Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

[Justice4all]

I really dont know where to start......
Ok, recieved my RHR 100 Head and matching Rivera cab about a week ago.
I got the 6L6 version over the EL34, but they gave me a set of the 34's as well, so i can re bias and whack them in if i feel the need.... at this point i dont! They came with the winged =C= SV's tubes factory so pretty happy with that!
This amp is very very well made and looks really impressive next to my aging Marshall, and does all it does then SUM!!!! with out even trying.
It is a 3 channel head with a boost on each.... ran through a midi pedal, which comes standard.
1st channel, clean..... dear me... nearly dyed!!! It has the most glassy, full sounding yet so punchy it will knock u over clean sound i have ever heard come outta a 100 watt head...... it is so fender like its not funny!!
So much headroom and spank, i spent an hour on this channel before i tryed anything else, but then you turn up the channel 1 gain, whack in the boost,and hello vox is here..... amazing blues sounds also from this channel!
I cant say enough about it.
Sorry for the long post! :smack:
Channel 2. ok i'll make this sorter... everything from mild overdriven tones
to chrunchy plexi sounds and then more gain on tap, and so many tone options via push pull pots with different Hz values! and a boost channel here also which ingages more saturated tones, not buzzy or harsh... sustain 4 days! OOps almost forgot a major point about this monster.... articulation from every channel, everything is SO tight and focused, palm mutes leap from the speakers with amazing clarity.
The focus and presence knobs have alot to do with this.
Channel 3. This is "metal tone" but not buzzy and mushy like so many others. Just chrushing, this thing is a "LOUD" amp! even though it share channel 2's eq, it has a distint voice of its own, i favour this for lead, and over the top fury, again with note deffernition u wouldnt believe from a high gain head. This is great to for neck pup lead work with the boost on..
Santana liquard sustian here!
Im still buzzing and finding out the many array of sounds available in this beast! so sorry for the blabbing!!!!! :smack:

The cab is a 4 x 12 Rivera loaded with 2 x V30's and 2 x G12s.....
very happy with this combo, cover alot of different frequencys, and man it look CLASSY!!!!!!!

So i must take some pics..... very purty amp!! And by NO means a 1 or 2 trick pony...... country guys use it, and slipknot.

Back to it!!!

Pics soon! :saeek:

 

[joelap]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Beautiful man! Welcome to the wonderful world of amazing guitar tone.

I hope to be there soon...

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Rivera makes amazing stuff. If I recall correctly, Paul Rivera worked for Fender for a while, although I could be mistaken. Your amp sounds killer. There is a big difference in quality when you jump from the stock Marshall and Mesa amps to the Rivera's, Soldano's ect of the world. You pay a few hundred more than the price of say a new TSL head, but you get a world of difference. I'd much rather pay $1500 for a used Rivera or other such amp than $1200-1300 for a new stock Marshall. Hands down the best choice.

Enjoy.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

People are seeing the light, there is stuff outside of Mesa and Marshall. I haven't been crazy about some of the Rivera's I've played (Jake, Fandango etc.), but the Knucklehead seemed pretty good from when I could remember.

It's amazing the quality you can get for around $1200... it's EVEN better in the low $2000. Do what I do, get a new amp for cheap, save up money, sell the amp, get an upgraded one and repeat... eventually you'll run out of room to move up to (my Bad Cat Hot Cat will last me quite a while though, it's one incredible amp... clips will be done within the next couple of days ).

 

[Justice4all]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

It is voiced different than other highgain amps i have owned but not in a bad way. You notice how good well made and well researched amps are when u are in a band situation or playing live. It really has its own space when in that inviroment. stands out really easily in the mix, really great.
And still retains that really focused bottom end that my marshalls and mesa's never had.
This will be a major keeper for sure!

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Sounds fantastic.

I used to hang out with a repair guy who custom ordered a 100 watt 4x10 combo. That was a great amp.

Did you get it through audiozone?

 

[Justice4all]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Sounds fantastic.

I used to hang out with a repair guy who custom ordered a 100 watt 4x10 combo. That was a great amp.

Did you get it through audiozone?

i surely did, simon is a great guy.......
would recommend him to anyone wanted high end gear at great prices.
He really looks after you.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

and yeah, Paul Rivera designed a range of amps for fender around the end of the 70s. Apparently they were pretty good pieces.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Congrats!!
You are now part of the secret Rivera sect!

I've been singing Rivera's praises for years, and people are starting to catch on now, which is terrific! You have the reverb head, Justice? How's the 'verb on that head?

 

[Neeradj]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Rivera makes amazing stuff. If I recall correctly, Paul Rivera worked for Fender for a while, although I could be mistaken.

You're not, one of the Fenders Paul Rivera designed was the Fender Concert, the '80's point to point wired clean wonder! I have the oportunity of trading my Tele for one, but I really want cash, I'm still considering it though. Heck, one of the best clean tones ever, not really a chance to pass on is it? :dance:


Congrats on your amp BTW, Justice4All

 

[Justice4all]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Congrats!!
You are now part of the secret Rivera sect!

I've been singing Rivera's praises for years, and people are starting to catch on now, which is terrific! You have the reverb head, Justice? How's the 'verb on that head?

Yeah i do twilight, the verb is actually quite nice, dependng on what effectt u are going for with it, i use it on about 3-5 nice and full sounding....... any higher and it sounds like u are playing in a hall the size of texas if u get my meaning... on that higher setting it does detail the higher end of the sound, not bringing all the bottom end in with it. Very open and huge sounding.....
If you get what im describing.....
But HUGELY happy with this beast..... absolutely! :dance:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

A few weeks ago, there was that thread about the greatest amp designers, where of course, Rivera, Bogner, Bruno, Soldano, Randall Smith and other names came up. The 90's was the 'coming of age' for tube amps, IMO. The boutique builders are the benchmark now. Now, it's going to be an uphill battle for companies like Fender, Vox, and Marshall to keep up.

There's an amazing feeling you get when you plug into something like a top of the line Rivera, Bogner, Dr. Z, or Bruno, and it's about time that more features doesn't equal less tone. It used to be the case, but less and less everyday, now.
If there's one place you don't want to be cheap and skimp on, it's your amp!!

 

[Panzer]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

I am hoping to join the club this winter myself. I am really loving the 55 watt knucklehead. Cheers to Twilight-Odyssey for showing me the light. .
Awesome to hear that your happy Justice4All

 

[TwofacePimp]

Re: Rivera is in the house!!!!!!

Yes!!! Rivera owners unite!!!

In my life, I've owned two knuckleheads. After foolishly trading away the first one, I spotted another on ebay about 6 months ago and snagged it. It is one hell of an amp. It is also the only piece of gear that I sold and then bought an identical one later (and I've gone through a lot of gear!).