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Reiner Amplification Megathread

#721
SKB 1SKB-UB1515 Universal Equipment/Mixer Bag, 15"x15"x5" | Musician's Friend

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PSA: I'm still hoping the Gigskinz case comes in soon because I believe it's better padded and also has larger pockets than the SKB bag (above). That said, I used the SKB last night, and it's a big improvement over the Xbox case I'd been using. The SKB is sturdier, better padded, and it's large enough: the 1200 fits almost perfectly. There's a little extra room on the sides, but I put power and speaker cables in those slots. The top pocket is not that large, so I put my pedal cables (patch, power supply) in there.

Again, the SKB is not really what you want for your Reiner, but it'll do for me while I'm waiting. If I were in a big touring band I'd get a top of the line hard case, but I just haul my own stuff locally.

As noted, I gigged the Reiner again last night. In short: different band, but same A++++++++++ result. :)
 
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#723
Here is an update on my enjoyment of my Studio 1200, s/n 4.

First of all I'd like to point out that this is not a case of "I paid for it, so I'm going to tell myself I'm thoroughly satisfied even if I'm not." Seriously, that would never be the case. I've bought plenty of amps I've subsequently parted with due to being dissatisfied. Had that been the case here it would have been easy to unload the Studio 1200, probably more so even than my other amps. For one thing, there is a waiting list for these. In addition, and for that very same reason, I'm sure I could have paid JGR a nominal re-stocking fee and been rid of it.

No, I'm truly thoroughly satisfied. Here is more on that:

- Played through my Ampeg Heritage 810 this thing sounds great at all volume levels. This includes, lately, very very low .. like bedroom practice volume levels. To my ears it sounds the same regardless of where you put the volume knob .. very very quiet, or slamming, spit the eight tens out onto the floor loud.

- I'm really throughly very pleased with the tone with all my instruments through it and especially my primary, a '12 Ric 4003. I've mentioned this before but I'm not sure I was clear: with my other amps there were either volume settings where the tone changed, or locations along the fretboard where the amp bloomed or otherwise changed in sound. Not so with the Studio 1200. At least not serial number 4!

- Using an AKG C414 XLS mic I did make a recording of my Ampeg B-15, then a similar recording with the Studio 1200 EQd to sound as much like my B-15 as I could get. Remember this is the 1967 B-15 through its original Portaflex cab compared to the Studio 1200 through the 810 -- so take it for what it is. I should have this ready to post later tonight.

At any rate, I'm thoroughly pleased and have already started letting my other amps go. PM me if you are interested in a very nice, gig ready, restored-by-me 1973 tuck-n-roll Kustom K250!
 
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#724
kd5uwl said:
First of all I'd like to point out that this is not a case of "I paid for it, so I'm going to tell myself I'm thoroughly satisfied even if I'm not."
Click to expand...

HA. I hear ya. For me, the biggest challenge to owning the 1200 has been to avoid sounding like a raving fanboy. I keep pinching myself, questioning myself, but months later the amp continues to exceed my high expectations.

What would be negatives? Well, as is typical with high quality boutique gear, it's expensive. Most of the possibilities after that can be boiled down to "no piece of gear can possibly please everyone".

My only need want is to add distortion for modern hard rock. So, I use an OD pedal and a compressor pedal: problem solved. Really, I could do away with them and no one would care, but I use 'em for fun (my TB handle is Fuzzbass, after all).
 
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#725
Fuzzbass said:
My only need want is to add distortion for modern hard rock. So, I use an OD pedal and a compressor pedal: problem solved. Really, I could do away with them and no one would care, but I use 'em for fun (my TB handle is Fuzzbass, after all).
Click to expand...

This is good to hear. I typically always bring my overgrown pedalboard, which has two different overdrives (Darkglass VMT, Fairfield Barbershop ME), a fuzz (Darkglass Duality), and a compressor (Diamond BCP-1). Me thinks when I pair that board, with this amp, and my Bergantino NV412T... I.... I... I WANT ONE NOW NOW NOW!!!! :p
 
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#728
atrapp said:
Fuzzbass, what is the led lighting thing in front of your cabinet?
Click to expand...

The "ground effect" lighting is owned by my hard rock band ... the guitarist gets one, too. I'm pretty sure it's the Invalid Link Removed (there are fancier/more expensive versions made by Chauvet and others). It has a sensor to change color randomly based on ambient program. I like the bling so much I'm kinda-sorta thinking about getting one for myself to use with other bands. :cool:
 
#729
Fuzzbass said:
The "ground effect" lighting is owned by my hard rock band ... the guitarist gets one, too. I'm pretty sure it's the Invalid Link Removed (there are fancier/more expensive versions made by Chauvet and others). It has a sensor to change color randomly based on ambient program. I like the bling so much I'm kinda-sorta thinking about getting one for myself to use with other bands. :cool:
Click to expand...

Thanks for your time on this!
 
#730
silky smoove said:
This is good to hear. I typically always bring my overgrown pedalboard, which has two different overdrives (Darkglass VMT, Fairfield Barbershop ME), a fuzz (Darkglass Duality), and a compressor (Diamond BCP-1). Me thinks when I pair that board, with this amp, and my Bergantino NV412T... I.... I... I WANT ONE NOW NOW NOW!!!! :p
Click to expand...

Apologies to JGR for (another) off-topic, but I'm just getting into pedal-land myself. All the pedals you mentioned are on my wanna-try list. I have modern OD tones in mind, so I wound up getting the Darkglass B7K, Ashdown Hyperdrive, VFE Triumvirate, Brimstone XD2, and Empress Multidrive (note: I've been using one OD at a time, but that may change). So far the Hyperdrive has been getting most of the gigs -- I think it sounds amazing, but it's also the least complicated. I need to put it aside and play with the others more -- I like them too, just want to be comfortable with them at the gig.

As for compressors, I love the Empress. Actually, I had bought the Diamond BCP along with it -- liked the BCP a LOT with my passive bass! -- but unlike the Empress it did not play well with my hottest active bass, so I returned it.

Back on topic: pedals plus Reiner plus Berg make me really happy! I guess the essential math is Reiner + Berg, but the pedals do add an optional fun factor.
 
#732
silky smoove said:
The BCP has insufficient headroom at 9V. Using the factory supplied 18V power supply has given me zero issues, unless I crank the Fairfield Barbershop ME, which lives just upstream of it in the chain.

Back on topic: I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT <-sums up my thread contributions succinctly.
Click to expand...

I used the factory 18V supply. Someone said the BCP1 will also take 24V, but I don't have one. Someone else said my BCP1 might have been misbehaving (bad opto circuit). Regardless, I might have kept the BCP1 given that my problem was with just the one bass... other actives were OK (though "Comp" was set below 9 o'clock), but the Empress works with all my basses so I stuck with that.

Anyway... the Reiner is the perfect canvas. I didn't use pedals with my SansAmp rack rigs because they typically have the SansAmp tone built in, so I was dealing with coloration plus coloration. With the Reiner, you don't have to worry about clashing colors... not on the amp side!
 
#739
MarkA said:
If this thing has "B-15" in its bag of tricks (note, I've never played one, but am itching to), that... well, that would be unexpected and cool. Am interested in hearing more about the amp generally, but more about this, specifically.
Click to expand...

Ok, TB friends, I received my own Studio 1200 back on April 8th. In the several days prior to that date I had been playing my 1967 Ampeg B-15 most every day.

So when the Studio 1200 arrived the first thing I did after trying it for a bit with all controls flat was to dial in, as closely as I could, the sound I was getting with my B-15.

I decided to record the results.

Now, this isn't a very direct comparison so take it for what it's worth: The B-15 is playing through its original cab which has its original single CTS 15" driver. The Studio 1200 is playing through a 2011 Ampeg Heritage 810 with its original Eminence drivers.

I mic'd the cabs with an AKG C414 XLS. When mic'ing the 810 I chose one speaker and put the mic in front of that.

So here it is. Bass was my 2012 Ric 4003 with Rotosound LD66 roundwounds.

B-15:


Studio 1200:


Each recording is about one minute long. The picture shown on the SoundCloud page for each of these shows the amps close up so you can see the settings used.
 
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#740
Thanks for posting this. I can play each file, above, but, for some reason, I can't (in the interest of a close-up comparison of the EQ settings) view the individual Soundcloud pages for each. I tried clicking on your Soundcloud name, but didn't see them on the page it took me to.

Listening back and forth a few times on halfway decent phones, the Studio in this clip sounds like a bigger, more modern version of the B15. I hear more low-end girth and presence in the Studio clip (I want to say more extension, though through the 810 I guess what I'm perceiving as extension is more low mids and upper bass, but maybe the 810 is more extended than the B15 cab!) and a little more grind and growl with the B-15. It would be interesting to hear them drive the same cab.

Very cool. Thanks again for sharing this.
 

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