Wish Rivera TBR-1SL

[Joker]

This is the chewiest rhythm tone I ever heard:



Michael Wagner and the guitarists from Skid Row and Saigon Kick have used this amp quite extensively. The amp is extremely heavy and not a lot of them are out there.

Here are the schematics:

Preamp:
https://paul1179.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/rivera-guitar-amp-model-tbr1-tbr2-93-pre.pdf

Poweramp:
https://paul1179.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/rivera-guitar-amp-model-tbr1-92-pwr.pdf

Reminds me of the typical rectifier tone, but with a vintage twist and clarity.

 

[warlockII]

I had one and it was a great amp. Maybe it's how I dialed it in, but it definitely didn't sound recto to me. I used to have a Racktifier at the same time.

 

[Joker]

I had one and it was a great amp. Maybe it's how I dialed it in, but it definitely didn't sound recto to me. I used to have a Racktifier at the same time.

I just played around with some Axe FX III models and I got somewhat close to the tone by using a recto version with weird EQ settings. Big Hair is another amp inside the Axe III that covers this sort of tone more or less.

What amp inside the Axe III would you use to replicate that TBR tone? I never owned this amp so i can only guess what might fit the bill.

 

[warlockII]

I just played around with some Axe FX III models and I got somewhat close to the tone by using a recto version with weird EQ settings. Big Hair is another amp inside the Axe III that covers this sort of tone more or less.

What amp inside the Axe III would you use to replicate that TBR tone? I never owned this amp so i can only guess what might fit the bill.

I thought of it as a Modded JCM800 or maybe modded SLP. I really loved boosting it with a Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal.

 

[Joker]

I thought of it as a Modded JCM800 or maybe modded SLP. I really loved boosting it with a Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal.

I didn't expect that, though the SL (Super Lead) leads me to believe that there's more Marshall DNA in this tone than I initially thought...

Would you say the 2203/800 models in the Axe are able to get there, from what you can remember?

Here's my attempt to cop the tone from the video above:



This is done with the Recto 1 Red model and a Mesa 4x12 Black Shadow RNR B3 VH cab from factory 2.

I also attached the preset in case anybody's interested in it. I used an swamp ash superstrat with maple neck/ebody fingerboard and a single high output JB style humbucker in bridge position, so you may want to up the gain or the mids if you're using a lower output pickup.

The Rivera TBR 1 still has a crunchier mid-range that is tough to get with the Recto and the harmonics are jumping out effortlessly, whereas they're a bit lacking in the Recto 1 Red at the settings I'm using currently...

 

[Churchhill]

+1

IIRC, there was a version that Fender was going to produce, but never did. Paul Rivera worked for Mesa-Boogie at one point, too. I think these pre-dated the Rectifiers by a couple of years.

There were several versions (I think), TBR-1M, TBR-2M, TBR-1SL, TBR-2SL, and a couple of power amps (TBR-3, TBR-5). The SL seemed to be the most desirable. Always thought SL was "Super Lead," but I don't know. I agree with @warlockII that they reminded me more of a modified Marshall. In any case, it's a great sound, but maybe not too far away from what we already have.

 

[Joker]

+1

IIRC, there was a version that Fender was going to produce, but never did. Paul Rivera worked for Mesa-Boogie at one point, too. I think these pre-dated the Rectifiers by a couple of years.

There were several versions (I think), TBR-1M, TBR-2M, TBR-1SL, TBR-2SL, and a couple of power amps (TBR-3, TBR-5). The SL seemed to be the most desirable. Always thought SL was "Super Lead," but I don't know. I agree with @warlockII that they reminded me more of a modified Marshall. In any case, it's a great sound, but maybe not too far away from what we already have.

It's like he mixed Marshall mids and treble with Fender low-end. The bass on this thing seems huge, Michael has it on 1 during that chunky rhythm part and it still sounds very thick. Maybe it's just the way Michael Nielsen dials this amp in that makes it sound a bit more modern and unusual than a typical modded Marshalls.

 

[Churchhill]

It's like he mixed Marshall mids and treble with Fender low-end. The bass on this thing seems huge, Michael has it on 1 during that chunky rhythm part and it still sounds very thick. Maybe it's just the way Michael Nielsen dials this amp in that makes it sound a bit more modern and unusual than a typical modded Marshalls.

Yeah, good description, too. Makes sense given his history with both Fender and Boogie, and given how prevalent the Marshall sound was at the time. That Focus knob made a lot of difference, not many amps had those back then. Lots of pull switches, too.

I always wondered how close this was to the M100 (mono) or S120 (stereo). Not quite the same as the original Knuckleheads, but those are pretty good, too. Riveras were not too common in my neck of the woods back then, so I never got to play through a lot of them.

 

[Joker]

Yeah, good description, too. Makes sense given his history with both Fender and Boogie, and given how prevalent the Marshall sound was at the time. That Focus knob made a lot of difference, not many amps had those back then. Lots of pull switches, too.

I always wondered how close this was to the M100 (mono) or S120 (stereo). Not quite the same as the original Knuckleheads, but those are pretty good, too. Riveras were not too common in my neck of the woods back then, so I never got to play through a lot of them.

I think Rivera himself has made a video detailing the channels of the S120, which is basically the TBR-1 SL in an amp head format, it lacks only a few functions, such as the mid frequency shift, but otherwise it should be very close to the TBR-1 SL.

Would love to buy some of those older Rivera heads, but they're simply nowhere to be found in this day and age.

In any case, it would be great to have a couple or even a single Rivera model in the Axe III. The signature Rivera sound is just so nice and smooth, no wonder his Stage IV amp is one of the most recorded amps out there.

 

[Churchhill]

I think Rivera himself has made a video detailing the channels of the S120, which is basically the TBR-1 SL in an amp head format, it lacks only a few functions, such as the mid frequency shift, but otherwise it should be very close to the TBR-1 SL.

Would love to buy some of those older Rivera heads, but they're simply nowhere to be found in this day and age.

In any case, it would be great to have a couple or even a single Rivera model in the Axe III. The signature Rivera sound is just so nice and smooth, no wonder his Stage IV amp is one of the most recorded amps out there.

Yep, couldn't agree more. They have their own sound, too. I think there's already a wish for the Bonehead. I'd be happy to see any of them!

 

[SalazarMcMantis]

I had a M100 4x10 combo last year, great sounding amp and very unique on the lead channel. The rhythm channel was crazy close to the Super Reverb channel without even digging into the extended controls. The lead channel with the 2 additional gain stages was very hard to replicate. I tried every amp in the box and couldn’t get anywhere near to my liking, maybe someone else could though. Definitely Marshall flavored but the gain structure, low end, and overall thickness were very different from every Marshall type model.
I would love for this amp to be modeled, it’s truly unique.