Tube Amps & Spring Reverb

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 12 Nov 2004 5:25 pm

I was looking at some tube amps the other day and noticed that some of them were advertised as having "Spring" Reverb. What does this mean (as opposed to non-spring Reverb).

For the money, I was looking at the Fender Blues Jr. It appears to be portable (a lot lighter than my Peavy Nashville 400..which stays in the house...I never take anywhere because it's too darn heavy).

I think Fender also has a "Steel King" amp out now? It looks as if it is designed for Pedal Steel, so I wonder how it sounds with non-pedal.

Anyone have any thoughts on a good tube amp, that's lightweight, has reverb, and isn't too pricey?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 12 Nov 2004 5:39 pm

Jeff, I have a Blues Jr. but wouldn't buy it again. It's a nice sounding, responsive tube amp but it's voiced for guitar not steel. I have nothing against grit, but I like to decide when to add spices to the sauce. The BJr has pretty minimal headroom before distortion kicks in. Also, its reverb is lousy - far from the classic Fender spring reverb sound.

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 12 Nov 2004 6:22 pm

Heres a nice paper on Spring Reverb

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 12 Nov 2004 6:39 pm

And some Reverb History ..

 I always turn it off anyway, but it is interesting reading

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 12 Nov 2004 6:47 pm

FWIW, I bought an ElectroHarmonics Holy Grail, and it sounds darn near perfect for steel to my ears. Last month I played my Magnatone D8 through it into a Fender Champ and it sounded fine. The Champ was a little small for the stage, but the mix of Holy Grail and tube warmth works pretty well.

They aren't real expensive either. Something to check out.

Pretty hard to do the intro to "Wipe Out" with a solid state reverb pedal,though.

-paul

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 12 Nov 2004 8:25 pm

Just on another subject similar to the above, how many of you remember the Hammond Organ tone cabinets models HR-20 and HR-40 ? They had probably the earliest versions of spring reverb in the biz. Hammond had the springs running vertically down metal tubes which had to be filled with their special oil to function properly. The company later designed spring reverbs sans the oil which possibly were the models the guitar amplifier companies eventually improved upon....(?)

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 12 Nov 2004 10:01 pm

The best American production tube amp ever imho is:

Music Man HD130. 2X12 Combos are the most common, the 1X15 would probably be better for steel (or just get an amp head). The 70s models with the tube preamp are better than the 80s models with the solid state preamp. There are usually a few on eBay, that's where I got 2 of mine - and I have one that I bought new in 78. All you need is a good amp tech to recap, retube and reset the bias etc. Most new consumer grade (ie affordable) tube amps just aren't that wonderful.

I like to use a Music Man HD130 on the left and a Peavey Session 500 on the right. Warmth AND Clarity.

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Rick Alexander
57 Fender Stringmaster T8, 57 Fender Champ, 59 Valco D8, 47 National New Yorker . .

Loni Specter · Post by **Loni Specter** » 12 Nov 2004 11:49 pm

I brought Greg Leisz over to Myles Rose's place the other day and we experimented with swapping tubes in some various Fender amps. It was amazing to hear the difference in character. We then plugged greg's Fender Champ lap steel into a new reissue Deluxe Reverb that Myles had 'tweeked' . The sound was awsome.
Check out Myles website www.guitaramplifierblueprinting.com
Ask him about it.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 13 Nov 2004 10:18 am

I'm here to tell ya that my Stringmaster thru my Steel King sounds awesome.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 13 Nov 2004 10:29 am

I'm here to move this to Electronics from No Peddlers.

I love the sound of my Deluxe Reverb's reverb. As close to a perfect amp as I've found for my needs.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 13 Nov 2004 11:37 am

Brad's recommendation of the Deluxe Reverb seems to fill the bill for what you want. Lighter than the Nash 400, good spring reverb and more power and clean headroom than the Blues Jr, although at 22 watts it's limited to low volume venues. The Fender Steel King is getting good reviews, but it does weigh in at 66 lb.

Edited to add: The Steel King is solid state and the Deluxe is tube. They both are priced at around $700.[This message was edited by Tim Whitlock on 13 November 2004 at 11:40 AM.]