Captain Rumble Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 A work colleague lent my son this amp to use while learning guitar but now finds himself in need of cash and has asked if I want to buy it from him. Neither he nor myself have any real idea of its worth and I am hoping some of you may have an idea of its worth. It is in good condition for its age but does not have the original footswitch but I have had made an all metal construction footswitch which does the same job as the original all controls work as they should. Any help appreciated. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Great amplifier, I regret parting with mine. As to price I have no idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 When was it built? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1432291593' post='2780049'] When was it built? [/quote] 1982 - 86. Wiring on an eyelet board, spaghetti rather than Hi-Watt precision. Some excellent pictures and info here: [url="http://www.stratopastor.org.uk/strato/amps/prii/PRII_hub.html"]http://www.stratopas...i/PRII_hub.html[/url] Edited May 22, 2015 by 3below Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Rivera-era built/designed go for about US$600-800 in the states. Here it's a bit higher (probably the same number in £) as they're not as common. The Rivera amps aren't perfect (the speakers are often upgraded) but it was a golden age for Fender amps. Let me know if you change your mind about buying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 [quote name='3below' timestamp='1432297743' post='2780147'] 1982 - 86. Wiring on an eyelet board, spaghetti rather than Hi-Watt precision. Some excellent pictures and info here: [url="http://www.stratopastor.org.uk/strato/amps/prii/PRII_hub.html"]http://www.stratopas...i/PRII_hub.html[/url] [/quote] Spaghetti is standard Fender practice, but seems to work OK regardless. I came here wondering what a Reverb 11 was - d'oh. Sometime I need to build a 5E3 and a 5D4 & compare them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Rumble Posted May 23, 2015 Author Share Posted May 23, 2015 hmmm £600 + is more than I can afford but if anyone is interested I will happily act as go between contact point etc or if you are local to me your welcome to try it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Nice amps, not worth £600+ though. I bought and sold mine for <£500. Nicely made, crap speaker (unless it's got the optional EV), pretty good cleans and laughable overdrive. A Traynor YGM-3 is a much better amp for way less money (typically <£400 for a clean one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Rumble Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Thanks for your input guys unfortunately I cant afford this for my son at the moment would need to be very cheap before I could afford it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Rumble Posted May 30, 2015 Author Share Posted May 30, 2015 Hmmm a bit more research suggests £350 is a more realistic figure still too hot for me though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Badderer Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 If you want a cheap decent starter amp with a decent sound you can't go wrong with a 2nd hand Marshall Valvestate 8080 they're cheap as chips, fairly reliable. I got 2 2nd hand, 1 for £60 1 for £90. Get a great sound out of them for none of the hassle of valve amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Rumble Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 OK after some negotiation price is down to £225 which seems fair and I'm going to buy it thanks for all your various comments and advice and now I need more any suggestions for replacement speaker as I don't believe the original Fender jobby is doing the amp any favours sonically in any department ie frequency range, detail, volume particularly volume. As usual any advice gratefully received. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 What kind of tones do you like and do you need much more volume? I like Eminence speakers mostly these days, and they are generally extremely efficient and very loud compared to anything by Jensen and some celestions. They have a wide range of tones available to suit, but if you want a typically vintage Fender tone then you should be looking at a Jensen Alnico speaker, probably a P12Q or P12N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Rumble Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 (edited) lots of contradictions here I think on one hand I think it lacks a bit at the treble end of things in terms of frequency and detail that is not to say it is flat or muddy just seems to lack a certain crispness, at the other end of things the bass is in evidence but does not go very low. The overall tone is just a little soft I guess but still clean (don't use the dirty channel) as for volume I don't need loads more but I feel it should be quite a bit louder than it is. Having just read this back to myself I'm not sure I have said anything that could be interpreted as clear or concise but hopefully you'll get the idea. It has just occurred to me that I may be describing the amps natural characteristics and that I basically have the wrong amp I guess I wouldn't know as I am really a bass player ho hum Edited August 1, 2015 by Captain Rumble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 It does sound like you want a Jensen-style speaker in there for more crisp top-end, but I doubt you'll get either more volume or bass out of it if you want to retain authentic Fender tone and behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 @ OP: £225 seems a pretty fair price for a nice Rivera Fender. As for replacement speakers, the world's your oyster. Weber units are well respected and they're much easier to get hold of over here compared a few years ago. The Eminences nearly always get a good write up. I stuck a Copperhead in an SF Princeton and it sounded lush - even spread of tone and bastard loud if it needs to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Weber are easier to get now, but I actively won't support weber - an unethical company who try to close web forums that publish factual information about poorly designed products - no matter how good their speakers are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 ^^^ Blimey - I hadn't heard that stuff about Weber! Sounds like a [i]spicy[/i] story - I'll go have a rummage and see what I can find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 18watt.com was the forum, but I'll not mention details (and they may now be erased anyway) to prevent BC from having legal trouble. The founder, Ted Weber, was by all accounts a wonderful guy, but the son not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1439050553' post='2839670'] 18watt.com was the forum, but I'll not mention details (and they may now be erased anyway) to prevent BC from having legal trouble. The founder, Ted Weber, was by all accounts a wonderful guy, but the son not so much. [/quote] Ah ha! I had a poke around and found some stuff alluding to this. All very odd. And it seems they get a bit upset if you suggest their [s]cheapies[/s] entry level speakers are made in China rather than the Yew Ess of Eh. Which they are. Clearly. They say. Going now. Edited August 11, 2015 by skankdelvar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Rumble Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1438815994' post='2837752'] It does sound like you want a Jensen-style speaker in there for more crisp top-end, but I doubt you'll get either more volume or bass out of it if you want to retain authentic Fender tone and behaviour. [/quote] I had a feeling that might be the case but I think I would be prepared to compromise the authentic Fender tone to a degree in favour of a gain in frequency extension and efficiency and it seems that eminence is the name that keeps popping up. What about the power of the speaker pro's and con's of low wattage 15 ish against 75 ish have read about speaker break up but not really sure what that means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Speaker breakup is where the speaker distorts and compresses too, along with the amp. Some speakers break up very musically (Celestion Greenbacks, Blue, G12H, Eminence Redfang) and others less so (I didn't like the speaker distortion from either the Jensen P10R or Eminence Cannabis Rex). A Celestion G12M sounds like warm thunder when it breaks up, pushed by the right amp. I recently bought an Eminence Swamp Thang for similar reasons, and can confirm it is very fat and loud, and with 150watt rating, also has enormous headroom (no amp I own will overdrive that). Sounds fine with a 12W single ended amp gently pushing it, and it doesn't need some fire-breathing monster amp to make the cone move like some high power handling speakers. If you like a little sting and bite but want a bigger, deeper bottom end and more efficiency then consider a Celestion G12H - really - because they have a huge tight bottom end, slight mid-scoop and teeth at the top, all in a 100dB/1watt sensitivity. I have 2 here (1 almost new anniversary special sat in a box, 1 from the 70s in a pine home-made cab - both sound just the same) and I like the big bottom end, but find the top end a little too sharp-edged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Rumble Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 Just been handed a Celestion G12 - 80 age unknown to try out by a mate and see what differences I can hear if any Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 What is presently in there? Eminence 'made for Fender' with square magnet? I can't recall much about the G12-80, other than (IIRC) it was a lower cost high power handling speaker - probably a bit of a blank canvas than having a particular character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1439307042' post='2841748'] What is presently in there? Eminence 'made for Fender' with square magnet? I can't recall much about the G12-80, other than (IIRC) it was a lower cost high power handling speaker - probably a bit of a blank canvas than having a particular character. [/quote] Pretty sure I had one of these g12-80's in a Rivera R55 a while back. Blank canvas is a very apt description; I suspect Rivera used this speaker because it could unobtrusively handle the (over) wide range of sounds designed into the R55. Something that's intended to do 'relaxed Jazz comping' right through to Mesa-ish djent probably needs an 'unflavoured' speaker. In the OP's context the G12-80 will provide a good basis for comparison [color=#ffffff].[/color] Edited August 11, 2015 by skankdelvar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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