Hey all - if you like this video please give it a 👍🏼 cheers! Should be able to give away the Ceriatone HorseBreaker - just comment and subscribe to have a chance 🤟🏼
@@DuckDuckGo512 I’m a bad reference as I like it when amp is hissing at you… but my thoughts are that it’s not actually that bad, I mean I’m not currently at home and so I’m trying to think about this answer from my memories and I can’t remember ever being annoyed by it Edit: Like cranked with a fuzz face going into it from a vintage style strat… there’s noise, but that’s sort of to expected right!!
Sweet review James. I have spoken with Chris at Rift and plan on taking a 1953 Pro Amp to him for a custom built UK power transformer (when I get back to the UK in a few months time). Being a real enthusiast, Chris sounded quite excited and intrigued by the opportunity to work on my Pro Amp. I will see if I can try out this Aynsley signature when I take in my Pro Amp. Thanks again for all your great content. 👍
As a mutual tone chaser that is about as close to the sound I am after for general playing. Sounds very responsive and dynamic and the break up when you dig in is superb. I am sure its even better right next to it too. The cleans I am chasing are dumble(ish)/Mayer clean boost. The dirty are Clapton/Bluesbreaker, but I have found my LP is the only thing that gets me close with that with current set-up. Horsebreaker would help!!! Great video again James, really like how you review the gear.
God that amp sounds good. I know I’ve commented about it in past videos but seriously it’s killer, I tried a Rift at Anderton’s when I visited a few years ago and was blown away, can’t imagine how good this one is to play! Lovely playing as well, great stuff!
@@JamesOnGuitar I’ve sort of alluded to this before in other comments but how does it compare to your Two-Rock? Do you find the lower wattage to be more fitting for you personally than the high headroom of say the Bloomfield?
@@ParkerDeBaryshe great question - at this point it is like my preference has shifted to the more malleable and at the same time snarling british voice of this type of amp and EL34s. It suits my playing i think. The master volume is also great on the bloomfield so i can still use it despite high headroom and it offers something quite different.
@@JamesOnGuitar I see, interesting! I’m personally into the high headroom clean amp thing, so I’ve been interested in pretty much all of the Two-Rock offerings, but specifically the Bloomfield Drive or the SSS. The Bloomfield obsession I have you and Joey Landreth to thank! I’m also generally more of 6L6 guy, but that Rift sounds so good. Also, would you be able to at some point compare the CRS and the Bloomfield? Not enough in depth Two-Rock videos on RUclips!
I found out about Aynsley Lister through a feature in Guitar Techniques Magazine player profile way back in like 2001 and have been following him ever since as he was definitely the real deal, great blues vocabulary and a style all of his own, would love this Rift Amp and I'd use Aynsley's 335 too lol. Great review, I really liked the Telecaster tones myself 👍🏼
Oh wow he really does go back! Yeah one thing i love learning from him, he is not theory based, but he is sound and feel based - i learn better that way! Cheers
Yeah i mean to make it perfect it would have a little Hook wizardry with a foot switch to put the bright cap in and out and be able preset tones for each channel… alternatively you just need two of the amps and a foot switcher! 🤟🏼
I've watched this video a few times now, your playing just chills me out then I realise I've not being looking at what's being going on, so I rewind and do the same again. Really love this style of playing. Side note, I bought a Wheelhouse from Rift but had to send it back, did not scream premium to me, rough edges on the tolex, the amp itself was screwed in wonky and wasn't too impressed with the sound, especially considering how great the rest of their stuff normally is! Oh well ended up with a Hamstead instead! Keep up the great work James!
Firstly, thank you that’s really cool and cheers for saying so 🤟🏼 Secondly - oh no! That’s really unfortunate, what a shame. It should never be like that. Must have come out of the shop on a friday afternoon! How did it sound though? Cheers
@@JamesOnGuitar I thought that haha! Not an awful experience but one to put me off for a bit. I was a bit underwhelmed to be honest. It sounded good but generally just didn't feel like the experience I'd expected. 😕
Great review James. I’ve been extremely interested in this amp ever since it first came on the scene. The core clean/edge-of-breakup tone is not unlike a fantastic JTM 45 but with tighter bottom end and an overall quicker feel. How does it sound or compare with other Marshall amps at the higher end of its gain range?
Thanks! Whilst i haven’t got that much experience with Marshall amps, i’d say this amp has more of the vintage marshall character, as you say, so throughout its gain range it keeps that sort of natural character.
Great review of an excellent sounding amp. I love gear with character. Rift also do a Selmer style amp called "The Hawker" which is a great sounding amp too. Nice playing James. Mr Lister, and no doubt a lot of practice by yourself is really starting to pay off.
How would you compare to a Suhr Badger 30 (if you've tried one, i know it doesn't have reverb)...did you max out the gain in any of the clips in your video? I like the overall slightly darker (warmer) tones of the Rift, but curious how much gain you can get and how fluppy it would be without a boost. Thanks!
You know - i do! But still love the tr’s! The rift is just different and works so well for me! Been wanting to try a CA Tweed for ages, sounds awesome!
Hi! I've been contemplating the Rift for a bit now. I've noticed you attenuate your Bloomfied Drive...do you attenuate the Aynsley Lister as well? Is it a really loud 35w?
Hi - i haven’t need to attenuate the rift because it still sounds open and harmonic at lower volumes. The Bloomfield needed to be a bit louder to open up, so attenuating was pretty necessary!
@@JamesOnGuitar Thanks for getting back! I have a Bloomfield too...but I keep it at 50w and with the gain stage I can get to bedroom levels...sounds like I might need to hook it up to the OX and let it roar! I just got it 2 weeks ago so still feeling it out.
Great video!, will this amp still sound great at home volume levels?. I’m trying to decide if an expensive amp at low volume will be worth the price difference. I was looking at a voxac15.
I never liked my vox ac15 at low volumes. The rift is a pretty good shout for low volume too. Or a tone king with built in attenuator. Aynsley mentioned that one criteria was that the amp should sound open and great at any volume!
Like the sound of the amp, don't think we can get that model in Australia. Have you played a Marshall blues breaker hand wired edition combo has tremolo in it? A friend of mine has one and I think it sounds good, wonder if its a similar circuit to your rift amp? Good demo nice playing 👍
@@JamesOnGuitar Hi James Yeah, no reverb. I havent played it for over a year. I looked the marshall up, circuit isnt the same as the rift and I think they only made 100 of them world wide. Marshall 1962 hand wired 50th anniversary I think. Just went to the rift web page and watched Ainsley playing his amp, soo good. Thanks again for your demo on this definitely going to keep an eye out for one.
That amp sounds cool alright .. but for now I 'll have to stick with my blsckstar Ht5 .. but I bet that pedal would make it sound that little bit sweeter 😎 T 🎸 🇮🇪
I might be wrong but for me this amps reach the same quality level of the Tone King Falcon Grande. u find your voicing and u will never dig the amps after beacuse they are such a extension of the guitar.
This might be a disrespectful question, but how would you say this compare to the likes of a Mesa Fillmore? Or Friedman Little/Twin Sister? All of these amps, to me, has that "vintage" sound rather than "classic" sound. I'm curious to hear how you would compare the AL to other manufacturers and how you feel the AL differs to those :)
The fillmore is a fender style, which the rift isn’t - it is that marshall style with some tweaks. They aren’t comparable at all really, playing the rift blows the mesa out of the water but it costs more. The Friedman - i had one - was more classic marshall, felt like for heavier rock style rather than for blues and blues rock. So to me the friedman felt like guns and roses and the rift is less for riffy/chugging rock - that is just a way i can express the difference in how they feel to play. The rift is more giving under the fingers, much more dynamic and looser to play. Hope that helps somewhat
@@JamesOnGuitar Thanks for that! I thought Ainsley said the cleans on the Rift was more Fender, since that's his inspiration? Maybe that's not what you found and they are more towards Marshall? Either way, thanks a lot! Helps out when I can't try any of these amps beforehand :)
@@Tanax13 they’re based on his marshall amp but i think he probably was trying to get over how the cleans feel. I remember Rift commenting on someone else’s post and saying it is not Fender-like at all though 👍🏼
Hey all - if you like this video please give it a 👍🏼 cheers! Should be able to give away the Ceriatone HorseBreaker - just comment and subscribe to have a chance 🤟🏼
I said this before, but the tone in that amp is unreal.
Just ordered one, mostly thanks to your enthusiasm for it and the great reviews / info (and Ayns' epic playing / tones)
Amazing! Hopefully the wait won’t be tooooo long
@@JamesOnGuitar should be next week as I am in Australia and ordered from one in stock with their dealer here! Just shipping now.
@@JamesOnGuitar arrived today - it’s so good. Lovely as the dry amp with a victory v40d!!
@@dhod900 Thinking of getting one but ....Whats your thoughts on noise floor ?
@@DuckDuckGo512
I’m a bad reference as I like it when amp is hissing at you… but my thoughts are that it’s not actually that bad, I mean I’m not currently at home and so I’m trying to think about this answer from my memories and I can’t remember ever being annoyed by it
Edit:
Like cranked with a fuzz face going into it from a vintage style strat… there’s noise, but that’s sort of to expected right!!
Picked up a 64 Princeton Reverb thanks to your channel. Couldn’t be happier with it. Really enjoying the channel
Oh yeah - that one is a gem 👌🏽 a real keeper. Nice one
The specs shouts perfect amp to me!! I'm definitely following more reviews on this amp.
Sweet review James. I have spoken with Chris at Rift and plan on taking a 1953 Pro Amp to him for a custom built UK power transformer (when I get back to the UK in a few months time). Being a real enthusiast, Chris sounded quite excited and intrigued by the opportunity to work on my Pro Amp. I will see if I can try out this Aynsley signature when I take in my Pro Amp. Thanks again for all your great content. 👍
Oh that’s very cool! Cheers 🤟🏼
Lovely sounding amp with the LP
Cheers 🤟🏼
As a mutual tone chaser that is about as close to the sound I am after for general playing. Sounds very responsive and dynamic and the break up when you dig in is superb. I am sure its even better right next to it too. The cleans I am chasing are dumble(ish)/Mayer clean boost. The dirty are Clapton/Bluesbreaker, but I have found my LP is the only thing that gets me close with that with current set-up. Horsebreaker would help!!!
Great video again James, really like how you review the gear.
Hey thanks man 🤟🏼 sounds like we are after similar things! Good luck 🤞🏼
God that amp sounds good. I know I’ve commented about it in past videos but seriously it’s killer, I tried a Rift at Anderton’s when I visited a few years ago and was blown away, can’t imagine how good this one is to play! Lovely playing as well, great stuff!
Thank you! Yeah this amp just blows my mind, i’d love to try other rifts! Cheers 🤟🏼
@@JamesOnGuitar I’ve sort of alluded to this before in other comments but how does it compare to your Two-Rock? Do you find the lower wattage to be more fitting for you personally than the high headroom of say the Bloomfield?
@@ParkerDeBaryshe great question - at this point it is like my preference has shifted to the more malleable and at the same time snarling british voice of this type of amp and EL34s. It suits my playing i think. The master volume is also great on the bloomfield so i can still use it despite high headroom and it offers something quite different.
@@JamesOnGuitar I see, interesting! I’m personally into the high headroom clean amp thing, so I’ve been interested in pretty much all of the Two-Rock offerings, but specifically the Bloomfield Drive or the SSS. The Bloomfield obsession I have you and Joey Landreth to thank! I’m also generally more of 6L6 guy, but that Rift sounds so good.
Also, would you be able to at some point compare the CRS and the Bloomfield? Not enough in depth Two-Rock videos on RUclips!
I found out about Aynsley Lister through a feature in Guitar Techniques Magazine player profile way back in like 2001 and have been following him ever since as he was definitely the real deal, great blues vocabulary and a style all of his own, would love this Rift Amp and I'd use Aynsley's 335 too lol. Great review, I really liked the Telecaster tones myself 👍🏼
Oh wow he really does go back! Yeah one thing i love learning from him, he is not theory based, but he is sound and feel based - i learn better that way! Cheers
I'd love an A/B video between your Two Rocks and the rift. Seeing as we are across the pond and won't be able to try it out
My pleasure 🤟🏼
Great tones! I’ll have to work with what I have but it’s always a pleasure to hear great tone.
Really informative review, James and nice to hear it with different guitars. That reverb is exceptional.
Thanks Rich - i was thinking about what we’ve discussed before when i was talking about the noise floor 👌🏽
@@JamesOnGuitar Thanks, I figured that might be the case. Very much appreciated. :-)
Crazy you need more subs you don’t play fast which isn’t a bad thing but the feel you have is insane beautiful sound
Thanks man - i really appreciate that 😊
Recently introduced to Aynsley Lister by Steve on our channel. Then YT finds me this… what an amp, what a price! Great playing and vid.
Haha - considering the price of some amps i’ve got, i’d probably pay double for this one if I had to, truly epic!
@@JamesOnGuitar but that’s close to motorcycle money then! A whole new world of decisions suddenly open up 😉
@@TheBluesBox you mean Gibson Custom Shop money. Then you’re talking 😉
@@JamesOnGuitar you have expensive tastes! 😅
Great detailed review. I liked what I heard from both the Les Paul and the Telecaster.
Cheers 👍🏼
I was waiting for this episode. Thanks a lot. I only wish it would have separate EQ for clean and drive. I would already start selling off
Yeah i mean to make it perfect it would have a little Hook wizardry with a foot switch to put the bright cap in and out and be able preset tones for each channel… alternatively you just need two of the amps and a foot switcher! 🤟🏼
I've watched this video a few times now, your playing just chills me out then I realise I've not being looking at what's being going on, so I rewind and do the same again. Really love this style of playing.
Side note, I bought a Wheelhouse from Rift but had to send it back, did not scream premium to me, rough edges on the tolex, the amp itself was screwed in wonky and wasn't too impressed with the sound, especially considering how great the rest of their stuff normally is! Oh well ended up with a Hamstead instead!
Keep up the great work James!
Firstly, thank you that’s really cool and cheers for saying so 🤟🏼
Secondly - oh no! That’s really unfortunate, what a shame. It should never be like that. Must have come out of the shop on a friday afternoon! How did it sound though?
Cheers
@@JamesOnGuitar I thought that haha! Not an awful experience but one to put me off for a bit. I was a bit underwhelmed to be honest. It sounded good but generally just didn't feel like the experience I'd expected. 😕
Great review James. I’ve been extremely interested in this amp ever since it first came on the scene. The core clean/edge-of-breakup tone is not unlike a fantastic JTM 45 but with tighter bottom end and an overall quicker feel. How does it sound or compare with other Marshall amps at the higher end of its gain range?
Thanks! Whilst i haven’t got that much experience with Marshall amps, i’d say this amp has more of the vintage marshall character, as you say, so throughout its gain range it keeps that sort of natural character.
Great review. You made me fall in love with a $3,800 amp!
😃🤟🏼
Damn, that's crazy. It's $3000 here in Europe. Meanwhile Matchless amps are like $5000..
Great review of an excellent sounding amp. I love gear with character. Rift also do a Selmer style amp called "The Hawker" which is a great sounding amp too. Nice playing James. Mr Lister, and no doubt a lot of practice by yourself is really starting to pay off.
Thanks Graeme! I lusted after the Hawker for a long time and it is definitely in my future…
@@JamesOnGuitar Good stuff, I am looking forward to that review.
Great vid, if I win the pedal take my name off and re draw I’m sticking with my Browne Protein and Posen Pre amp.
Thank you - and hey that’s very gracious if you, thanks 👌🏽
Such a great amp! Great playing brotha! 🎼❤️
Cheers 🤟🏼
Great review!
Cheers 👍🏼
Sweet tones James… this is pushing closer to the Rift over the TR… cheers
Awesome! 🤟🏼
Great review! (And great amp!)
Cheers!
Sounds great!
Cheers!
Really loving the vibe and sound of the amp! Very hard to get a hold on this amp, though!:-/
Yeah - that is true! I wonder if you can order direct from Rift, perhaps depends where you live
Absolutely killer sounds with the Tele and bright cap on!!! Any suggestions to approximate this tone with pedals into a 1x12 Princeton?
If I come across one soon - I'll let you know. I have an idea it could be the Rift EL34 pedal which I just received coupla days ago...
How would you compare to a Suhr Badger 30 (if you've tried one, i know it doesn't have reverb)...did you max out the gain in any of the clips in your video? I like the overall slightly darker (warmer) tones of the Rift, but curious how much gain you can get and how fluppy it would be without a boost. Thanks!
Nice!
Eager to get one…and win that pedal :)
🤟🏼
You prefer it over your Two Rock?!?! Oh my. I have a Bloomfield Drive and CA Tweed that I use most but if you like it BETTER?!?!? Dang!
You know - i do! But still love the tr’s! The rift is just different and works so well for me! Been wanting to try a CA Tweed for ages, sounds awesome!
@@JamesOnGuitar too bad I live far away in California or I'd loan it to you!
Definitely a sweet blues amp
🤟🏼yup!
Hey James, what Les Paul model is that? R8, R9??
Hey James, how's the Master on this one? Can you rock the Rift at home/"bedroom" level and still sound good?
it will, as long as you aren't also wanting that big pushed air feel which i think many people miss at lower volume!
Hi! I've been contemplating the Rift for a bit now. I've noticed you attenuate your Bloomfied Drive...do you attenuate the Aynsley Lister as well? Is it a really loud 35w?
Hi - i haven’t need to attenuate the rift because it still sounds open and harmonic at lower volumes. The Bloomfield needed to be a bit louder to open up, so attenuating was pretty necessary!
@@JamesOnGuitar Thanks for getting back! I have a Bloomfield too...but I keep it at 50w and with the gain stage I can get to bedroom levels...sounds like I might need to hook it up to the OX and let it roar! I just got it 2 weeks ago so still feeling it out.
Great video!, will this amp still sound great at home volume levels?. I’m trying to decide if an expensive amp at low volume will be worth the price difference. I was looking at a voxac15.
I never liked my vox ac15 at low volumes. The rift is a pretty good shout for low volume too. Or a tone king with built in attenuator. Aynsley mentioned that one criteria was that the amp should sound open and great at any volume!
Like the sound of the amp, don't think we can get that model in Australia. Have you played a Marshall blues breaker hand wired edition combo has tremolo in it?
A friend of mine has one and I think it sounds good, wonder if its a similar circuit to your rift amp?
Good demo nice playing 👍
You know I reckon rift would ship worldwide! I haven’t - didn’t know you could get one! So tremolo but no reverb? 😩
@@JamesOnGuitar Hi James Yeah, no reverb. I havent played it for over a year. I looked the marshall up, circuit isnt the same as the rift and I think they only made 100 of them world wide. Marshall 1962 hand wired 50th anniversary I think. Just went to the rift web page and watched Ainsley playing his amp, soo good. Thanks again for your demo on this definitely going to keep an eye out for one.
Is Gordon Willis doing the lighting for these vids? I like it!
🙏🤣
That amp sounds cool alright .. but for now I 'll have to stick with my blsckstar Ht5 .. but I bet that pedal would make it sound that little bit sweeter 😎 T 🎸 🇮🇪
🤟🏼
I might be wrong but for me this amps reach the same quality level of the Tone King Falcon Grande. u find your voicing and u will never dig the amps after beacuse they are such a extension of the guitar.
It looks like they don't ship these to Australia anymore, looks like I'll have to wait :)
Ah… shame!
This might be a disrespectful question, but how would you say this compare to the likes of a Mesa Fillmore? Or Friedman Little/Twin Sister? All of these amps, to me, has that "vintage" sound rather than "classic" sound. I'm curious to hear how you would compare the AL to other manufacturers and how you feel the AL differs to those :)
The fillmore is a fender style, which the rift isn’t - it is that marshall style with some tweaks. They aren’t comparable at all really, playing the rift blows the mesa out of the water but it costs more. The Friedman - i had one - was more classic marshall, felt like for heavier rock style rather than for blues and blues rock. So to me the friedman felt like guns and roses and the rift is less for riffy/chugging rock - that is just a way i can express the difference in how they feel to play. The rift is more giving under the fingers, much more dynamic and looser to play. Hope that helps somewhat
@@JamesOnGuitar Thanks for that! I thought Ainsley said the cleans on the Rift was more Fender, since that's his inspiration? Maybe that's not what you found and they are more towards Marshall? Either way, thanks a lot! Helps out when I can't try any of these amps beforehand :)
@@Tanax13 they’re based on his marshall amp but i think he probably was trying to get over how the cleans feel. I remember Rift commenting on someone else’s post and saying it is not Fender-like at all though 👍🏼
@@JamesOnGuitar Oh wow, okay, thanks for clearing that out!
Do you think this amp would be complete overkill for home use?
No! 🤟🏼 (unless you cant use almost any volume of course…)
Noice!
Lister plays singlecoils, not fucking humbuckers