The Official Reeves Bass Amp Thread

[edbass]

Heck yeah you guys, this helped a lot. Much appreciated. I'm bummed I just missed the C225 in the classifieds at a great price.

That was a great deal indeed. The newer C225's are little different than that one however, newer ones have two handles on top rather than the single handle on the older ones. Also, another upgrade in the interest of modern bass players is that the newer C225's have the OT tapped at 2, 4, and 8 ohms rather than the first run C225' that are tapped at 4, 8, and 16 ohms.

 

[donahue]

The 2ohm tap sounds nice, and I've seen/heard the newer ones also have a level for the DI as well. But I think I would prefer the single centered handle. Although heavy, a more balanced one-hand grab is possible with the one handle.

Edit: I have a Peavey VB-2 with the dual handles; and the ergonomics of it force me to carry it like I'm doing dual hammer curls, it's kind of awkward IMO.

 

[Wasnex]

The 2ohm tap sounds nice, and I've seen/heard the newer ones also have a level for the DI as well. But I think I would prefer the single centered handle. Although heavy, a more balanced one-hand grab is possible with the one handle.

Edit: I have a Peavey VB-2 with the dual handles; and the ergonomics of it force me to carry it like I'm doing dual hammer curls, it's kind of awkward IMO.

My Reeves 400 has the DI level.

Regarding 1 VS 2 handles. It probably depends on what move your doing. The 400 definitely needs two because it's significantly heavier. Only the strongest brutes will lift it with one hand. I have a Trace Elliot V8 that has three handles, center and L/R, all on the top. I use the L/R handle significantly more often than the center handle. If I am moving the amp for a significant distance, I typically hold the case directly instead of using the handles.

 

[Happy Face]

That was a great deal indeed. Also, another upgrade in the interest of modern bass players is that the newer C225's have the OT tapped at 2, 4, and 8 ohms rather than the first run C225' that are tapped at 4, 8, and 16 ohms.

16 ohm tap so you cd run a single 4x12" cab. They came wired at 16 ohms so you cd run four of 'em at once.

 

[Wasnex]

16 ohm tap so you cd run a single 4x12" cab. They came wired at 16 ohms so you cd run four of 'em at once.

The old DR201s came with four switching speaker jacks. On some amps the jacks were wired in series/parallel and the OT could be tapped for 4, 8, or 16 ohms.

The schematics I have found on the MHUSS site show the EL34 based DR201s with series/parallel outputs and the KT88 based amps with parallel outputs.

Probably best to confirm the wiring if you get one of these amps. My EL34 based amp has been modified so jacks 1 and 2 are parallel, and jacks 3 and 4 are series. If you only plug into jacks 3 or 4 on this amp you don't get any sound.

The original series/parallel setup was jacks 1 and 2 parallel (this makes up circuit A), and jacks 3 and 4 parallel (this makes up circuit B). You can plug plug into any single jack and the amp works fine. Or, you can plug into both jacks of either circuit and get a parallel connection. Also, if you insert one plug into circuit A and another plug into circuit B, the two circuits are automatically put in series...it doesn't matter which jacks you use in either circuit. Finally, plug into all four jacks and you have series/parallel.

Complicated and confusing, but potentially useful in the old days when bass players might use a really big stack of speakers.

The MHUSS schematic for the DR405 shows the same series/parallel switching scheme.

 

[Happy Face]

The old DR201s came with four switching speaker jacks. On some amps the jacks were wired in series/parallel and the OT could be tapped for 4, 8, or 16 ohms.

The schematics I have found on the MHUSS site show the EL34 based DR201s with series/parallel outputs and the KT88 based amps with parallel outputs.

Probably best to confirm the wiring if you get one of these amps. My EL34 based amp has been modified so jacks 1 and 2 are parallel, and jacks 3 and 4 are series. If you only plug into jacks 3 or 4 on this amp you don't get any sound.

The original series/parallel setup was jacks 1 and 2 parallel (this makes up circuit A), and jacks 3 and 4 parallel (this makes up circuit B). You can plug plug into any single jack and the amp works fine. Or, you can plug into both jacks of either circuit and get a parallel connection. Also, if you insert one plug into circuit A and another plug into circuit B, the two circuits are automatically put in series...it doesn't matter which jacks you use in either circuit. Finally, plug into all four jacks and you have series/parallel.

Complicated and confusing, but potentially useful in the old days when bass players might use a really big stack of speakers.

The MHUSS schematic for the DR405 shows the same series/parallel switching scheme.

The old DR201s came with four switching speaker jacks. On some amps the jacks were wired in series/parallel and the OT could be tapped for 4, 8, or 16 ohms.

The schematics I have found on the MHUSS site show the EL34 based DR201s with series/parallel outputs and the KT88 based amps with parallel outputs.

Probably best to confirm the wiring if you get one of these amps. My EL34 based amp has been modified so jacks 1 and 2 are parallel, and jacks 3 and 4 are series. If you only plug into jacks 3 or 4 on this amp you don't get any sound.

The original series/parallel setup was jacks 1 and 2 parallel (this makes up circuit A), and jacks 3 and 4 parallel (this makes up circuit B). You can plug plug into any single jack and the amp works fine. Or, you can plug into both jacks of either circuit and get a parallel connection. Also, if you insert one plug into circuit A and another plug into circuit B, the two circuits are automatically put in series...it doesn't matter which jacks you use in either circuit. Finally, plug into all four jacks and you have series/parallel.

Complicated and confusing, but potentially useful in the old days when bass players might use a really big stack of speakers.

The MHUSS schematic for the DR405 shows the same series/parallel switching scheme.

Wow! Complicated, indeed. The issue only came up for me in the context of my metal-plate DR106. It only has two speaker outs and there is a toggle switch with hand written 8 and 4 ohm. A local guy was selling a 4x12 Hiwatt cab at an attractive price.

But wired at 16 ohm I cd only use it with a mate (not so likely anymore) or if I rewired it to 4 ohms (which I did with my Carvin and Sunn 4-12 cabs. Or rewired one of those back to 16 and then always paired them.

I never really understood the usefulness of a 16 ohm tap until I bot this amp which sounds SO good through a sealed 4x12" cab.

Anyway, it's just a passing and idle issue I can ponder for hours.

 

[Rockbobmel]

 

[Sorado71]

Here is my experience: if there is a difference, it’s subtle enough that you would never hear it in a live or studio mix. I love my Reeves 225!

Me, too!

 

[Rockbobmel]

I did a bigger show and for the first time, plugged into the DI. The sound guy said he couldn’t get a signal from me. I ended up using a DI box but was disappointed not to hear (or hear about) the tranny tap.

 

[s_wood]

I did a bigger show and for the first time, plugged into the DI. The sound guy said he couldn’t get a signal from me. I ended up using a DI box but was disappointed not to hear (or hear about) the tranny tap.

Did you ever figure out why there was no output from the DI?

 

[Rockbobmel]

No. I have to try it out somehow, when not at a gig.

 

[s_wood]

On mine, both gain and master volume affect the DI level, FWIW.

 

[Rockbobmel]

Mine has a DI level out knob. I now wonder if it is stacked with the master out level.

 

[s_wood]

That’s a good guess! Let us know what you find out.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I did a bigger show and for the first time, plugged into the DI. The sound guy said he couldn’t get a signal from me. I ended up using a DI box but was disappointed not to hear (or hear about) the tranny tap.

I don't know anything about the on a Reeves, but if it is, indeed, a tap off of the output transformer, then any, and all, controls on the amp will have an affect on the signal from the DI. Perhaps, you didn't have enough signal going to the DI?

 

[BassikBrad]

Soon to be NAD....... a C225.
Bill graciously agreed to send me some 'in progress' pictures & I thought I would share them.
Needless to say I am more than slightly excited.

 

[Rockbobmel]

If you aren’t getting a cover with it, there’s a Canadian co that makes awesome padded covers. Custom Amplifier Covers

 

[Rockbobmel]

BTW, I love the name of this thread. We don’t need a “club” to feel good about our amps.

 

[spiritbass]

The blue turret boards look cool.

 

[Rockbobmel]

Mine are blue also.