Twin Reverb practicalities?

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SadFuzz
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Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by SadFuzz » Sat Jan 20, 2018 2:41 pm

I'm really GASing for a 65RI and wanted to know some upsides and downsides to it.

Any stories of twin experiences welcome.
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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by Singlebladepickup » Sat Jan 20, 2018 2:47 pm

The first time you move it, you'll think "that was heavy, but no big deal". If you move it again, you will just think the first part.

Unless you are gigging, you might find it to be too much for your needs.

I didn't have a twin, but a vibrosonic, which is like a twin with 1x15 instead of 2x12. It sounded great, but I never got it above maybe 3 in a band setting (although I didn't gig). Loading it into a car every week got old and I felt stupid looking like I was dying when I unloaded/loaded it. I switched to a Princeton and it was a good decision.

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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by Witchburner » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:04 pm

Singlebladepickup wrote:
Sat Jan 20, 2018 2:47 pm
I switched to a Princeton and it was a good decision.
This exactly this,
When I was younger (16-18) I got a princeton from my girlfriends dad, so I only had a relationship with that amp as long as I was with that girl, was hearthrboken over never seeing a princeton again

I got my 72 twin two years ago, modded it to black face, I would gig it everywhere, now a days it barely leaves the studio, wether it be too heavy, scared that I'll loose value in it when something goes wrong, or not being a fan of open back speaker designs as much for gigging it's slowly collecting dust.

In all honesty UNLESS you're playing 1000+ persons clubs then you have no reason for a twin when doing a show, of course I know 10 bands with close friends of mine who bring too much amp to a gig (myself included), then a twin is really too much amp.

It rarely ever escalates past 3, at which point my painting are falling over, my dog is looking at me like he senses some natural disaster and shit is about to hit the fan.

Now in a full band setup and the bassist is on an SVT fullstack, and loud drumer, someone else on a jcm800, which depening on your lifestyle may or may not happen frequently. Buy it, i'll always recommend getting another full tube amp. In this case i'd really like to say that if you're going to buy anything buy something worth value, I wouldn't buy a reissue, i'd buy an original silverface or anything you can get your hand on, and get it up to par, then you can always recover your money when you need to.

TLDR; too much amp for me, but I still have one n i use it alot lately, i have a twin for cleans, and my Princeton build for all the dirt

PS: I've fixed over 15 hot rod deluxe, what a shitshow, and those for people are "too much amp". 40watts now a days barely ever gets used live.

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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by stevejamsecono » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:13 pm

Honestly, it depends on what you're using it for. I was a big proponent of the small amp mentality for a few years there, but I found the consistency of "well mic'd clubs with good monitors" is not as high as internet wisdom would have us believe. I played an unmic'd gig with my old Avatar 18 through a 4x12 with my power pop trio last month and it was pushing it a bit as far as being discernable and having any headroom to push with a booster or OD. It was completely inaudible when lent out to another band that had two guitar players.

Questions worth asking yourself:
Are you the only guitar player in your band? If not, how many of there are you?
Do you need a pedal platform amp or are you driving it to get some natural OD?
What kind of music do you play?
All important things to think about.

In the end, the answers to these questions and your own tonal preferences will determine if it's a good idea. I personally love the sound of a small amp cranked up, mic'd and pumped through the monitors, but since I can't guarantee this happening I'd rather have something a bit more than I need and with a master volume so I have options. Better to have slightly turned down from ideal tone that's a little wimpy than straining tone that can't go any higher in a situation where you must to be heard at all.
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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by Kent » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:16 pm

Most amps were designed for the needs of a different era. Twins are ridiculous for most modern needs and you’ve not specified yours. Thus, who knows?

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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by Embenny » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:33 pm

It's honestly an obsolete amp.

NOBODY needs 100 tube watts. If you are playing a medium to large gig, and there's no PA system, your band is going to sound so shitty that who cares what your guitar tone sounds like anyway?

Seriously, I have never been anywhere that plays for 100+ people where they aren't mic'ing you or going direct if you have that option. And as soon as you mic a twin, you will ask yourself why you dragged Atlas' stone to a gig where the volume is on "2".

It's a great sounding amp, and there was a time that it was useful, but that time has past. It still sounds good, but lugging giant heavy amps to be heard is simply not our reality anymore.
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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by shoule79 » Sat Jan 20, 2018 4:27 pm

If you are set on a fender 2x12, look for a silver face Pro Reverb. Still big but you can turn it up past 3.

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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Jan 20, 2018 5:08 pm

I agree with all the above about impracticability, but they sound so good.
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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by countertext » Sat Jan 20, 2018 5:27 pm

I love a gig where the backline includes a Twin because someone else put it on the stage. I have had more satisfactory gigs on Twins than with any other amp except my ‘67 Bandmaster.

They are so damn heavy and so damn loud. I would never buy one now.

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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by SadFuzz » Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:32 pm

I wanted it for the headroom as I get distortion from pedals and for the volume on tap, tonal control and the lack of a gain channel as I don't use distortion enough to warrant it and want an amp that I can get the most use out of. As a lower wattage alternative I was thinking vox ac30.
I am the only guitarist in my band and we play jazz punk (Television kinda stuff)
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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by stevejamsecono » Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:27 am

SadFuzz wrote:
Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:32 pm
I wanted it for the headroom as I get distortion from pedals and for the volume on tap, tonal control and the lack of a gain channel as I don't use distortion enough to warrant it and want an amp that I can get the most use out of. As a lower wattage alternative I was thinking vox ac30.
I am the only guitarist in my band and we play jazz punk (Television kinda stuff)
I say go for it if that's what you want. Both the Twin and the AC30 weigh a ton, but nothing a handcart or an additional set of hands from a bandmate can't help.

FWIW Television used Super Reverbs on Marquee Moon and although I wouldn't say they are less heavy than Twins, the amount of available headroom is probably a bit more appropriate for the smaller venues of the world. YMMV of course, depending on how you feel about 10" speakers and the like.
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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by pad » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:29 am

I really don't understand all those voices against it!
I mean come on, if you have a drummer that plays on a normal loud level the amp will be with master on 3 about that level.
Means you can play gigs unmiced in every location while keeping volume wise at the drummers.
The last 40 gigs I've really enjoyed mine and the sound is AWESOME! Clean, Rich and still tight.
The only bad thing is the weight, but if you are willing to move that its perfect and relatively cheap.

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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by stevejamsecono » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:35 am

pad wrote:
Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:29 am
I really don't understand all those voices against it!
I mean come on, if you have a drummer that plays on a normal loud level the amp will be with master on 3 about that level.
Means you can play gigs unmiced in every location while keeping volume wise at the drummers.
The last 40 gigs I've really enjoyed mine and the sound is AWESOME! Clean, Rich and still tight.
The only bad thing is the weight, but if you are willing to move that its perfect and relatively cheap.
I dunno. People like one size fits all solutions and decide that whatever works for them will work for you?

As I mentioned earlier, I was in the small amp cult for awhile. I had an 18 watt head that sounded awesome cranked up and when it was in a mic'd room was totally great to use. Problem was, despite being in one of the most heavily backlined cities in America (NYC), I still found that there were rooms that aren't mic'd/that it wasn't suitable for and I couldn't hear myself despite pointing the speaker at my head as often as possible.

I think the best approach if there is one would just to be aware of your needs, be aware of the room you are playing in, and have a working knowledge of what would work best for your music in that room based on the available options. I've played in rooms where a cranked up Princeton would sound great, and I've played in rooms where a cranked up princeton would be completely inaudible. Generally that difference had less to do with the relative size of the room and more to do with how the stage was setup, what kind of cooperation there was with a sound person (or lackthereof), and how everyone was situated.
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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by Larsongs » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:32 am

I say, if you want it get it. If you don't mind big, heavy & real loud.

I've had a Twin for quite a while over time it got used less & less for live. A lot of our Gigs were even outdoors.

I quit using for the reasons I listed in the 2nd sentence.

I started using a Vox AC15 or a 65 DRRI. Both were more than adequate. Over time I've started using a RI Princeton Reverb of an upgraded FSR Vox AC10C1 & either of them are great. Sometimes I run them Stereo.

They are smaller, lighter but still sound great & can get loud. Especially like Fender's & Vox's Stereo.. They can loud if I need it.

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Re: Twin Reverb practicalities?

Post by spacecadet » Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:07 am

It's a ridiculous amp, but there's just something about having that much power. It's like owning a Dodge Demon. It's completely impractical, but who cares? That's not why anyone who's interested in one wants one.

I have one and I don't even gig. I have definitely seriously considered trading it for something else, but I haven't yet. I'm not saying I never would, but I just haven't been able to pull that trigger. I do love it. Even if I can't turn it up past 2.

The only reason I *would* get rid of it is that you don't really get the best performance if you're stuck at low volumes like that. But it still sounds really good to me.

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