Our guitarist has a really nice Gomez G-Spring tank, but it's become unreliable. What would be the most likely cause for a tank unit to lose it's reverb intermittently, especially after traveling? The signal still comes through, but there is no reverb. A few shakes and bumps later and the reverb comes back. I imagine it's got to be something that's loose or possibly springs getting stuck, but I'm wondering what the most likely culprit is.
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
Gomez reverb tank cuts out
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Joined: Aug 09, 2009 Posts: 70 Cape Cod 
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Posted on Aug 31 2018 07:28 AM
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Joined: Aug 09, 2009 Posts: 70 Cape Cod
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Posted on Aug 31 2018 07:50 AM
I was watching Uncle Doug's reverb explanation and it demystifies some things. Last edited: Aug 31, 2018 07:55:49 |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11077 Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Aug 31 2018 08:43 AM
Always suspect the cables first. In this case the 2 rca cables inside the tank. Try switching them out and see if it's better. —Danny Snyder I am now playing trumpet with Prince Buster tribute band 'Balzac' Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
Joined: Jul 16, 2015 Posts: 259 ID
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Posted on Aug 31 2018 08:52 AM
I’ve been having the same issue with my G-spring lately. A few bumps usually clears it up but it can also cause it. I haven’t had time to pull the pan to see if it’s anything obvious, but I hope to soon. Please keep us informed if you discover anything. Also, is your guitarist’s pan fixed or does it have the locking mech? Mine is the fixed version. —-John The Seatopians 2017- Last edited: Dec 07, 2018 14:29:12 |
Joined: Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 819 Semass
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Posted on Aug 31 2018 06:58 PM
Mine was getting real weak. Tubes, cables, pans, poking and prodding around has done zero to fix it. I suspect its the transformer that drives the reverb, but I've yet to confirm that yet. |
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Joined: Aug 09, 2009 Posts: 70 Cape Cod
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Posted on Sep 01 2018 09:24 PM
Danny, he's going to try new rca cables, but turning the unit upside down seems to have cured it for now...must be loose springs or a spring getting caught. John this is the fixed version as well. |
Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4557 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Sep 11 2018 10:52 AM
I’d wager the farm that it’s cables. (Of course, it’s an ant farm, so the monetary value of the wager is low.) It amazes me how much effect bad cables can have. I have a ‘68 Custom Deluxe Reverb which was unusable until I replaced the reverb cables. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
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Joined: Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 819 Semass
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Posted on Sep 11 2018 12:48 PM
I just picked mine up: the slip said all contacts, sockets, and pots cleaned, op check ok. I'll find out tonight if it's really good or not, and likely, if I can live without it. I find it hard to believe that I chased my tail, as did my regular tech, and that's all that it needed, but hey, it's certainly looking like I'll be proven wrong. Last edited: Sep 11, 2018 12:49:54 |
Joined: Feb 01, 2010 Posts: 106 MA
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Posted on Sep 12 2018 04:36 AM
Let us know how it turns out Chipper, my Gomez has these problems , haven't taken it to a tech yet. Planning on picking up an Oceans 11 pedal in the meantime for backup , or if I like it enough just use the pedal as my full time reverb and say goodbye to the headaches of reverb tanks. The differences between tanks and the few good reverb pedals these days I think a lot of times is only noticed in bedroom playing not live playing. Only to the keenest of ears. |
Joined: Jan 01, 2008 Posts: 2107 Livorno 
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Posted on Sep 12 2018 07:10 AM
WetBandit wrote:
Wow nothing more wrong than this Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini |
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Joined: Feb 01, 2010 Posts: 106 MA
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Posted on Sep 12 2018 07:27 AM
I've seen quality shows where guys were using reverb pedals and they fooled me. At a certain volume within the mix of the band I thinks its pretty close. |
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Joined: Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 819 Semass
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Posted on Sep 12 2018 07:58 AM
Hoe Lee Ballz! I thought I'd been pretty thrilled with pedal verb lately too... If you already have one, definitely make the investment in keeping it going. |
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Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4557 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Sep 12 2018 08:04 AM
WetBandit wrote:
I have to agree. In a pristine environment the difference is more apparent, but in the real-world of live performances the difference is less noticeable. The demos I’ve heard of the Ocean’s Eleven are impressive. There is obviously a lot of effort going into designing these pedals, most of which comes down to DSP programming. The progression has been steady, from the FRV-1 to latest generation of pedals with some notable steps in between. Im hoping to get a new house with a dedicated music room. If so, my tank will be permanently setup there and used in recordings, but I don’t see any reason to shlep a tank to every gig, especially the short gigs where you barely have to to setup or tear down. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
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Joined: Feb 28, 2013 Posts: 350 
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Posted on Sep 12 2018 10:33 AM
martianspy wrote:
I'm having the exact same problem with mine. Swapping pans, cables, footswitch & tubes does not help. Last edited: Sep 12, 2018 10:57:03 |
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Joined: Feb 28, 2013 Posts: 350
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Posted on Sep 12 2018 10:44 AM
Here is a cut/paste of what Dario Gomez wrote to me when I asked him about the issue. Check the 1ohm resistor that rides on the octal socket, make sure it’s not open I.e. it has 1 Ohm on it and not reading infinite resistance = open. It’s a feature I use and sometimes the resistor goes south, simple fix, 1ohm metal oxide 1w resistor. If it’s open, meaning it’s no longer presenting 1 Ohm. A multimeter will determine that, easy to check. If it is open you can just solder in another, two solder joints. Last edited: Sep 12, 2018 10:55:18 |
Joined: Feb 26, 2008 Posts: 543 Copenhagen, Denmark 
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Posted on Sep 13 2018 02:03 AM
I had the same problem. In my case it was the transformer that needed to be replaced. — |
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Joined: Feb 28, 2013 Posts: 350
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Posted on Sep 13 2018 08:16 AM
Based on the posts from derekirving & DannySnyder in the older thread, along with the info from Dario & eltwang, this issue is most likely caused by either a bad resistor (1ohm on the octal socket) or a bad transformer. Older thread about the same issue Last edited: Sep 13, 2018 08:19:56 |
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Joined: Jul 16, 2015 Posts: 259 ID
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Posted on Dec 07 2018 02:21 PM
Had some serious issues at last night’s gig. The reverb was in and out throughout the set - very frustrating! So this morning I pulled the back panel and tested the resistor as mentioned above and it looks like that might be the culprit. I’m going to take it into the tech and see what he says and will report back. —-John The Seatopians 2017- Last edited: Dec 07, 2018 14:27:40 |
Joined: Dec 07, 2014 Posts: 1222
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Posted on Dec 08 2018 08:46 PM
- Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 14:10:35 |
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