NAD (Rivera Content) Clip Added

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Crunchity

Crunchity

Well-known member
Stumbled onto a nice surprise over the weekend. Goes without saying, you usually know right off if you love what you're hearing or, maybe you're trying to convince yourself that you'll 'learn what makes this amp sing'...well, I was reaching for my debit card to hand the sales dude within seconds, lol, because this amps tone blew me away from the very first open 'A' chord. EL34, 55w, does an incred Marshall crunch and Fender clean. The 'ninja boost' has enough to push it into modded Marshall high gain territory. Effects loop has send/return level controls, has a nifty 'vintage/modern' switch on the rear panel, the mid knobs are push/pull, etc. Tons of great tones and clearly was built with love (not to mentioned babied by the original owner). One of the best amp scores I've ever had. And I nabbed it for a great price to boot. :)





 
Very cool. Riveras are generally great values on the used market. I can't quite read the model number, what model is that?
 
It looks like a Rake head. One of Rivera's best, not to mention hard to find. Sweet score!
 
Looks like it's a Rake (listed in the sig). That's a nice grab! Congrats! Nice gear btw.
 
Thanks!

Yeah, sorry, "Rake" head (non reverb model). From what I read - these are somewhat rare from Rivera and considered amongst their best.
 
Crunchity":3gqh9thx said:
Thanks!

Yeah, sorry, "Rake" head (non reverb model). From what I read - these are somewhat rare from Rivera and considered amongst their best.
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This is the correct answer. I lusted after those for during my Rivera days. Still do actually. I am truly jealous.
 
I'm pretty sure Rivera amps would get much more love from amp snobs if their price was 1.5x what it is now and branded as "boutique"
 
Have you been able to play around with it enough to know what the 'focus' knob does exactly?
 
Yup. kinda works as described in the manual (had to track down the first edition K-55/KnuckleHead manual - supposedly the same amp)...it both tightens/loosens up the overall sound, pretty cool actually! Can get you ultra tight crunch for rhythm work or add some warm sag for soloing or go with a blended thing.

Such a great find, I'm still tickled over it. On top of the amps tones, it's sounding like a great pedal platform to boot! Just for a goof I tossed my Bogner Red on the low input and clean channel...yeah, killer again! And funny thing, this is my first experience with a Rivera amp. Never had a chance to play or even hear one in person before. :doh:
 
Happy NAD! I've always wanted to try a Rivera amp for fun but there aren't any dealers where I am. The only amp that comes to mind which has Fender cleans and Marshall-y crunch is the Fender Machete, but I wouldn't say its crunch channel sounds that Marshall-y (6L6 power tubes). The Focus control sounds pretty useful.
I also like your super-strat guitar collection (especially your blue Ibanez which I also have :lol: :LOL: ), glad to know more people are still keeping shred alive. :rock:
 
Business":f4r6fb06 said:
I'm pretty sure Rivera amps would get much more love from amp snobs if their price was 1.5x what it is now and branded as "boutique"
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They have always been branded as boutique and they are not quite cheap. Rakes were in the 2200 and up range many years ago. Many of their current amps are around 2300 and up retail, although there are quite a few models in the lower ranges. They are great finds used though.
 
I just put one on hold at a local guitar shop! Same thing happened to me. I plugged in and was floored within minutes. I immediately put it on hold. Clean tones were just flat out awesome and the blues crunch with that lush reverb. Amazing.

What cab and speakers are you using? I am planning on getting a Rivera 2x12 and leaning towards v30s. Also, is there a manual available online?
 
Thanks again, all. I'd love to toss up some clips but I'm gonna need a little time dialing things in first and I'm knee deep in the middle of recording something else at the moment with my other gear, etc, can't stop or I'll lose the vibe, lol! I did mess around with it while warming up yesterday though - that 'focus' feature is such a badass little weapon. Tried it at both extremes, full up, full down. Goes from squeaky tight and crisp (but not as stiff/dry as say a Quick Rod, it still retains some nice touch sensitivity) to really gooey and warm when low, just gobs of chew factor for single notes.

Congrats rp108!!! Cool!! Good to know there will be a few of us Rivera owners around. I'll keep an eye open for your NAD. As for speakers - man, this is such a well balanced amp I think you can get away with a ton of other pieces that work great with it. I've quickly tried it with three different cabs/speakers, a stock 1960B (G12-T75s), an old fender 2x12 open back (G12H30/V30) and my favorite cab, a vintage '76 Marshall with Blackbacks (55hz). It sounded great through all of them, lol!!!! Need to make some scratch tracks and more time to pick a 'best', but honestly, I'm gonna prolly be living on that crunch side of the amp and for that, I'll most likely stick with the blackbacks, the mids just sound so nice and neutral.

About the manual, I shot a quick email off to Rivera - they got back to me pretty quick. I was told there never really was an official manual for this line, but it "very closely resembles the Fandango, so much that we sent these out with the Fandango manual + a two page addendum, they're pretty much the same thing, so you can use that." :)
 
Awesome score!!! Just wondering, does it also need to have a bit of volume before it sounds right? I am not sure if it is all the Rivera models or maybe just the knuckleheads, but below 2.5-3 they are not happy... above that and its magic!!!
 
Crunchity":p42oj4ns said:
Thanks again, all. I'd love to toss up some clips but I'm gonna need a little time dialing things in first and I'm knee deep in the middle of recording something else at the moment with my other gear, etc, can't stop or I'll lose the vibe, lol! I did mess around with it while warming up yesterday though - that 'focus' feature is such a badass little weapon. Tried it at both extremes, full up, full down. Goes from squeaky tight and crisp (but not as stiff/dry as say a Quick Rod, it still retains some nice touch sensitivity) to really gooey and warm when low, just gobs of chew factor for single notes.

Congrats rp108!!! Cool!! Good to know there will be a few of us Rivera owners around. I'll keep an eye open for your NAD. As for speakers - man, this is such a well balanced amp I think you can get away with a ton of other pieces that work great with it. I've quickly tried it with three different cabs/speakers, a stock 1960B (G12-T75s), an old fender 2x12 open back (G12H30/V30) and my favorite cab, a vintage '76 Marshall with Blackbacks (55hz). It sounded great through all of them, lol!!!! Need to make some scratch tracks and more time to pick a 'best', but honestly, I'm gonna prolly be living on that crunch side of the amp and for that, I'll most likely stick with the blackbacks, the mids just sound so nice and neutral.

About the manual, I shot a quick email off to Rivera - they got back to me pretty quick. I was told there never really was an official manual for this line, but it "very closely resembles the Fandango, so much that we sent these out with the Fandango manual + a two page addendum, they're pretty much the same thing, so you can use that." :)
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I had a feeling that this amp would sound awesome with many different speakers. I played it through a cheap cabinet when I tried it out and it still sounded great. Thanks on the info for the manual.
 
Happy new amp day! Riveras are very nice amps. I've owned quite a few over the years. I would love to find a Jake head. I've owned the K-55 and three M-100s. Great amps.
 
Thanks nzsteve, SFW, mjtripper!

nz - yeah, it definitely likes having the master vol up a tad, but it sounds nice even at bedroom volumes, especially if you do the ole loop vol trick and lower the send/return knobs a touch. Volume is not an issue for me however so I'm keeping mine cranked a good bit. But honestly I'm not finding this to be a super loud amp, I've owned MUCH louder anyway, lol, even amps rated at lower watts (Budda SD 30 II, 5150 III 50w, Dr. Z Carmen Ghia come to mind) seemed louder. Don't get me wrong, its got balls and is loud, jut nowhere near 'plexi' loud. I've actually got the master up around noon on this and it sounds incred without abusing the sheetrock....but then again, I do have my cab in another (sound treated) room and I'm playing/listening with the monitors, so no biggie. :D

Small learning curve to these things, been figuring things out little by little every time I sit down with it - hope to toss up a worthy test crunch clip this weekend.
 
Hoping to pick mine up today. I emailed Rivera a couple of questions, one of them being recommended speakers. They suggested G12T-75s which actually may be a good suggestion for me since I bought the amp primarily for cleans.
 
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