SS Standel reverb problem

Hiro Keitora · Post by **Hiro Keitora** » 21 Sep 2003 8:55 pm

Folks, I have Standel Studio24, all solid state with reverb. All filter caps had been replaced and in fact, the amp sounds great, except...the reverb.

This reverb is rather weird, not only it muddy up the tone with slight distortion with note attack, if you don't hit the strings hard enough, the reverb won't even come off. Someone told me there's a "gate" built in the circuit, but I don't see any gate here. As much as I can tell, all mechanical solder joints of wires and such are solid and tight. In this model, it doesn't have reverb driver bias pot. Should I replace 2N1132 driver to new NTE 129, would that help? What'd I do now????<Hiro>

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 22 Sep 2003 4:09 am

I would suspect a defective pan unit or cables before I would start messing with the electronics stuff.

Just a thought from a teckie guy.

Hiro Keitora · Post by **Hiro Keitora** » 22 Sep 2003 7:19 am

Thanks. The pan is Gibb's pan and it's internally mounted "inside of the chasis" unlike Acutronics pan like common Fender. I know that if the impedance of the pan doesn't match with the circuit design, it'll distort. But how would I check impedance on this old pan? Can I simply measure those coils in the pan?

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 22 Sep 2003 9:33 am

You might want to call Tim Maag, out in Fullerton, CA. He's the wizard: 714-447-8364.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 22 Sep 2003 10:13 am

Hiro,
I have two 1970 Standel Custom 15's. Both are great sounding steel amps, but the reverb sounds like crap in both of them. Get yourself a Lexicon reverb -- the MPX-110 works fine for less than $200. You'll be glad you did.

If you insist on repairing the existing reverb or have other questions, give Danny McKinney a call or an EMail. He's president of Requisite Audio, the company that now makes the reissue Standel amp. He was very helpful when I wrote to him.

Contact info, etc, at this link

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Hiro Keitora · Post by **Hiro Keitora** » 22 Sep 2003 1:55 pm

Thanks you two. As a matter of fact, Tim worked on this FET Standel at that long ago. Still the reverb problem remains. Danny sent me schematics but he was strongly insisting to have a good reverb unit a la Lexicon and such, rather than trying to mess with what I got. There got to be some way I can make this reverb at least work right, even if it's not sweet 'n wet enough.

There must be someone out there who can guide me on this...<H>