Swapping reverb tanks

[popvulture]

I've got a Carr Mercury (previous EL34 version, not the new V) that I love, but imo the reverb is kind of a little too washy and doesn't have a lot of character.

It's a MOD tank, I believe the long 16.75" version based on a rough measurement through the back of the amp without really getting in there. I know that the impedance has to match, but can anybody tell me anything about swapping reverb tanks? Any experiences you've had? I'd love the reverb to be a little more Fender-y... any brands out there that cover that territory better? Does Fender make their own tanks for their current amps?

THANX DUDERS.

[crochambeau]

The classic Fender sound came from U.S. manufactured Accutronics (NLA, except through old stock). Here's an article to get you started:

https://www.tubesandmore.com/tech-corne ... d-compared

Honestly, if you find something in your travels, I would not hesitate to just plug it in and listen to it. Severe impedance mismatch is generally not tonally pleasing, and a short stay shouldn't harm anything.

I don't have first hand experience with a lot of tanks, but I'd consider decoding what you have (through part number) and either selecting something with a shorter decay, or just going from a three to a two spring (if applicable). It really is a personal taste thing...

[Muff_Diver]

The tank market is pretty small;mod, accutronics and belton are it, I believe. Its possible the reverb circuit has more to do with the sound than the tank itself. I use a new MOD tank in my twin and it has the expected fender sound.
Because it is a physical part, maybe try altering it physically? If it has 3 springs, try it with 2. Add some cardboard to the bottom if it isn't already there, or some rubber grommets between the tank and the cab.

[popvulture]

Its possible the reverb circuit has more to do with the sound than the tank itself. I use a new MOD tank in my twin and it has the expected fender sound.

Hmmm I indeed wondered about this. I'll take a look at the tank and see how many springs it has. It's really kind of weird the way it is now—it's almost more like a hall verb sound than spring. Doesn't have any "drip" at all, or whatever you'd call it... generally dampened feeling, no spring texture.

I'll also email Carr and see what he says—maybe he could answer some questions about the character of the circuit.

[repoman]

Usually upgrading the tank has to deal with the length, IE going from a 9 inch tank to a 16 inch one which will make the verb sound bigger/deeper/more lush. Outside of that, its mostly up to the circuit. If you already have a 16 inch tank, I kind of doubt going to something like a accutronics will change the sound much if at all.

[ratrod]

This is a goldmine of spring tank info:

https://www.amplifiedparts.com/tech-cor ... d-compared

You can decode the tank you have and see if you have a short, medium, or long decay, see what impedance you need, etc.

[friendship]

i'm just here to say MECHANICAL REVERB FOREVER

[Kacey Y]

I changed out the spring pan in my SurfyBear FET reverb, from a MOD to an Accutronics and it fixed the problem of the decay being too long and dark for me. There should be a model number right on the pan. It's the same model, regardless of manufacturer. So just plug that into Google and order something. It's plug and play, they're super easy to swap out. All the specs are contained in the model number, I think, so there shouldn't be any compatibility issues at all.

[popvulture]

It's the same model, regardless of manufacturer.

Ha, really? I kinda love that.

[Kacey Y]

Ha, really? I kinda love that.

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised by that too.