GAS... Fender 68 Deluxe Reverb or Kemper ?

equalsql · December 2014

So if I've got a bag of sand to spend on a nice new bit of kit..
Do I underspend to get the 68 DVR, cos I love the sound... or pony up a couple of ton more to get the Kemper?
Gigging not a requirement here..

What would you choose and why?

randomhandclaps · December 2014

It's going to be a biased viewpoint either way for most. I can't see past the amp but the I have never been able to get past the (albeit miniscule) latency of digital stuff. I have never tried the Kemper but there are plenty of folks like @Drew_FX who are equally precious about their tone who seem happy with it so maybe it's an exception.

I suppose your needs and facilities have a massive impact of the choice too. If you need a multitude of tones and need to record in silence then maybe the Kemper is perfect.

MtB · December 2014

I have amps, but also a Kemper, and only play at home - and I'd choose the Kemper, but....

The kemper is great if you like experimenting with loads of different amps and sounds + you can listen through headphones during the late hours (a big plus for goody points from family and neighbours).

A negative is - what are you going to play the kemper though (other than the headphones)? You will have to buy active monitors / PA speaker / power amp + cab ........ is there some budget left for all of this?

On the plus side for the amps - there's just something "special" about playing through an amp.

Just my view..

Drew_TNBD · December 2014

Not enough information to advise you really. What makes you consider a Kemper?

equalsql · December 2014

MtB said:

I have amps, but also a Kemper, and only play at home - and I'd choose the Kemper, but....

The kemper is great if you like experimenting with loads of different amps and sounds + you can listen through headphones during the late hours (a big plus for goody points from family and neighbours).
A negative is - what are you going to play the kemper though (other than the headphones)? You will have to buy active monitors / PA speaker / power amp + cab ........ is there some budget left for all of this?

On the plus side for the amps - there's just something "special" about playing through an amp.

Just my view..

I've got my recording set up sorted and have a bunch of amps and mics.
I was always cynical of amp simulations, but after a lot of research i ended up buying S-Gear which is very impressive.
This got me thinking that using modellers for recording was viable. My heart says go for the amp as there is something magical about playing through a Fender like the 68', but my head says Kemper for all the obvious reasons.

In the long term I imagine the Kemper, like PCs, devaluing quickly as software alternative start to appear (like the Bias Grid stuff).
(That's just an observation).

equalsql · December 2014

Drew_fx said:

Not enough information to advise you really. What makes you consider a Kemper?

I'm thinking about the recording side and the ability to capture or download some classic amp profiles. I know youhave been impressed with the Kemper... but have started having doubts about them in a live situation.

John_A · December 2014

It's all down to what type of person you are. I'd get the DR and smile every time I plugged in to it. I know if I bought a Kemper it would end up in the loft with all the other guitar gadgets I've bought and can't be arsed to use

welshboyo · December 2014

much as @John_A says..

I would take the DR over the Kemper any day...much more pleasure in a proper valve amp with knobs, valves and a speaker than a box of parameters and patches...

but then...buy both, profile the DR and send it back under the 7 day returns...

Drew_TNBD · December 2014

equalsql said:

Drew_fx said:

Not enough information to advise you really. What makes you consider a Kemper?

I'm thinking about the recording side and the ability to capture or download some classic amp profiles. I know youhave been impressed with the Kemper... but have started having doubts about them in a live situation.

Actually it's not quite accurate to say I had doubts about them in a live situation. Preface this with: I've not used one in a live situation, only band rehearsals at a loud loud volume.

Now... when I had the Axe FX I struggled to get live tones that were as good as my valve amps. This was with a solid state power amp as well as going into the return of my valve amp. I wasn't happy with that. But with the Kemper, I took some direct profiles of my valve amps, and those through the FX return of the valve amps... nigh on indistinguishable when compared to the valve preamp. I most definitely would be happy with the tones, but I feel it requires a valve power section still.

Where I am not so sure that I would be happy is with the rig switching speed. It doesn't feel quite fast enough at home. I've not tried it in a band situation, because at the time I didn't have a viable midi controller.

So.... I dunno really... I think the Kemper sounds absolutely brilliant. Better than a lot of valve amps in some cases, because of the lack of noise and the built in adjustment features. When taking direct profiles of my amps, I've been able to get it to the point where no-one in the band could hear the difference between Kemper and valve preamp. But because I have these valve amps, I'm not quite prepared to utterly jump ship just yet.

It's a piece o' piss to use and sounds and feels the closest to a real amp to me.

Hydra19 · March 2015

I'm in the same boat....and have been for years. I've always wanted a Kemper or another amp but can't decide on which. I do have a Yamaha THR10C that I use everyday and like it's tone for the late evenings, great tone at a low volume so imagine the Kemper would only be better. But I'm not too interested in learning computers, and tone tweaking, etc... I think all the profiles would be overkill for me too. I don't need 300, more like 30 amps in total.

Now it's either the Kemper, or a Tweed or a brownface Deluxe....

MtB · March 2015

If you feel constrained in what you want to play by the type of amp you have, then the Kemper is for you (or you buy a bunch on fx pedals).

I'm a home noodler and like the convenience of having access to Tweed and Brownface tones as well as Marshall, Matchless, etc, if the moment / mood grabs me.

Chalky · March 2015

If you know the specific amp that you want and will make you happy then buy that amp. Otherwise buy the Kemper. Or like me, buy both!

strtdv · March 2015

These are really polar opposites, I'm surprised you're stuck between them!
The deluxe reverb is a lovely amp, it does a couple of sounds really well, and could well be an amp you keep for decades. The only thing I'd change would be once the amp was out of warranty I'd get a tech to remove the digital tremolo board and replace it with an optocoupler.
The Kemper will do lots of sounds well, will need additional kit if you want to use it live, and would be perfect for studio use, but you're unlikely to be using it 10 years down the line.

capo4th · March 2015

I would love a Kemper but don't think it would match the real life bloom of a nice valve amp. I owned a THR10C and sold it after a month cos it sounded tinny and digital. I think you need to pump some money into a great speaker set up to get anywhere close to a nice amp. Hence I have not taken the plunge yet as I think I would be disappointed.

andy1839 · March 2015

I bought a Kemper on a whim. Been playing it through headphones, fx loop in on various valve amps as well as using the headphone out into my home hifi setup. Sounds decent enough through each of these, especially the hifi and bookshelf speakers. Very '3D' and you can get 'the' tone without having to crank an amp or attenuate. Honestly all my valve amps have remained switched off since I got it. It just works for me.

cgumtree · March 2015

@equalsq I'm kinda in the same position as you. I'm thinking Kemper or Princeton, not DRRI (but close enough). I think DRRI is too loud for home use, but I love the Fender sound.

Out of interest, where are you based? Maybe you buy one and I buy the other, then we swap when we get bored (getting bored is inevitable, right)?

BGG · March 2015

Both miles part in terms of what they do, Kemper is an awesome bit of kit for the recording set up you have or live work if ever you need it.

I've gigged two channel amps for years, I'm not very techy or a tweaker so the simpler the better for me.

Then three years ago I stopped gigging, got sick of politics etc and sold all my amps. Thought I may get into recording etc last year and was offered some dep gigs. Heard rave reports about the DV Mark Multiamp, users saying it felt better than the other modellers and sounded great. I thought this would be ideal, lots of preamps, cab sims, fx etc etc etc.

Well I never got around to doing any recording I'm too lazy but I did do four gigs with it and it sounded bloody great.

But I realised i was only using about two or three sounds, four at the most

So fast forward to a couple of months ago, I bought a Fender 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb and a few pedals and i couldn't be happier, mega portable and just oozes tone and simplicity.

Now I know you've said it's not for live use but just wanted to show an example of having the two different amps.

Just think about what you need, what you will use etc

Red · March 2015

I keep going back to the Kemper myself. I love having a good valve amp, but I love the convenience and tones I can get with the Kemper. I've managed to write things I never thought myself delving into just because it's fun and inspiring to try things that wouldn't normally be possible. The headphone options are a real plus, and I love being able to get a full cranked sound even at bedroom levels through monitors. There was a little learning curve with the kemper, but once you've got the hang of it, it's fairly simple. I'm very happy with it and don't think I'll be picking up another "proper" amp in a while. I say that now, but I'm probably lying. GAS is an illness. Good luck deciding!

shaunm · March 2015

http://www.gumtree.com/p/other-instruments/fender-68-custom-princeton-reverb/1107398426

Nothing to do with me I might add. Just remembered this WTB thread when trawling gumtree

strtdv · March 2015

shaunm said:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/other-instruments/fender-68-custom-princeton-reverb/1107398426

Nothing to do with me I might add. Just remembered this WTB thread when trawling gumtree

Price seems steep considering a new one is £700 on Thomann.

Deijavoo · March 2015

The Kemper slow switching is a massive turn off for me. Otherwise I've been tempted with changing to one for ease, variation and taking my rig to silent home recording reasons.

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GAS... Fender 68 Deluxe Reverb or Kemper ?

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