L6) and a TopHat Club Royale (dual EL84). I really liked the Rambler with my strat and tele, but I mainly play a Les Paul Black Beauty (with PhatCats) and a Les Paul Special Double Cutaway (P90) and the Rambler never really "did it" for me (YMMV...I think it excelled with Fender single coils, but it sounded a bit flat to me with humbuckers, and even P90s). The reason the TopHat went had everything to do with "chime"...again, a GREAT amp, great builder, I highly recommend them...but ultimately, it did not match the sound in my head.

To cut to the chase, I prefer the "chime", or more aptly described as "keeeraaang" that I get from the Reeves over the Vox-style amps. It certainly is a different sound, versus the typical Fender, Marshall, or Vox out there. I really like the "vintage purple" speaker, too...supposed to be like a vintage Fane, which is another reason it sounds different than the "big 3" amp makers...it uses a less-common speaker. The Custom 50 stays pretty clean, even when cranked, so I view it as a "clean machine", much like some folks use a Twin (or even an AC30, another loud-as-hell amp).

As an amp for the studio with a "different" sound than the Marshall/Vox/Fender, I think a Reeves would be great, but perhaps one of the lower-wattage ones, as you seem to be investigating. This is why I am also interested in the Reeves Custom 30 with Power Scaling...for an amp with a similar flavor/keeerrranng that can go into overdrive at lower volumes. That being said, Bill now has a Custom 50 with Power Scaling...I have not heard it yet, however, but the comments from above sound encouraging.

I would recommend e-mailing Bill at Reeves. He really helped me with my decision, and there is a money back guarantee if you don't like it (10 day trial period). I don't know of too many builders that have a trial period where you can get your money back.

 

[lexsongs]

Re: Reeves amps?

For the last three years Reeves amps have been built in Cincy. Prior to that he was simply rebadging amps produced by Music Ground/HIWATT UK.
-Clayton

How is the build quality on those UK-built MG/HIWATT - then rebadged as Reeves - amps? I hear Partridge transformers were used. Are they worth owning at all, I wonder. And is the tone reminiscent of a HIWATT from that great 66-81 era? I'm wondering if they were built to DR's original specs, specifically the UK-built "Custom Reeves 50".

Do you know in which years the rebadging was being done and/or is there a way to reference the serial # from one of these UK-built Reeves to find out a build date?

Thanks!