Rivera-era Fender amps

[crunchee]

Just curious, does anybody have one? Use one? Have owned or used one in the past? I've heard good things about the Super Champ amps, but not much word of mouth about the others that Rivera had a hand in. I've also heard that they have a Mesa-Boogie style of overdrive channel, is that true or just hype or wishful thinking? What DOES the OD channel sound like? TIA!

[duncans]

I had a Princeton II years ago. Shared eq for the channel switching. Cleans were pretty good, blackface. The OD could be dialed in ok but it messed with the cleans. Somewhat Boogie-like. A better spesker would have made me happym but never tried one. A decent amp, I'd own one again for the right price.

[anotherfreak]

I had a 112 concert and it ripped! it was pretty cold until you got it LOUD and then it warmed up fiercely. had a pre master and a couple of pull knobs. I wish I could have kept it. It was HEAVY, oh my felt like it was made of lead. I got it with a bad speaker, and dropped a Swamp Thang in there and it just roared, clean side had a great sound when pushed. I would love to run across a princeton or a DR from that series

[3of5]

I am the original owner of this 1982 Super Champ. Great cleans. I like the overdrive channel. Sounds great up to about an AC/DC crunch. I think it gets a little fizzy beyond that. No high gain Mesa sounds in mine at least.

[Frank]

I had a 112 concert and it ripped! it was pretty cold until you got it LOUD and then it warmed up fiercely. had a pre master and a couple of pull knobs. I wish I could have kept it. It was HEAVY, oh my felt like it was made of lead. I got it with a bad speaker, and dropped a Swamp Thang in there and it just roared, clean side had a great sound when pushed. I would love to run across a princeton or a DR from that series

I think Garth Webber is still using one of those Concert 112's. I have one, too. You're right, it is heavy, and too loud for most small club gigs.

[Disturber]

I am their biggest fan ever, lol. Have had four so far. Now I have a Deluxe Reverb II, (2nd one I have), and a Super Champ. Both these amps are just awesome. I love 'em and they are true keepers.

I bought a a Vibrolux about a year ago, but sold it this past summer. It did not match up to the Deluxe Reverb II, which to my ears sounded better, and played about as loud. Much clearer in sound and I prefer a solid state rectefier.

Their weak point might be the stock speakers, but some like them. Robert Quine for instance always recorded with his Super Champ with the stock speaker. His guitar sound on the Lloyd Cole albums is just stellar. Another weak point is the bias circuitry. These amps are now 30 years old so the bias circuit needs a look at by a good tech. I have a document on this somewhere as a pdf. I you have a Rivera amp I can mail it.

Other than that these are some of the finest Fender amps out there still at reasonable prices.

The Deluxe Reverb II is the most versatile, and my favourite. Then I like the Super Champ for it's neat size and great sounds. After that the Princeton Reverb II is also something to consider, (but the DRII costs about the same and is the better of the two).

[benjammin308]

I have a Princeton Reverb II I bought new in 1982 and its not going anywhere. It was the only amp I had for years, worked with several different bands. The stock speaker (Eminence I think) has been replaced with a vintage Jensen. I also did a couple of minor DIY mods from Dan Torres. There's a guy in GB with a whole website dedicated to this amp, and some other Rivera Fenders are mentioned.

http://www.stratopastor.org.uk/strato/amps...i/PRII_hub.html

I also have a Twin Reverb II head that I haven't used much, soon going to ebay. Great, unbelievably loud cleans but more amp than I need right now.

The PR II OD has tons of mid available with the pull-out mid boost. Having never owned a Boogie, I can't compare, but its different from any other amp I've owned. I don't think you'll be sorry if you try one out.

[murkat]

here's some RAWK!

http://www.guitarbarn.com/barn/modules.php...page&pid=57

[cloakerz]

i gig a rivera era concert 112 and it does like to be turned up past 5 to get the tones. I mostly only use the clean channel w/pedals but it sounds good, but not blackface by any means. sounds amazing w/a maxon od808 in front of it.

[jwhitcomb3]

I bought a Rivera era London Reverb around 1986, new. It was a decent sounding solid state amp with push-button channel switching and a 5 band EQ. Loud, flexible, reliable amp. I think I had it for about 10 years before being wooed away by a Tech 21 Trademark 60.