Rivera R55-112

[Frankie]

Hey Guys,

Does anyone own one of these bad boys??

Any opinions, good/bad?

Thanx!!

[Kevan]

I don't own an R55, but I do own a TBR-2SL. Rivera tone is incredible, esp. if you like nice full bottom end (more than J-Lo after Thanksgiving dinner). I know the TBR's are very "cabinet specific". Some will sound good, and some will sound like sandpaper in a blender...even though they are both 4x12's with Celestions. It's kinda odd, but well worth the cab hunt. You're lucky- Rivera already built that cabinet. :-)

Rivera customer service is unmatched in my experiences with them. When the owner of the company takes the time to educate you on biasing your amp and takes your parts order at the same time, you know you've got a helluva company behind you. If you've got a question about a piece of their gear, they've got an answer; whether it's one of their regular techs or Paul Rivera Sr. himself.

There are a few Rivera owners/players here on the Forum. A few have also run thru my TBR (Simon gets the award for "Turned Up The Loudest On A Dare" from Jemfest 2002. LOL). I'm sure some other comments will come in. I'm pretty sure Bob Oakman's wife is still a tad jealous of his feelings toward his Rivera. :-)

[rilla]

I've got a R100 which i love, so i assume the 55 will be pretty good too...

Bear in mind that with a open backed combo (and a 1x12 at that) you're not gonna get all that much bottom end chunk - it's still quite impressive tho. I've been playing around with it recently and getting some lovely Voxy mid-gain sounds (think Edge U2), it will of course also do your ballsy rhythm, and nice smooth 'singing' lead

The oversized cab on the chubster should give you a bit more low end if thats what your after.. might be worth having a look

[vaijem777]

I've got a couple of Rivera's, and I can definitely say that the cabinets make a HUGE difference in the overall sound. I was lucky enough to run across a small cache or Rivera cabs at my local Guitar Center that were sinfully cheap. MUCH better than the Mesa cabs I had been running.



I've played several other Rivera's outside of the TBR line, and have yet to find one that I didn't love. Definitely the most bang for my buck!

[Kremlin]

I think you post that picture just to spite me...

[Frankie]

Thanx for the replies guys!

I've been looking around at amps for a while and just recently someone offered me this rivera for around $500 (US dollars).... Is this a good deal?

55 watts is plenty (who the hell needs 100W anyway!!?? ) and i would buy an extension cab to go with it....... (any suggestions as to an appropriate cab??)

I would be used for gigging in bars clubs etc .......

[vaijem777]

I was using a single 12" Mesa cab with a 90 Watt Black Shadow, and it sounded fine. The 12" Rivera cab in the pic is what I've been using for small gigs lately though, and it's noticably better tonally- much more "open" sounding. But...the Mesa stuff really isn't bad.

[Kevan]

Originally Posted by Frankie

55 watts is plenty (who the hell needs 100W anyway!!?? :D)

I certainly don't need 320W (160W per side), but...for some reason...I have it. I like to think of it as "there if I need it". Or if Simon comes over again. :-)

Originally Posted by Frankie

...and i would buy an extension cab to go with it....... (any suggestions as to an appropriate cab??)

Ooooo....stereo. I think this is a very good idea.

Yes- Chris does post that pic to spite us. LOL

[DLHelfand]

Rivera amps also seem to be underrated in terms of wattage compared to other manufacturers. You will NEVER need more than 55 watts of Rivera power. I don't care if you are playing MSG. Amps are miked anyway. My old Rivera R30 was 30 watts and put many 100 watts to shame. I couldn't turn it past 2. My current Rivera, which is a Chris Duarte model, has a 15" EV and at least 100 watts of power (although for some reason I think it has more) and I keep the power switch on 25watts AND use a power attenuator. The thing is still blazingly loud on 4-5...imagine how loud it can be.

[Frankie]

You will NEVER need more than 55 watts of Rivera power. I don't care if you are playing MSG. Amps are miked anyway.

Exactly..... Thats why i think that getting a 100W amp (without having the capability to go half-power) is an over-kill for me!!

What about the price guys?? Is it a good deal ($500 US)

[Mr Orange]

Dunno about the prices down under, but I'd go for it in Europe.

And 50 watts is plenty loud, never cranked my 50-watt Mesa beyond 3 at a gig... and that's into a 1x12.