Modding a 1980s Deluxe Reverb II

BintyTwanger77

I got a Rivera-era DR II, 1980s, and it sounds sweet already in the clean channel, but I was wondering if anyone could suggest any mods to it to improve the lead channel when the gain is cranked to make it sound fatter and Rattier.

ICBM

You need to move the tone stack from before the distortion to after it. It's a relatively simple mod which doesn't actually need any parts at all, or even wire - you can do it with what's in the amp.

It gives significantly more distortion, a much less touchy tone stack but which does more (if that makes sense!) and a crunchier, more Bassman-like tone.

This is the schematic:

https://robrobinette.com/images/Guitar/Deluxe_Models/Deluxe_Reverb_II_Schematic.gif

You need to swap the whole lead channel tone stack (below and to the right of the input jacks, starting with the .0022uF cap above the mid boost switch and ending with the treble control) with the .01uF cap above the master volume control, and move the input to it from the top of the 82K resistor to the plate of V4A.

If that sounds like Chinese, any decent tech should be able to do it in under an hour.

These (and the almost identical but more powerful Concert) are really great overdrive amps with this done.

BintyTwanger77

@ICMB And with this mod the clean channel would still be sparkly and wouldn't change/would improve? Should I replace the valves as well? (Sorry, I'm a bit of a Luddite).

ICBM

It doesn't affect the clean channel at all.

You only need to change the valves if you would anyway, although it's just possible that the increase in gain could show up a microphonic valve in the lead channel. (But unlikely.)

Don't worry about asking questions, you're not meant to know all this stuff .