RE-reverb

[Andy Le Blanc]

I have a bassman 100 who's owner wants to install reverb. Which is fine and
dandy. The head does not have the room for a long tank, no fun, and I know
exactly how cheap the owner is, and he wants it NOW. So, I go digging in my
boneyard and drag out the pile of old verb tanks from previous repairs and old
projects, and find that there is nothing that is new or in one piece that I can get by with.
And being unwilling to face a minimum order or shipping costs, I start at the
heap of tanks with my multi-meter and find two old hammond tanks.
Between the two there is an input and an output that measure good and have
complete assembles. Disassembly involves removeing little brass rivets with a
drill, but the tricky part is getting the springs off. The send and pickup have
ferrite beads suspended in a metal frame that is magnetized by a small coil.
They are held by the spring tension on one side and by a fine cat whisker
which is soldered into the assemby on the other side. If you break the cat whisker its all over.
There is a little metal clip on the ferrit bead that connects the spring.
Takeing it apart and rebuilding a verb tank isnt too bad, but youll need
forecepts and a microscrewdriver to hold and gently pry open the little
clips that hold the springs. I was able to make a short tank useing the
drive and recovery assemblies, the old remaining springs, from two vintage
tanks and replace the inards of a crap belton tank. So the guy will get to
brag about his custom amp and it custom tank etc.....

Its not too difficult to accomplish, and makes good use of the shop junk
thats ever pilling up. And makes things a little more custom.