Down By The Rivera

As bit of compensation to myself when we get the proceeds from my other house, I think I’m going to get this.

It checks all the boxes, and then some!



Nice choice. I’ve given some thought to the same amp myself. Have owned several Rivera’s and they are seriously great amps (and really well-built). Can’t go wrong…and will crush a Kemper, or anything like one, in the tone department (sorry Adrian, but its true).
 
Nice choice. I’ve given some thought to the same amp myself. Have owned several Rivera’s and they are seriously great amps (and really well-built). Can’t go wrong…and will crush a Kemper, or anything like one, in the tone department (sorry Adrian, but its true).

Thanks for the input.

I‘m looking forward to it. I busted my hump for months getting the other house ready to sell and maintaining it after it sold until settlement. So, this is just a way to enjoy a little fruit of my labors, so to speak.

But, like I said, everything I normally look for is in this amp, plus several other features.
 
Rivera products are solid and worth the money. Looking at the specs of Clubster Royale Recording, it is jampacked with useful features in a compact head, and it also looks like it should be very easy to dial in. I hope you do get this amp.

FWIW... I noticed in the Sweetwater ad description, that it describes the reverb as a six spring tank. That's a mistake, and its three springs instead. My Quiana has the six spring reverb tank, and there's no way that tank is going to fit in the smaller cab of the Clubster.

Sweetwater description also mentions a Focus control on the Clubster. Focus control is kind of like a Resonance or Depth control. I do not see that control anywhere on the Clubster. I double checked at Rivera's website and it does not list a Focus control for the Clubster.

I wouldn't consider any of this misinformation a dealbreaker for what looks to be a helluva amp.
 
Nice choice. I’ve given some thought to the same amp myself. Have owned several Rivera’s and they are seriously great amps (and really well-built). Can’t go wrong…and will crush a Kemper, or anything like one, in the tone department (sorry Adrian, but its true).


Rivera products are solid and worth the money. Looking at the specs of Clubster Royale Recording, it is jampacked with useful features in a compact head, and it also looks like it should be very easy to dial in. I hope you do get this amp.

FWIW... I noticed in the Sweetwater ad description, that it describes the reverb as a six spring tank. That's a mistake, and its three springs instead. My Quiana has the six spring reverb tank, and there's no way that tank is going to fit in the smaller cab of the Clubster.

Sweetwater description also mentions a Focus control on the Clubster. Focus control is kind of like a Resonance or Depth control. I do not see that control anywhere on the Clubster. I double checked at Rivera's website and it does not list a Focus control for the Clubster.

I wouldn't consider any of this misinformation a dealbreaker for what looks to be a helluva amp.

What is a good speaker recommendation for this head? I was thinking a Vintage 30. I use a speaker mic’ed up in an iso-cab, so using a regular cabinet doesn’t work so well for me because a regular speaker cabinet is too large for the iso-cab. So, I also plan on buying a new speaker and building a speaker enclosure that will fit in my iso-cab.
 
thats gettin close to used KEMPER territory ---

True. I actually did consider Kemper’s new floor-based system. I’m not anti-processor, by any means.

However, having an actual amp and pedals flows better, in most cases, with how I play live. Now, there are those cases where having a processor makes things easier.

For this purchase, I really wanted to replace my Marshall DSL-5C. I’ve been playing it live for several years, but I’ve also been living with some of its shortcomings for quite awhile. So, I decided I just wanted to get a serious, well-thought, well-made amplifier.
 
FWIW... I noticed in the Sweetwater ad description, that it describes the reverb as a six spring tank. That's a mistake, and its three springs instead. My Quiana has the six spring reverb tank, and there's no way that tank is going to fit in the smaller cab of the Clubster.

Sweetwater description also mentions a Focus control on the Clubster. Focus control is kind of like a Resonance or Depth control. I do not see that control anywhere on the Clubster. I double checked at Rivera's website and it does not list a Focus control for the Clubster.

I wouldn't consider any of this misinformation a dealbreaker for what looks to be a helluva amp.

No. None of those misprints by Sweetwater are an issue. Thank you very much for pointing them out, though!

The back panel stuff that I anticipate using most are the effects loop (ABSOLUTELY essential for my playing), the half-power switch, and the speaker out.
 
What is a good speaker recommendation for this head? I was thinking a Vintage 30. I use a speaker mic’ed up in an iso-cab, so using a regular cabinet doesn’t work so well for me because a regular speaker cabinet is too large for the iso-cab. So, I also plan on buying a new speaker and building a speaker enclosure that will fit in my iso-cab.
If you're familiar with the modern Vintage 30, and you already like it, then go for it. But in my very biased and honest opinion... I'm a big fan of Scumback Speakers products. Jim Seavall, of Scumback, makes a version of the Celestion 12M-65 Creamback called the Scumback M75-LD. Absolutely love these with clean tones to mean tones; open back or closed back cab. On his website you can fill out a form and describe your preferences, and he will usually respond quickly. You can also pick the brains at Warehouse Guitar Speakers and Eminence Speakers too. I also hear great things about the Mesa/Celestion V30, aka Black Shadow C-90, that is actually made in England and not in China! Take your time on this... :fingersx:

Have seen one of these yet...:
XS1ISO112_1.jpg

 
If you're familiar with the modern Vintage 30, and you already like it, then go for it. But in my very biased and honest opinion... I'm a big fan of Scumback Speakers products. Jim Seavall, of Scumback, makes a version of the Celestion 12M-65 Creamback called the Scumback M75-LD. Absolutely love these with clean tones to mean tones; open back or closed back cab. On his website you can fill out a form and describe your preferences, and he will usually respond quickly. You can also pick the brains at Warehouse Guitar Speakers and Eminence Speakers too. I also hear great things about the Mesa/Celestion V30, aka Black Shadow C-90, that is actually made in England and not in China! Take your time on this... :fingersx:

Have seen one of these yet...:

Thanks, Sysco. What are your thoughts about the actual Celestion Creamback?
 
Thanks, Sysco. What are your thoughts about the actual Celestion Creamback?
While I have never played through an actual Celestion Creamback, from the mids to the highs, it's a creamier sounding speaker compared to the V30. The V30 is more cutting and rude unless it's very well broken in. This 12M-65 Creamback style of speaker was suggested to me by Scumback Jim after I mentioned that it would be for my old JCM800 4104 combo, and that I'm looking for something that can mellow out the spikey high end associated with this amp. In fact it was just recently that I found that these '80s JCM800 combos came originally equipped with Celestion 12M-65s... Boing!!!!!
 
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