Super Reverb Amp Sound

Bob Jennings · From: Indiana, USA

I have a 1966 Fender Super Reverb Amp that I bought new then. I have put new tubes in it and tried running my pedal steel thru it. The sound is not what I thought it would be. I have a Fender Princeton Chorus (Solid State)and I get the sound I want from it. I've set the Treble, Bass and Mid the same as for the Chorus but the sound just isn't there. Can anyone shed some light on what I'm doing wrong. I always thought a tube amp has a better sound than a Solid State.

Bob Jennings

Rick Abbott · From: Indiana, USA

Most folks won't see this here. Electronics is the rightful place for amp-talk.

That being said, your two amps could not be more different. You won't get anything similar out of them by putting the controls in the same settings.

Try plugging in the #2 input on the reverb channel. Start with the mids way down 1-2 and put the bass on 5 and the treble on 5; volume on a reasonable number for the room you're in. Play...is it too dark? add a touch of mids. try to adjust a little at a time. Mids will add fatness, but also distortion. Highs get shrill, fast. It's a balance. Also, if it won't play clean enough, change the second preamp tube to a 5751. It will lower the gain. Just a few introductory thoughts.
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RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
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Bob Jennings · From: Indiana, USA

Rick Abbott,

Thanks you for the advice. I'll try it tonight and let you know the outcome.

Bob Jennings

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I'd try treating it like my Twin: start with everything turned to 6, and turn the bass up til it gets "woofy", and back it off a scoche, turn the mids just below the bass, and the treble just below the mids.
It's not going to behave like a solid state amp.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Jim Kennedy · From: Brentwood California, USA

I have a silver face early 70's Super Reverb. Great Tele amp, not so much for PSteel. I have spent a lot of time trying to get a psteel sound I like, with no luck. First, I suspect the speakers just aren't up to the task. Except for low volume practice I don't think the 10 inch speakers are good for PSteel. I have tried a 15 inch, but the results were not much better. Some of the problem might have been impedance mismatch. Supers are 2 ohm output, I have an 8 ohm Webb Cabinet. That may have been some of the problem. At 40 watts, the amp has plenty of power for small combo playing for guitar. Probably not enough for psteel on stage. On mine the breakup is subtle, but starts around 5 on the volume control. Sweet sounding for guitar, but not pleasing, IMHO, for psteel. If you want more of a guitar sound, a little grittier, more punch, this amp should work. If you want more of a clean sound, IMHO, this amp just misses it. A 12 or 15 inch speaker may help, but remember, the output is only 2 ohms. Finally, tone is subjective. Experiment and find what yo like.
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Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

FWIW: Your amp is probably worth a lot of money, assuming it's in excellent original condition. You could sell it and most likely have nearly enough cash to buy a brand new steel specific amp.

I've heard of people playing pedal steel through a Super Reverb. It should sound good until it starts to break up, which would be pretty loud.

Finally, I would try the opposite approach than has been suggested. I would turn up the middle to about 8 or 9, then then add in the bass and treble until they sound good.

PS: Bright switch off.
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Dave O'Brien · From: Florida and New Jersey

I improved the sound of one of my early Pro Reverbs (similar head) by buying a matched set of clean 6L6's from an expert. A friend plays steel and Tele through his Super on stage with fine results, I have also used one in a recording studio and liked it.
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Dave O'Brien
Emmons D-10, CMI D-10, Fender Deluxe Reverb, PV 112, Fender Pro Reverb
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Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

If the electrolytic caps are old, it can adversely affect the sound.

When was the last time you had the electrolytic (cathode bypass and filter caps, especially) caps checked or changed? A bad cathode bypass cap on V1 or V2 will make you want to throw the amp in the (my) trash Smile

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--carl

"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

Bob Jennings · From: Indiana, USA

My thanks to all of you for the advice and info. What I decided was to try my AM STD Stat in this Amp. It has the Fender sound...so, this Amp is not for the Pedal Steel. If I remember right, Jerry Byrd used a Fender Tube with 2 12 inch speakers, don't remember what the amp's model was.

It's pretty hard to beat the True Fender Sound!! It seems on all the TV shows, there's mostly Fender Amps!

Thanks again,

Bob Jennings

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Bob, while it is true that Fender Tube amps are a rock solid foundation for music, that doesn't mean that they will all be or sound "equal".

For EX: the Super Reverb is a 45 watt amp (2x6L6) with a low threshold of clean gain (headroom) while the Twin Reverb, which is commonly used by Steel players is an 85 watt, 4x 6L6 amp with a much higher threshold of clean gain, headroom.

The two amps have very similar circuitry for the front end preamp sections but the power supply and back end power amp are NOT the same. This doesn't mean players will not use a Super Reverb they can and do. The 4 x Alnico CTS speakers offer a much different EQ curve than the stock Jensen or Emmi 2x12's in a Twin. Some like it, some don't. A Strat with a Super Reverb is iconic but a Strat with a Twin sounds much different. It's not iconic. Think clean gain.

Solid State amps have a unique way of not breaking up as they reach full output, they are much more forgiving with clean gain, they don't break up, they tend to compress. PV captured that with their series of amps, clean front end and tons of clean raw output power. But a Strat or Tele guy may not like that at all, I'm one of them !

The amps are not bad, they are different, not equal. It's up to us to find the one that best suits our ears.
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Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

All this talk makes me think of Jerry Garcia and his Princeton Reverb Very Happy

Sometimes we get too caught up in "what's best". It's all what is best to the listener.

Tonight I'm trying out my GK MB500 solid state bass amp. It's best for the venue tonight with a different stage and sound situation than the usual gig where I use my BF Fender Princeton Reverb.
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--carl

"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown

Dave O'Brien · From: Florida and New Jersey

Didn't Tom Brumley use a SR with a 15?
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Dave O'Brien
Emmons D-10, CMI D-10, Fender Deluxe Reverb, PV 112, Fender Pro Reverb
www.myspace.com/daveobrienband

Steven Paris · From: Los Angeles

Here's one man's opinion:
https://www.tedweber.com/best-speakers-fender-super-reverb
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Emmons & Peavey

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Ron Shalita · From: California, USA

I started playing through a black face vibrolux, and hated it at first, now i like it.. also playing through a 59 (orig) Bassman with 4-10's .. guess it is all in what you get use too? UNLESS there is something wrong with your amp?
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Been playing all of my life, Lead Guitar, and Pedal Steel, sing Lead and Harmony.. play other Instruments also but I hate to admit to it..

Craig A Davidson · From: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA

On a tube amp mids can be your friend. Don't try to set it like a Peavey Nashville 400. They are entirely different animals. Even SS Fenders have a different EQ curve.

Godfrey Arthur · From: 3rd Rock

As mentioned your amp might need a rebuild, but SR's are a good guitar blues amp. The 4x10's and the larger open back area cancels much of the bass from the front wave wrapping around to the rear and bye-bye goes the low end. At 45 watts depending on your expectations, you may want a larger more-more warp speed amp like a Twin. And yes your amp is vintage city so if you sell it, you'd get enough money to buy what will help you get your sound. We're talking boutique class money for that '66.
The closer to all original your amp is the more you can get for it.
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Tom Gorr · From: Three Hills, Alberta

My thinking is that if you can get a clean tone then you ought to be able to find a tone setting that is acceptable with nearly any instrument. It is a very wide range eq.

If you cannot dial in, the amp may need service work.

I run a similar amp with the bright switch off, Treble no higher than 4.5 Bass set to balance tone in the room...which is 3 in my music room. .. and the mids can nearly be anywhere but start with 5 and dial to taste.

However I have jbl speakers which are fairly scooped and very wide spectrum so most of my settings predictably compensate for the speaker voicing.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

I have had Supers that sounded magnificent with pedal steel.. Others not so much.. They are all individual.. Try some new/different power tubes, AND preamp tubes,,, It all depends on how much power you need, and what you want to spend getting it to "sound right". Some just won't cut it without being gone through by a seriously good Fender amp guy, at a steep price.

btw,
I have yet to find any amp that sounds any sweeter with a steel than a good USA built Princeton Chorus.. They don't have a lot of power, but sound GREAT with a pedal steel.. I have owned 3 of them, and they all sounded great..
I have NO idea how Fender managed to do it, but they put that classic warm "tubey" Fender sound in a little 2x10 SS amp.. I have heard several people call it "the best sounding SS amp ever built"... bob
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