Ampcat's Gear
(Amps)

Brown Reverb Unit

This is another piece of gear you just

don't see very often - an early 60's Fender Reverb Unit. It appears to be in near perfect condition - I took it apart, and everything seems to be original except the power transformer. I found this in a small music shop called Muzik-Muzik in El Cajon (east San Diego).

It looks perfect, sounds perfect - the only thing I was a little worried about was the method of implementation - the way this unit was originally intended to be used was instrument->reverb->amplifier. The obvious problem with this is that the reverberation effect is being applied PRIOR to the preamplification stage(es) - this means that the nice, natural

distortion that results from overdriving the preamp tubes is compromised, because the reverb is being overdriven as well as the original signal. Personally, I don't like this, and it's not a problem at relatively low volumes (or relatively high volumes on higher wattage amps), but on low wattage amps at high volumes (say, a '61 Princeton (12W) at Vol. level 8), it just doesn't sound that good.

A couple interesting things about this reverb unit:

1. The circuit design allows for a much greater degree of control over the effect. The Dwell & Mix controls give alot more flexibility - this is especially noticible when using different pickups

(switching say, from a humbucker to a single coil).
2. The spring pan itself is not really mounted, but suspended sideways against the front panel. There is a lever accesible throught the hole in the back that allows you to force the springs against a strip of foam rubber mounted inside. Apparently the lever was often used to fool unsuspecting merchants into thinking the unit was broken, and selling it at a lower price.
3. The front panel is completely solid, which is why the prototype for this unit came with the front panel covered in brown tolex, rather than cloth - there was no speaker, hence no need for a cloth grill - however, the asthetes won out in the end.