Fender Super Reverb amps

[JeffB]

What is the deal with these? Are they basically a twin, but with 4, 10" speaker?

Reason I ask is that I have found that it was used on a few of my fave Rush albums from the 70s,cleanish, as well as totally cranked. It sounds pretty plexi-ish. I suspect the middy 10s are what fill it out and keep the harsh at bay like twins/showmans can get totally jacked.

In addition I have a modelled BF super on my Vox VT15 that sounds more like aplexi than any actual plexi models from companies like L6, Vox, Roland, etc. Whether it is in the room, or recorded clips I have made.

Anyone have a Super here who can comment? Most clips of the amps I have found are guys doing the Stevie Ray Vaughnabee thing.

 

[scorch]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

I don't have one now but I've had a couple in the past. Damn fine amps. They're not a twin, though (although nearly as heavy). They break up earlier and due to the OT/speaker combo has it's own voice. I've heard it called a 'baby Marshall' but it retains a Fender vibe.

If your looking for Marshall sounds I'd stick with Marshall. But the Super is a unique Fender amp. Doesn't quite sound like any of the other Fenders.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

I don't have one now but I've had a couple in the past. Damn fine amps. They're not a twin, though (although nearly as heavy). They break up earlier and due to the OT/speaker combo has it's own voice. I've heard it called a 'baby Marshall' but it retains a Fender vibe.

If your looking for Marshall sounds I'd stick with Marshall. But the Super is a unique Fender amp. Doesn't quite sound like any of the other Fenders.

Thanks. Thats exactly what I was thinking..marshall like, but still bears it's Fender roots. The mids are not as complex and it is not as tight as a ss rectified plexi, but has a similar throaty voice.

I recorded a quick clip of my modellers version that I will try to get uploaded at some point today.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

I don't have one now but I've had a couple in the past. Damn fine amps. They're not a twin, though (although nearly as heavy). They break up earlier and due to the OT/speaker combo has it's own voice. I've heard it called a 'baby Marshall' but it retains a Fender vibe.

If your looking for Marshall sounds I'd stick with Marshall. But the Super is a unique Fender amp. Doesn't quite sound like any of the other Fenders.

That sums it up pretty well.
Very similar circuit to the Twin.
But:
less power
smaller OT
4x10
tube rectified
smaller filtering.
Not a Marshall at all.
I have a 1969 that I rebuilt with a combo of Ceramic and AlNiCo Weber's.
Unfortunately, we seem to live on opposite sides of the Continent.
best

 

[JeffB]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

OK. Here is the clip-

WARNING-keep speakers low at first, amp is noisy as hell, and the mic on the camera had to auto adjust input volume to keep from clipping. The VT15 is cranked. Master full, wattage full, Channel Volume 2/3 up. Pulled the back panel off as it makes for a fuller more realistic sound when the amp is on the ground.

Just faking my way around 2112 Overture/Temples. Signal= 335>Orange Box>Vox VT15 (Super Reverb with some Tape Echo)

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

The weight/size of the thing is why I traded away my Super Reverb. DAMN fine clean tone though! Probably the best sounding clean amp I've ever played through. They're one of the greatest amps Fender ever made.

But yeah, they're about as heavy as a Twin. The weight combined with the dimensions of the cabinet make it awkward to move.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

I don't her much Marshall in them but the mids are richer than say a Twin reverb add that to it being tube rectified and using 10's over 12's and they do have more midrange thump overall.

 

[Bludave]

Fender Super Reverb amps

I have. 68 SR. No they are only 40w when a Twin is 80. The super has 4 10's when a Twin has 2 12's. the Twin is much cleaner at higher volumes then the super is. Once the volume gets to like 7 they are just beautiful. Great amp. I have he'd mine for well over 15 years and with no major issues just maintenance. I would look at an older one though the new. RI are made with a lot of circuit boards and the old bf & sf are hard wired to the chassis. Much better performance imho

 

[Bludave]

Fender Super Reverb amps

Early SRV used Super reverbs for his drive. This was before he used the vibroverbs. He used Marshall's for his clean tones

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

Early SRV used Super reverbs for his drive. This was before he used the vibroverbs. He used Marshall's for his clean tones

Huh, go figure.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

Early SRV used Super reverbs for his drive. This was before he used the vibroverbs. He used Marshall's for his clean tones

Not to start anything but the Supers came after the Vibroverbs.

Stevie's early tone was the Marshall Club and Country for cleans and a pair of Vibroverbs for OD.

In the mid 80's he swapped the Club and Country for either 2 Dumbles or a Dumble and a Marshall Major for cleans then swapped the 2 Vibroverbs for 2 Supers keeping both Vibroverbs on hand...one to power his Leslie and the other as a spare or often combined with the 2 Supers.

He also added 2 reissue tweed Bassman amps on his last tour and often ran them in addition to the 2 Super Reverb, 2 Vibroverbs and was still using the Dumble/Marshall Major for cleans.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

That's a hell of a lot of amps for one show.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

Early SRV used Super reverbs for his drive. This was before he used the vibroverbs. He used Marshall's for his clean tones

I heard that he said something like that in a interview along time ago. I just figured he honestly didn't know what he was talking about and that he also filled up a building with a whole lot of amps when he was recording one of his records and it was so loud everything was shaking.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

That's a hell of a lot of amps for one show.

Here is a shot from a session form what I think was the In Step album...

He had a custom splitter made that would rout his signal to up to 10 amps at a time:

Here is a live shot that shows PART of his live rig,mostly just the clean side of things...the Supers, Vibroverbs and Bassmans are out of frame!

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

Love the Marshall 8x12's (or are those 8x10's? I can't remember and I'm too lazy to find out).

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

Love the Marshall 8x12's (or are those 8x10's? I can't remember and I'm too lazy to find out).

8x10...Stevie used to use them in the studio with his Majors, of course the original 10-15 watt Celestions were long gone!

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

Early SRV used Super reverbs for his drive. This was before he used the vibroverbs. He used Marshall's for his clean tones

That's exactly right; the reverse of most other players.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

Here is the thing about SRV using Marshalls for clean...he used a Club and Country which is Marshalls version of a Twin reverb and a Major which is 200+ watts...the Super Reverbs were 45 watts, the Vibroverbs only 35 watts so really it was a good way for him to get the job done.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

I was playing with a harpist for a few months who used one as his main rig and we were often swapped amps at rehearsals. they have 3 differences to twins (apart from the speakers).
1. They are half the power
2. They have tube rectification
3. The eq is slightly different (only one cap tho).

Funny that the super with its 4x10s is actually lighter to carry than the twin - it must have been the smaller transformers.

The 2x12 equivalent is the pro reverb. Given the price of vintage pro reverbs, i've long been considering getting an old super and using it as a head to drive a 2x12. That would be epic.

 

[nedcronin]

Re: Fender Super Reverb amps

I too have a 68 Super. I would venture to think that the model in a 15w SS vox doesn't actually sound much like a Super. They are not at all like a plexi. They do have a fantastic power tube overdrive if you crank them, maybe that's what you associate with a plexi. The warmth of a good super is unbelievable, with a certain "growl" even in the clean sound once you can get the amp up to about 3 or higher. They are also great platforms for pedals. The old ones are hand wired and built like tanks. The original Alnico speakers are like magic. Twins are much louder, much cleaner, and have more of a twang if you know what I mean. Both amps have very good tone controls and a beautiful reverb. I suggest you hit the stores and play a couple. Also, make sure to turn them up to at least 3 to hear what they really sound like.