Fender Super Reverb?

Joe E · Post by **Joe E** » 30 Dec 2003 5:13 pm

Wow lots of Fender topics. Any thoughts on the super reverb? Will be playing R&B, roots blues and the like.

Playing a Les Paul, Strat and slide on a JR.

Whats your thoughts? How many watts? Which speakers?

Thanks,

Joe

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 30 Dec 2003 5:53 pm

Joe.. There is NO better amp ANYWHERE!!.. I would not buy a reissue. I would buy a 68-71 SILVERFACE as these are the same as the early blackface amps and are easily bought on ebay. A reissue will cost about $1200 and a CLEAN Silverface will cost less and be MUCH more reliable bob

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 30 Dec 2003 6:39 pm

The Fender Amp Field Guide Silver Face Reverb page

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 30 Dec 2003 6:44 pm

I have a blackface Super Reverb that had some blown speakers. I replaced them all with Electro Harmomix VR10(?) 8 ohm speakers and really like the sound of the amp. It sounds great for gtr and steel !. Those speakers are a bit heftier than the original ones, so maybe 2of them in an original one would be a nice compromise

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 30 Dec 2003 6:44 pm

'68 to '71 Supers are not the same as
the early blackface models, but they are still
better than the reissues (provided that they've
recently been serviced).

------------------
<img src=http://home.hvc.rr.com/jsganz/ChickenSteelers.jpg>



<a href=http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/568/jay_ganz.html>
</a>

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 30 Dec 2003 7:04 pm

Jay.. I respectfully disagree. I don't believe Fender made any changes to Supers or Bassman cicuits until at least 1970. In any case even if he does get an "improved" CBS circuit,Its only a matter of a few differant cap values etc. I don't believe there was any transformer change at al. Either way, there is just about no sound difference until Fender decided to really alter thier tube amps in about 1971-72 bob

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 30 Dec 2003 7:34 pm

I have a 1968 Super Reverb head with an 8 OR 4 ohm option. It sounds great with guitar and steel but I usually need more power for my current band. Great amp!

Dave Z

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 30 Dec 2003 8:33 pm

Great amps. I have 5 of them in various conditions and from various years. I highly recommend one------or 5.

As for changes in Fender amps--too many changes to list ESPECIALLY in the Fender Bassman. That thing is different almost from year to year!! Worked on LOTS of these.
The Super Reverb of 68-70 alone has several major changes in it.

Joe E · Post by **Joe E** » 30 Dec 2003 8:49 pm

Thanks guys. Holy Crap! 86 pounds! As far as tone......is there really that much difference in years?

It seems to me, my tone comes as much from my hands as it does the axe or amp. I hear big differences in speakers. But I seem to recall all my fenders sounding the same (just different speakers).

I had a:

66 pro reverb (2x12)
65 Twin reverb (2x12)
64 (?) princeton reverb (1x10> mod 1x12)
66 (?) Vibrolux reverb (2x10)
65 deluxe (1x12)
66 vibroverb 1x15
Bassman 100
Bassman 50

I guess to many to really list.

They all sounded like fenders! In fact I had a Fender bassman 2x12 cabinet I would use to compare amps and they all sounded pretty much the same with that cabinet. Just differences in power and break-up.

I guess now that I look at it they were all about the same years (Black faced)

As far as the super...if I bought a 67 vs a 69 would there be that much difference? Is it in the tone, or the tightness or what?

Thanks,

Joe
[This message was edited by Joe E on 30 December 2003 at 08:59 PM.]

Buck Dilly · Post by **Buck Dilly** » 30 Dec 2003 8:59 pm

They sound the same?

Joe E · Post by **Joe E** » 30 Dec 2003 9:28 pm

I guess what I mean is, that when I pluged them all into the 2x12 cabinet, they all had the same basic tone. Fender! With a twist of a tone control....yeah pretty much sounded the same.

One caviate I guess, I only owned one or two at a time. So my recollection is only an amp or two at a time. Like I sold my deluxe to by the vibrolux. So I couldn't really compare the two. But in my memory they sounded pretty much the same except for the tone of the speakers. My twin and the pro which both had 12's sounded pretty darn close. The pro would break up a little sooner which was more melodic to me. But putting a side where the sweet spot is, they sounded like a fender. When I played a small club I would use a vibrolux. WHen playing a large club the twin. Weddings usually got the deluxe of vibrolux.

What was I (am I) missing. By the way I was in my teens when I owned most of these amps, and I was usually after that driven sound of Stax records with Albert King, Booker T and the MG's, Buddy Guy .........

Joe

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 30 Dec 2003 9:31 pm

They sound the same?

They should,the same man designed them.

Joe E · Post by **Joe E** » 30 Dec 2003 9:54 pm

Thanks Jody!

I see guys modding these old amps. One said change this out and get a tighter bottom. (not for our wives either!) I never notice the bottom end bad on these amps. I will admit, I never played steel through one, only guitar or bass.

Also I was not that well trained in listening for subtle things. I wanted TONE! and fenders gave that to me. When I did recording sessions back then, I would bring in my Deluxe, turn it to about 7 or 8 and play!

I've spent the last 10 years as an engineer in the studio and subtlety is now more a way of life. Unfortunately the kids the come in and out of my studio never even seen a real tube amp. I don't get the guys that come in with three or four amps to compare. I just find the right mike and position and go.

Thats really why I'm going back to playing. I miss the art of playing. I'm looking for that tone again. Once I find the right amp, I will probably buy several.

Joe

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 31 Dec 2003 3:02 am

Regardless of the "Vintage" , if you can get a clean one, get it..even if you just put it in the family room and look at it..like a TV...

I too would not buy a reissue...

Only 1 but here..actually a "wait"

Before you actually get it..

go check out the Hod Rod Devilles 4x10,
yes true, it's not the same amp , but you may find that this amp fills a few missing items not found on the Super, especially if you are a guitar player as well..these are exceptionally fine Fender amps..60 watts, Groove tubes..very very clean, very strong bottom end, very loud..typical Fender tube amp tone.And the good news is it weighs about the same as a Super so when you're lifting it you'll feel right at home !And they are fairly close to the Super tone..afterall, the Super is the ma ma to this amp..

Only 1 input but that is workable..I find that my Tele settings and the Steel settings are pretty close.Very versatile amp..

I'm thinking that with a Les Paul playing Blues with this baby you will rock the town..When you hit PED 5 on the C6th, you'll be pleasantly suprised as well...

I am currently using a HR Deville 2x12 for Steel and Guitar, although I do have a N1000 I don't use it that often. I would buy a HR Deville 4x10 in a heartbeat for the right price..For dual purpose I think these are the best amps on the market in their price range. I actually know where a very clean used one is and have not gone there..on purpose..yet...maybe today..

t

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 31 December 2003 at 03:09 AM.]

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 31 Dec 2003 4:28 am

In early 1968 the the first major change was made by CBS to the Super Reverb amp. Some changes included a 5U4GB rectifier, cathode resistors with cathode bypass caps at the power tubes. Also suppression caps were added to the grids of the power tubes and also in the reverb area. This is, I believe, the AB568 (May 1968) schematic. The bias was also changed to a bias balance control. I have seen many of these amps boasting the Blackface tube chart (AB563). But in fact the circuit was an AB568, with a 5U4GB rectifier, not a GZ34.
It did not last long before changes were made again. The next revision was the AA1069(Oct 1969). Realizing what a disaster the cathode bias was, this was removed. The rectifier tube is still a 5U4GB, bias balance was again revised and the output of the inverter section was changed, just to name a few changes.
The AA270 was next (Feb 1970). And the story goes on right up the the late seventies, when the Ultrlineear transformer was used.
All great amps, the amps thru mid 70's (non-ultrasliners) are easily Blackfaced.

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 31 Dec 2003 7:38 am

Ken,
Thanks for saving me the trouble of explaining
that alot of changes were made to
Super Reverbs & Bassmans during the late 60's.
Those were the first two models that the
guys at CBS started messing around with.
They can be returned to the earlier specs, but
all the coupling (or tone) caps are different.
They stopped using the blue/white ones
after 1967.

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 31 Dec 2003 11:07 am

Yea, they used the "Chocolate drops" in a lot of them. Sprague "Orange Drops" are what I am using in my restorations. The Silverface amps are great amps, in my opinion. A few mods, tone caps and they are ready to go!
It really helps to convert these back to adjustable bias, rework the inverter section and power supply to Blackface specs. Some of the later seventies amps had some really thin reverb. These can be converted back to early Silverface reverb (preferred by a lot of people, as it is ran hotter) or Blackface reverb specs. My favorite mod is reverb for both channels! Easy to do, just a one wire remove and relocate. It is nice to have two channels with reverb, one for guitar and one for steel.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 31 Dec 2003 1:51 pm

I started out on steel with a BF Super Reverb with a 15" JBL. Very sweet, but not enough clean volume for steel. Also, it was very big and heavey for the volume it put out. For regular guitar it's a great screaming lead guitar amp with the 4x10s. It's a little on the clean side for today's tastes for regular guitar, but it takes to FX units pretty well.