DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11077
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Jan 10 2009 04:46 PM
I've been unhappy with the sound of my vintage pan, I damaged my old pan, took my current one out of a combo amp (66BFPR) and put it in my reverb unit, but it just wasn't doing it. I started looking on eBay and saw that prices for vintage Gibbs pans for Fender were really getting expensive.
I knew there were lots of old Gibbs and Accutronics from Hammond organs but the impedance were different. Unfortunately most sellers never put the impedance on their description so it's hard to know if it's the right one. I started asking eBay sellers if they had an ohm meter if they would check, and around half of the ones I asked did. One of those sellers had an accutronics pan with the right impedence (1-2Ω input, 170-200Ω output) for under $20, definitely early 60's style. It had extra hardware for mounting in the organ which was easily removed. Once I got it home and plugged it in I was in drip city! 
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
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
Last edited: Aug 29, 2010 09:48:57
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Jan 10 2009 04:55 PM
That's good to know.....
I was under the impression that most of the 50's and 60's spinet hammonds (L-111 and others) used the same tank. I have an old L-111 at my mom's place I need to pirate the tank out of.
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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flatwound01
Joined: Mar 03, 2006
Posts: 464
Western MA
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Posted on Jan 10 2009 05:35 PM
Great tip, Danny! Thanks for sharing that.
I have an old L-111 at my mom's place I need to pirate the tank out of.
Ha! (Mom speaking) "Ed, my organ doesn't sound the same these days . . ."
-Dick
— Fender Reissue Cap Mod Site
http://home.comcast.net/~rmessick2/
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MrSpaghetti
Joined: Nov 11, 2008
Posts: 91
Detroit, MI
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Posted on Jan 11 2009 11:31 PM
i was considering hijacking my grandmas organ for the reverb unit thats in it as well... haha.
— Knarle Tide
http://www.facebook.com/knarletide
http://www.reverbnation.com/knarletide
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scotstandard
Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 1140
Davenport Iowa
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Posted on Jan 12 2009 12:02 AM
I have been struggling with it for a while. Finding the right one on ebay. $10 bux a pop its a crap shoot!
— Give me reverb or give me death!
facebook.com/onenightstandards
https://www.youtube.com/scotstandard
scotstandard@yahoo.com
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Feb 18 2009 03:56 PM
I should know better than to use "that" word around these parts...........How about just a Hammond Electric .....? That's probably a safer bet.
No one has a more warped view of the world than guitar players and this place is thick with 'em.
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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Jagshark
Joined: Nov 05, 2008
Posts: 745
Colorado, home of The Astronauts
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 10:14 AM
Here is the very brief story of my Uncle Spot outboard tank. I bought it last May but found it did not really have the vintage "drip" sound I was seeking. It was mainly a very smooth reverb with a long decay.
Recently I bought a NOS ITT 6k6gt tube and installed it. It seemed to add a bit more of the 'drippy' thwack but was only noticeable if the mix was turned up to a undesireable level.
I also recently found a Gibbs 2 spring pan built in 1963 (found on ebay). It was a gamble since I had no idea about the impedence. So last night I tried it out and, voila! Instant 1963 reverb sound! The decay is quite a bit less but that is ok because I believe the 'drippy thwack' is more noticeable with the mix higher.
Getting a good pan seems to be a key part of attaining a vintage sound. Now I just need to figure out if I can install the pan in the case with no problems.
— (defunct) Thee Jaguar Sharks
Plus! Other stuff not surf: https://soundcloud.com/jamesmileshq
Enjoy every minute
Last edited: Dec 01, 2009 10:18:00
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11077
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 10:17 AM
Jagshark
Here is the very brief story of my Uncle Spot outboard tank. I bought it last May but found it did not really have the vintage "drip" sound I was seeking. It was mainly a very smooth reverb with a long decay.
Recently I bought a NOS ITT 6k6gt tube and installed it. It seemed to add a bit more of the 'drippy' thwack but was only noticeable if the mix was turned up to a undesireable level.
I also recently found a Gibbs 2 spring pan from 1963. It was a gamble since I had no idea about the impedence. So last night I tried it out and, voila! Instant 1963 reverb sound! The decay is quite a bit less but that is ok because I believe the 'drippy thwack' is more noticeable with the mix higher.
Getting a good pan seems to be a key part of attaining a vintage sound. Now I just need to figure out if I can install the pan in the case with no problems.
Congrats Jagshark. I would say it's THE key part.
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
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
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 10:22 AM
Speaking of pans, I was reading the brand new Guitar Player mag last night (January, w/ Tony Iommi on the cover), and they gave a great review to the new Dr. Z reverb unit "Z-Verb". But here's the key passage:
"Dr. Z's Mike Zaite relates that he purchased a whopping 600 US-made reverb tanks from Morley, the new owner of Accutronics, upon hearing that the company would soon be moving manufacture of this component off-shore."
The Accutronics pans' sound might be changing even more pretty soon...
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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Icetech
Joined: Dec 16, 2006
Posts: 892
Macomb Mich
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 10:23 AM
Thanks for that tip danny, gonna check my tanks when i go home tonight, i built a reverb unit out of a old silver face PR and used that tank and its "OK" at best... didnt think to try the other tanks.. figured i just messed it up...
Only other problem is that high notes get very chimey through it.. i have never used a real unit though, not sure if its normal..
— I wanna play just like him when i grow up...
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tonetti
Joined: Aug 20, 2008
Posts: 654
California
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 10:40 AM
edited
Last edited: Dec 02, 2009 10:13:59
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Jagshark
Joined: Nov 05, 2008
Posts: 745
Colorado, home of The Astronauts
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 10:45 AM
DannySnyder
Jagshark
Here is the very brief story of my Uncle Spot outboard tank. I bought it last May but found it did not really have the vintage "drip" sound I was seeking. It was mainly a very smooth reverb with a long decay.
Recently I bought a NOS ITT 6k6gt tube and installed it. It seemed to add a bit more of the 'drippy' thwack but was only noticeable if the mix was turned up to a undesireable level.
I also recently found a Gibbs 2 spring pan from 1963. It was a gamble since I had no idea about the impedence. So last night I tried it out and, voila! Instant 1963 reverb sound! The decay is quite a bit less but that is ok because I believe the 'drippy thwack' is more noticeable with the mix higher.
Getting a good pan seems to be a key part of attaining a vintage sound. Now I just need to figure out if I can install the pan in the case with no problems.
Congrats Jagshark. I would say it's THE key part.
Thanks. The pan must have been sitting in a barn since the 60s because it was caked in dust!
— (defunct) Thee Jaguar Sharks
Plus! Other stuff not surf: https://soundcloud.com/jamesmileshq
Enjoy every minute
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Klas
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 2310
Stockholm, Sweden
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 12:21 PM
IvanP
The Accutronics pans' sound might be changing even more pretty soon...
Who knows, maybe they will start to sound better again with a new manufacturer? I recently had to replace my great sounding 90s Accutronics pan with a new U.S. one. It sounded good up to the 6-6-6 setting but after that got thinner and harsher pretty quick. I even tried another new Accutronics pan but with the same results and now hear that other people having similar experiences with the recent Accutronics pans as well.
— T H E ✠ S U R F I T E S
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MissingLink
Joined: Jul 23, 2008
Posts: 488
Edge of the East China Sea
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Posted on Dec 01 2009 11:41 PM
Has anyone found out exactly what is different about the newer Accutronics pans? There seems to be a consensus that older is better (gee, that's a shocker), but I've had a look in my RI's pan and there ain't much in there; a limited number of possible culprits, in other words. Is it the springs' length, the type of metal used, different transducers, or what?
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ziess
Joined: Aug 15, 2009
Posts: 41
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Posted on Dec 02 2009 11:18 AM
This reminds me I need to resolder the connections on my old Gibbs pan and fit it back into my '61 reverb...
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11077
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Dec 02 2009 11:22 AM
MissingLink
Has anyone found out exactly what is different about the newer Accutronics pans? There seems to be a consensus that older is better (gee, that's a shocker), but I've had a look in my RI's pan and there ain't much in there; a limited number of possible culprits, in other words. Is it the springs' length, the type of metal used, different transducers, or what?
It's still a mystery to me. Older doesn't mean better, it means the odds are higher of finding a better one. There are great sounding newer ones and really dull sounding old ones. Measuring with a meter doesn't help, you have to plug them in and listen. I use an old stereo equipment switching unit with 4 sets of rca jacks to compare them easily.
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
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
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