Reverb Tanks and Springs . . . .

[el badger]

Hey
Has anybody ever swapped springs in a tank with positive results? I want more, dark hall, surfy reverb. Is there a poor man's way of modding the tank to achieve this? Please tell.

[rfurtkamp]

What are you swapping tanks *in*, first off?

[Kacey Y]

There's some variation between brands of spring tanks, for the same model. They're generally pretty cheap. Look up the model on the tank/pan and check out some other brands online. I built a solid state reverb tank (SurfyBear) and the MOD brand pan I used first was too dark and the trails seemed too long. Great for atmospheric vibes, but not great for surf rock, which is why I built the tank. I tried out an Accutronics and got a better result. Though all the reverb unit gurus say you should just buy a pile of spring pans and try them all out until you find the right one, since there's some variation. I don't have the money or time for that, personally.

[crochambeau]

Though all the reverb unit gurus say you should just buy a pile of spring pans and try them all out until you find the right one, since there's some variation. I don't have the money or time for that, personally.

Yeah, consistency across pans is far from uniform. Scroll to the end of this page for a quick generalized impression: https://www.tubesandmore.com/tech-corne ... d-compared

Then scroll up for deeper reading (decay & spring counts, supporting circuitry & mayhem).

Then factor in that circuitry driving & recovering is going to also play a big part, and the player's ear is a huge variable. Part of the fun!

[space6oy]

or you could get one of these, literally spring reverb, they're nice:

[el badger]

What are you swapping tanks *in*, first off?

I pulled out of my Fender Studio Lead - it is an Accutronics model, 17'' dbl spring, and there doensnd seem to be enough reverb (even cranked to 10) the springs or real lose (stretched0 so I thought about swapping them with wider, tighter springs to see what would happen, but if this will destroy the original tank then i aint feeling' it

[crochambeau]

I'd advise against pulling springs out of a tank and replacing them. One thing you can do is see if the coils on each side wiggle at all, if they do you can wedge a sharpened matchstick or some similar shim in there so they are secure.



I refer to wedging between the hole in the coil (the coil is wrapped in yellow in this picture) and the stack of laminates.

Usually this is only a minimal improvement in performance, but it's worth a shot & far less liable of damaging the tank.

[rfurtkamp]

I haven't played through one of that era of SS Fenders in years, but I have never heard one that sounds...surfy.

I think you're a lost cause for chasing that rabbit with tank swaps or mods.

External unit of some type, from digital to actual spring, would be the way to go IMO.

[MechaGodzilla]

Heavy strings > hard picking > Frv1 > light dirt > surfy tones

[rfurtkamp]

Well, I wouldn't ever advocate that.

[el badger]

or you could get one of these, literally spring reverb, they're nice:

I was looking at the patent schematics for that ( http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0& ... %2F7522735 ) and while it is a 3-spring, it didn't tell me much about the springs themselves. I am a purist and cheap bastard who prefers analog equipment (maybe vintage ICs) like springs and transducers over other methods for reverb. I want similar to what Link Wray had (besides the bad tubes in jars of water) or what the Bobby Fuller Four had. I mean I want the closest, AND cheapest I can get to a vintage sound without going full digital. This has to be possible.

[MechaGodzilla]

The best analog spring reverb I've ever played with is in my Traynor YGM3 amp. Surf's well and truly up anywhere past 9 o'clock

[D.o.S.]

I am a purist and cheap bastard who prefers analog equipment (maybe vintage ICs) like springs and transducers over other methods for reverb. I want similar to what Link Wray had (besides the bad tubes in jars of water) or what the Bobby Fuller Four had. I mean I want the closest, AND cheapest I can get to a vintage sound without going full digital. This has to be possible.

Possible and satisfactory are sometimes different things.

[rfurtkamp]

Closest and cheapest will be full digital.

If you want Link Wray era outboard tank, going to need tubes or something that fakes 'em.

The SS outboard springs just don't have it when I've tried 'em, I ditched my last one for the FRV-1 a couple years back.

But realistically, it's going to be "buy a tank reissue or clone" if you're looking to extreme corksniff.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZnOGRCBW0I[/youtube]

[PeteeBee]

I've been a mega happy camper with my Spring Chicken for this vibe for years. I let a buddy borrow it and haven't seen it in a year... but I'll be bothering him to get it back soon bc I love it so much.