fender deluxe reverb or fender deville 212 4

[confusedwalrus]

Hi, i'm trying to decide which amp would be better for cleans for among other things, jazz. I've recently been considering getting the deville 212 because I could pick it up directly from a store that sells it nearby. I'd have to attenuate it since these suckers are loud(i've owned the 410 before). After considering this for a bit, I started to wonder if I wouldn't just be better buying a deluxe reverb. After I buy the attenuator, the price would be about the same, plus, the deluxe reverb clocks in at 22 watts and would be more appropriate for a home environment. The question is, which of these would get better cleans? would either of these be suited for jazz? which would be better for jazz? Anyone tried or owned both? Thanks guys, looking forward to being on this forum

[mad dog]

Which deluxe reverb are we talking ... one of the reissues?

[skiboyny]

More watts is always better for cleans. I'm not sure why you need to attenuate unless you're looking for overdriven tones.

[John A.]

I've played both quite a bit (though own neither), as well as the Blues and HR Deluxe. The basic clean sounds of the Blues/HR amps are a bit different from the DR (they shade a bit more toward a tweed sound). I'd say neither is better, just slightly different. So first thing is to figure out whether you have a strong preference one way or the other.

I've found that the master volume on the DeVille (and Hot Rod or Blues Deluxe) works pretty well, and I don't see why you'd need an attenuator. So I'd leave that out of the comparison. But a cranked DR is really loud, BTW. So don't count on it giving you that magic classic cranked tube amp sound at bedroom volumes. For that you need a much lower powered amp (Champ or smaller)

Personally, for my basic neck humbucker jazz tone I'd be happy with either, but slightly prefer the HR with a strat. That said, I would never buy either DeVille. They're just way too big and heavy for me, and I don't need the extra clean headroom they offer or the channel switching. Between a DR and HR Deluxe, it's a slightly tougher choice, but would lean toward the DR on grounds of weight and simplicity, if cost is not an obstacle.

As far as home use goes, if you're looking to get a an overdriven amp sound at low volume, none of the above is really practical. So my real answer is that a Princeton Reverb is better than any of the above, especially for a home environment. Perhaps a better option would be the Tonemaster DR, which has a built in attenuator (no personal experience with it, though).

But if the only choice is between a DR and a 2x12 HR Deville, I'd recommend the DR.

[jim777]

I would look at one of the Tone Masters rather than get an amp that needs an attenuator. There are a few of them now to choose from.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

So you're saying this is for playing at home? Even a Deluxe is a lot for that. I agree with the ToneMaster comment. Also check out Quilter's SuperBlock US.

[setemupjoe]

I use a DeVille as my home amp. It used to be my gigging amp but I switched that to a DeLuxe for the obvious reasons that it’s smaller and lighter and my gigs were becoming more club gigs rather than stadium gigs.
Yes, the DeVille is overkill for a home amp, but the volume sits at 2 and I plug into the second input which is quieter than the first input. It sounds great for practicing or teaching.

[citizenk74]

Hi, i'm trying to decide which amp would be better for cleans for among other things, jazz. I've recently been considering getting the deville 212 because I could pick it up directly from a store that sells it nearby. I'd have to attenuate it since these suckers are loud(i've owned the 410 before). After considering this for a bit, I started to wonder if I wouldn't just be better buying a deluxe reverb. After I buy the attenuator, the price would be about the same, plus, the deluxe reverb clocks in at 22 watts and would be more appropriate for a home environment. The question is, which of these would get better cleans? would either of these be suited for jazz? which would be better for jazz? Anyone tried or owned both? Thanks guys, looking forward to being on this forum

My DRRI served me well as an all-round amp for everything, including jazz. Generally speaking, more watts = cleaner tones at higher volumes. I am also a fan of 4-10" units, having gigged with a Peavey Classic 50 for years. The Deluxe will be logistically simpler, the 212 should give you richer lows. If you like your cleans to purr a little, I would go with the Deluxe. But if you are going to need volume and lots of it, go with the higher wattage/greater speaker area combo, and get a dolly, which I use in any case. Good luck with your decision.