1960's Gibson RV3 reverb unit/tank solid state .
Anybody have any info on them ?
Johnny Rocket
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
60's Gibson RV3 reverb unit
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Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 183 N.C. 
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Posted on Aug 08 2011 01:08 PM
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Joined: Sep 04, 2009 Posts: 1800 Temecula, CA 
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Posted on Aug 08 2011 01:10 PM
Let us know how it sounds. I am not a big fan of Gibson's onboard Rev. I'd be interested in how the tank sounds. Never heard of it. |
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Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 183 N.C.
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Posted on Aug 08 2011 01:25 PM
I don't have it ,but there is one for sale . I tried looking Johnny Rocket |
Joined: Dec 08, 2007 Posts: 1304 
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Posted on Aug 08 2011 03:10 PM
There's a review of it on this page: https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger |
Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2778 Atlanta, GA 
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Posted on Aug 08 2011 04:10 PM
If they sound like the Gibson tube units, they are very lush and smooth. Not at all brash and bright like the Fender units. For just sitting around jamming by yourself, and if you don't have to sound like an Astronauts album, the Gibson amps, reverbs and tremolos especially are really great sounding. A super bitch to work on though. I have a couple of old Epiphone (Gibson) amps that sound really neat, but they sound absolutely nothing like any of my Fenders. Got an old Standell in that amp pile down in the Boatwerx as well. However everything about it is pretty yucky. ed —Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps? |
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Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 183 N.C.
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Posted on Aug 08 2011 07:36 PM
Thnaks for the link and other info guys ! I appreciate it ! Johnny Rocket |
Joined: Feb 18, 2010 Posts: 260 Lake Forest, CA
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Posted on Oct 18 2011 03:09 PM
So I ended up buying one of these Gibson reverb units. I'll need to spend some time with it after work, but it sounds really good. As a disclaimer, my amateur ear has never played a Fender unit. It's solid state and only has one knob, but it gets absurdly drippy (drippy enough for Baja). I'll post some more later once I play with it a bit but I'm pretty happy with it. —Hot Summer Comes Again! |
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Joined: Feb 18, 2010 Posts: 260 Lake Forest, CA
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Posted on Oct 19 2011 03:34 PM
I can't figure out why my recordings all sound terrible, so until then here's some pictures of the thing: It looks like an antique appliance.
All the controls are located conveniently on the back of the unit at the very bottom where you can't reach and risk knocking the springs around. Thanks for that, Gibson.
Just one knob :<
The footswitch has a handy button on it to keep it in place when not in use. Also this whole thing is apparently made out of plywood, a true sign of quality craftsmanship. On the plus side, it's pretty light.
There's the tank and complete lack of tubes.
I'm going to mess around with getting some recordings again just so people can hear what it sounds like. It may not be the best surf reverb but it sounds pretty good imo. Depends upon how picky you are about your reverb. —Hot Summer Comes Again! |
Joined: Nov 03, 2011 Posts: 660 |
Posted on Nov 18 2011 01:52 AM
I had one of those! In fact someone refereed to my review above but since then I sold it and got a reissue fender reverb unit. Well I had an original 1964 fender reverb unit which I sold, but missing reverb I got the Gibson RV3. It was a toss up between the RV3 and a big box holy grail. Both sounded similar large lush reverb but the Gibson won out over the holy grail but not by much. Actually I like the holy grail and I think they are pretty close sounding to the Gibson RV3. However needing cash again I ended up selling the Gibson RV3 and got a reissue fender reverb unit. Now I'm missing the magic the Gibson had, don't know how to describe it other then large, organic open and lush. Different compared to a fender probably due to the fender's dwell and tone whereas the gibson just has reverb/mix knob. I might buy another gibson one and either keep or sell the fender reissue one. My back up is a Holy Grail Nano; again which I really dig as mentioned it's closer to the Gibson style (open/lush/organic) than a fender reverb unit. I tried a Boss FRV-1 pedal and it just sounded sterile/fake something about the reverb trail that I didn't like. It didn't jive with my style and I could not get a good enough sound out of it. But the Gibson RV3 yea it's a winner! I'm not a surf player but the Gibson and the Holy Grail too give me a 60's Memphis/Chicago mojo to my tone. I still fussing with the reissue fender reverb though and I'm not sold that it's gonna work for me, I just haven't found it's mojo. Last edited: Nov 18, 2011 02:01:39 |
Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan 
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Posted on Mar 11 2013 02:23 PM
Thanks Fargo for posting your pics of the RV 3. I have owned an RV 3 myself for some time, just like yours but for different knobs. I just had a minor repair done on it – a stressed solder joint that opened the circuit when warm. I still need a cap job but am unwilling to spend the quoted $150 Andy at RevAmp in Hollywood. As it is now, the sound is a bit lo-fi – Andy said the caps pass a narrower sound spectrum when old like these are (original – amazing they pass any signal at all). Anyone know a good tech in LA who will quote less for cap job? It's not rocket science... — |
Joined: Sep 07, 2011 Posts: 507 |
Posted on Mar 11 2013 10:45 PM
Cool, I like how the pedal attaches to the unit with a button. Nifty! |
Joined: Feb 29, 2012 Posts: 310 Germany 
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Posted on Mar 12 2013 04:18 AM
there´s an input jack, but where´s the output? |
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Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 73
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Posted on Mar 12 2013 06:03 AM
The output travels by way of a hardwired cord, which terminates in a 1/4" phone plug. One less piece of equipment to remember to bring, |
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Joined: Feb 29, 2012 Posts: 310 Germany
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Posted on Mar 12 2013 09:18 AM
one thing more than can break and not be repaired while on stage... |
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Joined: Dec 08, 2007 Posts: 1304
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Posted on Mar 12 2013 09:27 AM
Ron wrote:
For some reason that was very common on early effects units; the Maestro Fuzztone, Echoplex EP 1&2 for example both had hardwired output cables. —https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger |
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Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 73
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Posted on Mar 12 2013 06:02 PM
All the devices mentioned came from Gibson. Lets not forget the hard wired output on the WEM Copy Cat. Also the hard wired speaker cords on the Ampeg Portaflex amps. Oops I'm getting off topic. The output on my Gibson reverb unit is still going strong after all these years. |
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Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Dec 03 2014 09:24 PM
Since I built a Surfy Bear FET Reverb, I have sidelined my RV3 but I used it today with my 'other rig', a Gibson GA20T Ranger amp, playing my Greco LP Std. Sounded great! a very different experience from all-Fender gear I've been using lately. |
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