Reeves Custom 225 insight

[MTMjordan]

I am in the process of doing some gear upgrading and I was wondering if anyone has a Reeves Custom 225 bass amp that they could talk about. They are an extremely pricey amp and I don't want to drop the $2500 US on it if it won't even sound better than what I'm already playing! I just ordered my Orange 810 (awaiting its arrival) but am currently playing an SVT-4PRO through an Ampeg 810 Classic with a 1978 Fender P. So my simple question would be does anyone know if the Reeves Custom 225 would give me a better sound than the SVT4-PRO?

I play in a post hardcore(ish) rock band if that helps any (www.myspace.com/messagethroughmotion)

Thanks

[tombowlus]

I own one and love it. You can check out my review (and our technical review) in Bass Gear Magazine issue #2.

[RedLeg]

I mean, he designed the HiWatt! It has to be guud!

[fu22ba55]

Lots of Reeves 225 info here on TB if you poke around:

The official thread
---------------------
The Official Reeves Bass Amp Thread

The edbass threads
----------------------
New Reeves Cabs Pics (Prototype)

Reeves Tube Bass Amp Field Test

Reeves Bass Amp Prototype Pics

Edbass was involved with the field testing of the Reeves 225 circuit, and he owns serial number 001, which is an awesome amp I've had the rare pleasure of playing through for about 20 minutes.

Will it "sound better" than what you already have? That's a highly subjective question, and impossible to answer.

Is it made better than an SVT4PRO? is it a better piece of hardware? 100% absolutely.

The 4PRO is a machine made, PCB (printed circuit board) amp, with some track record issues. It's a great amp for the money, lots of watts per dollar, but it is what it is.

The Reeves 225 is in a completely different class in terms of design and quality. You're comparing a Toyota Camry to a hand-made Rolls Royce. They both get you to the dance, but one is a heck of a lot classier.

---

The sound?

The 4PRO is a pretty standard, clean version of the traditional Ampeg sound.

The Reeves is going for the Hiwatt DR201 sound with a few tweaks here and there.

Listen to Live at Leeds, and turn up the treble on your hifi. That's the neighborhood the Reeves is in.

The Tech21 Leeds pedal is attempting to emulate the same sound, but it's just a tinkertoy compared to the actual sound of the Hiwatt / Reeves.

The 225 sounds nothing like an all-tube SVT. It is it's own thing.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by RedLeg

I mean, he designed the HiWatt! It has to be guud!

Dave Reeves died in 1981. The "Reeves" name is an homage to him. He had nothing to do with the direct design of the 225.

Reeves Amps started with the Hiwatt DR201 circuit, then modded it here and there. It's not a Hiwatt DR201 anymore.

[MTMjordan]

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

Lots of Reeves 225 info here on TB if you poke around:

The official thread
---------------------
The Official Reeves Bass Amp Thread

The edbass threads
----------------------
New Reeves Cabs Pics (Prototype)

Reeves Tube Bass Amp Field Test

Reeves Bass Amp Prototype Pics

Edbass was involved with the field testing of the Reeves 225 circuit, and he owns serial number 001, which is an awesome amp I've had the rare pleasure of playing through for about 20 minutes.

Will it "sound better" than what you already have? That's a highly subjective question, and impossible to answer.

Is it made better than an SVT4PRO? is it a better piece of hardware? 100% absolutely.

The 4PRO is a machine made, PCB (printed circuit board) amp, with some track record issues. It's a great amp for the money, lots of watts per dollar, but it is what it is.

The Reeves 225 is in a completely different class in terms of design and quality. You're comparing a Toyota Camry to a hand-made Rolls Royce. They both get you to the dance, but one is a heck of a lot classier.

---

The sound?

The 4PRO is a pretty standard, clean version of the traditional Ampeg sound.

The Reeves is going for the Hiwatt DR201 sound with a few tweaks here and there.

Listen to Live at Leeds, and turn up the treble on your hifi. That's the neighborhood the Reeves is in.

The Tech21 Leeds pedal is attempting to emulate the same sound, but it's just a tinkertoy compared to the actual sound of the Hiwatt / Reeves.

The 225 sounds nothing like an all-tube SVT. It is it's own thing.

Thank you! In terms of a heavier/punchier/dirtier sound, do you think the 225 can top the 4PRO? That is what I am looking for.

[CDweller]

Don't think you're really wanting a Reeves if you want dirt.

[dee rob]

Mine can get a little grindy,(front pickup on the Roscoe soloed) but I've never gotten a full out over driven tone from it. The thing that really impresses me about the amp is how big and full the notes sound. Every note I play through this amp sounds huge! Man, now I wish it was here in my living room instead of the rehearsal studio

dee

[AwkwardLoudness]

You can get plenty of dirt with the Reeves 225, but it may take some adjustments to get as much dirt as needed...depending on taste.

To increase gain:
-Use both input channels with a Y-cable

-Rotate both 'normal' and 'bright' inputs to their max or close to it. Turn up the bass guitar's volume knob to max. The amp will be very sensitive to dynamics so dig into in the strings and play aggressive for more gain. You can roll back the bass guitar's volume knob(s) for cleans.

-Use hot passive pickups or active pickups.

-Use only ECC83/12AX7 tubes in the pre-amp section. I think these amps come stock with a ECC81/12AT7 in the phase inverter position. I prefer to have the ECC81 in there, but an additional ECC83 will increase gain.

-Add a dirt pedal to the signal chain. These amps take many pedals very well.

Now, doing all of the above would result in too much gain for my taste. So, I suggest experimenting with combinations of the above to achieve desired gain. The circuit is very linear and will only reach distortion at high volume unless pedals are employed.

I think the Reeves and old Hiwatts amps are awesome.

Originally Posted by dee rob

Every note I play through this amp sounds huge!

Yes!!!!

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by CDweller

Don't think you're really wanting a Reeves if you want dirt.

+1

[AwkwardLoudness]

Oh c'mon now. One should NOT overlook this amp because it lacks early distortion. Just use a good dirt pedal for dirt at lower volume. Otherwise, use a combination of the techniques in my previous post and crank her LOUD.

[dee rob]

Seeing as the Reeves only has two inputs, normal and bright, you can connect the two via a short y cable.

dee

[JimmyM]

tom petersson of cheap trick uses reeves amps and he's very distorted.

[tombowlus]

For the record, I love my C225, and it is one of my favorite gigging heads. But when it comes to dirt/overdrive, I use a pedal. No biggie. But at least IME/IMHO, the Reeves itself is not a dirty sounding head. It is, however, a damn good head, and right up there with the best of the best as far as clean tube tone goes.

Tom.

[countrybassist]

For a few G's more, check out the Jaguar 200