Someone stop me! (or encourage me :) )

[CapoFirstFret]

Well I've got this gorgeous Fender Super Reverb, made in 1970, non-master volume. Very clean. Had a corner joint break some point way before I owned it, it's been reglued and is super solid, and one speaker reconed by our own Jeff Seal......and now I'm thinking about trying to trade it off.

I don't know, maybe vintage gear just isn't for me. Yes, it's got oodles of mojo, but at the same time, I may want something I'm not scare of breaking or playing out. Something I don't have to worry about having the caps replaced soon or anything like that. Am I just crazy? I don't know. I've been playing my Mesa/Boogie DC-2 with my Blues Jr. live lately, and that's such an incredible tone, maybe I just don't need the Super Reverb. Might try to trade it towards a Dr. Z or something.

What do you guys think?

 

[aleclee]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

If you love it, keep it. If the fact that it's a 35 year-old amp is the main reason you're holding it, liquidation might be a good thing.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

I think it's an amazing amp, and the tone is great out of it. But I'm not using it. I can't pinpoint the reason I'm holding it. I love the amp yes, I think it's got great tone yes, but it's not getting used. Whether that's fear of it going out on me, it getting messed up while on the road, or something else, I'm not sure.

I'll just have to sleep on it a couple of nights I guess.

 

[flank]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

Unless your talking about high end newer amps, i feel more secure playing vintage stuff, as long as it has been serviced at some point in the not so distant past. An old amp that hasnt been gone over in 25 years i would be a little hesitant to gig with, but if it has been serviced at least semi recently, i feel more secure with a vintage amp than most newer ones.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

I was thinking something along the lines of a Dr. Z if I do get rid of it. I almost had a Maz 38 before I got this amp, but the guy I was buying it from sold it to his son the day I had the money (was waiting on insurance to come through after all our gear got stolen). so that was a bust, and so I bought this amp. It's a great amp, it's been converted to a three prong plug and gone over by a tech by it's previous owner, but I still just feel bad about potentially messing this one up. *shrug* I'll probably end up keeping it I refuse to ship it no matter what, so I'll just have to see what happens.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

If you love the tone, play the snot out of it live and let it age gracefully with you enjoying it. No use in leaving it at home. They are not worth *that* much!

 

[Rushfan2112]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

Scott_F's right. If you like the tone, use it.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

well right now I play blues and rock, which is totally awesome, but I'm also wanting to embrace my country and honky tonk roots a bit more and kinda veer towards americana and alt-country. I realize just about any amp cuts it for that style since it's so incredibly diversified. It's just a matter of using it I'll probably just hold onto it and play the crap out of it like Scott said. If ever need another amp (need is such a subjective word ), I'll just give scott a call and have him build me that bluesbreaker I still want badly, but can't justify

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

If you love the amp, keep it and just spen the money to get it up to spec...those are great amps and if it has the tone they hang on to it or you'll regret it!

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

I go thru this debate EVERY DAY.

I will give you a new take. If you can afford to, KEEP IT. If you can get something more practical for you like a Dr Z, without selling, do it.

Here's the X factor - do NOT judge your tone without asking someone you know and trust. Believe me, players NEVER hear themselves. Standing 20 feet away hearing your own rig played by someone else in a band mix might shock you let alone, how you sound thru it. I have been wrong many times about tone because I went by how it sounded AND FELT while playing it. Hearing it is another story - it might be your best amp, you just don't know it.

Lastly, try it in a studio environment - I can guarantee that amp might record better than MANY amps out there!

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

Musical equipment was NOT BUILT TO BE COLLECTED (or collecting dust). Play it, or pass it on.


Of course, I'm not a collector.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Someone stop me! (or encourage me )

I've been guilty of having more gear than I regularly use and now I'm finding I just don't need it around. If the Blues Jr. and DC-2 gives you incredible tones that inspire you and you're comforatable regularly gigging with it, why bother with the Super Reverb? They're well respected amplifiers and very good sounding, but they don't work for everyone.

Inspiration is key. I do like messing around with my Vibrolux Reverb, but it just isn't as much fun to play through as the Shiva. Sounds like you've made up your mind on the amp already, now you just need to act on it