I ordered a Reverend Kingsnake last night

[Jim Soloway]

What a killer amp. 35 lbs, incredible amounts of clean headroom, tight bottom end, and a nice expresive tone for fingerpicking. For $699, I don;t think there's anything that comes close. I plunked down $100 and I expect mine to show up in about 3 weeks.

 

BTW, I bought it from our local Reverend Dealer last night, a tiny little store called Beaverton Music. For those of you who don't want to wait for a delivery on a Goblin, they had several that they were having trouble moving.

[Lee Flier]

Awesome, Jim! Another Reverend club member. Yeah the Kingsnake looks yummy too. Who knows, I may end up getting one of those one of these days as well. Hope to hear more about it once you get yours home!

[Jim Soloway]

The big thing for me was how well it handled the low A on my 7-string. There just aren't a lot of 35lb tube amps that can do that. In fact, there just aren't a lot of 1x12 amps period that can do that.

[Dylan]

Beaverton Music? Never heard of them. You're not talking about the Portland Music Co. over in Beaverton are you? All of these damn Reverend threads are making me think twice about selling my Reverend Guitar! What I really want is a model with P-90's!

[miroslav]

Yeah...going through Lee's Goblin thread...I kinda' got interested in the Reverened stuff...

...and though the Goblin is not what I would want for a live gig...

...the Kingsnake sure would fit the bill!!

Though not sure if I want to plunk down that much $$$.

 

Also...I'm reading through the Kingsnake features/specs...and I must say...having just spent a good amount of time reading about the new Traynor Custom Valve 40WR ...

...I notice they have bunch in common.

 

All-Tube Circuit

DC Filaments

All-Plywood Cabinet

Accutronics Reverb Tank

 

Though of course...there are also some noticeable differences...but not in a bad/good way...rather they both have some different but about equally interesting an desirable features...that I would want.

 

Of course...one obvious difference is the price.

I can get the Traynor, shipped, w/cover...for $569...VS...$723 w/Shipping plus $50/cover for the Kingsnake.

 

Hmmm...$570VS$773..?

$200 bucks is a big spread.

 

Oh...and the warranty on the Kingsnake is one-year limited, only for defective workmanship.

 

But the Traynor is 2-year..."even if it breaks" warranty!!!

Can't beat that...especially for a live gig amp.

 

Not dissin' the Kingsnake...it looks like a real sweet, well built amp

.just trying to see why I would want to plunk down the extra $200 for it...

versus getting something less expensive, but good, like the Traynor Custom Valve 40...?

[Jim Soloway]

Originally posted by Dilligan:

Beaverton Music? Never heard of them. You're not talking about the Portland Music Co. over in Beaverton are you? All of these damn Reverend threads are making me think twice about selling my Reverend Guitar! What I really want is a model with P-90's!

Beaverton Music it is. I had never heard of them either. They're just a little Mom & Pop outfit, but they're the only Reverend dealership in the entire PNW.

[Dave da Dude]

microslave,

... Traynor Custom Valve 40WR ...

from their site;

 

"... Effects Volume - Yes ..."

 

That sounds pretty useful

Is that feature available on other amps now too?

[Jim Soloway]

Originally posted by miroslav:

Yeah...going through Lee's Goblin thread...I kinda' got interested in the Reverened stuff...

...and though the Goblin is not what I would want for a live gig...

...the Kingsnake sure would fit the bill!!

Though not sure if I want to plunk down that much $$$.

 

Also...I'm reading through the Kingsnake features/specs...and I must say...having just spent a good amount of time reading about the new Traynor Custom Valve 40WR ...

...I notice they have bunch in common.

 

All-Tube Circuit

DC Filaments

All-Plywood Cabinet

Accutronics Reverb Tank

 

Though of course...there are also some noticeable differences...but not in a bad/good way...rather they both have some different but about equally interesting an desirable features...that I would want.

 

Of course...one obvious difference is the price.

I can get the Traynor, shipped, w/cover...for $569...VS...$723 w/Shipping plus $50/cover for the Kingsnake.

 

Hmmm...$570VS$773..?

$200 bucks is a big spread.

 

Oh...and the warranty on the Kingsnake is one-year limited, only for defective workmanship.

 

But the Traynor is 2-year..."even if it breaks" warranty!!!

Can't beat that...especially for a live gig amp.

 

Not dissin' the Kingsnake...it looks like a real sweet, well built amp

.just trying to see why I would want to plunk down the extra $200 for it...

versus getting something less expensive, but good, like the Traynor Custom Valve 40...?

My understanding is that these are two very different sounding amps. The Kingsnake is designed to produce a sound like a smaller Fender Twin: lot's of clean headroom and a tight low end. My understanding is that the Traynor distorts much earlier in the gain curve and lacks the crisp bottom. That's not in any way a knock on the Traynor. It's just a different tonal machine.

 

Ultimately the value of an amp has to come from how well it helps you get the sound your after. If the Reverend does it and the Traynor doesn't, then the price difference is not big enough to be relevent. On the other hand, wth that much clean headroom, the Kingsnake is not appropriate for eneryone, in which case the Traynor may be a much better choice and the savings will just be a bonus. The key is to define your needs, research the capablities of the various amplifiers and then buy the one that's best suited to you.

[Lee Flier]

Very well stated, Jim.

[miroslav]

Originally posted by Jim Soloway:

My understanding is that these are two very different sounding amps. The Kingsnake is designed to produce a sound like a smaller Fender Twin: lot's of clean headroom and a tight low end. My understanding is that the Traynor distorts much earlier in the gain curve and lacks the crisp bottom.

 

.......

 

The key is to define your needs, research the capabilities of the various amplifiers and then buy the one that's best suited to you.

Well yes...I though that's what I was doing...researching the different amps.

And I was not implying that the two sounded similar...only that they both had a similar level of quality build to them...based on some of their features and specs.

 

But it's sometimes hard to know what an amp sounds like, just based on research.

I'm not sure if you have actually played through the Traynor I am interested in (I haven't)...

...but if what you say above..."the Traynor distorts much earlier in the gain curve and lacks the crisp bottom"...is true...

...then I think I'm really going to go for the Traynor!

 

I was worried that the Traynor would be too clean...even at medium-to-high volumes....and was hoping that it would distort a bit earlier in the gain curve, so I wouldn't need to run it too loud to get the right chunk and crunch.

And with 40 watts...I think the Clean channel will be pristine enough when needed...

...though it may not have that "Fender Clean".

 

However, I do see that in the SN/Hum area...the Traynor boasts at being ultra-quiet...where as I see that the Kingsnake does admit to having a bit of hum issues at higher levels...though of course that's only noticeable "in-between-the notes" and when you stop playing!

 

So YUP...I'm definin' my needs and looking for the amp that will best suit them.

[Jim Soloway]

I've heard a lot of very good things about the Traynor, but there were a few things that concerned me. A lot of owners seem to have upgraded their tubes and few their speakers. That would raise the price quite a bit if it's really necessary. THe other concern was that the chasis is apparently designed in such a way that changing the tubes can be very awkward. I considered one pretty seriously including talking with someone who was selling theirs. There's quite a bit of discussion about them on various forums. Some is informative, some is not.

[revolead]

Hey Jim,

 

How do you think the amp would hold up for the following:

 

- a great clean, clear tone

- a grindy tube clipping sound that I can use a pedal to send it into submission

- a higher-gain metalesque tone - this doesn't necessarily have to be with the amp, but I would be curious to hear it with a Radial Tone Bone Hot Brit in front

 

And one last question: You mentioned it sounds great for your 7-string. Does it handle a good low-end chunk well? I'm not that into downtuning by any means, but if the amp is gonna sound like crap because I go into drop-D, it's not worth my money.

 

Thanks, Rev

[miroslav]

Originally posted by Jim Soloway:

A lot of owners seem to have upgraded their tubes and few their speakers. That would raise the price quite a bit if it's really necessary.

Yes...I read a few reviews where tubes were being swapped out. But I also notice that for some people...that's a given...they just like changing/trying out different, or very specific brands of tubes.

Heckreading that Reverend Goblin threadI see that even with that ampLee is planning on swapping out tubes.right?

So I guess it doesnt matter how much you pay for them ampyou might still end up doing mods.

 

On the speaker...I only read one review where someone swapped out the Celestion Vintage 30 for a Jensen, I think...but that guy basically stated that he never cared for ANY Celestion speakers.

 

The Kustom combo I have, came with 212 Celestion Super 65's...and I really like them...so much so, that I added two jacks to the Kustom cabinet so I could easily disconnect the Kustom amp, and run my vintage Traynor Mark III head through the two Celestions.

I like the sound of them a bit more than my vintage Traynor 412...though that 412 can really punch it out in a large club setting!

 

So I don't think the Celestion Vintage 30 is going to disappoint me...and the Sovteks...well, I would first try out the amp for awhile, and let them break in a bit.

Who knows...they might really work for me...otherwise, yeah, it would be another $100 or so to get different tubes.

 

THe other concern was that the chasis is apparently designed in such a way that changing the tubes can be very awkward.

Yes...I got that too...but it doesn't worry me all that much. If the stock Sovteks don't tickle my fancy...I'll probably get something decent from Groove Tubes...and then it will be either one set or the other...DONE...no more tube changing until one goes.

 

Oh...at least for those people the really like to play around with tube-swapping...with the Traynorthey don't need to worry about the more expensive matched-sets...since the Traynor has auto-biasing.

 

Alsoof all the reviews I read so farthe Traynor Custom Valve 40 is getting better than a 9-out-of-10 overall ratingand in most a 10 for sound quality.so, I guess there arent too many unhappy people.

 

I'm really glad there are a lot of people tossing out amp ideas...'cuz it helps quite a bit to hear what actual users are saying.

A week ago...I was almost set on just getting a Fender Blues Jr.

Now...I'm glad I didn't...and Ive slowly moved from the Jr. to the Peavey Delta Blues to the Traynorand also considered a few others along the way.

I may still get something I have yet to discover...but right now I'm leaning toward the Traynor.

[EchoGecko]

Originally posted by revolead:

Hey Jim,

 

How do you think the amp would hold up for the following:

 

- a great clean, clear tone

- a grindy tube clipping sound that I can use a pedal to send it into submission

- a higher-gain metalesque tone - this doesn't necessarily have to be with the amp, but I would be curious to hear it with a Radial Tone Bone Hot Brit in front

 

And one last question: You mentioned it sounds great for your 7-string. Does it handle a good low-end chunk well? I'm not that into downtuning by any means, but if the amp is gonna sound like crap because I go into drop-D, it's not worth my money.

 

Thanks, Rev

I have had the EXCACT same question for the past several days and just stumbled over this forum for the first time today! I am super close to ordering this amp, but I want to know if it can get some good heavy tones. Not heavy like Slipknot, more like the rhythm tones on the "Use Your Illusion " albums by Guns 'N Roses. I'll need to go from clean to a great crunch, and since this puppy only has one channel, it needs a pedal, and I'm thinking the Hot British might be the one.

[Guitarzan]

to get on teh subject of the Traynor ycv 40 speaker, the reason alot of people have changed the speaker is that traynor used to use a budget celestion, they now use a vintage 30 in the wr model. the older models have the budget celestion.

the kingsnake looks like a nice amp for a great price. is there any soundclips of that amp on the net?

[daddyelmis]

The obvious answer here is to just give over your soul to GAS . . . and buy a Traynor AND a Kingsnake.

 

one can never have too many amps, can one?

[Guitarzan]

true

[strat0124]

My experience is that a speaker swap affects tone more than a basic tube swap. In fact some of the more expensive tubes sold in the shop I used to work in didn't sound that much better than stock. The biggest thing I've seen people swap to affect tone has been first stage preamp tubes to get cleaner. Same with power tubes, lower your hardness and get more breakup. Electron dissipation isn't understood that well, and I doubt anyone buys tube upgrades with anything other than "so and so said it sounds better" or from a past history of buying a certain tube that they've become accustomed to.