Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue

Bass,Treble,Mid,Reverb,Speed,Intensity...What more do you need?

I primarilly use Strats and Strat Types. All single Coil.
I took out the first Pre-amp tube (12AX7) and have A Jensen Alnico 5 speaker. You can't use the first (Non-reverb channel) when you do this and your tube life will probably suffer. The Breakup comes alot earlier. I play Chicago Blues and this is the amp that I gig and record with. Also I keep an Xotic AC clean boost in front of it and constantly on. It takes pedals superbly!!!!

So far no probs. I keep it in a ATA case when travelling and giging.

No

Made in 2009.
Features: Pretty basic, but that's what I like. Great sounding reverb and Vibrato on Channel 2, treble, bass and volume knobs - er, that's it.
Jensen speaker is perfect for the tone I want, I suspect that people who switch speakers either bought the wrong amp for them or didn't give the Jensen time to bed in.
22 watts, but plenty powerful enough. Mike it if you are playing a big venue - it's easier to carry this in one hand and a mike stand in the other than to lug a bloody big Twin around.

Just lovely. I play mainly country, either very clean a la Knopfler tone or twangy and bitey a la Brent Mason.
Also dip into some progressive and folk/rock stuff with my "other" band.
For clean country tones this is the amp - even more so than the Twin IMHO. The Twin has more clean headroom, but for modern country you don't want to be 100% clean, and this has wonderful edge-of-breakup at about 7. For super clean, just mike it at 5. Twin is lovely too, but totally impractical - these days there's just no need for that amount of power in an amp.
In combination with the bridge pickup on my Musicman Silo, this is tone heaven - a touch of compression for more bite, or a TS-9 for crunch and you have the whole arsenal for country, surf, clean rock guitar or rockabilly.
Sounds pretty gorgeous with my Strats too.
Been playing 25+ years and this is the best amp I've owned, or played through.
Unless you are seriously into hot-rodding - the fact it has a printed circuit board as opposed to the original p2p wiring makes absolutely no difference whatsover. P2P has zero effect on tone, it just makes customising easier.
I love it, my band love it, the audience love it - that'll do for me.
Giving it a 9 as nothing is perfect and if I had one criticism, it is a little bit hissy on high volumes when idle - but live or while rehearsing you don't notice anything but the sweet, sweet tone.

Don't know - its only a few months old. Been fine so far.

Not needed it yet.

Just a great little amp - easily gigable, portable (I know, having lugged a Twin around for far too long!), the best of the best for that Fender clean.
When I was looking for a smaller alternative to the Twin, I thought about the HRDX and Blues Deluxe as I was worried this wouldn't be powerful enough, but firstly it is, and secondly it is about 100x better sounding than either of those amps, worth every penny more than I would have paid for one of the other two.
Great out of the box, if you want to customise it with new tubes and speaker - it's your money, but for what it's worth this amp sounds like it is meant to sound stock.

made in the early 90's, i had mine for about 5 years or so. all the main features were listed below in other reviews, but i have had mine modified like so: upgraded transformers from Allen Amps to handle 6L6's, speaker: Jensen C12N, but going back to C12K in 4 ohms, ohm switch, goes from 4 to 8, but will remove that once i get the C12K 4 ohm. way more than enough power for me, i play in the Arkhams, a psychobilly band from NYC. check us out @ www.myspace.com/thearkhams

here are the geetars i currently use:

Gretsch Electromatic G5129 (replaced Dearmond 2000's with Duncan Antiquity P90's) and G5120 (replaced Gretsch humbuckers with Duncan Antiquity Firebird pickups)
Gibson Custom Shop 1958 Les Paul Special reissue with 2 P90's and a wraparound
Tele w/ alder body, big fat All Parts neck, Duncan Antiquity mini humbucker in neck and Duncan Antiquity I telecaster p/u in bridge, and a bigsby vibrato
Danelectro six string bass from 10 years ago w/lipstick pickups

all geetars strung with .13-56 nickel wound D'Addario round wound strings
six string bass strung with standard D'addario XL strings for that instrument

it suits my musical style well! i have owned MANY instruments and amplifiers in the past and have come tro liking Fender Blackface Reissues the best. i had 6V6's in it for years, but they sound far more anemic than 6L6's even in the same amp and ratings and what have you.

i recently changed the transformer to Allen Amps TO26 and TP 35, had Jack from Rock n Roll amps set the bias on it and change some of the cap values, got a new set of JJ Tesla 6L6's, install an impedance switch that goers from 4 to 8 ohms, and neow she behaves somewhat like a vibrolux or similar! i am VERY happy with the sound now! it is not nearly as noisy at she used to be with the 6V6's in her. this amp has TONS of headroom for an amp this size. i took her on 2 gigs so far and she sounded bigger and bolder than ever. as for variety of sounds, there isnt too much, but then again, i know what works for me- a semi-clean amp with my geetars just on the brink of overdriving without actually being overdriven. its a very fine line, but it works for me very well! the clean channel (the only channel) DEFINITELY distorts at high volumes, but the distortion is VERY sweet! think of the sound you would hear on any surf, or british invasion record. any sonics/wailers garage rock record. a lot of rockabilly bands would KILL for this tone! stax/volt/motown/soul/r&b/blues/country bands would die for this sound, too! ska/reggae? hell yeah! i used to go for a lot more overdrive in my amps, and tend toward the hotter output geetars, but i since learned that with weaker pickups through a cleaner amp cranked more, you get that nice blend of tones! i also used to use mainly the bridge pickup of any of my guitars, but these days, i like the middle better, since its warmer and sweeter. all pickup selections come through VERY sweetly through this amp. would i need more power? NO. this amp is loud enough for any stage, more than enough for any studio, but i do like to get SOME sort of push in my tone. id give it a 7 before the upgrades and a 9 after.

used her live too long not to depend on her live. i gig with a backup, a vibrolux of recent years, the only difference is that the vibrolux is a LITTLE more distorted than the deluxe witgh the mods, but not all that much different.

never dealt with Fender, dont want to. with all the mods, i doubt this amp would be under any kind of warranty.

been playing 20+ years, i listed the geetars above, amp wise, i got a 79 Champ, 61 Silvertone 1482, 90's Vox AC15, 2007 Fender Vibrolux, 66 Fender Bassman Head. if she was stolen or lost, i would pry get an Allen Amps Sweet Spot, or something similar. i keep a close eye on gear at shows and make sure no one ***** with it! as for other products, every amp builder wants to build something like a DRRI, no one except a few boutique builders have come close. i chose this one when i was younger and wanted something to overdrive for garage rock and this excelled at that. neow it does that and clean beautifully. no wonder why so many geetar players want this one!

I bought this amp in 2008 because I wanted a light, portabl combo with a solid history. Its basic set up is a plus, and although some say it's not loud enough in a live situation I haven't had a problem. I needed something I could pick up with one hand and go.

It has two channels, I plug into the reverb channel which is 'bright' to say the least, but it cuts thru the sonic mud when needed.

I use a VG strat and a 1980 Suzuki Les Paul copy with Schaller Golden 50 and Dimarzio pick up replacements - the originals had a shocking sound.

I play blues and hard rock an I find this amp is great for that.

My effects chain is: old Italian 'Jen' cry baby, (Aussie) MI Audio Blues Pro Overdrive and old Roland Space Echo.

I used to use an MXR Distortion + but it just tended to bland everything out and I'm no metal virtuoso - I need that tone. The Blues Pro is brilliant because it doesn't mask the sound of the strat or colour it too much.

I don't get to crank this up often (I'm a flat dweller) but when I have I agree with another comment here that the spiky highs tend to disappear and you get that fantastic Fender tube distortion.

So far the only thing that's broken is the cable for the footswitch. I got it repaired no problem.

No experience with servicing thru Fender.

I also own a Gallien-Krueger 250ML which I use through a Vox cabinet. It sounds great for hard rock, but nothing like the warmth of the tubes.

I used to have a Bassman amp and I knerw I loved the Fender valve sound, I also owned a Mashall combo in the 80s but this amp is better for the looser style I play.

I would definitely replace this amp if it got stolen or whatever.

This is a classic 60s blackface circuit with 2 6v6 tubes, 22 watts, a tube rectifier, reverb and tremolo. The main differences between this and an original blackface are: the speaker , a printed circuit board vs point to point wiring, a ? cab vs a pine cab, differences in the components do to differences in modern and original component manufacturers, and a grounded wall plug on the reissue. As the original, this amp has no master volume or middle EQ. Each of the 4 inputs yields a somewhat different sound.

Positives: light weight, speaker cab does not sound boxy, 22 watts is great for recording, 22 watts is great for playing distorted classic rock when the amp is on 10.

Negatives: The lack of a bright switch on channel 2 is very annoying i.e. though it sounds great, bright is always on (this can be altered by a technician), 22 watts is not enough clean headroom for some situations depending on your drummer, your guitar, the style of music, and size of the band etc. (but if you use an external cab with 2 high wattage speakers the headroom can be improved). No master volume. No effects loop.

The strength of the amp is its lovely beautiful tone which derives directly from its simplicity . This means far fewer features than found on newer amps. That"s the trade off. Which is more important to you in your playing situation?

I'm mainly using an American Strat with 57 pickups which sound sweet and smooth. But for big rock sounds and volume on 10 I've used a Cort Triggs 2 semi hollow body guitar with much hotter humbucking PUs.

The Fender 60s blackface circuit (in its many variations) is indisputably one of the best sounding ever designed. I would imagine an original Deluxe Reverb sounds slightly better then the reissue but the reissue sounds great! This amp is famous for its sweetness (the 6v6 tube is unique this way) but the low notes are not as big and rounded like 6L6 tubes produce i.e. Fender Super Reverb or Twin Reverb amp. This amp is very versatile but at different volume levels. It goes from a classic clean country amp below 4 to a blues amp at middle volumes to a rock and rock sex machine at 10. At 10 you get power tube distortion with some tube rectifier sag at a volume level that is near perfect for a loud band.
All my other tube amps (newer Fenders, Marshalls, Epiphones, Peaveys) sound somewhat poor and anemic in comparison to this amp (though they do have other useful sounds and features). The Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue sounds infinitely more musical with much smoother and much more beautiful harmonics. I can't emphasize this enough! It sounds stronger, clearer, cleaner, and warmer. And its easier to EQ. Even with volume on 2 1/2 the clean sound is absolutely beautiful! Time after time I have played this amp and am amazed of its tone quality. I have never experienced this tone quality in another amp.

I whole heartedly recommend using vintage RCA power tubes and a Weber 12F150 or Celestion H30 speaker. Also quality preamp tubes will also make some difference. I like the (now no longer made) Ei tube which is way stronger sounding than the other modern preamp tubes I've tried. I have not tried any NOS preamp tubes yet.


Here are the results of my sound test comparisons:

Output 6v6 tubes:

Ruby - thin, weak, but pleasant.

JJ Tesla - aggressive, strong, dark, slightly muddled at full distorted volume, almost like 6L6s. ( I don't like these tubes at all because they don't sound sweet like 6v6s should.)

(new) Tung Sol - airy, funky (in a good way) at low volume, can lack authority for lead playing. (I like em though.)

old RCA - perfectly balanced at all volume levels , at 10 through a Marshall cab the amp sounds like champagne. (I love em.)


Speakers:

Original Emminence - deep tight bass, very Fendery, okay at low volume, ugly at high volume

Weber 12F150 (25 watt lite dope) - absolutely beautiful with snappy smooth high end, not a whole lot of a bass but extremely clear and balanced, with a Strat the sound is almost too smooth and beautiful. The 25 watt version tends to sound a little unpleasant when the amp is more than half way up. Because its only 25 watts I have never heard this speaker with the amp on 10. The 50 watt version might be even better for this amp.

Celestion H30 (Hellatone by Avatar) - warm, smooth, wide frequency spectrum with emphasis on low mids, and crisp highs, also sounds great with amp on 10. The speaker and amp seem to balance each other. However the bass is not as round and tight as from a more mid dippy Fendery type speaker like the Emminence. This British speaker takes a little of the Fender out of the amp.

2 Celestion GT-75s in Marshall cabinet - this combination does not sound good with the Strat but it sounds fantastic with the Triggs 2 humbuckers and the amp on 10. It sounds like classic power rock with tight solid bottom.

Celestion H30 and Celestion V30 through Marshall cab and also through Avatar open back front mount cab - this combination works great for the Strat and produces a full wide airy frequency range with highs and lows. Great smooth full sound.

Celestion H30 and Celestion GT-75 through Avatar cab - this combination works great for the Strat at medium volumes by producing a strong clean sound with a

I have had no problems in the two years I've owned it. My particular model was manufactured in the early 90s.

This amp changed my life!
I think I may actually be in love with it even though it's just an object.
This amp made me realize how weak and sad many modern consumer amp designs sound with all their features that rob the amp of tone and of how wimpy preamp distortion can be.
Also this amp made me always want a tube rectifier if possible. The tube rectifier just feels right in a way I don't know how to describe.

Having said all that its important to understand that the FDRR doesn't do everything and may not be the best amp for you or your band. Reality is no one amp does everything. For example, this amp is far far superior to a Peavey Classic 30 in construction, design and tone quality but I have to admit I enjoy the Peavey"s EL84 compression, clean sustain at low volumes and smooth distortion etc. in a way I can't enjoy the FDRR (by the way you could try the economical Weber Mass Lite attenuator if you want to get more out of the FDRR at lower volume levels. They work well). Also, I have not been able to get a real high gain sustaining lead sound (well somewhat on 10 but nothing with pure distortion and sustain) without using a Tube Screamer which I hate. And, I have not gotten a light distortion that sounds smooth like you would get with a Vox or Marshall. In fact I have been frustrated with this amp when it comes to mild distortion. The distortion on this amp is kind fat, raw and rugged to my ear and sounds best around full up. Great for certain things and not right for others.

The fact is a guitar amplifier is an instrument of equal or greater importance than the guitar (and the better place to spend more money). The amp will make you play a certain way and not play other ways.

I have found that I love the FDRR for bedroom clean playing/practicing and for studio recording. I also think it sounds absolutely great if you turn the amp way up and your style is a kind of Rolling Stones loose rock and roll feel or if you use the GT-75 speakers/Marshall combo and want to get AC/DC like distorted power. This may be what you want if you are into great clean tone or some classic, raw, loud rock styles, or for a sweet, less aggressive blues sound.

So, I love this amp more than any other I have owned but have found it useful only in certain situations. I have owned or played through the following tube amps: Pignose G40, Pignose GVRH 60, Marshall JCM 900, Marshall 30th Anniversary, 5150, Peavey Classic 30, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Fender 140 and Epiphone Valve Jr. In terms of pure clean tone the Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue is by far the best sounding amp I have ever played through and the others mentioned here don't come close.

I found this amp on e-Bay. The QC sticker says it was made in 2002. The seller disclosed that the cabinet had been cracked by one of the corner joints but that it was otherwise solid. This "feature" caused the price to go way down so I figured I'd take a chance that the rest of the amp was intact. Reissue features are pretty much the same as the older models. Two channels; Normal and Vibrato. Normal side has two inputs, Volume, Treb, and Bass controls. Vibrato side has two inputs, Volume, Treb, Bass, Reverb, Speed, and Intensity controls. The speaker is a 12" Jensen (8 ohms). There is also a foot switch for the Reverb and Vibrato. Overall good features for this type of amp.

OK..I have owned lots of Fender amps; old vintage types and newer models. So before I get into the "how does it sound" part, I have to tell those folks who complain that the Fender vintage reissues don't sound exactly like the ones made in the 50's and pre CBS 60's. Well DUH..of course they don't. You can't compare a piece of equipment that was built 40+ years ago with one that was made in the 21st century! The variables are endless. Even the line voltage in your home can effect how your amps sound. So with that out of the way, lets talk about the 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue.

I did indeed luck out. It takes a lot of force to crack one of these sepaker cabinets which would indicate that this amp took one hell of a knock. But the electronics and controls all work fine. The sound that I was able to get out of this amp was quite impressive. At 22 watts it will easily fill a large room. The normal channel produces that classic Fender tone with no frills. Very clean up to about 3-4 on the dial depending on the type of pickup your using. After that it starts to break up gradually as you increase the volume. With a Strat, I found the sweet spot at around 7-8. The Vibrato channel is brighter and depending on what type of guitar you're using will require some tweeking to keep it from making your teeth hurt. Not really an issue. The reverb is as lush as any Fender has ever produced. The vibrato was quiet at idle and appears to have a much wider range of depth and speed than any of my vintage amps had. This channel also does a mean clean up to about 4. Whether it is in the clean range of overdriven, this amp produces a rich full tone. It works especially well for jazz, blues, classic rock, and country. It is pedal and effects friendly. Both channels display outstanding pick dynamics and response.

For reference, I tested this amp with a American Strat, American Tele, Gibson Les Paul, Gibson ES-335, and a PRS Swamp Ash Special.

In spite of my previous rant about vintage and reissue amps, I think Fender did a great job in capturing the spirit of the old vintage Deluxe Reverb. The only weak link I found is the utilization of the Fender stock Grove Tubes. These tubes are designed to last, but sonically they suck. But even with these crappy tubes I still think the amp sounded pretty damn good and can't wait to here it after a decent tube job.

It got hit hard enough to crack the cabinet but all the electronics and controls sound and work great. That coupled with the fact that its seven years old make me give it a 10 here.

Never used.

I've been playing 42 years and have owned a lot of amps and have experimented with lots more. The 65 Deluxe Reverb reissue is a solid little tone monster. No, it doesn't sound exactly like the vintage model, but the vintage is no reissue either. They're both great in their own right.

I purchased this amp new in early 2006. I recently had to retube it and thought now would be a nice time to provide a thorough review as I could make the comparison between fresh from the factory with stock tubes and broken in with new, non-factory tubes. There are already over 250 reviews, and even with that high number of reviews everyone seems to have a slightly different take on the product. Hopefully I can offer something new insights as well.

By today???s standard the features are very basic. You probably already know the features are 2 non-switched channels, 22 watts of tube power, spring reverb, vibrato, Jensen C-12K vintage speaker.

2 NON-SWITCHED CHANNELS: The channels each have distinct sonic characters. The Normal channel is a little softer in the top end and seems slightly compressed as compared to the Vibrato channel. The Vibrato channel, as noted by many other reviewers, is much brighter than the Normal channel. The Vibrato channel is more dynamic (e.g., punchy) and has more depth than the Normal channel. I am not an engineer, but I suspect the 2nd gain stage of the Vibrato channel contributes to this deeper and punchier character.

POWER: A surprisingly powerful 22 watts. I primarily use my DRRI for in-home practice and at my church for contemporary Christian music, rarely needing to exceed about 2.5 on the Volume dial. I also occasionally play with a cover band for outdoor block parties or office parties in small venues, or I play for local community theater productions. Even in these situations I will rarely need to exceed 4 on the Volume dial. There is always plenty of power to spare, the amp stays clean throughout my required operating range and does not exhibit any audible distortion. I usually use the Vibrato channel and I only use Input 2 of either channel to keep the sound clean, especially with humbuckers.

REVERB: Very typical Fender spring reverb in the Vibrato channel. It is thick and at some settings it can be overwhelming or doinky. I usually set the Reverb between 1.5 and 2 and that is enough for my needs. When I want a huge wash of reverb I will crank it to the 6 to 8 range.

VIBRATO: Works well, and the sound is fat and thick. However, there is a low-level but audible and annoying mechanical ???tick, tick, tick??? that will be picked up by a mic. I know this is a vintage reissue amp, but really, this could be avoided. I deduct 1 point in the Features section for this one aspect of the amp that I find to be a true disappointment. After the warranty is expired I will send this in to a tech to see if this can be rectified with a component replacement.

JENSEN C-12K SPEAKER: This speaker appears to be well suited to its intended operating range in a guitar amp. Treble is crisp and bright but not harsh. The mid range is smooth and cuts through the mix but is not overly emphasized. The bass is firm, but not over-powering or boomy. The speaker responds well to the overdrive and distortion pedals that I use, as well as the modulation effects that I use. While the bass response is solid and firm, cranking the Bass control to 10 will not yield thundering bass. In those rare instances that I have really cranked the amp to ear shattering levels, the speaker has held up well and has not sounded stressed.

For a compact 1965 design, I rate the Features as a 9 after deducting one point for the Vibrato tick. Other features I might expect from an amp in this era might be a Master Volume control, bright switch or a tube driven effects loop. These would be nice to haves but certainly not critical.

I have not played through an original Deluxe Reverb so I don???t know if the DRRI sounds the same as the original or not. What I can say about my specific DRRI is that it in my opinion it delivers exceptional, articulate tone and it does an excellent job of implementing a benchmark sonic signature that we equate to a Blackface Deluxe Reverb. On a number of occasions other guitarists have asked if my amp was an original Deluxe Reverb. I feel that says more about the Sound Quality of this amp than I ever could!

Guitars include a Les Paul Standard with Burst Bucker Pros, American Deluxe Tele with SCNs or Godin LGX with Seymour Duncan Jazz and Custom Custom Godin variant. Overdrive tones come from an Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Boss OD-3 Overdrive or MXR M-115 Distortion III. Other effects include Dunlop 535Q Wah, Boss CS-3 Compressor (with Monte Allums mod), Carl Martin Hyrda clean boost, EHX Small Clone chorus, EHX Small Stone phaser, EXH Pulsar tremolo, Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe, MXR M-135 Noise Gate (always on) and finally an MXR Carbon Copy analog delay. With this combination of guitars and pedals I can get virtually any sound I want.

Ok, fresh from the factory this is a bright sounding amp, especially the Vibrato channel. To deal with the brightness of the Vibrato channel I switched to pure nickel strings such as DR Pure Blues or Gibson Vintage Reissue on all guitars, I use only Input 2 and finally I turned down the Treble! I set Treble to 5 on the Normal channel, 3 on the Vibrato channel and Bass at 5 on both.

After the stock tubes went bad I did some experimenting and ended up with a mix of JJ and Groove Tubes that I feel yields an excellent result:

V1 ??? JJ ECC83S Gold Pin
V2 ??? Groove Tubes Gold Series 12AX7-C
V3 ??? Groove Tubes Gold Series 12AT7
V4 ??? Groove Tubes Gold Series 12AX7-A
V5 ??? Stock Groove Tubes 12AX7 (Red Fender label)
V6 ??? JJ ECC81 Gold Pin
Rectifier ??? JJ GZ34
Power Tubes ??? Groove Tubes Gold Series 6V6-R, Medium Power Rating of 6
Bias set to 25ma

While the new tubes are nice and very noticeable improvement over the stock tubes, I never felt the stock tubes were so bad that I had to just dump them. I played them for 2 years and was never disappointed with the tone. When it was time to replace the tubes my goals were simply to tame the brightness of the Vibrato channel a bit, preserve the overall character and sonic signature of the DRRI that inspired me to purchase it in the first place and do so at a reasonable price. By using the JJ ECC83S Gold Pin in V1 and the Groove Tubes Gold Series 12AX7-C in V2 I have the added benefit of the two channels sounding even more different from each other than they did before. With the tube changes as noted above my DRRI now delivers a smoother, fatter and yes less bright tone that it did with the stock tubes. Yet it has retained that certain quality and sparkling clean tone that you instantly recognize as a Blackface Deluxe Reverb. I could not be happier.

With the stock tubes I would deduct 1 point for the overly bright Vibrato channel and a 12AT7 in V6 that does not appear to be balanced. With new tubes that are only slightly more expensive than the corresponding stock tubes though I have to rate the Sound Quality at a solid 10. I feel 10 is justified as to me tubes are like strings, they are consumable items and everyone will use different tubes for their own personal tastes and definition of Sound Quality. Given the wide variety of tubes available, it should really be possible for anyone to achieve what they consider to be a 10 for a Deluxe Reverb.

I have had no issues with reliability. I move this amp around a weekly basis. I treat my amp with respect and am always careful when moving it. I have installed Ernie Ball coasters on it to make moving easier on it and my back.

I have had little need to contact Fender Customer Service. On the few occasions I have e-mailed replies have been prompt and complete.

I never play loud enough to get power tube distortion. But, after putting in the new 6V6-R tubes I had to see what the fuss was all about! Giving the Volume dial a good twist, the sound stays sparkling clean up to about 5. After 5 the sound starts thickening up and is no longer perfectly clean, but you can???t really detect audible distortion per se. At 6 you start to get that bluesy break up. Finally around 8 the tubes really give in and distort as you would expect them to. The amp starts to really compresses, growl and sounds like it is being tortured and is on the verge of implosion. Ok, that is cool but WAY loud!!! Personally, I like to keep the amp clean, play at much lower volume levels and obtain overdrive tones from pedals. For all of the fuss about power tube distortion, I personally much prefer the sound of and control over the overdrive tones I get using pedals.

Would I purchase this amp again? This is a very difficult question to answer. I love this amp, but life is short and I may be tempted to try something else just because we can. While I am completely satisfied with this amp and love the tone, I would strongly consider the new Deluxe VM. It seems as though it would yield the core DRRI tone and vibe, but provide some modern conveniences such as an overdrive channel and a variety of effects that can be applied to both the clean and drive channel. With the modern features built into this amp I could eliminate the need for most of my pedals, and hence a pedal board that weighs as much as the DRRI.

I think the features have been mentioned a few times. Mine has a Jensen C12 speaker, Groove tubes. No mods except the removal of the bright cap.

Using a Clapton strat, an ash strat, a Yamaha semi hollow body, and a piezo-equiped guitar with humbuckers. It will growl with the humbuckers, and sing with single coils.Crystal clear cleans to about 4, then starts that nice, sweet, natural breakup that is extremely hard to find at such low volumes. It likes pedals, but not processors. It is quiet, but turn the boost up on the EC strat and it starts to hum a bit. I use a Rat in front of it for distortion, sounds great for classic rock. It really shines when playing the blues though. I haven't found a better amp yet for that creamy smooth break up. I also own a Princeton Reverb, Super Reverb, and Super Champ. My main amp is a Genz Benz all tube amp.

I think it is fairly reliable. yes I would be stupid enough to gig without a backup if some one was stupid enough to pay me to play.

Huh? All you will get on the phone is some kid in Arizona that doesn't even know where the factory is. Just deal with the store you bought it from.

I have been playing the same songs for 30 years, plus the blues. This amp is perfect for low volume settings, but is not a 5150. I compared a hybrid Deluxe the other day with built in digital effects and compared it to this. I was not really able to get the same breakup, not sure why, plus the reverb sucked on the hybrid. I paid 1200 dollars for this, plus I bought a Boss ME-70 to go along with it. I can get all the effects I want, plus some amp modeling too. This is the best sounding amp I own, and yes I have owned several Mesa's. Good amps, just depends on the sound you like.

If you're reading this then you'll know that this is a re-issue of the famous Deluxe reverb amp from the mid 60s. I bought this amp brand new in 2007.
2 of the best features are the tube reverb and the tremelo (called vibrato on the amp). The reverb is classic Fender spring reverb which sounds awesome, and the tremelo is that lovely recognisable shimmering sound. I use both of these features quite a lot.
The size of the amp is perfect, in my opinion. It is an awesome amp for club gigs and rehearsing. At bigger gigs my amp gets mic'd up through the PA anyway, unlike the old days when this amp was first introduced. You can carry this amp quite comfortably and it easily fits into your car.
The lack of channel switching does not bother me at all. There are plenty of other amps out there that have this feature.

As many people have said, this amp sounds great. Really really nice. The classic Fender sound I guess. Instead of harping on about how good it is, I will try and be critical and highlight some issues to consider.
- It does not have the clean headroom of other Fender amps (such as a Twin). I actually like this - it means that it breaks up sooner which is perfect for blues and rock n roll.
- It does not sound as good as an original blackface from the mid-60s. I have a 1964 Fender Bassman, and have played other 60s Fender amps. Those originals, when set up correctly, do sound better. It's a fact of life. For instance, I have found that the top end of the frequency range tends to be brighter and more pronounced on the original amps. I don't tend to play my deluxe with the treble control below 8, and that is with some bright sounding guitars.
- The tremelo effect sounds slightly different to the original amps. Quite hard to put your finger on it, but in my experience the frequency of the tremelo can reach faster speeds on the older amps.

My 1963 Fender Jaguar sounds great through this amp, as does my Les Paul Goldtop with P90s. Both those guitars are quite hot for single coils and by the time the volume control is on 4 it is really cooking and venturing into overdrive territory. If you would like to hear how this amp sounds, go to myspace and search for The Velocettes - a surf band from Australia. Both the guitarists in this band use the 65 Deluxe Reverb re-issue and you can hear them in action.
I'm giving it a 9 out of 10 because if you want to buy a brand new amp, you can't go far wrong if you are after the classic Fender sound.

I do gig this amp without a backup. Usually it is fine although I did blow a fuse in the studio recently. As with all tube amps you do have to be a bit careful and remember that there are delicate glass components nestling in the back of your amp. (I believe this amp has a total of 9 tubes!)
I must agree with the common complaint on these vintage re-issues. The back panel is pathetically thin. Obviously a cost cutting measure but Fender really should do something about this. My 60s Fender amp feels so much more solid and well put together.

I haven't had to use them, but I feel pretty confident that the Fender dealer who I bought it from would sort out any issues or problems if it was still under warranty, which I think is 1 year.

If this amp was stolen, I'd go out and buy another. It's the perfect workhorse amp for gigging and it also sounds fantastic in the studio too. It has been part of the Fender re-issue range for many years now and is obviously a good seller. It was a bit expensive, but then again I live in Australia and all amps cost more over here.
I guess it all comes down to the style of music that you want to play. For Blues, Soul/Funk, Jazz, Country and Rock n Roll this amp is absolutely ideal. It will handle most things that you throw at it, but if you are after a high gain amp for metal then maybe look elsewhere.

The features on this amplifier are pretty basic, two non-footswitchable channels, both clean. This is a reissue of a classic design, no effects loops.

It came with the stock Groove Tubes 5AR4,6L6, 12AX7's, and 12AT7's. I have since replaced all of these with EHX tubes, by choice, not necessity.

The footswitch controls reverb and tremelo on the 2nd channel.

Jensen vintage reissue speaker.

I use this amp in small venues, and in my home studio. It has plenty of power for these settings, even with a drummer that doesn't understand dynamics. I don't really play in large venues, so I can't comment on it's worthiness for larger settings.

I play jazz, blues, gritty/rootsy Americana jam type stuff, and whatever else comes to mind. This amp fits the bill perfectly for all those styles. If you're trying to hit the vibe of Sabbath, you could probably get close with the right pedals. If you want a more modern metal sound, this really isn't you're amp. I have an EHX Metal Muff that sounds great through this amp, but I wouldn't say that it sounds like a Marshall stack. It sounds like a great metal pedal through a Fender amp. Cool sound, but not modern metal.

For features, it has what I want and need- but it's pretty basic. No bells and whistles. I do wish it had a mid control and maybe an effects loop- but I probably wouldn't use it anyway.

I honestly have never played an original '65 Fender Deluxe Reverb, so I can't comment on how this compares to one of those. I do know this- I have played Marshall Plexis, Peavey Valve Kings, Fender Twins, Marshall JTM Combos, Fender Hot Rod Devilles/Deluxes, and Fender Blues Juniors over the past 20-30 years, this amp leaves them in the dust as far as richness of tone is concerned.

Notes just bloom out of the speaker. There is clarity, there is warmth, there is versatility. I don't use reverb very much, so for what I need, it's fine. Same with the tremelo- I rarely use it. The thing I love about this amp is it's simplicity. Turn a knob or two, get a great sound and go for it.

I play a Heritage H-535 with Seymour Duncan 59's, and a Fender Custom Shop Strat with GFS Lil Killers. My signal chain is a Dimebag Wah> Carl's Custom Guitars Univibe> Analogman modded Small Stone> stock TS9> Analogman Sun Face NKT 275 (high gain)> EB Volume> Boss DD20 into the amp.

I can conjure up practically any tone I wish with this signal chain. This amplifier loves pedals. The only thing I have to do when switching guitars is adjust the bass a little bit.

The clean sound is impeccable. It is THE clean sound that we all hope for. The natural OD that you get with cranking this puppy is beautiful, but for me and the venues I play- it gets pretty darn loud to rely on the natural breakup that this amp is capable of. I just use my TS9 and Sun Face for dirt, and I'm happy.

There is a little hum at idling speeds, but I don't think I've played a tube amp that doesn't hum or hiss a little. It will pop occasionally when switching to standby, but that doesn't bother me much.

Only my Heritage gets 10's, so I'll give this a 9 for sound quality. Out of the many amps I've played, this is my favorite by far. No, it probably doesn't stack up to an original 1965, but if I shelled out the amount of money it would take to buy and maintain an original- I'd never take it out of the house. This amp has a rich, warm, full sound that makes me smile. I never fail to get compliments on my tone when using this amp.

I always gig with a backup amp. It's just smart.

I've had this amp for about a year. The Fender footswitch was crap. I had to replace that, as it just stopped working. I bought one from Levy Tubes on Ebay- built like a tank and very reliable.

I bought this used on Ebay, it is a 2004 model. The day I got it, one of the preamp tubes blew. I'm guessing that shipping didn't set well with it. I had intended to switch out the tubes anyway, so no big deal. I popped in an entire new set of EHX tubes and have had no trouble since.

It's a tube amp, it will require periodic maintenance. To me, no tube amp is ever completely reliable. The sound they give us, however is worth the headache. No SS amp can compare to the warmth and life of a great tube amp like this.

I dealt with Fender years ago for a different amp. It was a bit of a hassle, so I had the amp repaired at a local shop at my own cost even though it was still under warranty.

It's been years, so I don't really know what they're like now. If I had a problem, I wouldn't even mess with Fender, or any large company. I'd just take it to my local guitar shop if it's something I can't fix myself.

I love this amp. It is my "go to" amp. I will buy another when I can. I just don't need anything else. I have tried Marshalls, Bogners, Dr. Z, Mesa, Peavey that are in (or somewhat close) the price range and they just don't have the mojo I found in this amp.

I would like to try a Fargen some day, but doggone it- I just don't understand how expensive alot of the boutique gear is. I'm a working musician with a day job and a family. I can't shell out thousands of dollars for gear. For me, this amp is all I want and all I need. The only thing better would be to have two. If you can't tell, I'd replace it if something happened to it.

This amp can cover alot of sonic territory and do it well. You can usually find one on Ebay for a decent and fair price. I have no problem recommending this amp above all others, unless you're looking for a metal amp. Some of the Peaveys are really quite nice for that.