Quilter 202 vs Twin Reverb?

Liam Sullins · Post by **Liam Sullins** » 11 Oct 2021 2:43 pm

I've been a tube guy for a while now but when I heard Johnny Cox playing the TT-12 combo it made me want to buy one. How do these compare to a Twin? I'd just buy the 202 and make my own cabinet. Thanks..

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 11 Oct 2021 4:14 pm

Liam Sullins wrote:I've been a tube guy for a while now but when I heard Johnny Cox playing the TT-12 combo it made me want to buy one. How do these compare to a Twin? I'd just buy the 202 and make my own cabinet. Thanks..

Liam you are correct about Johnny Cox with the 202 Combo, he sounds fantastic, so take this for the LITTLE it's worth...

I was never very happy with my Twin, especially after it started blowing tubes all the time. But that was back in the mid 80's... Now after just a few minutes with the 202 12" Combo got to a happy place. With all kinds of power, great versatility in Tone and a great Reverb ... BTW, I have the 12" and then later added a Quilter TT-15" extension cab.

NOW FWIW... I've noticed over time, that the guys who buy just the 202 Toneblock and then add a cabinet of their choosing with a speaker of their choosing, are NOT as happy as the guys who just buy the 202 Combo in either the 12" or 15" version. You may find that to not be the case, but thought the caution appropriate. There seems to be a synergy in what Quilter did with the Toneblock with that specific cabinet and the TT-12 or 15" speaker. Like I said, you may not find that so YMMV.

Jim Cooley · Post by **Jim Cooley** » 11 Oct 2021 7:31 pm

I've heard Johnny Cox play live several times, different steels and amps. He sounds good through everything.

I too am a tube guy, maybe even a tube snob. I was always happy with my Twin Reverb, especially after I split it into a head unit. I had my choice of cabinets. Then I bought a Tone Block 202. Like Dale said, there is something special about the 202 and 12" Block Dock cabinet. That combination beats any other 12" combination I have tried, hands down.

I also have a Block Dock 15" cabinet/speaker combo. I prefer it to my other 15" cabinets with the exception of an 18" X 18" X 12" cabinet that I like just as well, maybe better. My 15" Block Dock cabinet measures approximately 20" X 20" X 12. I have compared a lot of speaker-cabinet combinations with the 202. I invariably find that I prefer the tone I get through the deeper cabinet with this amp.

As I stated at the beginning of this post, I am a tube guy. I've had the opportunity to play through solid state amps that represent themselves as being "tube-like." I was never satisfied. I always plugged my steel directly into a Sarno Black Box when using any solid state amp. I was very pleasantly surprised when I first played through a 202. It comes closest to emulating a tube amp than the others I tried. It was good enough that I stopped using the Black Box - for while. Then one day, I decided to plug into the Black Box again, just to see if I missed it. I immediately realized why I used it in the first place. I'm a happy tube guy again.

Of course you realize we're talking about tone. It's extremely subjective. You might love what Dale and I like; you might not.

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 11 Oct 2021 8:20 pm

I found out these are made in China, that’s a big no from me!

Dale Foreman · Post by **Dale Foreman** » 11 Oct 2021 8:22 pm

I love Travis Toy to death but, I will not invest mu money in China. It’s time to stand up!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 12 Oct 2021 1:06 am

Comparing the Quilter to a Twin Reverb is in my mind "unnecessary" , the Quilter stands strong on its own merit. Its a great amp.

The BF Twin Reverb ( 1963-1967) is perhaps the most iconic amp ever manufactured, by anyone. Its gonna be tuff to kick it off the front porch !

The Twin Reverb as we all know has been on bandstands for just shy of 60 years now, it set the trend for double duty players and is STILL unmatched in that arena.

Yes, Johnny sounds great with his Quilter,

but

So does Lloyd on "Live at Panther Hall"

A Twin Reverb with JBL's. It wasn't even Lloyds, it was rented.

Now if we wanna discuss current day amp specs and weight, sure ,the Quilter comes in strong , no argument. It checks all the boxes except, how does it fare for a Tele or a Strat ?
Tube SAGG is a necessary ingredient that so far nobody has duplicated, even Fender with their new offerings.

This is not a DISS on the Quilter, it a great amp, but perhaps we don't need to compare it to the iconic Twin Reverb. Let the Quilter stand on its own merit.

Otherwise a handful of folks like me will show up at the party ! LOL

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Oct 2021 2:14 am

Early 70's I had an AB768 chassis Twin with JBL's. I replaced the two 12" JBL's with a 15" K-130. Great steel amp.

I've been through the Peavey amps from the Session 500 to the Nashville 112. Never really happy.

Last year I bought a Quilter TT12 combo. "Here was the sound" I was missing since the Twin Reverb. Its not a Twin Reverb but its the closest sound I've come across. Tweak the controls and it can sound "Fenderish".

The lead guitar player I worked with for twenty years is a must have Fender tube amp type and has a 65 BF Pro Reverb that he uses. When he first hear my TT12 at a gig he had to try his Strat thru my amp. He liked it and is considering buying one.

Liam Sullins · Post by **Liam Sullins** » 12 Oct 2021 4:28 am

After some reading I found that Eminence Neo speakers pair best with these so I found a very nice cabinet with a 15 Neo and a 202 an hour away. I can't wait to try it. The main reason why I wanted to kind of dump my twin is the weight and tube issues.. Thanks guys!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Oct 2021 6:06 am

There are lots of posts on the Quilter Facebook page of tube amp guys dumping them in favor of the Quilters.

Side comment on your networking. I'm a retired LAN/WAN Network and Hardware Help Desk Manager.

Liam Sullins · Post by **Liam Sullins** » 12 Oct 2021 8:19 am

Jack Stoner wrote:There are lots of posts on the Quilter Facebook page of tube amp guys dumping them in favor of the Quilters.

Side comment on your networking. I'm a retired LAN/WAN Network and Hardware Help Desk Manager.

Oh really? I'm a senior in high school and have been in a Cisco Networking academy class for the past year. Hoping to get my CCNA and become a Network Engineer by next May. Appreciate the advice on the Quilter too.

Michael Sawyer · Post by **Michael Sawyer** » 12 Oct 2021 4:05 pm

Cant speak on comparison to a Twin- but to my ears,as well as my band's ears- it surpasses my Fender DeVille-and I was definetley a tube snob
...

rick andrews · Post by **rick andrews** » 12 Oct 2021 6:00 pm

Liam,
This isn't exactly what you're asking but I have a Quilter Steelaire rackmount and couple it with a Telonics 15 in their cabinet. It is a great combination.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 14 Oct 2021 12:21 pm

Michael Sawyer wrote:Cant speak on comparison to a Twin- but to my ears,as well as my band's ears- it surpasses my Fender DeVille-and I was definitely a tube snob
...

Well that's probably because the Twin and the Deville are totally different designed front ends. Not even related .

Oddly enough, when I was active with sessions locally, the 2 x 12 Deville was the amp of choice. Bright, clean , no mid range THUD ! I used mine on gigs for well over a decade, double duty. It's quite a performer.

The Deville front end is the same as the HR Deluxe front end, many Steeler's use one or the other for double duty. The Deville adds a bit more punch and additional clean headroom. And no, its not like the Quilter.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 15 Oct 2021 9:45 am

I thought about this one for awhile, and I gotta say I share Dale Foreman's misgivings about buying from Communist China.

That being said, Tim Marcus' Half And Half is an excellent lightweight alternative to the Twin-Reverb, and it's American. I have both, and the Milkman is the one that goes out to work.

Jim Bloomfield · Post by **Jim Bloomfield** » 16 Oct 2021 6:42 am

[quote="Dave Hopping"]I thought about this one for awhile, and I gotta say I share Dale Foreman's misgivings about buying from Communist China."

The Steelaire is a great amp (I have one) and is made the USA, as is the Mach 2. It also looks like the soon to be released Mach 3 is made in the USA (according to the pics of the back panel on the website). I wish they'd build them all here.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 16 Oct 2021 7:45 am

It depends on the twin reverb. A decent twin that is not the reissue can be a beautiful thing. I personally did not like any of the quilter amps I have used. I can’t get the tactile response that I’m into from them and the midrange in the quilter doesn’t have the complexity or depth that I’m into. Nothing good or bad about it. I am into having a bit of give in the attack that I get from tubes and other guys like the presence in the attack that they get from non tube amps. I use a Milkman half and Half for gigs and it covers all the bases for me.

Those original twins are getting old and can have problems and the new ones are crap.. The quilter will be more reliable and better sounding than a new twin.

There are so many great options now.

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 16 Oct 2021 8:49 am

Bob Hoffnar wrote:I personally did not like any of the quilter amps I have used. I can’t get the tactile response that I’m into from them and the midrange in the quilter doesn’t have the complexity or depth that I’m into.

I agree - the Quilters I have tried felt much like other solid state amps. Instantaneous response to your picks and none of that delicious sag you get from a tube amp. They sound pretty good but they are not "inspiring" to play like a good tube amp. That being said, I see them showing up more and more on stage with players I admire like Jeremy Wakefield and Deke Dickerson. They sound good and the light weight, power and small footprint are certainly great attributes. For me it's a question of convenience vs compromise. I guess I'm not quite there yet.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 16 Oct 2021 10:45 am

I have and use a Quilter Tone Block 201, and have played a 202 a few times. They're both pretty similar, and both very good sounding and versatile amps. They are particularly useful in tight space situations, when I don't want to haul an old tube amp, a Twin Reverb is just too big and loud, and so on. I use it quite a bit.

But you will have to pry my old Fenders out of my cold, dead fingers. I have two Twin Reverbs (BF & early SF) and other assorted old tube amps. I am not even slightly young, but when I get to the point where I can't lift the old Fenders, I probably won't be able to lift a pedal steel either. There's a directness about the sound of the old tube amps that still takes the cake for me.

BTW, my TB 201 was made in the US, if that's any comfort; they can still be found and I really like mine. EQ is not the standard Treble/Mid/Bass, but I find it works fine. YMMV. But the MicroBlock 45 I have, I believe made during this same period of time, was made in China. So I guess there must have been a gradual move of models overseas.

Personally, I try to buy US made stuff whenever possible. But I guess I'm not gonna just refuse to get the stuff I need if it's made elsewhere (and not here) purely on principle. Again, YMMV.

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 16 Oct 2021 2:11 pm

Slightly off topic but may be a solution for both "tube snobs" and members who are averse to buying goods built in China. I have a Marsh 'MelloVerb' and as they say in politics, "It checks all the boxes!" Point to point wired and hand built in the USA. GREAT vintage tone and price is comparable to the Quilter or a good used Twin. (Weight; my head weighs in at around 30#).

Cappone dAngelo · Post by **Cappone dAngelo** » 16 Oct 2021 2:39 pm

Dave Mudgett wrote:
Personally, I try to buy US made stuff whenever possible. But I guess I'm not gonna just refuse to get the stuff I need if it's made elsewhere (and not here) purely on principle. Again, YMMV.

And keep in mind that even for gear 'assembled in the USA' (or wherever else), this doesn't account for where all the components are actually made - even for the few models Fender still assembles in the US (as opposed to Mexico or China), my understanding is that most of the components are imported - potentially even large items like cabs, speakers, chassis, and transformers.

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 17 Oct 2021 1:12 pm

Dave Mudgett wrote:
Personally, I try to buy US made stuff whenever possible. But I guess I'm not gonna just refuse to get the stuff I need if it's made elsewhere (and not here) purely on principle. Again, YMMV.

Same here...if everything I needed was made here, that's all I'd buy...

...but it ain't...

SH

Liam Sullins · Post by **Liam Sullins** » 17 Oct 2021 6:51 pm

I got it Thursday and blindly setting the knobs like my twin I cannot tell a difference. It sounds the same to my ears!

Gordon Hartin · Post by **Gordon Hartin** » 18 Oct 2021 10:57 am

2 amps that are quite different. Most folks know what they like about twin reverbs...

202 What I Like
Light Weight
No Upkeep Cost (Tubes/Servicing)
Modular Design
Can Use without Speaker for Direct Recording
Sounds Consistent at Low Volume
Responsive Tone Controls

Does it sound like a twin...No

Gordon

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 19 Oct 2021 4:38 am

Like I said earlier, why the comparison to a "real" Twin Reverb ? "non RI )

Why not compare it to a PV Nashville 400 , Session 400 , Evans, etc, as those are Steel Guitar amps.

Is there a subliminal point to comparing it to a Twin Reverb ?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 19 Oct 2021 5:29 am

A Quilter TB202 amp is not a Fender Twin Reverb. The TB202, Travis Toy 12 model, is the best sounding steel guitar amp to my ears since I had an AB768 chassis twin (bought new in early 71). Thus the reason for me to compare.

The Peavey steel amps (and I've had every model starting with a Session 500 to a Nashville 112) or an Evans SE200 that I had are not in the same league with the 202.

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