dooley
Joined: Jan 07, 2007
Posts: 30
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Posted on Aug 14 2007 10:13 AM
Hi Everyone, I got an old (working junk) GBX Reverb Bug 75W amp...made in the '70's I found out. Anyway, I took it apart and cleaned it up...it works...kinda gritty. The reverb tank springs (2) are really small... not like my old Peavy Bandit (which I lost to a basement flood.  ). Can I add a new larger tank along with the old tank to give that old amp more reverb boost or just change it out one with larger springs?
Is it possible to tandem one or spring tanks sets?
I don't want to buy another amp until I blow up this old dog LOL.
I have a Line 6 Spider II which throws quite a bit of reverb but when I play both amps together I have "almost" enough reverb for my liking.
'82 Fender JV Squier Stat is my guitar.
After seeing Dick Dale 4 times tells me that you can't have enough reverb.
Thanks, Great site.
— Reverb for everybody, on the house.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Aug 14 2007 04:07 PM
You can have too much reverb actually. You get feedback with it. Old combo amps can do it frequently. Also, new combo amps, but I haven't played many of those.
As for your tank swap, I have no idea about those amps. If both amps use RCA to connect the reverb than yes, you can swap them. I don't think changing a tank is going to give you more reverb, maybe change the sound or type of reverb but you won't get a good boost without good circuitry. Of course the tank could be very well made and may sound sweet, but there is no way of knowing.
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Granitsky
Joined: May 28, 2007
Posts: 92
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Posted on Aug 14 2007 04:34 PM
I have a '74 Fender Twin Reverb amp with a long 2-spring tank. It gives very nice reverb, and it's even pretty surfy. But it pales in comparison to the outboard reverb unit I have. That's what you're going to hear about here- everyone's gonna chime in and say if you wanna have Dick Dale style reverb, you are going to have to get the outboard tube reverb unit.
It's not just the amount of sustain or feedback that it gives, it's the attack that really gives it the sound. You have a lot of "plink" and "squish" when you pluck the string, especially with your palm muting the strings. You really can't get that out of a built in reverb (even from a tube driven Fender amp's reverb).
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WR
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 3832
netherlands
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Posted on Aug 14 2007 04:37 PM
I think that's a solid state amp with solid state reverb driver. you can swap it for a large model accutronics if you check the codes and impedances and make sure they are the same - they are NOT the same impedances as those for tube driven reverb so do some checking, codes can be found at ampwares.com. also better not run more than one together, since that will change the impedance and possibly fry the amp or at least a transformer.
fwiw, Im with Jake here, if the reverb doesn't sound to your liking now, a pan swap is going to be a waste of money. If you want something that approaches surf reverb and you're on a budget, better save your money for an EH holy grail pedal or a digitech digiverb. I think one of those will give you more satisfaction than a new pan.
my two cents.
(of course everyone's gonna tell you you need the real deal, the angel-in-a-box, the 6G15, the Kadengorama-machine, the great surfifier, the drip-o-mat, the boochbox, i.o.w. "the tank"  )
— Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."
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ShaunNecro
Joined: Mar 06, 2007
Posts: 524
Bay City (Michigan)
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Posted on Aug 14 2007 06:33 PM
It seems to me that reverb only really gets feedback when placed directly in front of a very loud amplifier. I think switching reverb pans only gives a minute change. Kind of like switching out the C10 cap.
— I am super sweet
www.myspace.com/thetremblors
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dooley
Joined: Jan 07, 2007
Posts: 30
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Posted on Aug 15 2007 09:19 AM
Thanks for the replies. I guess that old amp is what it is...can't do much to improve it. No problem though, I can still kick out some Link Wray grit and I get decent sound/reverb when I tandem it with my Line 6.
The outboard reverb unit looks like the way to go.
I owe myself a present seeing that wifey is always coming home with some useless home decor artsy-fartsy crap. 
Funny though, last night I was playing with the garage door open and some people were walking down the pedestrian trail were stopping and wondering where it was coming from. One guy on his bike came over and said "Sounds good, man. I heard this kind of music before...What is it?"
SURF GUITAR and some Rockabilly/Metal on the side.
Made me feel pretty good...for an amateur player. 
— Reverb for everybody, on the house.
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