Deluxe Reverb or equivalent?

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 19 Apr 2017 5:01 pm

I have been looking for a Deluxe Reverb or something like it. My issue is that Fender is making the Deluxe in Mexico and it is a cheap version of its former self. Granted, a Deluxe that cost $275 in1965 would cost over $2000 based on inflation calculators. You can get by a new Deluxe for $1099. They are cutting corners somewhere.
So, any suggestions? The DrZ Z-luxe looks great but is $2400.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 19 Apr 2017 5:22 pm

Get a clean 70s silverface Deluxe Reverb. They tend to hover around $1000-1200 at guitar shows and even some guitar dealers. I see them occasionally at $800-900, perhaps with a replaced speaker or needing a little attention in the filter cap department.

And I'm not talking about a beat-to-blazes one. They're out there if you look. Blows away the new stuff, IMHO.

Or a Vibrolux Reverb. Might be a hair more, but they're great.

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 19 Apr 2017 5:53 pm

Thanks Dave. Putting some money by in a used one would be a good investment.

Tim Heidner · Post by **Tim Heidner** » 19 Apr 2017 6:26 pm

The FSR Deluxe Reverb gets great reviews across the board. Sounds pretty sweet on youtube, too. Looks great, as well.

I wouldn't mind having a knotty pine.

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 20 Apr 2017 3:30 am

I would also keep an eye out for one of the smaller Music Man amps. I like mine much better than any Fender amp I have owned.

Robert

Norman Evans · Post by **Norman Evans** » 20 Apr 2017 4:08 am

This is a little pricey, but should be as good or better than an original.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alessandro-Hand ... Sw3ydVgitF

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 20 Apr 2017 5:33 am

SF Fender combo amp would be my alternative. Twin or maybe a
Pro Reverb, sometimes called "half a twin ".

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 20 Apr 2017 7:53 am

Thanks - very good suggestions. Tim, what is an FSR Deluxe and where do you get one? that looks very cool.
I wanted to be clear I ain't slamming Mexico because the made in Mexico Fender guitars are very nice. Just the amps apparently do not have the same quality control and also fender has reengineered the amp to be made in a less durable and therefore less expensive way. That Alessandro do-over is a great piece of work - never seen that and will follow up.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Apr 2017 7:58 am

Are you planning to use that amp for steel?

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 20 Apr 2017 8:02 am

Only as back up Erv. It would mostly be for 6 string. the Alessandro speaker is a 40 watt speaker and I really like the Jet Series by Jensen and they have a 100 watt version that sounds great.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Apr 2017 10:15 am

Sounds good!

Tim Heidner · Post by **Tim Heidner** » 20 Apr 2017 10:36 am

Fred Rogan wrote:Thanks - very good suggestions. Tim, what is an FSR Deluxe and where do you get one? that looks very cool.
I wanted to be clear I ain't slamming Mexico because the made in Mexico Fender guitars are very nice. Just the amps apparently do not have the same quality control and also fender has reengineered the amp to be made in a less durable and therefore less expensive way. That Alessandro do-over is a great piece of work - never seen that and will follow up.

It stands for Factory Special Release, they also have some they call Limited Edition with FSR badge, not sure if there's a difference.
You can find a few on reverb.com from different sellers, some new, some used. Some also have different speaker options, as well as tolex colors and the knotty pine. They also do a Princeton Reverb.
I don't know where they're made, and I haven't played one, but they look interesting.

https://www.google.com/search?q=fsr+del ... reverb.com

Norman Evans · Post by **Norman Evans** » 20 Apr 2017 1:52 pm

Here's another choice to look at. I like the looks of the Vintage35sc.
https://www.humbuckermusic.com/pages/vintage-sound-amps

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 21 Apr 2017 4:36 am

I have a 68 Fender Deluxe re-issue and use it about 75% of the time for steel and guitar. I swapped the Celestion for a Jensen C-12k like they are putting in the 65 Twins. It works great.

Bill Sinclair · Post by **Bill Sinclair** » 21 Apr 2017 10:13 am

I don't own one but my impression of the Deluxe reissue is that it's a pretty decent amp. You can find used ones in the $600 range. The ones I've seen have pots that are PCB mounted, which is a bummer, but the tube sockets are chassis mounted - NOT PCB mounted - a good thing. The ones I've heard sounded good and there seem to be a lot of them seeing plenty of road use and backline use for sound companies. If you can afford a little more you might want to go for a 70's silver faced like Dave mentioned or a used boutique Deluxe clone/tribute amp. I've been tempted by several sold here on the forum that I think were in the $1000-$1200 range.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 21 Apr 2017 12:30 pm

How about this one? Fender gave it to my friend Neil Zaza in I think 91 or 94. It looks brand new. He never used it as he's a 100 watt hi-gain guy. I got it from him, but never used it, as I had two Dr. Z amps. Might need the caps looked after, but it really does look like it was just taken out of the carton!

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 21 Apr 2017 4:06 pm

Dave Mudgett wrote:Get a clean 70s silverface Deluxe Reverb. They tend to hover around $1000-1200 at guitar shows and even some guitar dealers. I see them occasionally at $800-900, perhaps with a replaced speaker or needing a little attention in the filter cap department.

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 23 Apr 2017 4:34 pm

Another option I have run across is Allen Amplification. Very impressive and not as expensive as some hand-made boutique amps. Plus Dave Allen has some flexibility and I could even get a 15" speaker in what is a Vibrolux equivalent (Encore model).
Thanks for all the good suggestions - I love checking all this stuff out!

Paul Brainard · Post by **Paul Brainard** » 27 Apr 2017 6:49 pm

My SFDR is my go-to amp for any situation where I can get away with it. My suggestion is to have someone tie the reverb & tremolo to the first channel as well, which has a warmer tone voicing and works great for pedal steel (plus you can run guitar or lap, etc. into the other side. . .) It's an easy mod on that circuit.

I recently played through an Allen amp on a gig at the last minute after the other amp I was supposed to borrow crapped out - I was completely blown away, really gorgeous sounding. I think it was the 35W Encore. I just about decided to get one on the spot. You can get them as a kit, too.

Mark Fowler · Post by **Mark Fowler** » 28 Apr 2017 6:32 am

I built this single channel Deluxe Reverb for my cabinet guy, simple Fender fun. Find a local builder or build one yourself for fun.

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 28 Apr 2017 7:49 am

Mark Fowler wrote:I built this single channel Deluxe Reverb for my cabinet guy, simple Fender fun. Find a local builder or build one yourself for fun.

This is great! I have always wished for a single channel version of my Twin Reverb. Smaller footprint, lighter weight and almost everyone ignores the Normal channel anyway.

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 28 Apr 2017 7:52 am

Mark that is a good looking amp.
Paul, that is good to hear about the Allen Amp. I don't understand why there are not more of those out there.
I also recently played a Dr. Z Z-Luxe - his take on the deluxe reverb. It was everything a deluxe reverb is and more which you would expect at that price. But as I mentioned before, based on the inflationary impact on the dollar, the Z-Luxe is about where the Deluxe Reverb should be (dollar wise) if they still built the Deluxe like they did in 1965.

Mark Fowler · Post by **Mark Fowler** » 28 Apr 2017 10:00 am

Thanks guys.

Yeah the Allen Amps Sweet Spot is pretty much this same amp but I didn't follow his I used a Fender Deluxe schematic and eliminated the first tube and circuit. I used better transformers for the Deluxe to get as much clean headroom as possible.

Steven Paris · Post by **Steven Paris** » 3 May 2017 7:13 am

If you have some electronics skills, this Weber Deluxe Reverb kit cannot be beat for the money ($628):
https://www.tedweber.com/6a20-c-kt

Mark Fowler · Post by **Mark Fowler** » 3 May 2017 3:19 pm

Seriously don't use Weber's transformers. Myself and many others found out the hard way that the PT's are wound incorrectly and burn up. My first and only kit from Weber, learned my lesson.

The kit is still on my bench because I'm deciding whether or not to put in the replacement they sent me or use a Magnetic Components ClassicTone power transformer. 6A14HP basically a 6L6GC version of the Princeton Reverb.