Silverface VS Blackface~~~Pro Reverb

[Nightlie123]

Re: Silverface VS Blackface~~~Pro Reverb

I agree with you. Most people prefer blackface over several reasons
1. They think they sound better (this is a very opinionated subject)
2. They like more vintage amps
3. Non master volume
4. cosmetics
5. Blackfaces generally have better and more efficient speakers
I have owned silverfaces and blackfaces. I would disagree with blackfaces sounding better than silverfaces with master volume. The reason why people frown upon silverfaces is first, they don't tweak.. As long as you turn the master volume past 5 or 6, you can get that touch sensitivity of a blackface. Silverface +upgraded speakers will blow your mind away. If you don't like master volume, I can't help you.. I like having a master volume because it makes the amp more tweakable for me. I tweak my amp and having a master volume really helps.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Silverface VS Blackface~~~Pro Reverb

Welcome to the forum Nightlie123. I know this is an ancient thread, but since it's still searchable on the internet, I'll add this.

I've had both blackface and silverface amps, and my favorite of them is a 74 SF Pro Reverb that I bought from Aspen Pitman's cousin, which means it had either been owned or worked on at Groove Tube. Local tech, and Dokken's first guitarist, Greg Leon, was the last guy to tweak it to perfection. Mine is a non master Pro Reverb, which made it easier to blackface.
Speakers also go a long way in making it perfect. Mine has a Jensen C12N on the left and a beefier sounding Emi Swamp Thang on the right. It sounds absolutely glorious.

I found this youtube of Gerald Weber discussing the SF to BF conversion, to answer the question of the original post.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Silverface VS Blackface~~~Pro Reverb

It sure did sound good to me...and compared to the stuff sitting in the local GC, it was a breath of fresh air. I don't really need a new amp, as I have a Musicman HD-150 which I think sounds great, but it would be nice, and the SF Pros are half the going price of the BF amps. Might just have to suck it up and save my coin a bit longer, eh?

no need to gas for a fender.... musicmans are damn nice amps. If you want a change of pace, or think that the grass might be greener, try removing the clipping diodes (they are easy to find near the input section) and replacing them with either LED's for a smoother drive. If you want serious fender style clarity and chime, remove them completely. You can do this one channel at a time to hear the difference.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Silverface VS Blackface~~~Pro Reverb

As TGWIF said, there are many different series of silverface amps.
If you get an early one, then the circuit is exactly the same as the blackface with just a couple of component values changed. If you get one from 1969, they slightly changed the circuit, but you can swap a couple of components to get the blackface sound. IF its one of the later models with a master volume, then you can still modify them to get the blackface sound. The only ones that really wont ever sound quite the same (but great in their own right) is the later ultralinear designs due to the nature of their transformers. All of these amps tho can sound super fat and warm without too much difficulty.
Whatver model amp you find, chances are that it will need some kind of overhaul to bring it back to its original glory, so you might as well get it seasoned to taste while you (or your tech) are digging around in there.

Speakers are a whole other issue. Withe the amazing selection of gorgeous sounding speakers out there currently its really a moot point what came in the amp stock.
If you want fat, bassy, jazzy and loud, its very hard to go past a pair of eminence cannabis rexes. If you want something thick and warm that also slightly damps the volume of the amp, allowing you to turn it up a knotch or two and run the tubes a bit hotter, then you can't go past eminence texas heats. There are of course many many other great speakers out there, but these are the pick of the bunch for vintage fenders IMO.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Silverface VS Blackface~~~Pro Reverb

no need to gas for a fender.... musicmans are damn nice amps. If you want a change of pace, or think that the grass might be greener, try removing the clipping diodes (they are easy to find near the input section) and replacing them with either LED's for a smoother drive. If you want serious fender style clarity and chime, remove them completely. You can do this one channel at a time to hear the difference.

Wow, a lot has happened since I wrote that. LOL.

I loved that Music Man amp, stock, so much that I kept it and sold the '68 Bassman head I had for a while. That sounds completely crazy, but I said it then and will say it again now...the Music Man could do ANY sound the Bassman could, plus all the sounds the Bassman couldn't do.

I eventually sold it to the bass player in my band. He used it through a Trace Elliot cab, and it KILLED for bass.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Silverface VS Blackface~~~Pro Reverb

Welcome to the forum Nightlie123. I know this is an ancient thread, but since it's still searchable on the internet, I'll add this.

I've had both blackface and silverface amps, and my favorite of them is a 74 SF Pro Reverb that I bought from Aspen Pitman's cousin, which means it had either been owned or worked on at Groove Tube. Local tech, and Dokken's first guitarist, Greg Leon, was the last guy to tweak it to perfection. Mine is a non master Pro Reverb, which made it easier to blackface.
Speakers also go a long way in making it perfect. Mine has a Jensen C12N on the left and a beefier sounding Emi Swamp Thang on the right. It sounds absolutely glorious.

I found this youtube of Gerald Weber discussing the SF to BF conversion, to answer the question of the original post.

Great vid. Very informative. Makes me want to get into amp modding.