Just got off the phone with Bill….
Custom 400 ordered!
Curiosity killed the cat……
Or, C400 killed the neighbors!
The thing you are going to like most about it is how light and easy to carry it is...I jest of course.
Congrats.
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The Official Reeves Bass Amp Thread
- Thread starter SactoBass
- Start date
The thing you are going to like most about it is how light and easy to carry it is...I jest of course.
Congrats.
Just got off the phone with Bill….
Custom 400 ordered!
Curiosity killed the cat……
Or, C400 killed the neighbors!
Seriously, I heard they are super portable AND have not one, but TWO handles!!
And thanks for the congrats!! I’ll report in a few months when I get my hands on it.
Custom 400 ordered!
Curiosity killed the cat……
Or, C400 killed the neighbors!
Or, C400 killed my back?!?!
Seriously, I heard they are super portable AND have not one, but TWO handles!!
And thanks for the congrats!! I’ll report in a few months when I get my hands on it.
Just got off the phone with Bill….
Custom 400 ordered!
Curiosity killed the cat……
Or, C400 killed the neighbors!
BBB! Big, beautiful beast.
What will you use for cabinets?Just got off the phone with Bill….
Custom 400 ordered!
Curiosity killed the cat……
Or, C400 killed the neighbors!
I'm looking to do the same soon on a Custom 400. Is that price currently on their website (3399) still accurate as of summer 2025? That's a pretty great number for an all-tube, well made, high powered amp. Trying to confirm this before getting my hopes up in my saving. Also let us know how you like it when it arrivesJust got off the phone with Bill….
Custom 400 ordered!
Curiosity killed the cat……
Or, C400 killed the neighbors!
Absolutely and I shall, i just wanted to check in here with someone who's ordered one this year instead of calling the Reeves shop before i have the money ready to order. Since we've all dealt with folks/builders/retailers who got a little agitated when they feel like you're just kicking tires without spending any money with them.You can always give Bill a call.
This sort of response might tempt me to go with another company. I have had a couple of interactions with Reeves and felt they were very responsive, so I wouldn't expect problems with them.
FYI I checked @markT 's profile and he hasn't logged on since the day he said he ordered the big Reeves (Jun 24, 2025)
There were nothing but good vibes from Bill when I was ordering up my Custom 225. He was all kinds of ready to build it out. The C225 is overkill for my needs, but it makes me sound incredibly good when I plug into it. I can imagine how satisfying playing through a C400 would be.
That's exactly what I like to hear. I'll give them a ring. Hopefully i'll have a C400 to share in this thread sometime soonThere were nothing but good vibes from Bill when I was ordering up my Custom 225. He was all kinds of ready to build it out. The C225 is overkill for my needs, but it makes me sound incredibly good when I plug into it. I can imagine how satisfying playing through a C400 would be.
One of the reasons that a Reeves amp is a 'sound' investment - it will end any incipient 'amplifier GAS'. Seriously.
I'm expecting exactly that. I grabbed a Two Rock Classic Reverb Signature and it's a beast both in sound and visually build quality. Now i need the equivalent for bass amps: earth-shattering sound and built with integrity on the inside. Looks like the Reeves amps are exactly what i'm seeking.One of the reasons that a Reeves amp is a 'sound' investment - it will end any incipient 'amplifier GAS'. Seriously.
I'm also hunting for good speakers that will hand the low mids that this amp will be pushing out. I currently have 2 Aguilar DB 410's. Any input on if these speakers will handle the Reeves 400 when it's pushed, OR should I be searching for something else?
*Edit: i've swapped out speakers into different cabs for many builds in the past so i'm open to that as well
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I haven't played the DB410. Comments suggest it has strong mids, perhaps low mids. Hiwatt-style amps tend to be scooped in the low mids and agressive in the high mids. To me they sound mid scooped with bass, but warm with guitar. They also produce huge lows.
I think there is a good chance the big Reeves will sound great through a pair of DB410s, however it's probably a good idea to run an HPF to your signal path. A pair of DB410s should easily handle the full power of the Reeves except possibly below the port tuning frequency, where the drivers will unload. There is no point trying to force the cabs to play very far below the port tuning frequency. It will degrade the sound and put the drivers at risk.
Aggie DB410 cabs are rated for 700 watts RMS so a pair of them should be safe with the reeves output.
The head can run 2 ohm loads so looks good for yer setup
The head can run 2 ohm loads so looks good for yer setup
Thanks for that! I'll look into a Hi pass, i've been eyeing the Origin DCX for filtering options
That's true, It looks like the DB410's will be able to handle the Reeves indeed. I had some GK Neo IV 410 cabs that were also rated high but couldn't actually handle the low mids from my Aggie 751 they started to distort from the speaker cone when i moved the 751's gain knob above ~8 o'clock in the bad sounding way. That has made me be more cautious with certain powerful heads. Fingers crossed
I don't run the Reeves without a high-pass filter. It really is necessary to control the inherently huge low end and bring out the mids.. I use mine in conjunction with a pair of MAS 110 Bodai cabs (long out of production). If I were still playing out, I would sit the Reeves on top of a pair of Mesa Subway 115's. I haven't played all of the cabs in current production, but Mesa really did 'hit it out of the park' with this cab.
Reeves amplifiers rule. While making me sound better than I have any right to, the only time my Custom 225 let me down was when one of the original (Groove Tubes) KT-188 power tubes failed during power-up (I had to run home and grab my blackface Mesa Walkabout to sub). After replacing the quad with lightly-used Sovteks, it has been solid. Best amps on earth, IMO and IME.
While making me sound better than I have any right to, the only time my Custom 225 let me down was when one of the original (Groove Tubes) KT-188 power tubes failed during power-up (I had to run home and grab my blackface Mesa Walkabout to sub). After replacing the quad with lightly-used Sovteks, it has been solid. Best amps on earth, IMO and IME.
Sorry if I left anyone hanging. I have had a lot going on. I got a transfer from my temporary home in South Florida, back to my home home in South Carolina.
I've had a wonderful experience with Bill both times I've ordered my Custom 225 and Custom 400. And both came in the exact lead time as he stated when ordering.
The Custom 400 was delivered to my mom's house before I moved back. When I got home I unpacked the beast, installed the KT88's, took a deep breath and heaved it up on top of the Eight10!
Man what a sound!! So smooth, so deep. It sounds fantastic at low volume through earth rattling volumes.
I quickly realized that it wasn't my 225 that didn't have enough headroom.... it was my cabinet!! Both amps push it into breakup at loud sound levels.
I also realized that the 225 was plenty amp for me.
I'm old....retirement age. My ears are old and my back is old. I can heave the 400 up on that Eight10 right now, but it might be a problem in the not so distant future! I'm probably going to eat my losses and sell the 400, but at least I know. Both fantastic amps. Glad I experienced the ride!
Oh...and both times I ordered I ask Bill if he would use SpeakOn output jacks. He said no both times. However, to my surprise, there is a SpeakOn output below the 1/4" output. What a guy!
I've had a wonderful experience with Bill both times I've ordered my Custom 225 and Custom 400. And both came in the exact lead time as he stated when ordering.
The Custom 400 was delivered to my mom's house before I moved back. When I got home I unpacked the beast, installed the KT88's, took a deep breath and heaved it up on top of the Eight10!
Man what a sound!! So smooth, so deep. It sounds fantastic at low volume through earth rattling volumes.
I quickly realized that it wasn't my 225 that didn't have enough headroom.... it was my cabinet!! Both amps push it into breakup at loud sound levels.
I also realized that the 225 was plenty amp for me.
I'm old....retirement age. My ears are old and my back is old. I can heave the 400 up on that Eight10 right now, but it might be a problem in the not so distant future! I'm probably going to eat my losses and sell the 400, but at least I know. Both fantastic amps. Glad I experienced the ride!
Oh...and both times I ordered I ask Bill if he would use SpeakOn output jacks. He said no both times. However, to my surprise, there is a SpeakOn output below the 1/4" output. What a guy!
