Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: Choan on May 17, 2024, 03:57:33 pm

Title: Using Super Reverb reverb send as cascaded gain stage
Post by: Choan on May 17, 2024, 03:57:33 pm
Any thoughts on using a Super Reverbs’ reverb tube circuit for an extra ‘cascaded’ gain stage? I have a super I’ve converted to a 2x10, and it has the rob robinette ‘lead channel’ mod done to the normal channel. While I love some fender reverb, the tank and connections always go bad and I’m tired of fixing it. Could the reverb tube signal path be repurposed as a parallel, overdriven gain stage, blended in with the reverb knob? I’m not a pro engineer so waxing philosophical.
Title: Re: Using Super Reverb reverb send as cascaded gain stage
Post by: Carlsoti on May 17, 2024, 04:04:59 pm
With some figgerin', you may be able to turn it into something like a Garnet-style Herzog circuit. Double bonus points if the amp already has a pedal activated reverb on/off button.
Title: Re: Using Super Reverb reverb send as cascaded gain stage
Post by: Willabe on May 17, 2024, 07:53:56 pm
Look at the 1st Mese Boogie amp. That's what he did.

Title: Re: Using Super Reverb reverb send as cascaded gain stage
Post by: HotBluePlates on May 17, 2024, 09:33:14 pm
Any thoughts on using a Super Reverbs’ reverb tube circuit for an extra ‘cascaded’ gain stage? ...

I tried it back in the 1990s.  I thought it sounded like crap.

YMMV, and of course you might add some components to EQ this path to sound better than what I experienced way back when.

Look at the 1st Mese Boogie amp. That's what he did.

Notice also that Randy didn't stay at that simple approach, but continued to refine circuits to generate preamp distortion for another four and a half decades.  It appears he thought there was ample room to improve on this approach.