Rivera KR-100 Knucklehead Reverb Head

Made in 2006. 3 channel 100W EL34 monster! High & Low input jacks, dual reverb, footswitchable channel boosts, effects loop bypass, push & pull knobs for added flexibility on both channels, focus & presence controls, recording line out, Sub out (which I haven't had a chance to use), power/cut switches and is MIDI capable. Comes with Rivera Headmaster MIDI footswitch which is an awesome pedal on it's own!

I play mostly Metal and this amp defenitly suits my style well! A perfect fit. I play in small to mid-size pubs & clubs. This amp is more than loud enough for those rooms!

I play an Ibanez RG2228GK (w/ the EMG808's), Ibanez K7FB (w/ D-Sonic in bridge) & an Ibanez RG320QS (w/ EMG85's) into this head. It is matched up with the Rivera "Seven" Mick Thomson angled 4x12 cab w/ the custom "Seven" Celestion speakers.

The clean is absolutely beautiful! Better "Fender" cleans than even Fender can produce now. With push/pull knobs for the low, mid & highs, you have an incredible amount of flexibility. There's also a Boost to give it some "grit."

Channel 2 is an incredible Crunch. Boosted, it sounds great and can easily reach a full range of sounds. Also has a push/pull knob for the mid-range.

Channel 3 is my personal fav...... Over the top Gain! Although the 2nd & 3rd channel's share the same EQ, I find them to be voiced quite differently. Tons of Saturation and HUGE lows. Can dial in a wide variety of tones, but I really find that Rivera's have a voice of their own that I truely enjoy.

This amp has tons of headroom and is loud. To really experience the amp, you do have to crank it up or use an attenuator. I find it quite a quiet amp, although as to be expected there is a little High Gain Hiss, but I have an ISP Decimator Pro Rack G to keep it whisper quiet. The Reverb is very nice. The Headmaster MIDI Footswitch is great! The distortion in this amp is great and very aggressive! There is tons of clarity and a big, full sound. Very tight and focused. Cuts through in a band situation no problem.

I do want to note, that this amp is best suited to a matching cab or a cab that isn't oversized. I found that it got really muddy and lost it's defenition with oversized cabs (Randall, Boogie, etc.). A Marshall 1960 cab w/75's worked really well also.

I gig without a backup and haven't had any issues yet, but I've only owned it for a few months. I do transport this in a case.

With the build quality of Rivera, I have no doubt that I can depend on it for years.

I have yet to deal with Rivera resonally, but when I did order the cab, they were very easy to deal with through the local dealer. 1 year warranty.

I've been playing guitar for almost 10 years now. I've owned a Peavey Supreme Transtube (first ever rig) and a Randall Warhead stack in the past and the Rivera Knucklehead was a HUGE step up for me. When I was shopping for a new amp, I was considering the Bogner Uberschall, until I tried out this head and never turned back. This head was everything I was looking for and a better value in the end. If this amp was stolen, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another or maybe the KR7.

For those looking for a truely unique amp that doesn't sound like another Recto, this is an amp to consider!

3 channels. FX loop. 6l6s. 90's punk, blues, funk. I play mostly medium-sized clubs and I have never had a volume issue, other than the bitchy sound-guy telling me to turn it down. I wish it had a seperate eq for the 3rd channel, but an eq pedal in the fx loop solved that problem. MIDI pedal is awesome! This amp is meant to be played loud. Real loud. I purchased a THD Hotplate attenuator recently and I am kicking myself for not getting it sooner. Turn this amp UP!

My USA Texas Fat Strat can pretty much get most of the tones I want. For a bluesy tone I use a tube overdrive preamp into the low gain with the clean channel. The clean channel is the best I've heard. It doesn't break up smoothly, but it has a ton of head room. Like others have said it is very tight, which I love. I usually use channel 2 boosted with gain on 7 for my overdrive tone. It reminds me of some of Slash's tones with the mids at about 6. And channel 3 can sound very much like Tool, or scooped out to achieve the gnarliest metal tone I have ever heard. As I said before, TURN IT UP. If you don't, you will not get the great tone.

The thing is tough. I've never had a problem in 4 years. Just love it and care for it like you would any other tube amp and you will have no problems. This amp was meant to be hauled from show to show. Very durable.

Paul Jr is the shit. He's obviously very proud of his products and is not scared to talk shop. Very good.

Been playing for 15 years. I've got a ton of effects pedals and I never use them any more. There is nothing more surreal than plugging a guitar directly into an amp and getting a gorgeous, raw tone. I also own a VHT Pittbull 45 (which I adore), but it is nowhere near as versatile as the Rivera. It is ideal for a performing guitarrist.

I bought my first KHR with el34s back when it first came out around 2000, and then picked up a second KHR with 6l6s that was made in 2003. You can read about all the features on the Rivera website but I will say this amp deserves a 10 for it's versatility. The midi controller is easy to use and this amp can blend perfectly with any rig.

The reviewers who describe it as buzzy just aren't turning it up loud enough. 100 watts is a lot of headroom and this ain't no apartment amp. In a live band situation, it cuts through the room (and the mix) like a hot knife through butter. It is definately for a player that wants a TIGHT sound. This amp is as tight as it gets. If you want something creamy or smooth look elsewhere (like an orange rockerverb). This thing is articulate, punchy, and extreme in everything it does. Each knob and switch will drastically alter your sound. If you want more bass or more gain...no problem cuz there's plenty on tap.

My advice is to start with cutting the power in half. Play the amp at the vintage setting. This makes it so you can get a decent tone at a lower volume. Then set all of your eq to around 5. If you've got a very dark sounding guitar... you may want to kick the treble and mids up to 6 or 7. Make sure to PULL all 3 of the eq knobs for channel one. Set your channel 2 and 3 gain to only 7. This is a good starting point.

There is so much gain in this amp.. that I never need to go above about 7 on the dial or things start to sound muddy.

Make certain to match the correct guitars with the high input and low input instrument in. I run single coil strats into the low input... and my humbucker LP type guitars in to the high input for best results.

JUST FYI - The reverb and efx loop are very noisy on both of my heads. There maybe a fix to it like changing the reverb tank or switching out some preamp tubes. I also have to use a clean boost pedal (zvex super hard-on) with effects in the efx loop to kick everything up to line level.

The sound of the KHR differs immensely depending on what cabinet you're using and whether its the el34 or 6l6 version. I own both the rivera 4x12 with v30s and also a rivera 4x12 with gt75s. I also have the los lowbottom sub cabinet.

To really experience this amp... you MUST run it with the sub cabinet. The sub out is what makes this amp absolutely sick! You get a wall of sound that is unlike any of the competion. A personal story: I went to audition for a band at a local rehearsal studio. After playing the KHR with sub for about 10 minutes the owner of the studio ran in to see what I was playing through. He said it was the best tone he ever heard in his life (and this guy has heard everything) OF course he said it was the best tone, not the best playing. My playing still has plenty of room for improvement.

I prefer the gt75 cabinet over the v30s with this head. The 75s have a bigger fuller sound and don't break up too early on the clean channel. I think that's why a lot of reviewers seemed to like this amp through the marshall 1960 cabinets (cuz of the 75s) Also, if you're a strat player or a single coil plucker you may prefer the 6l6 version cuz they have a fuller clean sound and single notes sound bigger. Metal players will probably prefer the el34 because of how articule it is with power chords and palm muting.

Since there is so much gain and bass in this amp... some effects will get lost in the mix. This amp tends to sound best with thick bass effects pedals like EBS or over-the-top boutique makers like Zvex. Some of the more transparent and subtle makers like fulltone just don't seem to cut through this amp (but they sound great with other vintage combo amps) If you use digital rack efx then you'll love the midi controlled efx loop.

Channel 3 distortion is absolutely brutal. Listen to the latest Slipknot album and that is exactly what it sounds like.

Overall: This is a working man's amp that wants a HUGE and TIGHT sound. It is not for everybody so "try before you buy." But for the chosen few it will become a signature sound... You won't want another amp. I've been playing the KHR for 5 years now and wouldn't think of buying anything else. The honeymoon period is long over and I still love the way it sounds just like the first day I plugged in.

If you've got any questions please feel free to contact me at dinrodef@hotmail.com. There are also some good user's groups on Yahoo like riveraheads

100 watt tube head. 6L6 version. 3 channels, reverb, effects loop, low power and vintage switches. Lots of controls on the front panel. Separate reverb levels for clean (ch1) and high gain (2 & 3) channels. All 3 channels have a boost mode and treble boost, bass boost and mid-shift making a lot of tonal variety. I wish ch2 & 3 didn't share EQ, but nothing's perfect. The "Headmaster" footswitch is quite nice and will control any MIDI gear that uses program changes. I play different stuff from classic rock up to nu-metal and this amp covers a lot of ground. Volume isn't a problem. It's loud.

Using the head with a standard Marshall 1960A slant cab, PRS Custom 22, American Standard Strat, Fulltone ChoralFlange, Lovetone Doppleganger, Snarling Dogs Wah, stuff.
The clean sound is beautiful especially with the reverb. If you kick on the boost, you can drive it to some nice crunchy sounds too. Ch 2 and 3 are high gain channels. I find the gain on ch 3 to be too harsh, so I have it set low and use it as more of a bluesy sound. Very touch sensitive and cleans up nicely when you roll back on the guitar volume. I use ch 2 as the main distortion sound and let the midrange sing. I don't really like scooped mids and you can get a very musical distortion sound on this channel.
To me, the amp doesn't really sound like a Marshall or like a Boogie, etc. It can sound similar, but it has it's own area. I tried one in a store using a Rivera 4x12, but I like the sound through the Marshall cab better. Not as much bottom end chunk to my ears.

I haven't had it long yet, so I don't know about the reliability. I got it used, but the only thing different from brand new is some wear on the handle. I can see that needing replacing eventually, but that's minor. I'll get some spare tubes. I opened it up to check it out and it's quite solidly built. I'm not going on any world tours anytime soon, so I think I could gig without a backup.

I haven't dealt with the company at all. The website is pretty good and they have the manuals online.

I've been playing for 16 years now and own quite a bit of guitar and bass gear. Other than my practice amp, this is my only guitar amp. I tried a bunch of different Mesa/Boogie models and Bogner, Bad Cat amps before buying this one. All the others are good in their own ways, but the Knucklehead has the sounds I'm looking for now. It has a great clean channel, reverb, and versatile high gain channels. The foot pedal is also really cool and will be extra useful if I hook up my Lexicon MPX G2 again. If I lost it, I'd get another one.

I have the 100w EL34 version from 2002. As stated, very versatile with plenty of options for anyone's needs. Almost too many in my own case where I like a simpler construction. I have no use for the MIDI footswitch (it's friggin huge!) and really wish it could use a regular channel/reverb/loop switch instead, like my M-60 combo. Otherwise I like the options in the eq to get so many kinds of sound within reason. I play original stuff with a blend of punk/surf/blues/heavy rock/jazz/rockabilly/funk styles, so I need an amp that can sound good doing all of those, which this can do. The reverb sounds nice and the loop is very usable and sounds great. I don't use any other of the features on this amp but there is plenty of room for tweaking your sound and using external devices.

I use a stock Les Paul Studio and an Amer. Strat w/Wagner custom SR vintage wound pup's. My cabinet is a 4x12 Bogner with V30's (damn nice)Both guitar's retain their character nicely and sound great. The Strat in the clean channel is killer! The LP gives the bite and grind to work the crunch channel. I use the LP more now that I have this amp because the humbuckers sound better with the EL34's in the crunch channels, which I play(distorted) 90% of the time.
Clean channel: freaking amazing. Read the reviews on any Rivera and you will see the same. What do you expect from the guy who built the only good Fender amps in the 80's? I have played vintage Fenders that don't sound this good plus you have so many tonal options to choose from. I could go on forever about this channel. It will blow you away.
Crunch channel: Nice modded Marshall JCM series but with more depth. Back off the gain and you have a nice full rhythm sound that can be great for funk, post punk, and blues. Turn up the vol. and a thick lead sound come out. I use this channel about 80% of the time for rhythm and leads. It does get muddy with the gain past 8 but more on that below.
Hi-Gain channel: Plenty of gain for most styles. I use this at points in our songs that really need to slam. Being in a 3 piece means having to cover alot of sonic area and this amp definitely provides. It shares eq and presence w/ channel 2 which kinda sucks because it is voiced very differently but it also adds a little flavor to the mix in a live setting. This channel is similar to a Dual Rectifier and I won't say it does it better or worse because only thing the Dual Rec does good is Hi-Gain chunk and that seems to be the same with this channel. It cuts through and is much more articulate as the Mesa but a bit more thinner and not as thumping. I don't use this channel for anything other than thick ground-shaking power chords bc I think it sucks for anything else.

Now for my complaints. I love the fact that this amp has its own unique charcter and a very thick, powerful, and LOUD sound. I do not like the voicing of this amp overall though. It has extreme low mid focus which benefits the Fender-type quality of the clean sound and helps the amp cut through anything, but muds up the sound when cranked. Rivera has the great combo of Fender clean plus Marshall distortion which nails the beauty of the Fender qualities but misses the high-mid sweetness of a good Marshall. Since this amp is modeled to a more modern style of rock I think the crunch side needs more thought. It is very difficult to get a smooth distortion out this head. I have used NOS lower gain tubes and tried every option avail. on this head but it really doesn't happen. It is a very in your face distortion all the time with the gain up. Putting the gain past 8 on bothcruch channels makes a very dark, muddy sound, esp w. the LP. Not bad for certain types of players but it could be frustrating if that's not what you want.I have owned this head for 4 months now and am trying ways to help me get my sound. Its almost there but right now it is a love/hate relationship.

Seems to be well built like all Riveras. I have never had a problem other than bad tubes in my Riveras. Paul Rivera is anal about making things perfect so that means good quality for us players. One of the best built amps out there.

Very helpful most of the time. Sometimes a bit rushed when I spoke to somebody other than Paul himself but no complaints there. They always seem willing to help.

I, like many others are on the quest for the best amp for my style and tastes. I have been through many amps in the past few years. Here are some that I have OWNED/still own and played, not just messed with in the store for a few minutes: Rivera M-60(still have), Mesa Dual Rectifier(sold that crap to get this), Marshall JCM900 Dual Reverb, Orange Rockerverb 100, Crate VC30, Fender Twin 2x12 Reissue, Ampeg VL502, Fender Concert, and a bunch of solidstate junk. I have been playing for about 12 years and I have finally settled down with this amp for now. If I can't get the distortion a bit smoother than the search continues but I will probably never get rid of this because it does sound killer despite my woes. Definitely worth the money for this beast.

2004 EL34 version. 3 channels switchable w/midi. High/low power switches amp from 100 watts down to 25 watts. Modern/vintage switch changes amp's voicing. Effects loop has send level, receive level, and mix level! Many more features you can check out on your own. (there's too many to list) The ONLY feature that would make this amp better would be a seperate presence control for channel 3. I still give it a 10 rating because midi is just so awesome when you use effects through the loop!(no pedal dancing!). Also I love the fact you can switch this amp down to 12 watts with a low/vintage setting.

GEAR= PRS McCarty, Ibanez RG W/SD JB's, G Major effects into Avatar cabs(2x12 semi-open back w/Vin. 30's and 2x12 semi-open back w 1 Vin. 30 & 1 G12H Anniversary)

I play anything from Dire Straits to Disturbed, mostly. Some blues, no country,jazz,etc. This amp excels at anything I like to play!
Very quiet amp on channels 1 & 2. Slightly noisy on channel 3, but not any worse than other amps I've owned.

-Channel 1:(Clean) The best clean I've ever played, period. Keep in mind, though, I've never played through the blackfaces, tweeds, etc. Read the "overall" section to see what amps I have owned that I'm comparing this amp to. I can get any sound I want out of this channel. Some days I like to eq this channel to make notes almost piano-like. Other days I'll turn up the mids a bit and crank out some clean blues with just a bit of bite. LOVE IT! The clean can stay crystal clear @ high volumes when you're running the amp @ 100 watts. Obviously, if you run the amp @ 12 watts like I usually do, it'll start breaking up earlier. Not a problem for me. RATING=10

-Channel 2:(marshall-type gain) To me, it sounds close to a EVH-type distortion on vintage. On modern, the sound tightens up or becomes more focused like 80's metal, possibly, or Metallica. My favorite channel because I only play clean about 10% of the time. Rating would be 10, but I can't seem to dial in a super smooth, creamy distortion. So, RATING=9.5

-Channel 3:(super aggressive gain) I actually rarely play this channel. Channel 2 is so f@#king awesome, I can't seem to take the time to experiment with this channel like I should. This channel is way extreme and tight. I think it's really geared more for death-metal type sounds. Keep in mind that I love playing Disturbed, Metallica, Staind, but I can reach those sounds on channel 2. I think that should tell you how crazy/heavy/aggressive this channel is! One other thing: this channel really should have its own eq or at least presence control. It's voiced a lot brighter than channel 2, so switching from channel 2 to 3 mid song is not recommended,IMHO.
In other words, any time I want to switch channels, I have to manually adjust knobs on the amp. Even though I don't use this channel(yet), it still has awesome sounds. RATING=8.5

No problems, SUPER HEAVY!!!! (I think the head is 60 LBS.!!!) This thing is really built well!

Called to ask how to program the midi foot controller that came with it (Headmaster). They were friendly but I must have called at a bad time.(some company meetings,etc.) I went on the rivera forem a few days later and got my answer that way (within a few hours). It does irritate me that they didn't return my call within a few days.

I've been playing 20 years. I have owned or own: Carvin SX combo, Carvin X100-b, Carvin Legacy, Marshall TSL, Mesa nomad, Mesa dual rectifier, and tried many other amps including recently peavey XXX, Satriani, Genz Benz El-Diablo, and some fenders. The Rivera absolutely kills all of them! (Of course-IMHO) This amp really has it all, which I'm glad because my wife was about ready to kill me! I really don't blame her, I've spent thousands of $ trying to find THE amp. For me, a lot of times I can't decide on an amp until I've had it home for a few weeks(unless it sucks-then you'll know right away). For this reason, I've been trying to buy used amps. Until one day I walked into the local music store and played this amp. I knew within 10 minutes this was my amp. I bought it, added some different pre-amp tubes and now I love it even more. By the way, I'm not a Rivera dealer or Paul's nephew, in case your wondering. Just my 2 cents.

Model 2000, the chassis says 1999 (with old label: FS9 instead of Headmaster). If you don't know the features by now, go to rivera.com. This is by far the best sounding, most versatile head i've ever owned or played. I play many styles from crystal clean to brutally heavy, depending on my mood, and this one does em' all. there are only a few features i wish it had, i would REALLY like it if there were a bias switch in it, and it would be really cool to be able to adjust the boosts. this thing is monsterously loud, even on the 18w setting, definately not for bedroom playing

the sounds are great, it's hard to get a bad sound, that being said, the yellow (crunch) channel takes a bit more tweaking to get the proper sound out of. i use everything from a semihollow tele to a neck thru, dual humbucker schecter, all sound great! i've played dual and triple recto's, and they can't come close to what rivera's amps do, mesa's are muddy and don't really cut through. i've also played with many tube preamp/power amp combos, this is better for me because it's all one piece, and w/ the pre/ power thing, it's hit or miss if the two pieces sound good together.

i've had the amp for two years and no problems yet, it's built like a tank, and when you spend this much on a head, a couple hundred more for a case is nothing, would you get a LP Custom w/o a case?

never dealt with them myself, but everyone seems to think they're great

i've been playing for at least 15 years in working bands, and i would be very pissed if this amp were stolen, and i would definately have to get another.

Made in 2000. EL34 Power Tubes,Three channels with boost,Footswitchable reverb,FX loop ,100/50/25/12 watts,modern/voicing power amp settings, and enough Pull and push buttons to go without an EQ.

I use a BC Rich NJ Warlock loaded with an EMG 81 pickup in the bridge and an Emg 85 pickup in the neck and I use a Washburn TB-200 for my standard tuning stuff. I play mostly metal with some Classic and Hard Rock. This amp is THE MOST VERSITLE AMP I have ever played. Overall the amp is pretty quiet.

Channel 1: Clean. I have to say one thing and one thing only. THE BEST CLEANS IN A HEAD YOU CAN FIND. I'm not kidding. They are AWSOME. I like to pull the treble knob to engage the bright switch and it just makes it sound crystal clear. Tons of headroom and it doesn't distort at high volumes.

Channel 2. This channel screams MARSHALL. This is my main channel. Altough I have to max it out(Gain 10,Boost on) to use it and put a Maxon OD-808 in front of it.(Just my taste) I play stuff like Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Metallica, AC/DC, The Haunted out of this channel.

Channel 3: BRUTAL!!. This channel was made for Slipknot. When I play them it is sounds like them exactly. IT's so damn BRUTAL!!!. The best thing about this channel is the CLARITY AND DEFINITION. You can hear EVERY note. It amazes me every time I play it. TONS of bass.

It's a Rivera so enough said about reliability. NO AMP ON EARTH ARE BUILT LIKE RIVERA's. I currently am not using a backup amp and am very comfortable with that. BUT, I know how it is if something ends up happeing so having a backup amp is always a good idea.

I've emailed Rivera and asked many questions and they have answered every one.

If this were stolen I would go crazy them buy a new one. Although a Framus Cobra temps me to try it out. I rank this amp in the top 5 High Gain amps made.(In no specific order- Rivera Knucklehead Reverb, Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, VHT Pitbull, Framus Cobra, and a Marshall JCM800 with an overdrive pedal in front of it.) All I have to say is that I see my self having this amp FOREVER, thats how good it is.

The extensive list of features has already been covered below. Go to Rivera.com for more.

My main guitars are a '91 Custom Shop Stratocaster with an ebony fretboard, '91 Les Paul Custom 400, '82 Dean "Z", and 2001 Les Paul Jr. I play everything from electric jazz (think McLaughlin)to funk (think James Brown, Funkadelic) to blues (Albert Collins, B.B., Albert King, Muddy Waters, Mike Bloomfield) as well as classic rock (Hendrix, Page, Beck, Clapton) and hardcore (Helmet, Slipknot, Biohazard) and this amp covers these styles with ease.

The amp is very quiet for a high power/high gain amp. It's not really happy unless the master volume for each channel is above 3 which is louder than you'd want to play in an apartment. Any 100 watt head is really an amp for the stage, not the bedroom. Lower volume tones still sound good for practicing, but this amp really comes alive above three.

Channel 1 can produce any sound that I've ever heard come from a Fender amp and I have owned a tweed bassman, blackface Super Reverb, silverface Deluxe Reverb, and a Prosonic among others. This is by far the best "Fenderlike" channel on any multi-channel head. It is like four or five Fender amps in one. Vary the gain and it goes from Twin Reverb clean to Super Reverb grind to Deluxe Reverb on ten distortion with "balls" that none of the above have, and it's very sensitive to volume knob variations. Set the gain from 5-7 and play blues all night long without having to touch the amp again. The short pan reverb is not as good as on my Deluxe Reverb (the best I've ever heard) but it's better than any Marshall or Mesa reverb that I've tried.

Channel two is voiced like a Marshall JCM 800/900. It sounds as good as the 800 but has much more voicing flexibility (I used to own a JCM 800 Model 1959 Super Lead stack). Channel 2 can go from a silght grind to full bore crunch. It doesn't sound great at really low gain or master volume settings, but a little juice goes a long way!

Channel 3 is a modern crunch channel (think Slipknot) that sounds slightly scooped compared to channel two but is much more pleasing to the ear and organic sounding than your typical "Rectifier" head. I have the 6L6 version that has the added "fizz" circuitry and I'm considering having it removed. It's not offensive, but sounds a little processed. I want my amp to sound like tubes going nuts, not like an expensive amp being fed by an expensive distortion pedal (like my Mesa V-Twin). Please understand that any criticism of the sound is being really picky,; all three channels sound great. I almost gave it a 9 for sound because I think it could sound even better with some tube tweaking, but this amp does truly sound awesome. The first time I brought it to rehersal I selected channel 2, hit the first chord on it, and the entire band turned around and went "Damn!" I wasn't using any pedals; I just plugged directly into the amp. To say that this amp rocks is like saying a Ferrari handles well.

Totally reliable, no trouble so far, but I use my Prosonic as a backup.

I spoke to the company once and they were very helpful.

I have been playing for over thirty years and own a bunch of stuff, the best of which is mentioned above. I would definitely buy another if it were stolen. The fifty watt version is a temptation, but I really like the clean headroom of 100 watts of 6L6 power. I love its ability to reproduce the full gamut of Fender sounds at volume and still have two distinct yet great distortion voices. I have heard people swear by the Bogner's distortion tone, but from what I've heard it's a one-trick-pony. I have compared it to Mesas, Marshalls, Fenders and the 5150. The KHR kicks all of them in the butt. I haven't played the Bogner or Diezel but take pride in playing an American handmade tube amplifier. I wish I had the Sub 2 to go with it (I'm currently using a K212 cab) but it's important to have something to look forward to. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

As soon as I checked the KHR100 (EL34 version) out I knew I had found my allround amp. I play mostly pop (slick things, but also more rock/bluesy) jazz & fusion.
Great features, 6 sounds on 3 channels avaiable through midi-switching, works like a charm with my Ernst Navigator midi pedal (made by the dutch bradshaw, Ernst Fliek). Although it has a rather nice reverb onboard, I prefer using a digital one (MPX1) or no reverb at all. The amp is at its best when played loud through my Rivera 4x12 cabinet. I also use it with a bag-end sd112 (1x12 cab), with nice results, but the voice of the 4x12 is much bigger and fatter.

I use the amp mostly with my blade texas vintage (strat style) equipped with Suhr V60LP pickups (3 single coils).
This amp is not noisy at all. The way in which I use it is roughly the 3 channels without boost for rhythm sounds, with boost engaged I get my solo sounds. I set it up with channel 1 as CLEAN (gain=3), rhythm sounds shimmery and open, with boost it's like mark knopfler in a box! great bright clean lead with a lot of headroom, absolutely wonderful. I use channel 3 as crunch (gain=5), nice stuff, because of the brighter nature of ch3 as opposed to ch2, I get a nice overdriven sound with a bite, great for Hendrix/SRV middle ground, or, add a little chorus, pitch shift and/or delay, and you have a great '80's crunch lead sound. Ch2 (gain=8) is my distorted lead sound. Sounds less edgy than ch3, although there's still enough highend, but the sound is more lowmid focued, I'd say. Anyway, the voices of ch2 and 3, although they share the same tone controls, is distinctly different, especially if you use different gain settings.

built like a tank, never let me down in the last 2 years, use it a lot live.

Rivera has good service, I've had the old software chip inside the Headmaster footswitch (that was included with the KHR back when I bought it), after some emails with Paul Rivera, they send it to me for free! (And I live in the Netherlands!) Great!

I've been playing professional for a couple of years now (after I graduated from the Conservatory in Amsterdam).
I also own a Boogie MK4 (use it sometimes, is nice but very different from the Rivera, like the KHR better, sounds a lot more open) and a Rivera Sedona combo (wonderful amp, use it in the studio a lot).
I really love the versatality of sounds and the fact that there's 6 sounds to be selected without adjusting settings.
And the sound definately rules!!!
If it were stolen I'd definately miss it alot, there's no amp on the market (at least, I don't know one) this versatile, good-sounding and usable in a live situation as this one!