My short trip to Reverend guitars at NAMM

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
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Of the guitars I tried I think I liked the Rick Vito model the best although I didn't try it through an amp. It's a very looong guitar :) I like the pickup blender knob idea, too.

The only guitar I tried through and amp was the butterscotch p90 Warhawk and this is my complaint about companies like this at NAMM. I have no idea what the guitar sounds like because the only amp they had was a Blackstar combo that must have been 50-100 watts and was on .5 and a bunch of pedals and whatnot. All I know is that the guitar I tried sounded terrible but I'm not entirely sure that the instrument would have sounded that way had they had one of the lower wattage combos that maybe had a decent clean sound.

Having said that, if it weren't for the way people around here love their Reverends and the realization that I'd probably dig one in a better environment I would have written them off completely. The ones I tried might have well been any Korean import guitar in terms of feel.
 
Mark Wein said:
The ones I tried might have well been any Korean import guitar in terms of feel.
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i do agree with this. the thing that differentiates Reverend is their quirkiness. everybody else is either trying to make the best LP or bring the brutalz. Reverend is going for a different audience and their guitars are at least as good as the competition at the same price. but i don't think you're going to get over that "import feel" with them either.
 
I really dig the ideas they have...looking at the pictures there are several guitars that I'd love to try but playing them in person really didn't do much for me.

To be honest the new Fender/Squier offset guitars that Sad Navigator and I have been talking about felt better to play.
 
Mark Wein said:
I really dig the ideas they have...looking at the pictures there are several guitars that I'd love to try but playing them in person really didn't do much for me.

To be honest the new Fender/Squier offset guitars that Sad Navigator and I have been talking about felt better to play.
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what was it about the Squiers you liked better?
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
i do agree with this. the thing that differentiates Reverend is their quirkiness. everybody else is either trying to make the best LP or bring the brutalz. Reverend is going for a different audience and their guitars are at least as good as the competition at the same price. but i don't think you're going to get over that "import feel" with them either.
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This is what I like about Reverend, plus I really liked the neck on the one I had. My problem was I couldnt get it to sound like I thought it should. Not sure if that was my amp or the guitar or both. As far as the import feel is concerned, I have really only played imports so I dont know any better. Actually, I have played a couple of USA models at GC. One was a Gibson ES339 that was set up poorly and had the standard rusty GC strings on it and I didnt love the feel but the acoustic sound was nice. The other was one of those Hot Rod 52 reissue Tele's a few years ago. That one felt really nice but I wouldnt say nicer than my black tele or my current ASAT. The point is, I am apparently not experienced enough to know the difference.
 
Mark Wein said:
They just played better to my preferences and seemed a little more resonant.
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My Ron Asheton is surprisingly resonant. It's like playing an old, opened up acoustic. My Jetstream isn't quite as resonant, but it definitely doesn't feel like dead wood.
 
Well that's disappointing. Ken normally bring three of his Carr Amps to the NAMM shows. As far as feel goes all of mine are very resonant and lively, some more than others but they are all pretty good in that respect. I'd have to say my favorite thing about them is their necks. They just feel like they were carved to fit my hand. I've never played a neck I like more than the Reverend necks. They also have excellent electronics, I've never felt the need to change pups on any of them. Lastly they are unique, people always comment on them and you don't see them every where you look like Fenders or Gibsons. I have notices that they don't sound very good through solid state amps, I have no idea why that might be.
 
Oh, and anyone in the market for one, there is a guy that frequents the Reverend forum selling a bunch of them. Some are prototypes or limited runs and some are regular imports. I think he has close to a dozen left for sale. Some are really nice.
 
Johnny N. said:
Oh, and anyone in the market for one, there is a guy that frequents the Reverend forum selling a bunch of them. Some are prototypes or limited runs and some are regular imports. I think he has close to a dozen left for sale. Some are really nice.
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Who's that?
 
Johnny N. said:
Salamandyr. He has them all listed at TGP. Really nice Manta Ray H90 in gold. I would be really tempted if I had any money.
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Ahh, I never go to the gear page guess I should start. I didn't know he had any imports. I'm still eyeing Ryan's Vito.
drool0
 
Oh shit, I can't go near that place until they're all gone. :embarrassed:

I agree with Rev1 though.. the necks just fit my hand really well. My two Reverends get more play than anything other than maybe my Emerald. Love the P90s on them too and the Bass Contour knob is just killer.
 
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