Reeves Super 78

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War_in_D

War_in_D

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Anyone play one of these? I've been on a bit of a hand wired amp kick here lately, and traded for a Reeves Custom 18 earlier in the year. Great little amp and the wiring on it is truly a work of art! That put Reeves on my radar, and after doing some digging into their other amps it made me want to try to find a Super 78. A fully loaded 50 watt Super 78 finally popped up on GC used the other day (power scaling, effects loop, etc.) and I just about jumped but at their asking price I thought I would call Reeves to see what there turn around time was and what it would cost to just order one. Turns out I can get a brand new Super 78 from Reeves for about $300-$400 more even with the current 10% on used gear that GC is running right now. New would come with full warranty and the foot switch for the effects loops (the one at GC is missing the foot switch). Turn around time is 4-5 weeks. So that's pretty much a no brainer to me for the difference, I'd rather just get a new one.

Anyone ever try the Super 78 in person? Impressions of it? The pro level youtube demos of it sound pretty darn good, but those guys can probably make anything sound good.
 
midnightlaundry said:
Do it..
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Smashedguitaris⸸ said:
Pull the trigger
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Have either of you played one, or heard one in person? Not trying to be a PITA, but seriously asking. Times being what they are, I'd like to get some "ears on" feedback before I drop $3K on an amp. The lack of these in the used market, either indicates to me that folks don't want to get rid of them (good thing), maybe they aren't that good (bad thing).. or they just aren't well known in which case I'd like to pick the brains/ears of those that have actually encountered one in the wild. LOL
 
War_in_D said:
Have either of you played one, or heard one in person? Not trying to be a PITA, but seriously asking. Times being what they are, I'd like to get some "ears on" feedback before I drop $3K on an amp. The lack of these in the used market, either indicates to me that folks don't want to get rid of them (good thing), maybe they aren't that good (bad thing).. or they just aren't well known in which case I'd like to pick the brains/ears of those that have actually encountered one in the wild. LOL
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No. I am just thinking i get to play one when i visit. More serious, i love the mgl i have and wont get rid of it. But there are some morris amps that also have my interest. Add eddy lenz is doing great things. Morris and mgl also non pcb
 
Have you ever played a Deliverance? Fryette's have Hiwatt lineage..
 
Cool thing about Fryette's is the dual Gains.. You dial the 1st Gain for thickness, and the 2nd for beast level..

del.jpg
 
midnightlaundry said:
Cool thing about Fryette's is the dual Gains.. You dial the 1st Gain for thickness, and the 2nd for beast level..
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That's kind of similar to how the Reeves Custom 18 that I have is set up, but they have a "Drive" and a "Gain" setting. But, the "Cut" setting also plays a part in the overall tone shaping of the amp too. It can get pretty high gain, but my personal experience with it's "tone" is that is sounds different than the clips of the Super 78 that's I've heard online.
 

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harddriver said:
I've always understood it as a Marshall plexi but with a Hiwatt twist. The new Morris 68 brown out has some really good plexi tones as well.


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Dang.. that Morris sounds really nice too, albeit it sound like it's got a more cutting high end than the Reeves. I tend to lean a little more toward that darker, more compressed tones although I'm not sure how much of that was speakers when comparing these two videos. I noticed that you can't get the Morris with an effects loop either, which is something that I would want.

Here are a couple of the videos that I watched.





And some sound clips I found on the Marshall Forum that to my ear are pretty spot on for that Van Halen I and II tone if you're into that sort of thing.

https://www.marshallforum.com/threads/the-1968-plexi-killer-reeves-super-78.38350/
 
War_in_D said:
Dang.. that Morris sounds really nice too, albeit it sound like it's got a more cutting high end than the Reeves. I tend to lean a little more toward that darker, more compressed tones although I'm not sure how much of that was speakers when comparing these two videos. I noticed that you can't get the Morris with an effects loop either, which is something that I would want.

Here are a couple of the videos that I watched.





And some sound clips I found on the Marshall Forum that to my ear are pretty spot on for that Van Halen I and II tone if you're into that sort of thing.

https://www.marshallforum.com/threads/the-1968-plexi-killer-reeves-super-78.38350/
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I used to be about the brightness, but this MGL i have is balanced to dark. Just syrupy goodness. The morris i like is pretty bright and snarly. I think it and mine would break the world in stereo
 
I remember when the Reeves came out and there was a bit of a buzz but that soon fizzled out and haven’t heard much since. It sounds decent but nothing I’d drop $3k on
 
Paging @CarlF

He knows Reeves amps very well from what I remember back in the early RT days. I’ve always wanted to add a Reeves to my stable. After I get a Wizard, it will be close to next in line ??
 
PurityS.L.G said:
Paging @CarlF

He knows Reeves amps very well from what I remember back in the early RT days. I’ve always wanted to add a Reeves to my stable. After I get a Wizard, it will be close to next in line ??
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I owned the Reeves Pete Townshend model. I can attest to the build quality, it was built like a tank. There was some interest many years ago when this amp first came out, but I think there are better alternatives.
If the OP is looking for some type of modded Marshall sounds, the Super 78 wouldn't be my first choice. I'd be looking at the MGL or Headfirst amps.
 
War_in_D said:
Have either of you played one, or heard one in person? Not trying to be a PITA, but seriously asking. Times being what they are, I'd like to get some "ears on" feedback before I drop $3K on an amp. The lack of these in the used market, either indicates to me that folks don't want to get rid of them (good thing), maybe they aren't that good (bad thing).. or they just aren't well known in which case I'd like to pick the brains/ears of those that have actually encountered one in the wild. LOL
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Not many Reeves amps out there, and that model prob doesn’t sell as well as his Hiwatt themed models. I’ll be pretty surprised if you hear back from many with hands on experience and shocked if you find one in person to try.

I had his Custom Jimmy—good amp, sounded like a Hiwatt. Did not sound anything like a Fryette Deliverance
 
Since you need a loop maybe the Friedman Smallbox amp might get the goods for you. I always liked the smallbox over the BE100 myself. Used these are definitely priced right. I think the Smallbox edges out the Reeves tonewise.


 
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