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January Birthdays
Reverb Tank
Joined: May 26, 2020 Posts: 260 Highlands Ranch 
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Posted on Jan 05 2025 02:39 PM
I have only ever played a Surfy Bear. for those of you who own both or have played both. Is a real Fender tube tank worth it? —Social Media |
Joined: Jan 02, 2009 Posts: 1307 The original Plymouth, UK. 
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Posted on Jan 06 2025 03:26 AM
If you have a Surfy Bear, it's probably not really worth getting a Fender unit. They sound and behave very similarly in my opinion. I have one of the original SB kits, a home built 6G15 and a Fender reissue and they all sound pretty much the same. The difference between these is not as noticeable as the difference between these and a pedal. If you see a reissue unit at a good price it's worth getting one if you have the space, but I wouldn't stress that you're missing out on anything —http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/ Last edited: Jan 06, 2025 03:28:22 |
Joined: Jun 29, 2018 Posts: 764 |
Posted on Jan 06 2025 11:05 AM
I have not played through a Fender unit, but do have a Surfybear metal and one of the original kits I put together. I have been reading these forums comparing the Surfybear to the Fender 6G15 for quite some time, so the issue has been covered in depth. So rather than telling you to search the forums, I can tell you that the consensus is that the Surfybear gives you a sound that is quite comparable to the 6G15, and that it has several advantages. In particular, it costs less, you don't have to deal with tubes going out, it doesn't weigh as much and takes up less space (making it more portable). Not to mention that there are differences between the original 6G15 units and the reissues - the reissues are sometimes found wanting, and the original units seen as the holy grail. So unless you have loads of money to spend or are a purist and must have all original equipment, it's not worth it when you've already got a Surfybear. |
Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 2354 San Jose, Ca.
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Posted on Jan 06 2025 11:35 AM
Hi Steven. I'm just a hobbyist, and not a n actively gigging guitarist, so take that in mind. Here's my two cents. Fender reverb tanks vary greatly in tone. In my opinion, the Surfy Bears are more consistent. My Surfy Bear absolutely smokes my Fender '63 Reverb reissue, which sounds good, but rather dull & lifeless, in comparison. That said, some of the reissues sound great. At the current costs, the '63 reissues, to me, aren't worth it. Yet a lot of top-notch surf guitarists use them, are very happy with them, and sound very good. There are some "magical" original vintage Fender reverbs out there, but they can be very expensive, and it is a crapshoot to get a really great one, or not. After buying one, you might end up needing to swap out different pans to get the best tone. At the end of the day, you might end up with a tank that sounds infinitesimally better than a Surfy Bear, but at a much higher cost. What is a truly great sounding tank, and if it is really worth it, is, in my opinion, a totally subjective thing. To some, the reissues and vintage units are worth it. To me, it's not worth it. I would stick with the Surfy Bear. —Bob Last edited: Jan 06, 2025 11:42:47 |
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