Tube / Spring Reverb Build......

[Erich]

Hey, fellas, I'm looking for a good tube / spring reverb ?effects? box build. Does anyone have a good schematic and parts list? I have a couple of old tube radios and junk audio components with good transformers and I was going to try to take some of their components and do this 'on the cheap'. I built one with an old Stereo preamp and junk reverb tank about a year ago. I just ran across a NICE spring tank from an early 70's Fender Twin and thought the tube s would sound great with it! As always: many thanks in advance. . . . . .

[sluckey]

Fender 6G15 would be right up your alley. You already have a proper reverb tank and one of those radios probably has a suitable output transformer. Hoffman has instructions and parts for everything you need.

[Erich]

AWESOME! Thank you!!!!

[p2pAmps]

Like Sluckey said a 6G15 would be great.  I just finished and sold two of them and they are very cool.  One guy bought one for his studio to use on vocals...

[Erich]

p2pamps: That's what I'm looking for. I had  tube 'verb many years ago (along with a couple of Avalon tube compressors) and the vocals always sounded so "there". I'm looking to build a tube compressor next but this is great! Thanks, gents!

[p2pAmps]

p2pamps: That's what I'm looking for. I had  tube 'verb many years ago (along with a couple of Avalon tube compressors) and the vocals always sounded so "there". I'm looking to build a tube compressor next but this is great! Thanks, gents!

Get what you need from Doug and build that verb man, you'll be glad you did...

[Erich]

Ok, This is awesome: I got the schemmy(s), a parts list (Bill of Materials), chassis layout... MAN, This is AWESOME! (Oh, I already said that). Nice job, fellas! I'm going to begin ordering parts as soon as I sell a guitar. . . . . (I always keep a few as "investments" for just such a situation). Thanks for all the help. I'm not a complete neophyte with 'valve' technology but have mostly modded and repaired. I have been building guitars and repairing all electronic goodies for over 20 years and I am more excited about this build than I can remember being in a LONG time!

ONE QUESTION: I have several "shot" tube devices (transformers bad, etc.)....... It is not recommended to use tube sockets (frustration / waste of time, etc), or is it done at all. A couple of the old tube heads I have are in pretty good shape except that they were hit by lightning and have fried xformers and filter caps and the owners decided to just can them (and I ALWAYS offer to keep them from having to take them home to gather dust)...........

Thanks, fellas. This is gonna be sweet!

[PRR]

My small experience with lightning: the rectifiers pop.

My microwave oven lived for years with one (of two) diodes lost to Zeus. The display was dim and flickered but so what? Yes, a POWER (not just display) circuit would suffer more.

Transformers and other stuff DO fail in lightning. I used to replace a couple of modems a year when black marks appeared at the signal transformers (overhead phone, underground electric). But start by breaking all the power connections from plug to main filter caps, and go bit-by-bit.

Please don't electrocute yourself!

[Erich]

Thanks, PRR. I've tested all of the 'questionable' transformers and they are all shot. I assumed they were lightning strikes but they weren't the only things wrong with these old amps. I supposed it could have been the filter caps taking a dive and pancaking the xformers, but I just don't know. Th chassis isn't charred, or anything, and I don't see any other visible damage. When I did the troubleshooting I told the owners the transformers were definitely bad and the filter caps were shot (visibly), as well as new tubes and a re-bias. I was working on these for folks I knew fairly well and they just decided to abandon them. (NOT all three amps at once, but over the past several years). I guess I just assumed bad power. I was hoping to reuse the sockets and switches, stuff that's easily verifiable as good. The rest goes to the scrap yard!

[sluckey]

I have cleaned up and reused good quality sockets. That job can be tedious and time consuming. I wouldn't waste time on cheap sockets though. A 6G15 only has 3 sockets. That's $10 for high quality Belton sockets.