# My 72 Fender Super Reverb



## Don Doucette (Jan 3, 2007)

My 1972 Fender Silverface Super Reverb arrived yesterday and I spent the day testing the caps and resistors before firing it up.

It still has its original filter caps and guess what they tested within 10% of rating and showed little or no leakage on my Sencore LC102.

I checked it over from top to bottom and after I was satisfied it wasn't going to blow up, I turned it on and...

:rockon2: :banana: :rockon: 

WOW how beautiful is that sound? I am totally lovin' this!

So very quiet and clean up to about 4.5 then it starts to break up nicely and if I leave it at 4.5 it is very touch sensitive especially with the LP or the bridge pickup on my strat.

I have the following changes in mind for the amp, new filter caps, two choclate drop caps will be replaced, and I just might consider black facing this old girl although I don't know how much better it could sound. I do want to change out the 5U4 for a Mullard GZ34, the 6L6's are MESAs and the rest of the tubes are ELECTROs and some no name junk so I'll be purchasing some tubes soon.

All in all I am happy with my purchase, $700 for one great sounding amp.

Don


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## Adicted to Tubes (Mar 5, 2006)

Nice score! I would,however,make the change to a bias adjust system instead of the bias balance system it may have in the amp.You will be able to bias tubes properly and not worry too much about over-current.
You can also do both a bias adjust and bias balance system so you can use mismatched tubes.Or simply do a 'dual-bias system'.Either way,the bias balance silverface thing is just plain stupid.
If you swap the rectifier tube to a GZ34 you HAVE to make the change.The increased voltage will make the tubes draw too much current and possibly redplate.

www.claramps.com

[email protected]


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## Don Doucette (Jan 3, 2007)

Adicted to Tubes said:


> Nice score! I would,however,make the change to a bias adjust system instead of the bias balance system it may have in the amp.You will be able to bias tubes properly and not worry too much about over-current.
> You can also do both a bias adjust and bias balance system so you can use mismatched tubes.Or simply do a 'dual-bias system'.Either way,the bias balance silverface thing is just plain stupid.
> If you swap the rectifier tube to a GZ34 you HAVE to make the change.The increased voltage will make the tubes draw too much current and possibly redplate.
> 
> ...


Agreed... That was all part of the plan to blackface. :thanks5qx:


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## mandocaster (Jan 11, 2007)

Well, now! Another happy VintageVerb owner....I'll defer to Addicted 2 2ubes on the knowledge needed to Blackface it, but from what I understand, it's the way to go. In my case, it already is one, and the love affair is a gooder. The avatar is a 65.


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## Don Doucette (Jan 3, 2007)

mandocaster said:


> Well, now! Another happy VintageVerb owner....I'll defer to Addicted 2 2ubes on the knowledge needed to Blackface it, but from what I understand, it's the way to go. In my case, it already is one, and the love affair is a gooder. The avatar is a 65.



A 65 huh... Drool 

Very nice indeed!

I just finished my parts list, I'll go shopping on Friday but I am afraid I live in an electronic hobbyists nightmare, we only have one place to buy parts locally and they have next to nothing and what they DO have is grossly overpriced. For instance I buy my pots from them cause they stock a pretty good pot but they're over $10 each  

I used to live near Toronto where I would frequent Active Surplus on Queen St. and I could but 100's of resistors and capacitors for $20-30, here 3 pots are over $30 and I don't have to tell you what a pain mail order shopping is especially if I'm shopping online from the US with shipping, exchange, brokerage and duty I'm getting raped!

Oh well I must soldier on for the love of the tone.:rockon: 

Don


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## Don Doucette (Jan 3, 2007)

I am also working on another project but this one is a major resto, can't wait to finish. I was amazed when I found some original style grill cloth online, should be sweet when I am done.

If any of you guys can find a multi segment 40-10-10uf cap @450v that is 3 1/8 tall by 1 1/8 inches diameter or smaller please let me know where I can get it. JJ has a 40-20-20 that would be perfect except it is slightly larger in diameter. I need this size as I am trying to fit it inside the old phenolic capacitor housing to retain the vintage look, see the pics below.

1946 Gibson BR-4










The multi cap...


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## mandocaster (Jan 11, 2007)

Don Doucette said:


> Oh well I must soldier on for the love of the tone.:rockon:
> 
> Don


A love of tone is good.:bow:


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