Fender Deluxe Reverb Headroom/Volume

[monkmiles]

I find stock Jensens a little trebly, too. I use Weber alnicos for most gigging.

I have no problem for most of what I do using tweed Deluxe amps set no louder than 3--either normal or bright (instrument or mic) channels. Very occasionally, I will use two tweed Deluxe amps for an outdoor rock gig at a frat house. Otherwise, for a jazz, blues, etc., gig I just hump a Deluxe to the gig with the guitar of choice. If it's a 335, I plug into the #2 input of the channel; if it's a Strat or a Tele, I plut into the #1 input of the channel. Everything is copacetic. A Princeton Reverb works just as well. A Deluxe Reverb is actually overkill for me anymore...i.e., 12 watts = great; 22 watts and I can get too loud.

Solid state is a different beast. The original Polytone amps (Hmm? what were they, 60-70 watts?) are good for the same gigs. IMO, a 10-20 watt tube Fender amp is about the same as a 50-75 watt solid-state amp out in the real world.

I have gigged with a Pro Jr along side guitarists using 150-watt solid-state Fender something-or-other amps. The Pro Jr held its own, just fine. That was 15 watts. Nothing was mic'd. People in the audience were dumbfounded--no pedals, no tricks. Telecaster, cable, Pro Jr. Booyah. Rock gigs; loud drummer.

I have the same experiences in regards to wattage/volume and agree with everything you've said here.

There is also the matter of personal preference between pristine cleans some solid state amps can provide versus the more "colored" cleans a tube amp can provide. You and I seemingly prefer the latter but perhaps the OP is better served with something that gives a more pristine clean.

[wintermoon]

Funny how different everyone's experience has been with this amp. I didn't find the stock Jensen any clearer or louder. If anything it had more of a trebly bite. I happen to have a weber 12f150 laying around so I may swap it out to see how it sounds.

More likely though I'll just sell the DRRI. I happened upon a Quilter Aviator 12 for only $400 on craiglist and it sounds better than the DRRI and stays clean all the way up the knob(if I want to it). It also has the bonus of no tubes to lug around and replace.

before you sell the amp, try the Weber. it will make a big difference.

[vinnyv1k]

Another thing you can do is replace the stock GT power tubes with power tubes that are rated for max headroom and also rebias the amp for more headroom. The stock power tubes are rated for medium breakup in a DRRI. If you want to stay with Groove Tubes they make 3 grades of power amp tubes for early, medium, or late breakup as does JJ/Eurotubes.