Super Reverb for lap steel?

Bruno Rasmussen · Post by **Bruno Rasmussen** » 13 Aug 2005 8:10 am

I have an offer to buy a ‘65 Fender Super Reverb, all original – what is your opinion as lap steel amp? – I play a Fender Deluxe 8 and one homebuilt.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 13 Aug 2005 9:16 am

BUY IT!

Great sounding amp for lap steel, or guitar.
I have a '64 that someone cut down to a "Head" so it's not worth a lot....but if yours is in the original cabinet and in good shape it will only grow in value.

Fender only made that model for 2 years.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 13 Aug 2005 1:05 pm

Fender Super Reverb made for only 2 years???

Wayne Morgan · Post by **Wayne Morgan** » 13 Aug 2005 2:36 pm

I got one, not bad for PSG, I prefer a Nash 400, but now when you plug in a tele, its a different story. My Super Reverb is all original, except for tubes.
Didn't know they were only made for two years tho, but there is a lot of things I don't know or suspect
Wayne

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 13 Aug 2005 4:55 pm

It depends on what you want your lap steel to sound like and how loud you want to play. Technically, the Super Reverb is a mid-to-large-sized Fender, ca. 40 watts into 4-10" speakers. At volumes appropriate for a small room, they're generally pretty clean-sounding, but get 'juicier' as they're turned up. Individual 10" speakers don't generally have much bass response, but somehow, 4-10" speakers in a Super or Tweed Bassman enclosure get plenty of bass.

To get the screamin' David Lindley-style tone, I'd probably use something more like a Tweed Deluxe, but with a Fender steel for western-swing or other material wanting a somewhat cleaner sound, I think they sound good.

Blackface Super Reverbs were made from around '63/64 through '67, and Silverface versions were made from '68 well into the 70s. Although it's difficult to make hard generalities, the Silverface amps generally were cleaner-sounding, with more headroom.

BF Supers are very desirable for guitar, especially among blues players. When cranked, they can walk the fine line between crisp clarity and sweet distortion. If you check it out for condition and you're careful not to overpay, I don't see how you can miss with a nice BF Super Reverb.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 14 Aug 2005 5:12 am

Black face Super Reverbs were made for 4 years instead of 2??

O.K. "Too err is human" said the rooster as he got off of the duck!

The point is that they are rare, as evidenced by what they are bringing on e-bay.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 14 Aug 2005 10:38 pm

Check out the Fender Amp Field Guide: http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/

The BF Super was made from '63-'67; SF from '68-'81. Tweed Supers were made as far back as '47. The Tweeds and brown face ('60-'63) had 2x10, and the BF was the first one with 4x10. The Super 6 had 6x10 ('72-'79).[This message was edited by David Doggett on 14 August 2005 at 11:41 PM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 15 Aug 2005 4:01 pm

The old "Concert" was practically the same amp, but without reverb. (Sometimes the "Super" designation throws the price up significantly.) The "Concert II" was a little more powerful (60w), but also had the 4x10" configuration & 'verb. I like the "II" for the additional back panel controls and channel switching. It's a pretty good choice for a medium power steel & lead amp.

Not easy to find, though!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 15 Aug 2005 4:11 pm

David, the "Super 6 Reverb" was actually a Twin Reverb with 6 speakers! Since it came only in the 100 & 135 watt versions (like the T/R), it's not really in the same class as the Super Reverb amps, which had only 2 output tubes instead of the T/R's 4.

By the way, I once tried a S/6 Reverb (in 135w trim), and it was a great steel amp!

Pretty big, though.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 15 Aug 2005 7:37 pm

Donny's right, the name fooled me, but the Super 6 specs look just like a silver face Twin from the same era. And it weighed 98 lbs. - youch -where's that fork lift? I'll bet 135 watts and six 10s wouldn't have any trouble cutting through the mix.