New Rivera K-Tre Day, FINALLY!

[GuitarVacation]

I've always been interested in Riveras, especially considering they seem like one of the last holdovers that you still see good deals on more frequently than other similar caliber brands.

For whatever reason, most models I've checked out clips of, the character of the distortion wasn't for me. Always perceived Riveras as a little strident (for lack of a better word). Of course this is very limited info to form an opinion on. There maybe multiple Riveras that if they were in front of me, I could dial something in to my taste no problem.

I checked out the K-tre on a bunch of YouTube clips, and I really liked what I was hearing. Overall character seemed less stiff, less brash. It was not to a degree that was a total 180 from other Rivera models, but definitely enough that it seemed to reign in the tonal elements I didn't care for.

Am I a dummy forming opinions based on limited info, or is the K-tre model different in the way I think I'm hearing?

I don't have any hands on experience with Rivera amps, so any of you fellas that dig Riveras can set me straight, feel free.

 

[Music&Chaos]

I can't remember what pre-amp tubes I'm running in the KII. I tried a bunch of different stuff in there years ago and just left it alone when I thought it sounded best. I'll have to keep an eye out for some of those. I haven't even looked at whatever tubes are in the Tre yet. It already sounds damn good.

If it sounds good - leave it alone!

I will say that the first time I put one in the PI slot of my Rivera, I did not think it could have made it better in the ways that it did. When that one tube made an audible difference that even my wife immediately pointed out - like, I hit the first note on my strat, and she said "Whoa!" at the same time I did.
Hits you in the chest in a way it just does not seem to with any other tube I have tried, including various NOS makes/models.

If you can get our hands on one with a good amount of juice that isn't micro/loud - it's a hard one to beat in these amps.

 

[ZEEGLER]

I've always been interested in Riveras, especially considering they seem like one of the last holdovers that you still see good deals on more frequently than other similar caliber brands.

For whatever reason, most models I've checked out clips of, the character of the distortion wasn't for me. Always perceived Riveras as a little strident (for lack of a better word). Of course this is very limited info to form an opinion on. There maybe multiple Riveras that if they were in front of me, I could dial something in to my taste no problem.

I checked out the K-tre on a bunch of YouTube clips, and I really liked what I was hearing. Overall character seemed less stiff, less brash. It was not to a degree that was a total 180 from other Rivera models, but definitely enough that it seemed to reign in the tonal elements I didn't care for.

Am I a dummy forming opinions based on limited info, or is the K-tre model different in the way I think I'm hearing?

I don't have any hands on experience with Rivera amps, so any of you fellas that dig Riveras can set me straight, feel free.

I find the Knuckleheads (at least the KII and the Tre) can sound wildly different with different pickups. For years I mainly used SD SH-5 Customs in most of my guitars. They just seemed to work well with the KII. More recently I've been using Seth Lovers. They sound particularly gainy and chewy for a low output PAF style pickup. With the wrong pickup, the KII (and almost certainly the Tre) can be a little stiff and unforgiving. I remember the day I brought the KII home and first plugged it in. I kinda went "uh-oh, I think I made a mistake. I don't think this amp is gonna work for me". Well it didn't take me long to figure out how to get it to do what I wanted. I've yet to find another amp that has such authoritative mids. It cuts through the mix like nothing else.

I can easily see how someone could try out a Rivera, and whether they just have the "wrong" pickups, or they have a hard time dialing it in, or maybe it's just not for them, they could come to the conclusion that they don't like Riveras at all. Perhaps the Tre is a little safer that way. Less tonal options means it's harder to dial in wrong?

Having said that, the Thirty Twelve combo is a very different thing. It has a different mid frequency going on. Kinda reminds me of my old Mesa F30. Still a wonderful little amp for hard rock. Perhaps not ideal for metal.

 

[WizardSouth-JP]

killer amp, loves boost pedals in front - crushing high gain chugs on the K-Tre