Weak reverb from my Fender '63 reissue reverb tank

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Rufer
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Weak reverb from my Fender '63 reissue reverb tank

Post by Rufer » Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:00 pm

For some time I have been having some trouble with my Fender ?63 Reissue Reverb tank. I?m getting a pretty weak mix of wet to dry signal. That is, even with the controls cranked up I?m getting a strong dry signal but you can only hear a bit of reverb decay ? about that of an amp?s reverb ? way. The brake is off.

It started shortly after I swapped out the 250k snap-in mix pot after long-time scratchiness finally lead to no signal. Worked fine for a short while then the problem I described above started. I?ve tried various combinations of tube changes with known good tubes.

The other pots were scratchy so today, I swapped those out but that didn?t help. I even put another new mix pot in there. After I changed the pots today it did not seem to do the trick.

Out of frustration a few hours later, I fired it back up and what-do-you-know, it was back in action! The only thing I noticed though was that when I had my guitar on 10, it would drive the input too hard and very harsh clipping would occur. As I was testing the limits of this harsh clipping, it popped back down into the problem described above ? the harsh clipping was gone but I was back to weak reverb.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

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digitaldrummer
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Post by digitaldrummer » Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:32 am

intermittent problems are tough... I had an intermittnet problem on my Blues Junior related to the tube sockets. When everyone switched to the ROHS solder, I think there has been a learning curve. Maybe not so much on a reverb tank (unless its sitting on top of the speaker cabinet) but in an amp/speaker combo there is a lot of vibration. the solder around the tube sockets can crack and when it heats up/cools down will make an intermittent connection. so that's where I'd start. re-flow the sockets and see if it helps any? just be careful not to overheat them.

fyi - found a schematic posted here...

http://www.emailtom.org/schematics/reve ... layout.gif


Mike
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czakrisson
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Post by czakrisson » Sun Jan 26, 2014 1:16 pm

Follow the test procedure in the service manual. I've had similar problems with a '63 Reverb, I ended up having to replace the transformer driving the reverb input. From what you describe, though, I think the problem lies after the actual reverb tank,

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Rufer
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Location: Washington DC

Post by Rufer » Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:34 am

Thanks very much for both of your replies.

Based on the experience from someone on a different message board, I ordered a new reverb driver transformer. Installing that will require me to touch up the joints on the power tube socket. So, if it works you guys can both take credit.

Czakrisson--I actually get pretty strong reverb when I kick the tank (I don't actually kick the tank) so I am pretty confident the problem is before the tank itself on the input side.

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