This channel is about all things guitar, from the Line 6 Helix and Kemper to tube amps, pedals, and of course guitars! I love it all, and love sharing my honest thoughts and impressions of each. No nonsense, no bias, I'm just a guitar player like you that's lucky enough to have access to some great gear!
I use mine ('68 SF, drip-edge) by itself, and with my' 68 Leslie model 10. Can't think of a better amp to power it with. Since the Leslie preamp takes just the mids from the SR, I crank them and the Leslie punches through better, while the 4x10s get everything else.
Cool video! One correction: the estimate is 100 or less of the 1964 AB763 configuration were ever produced. I am the second owner of the third one made in January 1964, which I acquired in 1992 and have been speaking with Fender amp experts and consulting all the books since then. I've seen the 1.500 number before and believe that is an estimate of all the Blackpanel model year 1964 amps produced in total (all models). Remember, this was pre-CBS and Fender Fullerton only had a handful of folks assembling amps.
The "probably the most impractical amp you can buy"?! What the heck is that all about? Nonsensical comment if I've ever seen one. And don't worry, I don't need it 'splained. I've had my' 68 for 25 years. Reliable, rugged, can be repaired forever, not crazy loud, CASTERS, and then there's the unreal tone, tilt-back legs to point at YOU and not the audience, so you can crank 'em more. Not sure what the problem is. I'm probably older than you, I lift weights, have back issues, yet have no problem tossing mine around. Every man should be able to manage a Super Reverb. P. S. I also have a Marshall half-stack 😂. But seriously, my 2x12 combos are the biggest PIA. 100w Mesa Lonestar being one of the worst offenders 🤣
Great video! I've got a late '67 drip edge Deluxe Reverb with the black lines. Such a great amp. I would LOVE to have a super but they're SO heavy. And I've had many a sound men tell me to turn the Deluxe down anyways lol
So many awesome Fenders. In my case, among my collection, I have a '68 drip-edge SF Super Reverb, but also have the Tonesmaster Deluxe Reverb. Truthfully, with the adjustable power of the TM DR, it's what I use about 90% of the time during the week at home studio.
My personal opinion is ... There are builders nowadays that make speakers as good OR BETTER than anything anybody (except JBL) was making in the late '50s, '60s, or '70s. My favorite is Weber; but they are all good. Just choose your lane and jump in it!!
@@Tonetwisters Hmmm I've tested a ton of speakers and I've yet to find modern speakers that sound like any of my vintage speakers. I honestly believe they're half the magic of vintage amps
Take it from a guy who has owned a '64 Super Reverb from the day it was a brand spanker ... this amp cooks! And your playing is just peachy. That from a player of 62+ years. And for the fun of it, get a 5R4GY rectifier tube in that monster and see you you like THAT!
Awesome! I have the same amp, wondering where yours starts to break up. Mine starts getting hairy around 3.5 on the volume on the bridge pickup of my tele. Was the volume knob unchanged between guitars? Great stuff!
Old technology, original circuit designed by Bell Labs. Soldano type circuits are MUCH improved and almost all modern tube amps are some variation of the original Soldano circuits.
You know, there are secret knobs that greatly affect tone. Right there on the front panel. Seriously, as a gigging musician for 45+ years I find it interesting as I have repaired, modded and switched components myself on my 65 super reverb and many other amps, but honestly, nobody can tell or notice any difference that listens to your music. I’m still waiting for someone to come up to me after a gig and say “Man, did you switch out the carbon comp plate resistors since I last heard you?” It’s all good folks if it inspires you to play better go for whatever works. Rock on. 😅
??you mentioned not being able to mic it at night, are these older ac30s not capable of good tones at lower volumes, say less than 90dB?? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'm truly curious how quiet they can get while still sounding decent.
I often wonder why people wait so long and desire to keep old parts. I want my amp to work and sound as well as it should. Concert goers hear the music, not see the components.
Thunderstorm sound in amplifiers comes from the high voltage arching. This happens in tubes but also happens often in the carbon composition resistors. Often, its plate resistors but ot also happens in the nodal resistors. Everyone has seen broken in half old carbon composition resistors. Well, they crack. But before they crack totally, they develop micro cracks inside them. High voltage is jumping across those cracks and making that sound. Fender and CBS. Sure, Leo was a frugal person and practical one as well. Then CBS time bought been counters as well. Silver face was actively changed to cheaper versions. Many amps got 5U4 instead of 5AR4. Output tubes went from 6L6GC to 5881. All because they got cheap stocks of those. Some people say they got ton off 5881 tubes cheap and then decided to use existing iron but use 5U4 to lover B+ to match the 5881 tubes. For me personally, everything more than 2x 6V6 or EL84 in the output stage should have 5AR4/GZ34. Soft start, high plus B. It's just the best rectifier tube for anything above 30 Watt power.
Thanks. Not a big strat guy, but I did play one in the recent 1964 Vibroverb demo on the channel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zAJeCHnkLVQ.htmlsi=AU8DwoaBHAeJdJCA
I have heard Lyle from Psionic say something about using a 5U4 in place of the GZ34 voltage regulator but I don't remember exactly why. You'd have to check with him to find out for sure. Good work on the re-cap job!
They drop 30 to 40 volts off the B+. You can't use them in every amp though. The 5 volt heater windings have to be able to handle the extra amp of current and the first stage reservoir caps shouldn't be over 40uF.
@@YeatzeeGuitar 5V4 are like a lower-rated version of the 5AR4/GZ34 (with independently heated cathode); they can be really good for increasing head room and power output a little bit in smaller amplifiers (assuming the tubes and caps can handle it), but definitely not suitable for a twin or super. PS, the 5R4 is a decent sub for 5U4 in some situations.
@@YeatzeeGuitar , 5V4 is rated for 375 plate volts and 275 ma of current. I didn't look up the capacitance specs; they can certainly handle more capacitance than a 5Y3, but likely a bit less than a 5U4 or 5AR4. To run them at over 400 volts and into more than 30 mfd might not be advisable.
The realistic lifetime were tubes branded by radio shack. Up until at least 2017, they still honored the lifetime warranty and would mail you a new tube if it broke. I have a couple of them with gold pins that I pulled from an old Gretsch amp. Probably Brimar or Mullard. Mine are RFT.
I have handled many vintage Mullard tubes and a few Brimar, and in my experience they did not gold plate the pins of their tubes. Tandy/Realistic sourced tubes from all over the place, including Japan, Poland and India, and had them rebranded
Great work, but I still dont understand how the order of bias pot + resistor matters. What do you mean when you say the pot fails? a dead short or open? Either way isnt the resistor in series? if the pot shorted then you still get the R as a safety. but that wouldn't change based on which side the short is . If the pot is open then that whole leg is open. What am i missing?
Definitely an amp not to be dismissed lightly. Watching the 3 Part series, of course, only made me wish I had one for myself. Excellent demonstration in Part 3. 🌞
Listening through with Studio Monitoring Headphones, I couldn't hear anything noticeable. The best thing to do to determine if there was any difference is to do a "Null Test" running a Loop through the Amp. Inconsequential differences, if there were actually any.
Well I can confirm there is a difference, at some level, as the waveforms are not identical... but ultimately if you can't hear that difference it effectively doesn't exist imo 🙂
In the UK they go for £2000 ($2500) second hand. So a bit rich for most people here. It’s a bit loud for most of the small venues here in England. So we would be better off with a Deluxe Reverb or the 20 watt Marshalls if that is what you are going for.
I used a Super reverb and a Fender Dual Showman, The Pudin Basin Group were a Florida band. We opened for The Mccoys and other big bands and they all used our back line, because it was so good. Rick Derringer and many other great players loved the setup! ! Best amp I ever owned...
Why fix something thats not broken. Yes carbon drifts but everthing in the amp will drift too when given time. Carbon gives a warmer tone.... thanks for the video........
