Super Reverb help!

[GrizzlyAtom]

I've got some amp questions I'm hoping you knowledgable folks can help me with. Please bear with me, this might be a little long winded. I'm the proud owner of a 74 Super Reverb. Ive been completely happy with this amp from day one. Amazing tone, very reliable, every sound Ive gotten out of it I've been totally pleased with.

But when I play with any other guitar players it just doesn't seem to have enough oomph. One guy I play with uses some peice o shite Peavey that cuts through way better than me. This just doesn't seem right. Anyway, I started playin with a new group this weekend. Guitar guy uses a Sunn Model T, and I used a Marshall GM100 that was laying around their practice space. Instantly the difference was huge. The tone wasn't better by any means, but I definitely cut through the mix way better than the Super ever could.

So my question is would a blackface mod help my poor amp? Maybe some new tubes or speakers? Once again, the tone is cherry, but the amp just doesn't have any balls when competing with another guitar player. I'm willing to do anything to get this baby up to snuff. Please don't tell me I have to settle for a hi-gain Marshall, anything but that!

[Huntlabs]

I've got a 67 Super Rev. Beautiful amp. But I don't use it in my band. I use a Rivera 55 Jay Graden. It is way more flexible, has a "fender" side and a Marshal side.

Side by side the Super gets a way better tone but the Rivera is just a better tool for me. I can switch between lots of different flavors and volume levels.

If I were you I wouldn't mod that amp, I'd go get something different.

[Reverend]

I use a 72 Super Reverb with my band all the time it's only 40 watts so it's not going to be real loud.
I don't have too much trouble being loud enough but you could try putting the amp on a chair so its at ear level.Also I would change the tubes that may help a bit depending on how old they are.I changed mine to black face specs. and I didn't notice any difference in volume.I would think that the silver face might be a bit louder I think they were trying to make a loud amp that didn't distort as much when CBS changed them.

[monkeyboy]

Marshalls are famous for their mid heavy sound.
This is what helps them sound louder than many other amps and
gives them their characteristic sound.

I have a silver face super. I love it.

The Super has a external speaker jack. Try running a different or additional cabinet. It could be the speakers in the super aren't as efficient or sensitive. Turn the reverb down and mids up. Also try to peel some of the bass off. It can really muddy up your sound at high volumes - especially with Fenders.

If none of the above works - look at different amps. I dealt with a similar situation years ago with a silver face twin I had. I love the twin and still own it. But it never seemed to sound big enough and was always getting blown away by other amps. Bought a reissue Marshall Plexi - problem solved.

[GrizzlyAtom]

Thats what I was afraid of. I love this amp so much, I'd hate to set it aside strictly for recording and small gigs. I guess what Im really asking is, if this thing was hot-rodded as much as possible, would it have any chance of competing with the Sunn ModelT or a Marshall?

[Chris Graff]

I guess what Im really asking is, if this thing was hot-rodded as much as possible, would it have any chance of competing with the Sunn ModelT or a Marshall?

FWIW, here's my hindsight: Let the SR do what it does best - clean and semi-overdriven tones. I used to own a orig. '64 SR; had the same problem. Seems like you can only go so far with dist. pedals before the amp starts getting mushy. My other SR owning friends all came to the same conclusion!

Save your $$$ !

[Fieryjack]

I once owned a Super and loved it as it seems you do. I had the same problem when playing with band members....it just didn't seem to cut through.

For one, as much as it might be financially undesireable, consider using the Super strictly for recording....it might not be a good amp to play out with, as it certainly isn't the punchiest amp around. I woudl be careful with mods...if it sounds great, leave it.

See if you can pick up a Twin for your gigs....you'll certainly cut through with that

[KennyLusk]

I had the same problem with a Fender Princeton. God, what a great amp! it had eminence speakers and I love the Eminence sound.

I was only able to solve the problem by using a nice handmade tube injected stomp box up front for extra push and enhanced mids. All silver point to point wiring, all analog and no IC chips. Anyway, the Fenders just don't push hard enough in the midrange. A really great floor pedal with a midrange booster will do the trick.

[Everybody's X]

Can you mic it up and run it through the PA?
Pulling back the verb should help too.I wouldn't mod it, it's not going to make it louder. My 68 Deluxe reverb can't be heard over a 50 watt marshall or an ampeg 8X10 either, but I aint messing with it.

[GrizzlyAtom]

Well I'm sure if it was mic'ed up to the PA, it would sound fine. Its looking like I'm just gonna have to get something more powerful when playin with another guitarist. FWIW, I'm runnin the Zvexx Super Hard On at the end of my pedal chain, and its still not enough.