Rivera Rake Reverb

The mainstay of the Rivera line is to provide the most flexable hand built tube amps available. If you can have only one amp, but want to get many sounds, you need a Rivera. From Tweed to Soldano, its all there.

I don't wish to repeat other reviews. I have two new points: 1. REVERB - Here's my beef. The long-pan hammond spring tank is the most lush sounding reverb for an amp, ever! However, that comes at a price of a wonderful HUMMMMMM, the second you turn the Reverb to 1. In a recording sutuation, if find this unacceptable. However, for live, you'll never touch this reverb. 2. CAB CHOICES - I highly recommend that you consider coupling this amp with Rivera's matching 2x12 cab. The 2x12 are matched 85 watt 12" speakers (that you can play close backed or remove the rear for an open backed sound). The Rivera 2x12 cab is much richer, focused, and less nasal than a 4x12. (I happened to audition the 2x12 vs. a Bogner 4x12. If you have any doubts about how good the Bogner 4x12 cab is, you shouldn't be playing guitar. I digress). For this amp, the 2x12 cab takes the sound over the top. The only problem is the cash for it, but if you're already shopping Rivera, then you know what I mean.

This is the second Rivera I've owned. They're built like a tank.

If you should ever need to call Rivera, chances are you can speak to Paul directly. Period. Try calling Jim Marshall!

Went to the wherehouse where Paul Rivera makes these amps and picked it up myself. Having met Paul and his small staff, I can tell you firsthand that these amps are put together with the UPMOST care and enthusiasm. I was lucky enough to meet the Riveras and order the amp directly from Paul Rivera himself. A few days later he called me and said it was ready. Probably the greatest day in my life! This amp, when combined with the twin Celestion cab ROCKS.

Sounds great both clean and distorted. THe NINJA switch seems a little hot to me, but really boosts the sound on the clean channel. The distortion is sweet and long. Can be played at 25 or 55 watts. Plenty of wattage. I play mostly at 25 and love the vintage sound it produces.

No problem yet, and I bang the shit out of it. I used to take meticulous care, but as most drunken musicians, now I just throw it in the car after a gig.

Having met Paul I can tell you that Customer Service is a priority for Rivera. He'll do whatever it takes to make a 'wrong' a 'right'.

I've been playing this Rivera for about three years. I still get excited every time I flick the switch. What more can I say? It's expensive, but pays for itself.

Two channel, hand built,all tube, reverb 55 watt head, EL 34 tubes, 12ax7 preamp tubes, vintage/modern switch, effects loop, footswitch included, switchable boost on both channels, XLR recording out, no headphone out.

Channel 1 is a classic british tube, preamp gain, master volume and gain boost and vintage /modern switching, will get virtually any sound from mild clipping thru massive gain, low noise even at full steam. Sounds good with humbucker and single coil. Channel 2 is the clean style channel, gain boost available, treble boost pull, middle pull to vary the frequency center, preamp and master volume from super clean to clipping clean sound. Can sound like a Fender twin, deluxe , tweed or new hot deluxe amps. Reverb is very full and deep, all tube. presence control for final touch, great with both single coil and humbucker. This amp can be switched from a deluxe fender sound to a Soldano full bore gain with the footswitch and it does both sounds and everything in between withease and simplicity. The clarity of on both clean and clipping sounds is the best feature of this amp, every note is cleanly articulated even when distorted and the bottom end stays very tight and strong, no mushy bottom end. I have been able to get all of the sounds i need with great ease and simplicity. It sounds awesome, it blows away the Tremoverb head i had, better gain sound than the marshall 900/800 series, will give authentic plexi style sounds by switching to vintage setting and driving the EL34 tubes. The vintage/modern switch switches the tubes from triode to pentode and is very useful. Only wish the vintage /modern switch was footswitchable instead of a switch on the amp rear, Wish reverb was switchable also but i usually keep this low anyway. Reverb is a fullsize Hammond 6 spring tank and is capable of going way over the top for surf style, if you like it you acn do it. I use a PRS and a strat with Texas pickups, the PRS pick ups settings 2,4 with the clean channel are great, the humbucking positions 1,3,5 are great with channel one. You can get the SRV sound with ease and without a tubescreamer, ZZTOP, Metallica, grunge, country clean, jazz tones are all easy to dial in. This is a players amp, not a midi multiprogrammable amp. With a strat the noise levels are low but a good noise gate helps at volume if you like a noise gate.

Had it only a few weeks, webpage is good, dealer was very knowledgable about amp and other Rivera products, the amp sold itself. Too soon to give opinion but dealer says they are super reliable, it is a handbuilt tube amp and it tested at length before they ship

One year warranty, except tubes. No repairs needed, customer support to date excellant, much better than most of the big companies

This is the best amp i have owned, if you are looking for a single amp, no fuss great sounds, nothing you dont need, great fender clean sound, great crunch marshall soundd, great high gain soldano sound, great reverb, handmade but half price of comparable handmade fashionable amps. I got tired of a rack system, then got tired of the muddiness of the Tremoverb head, didnt want to have multiple heads. Every feature you need , nothing added that you don't need. Compact, relatively light, looks great, greta clairty, great projection, great depth, if you want one amp that will do everything with ease and simplicity, this is it. I had never tried a Rivera largely because they seem to sell thru smaller stores and advertising is limited, i tried it based on other reviews in this database, thanks guys. Would buy again in a heartbeat. Wish reverb was switchable but this is very minor. Considering the use of EL34 power tubes the clean channel stays very clean even at volume by using a master volume, typically 6L6's are common in clean amp power sections, and of course EL34's are great for clipped distorted sounds. The matching cabinets use 85watt celestions, right now i am using a vintage marshall 100watt 4-12 with greenbacks and typically do not like heavier voice coils speakers due to lack of punch and definition but this amp sounds better with the Rivera 4-12 cabinet than the marshall greenback cabinet which lacks some bottom end bass on the clean channel, i made add a cabinet or trade. Do yourself a favor, look up Rivera at their website, fing the local dealer and try this amp or the combo version out. This is the upgraded amp from the knucklehead amps and in my opinion is far better due to added gain and reverb options, but the Knuckleheads are still great sounding. This amp makes you want to pick up your guitar and play.