Page 1 of 2

Reverb tank

Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:42 pm
by dubtrub
Anybody else using an outboard reverb tank with their set up? For several years I've used a Digitech reverb pedal with my amps without reverb until about 5 month ago when I bought a Fender '63 reissue tank. Man, am I hooked on that fantastic spring sound for surf. I even quit using the onboard reverb in my '63 reissue Vibroverb. Well actually I use both. Since I play a wide variety of music, jazz, blues and now a rejuvenated interest in surf, I use the foot switch to A/B between the outboard and onboard reverb. But the best sound of all is the outboard reverb with my '65 piggy back Bandmaster.

As I type this I am in the process of scratch building a 5G15 standalone reverb unit using the layout and schamtics from the Weber web site. It is not a kit as I sourced out the parts and am scratch building the chassis and cabinet as well. It is the same basic circuitry as the Fender 6G15, but does not use the diode power rectifier. Once I finish it, I'll decide whether to keep it or sell one or the other. Most of you that know my past record, know that I build just about everything I play from guitar, amps, effects pedals. After some of us had talked a year or so ago about the Mosrite 'Fuzzrite' on another forum, I decided to build one. It sounds like it's suppose to but FUZZ does not fit my style of playing.

Hopefully other's will post about their various music related projects. I'd love to hear about them, especially with photo's.

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:05 am
by Strat-o-rama
Danny,
I use my outboard '63 RI all the time, and not just for surfy sounds. I also have one of the early Ed Sanner Fuzzrites, but only use it for when I want that effect-which is not often. It's always nice to have it as part of the arsenal.
As for projects...I barely have time to practice as of the last few years. I have a '63 Jazzmaster sitting in pieces in a closet for the last ten years. :roll:

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:31 am
by Dennisthe Menace
Strat-o-rama wrote:Danny,
I use my outboard '63 RI all the time, and not just for surfy sounds. I also have one of the early Ed Sanner Fuzzrites, but only use it for when I want that effect-which is not often. It's always nice to have it as part of the arsenal.
As for projects...I barely have time to practice as of the last few years. I have a '63 Jazzmaster sitting in pieces in a closet for the last ten years. :roll:


Say der' Pardner, you wouldn't be interested in making some room for that closet, would ya'? :roll:
















................yeah....I didn't think so...... :mrgreen:

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 12:07 pm
by Strat-o-rama
It's a soon to happen project. Will post it in a new thread when I move on it.

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:11 pm
by Bradley
I also use a Fender 63 reissue tank and it's one of the best things I've ever bought guitar wise. It can make a crappy solid state amp sound pretty good. Unfortunately, mine is getting fixed now. I guess they're not made for too many slams to get that great reverb crash sound.

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:59 pm
by MWaldorf
I've owned a couple of these, first 90s reissues and since about 1996 a genie 1963 brown tolex model. I play surf so it's pretty essential to my sound. I find the reissues can get pretty close to the vintage models with the 6V6 -> 6K6 tube swap, but the real key to the vintage sound is the pan. It's subtle but the vintage pans have a nicer decal without as much ice pick treble. The stock pan in my 1963 unit failed and I tried using a reissue pan but it didn't sound as good. Luckily I was able to repair the old tank (the wires from the transducer to the input RCA had split from a few too many kicks to the side of the tank)

Of course, the great Ventures in Japan '65 sound is Mosrite straight into the Showman without a Reverb, so I drop the mix down low for the Ventures tunes and turn it back up for the more surfy material.

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:20 am
by kenposurf
Outboard reverb units..accept no substitute....great that you can build your own!

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:49 am
by zak
I used to use a smooth blond tolex '65 tank, now I'm using a black tolex '65.
You can see it in the bottom right corner:

Image


The other guitar player in my band uses the reissue, which doesn't really sound quite the same:

Image

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:34 pm
by 64sunburst
Zak,
Your other guitarist's set-up looks interesting. What exactly is he using? Is that a 1x12 or 1x15? Thanks.
Byron

Re: Reverb tank

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:19 am
by Chemo
I have a hand-built tube reverb tank that was built by Mikko Kankaanpää, the guy behind the Uraltone company. He built the whole thang and not just the electronics & chassis.

You can see my tank here on the left (and me playing the tenor sax):

Image