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Vintage threads from the first ten years

previous: Mike Bagwell Reverb,I'll post an... -- 7/16/2000 2:23 PM

Re: 59 Fender Twin

7/16/2000 9:14 PM
Reverb	Re: 59 Fender Twin Mike, I am also a fan of loud, clear Fender tone. I play instrumental surf music, so my Fender amps are not too far from stock. I am looking for loud and clean, just like you as a steel guitarist would want. My usual setup is a custom circuit BF Showman 100W head (resurrected from hacking), a single JBL D130F 15" speaker, and a reverb unit. I also use a custom designed "harmonic vibrato" tube unit when I have to have that particular sound. Other amps I own/use include a Bassman 100, custom resurrected SF Bassman 50W head, and a vintage blond Showman head. Like I said, I like it loud and clean. When I first began my surf band about 10 years ago, I made my own reverb unit. It sounds great and got me through many gigs. Since then, I have purchased two Kendrick Model 1000 Reverb Units (one new, one used), and an original Fender brownface reverb unit. Kendrick just sent me a notification that they are discontinuing the Model 1000 Reverb Unit, which is a reproduction of an old Fender 60s unit (closer than current Fender reproduction). I think they have about four left to sell. I recommend one if you want an eyelet board reverb unit made like the original Fender ones without all the mileage (abuse usually) of the original ones. These are well made, the only downside being the $700 price tag. The current Fender reproduction is a circuit board model that sounds surprisingly good. Replace the generic tubes in one of these with NOS tubes, and you have nearly vintage sounding reverb for $200 (used) to $450 (new). Get the vintage Fender reverb unit if you have to, but just realize it may need a lot of work to come up to snuff. I was lucky to get mine in totally original good condition. Expect to pay about $600-900 for one of the original ones in good shape. Since this is Ampage, you may want to consider building your own reverb unit. Ted Weber at WeberVST offers a chassis kit to build one, and it makes a good first tube project, since it is not a complicated circuit. With the Weber chassis (model 5G15)and parts from Hoffman, making the thing would not be too hard. The only thing is finding a suitable enclosure for it (including the reverb tank), but anything goes in this department. If this is your idea of fun, see these sites: Weber Site: http://www.webervst.com/chassis.html Hoffman Site: http://www.hoffmanamps.com/ This post is already too long, but I wanted to let you know what is out there. Tube reverb is the best way to go for lush sound (IMO), and any of the above would work well for steel guitar. It is just a matter of what you can find and what you want to pay. Best of Luck, Reverb

7/16/2000 9:14 PM

Reverb

Re: 59 Fender Twin

Mike,

I am also a fan of loud, clear Fender tone. I play instrumental surf music, so my Fender amps are not too far from stock. I am looking for loud and clean, just like you as a steel guitarist would want.

My usual setup is a custom circuit BF Showman 100W head (resurrected from hacking), a single JBL D130F 15" speaker, and a reverb unit. I also use a custom designed "harmonic vibrato" tube unit when I have to have that particular sound. Other amps I own/use include a Bassman 100, custom resurrected SF Bassman 50W head, and a vintage blond Showman head. Like I said, I like it loud and clean.

When I first began my surf band about 10 years ago, I made my own reverb unit. It sounds great and got me through many gigs. Since then, I have purchased two Kendrick Model 1000 Reverb Units (one new, one used), and an original Fender brownface reverb unit.

Kendrick just sent me a notification that they are discontinuing the Model 1000 Reverb Unit, which is a reproduction of an old Fender 60s unit (closer than current Fender reproduction). I think they have about four left to sell. I recommend one if you want an eyelet board reverb unit made like the original Fender ones without all the mileage (abuse usually) of the original ones. These are well made, the only downside being the $700 price tag.

The current Fender reproduction is a circuit board model that sounds surprisingly good. Replace the generic tubes in one of these with NOS tubes, and you have nearly vintage sounding reverb for $200 (used) to $450 (new). Get the vintage Fender reverb unit if you have to, but just realize it may need a lot of work to come up to snuff. I was lucky to get mine in totally original good condition. Expect to pay about $600-900 for one of the original ones in good shape.

Since this is Ampage, you may want to consider building your own reverb unit. Ted Weber at WeberVST offers a chassis kit to build one, and it makes a good first tube project, since it is not a complicated circuit. With the Weber chassis (model 5G15)and parts from Hoffman, making the thing would not be too hard. The only thing is finding a suitable enclosure for it (including the reverb tank), but anything goes in this department. If this is your idea of fun, see these sites:

Weber Site:
http://www.webervst.com/chassis.html

Hoffman Site:
http://www.hoffmanamps.com/

This post is already too long, but I wanted to let you know what is out there. Tube reverb is the best way to go for lush sound (IMO), and any of the above would work well for steel guitar. It is just a matter of what you can find and what you want to pay.

Best of Luck,

Reverb

Replies:

Mike Bagwell Reverb,Thats an imp... -- 7/19/2000 2:05 AM