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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Gear question - Fender deluxe reberb 65 and surfy bear?

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Hi - Relatively new to this site, so I'm sure this has been discussed
I am planning to get a Fender Deluxe Reverb Tube amp for surf music. My thinking was that this amp would be a stand alone to get the drippy sound for surf music. I'm confused, in that some people seem to also be pairing this amp with a Surfy Bear spring reverb - I guess I don't understand why? Would the amp itself be sufficient? What would be the advantage of pairing this with something like Surfy Bear?

The Deluxe Reverb will work fine. A lot of surf folks use an outboard tank like a Surfy Bear or a Fender tube tank because they provide the drippy, over-the-top reverb that is associated with surf music. The reverb in a Deluxe Reverb sounds great but isn't nearly as prominent as what the outboard units provide.

Plenty of bands sound great straight into the amp, too.

Neptune Trojans

I recently bought a newer (8-9 years old) Fender Deluxe. The reverb is pretty sweet, but I will admit that I record using the Surfy Bear. I would say get the Deluxe, try out the reverb, and if it doesn't suit the sound you want, get the Bear later. Sometimes just equing the amp with a bit more treble, or switching pickups can bring out the wet in a Deluxe.

Surfcat

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Thanks everyone for the feedback. I

I use a 65 Deluxe Reverb reissue tube amp, and love it. The onboard reverb is excellent. I use a SurfyBear Classic with it for drippier reverb, though if I only had the Deluxe Reverb (which I have for many years), I would still be happy. If I’m not playing surf music, or just want to plug in and play without setting up the SurfyBear, I go with the onboard reverb. Get the 65 Deluxe Reverb reissue amp and start there, you’ll be very happy with that amp. SurfyBear is great but I’d rather start with the Deluxe rather than a cheap amp with a SurfyBear.

Like ArtS said, swapping pickups or adding treble brings out the amp’s drip, as there is some on higher settings. As much as I love the SurfyBear, sometimes it’s a nice change of pace to play some songs without as much intense reverb (Ventures), otherwise the songs all start to sound redundant.

Enjoy, it’s my favorite amp ever!

Last edited: Jul 13, 2021 13:19:55

Dead on!

Surfcat

2023 SG101 Compilation - Tribute to Noel
The Journey Home - Agent Octopus (Our SG101 Comp download)

From Atlantis with Love - Released - July 2023
Agent Octopus-Spotify
Christmas on the Beach - NEW SINGLE Dec 2023!!
Reverb Galaxy - Angle of Attack CD - BANDCAMP

Surf, the most dangerous of all musical genres...

The Deluxe Reverb is a great amp and the built in reverb is quite good. A Surfy Bear, Fender Tube Reverb, or even a pedal that emulates spring reverb will hit the front end of the amp a little bit harder and will probably get you closer to the vaunted drip of classic Surf recordings.

The thing is, you can play a lot of great music without having to nail the sound of the early Surf recordings. The Surf Guitar cops won’t break down your door for using the onboard reverb of a Deluxe Reverb amp and if you find you want more, you can always pick up a Surfy Bear later on.

The band I play in does some Surf, some early ‘60s Rock and some Classic Country from the ‘60s. For most songs, I use a TC Electronic Hall of Fame Mini with a Plate Reverb TonePrint, and a touch of delay. For hardcore Surf, I kick in a Catalinbread Topanga spring reverb pedal, to get that metallic sound of spring reverb. I usually don’t take my tank to gigs, but sometimes use it at home.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Thanks again all for your feedback. The Surfy Bear sure seems like a cost effective external tank when compared to the Fender re-issue. I think I will start by getting a 65 Deluxe re-issue with tubes based on your feedback

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