Framus Ruby Riot 212 Combo

My Ruby 2 ,was made in 2006. 2x12 "Vox" type look, with a Celestion Greenback, and Vintage 30 speaker compliment. A Class-A, all-tube amplifier , 30 watts ,using a quad of el84's, and 5- ecc83's, and a GZ 34 rectifier.Clean channel with bass, mid, treble and volume controls.Lead channel with bass, mid, treble, gain and master controls ,Integrated Accutronics spring reverb. Integrated Tremolo with depth and speed controls. and a Parallel effects loop. Basically it has everything I could ask for. I have to give it a 9, just because of changing the tubes. You may find the Ruby's satisfactory. It's a matter of preference.

This is where I was completely floored. I was expecting a typical Vox AC-30TB type sound(I've had 2). The clean channel was close, but it is hard to explain, mabey "Thicker". Spanky clean, to a very nice break up if you dug in. Now for the lead channel . This is where the "Floored" term comes. About 1/3 up, a Topboost with more characture, from there on, a screaming, singing, sustaining, animal, with articulate clear gain. Now, let me back up a bit. This didn't come about out of the box. I pulled the EL84 Ruby Tubes, which were ok, and put a Quad of JJ's, which were recomended by Bob at Eurotubes! We went with a "Higher Headroom" tube. If you get a Ruby Riot, change out the 84's, and put in JJ's.

I mostly play blues, Hard rock, and some Metal. You may not get the "Chug" without a pedal. I use a Hermida Zendrive for that. Gain on the amp at 12:00, and Gain on the Zen the same. I play a Les Paul std, PRS Santana, and an old Tele. ALL work great with this amp! I usually sit it on a Splawn 2x12, for extra bottom. In all, all's good!

I really can't say on the depedability. I always have a backup. This is a H & K Duotone head, and a Marshall anniversary 4x12. The Duotone is another great story, for another day.

They ALWAYS responded to every question as soon as I email, or at least within a day. Thanks Jim!

Well, I've done reviews on various amps over the years, and could not justify 10's on everything. Changing the tubes above, got the sound quality a 9. It get's a 10 afterwords. In 25 years I have owned enough amps to supply a small city. It has been a measure in futility to find "The One". The Framus looks like my search is over. Takes pedals VERY well, and has more tone than I have ever had. I really can't compare it to anything directly. Mabey a Matchless DC-30. Smokes the Vox, IMHO..... It has the AC-30 charicture , but much thicker. I would most definately get another if this one was stolen, or mabey 2 just in case!

2 Channel el84 based high gain amp

The clean is an awesome VOX AC30 sound only warmer. Tons of headroom and takes on the character of any guitar you use.

The dirty channel has the most stunning distortion I've ever heard. Very organic, it sounds alive. This amp can howl and give you that beautiful throaty growl like nothing else. Similar to a Matchless dc30.

This amp definitely prefers single coils. It does wonders for Strats, Teles and P-90's. The single coils do that incredible swirling shimmering sound.

Any tube amp needs a backup. I've only had one tube go bad in the last 2 years and it was the rectifier.

I called their rep in California and spoke to an actual person who was very helpful.

I've been playing for 20 years and I would buy this amp again if it were lost or stolen. I love the sound of this thing. The only thing I hate are the handles. I did compare this to a Matchless DC30 they sounded very similar but the Framus costs a lot less. A bargain for what you get.

I used to play a mesa and i think this amp would be ever better if it had a master outbput like in a mesa. I love the dirty chanel but the clean is a little strange. If you are ever playing an arena you could turn up the clean to about 1:00 and have the most killer gain. Anything less and kind of lacks.

Very crisp. A good Blend of mdern gain and classic rock gain.

I have heard that the handles are not to good but i got mine with out handles. I just ordered the handles in the mail today so i'll strap em on when i get home.

The People at Dana B. Goods are Super Cool

I love this amp and if it got stolen i'd be really pissed. But due to how expensive they are i'd probably buy something else to replace it, The are a small company so maybe i'd go for an endorsment. My Next goal is to run it with a 4x12 cab and have the best of both worlds, 2x12 open back, and 412 closed. I can't wait. One thing i do love about this amp is that nobody else has one. I like to be different......... If you are thinking about buying one, go for it. But buy one used and save a bunch of money.

This amp is an early model, probably 2000.

I'll start with the lead channel. Waaaaay too much gain in the Lead channel. It completely bypasses crunch and goes straight to fuzz. However, if you replace the ECC83 Lead Tube with a ECC81 tube it totally changes the character and makes the Lead Channel very responsive. It starts with just a slight break, to crunch, to searing distortion.
Also, there is another alternative to the other member's solution for the lack of adequate reverb, put a ECC83 in there and you'll have all the reverb you could ever want($7 sovtek).
So basically, if you swap the reverb tube with the Lead channel tube it sounds great. If you don't believe me ask Framus---they changed the Lead Channel in the new Ruby Riot to have less gain.
The clean channel needs nothing. It's the best I've ever heard! If you don't use the Clean Channel much you might be surprised by how much you will with this amp.
This amp gets a six because I had to research so much to make it sound right.

The handles break almost immediatley but are surprisingly easy to fix if you have a large needle and thread and use 1 inch nylon webbing and sew it underneath the leather.
I'm mentioning this because you can't really find an exact replacement for these. The only thing I found was very expensive and said VOX on it.

If you live in the USA they are just about impossible to contact. My emails were not returned.

I've been playing about twenty years.

If it was lost or stolen I might get another one if it was a really good deal. Otherwise, I would probably get an ENGL. Bogners sound very good too but very expensive!

I love the Clean Channel. I don't like the stock Lead Channel---it needs modified. The Reverb needs modified as well.

Great amp if you switch the tubes around(easy fix). If you own one try it. You might be very pleasantly surprised.

My Ruby Riot was made around 2000 or 2001 and I'm the third (probably the last) owner. It is _all_ tube; gz34 rectifier tube, 5 ecc83s, one ecc81, power amp with 4 el84s=total 12 tubes! I do hope they last long. It has two 12" celestion speakers, another is vintage 30 and the other greenback.
Versatility is one of the reasons I bought this amp. I try to play everything except metal: blues, progressive rock, alternative...the list goes on. Now this amp handles all of those with ease. Of course pedals add versatility.
Te two channels (clean/lead) have their own eq's and both channel and reverb are footswitchable. There is a parallel effects loop that has an effect mix (wet/dry) control! There is no headphone jack, but hey, this amp isn't made for droopin' at home!
It would be neat if the amp also had a tremolo/vibrato and a master volume, but I guess that would take the price real high.
The 30 watts of class A power produced by 4 el84s are way enough. I can't wait for really cranking it!
I give it 9 because nothing really is perfect.

I mainly use a MIM 50's classic telecaster w/ stock pickups with this amp.
The amp copes really well with my diverse taste of music. The clean channel is really fendery clean, still having a amazingly warm and pleasant tone. I haven't really cranked it, but I believe it has loads of headroom and thus remains its' clarity quite long.
Now the gain channel is a beast to tame! Think of a mesa boogie or something similar. For my use, even with low-output single coils, there is way too much gain! Now that's not a bad thing, I mean I don't have to work out the amp too much to get the crunch I need. I might try a bit weaker preamp tubes, maybe 12au7s (ecc81s) would work well.
The amp itself generates no noise. The buzz that might come out results from pickups, effect pedals and so on...beware the fluorescent tubes, tv sets, stereos...
The reverb could be slightly more audible, but I hear changing the driver tube affects a lot, so I can fix it.
Again a 9...there is no amp that deserves a ten.

The amp is _extremely_ dependable: it stays relatively cool, the wiring is partially point to point, the tube sockets are chassis mounted, ventilation is well-designed... I definately would gig it without a backup, just be prepared with extra tubes.
The construction seems really sturdy, although I expect the vinyl (?) covering wear down some day. That's life.

Dunno...I'll find it out soon!

The deal was awesome. Someone might consider it as a boutique amp; now I don't. It is a workhorse, just like my telecaster is.
I've been playing for about 10 years.
I have also a tech 21 trademark 10 as a practice amp and I love it, I recommend it to all of you! No tubes makes it really dependable and still it sounds awesome especially on low volumes!
I play a korg dt-10, tbp-modded vox wah, visual sound route 66, boss ge-7 (+ sometimes a boss bf-3 and dd-5) through the amp, they all work well.
I'm gonna get the amp insured, so if it's stolen, I get a new one.
I love it's killer looks, versatility, reliability and sound. Weighing 32 kilos, it doesn't break my back. For this price, this is the best I could get. Add a grand, you could have one more feature; no thanks.
The amp for a lifetime deserves a nine!

CLASS A 30 WATT,2 CHANNELS ETC.IS BEEN EXPLAINED ALL THE DETAILS BY THE PREVIOUS REVIEWERS.

I'M USING A PRS CUSTOM 22,HERITAGE LESPAUL,FENDER SHOWMASTER FMT FROM THE CUSTOM SHOP,A SG GIBSON STD(1967 MODELL).THIS BABY IS A VOX AC30 AT THE CLEAN CHANNEL AND A MATCHLESS DC 30 AT THE DIRTY ONE.VERY VERSATILE AMP AND I HAVE TRIED ALLMOST EVERYRHING.VERY GOOD FOR CLASSIC ROCK BLUES/JAZZ.THERE IS A LOT OF DIRT AT THE B CHANEELL BUT I DONT THING THAT IT WOULD BE MY CHOICE FOR MODERN ROCK.IT COLLECTS EXTREMELY WELL ALL THE DYNAMICS MADE BY THE RIGHT HAND AS WELL ALL VIBRATOS ETC FROM THE LEFT.THE CLEAN CHANELL IT KEAPS CHARACTER EVEN WITH THE VOLUME OVER 8.

THIS IS UNBREAKABLE ITS LIKE A TANKS.

GREAT GUYS IN GREECE AT THEIR LOCAL DEALER.

THIS IS A TOP CLASS BOUTIQUE AMP.IF YOU ARE FOR A CLASS AMP GIVE IT A TRY AND YOU WONT REGRET.MY OPINION IS BASED AT 25 YEARS OF A SEMIPRO CARRIER IN AND OUT AS MUSICIAN.

Class A 30w Two channel combo with two 12" speakers - one Celestion Greenback and one Celestion Vintage Series. Reverb and parrallel effects Loop. This amp features valve driven reverb and a valve rectifier (GZ34). Essentially this amp is a modern take on the Vox AC30. If Vox had continued trading and evolving their most famous amp then this is what it might have become. As it is the German Framus company have taken over where we (the Brits) left off.

Point knocked off as no footswitch is supplied - why??

Used with a USA Fender Strat with a Dimarzio Virtual Vintage Solo pickup at the bridge this amp provides great clean tones. As always sound is hard to describe but I was struck by how "even" the balance was across the strings. The sustain on the clean channel is very good even at quite low levels. The tone controls on the clean channel are quite effective and you can get most sounds from sharp trebly tones ala Fender to some delicious warm tones. I noticed that the clean tones maintain alot of clarity with the treble down which my Marshall TSL100 never did. As the volume is increased then the EL84 "chime" starts to appear. I've never personally cranked an AC30 for any amount of time so I cannot comment on whether this amp captures this sound well or not but personally I like it.

The lead channel is very versatile. The middle control is the key to this one and is a very powerfull control. With the middle down the bass and treble come to the fore and can sound quite similar to the Marshall if need be. However bring up the middle past half way and the Voxy type drive tone starts to shine through.

I don't gig at the moment so I can only guess at the cranked performance. In my experience though if an amp sounds good at home volume it will only get better at rehearsal / gig volumes.

The reverb on my amp is not great. I read the tip from another viewer about the Mullard ECC81 and will be ordering on from Watford Valves very soon. Will an EC83 also work??

There is also a hum on the lead channel noticeable when the master vol is above half way. Not sure what is causing this yet but I don't think it's serious - possibly a valve.

I've given it an eight as in my book ten is perfect and just about impossible to achieve and nine is almost perfect. Eight is a real world "excellent".

Not withstanding the above comments this amp appears very well built. Only had it a week so far so early days. For a Class A 30 watter it runs quite cool. I'm hoping that this will last for years. As it is mostly hand wired should be able to replace any parts for years to come.

Not had any dealings with Framus. Fingers crossed.

I've used amps by Peavey (Bravo) Laney (VC50 & VC100) Marshall (TSL100 & 122). When looking for this amp I wanted something smaller for the house that sounds good at low and high volume levels and did not sacrafice tone in the process. Of all the amps that I have owned this reminds me the most of the little Peavey but that was a long time ago and this is a much louder amp with a bigger tone. My rating of nine takes the price paid into account.

Class A all tube (Poweramp, preamp, reverb, and rectifier) combo, 2 12" speakers, reverb, dual switchable channel, effects loop, speaker out, switchable ohm rating, ~30 watt output.
Check out framus.com for more detailed specs, but this amp is one of those rare products that is far and above more than the sum of it's parts.

The Ruby Riot is versitile for a very broad range of styles. I play gypsy jazz, slide blues, honkeytonk, '70 rock, early heavy metal ala Sabbath, EMO/ Math Rock, you name it and I've been in a band or just noodled around with it over my 20+ years of playing.

The guitars I play currently are a Les Paul Classic (dual Burstbuckers), a Danelectro U2 original vintage lipsticks), ES333 (dual '57 Classics) and a custom Tele (Fralin Blues Specials).

This amp goes from crystal clean to flesh searing gain and stops everywhere between. Massive headroom and lush full bodiness. Crisp and true passthrough of every note you play, this amp forces you to be a better guitarist. Actually, it inspoires you to be a better guitarist...
The clean channel will break up when pushed hard, but at small club volume (3) it's almost impossible to drive it with anything but a very hot pickup. The tone is astounding clean, from dark and moody to better than Fender to twangy. You do have to tweak the EQ close to their max if you're running a darker set of pickups like '57 classics, but with single coils this thing SINGS! The reverb from the factory is weak, being driven by a Sovtek Fender labeled 12AZ7. I swapped that out to a Mullard ECC81 and it was night and day. Stock reverb was thin and shallow, w/ the Mullard it was deep, watery, luscious...

The gain side of this amp is mind blowing. Way more than I expected, as w/ most class A "low" wattage amps you have to crank them and heat those tubes up. The master volume on the gain channel allows you to run up the tubes and keep the volume at more "respectable"levels if you don't want to blow the back of the club out. I find w/ the master volume at 3 and the gain at 3, every single guitar I put through it sings with cascading sustain, and enough full thick gain to scorch anyone. Roll that gain up higher and you have a weapon of mass destruction at the end of your cord... after playing for so long, this amp is the first one since the begining that gives me that "holy sh*t" adrenaline rush when I crank it up. Port it to a 4-12 cab and look out!
I can't say enough about the gain on this amp and the range it can produce. Forget about nailing your favorite axe slinger's tone, that's easy. This amp pushes you to redefine YOUR tone. No matter how hard you crank that gain though, it doesn't mask your talent or the notes you're playing.
I guess one of the other reviewers said it best: this amp turns heads and makes people's jaws drop. Every single time we play a new club people always want to know what my set-up is.
I'm a complete pedal junkie, but with the RR I've found myself hitting the pedals less and less.

So far, so good. The handles are weak, as they're soft leather and this amp weighs a ton. Replacements are easy to get, but I replaced mine with aftermarket units that are much stronger.

Not applicable, no real support through Warmouth or whatever, so you're on your own or dealing with the shop you bought it from. Again, I haven't needed any service.
I bought mine (for an amazing deal!) used.

As a comparison I've owned A couple Fender Twins, a Marshall Superlead, a pair of Laney 50w heads, an original Vox AC30TB, a dual rec. Boogie, and a JCM 900. This amp blows them away in the versatility and raw unadulterated tone, every single one of them.
If it were stolen or lost, I would sell body parts to get the cash together and buy another one. But luckily I have it insured so...
When I was shopping for a new amp I played Bogner, a couple Matchless amps, etc. I came back to the Framus every time and am very, very happy I did.

I can't think of anything else I would want it to come with from the factory other than a better reverb driver tube. But really, the $45 it cost me for the Mullard isnb't really that big of a deal.

I'd like to add that I have no affiliation with Framus or Warmouth at all. I'm just a guitar player who strives for the highest quality products and enjoys playing more than pretty much anything else...

This amp is a two ch, all tube amp, has a master volume, rev, eff loop. 1 Celestion Greenback and 1 Celastion Vintage 30 spk. It's a solid built amp, it's heavier and louder than you'd expect. Extemely versatile, the clean ch is reminescent of a FenderBassman\Vox AC 30, the 2 ch has enough gain\saturation that i find myself not using dist\overdrive pedals as much. The footswitch is built strong, with a cable that a German tank could run over!
The loop takes a bit to get use to, as it works hand in hand with the Master volume,changing the output of the amp as you turn it up and in so doing giving different texture of sound\dist\compression and mix with effects. While a bit complicated, having the option to use the loop as a parallel loop and\or series loop, by turning it all the way to one side, makes it very usable. As a example, i run it all the way to the right ( series ) and in so doing i'm able to use a Volume pedal as a Master Volume, this way i have different shades of clean\dist\overall volume controlled fully by the pedal.

My main guitar is a G&L Strat with Seymour Duncan Antiquity II pu's. I use a Fender Strat as well ( Mexican ).
With this amp, you get distortion at any volume, from ch 2. After years of adding tubes to amps\using every kind of booster\overdrive\distortion pedal you can find...having the amount of saturation\natural compression you get at any volume it's a...a blessing! Tweaking with the balance between the eff. loop and master, changes the output gain structure and you can get bright\punchie tones or well rounded\full body sounds. For Blues ala Gary Moore, which is what i prefer, i have the pre at 2 and the Master Volume all the way up, getting the most natural sound out of the Power tubes at any volume, via the Volume Pedal. Adding more gain ( 5-6 ) transforms the amp into a Modded feel with serious amount of natural overdrive\distortion, tones ala George Lynch, John Sykes, Leslie West come to mind, smooth\evenly compressed notes are there to cream about! I could compare this to the double cascading gain you get from the preamp section of a ProSonic Fender Amp , but the tone is less frizzy then the Fender.

The amp stays cool when crancked up and i've had no problems with it yet, other then one handle broke and the company was fast in replacing it.
I now use this amp for all my gigs\recordings. I'm experimenting with using a extra 2x12 by Framus and i will soon try two ( of the same ) amps set-up , but this is the only amp i use, be it performing with a Dance\R&B Band,
a Latin\Funk big Band or my own Blues\Rock Band Group.

The people at Dana B.Good are the most friendly people you'll have the pleasure of dealing with.

I've been playing for 25+years. I have a Marshall JCM 800 2003 and a Marshall DSL 200 401 combo.
My pedalboard: GT5 Roland ( this unit allows me to have my choice of effects in front of the amp and in the effect loop ) AnalogMan TS-9DX , original MXR phase 90, original DOD envelop filter, Roland Volume pedal. I pretty well like everything about this amp, the versatility and tone\gain\natural compression being the best features. If i would have to complain about something, i would say that there is almost too much pre gain in ch 2 and it's a bit heavy to move around. My overall rating is 10, in any case, as i find the amp perfect for many different situations, never too loud and small enough to be carried in the back seat of your car.

I'll preface this review by mentioning that I came in contact with this amp through an endorsement with Framus; so if you figure that screws my objectivity -read no further... The starting point for this amp design was obviously the VOX AC30, but these guys have embellished the design and come up with a pretty raging amp. It's single input, two fully independent channels, with reverb. A 40 watt class A design powered with EL34's. The 2 X 12 open-back Speaker setup is one Celestion Greenback, and one Vintage30 .

The amp sounds so very cool; classic and distinct at the same time. Since having mine, I've heard that both Carlos Santana and Carl Verheyen have been experimenting with Ruby Riots (each using a pair in their live rig) -it doesn't surprise me. Playing live I use mine along with a 59 Bassman, and absolutely love the sound. If you're into channel switching; the lead channel of this amp has a ton of gain -so much that players who wouldn't neccessarily think of themselves as "Vox Guys" would do well to try this amp. For me, even more so than live -in the studio the thing is amazing. I've actually turned heads with it "what the fuck is that?"... The sound has such focus, and just pours into mics. Whatever sound I'm using it for seems to have "classic record" tone. The two different 12's also privide for lots of mic options...

Working it hard for a little over a year; in the studio and on the road. At home it lives in the back of my Explorer en route to gigs. The thing is built like a Tank. BUT the thick, supple leather handles (3!) break. I'm told these are being changed on newer models. Beyond that, the amp has been exceptional.

Very strong and attentive, but I haven't first hand knowledge of it at the retail level.

I have one of the last originals. Beautiful Maroon amp, much like a matchless or Vox in it's looks.Class A 40 watts. 4 EL84 power tubes, 40 very loud watts.
This amp is hand made in Germany. Point to point wiring.
2 channels, Tube driven effect loop, tube driven reverb.
I am using this amp for Both live and studio use though prefer it for live use because it sounds so good cranked up. It has a Master volume on the drive channel which is helpful for getting overdriven tube sounds at a lower volume.

I have used it with all of my guitars, both humbucker equipped and single coil equipped. This amp really takes on the character of the guitar to deliver outstanding sound.
I had only heard rave reviews and now I know why.
After 3 months of use, I keep liking this amp more and more.
Can get a Fender Twin clean to a Marshall Plexi or Matchless tone. Very cool.

I would not use it with a backup simply because it is a tube amp. I have a spare 2-12 combo i take with me to out of town gigs.
So far nothing has happened and I trust it will stay that way. I can't be certain at a show though.
I take care of my stuff so I would expect it to last.

Framus support is through Warwick basses. They have always supplied excellent customer service.
I had a little trouble with the power tubes when I got the amp and Framus/Warwick sent me replacments right away. Great company.

I give it a 8 overall because I really really like this amp. I think a 9 would be fluffy. A true 8 rating is a great score.
I wouldn't replace it if it got stolen because I couldn't afford another one. :)
Truthfully I would do what I could to replace it with another or a Matchless Chieftan, or Vox Ac30.
I am pretty hooked on this amp over all.