Reverend Kingsnake 112 Combo

Features: 9
The features are what attracted me to this amp. I had back surgery recently and was told it was not the best idea for me to lug around the heavy stuff. I did not listen to the doctors at first and ended up in the hospital again for back issues. So, the heavy stuff had to be sold. I like the idea of the combo weighing only 32 pounds (thanks to the Jensen Neo speaker) and having the 20/60 watt selectable switch. Great for home or at a show. Also, the Schizo switch is very cool. You can get sounds similar to the classics like Fender, Marshall, Hiwatt, Vox , Supro, etc… Another big buying point was the chassis mounted tube sockets, pots & switches, which are usually only found on more expensive amps. It also has reverb, EH tubes, an effect loop and separate 4,8,16 ohm extension speaker jacks. The grill cloth and knobs look very classy. All this for a mere $699.00….not too bad.

Sound Quality: 8
I’ve used it at a few shows already and it sounded very good. At times it can be a little thin sounding. I wish it had a bit more punch and was a bit thicker sounder. It seems to be very mid’y sounding. I hooked it up to a 2x12 cab loaded with 2 Vintage 30’s and that really helped. So, I’m not sure if it’s the Jensen Neo or the fact that it’s a 1x12 combo. I’ve been using a head/cabinet for some time, so I’d imagine changing to a single speaker will take a little getting used to. The Schizo switch is fantastic. I like my amps very simple. If it has more then 6 knobs I’m not interested. This amp is simple, but versatile, I had no problem dialing into a good sound with the handy settings in the instruction manual. I’m a big fan of the Hiwatt, Vox & Tweed settings. The reverb also sounds very good. I don’t use reverb, but if I need it it’s there. I use it with a couple SG’s. One with humbuckers and the other p90’s. They both sound great with very little noise if any.

Reliability: 9
It seems pretty reliable so far. I’ve only had it for like two months, but no issues so far other then one of the screws/rubber things holding the reverb tank fell off (probably during shipping). I like the fact that the tube sockets, switches and jacks are chassis mounted. It comes with Electro Harmonix tubes, which are very good in my opinion. The Jensen speaker I’m sure is build to last. The only concerns are the transformers, which look super cheap. They look like they are coated in plastic with a steel band holding them together. I almost did not buy it because of it, but Reverend has a good rep so I went with it. Also, the tolex looks a little cheaply put on. It already started coming unglued by the bottom grill cloth.

Customer Support: 10
Never had to use the yet. I did order the cover for it and received it in 2 days, which is great. I wish the warranty was longer then 1 year, but I'm sure Reverend would help you out if you needed them.

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for 14 years and had a ton of different amps. Overall this is probably the best amp you can buy in this price range. It sounds very good, it’s simple and you can get a whole slew of sounds out of it. I think it would sound even better with the extension cabinet they will have mid year, which I may pickup. I do wish the transformers were a little more heavy duty, but at $699.00 you can’t complain.

Submitted by cyclops620 at 04/14/2005 10:31

Features: 8
Single channel, single input amp based on the tweed bassman. Passive FX loop, Reverb, bass, mid, treb, presence, gain, master volume and standby switch. The KS is LIGHT!! I mean Really, Really light. Its got a 3 postition "schizo" switch which revoices the amp on the fly between pseudo blackface, quasi marshall and faux tweed. This is the amps best feature and works as advertised. Each mode produces a distinct and very useable tone. Its also got a 60/20 switch which cuts the output power and drives the power tubes into distortion at lower volumes. This also works as advertised. I wish it had hi/low dual inputs (or an input selector switch) like most amps so you didn't have to revoice if you switch from say a low output tele to a modern strat.

Sound Quality: 6
FWIW I played this amp in the back of a shop for about 40 minutes with my 50's MIM tele.

The good:
The schizo feature is fantastic. It really gives you 3 completely different and useful tones from a single amp. US mode is spanky and sparkly, has plenty of headroom, and reminds me of a little twin (minus the low end which I'll cover later). Its got lots of clarity and string definition but boders on being overly bright. I didn't experience icepick highs but it lacked the lushness and depth of my SF deluxe reverb. UK mode kicks in an obvious uppermid boost as well as some added gain. With the tone, gain and volume controls remaining constant it growled in a marshally sort of way where the US mode was sparklin' clean. Engaging "lo-fi" bumps up the low mids and smooths the hi-end while also adding gain compared to the US mode. Lo-fi has a "tweedy" sound that I really dug for blues riffs. All 3 modes had continuously variable shades of OD, each with their distinct sonic flavor, with UK having the most gain - reaching classic rock proportions. There are ALOT of tones available from this preamp. The 60/20 switch allows you to overdive the power amp at lower volumes and works very well. There is little or no tone coloration when switching wattages, just a noticable increase in overdrive. Even so, the amp at 20 watts still has alot of headroom and could probably be played in US mode in a small club/bar setting while retaining a mostly clean sound (similar to a DR). The reverb is tame by Fender standards (don't expect surf! Blechhh) but I like the way it integrates into the tone instead of floating on top or swamping it, like many fenders do above 3 on the dial.

The Bad:
Where's the low end?? This amp seemed to be SORELY lacking in low end. The tech who initially setup the amp had dimed the bass from the get go and I never changed it but found myself always wanting more. There was none of the Fender bloom or Marshall punch. Granted the amp is small, open backed and has a single 12" spkr but so does a Deluxe. IMO my Deluxe (which I played immediately upon returning home) has much better low end than the KS. 60 watts from 2 6l6's should provide plenty of bass and I couldn't understand why this thing sounded so thin. When I looked at the rear chassis I think I found the culprit. The transformers on this amp are odd looking and TINY. The sales guy said something about dual bobbins and "chinese". My understandind is the the output transformer in particular, has a huge effect on tone - especially the bass- and also provides saturation when driven hard. When it comes to iron, I believe bigger is better and quality is important. I just don't think these strange and wimpy looking chinese trannies were up to the task of providing the low end one would expect from a 60 watt 6l6 combo (I bet they're "really light" tho ;-). My ears concurred. Less disturbing but still problematic was the slightly brittle hi end coming out of this amp. If an old fender illuminates your playing with flattering soft light, then the KS is like flourescent lighting, metaphorically speaking. Its sort of cold without being harsh. Might be good for country twangers but it seemed a little unforgiving to me. Maybe it was the lack of bass, or an unbroken-in speaker, or the fact that the speaker has a neodymium magnet (notoriously harsh). Whatever the reason I just didn't like the high end. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5 for overall sound is because of the schizo and 60/20 switch which are truly excellent features that work well.

Reliability: N/A
I know many others have had no problems with the older Hellhound but the construction quality of this amp seemed sub par to me and put me off. The light weight of this amp scares me. It just doesn't seem to be sturdy. Also the aforementioned transformers were held to the chassis with steel HOSE CLAMPS!!!! I sh^t you not! I could hardly believe it myself. Jeez, there's cutting corners and then there's lunacy.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 6
I did alot of research on this amp before trying it out. I REALLY wanted to like it. My intention was to replace my DR with a more versatile amp with a tighter bass response and more clean headroom. The versatility and headroom of the KS did not dissapoint but its overall tone did. After coming home and playing the DR for 5 minutes I knew that there was no way the KS could compete with its beautiful clean tone. I feel that the Peavey Classic 50 and Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (both bassman circuits) have more bass and a better clean tone than the KS and are in the same price range. I really feel that Reverend has an exceptional concept but that it is poorly implemented with possibly too many cheap chinese parts for its own good. Perhaps there was too much of an emphasis on weight and not enough on tone. 4 pounds of quality iron in the path might have gone a long way to making this amp incredible.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/23/2005 13:44

Features: 8
I own two Kingsnakes, which I play in stereo. I bought one direct from Reverend (long wait) and one slightly used off ebay.

Keep in mind that this is a single-channel amp. There's no footswitch popping you from clean to dirty in an instant. The only reason I've given it an "8" is for this reason--it's not like Mesa Boogie or a Rivera or something, with a zillion options to choose from.

That said, it does have some versatile features that make it more than a one-trick pony. It's got a "schizo" switch that changes the voicing from "US" (a really, really convincing vintage Blackface sound) to "UK" (somewhere between Marshall and Vox) and "Lo-fi" (think old tweed Bassman). All three settings are useful and toneful, though I tend to use the US setting almost exclusively live. I do wish the schizo could be triggered from a footswitch (that would've raised my "features" score to 9+).

It also has a switch on the back that drops it from 60 to 20 watts, if you want less headroom. I've done this a couple of times with great results, but in a live situation I'm generally in a hurry between songs, so I don't like having to re-set the gain and volume controls; I generally get my overdrive sounds from boutique pedals (Barber LTD, Hermida Zendrive, Timmy, and a modded DS-1).

Sound Quality: 10
I'd been playing through a stereo pair of Roland JC-120's (like I said, I get my distortion from stompboxes), and was ready to trade in the solid state 80's clean sound for something with more furr on it. I looked at lots of amps, and fell in love with a few I couldn't afford (Carr Rambler, Tone King Meteor, Fuchs Overdrive Supreme, Bad Cat Trem Cat). Since I wanted to keep playing in stereo, I was looking for something warm and tubey that would be cheap enough so I could buy two without breaking the bank.

Man, did I hit the jackpot with this baby! I defy anyone in a blindfold test to tell me this amp doesn't belong in the same general category as the ones I've already mentioned (the ones I can't afford). It's got a sweet richness that nails the sound of a blackface Deluxe much better than any Fender reissue I've ever heard. Crank the gain and it breaks up a little like an AC30 does, with a sweet, peach-fuzzy complexity. Plus, it loves pedals. My bandmates are thrilled with it. My drummer wears headphones, and he's flipped over the sound. He says that even when it's high-gain distorted it still sounds "focused." He's right.

Reliability: 10
I've only had these for a few weeks, but they're solid as a rock. Make sure to buy the cover if you get one--the amp is really nice cosmetically (great detail crafstmanship); I'll be really annoyed when either one finally gets a scratch.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A. I've had no dealings with them yet.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing guitar since 1966, professionally since 1972. I have a mid-60's tele, but most often I play a Parker Mojo Fly through pedals into the amps.

Here's my chain, if you're interested:

Fly>Strobostomp tuner>Doobtone Microbuffer>Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor, through the loop out>Aphex Punch Factory comp (always on)>Homemade Ross Clone Comp (for "effect" compression)>DS Designs-modded Boss DS-1>Cochrane Timmy overdrive>Hermida Zen Drive>Barber LTD>back into the NS-2 loop in, and out>Arion Phaser or Digitech Synth Wah (depending on my mood)>volume pedal>Yamaha Magicstomp (for modulation, delay and reverb only)>two Kingsnakes, on either side of me in stereo. Tone heaven! When I've got the room, I put a Traynor 2X12 cab under each Kingsnake (loaded with Weber Blue Dogs).

One other huge advantage of this amp is the size and weight. It really packs a punch for an amp this small and light. I'd gotten used to hauling a pair of Roland JC-120's around--man what a difference!

If anything happened to either or both amps, I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again. I did the research, and it came down to a choice between these and the slightly less expensive alternative of picking up a couple of used Ampeg Superjet reissues on ebay (I used to have a Superjet--another great-sounding little amp designed by the same guy who designed the Kingsnake), but I was worried about quality and consistancy--I know people with the Ampeg amps who say some of them are great and some are maintenance nightmares. I decided to go with the sure thing, and I don't regret it. The Kingsnake is an amazing value.

Submitted by Dave Starns at 03/16/2005 13:54

Features: 9
This amp is great. It has just what you need, nothing that you don't. The fact that it is switchable from 60 down to 20 watts is a nice touch, but it's still loud (20 watts is a lot of power, I don't care who says it's not!). The schizo switch drastically changes the sound. The only thing I would add, would be the ability to make this function footswitchable... if it were, this amp would be better than perfect. The amp appears to be first rate in terms of quality. All the components are top shelf, the speaker is way more than necessary for this sort of combo amp... but greatly appreciated. All controls are very dynamic, just a little adjustment can make a nice change in sound. The schizo switch is the best part about it though. If you want fender clean, you use the US setting... with the gain at least halfway and the volume equal, you get a beautiful clean sound. Then hit the schizo up to UK, and boom, you've got a near marshall drive... it's awesome.

Sound Quality: 10
I use three guitars, all stock. They are an American Standard Strat, a Gibson Faded Les Paul Special, and a Highway One Texas Telecaster. I play rock, mostly indie type stuff, but, I appreciate good, clean tone. When I bought this amp, I was trying to find a Fender Prosonic. Then I stumbled upon the Kingsnake. The two amps appear to match up quite nicely, both 60 watts, all tube, the only advantage of the prosonic was that it was a channel switching amp. Well, I realize now that I don't need channel switching (I was also looking at a deluxe reverb). With my Tele, this amp is rediculously versitile. The key is to really use the volume control. The amp comes alive at 12 o'clock on both the volume and gain knobs. It sounds great at low levels too, but it's sooo much better at high volume. The amp is super quiet, much quieter than a fender hot rod. It almost seems like it doesn't pick up as much single coil hum as other amps. The beautiful thing about the amp, is that I can have a nice clean sound (right on the edge of breakup, depending on pick attack), and switch from US to UK on the schizo switch and jump right into a beautiful, musical overdrive. The speaker in the combo can keep up even at ridiculous volume levels (60 watt setting, gain 2 o'clock, volume at 3-4 o'clock). The clean is clean, the overdrive is overdriven... what more do you need.

With humbuckers, the amp really wants to rock. Classic AC/DC tones are so simple to achieve. What's better is the sound that you can get that is right on the edge of clean and overdrive. You can play single note stuff on the neck pickup and have beautiful hairy clean tone, and kick to the bridge pickup for nice crunchy overdrive. I love it!

The Strat, well, it's clean... and it sounds great too. There's nothing that I can do to make this amp sound bad.

This amp responded very nicely to an SIB varidrive plugged into it also. That made this amp the perfect channel switching amp. I could dial in the perfect amound of clean overdrive on the amp, and then use the Varidrive to give me that over the top overdrive that is needed for heavy parts of the songs. Beautiful.

I had the opportunity to hear this combo right next to a new reeves 20/40 watt head and a 4x12 marshall cab. This amp still held it's own next to that $2500 rig. The reeves was awesome, but there's no way I could have justified the price difference. The Kingsnake is a 4x12 cab away from being a touring guitarists best friend. The owner of the Reeves setup was very impressed as well, and said that he wished he would have heard my amp before he spent so much on his rig... oh well, hindsight's 20/20

Reliability: N/A
I've only had this amp for three weeks, so I don't now how it will hold up. However, quality appears top notch, and I don't forsee anything other than the usual tube changes as far as maintanence.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to use them yet, but I've heard they are great. Small company, so they really appreciate your business.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for about 15 years, never professionally, though maybe one of these days. I bought this amp with the intentions of keeping it forever, and I probably will. It is leaps and bounds better than any stock fender Hot Rod, or reissue that fender has out now, and rivals the clean sound of even a vintage blackface. The tone is so sweet, almost like a vox at times... just beautiful. The only thing I wish this amp had were a footswitch for the schizo, but you really don't need it, just an effects pedal... because the increase in input just makes the amp sing that much more. If it were lost, I'd be online ordering another one instantly.

Submitted by Mark at 02/23/2005 21:11

Features: 10
Check out their website. It's got what I need. Very versitile soundwise, dispite being single channel. If I cared about channel switching though, I'd have bought somthing else. Nice sounding reverb, although I'm no connoisseur. I researched the heck out of this amp before I ordered it and I got exacly what I expected/wanted and more.
Huge leap of faith? Not really. I could send it back for refund within fouteen days if I didn't like it.
10 because, even though it doesn't have a million bells and whistles, it does what it does exceptionally well.

Sound Quality: 10
I am playing a stock 1962 Jazzmaster reissue (mid-nineties, Japan). I am not prone to any particular style of music. My preferences change weekly and my Kingsnake can accomodate any of it. The range of sounds are well documented below, and I assume will continue to be, redundantly, but deservedly so.
What I like about this thing is that every dial is useful across it's full range and it doesn't sound bad when it's turned down. I can't get a bad sound out of it, which is great because I am too lazy to tweak.
Turn a coupla knobs, Wilco.
Flick a switch, turn a coupla knobs, Dinosaur Jr.
Flick, turn, Belle and Sebastian.
Etc, etc, etc.
Tube amps sound better cranked. This one is no exception. And it sounds incredible though an extension cabinet. Played it along side a JCM2000 stack no problem.
Not a whole lot of extra noise, which I would have blamed on the Jazzmaster anyhow. Lovely guitar though.

Reliability: 10
I have the utmost comfidence in this amp, which is good because as much as I would love to have a hundred different amps to back it up, this is it. I've only been playing through it for three months though.

Customer Support: 10
I emailed Reverend a couple of times. One early inquiry and a couple after I received the amp. Each time, I heard back from Joe Naylor within 24 hours.
When I received the amp, the reverb tank wasn't working, presumably from being tossed around during shipping. I emailed them Friday night, received acknoledgement from Joe on Saturday morning and I had a new, working reverb installed by the following Thursday. I live half a continent away and in Canada.
I can say that in my experience, Reverend has been an exceptional company to deal with, and I would not hesitate to do business with them again.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing 12-14 years I guess. Haven't been counting.
I never post on boards like this, but word of mouth and reputation is what helps to keep a company like Reverend going strong. I feel like I got a real bargain in the Kingsnake combo, primarily because of Joe Naylor's no frills business and design philosophies. The least I could do in return is offer a testimonial, and this seemed like a good place to do it. Hope it helps.
I feel funny giving a product all tens like this, but I have this amp that I am incredibly happy with and I don't feel like I have comprimised AT ALL in purchasing it over anything else. That's a pretty good feeling.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/14/2005 21:25

Features: 10
A great evolution of the Hellhound, the Kingsnake does all that the HH did and more. The combination of Sound, Tone, and Size add up to a real winner.

Sound Quality: 10
I love clean headroom for my playing and pedals, and it's here in droves. Actually, whatever sound you like to start with is most likely in this amp! Fender-y to Marshall-full, and many in-between.
I recorded a 3 song Christmas CD with it the day after I opened the box.
The amp is voiced very well for Single Coils, P-90's, or Humbuckers. Whatever you have will work. Like the Hellhound, it is very pedal-friendly.
Hell...my DRUMMER made a comment after the first set "That's gotta be a new amp...I can really hear it!". We play with Horns, so it says a lot when an amp cuts through the mix.

Reliability: 9
Joe builds things to last. I have had 4 reliable years of service from my Reverend Rocco guitar, and I expect a happy life for this amp.
Always remember though, you have to TAKE CARE and MAINTAIN your gear!

Customer Support: 10
Reverend prides itself on fast, thorough, and complete Customer Service. They have a few "locals" who work various Guitar Shows with them around the Country who help complete the friendly atmosphere.

Overall Rating: 10
This is a wonderful "Front Seat Amp", as it takes up little space in the car and will fill a big room with great sounds. A lot of bang-for-the-buck. Reverend products are becoming more and more recognised and respected, and the Kingsnake adds to the aura.
I got my first Strat in 1976, and have had many amps since. The Kingsnake brings it all up another level.

Submitted by Johnny C. at 12/01/2004 13:03

Features: 10
The Reverend Kingsnake is a new 2004 model with a power rating of 60 watts. To give it more options, Joe Naylor at Reverend also added a 20 watt switch that of course allows you to get a great sound at a lower output. Still, even at the 20 watt aetting this amp is plenty loud. More headroom can be gotten in the 60 watt mode and the gain control allows each setting to go through many changes from clean to max-overdrive. One channel only, so no switching back and forth here, but there is an effects loop to allow for pedals etc., and an incredible little "Schitzo" switch that permits you several options that APPROXIMATE a Fender Deluxe Reverb, a vintage slightly more mid-range & dirtier Supro, and a full-on Marshall-like setting. Used in co-ordination with the gain control, this amp is astounding in it's versatility and I'm sure could please just about anybody who wants a little (32 lb.) tube combo amp that packs a wollop and delivers big in the tone department too.

Sound Quality: 10
Ever since I got this amp I can't seem to leave it alone. Although I have not used it "live" yet, I plan to and for now, am delighted with how well it records. Very little noise here, even with P-90 PUs. I am impressed with the ear-friendly sound of the new lightweight Jensen Neo 100 12" speaker it comes with, which seems like a perfect match, since it can handle the higher watts, but also has a nice smooth even-toned response at lower volume too. I own a Dumble, a couple great old Fenders, and a little Supro I've had for 25 years, and although this amp is not a carbon copy of any of them, in it's own right it achieves much of what these great amps can do. It fascinates me that you can get this kind of boutique sound out of such an affordable package. I hooked up a one-12 cab housing a Celestion Vintage 30 in coordination with the internal Jensen, and it just opened this impressive little amp up even more! I especially like the tube-driven reverb circuit featuring an Accutronics short tank--very smooth and non-boingy, with a capability of going very deep and long. Since I play a lot of blues and slide guitar, this amp is especially rewarding in it's thicker mid-range and sustain qualities, which I always look for when playing any amp.

Reliability: 10
I haven't owned the amp that long, but knowing a little about the Naylor philosophy on guitar and amp building, I feel assured that these things are built to sound great, not break down, and deliver what they're supposed to. This guy is a tried and tested pro who has been around awhile "perfecting" his thing. That means something to me.

Customer Support: 10
I've been playing the Rev guitars for years now and they're great, so it's a safe bet that these amps are the result of a lifetime of Joe's experience at "getting it right." He's also the kind of guy who stands behind his stuff and makes good on repair calls where the "big boys" would only put you on hold.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing most of my life and went pro in 1971. I design my own guitars and also have an array of vintage amps and instruments and several Reverend guitars. I like this amp a lot and will keep it my arsenal, because it's lightweight and can go from sparkling clean and smooth to interestingly overdriven in a variety of ways. It's " one amp" that can cover a lot of ground in the recording and performing arenas. I recommend it to anyone, pros and non-pros alike!

Submitted by Rick Vito at 11/25/2004 09:31