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The Official Reeves Bass Amp Thread

#187
Slaymus said:
How does the Mesa 400+ tone compares with
the Reeves C225 ?
I find the hi mids of the Mesa a little bit harsh and difficult to tame...
Click to expand...

The C225 is more scooped in the mids than the Bass 400/400+. It (the Reeves) has "stadium-rock" lows that go on forever (but are very tight), and a lovely, singing high end that is simply one of the best in the biz, IME/IMHO.

By contrast, the Bass 400/400+ is more textured and chewy through the mids (especially with the "typical" Fender-style tone stack settings of 2-10-2, or thereabouts), though you certainly can dial in a more mid-scooped tone.
 
#189
MSUsousaphone said:
Thanks, Tom. That makes sense.

Would you say the character is close to the Mesa sound....like....the way the sound is or isn't colored? Does that make sense? I don't know. I'm looking pretty hard at one.
Click to expand...

The Mesa is perhaps more balanced, but the Reeves is a bit less colored, if that makes any sense. One of the things I really like about my Bass 400 is its ability to cover a lot of ground, including great clean tones up through great overdriven tones.

The Reeves does not do as wide of a range of overdriven tones, though you can push it into some nice grit/growl/dirt. That being said, the clean tones available from the Reeves will just about bring you to tears. It's an addicting sound, for sure. And if you load the C225 with KT120's, for whatever reason, the dip in the midrange flattens out a good bit.

I love my Mesa gear, but if I had to part with one of the two, I'd definitely hang onto the Reeves. It's an amazing head.
 
#190
Thanks, man. That does help a lot. Or maybe I shouldn't say thanks....because now I really want one. :D

The demos I was hearing almost sounded....too creamy...but I think that might have been more of the bass, style of playing, and that the guy was using flats in the video I watched. Kinda wish there was something close to me where I could try it out, but oh well.

The overdriven tones don't phase me, too much, I think that's what pedals are for, especially to add that light flavor. I'm kinda debating on that new Mesa Strategy, too. So close but the ability to be able to switch down to two tubes at 60W is pretty sweet since I only use one rig. Guess I'll hold off for a bit and see how things shake up.
 
#191
MSUsousaphone said:
Thanks, man. That does help a lot. Or maybe I shouldn't say thanks....because now I really want one. :D

The demos I was hearing almost sounded....too creamy...but I think that might have been more of the bass, style of playing, and that the guy was using flats in the video I watched. Kinda wish there was something close to me where I could try it out, but oh well.

The overdriven tones don't phase me, too much, I think that's what pedals are for, especially to add that light flavor. I'm kinda debating on that new Mesa Strategy, too. So close but the ability to be able to switch down to two tubes at 60W is pretty sweet since I only use one rig. Guess I'll hold off for a bit and see how things shake up.
Click to expand...
If you come up here to try one out, you can stay here. I live 2 miles from the Reeves "factory".
 
#192
You, sir, are awesome. I wish I could take you up on that.

I bought a Mesa Bass 400+ at a LOW price and figure I can use it over the next few months while I'm saving up and then I could easily get back what I paid for it when it's time to jump on a new amp.

The Reeves tone wins me over...I'm also eye balling that new Mesa Strategy. I love that new Mesa's ability to switch from 12 tubes at 300W down to 2 at 60W....but so far the Reeves is in the lead. We'll see what the next few months will bring. Maybe I'll hit the jackpot and one will turn up in the classifieds.

Stupid question, if you call direct to companies, can they come down on the price? I mean, I know big companies can come down off of "MSRP" but would a smaller company like Reeves do that?
 
#193
MSUsousaphone said:
You, sir, are awesome. I wish I could take you up on that.

I bought a Mesa Bass 400+ at a LOW price and figure I can use it over the next few months while I'm saving up and then I could easily get back what I paid for it when it's time to jump on a new amp.

The Reeves tone wins me over...I'm also eye balling that new Mesa Strategy. I love that new Mesa's ability to switch from 12 tubes at 300W down to 2 at 60W....but so far the Reeves is in the lead. We'll see what the next few months will bring. Maybe I'll hit the jackpot and one will turn up in the classifieds.

Stupid question, if you call direct to companies, can they come down on the price? I mean, I know big companies can come down off of "MSRP" but would a smaller company like Reeves do that?
Click to expand...
I guess that you would have to try. It didn't work for me when I bought a cabinet from him awhile back but YMMV. P.S. I suck at bargaining! I also have a great Mesa 400+. Trying right now to get a 200 watt Hiwatt. Reeves stuff rocks. Wish I had bought an amp from them years ago. Same goes for Matamp. Love their amps.
 
#195
especially with the "typical" Fender-style tone stack settings of 2-10-2

not typical in my world! personally those settings sound anemic and very boring to me and i would'nt dream of using them. for one thing i find that those settings step all over a guitarist's/pianist's sonic territory. 7-4-3 thereabouts is where i live with a fender, but then again i like things fat and dark. drummers Love it, as do guitarists. so don't be afraid to turn those knobs, there's a ton of tones in that stack! ymmv
 
#199
dDaddybass said:
The Reeves amps seem to have a bottom end that other tubes do not.
Click to expand...

+1 Absolutely. I call them "stadium lows." The C225 is just jaw-dropping in the lows (and has some of the most beautiful highs out there, as well). That being said, I never had a problem with the low end getting loose and boomy (even when I did not use a high-pass filter).

Tom.
 
#200
The Reeves (and my first Hiwatt )have been the only Tube amps to take me away from the Solid State world. As said before, the tightness, clarity or many SS heads I love, but with the addition of "stadium lows' and that 3D tube character. Plus on cold gigs you have a hand warmer.

I am happy to brag that I am the proud new schlepper of this head with a NV610. Tom, might I suggest that 'Stadium lows' have medicinal properties. They somehow always cure my back pain of loading an 80 lbs head. :bassist:

DSCN1157.jpg
 

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