Reverb Tank: Project

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dubtrub
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Re: Reverb tank project

Postby dubtrub » Thu May 29, 2008 10:09 pm

Don wrote:Mine doesn't seem to change with position relative to the amp or anything else. The hum is the same without a guitar plugged in and no matter how I set the controls.

I talked with my amp tech buddy, he's a former technician for Demeter http://www.demeteramps.com/
He says the 60 cycle hum is caused 99% of the time by an improper ground and occasionally a design flaw in the layout of components in the order they are grounded. On my reverb unit he felt it was about as good as was going to get without a major rebuild. That ain't gonna happen so I guess I'll just keep using the two prong plug.

Be sure to let us know if you resolve the hum in your unit.
Danny Ellison

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Re: Reverb tank project

Postby dubtrub » Fri May 30, 2008 8:51 pm

Hey Don,

Here is a photo essay of a Weber Revibe Reverb unit and how the ground loop effect was eliminated. Interesting project but it's too much of a re-do project for my liking. http://home.everestkc.net/jgehring/revibe1-4.html
Danny Ellison

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Re: Reverb Tank: Project

Postby Don » Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:36 pm

Hey Danny,

Long time, no post....sorry about that. Not sure what I did wrong before but defeating earth ground with a 2-prong adapter has made my reverb dead quiet. On the reissue, Fender uses the same isolating method described in your link. I knew that before I started building the Weber kit but figured enough people have built the Weber that it would have been corrected by now if it was identified as a problem. Whether it is a problem or not could depend on how the amp is wired, too. Anyway, like you, I need to do a fairly large rebuild someday. Until then it's working and sounding great.

Right now I have a vintage '64 and a reissue (these belong to a friend), and my Weber kit all sitting in my guitar room for some experimentation and comparison. I'm having a blast playing with them but have been surprised how little they differ in sound. If I set all the controls to "6" on all of them, the vintage unit is brightest/sharpest of the bunch. Frankly, I liked the Weber best of all in that test for it's springy yet smoother sound. However, with some adjustments to the controls I can make them all sound identical to my ear, within the range of "just a little depth" to full-on drippy surf settings. I think there are too many variables with tubes, pans, tolerance creep, etc., to make any objective claims about one being better than the others. Anyway, the Weber being lower cost than the other options no longer feels like a compromise to me...it's right in there with the real deal.

Don

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Re: Reverb Tank: Project

Postby dubtrub » Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:07 pm

Hey Don, welcome back to the forum.

Yeah, I've using nothing but my project reverb with the two prong adapter and it seems to do just fine. I listed my Fender RI in the classified section but haven't made any real effort to sell it. It doesn't take up too much space in the closet. :lol:

Ay any rate, don't be a stranger.
Danny Ellison


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