2/2023: Sounds excellent. I've always loved Super Reverb's, regardless of year of make. I just bought a '65 Reissue Super Reverb. Happy that I finally own one. Your Strat is beautiful. Thanks for the post.
Vintage gear guys are borderline OCD I believe. Just because someone once told them the blackface amps are the "good ones" they don't want anything silverface. I'm thankful because that keeps the prices of all these AMAZING silverfaced beauties to a minimum. Meaning I can afford to buy them!!! Let's keep the BS alive- yep, all silverfaced Fender's are junk!
1. Repeating what you hear without digging deeper is hardly a typical trait of OCD, unless 95% of the population , guitarist or not, has OCD hahaha. 2. Saying that the era of one particular amp is preferred over another is not the same as saying " all silver faces are junk". As far as super reverbs go, there are differences between the early black faces and this era silver face and it is clear as day, especially in the highs and mids ( much harsher in later models and there was something different in the way they broke up and reacted with the guitars volume knob too.) Both are cool amps for different reasons. They make a lot of cheaper model fender bassman amps but theres a reason why the tweed 59's are more desired in most cases. It doesn't mean all others are junk. There is something unique and special about the late 60's / early 70's marshall superlead heads ( especially the 50 watters) which is why they bring more cash and are more desired than others. It isnt mere marketing. There is also a reason late seventies American amps and guitars in general are not as desired than most that came before them and the reason isnt purely arbitrary either. Srv used several different tubescreamer throughout the years, but religiously played the blackface super reverb rather than the silver face. Was he a gullible idiot? Or was there maybe something different about the SOUND that he preferred?
My 68' cost me $25, a 67 would have cost over $1000. Thanks OCD guys. There are only 6 conversions to create a real AB763 circuit from a 68' So for about $15 of caps/resistors, it saved me about $985. 👍
+Dan79istheman Thanks as always, Dan. I've been trying to understand why the UL Fenders have such a bad rep. Some of the complaints I do understand like shoddier wiring schemes and baffles, but overall, the tone is pretty good.
+The Guitologist I agree Brad. I think sometimes us humans are like ants and indeed just follow the opinion of well meaning but misinformed people before us. My experience has always been a pleasant one regarding the so-called "Silverface" amps. Yeah sure, bias-balance instead of bias-adjust. But gee whizz, I think a false economy has been generated regarding the desire of muso's to go to the black-face schematic. But anyway, in the end it's all subjective and my well meaning comment here doesn't mean shite! Happy playing mate and look forward to your next video.
You got the subjective part right. It's also all about context. You can't take one of these on stage if you're Slayer, but if you want loud, punchy, and clean, here it is.
An ultra-linear guitar amp? Interesting. But I sincerely doubt that it's 70 watts, from a pair of 6L6's in UL operation? I mean, that sounds crazy... Nice clean tone though, and yes, silverface amps deserve to be played through and loved. I am ok with other people thinking there's something wrong with them though, that means I can actually afford them.
Adam Rainstopper yes it is he is not telling you that this amp is using the ultra linear tap on the transformer 6l6 gc tubes run high plate voltage they are rated at 30 watts each tube and yes they are pushed to the max and more
@@vox1966 i have one of these amps and im trying to figure out which power tubes i should look for to replace the original fender special design ones. I dont have the money for NOS vintage stuff but from the little that i understand about tubes should i get the 7581A tubes since theyre slightly higher wattage, i assume theyll be able to handle whatevers going on in there a little better than normal 6L6s but i have no idea
They are very definitely tighter and less warm sounding than the earlier ones. I can appreciate the accusations of being a bit sterile and harsh. That said I'm sure a few value changes in the tone stack and phase inverter would give you the best of both worlds?
Not bad, I would change values to bleed off some highs. My 68' had the CTS speakers that were VERY dark sounding, 2 were rubbing so I sold them on ebay. I kind of liked them more than the Jensens in it now.
Yeh. 2020, hear. I have a 1977 Deluxe Reverb with one of those beast output translators ... sounds horrid, like a miniature Super Reverb (I already have two of those!) but not as good. Even now, I am having that Tformer ripped out and replaced with an appropriate ClassicTone, OT and some better coupling caps and a three-spring reverb tank and some decent tubes. It sets in a MojoTone cabinet, so it should sound pretty primo when it gets back hear ...
Hi there! I've got exactly the same model. I really love the way it sounds. But when I went to repair it, the guy at the shop removed the push-pull master volume and he said "there's no use for that"! Actually, if I want to have a nice "edge of break up" clean sound, I have to play it really loud. You can guess it's a problem to set a good volume when I'm on stage. Could you tell me if it would be a solution for me to set back the push-pull master volume?
The "boost" on the MV is not all that much of a "boost" really. You'd be better off with these amps, if you want breakup at lower volumes, get a boost pedal or modify the front end and probably the tone stack. That's something a tech would need to sit down and design a solution for. There may be resources online already outlining some mods for these.
Great amp and demo! Considering one of these. Question: were these made with components on turret board or PCB? Just thinking about ease of repair and maybe eventually mods, not so much tone.
@@TheGuitologisthey Brad how do I get in touch with you ? I would like to get some work done on my 68 baseman amp sometimes it has noise issues. I opened it up and tapped on some stuff in there and found when you tap on certain things it creates noise. It’s a AA165 circuit according to the sticker but who really now’s. Someone was in there before I can tell. They put a new cord with a 3 prong. I’m not sure if this had a bias control pot but I seen in some amps on your channel and I think it might be missing. Let me know. I can send pics if you want. I believe under the dog house they were all changed if I remember correctly. Ok thanks Brad.
A silver face can sound better than a BF model, believe it or not. Some prefer the SF for its wider tonal spectrum. I have a 1971 Twin Reverb, and I must say, I prefer the available high end on it versus a BF.
Hi Brad, I have a question for you. What should the specs of a variac be to run 50 or 40 watt vintage Fender Blackface amps? I have a red Chinese variac coming in the mail. It's a SC-5M model with a 5A fuse at 500 watts is written on the unit. It's like all of those units on EBay. I have looked on the net and some people say you need like 10 amp fuse to be able to handle any surges while turning on a guitar amp. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
A 5A is plenty for pretty much any guitar amp. Depending on the amp, you might get away with as low as a 2A. But don't buy one that low if given a choice.
@@TheGuitologist , Sorry to bother you again, but this variac that I bought, are they reliable? I saw this one video where this guy had one of these Chinese variacs that was not grounded properly to the chassis. He had to add an extra wire to bolt it to the chassis. Just curious if regular modern amps can be run at sat 117 or 118 volts to avoid any power surges you may have in your home. The thing is that I seem to be getting some kind of harmonic distortion through all of my amps in my rec room. It's very subtle but yet very fizzy sounding. I have no idea what would cause this. I bought a Furman power conditioner, one of their cheaper ones, but that did absolutely nothing. Any advice on this?
@@TheGuitologist, hi Brad, wanted to ask you a quick question. This Chinese variac has the ground going from the AC wire from the AC wall outlet to the ground of the input receptacle, but there is no wire going from the ground to the chassis itself. The reason I ask this question is because this one guy on you tube was putting 2 upgrades to a unit like mine. He said that he had to have a ground going directly to the chassis as well. If that is true then why would they sell these variacs in the US and Canada without being properly wired. On another note, this guy Jens in LA told me not to play my amps with a variac. He said it degrades the valves as well as the components in the amp. So I don't know.
Just one more question. If you got the time and if it doesn't disturb you, will it be possible to post another video to demonstrate the boost, please? It would be clearer for me. I could afford you if you don't want to.
Ultra Linear. Only some Fenders around this time used ultra linear transformers. It boosts the power, but lower the distortion so much some people don't like it.
2/2023: Sounds excellent. I've always loved Super Reverb's, regardless of year of make. I just bought a '65 Reissue Super Reverb. Happy that I finally own one. Your Strat is beautiful. Thanks for the post.
Always nice (and rare!) to see a real musician's understanding of how amps work and compare. Thanks for your many efforts.
That's an incredible sounding amp you have, man. I'm more of a bassman disciple but yowza. What a killer sound
Vintage gear guys are borderline OCD I believe. Just because someone once told them the blackface amps are the "good ones" they don't want anything silverface. I'm thankful because that keeps the prices of all these AMAZING silverfaced beauties to a minimum. Meaning I can afford to buy them!!! Let's keep the BS alive- yep, all silverfaced Fender's are junk!
1. Repeating what you hear without digging deeper is hardly a typical trait of OCD, unless 95% of the population , guitarist or not, has OCD hahaha.
2. Saying that the era of one particular amp is preferred over another is not the same as saying " all silver faces are junk". As far as super reverbs go, there are differences between the early black faces and this era silver face and it is clear as day, especially in the highs and mids ( much harsher in later models and there was something different in the way they broke up and reacted with the guitars volume knob too.) Both are cool amps for different reasons. They make a lot of cheaper model fender bassman amps but theres a reason why the tweed 59's are more desired in most cases. It doesn't mean all others are junk. There is something unique and special about the late 60's / early 70's marshall superlead heads ( especially the 50 watters) which is why they bring more cash and are more desired than others. It isnt mere marketing. There is also a reason late seventies American amps and guitars in general are not as desired than most that came before them and the reason isnt purely arbitrary either. Srv used several different tubescreamer throughout the years, but religiously played the blackface super reverb rather than the silver face. Was he a gullible idiot? Or was there maybe something different about the SOUND that he preferred?
My 68' cost me $25, a 67 would have cost over $1000. Thanks OCD guys. There are only 6 conversions to create a real AB763 circuit from a 68' So for about $15 of caps/resistors, it saved me about $985. 👍
I'm picking one up for 500 tomorrow in great shape. I don't know why people hate on the UL fenders.... they are awesome.
That's a dream amp, right there.
I bought a brand new one of those back in 1979! I swapped it for a 1967 Triumph 650 Trophy in 1980! I still wish I had both!
Both items were good choices. Best Regards
Sounds amazing, real nice playing man, thanks! So cool👍
What a little ripper! Ripper playing too. Top job mate.
+Dan79istheman Thanks as always, Dan. I've been trying to understand why the UL Fenders have such a bad rep. Some of the complaints I do understand like shoddier wiring schemes and baffles, but overall, the tone is pretty good.
+The Guitologist I agree Brad. I think sometimes us humans are like ants and indeed just follow the opinion of well meaning but misinformed people before us. My experience has always been a pleasant one regarding the so-called "Silverface" amps. Yeah sure, bias-balance instead of bias-adjust. But gee whizz, I think a false economy has been generated regarding the desire of muso's to go to the black-face schematic. But anyway, in the end it's all subjective and my well meaning comment here doesn't mean shite! Happy playing mate and look forward to your next video.
You got the subjective part right. It's also all about context. You can't take one of these on stage if you're Slayer, but if you want loud, punchy, and clean, here it is.
Dan79istheman
Oh your from down under
What a rippa.
Mate
Your haircut is 1979 as well.
Better looking than today's dopey crewcuts or shaved heads.
An ultra-linear guitar amp? Interesting. But I sincerely doubt that it's 70 watts, from a pair of 6L6's in UL operation? I mean, that sounds crazy... Nice clean tone though, and yes, silverface amps deserve to be played through and loved. I am ok with other people thinking there's something wrong with them though, that means I can actually afford them.
Adam Rainstopper
Thats what fender claims
Ever seen the 100watt music man rd?
2 6l6 supposedly making 100 watts
My Fender "75" supposedly is 75 watts from 2 6L6's
Yeah I'm purchasing the Fender Super Reverb and the GB Twin Reverb amps to perform my original Gospel Pop songs in glorious fender stereo!
Adam Rainstopper yes it is he is not telling you that this amp is using the ultra linear tap on the transformer 6l6 gc tubes run high plate voltage they are rated at 30 watts each tube and yes they are pushed to the max and more
@@vox1966 i have one of these amps and im trying to figure out which power tubes i should look for to replace the original fender special design ones. I dont have the money for NOS vintage stuff but from the little that i understand about tubes should i get the 7581A tubes since theyre slightly higher wattage, i assume theyll be able to handle whatevers going on in there a little better than normal 6L6s but i have no idea
Sounds good and nice playing.
+Rob Robinette Thanks for watching, Rob!
Very modern sounding amplifier. And nice playing. Nice sounding amp, for sure.
I love this sound !
They are very definitely tighter and less warm sounding than the earlier ones. I can appreciate the accusations of being a bit sterile and harsh. That said I'm sure a few value changes in the tone stack and phase inverter would give you the best of both worlds?
Beautiful!
+Stahl's Blues Thanks man. Thanks for watching!
Jangley clean but can it chug for metal?
Not bad, I would change values to bleed off some highs. My 68' had the CTS speakers that were VERY dark sounding, 2 were rubbing so I sold them on ebay. I kind of liked them more than the Jensens in it now.
Yeh. 2020, hear. I have a 1977 Deluxe Reverb with one of those beast output translators ... sounds horrid, like a miniature Super Reverb (I already have two of those!) but not as good. Even now, I am having that Tformer ripped out and replaced with an appropriate ClassicTone, OT and some better coupling caps and a three-spring reverb tank and some decent tubes. It sets in a MojoTone cabinet, so it should sound pretty primo when it gets back hear ...
Hi there! I've got exactly the same model. I really love the way it sounds. But when I went to repair it, the guy at the shop removed the push-pull master volume and he said "there's no use for that"! Actually, if I want to have a nice "edge of break up" clean sound, I have to play it really loud. You can guess it's a problem to set a good volume when I'm on stage. Could you tell me if it would be a solution for me to set back the push-pull master volume?
The "boost" on the MV is not all that much of a "boost" really. You'd be better off with these amps, if you want breakup at lower volumes, get a boost pedal or modify the front end and probably the tone stack. That's something a tech would need to sit down and design a solution for. There may be resources online already outlining some mods for these.
OK! Thanks for your advices and for your fast answer!
VERY VERY NICE !!!
Great amp and demo! Considering one of these. Question: were these made with components on turret board or PCB? Just thinking about ease of repair and maybe eventually mods, not so much tone.
I ended up getting a ‘79 or ‘80 Pro Reverb (ultralinear, push pull master volume, line out). Maybe I’ll try a demo one of these days once I master it.
Hey Brad when did they stop hand wiring these super reverb and the twin reverb
All the original run supers and twins are hand wired.
@@TheGuitologisthey Brad how do I get in touch with you ? I would like to get some work done on my 68 baseman amp sometimes it has noise issues. I opened it up and tapped on some stuff in there and found when you tap on certain things it creates noise. It’s a AA165 circuit according to the sticker but who really now’s. Someone was in there before I can tell. They put a new cord with a 3 prong. I’m not sure if this had a bias control pot but I seen in some amps on your channel and I think it might be missing. Let me know. I can send pics if you want. I believe under the dog house they were all changed if I remember correctly. Ok thanks Brad.
A silver face can sound better than a BF model, believe it or not. Some prefer the SF for its wider tonal spectrum. I have a 1971 Twin Reverb, and I must say, I prefer the available high end on it versus a BF.
Hi Brad, I have a question for you. What should the specs of a variac be to run 50 or 40 watt vintage Fender Blackface amps? I have a red Chinese variac coming in the mail. It's a SC-5M model with a 5A fuse at 500 watts is written on the unit. It's like all of those units on EBay. I have looked on the net and some people say you need like 10 amp fuse to be able to handle any surges while turning on a guitar amp. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
A 5A is plenty for pretty much any guitar amp. Depending on the amp, you might get away with as low as a 2A. But don't buy one that low if given a choice.
@@TheGuitologist , Sorry to bother you again, but this variac that I bought, are they reliable? I saw this one video where this guy had one of these Chinese variacs that was not grounded properly to the chassis. He had to add an extra wire to bolt it to the chassis. Just curious if regular modern amps can be run at sat 117 or 118 volts to avoid any power surges you may have in your home. The thing is that I seem to be getting some kind of harmonic distortion through all of my amps in my rec room. It's very subtle but yet very fizzy sounding. I have no idea what would cause this. I bought a Furman power conditioner, one of their cheaper ones, but that did absolutely nothing. Any advice on this?
@@TheGuitologist, hi Brad, wanted to ask you a quick question. This Chinese variac has the ground going from the AC wire from the AC wall outlet to the ground of the input receptacle, but there is no wire going from the ground to the chassis itself. The reason I ask this question is because this one guy on you tube was putting 2 upgrades to a unit like mine. He said that he had to have a ground going directly to the chassis as well. If that is true then why would they sell these variacs in the US and Canada without being properly wired. On another note, this guy Jens in LA told me not to play my amps with a variac. He said it degrades the valves as well as the components in the amp. So I don't know.
An FYI: The Tube Store is an excellent source for tubes
Just one more question. If you got the time and if it doesn't disturb you, will it be possible to post another video to demonstrate the boost, please? It would be clearer for me. I could afford you if you don't want to.
I no longer have this amp. Sorry.
OK. No problem. Thanks though.
Brad, in the description you said " thine from every UL Fender amp Ive played through....." . What did you mean by "UL Fender" ? Thanks !!
Ultra Linear. Only some Fenders around this time used ultra linear transformers. It boosts the power, but lower the distortion so much some people don't like it.
sensacional !
I want to put a SS rectifier in my vintage 65 super reverb... how? Lol
It’s a very expensive mod! Get an amp tech to give you a quote.
The only great amps with linear transformers were made by Sunn. Their higher gain preamps and lower negative feedback made them beautiful monsters.
Very loud amp, but good sound.