Suggestion for modding the blackface reverb for better sound

[Svempan]

I'm still rather new on this forum, but have suggestions about the Fender blackface reverb that might be interesting for those who think that the sound of the Normal channel in black- or silverface Fender amps are better than the dry sound of the Vibrato channel. It would be interesting if some people here tries this mod and then give comments.

I am, by the way, a tube amp tech in Sweden (Scandinavia, Europe) and have many years of experience, especially on Fender amps.

I call this reverb circuit (or modification) “LS-reverb” or “LS-mod” because of an amp tech friend of mine called Lars Söderqvist of reVintage Amps here in Sweden. He's the one who originally gave me the idea and a reverb circuit solution with the ECC832 (12DW7). I have tweaked the circuit a bit but I certainly like to give credit to him. Here's his web site: http://www.revintage.se/

The LS-Mod makes the dry sound of the Vibrato channel on blackface and silverface Fenders to sound much like the sound of the Normal channel (if that's what you're after).

Many people don't like the sound of the 3M3/10p resistor/capacitor solution in these Fenders and think that the Normal channel sounds better. I think that modifying the reverb circuit according to the schematic here makes a good improvement.

A reverb circuit is an added circuit, and that does, of course, change the sound more or less. But by choosing tubes from different makers and/or different tubes of the same type I've managed to get the dry sound of the Vibrato channel to sound very much like the Normal channel. Compared to the same circuit without reverb, the loss, tone killing and changes in the dry sound is, in my opinion, rather small with the LS-Mod reverb. The wet reverb sound is, on the other hand, not changed that much compared to the original circuit (still the good blackface reverb sound).

The dry sound gets a little louder with this mod so you have to set the Reverb control a little higher to get the same balance. This little louder sound compensates for the loss that the tremolo circuit makes.

The mod uses a ECC832/12DW7 tube. Remark that you, in a Fender have to change places for most of the wires from one of the triode parts to the other.

If you don't like the reverb sound of the Fender blackface reverb, this is, of course, not the way to go. My personal opinion is that the blackface reverb is one of the best spring reverb sounds for electric guitar.


Take care,

Sven-Johan

[drz400]

Definately interesting, another cool way to do it with no loss is a plate follower. However most of the guys I know actually prefer the sound of the reverb channel and never use the normal channel, go figure !

[Svempan]

...However most of the guys I know actually prefer the sound of the reverb channel and never use the normal channel, go figure !

Yeah! And one can wonder why modify a classic amp in the first place. Fender blackface truly gives a classic sound that many, many people love.

I'm a fanatic blackface lover myself and have thought for 1000 years that the reverb channel gives a better sound than the normal channel. Even with the reverb and tremolo turned off. But after making this LS-mod in one of my own blackface amp I do think that the sound is better.

And there really are people that likes the sound of the normal channel more than the dry sound of the vibrato channel, especially for distorted sounds.

I just made a suggestion that might be interesting for some people.

Sven-Johan