Fender Super Reverb

September 1966 Super Reverb ... mmmmmmm ... I play punk, blues, rock, etc. Enough headroom for anything you can imagine. No mods, all original except for reverb tank.

My '52 RI Telecaster with this amp = bliss. I've never heard anything sound better. My Anniversary SG also sounds amazing, just howls, with this amp. Totally different sound though, obviously with the humbuckers, but also just killer.

These things are tanks. Don't drop them, don't spill beer on the chassis, and it will be a lifetime amp. Just the standard maintenance, which is inexpensive on these simple amps.

Who needs it anyway?

If this amp were stolen I would hunt down the perpetrator and personally see to it that he never played guitar again. I've owned dozens of amps - boutique, Marshall, tons of Fender, Mesa, etc. - and nothing comes close to the sweet growl of this baby.

This amp was made in the mid to late 1970s and is one of the rare 70watt versions. It was GIVEN to me as just a bunch of parts and speakers in boxes. The phenomenal staff at KENDRICK AMPLIFIERS in Texas put it back together, souped it up, and breathed new life into my music. These guys are PURE. After a couple conversations with Gerald Weber (owner) and Dan (engineer) I decided to go with a complete cap job and the whole '65 Blackface modification. It's a fairly straight-forward Fender amp with beautiful reverb and is a perfect match for any blues/blues rock application. I'm not going to get any modern hi-gain distortion here, but, hey, thats why I own a Trace Elliot Speed Twin.
Most Fender Supers are 40watts and thats probably a good output: at 70watts this amp is TOO loud for band practices in the garage studio (the sweet spot seems to be between 5 and 7 on the volume dial), but I do play an outdoor venue 3 or 4 times a year and I can't wait to tell the sound engineer that I won't be needing a mic!

I'm plugging into this beast with a '95 Fender Lone Star Strat. I've always thought highly of the Texas Special single coils, but I had no idea what they would sound like with classic Fender amplification. TAKE ME NOW, JESUS! I can hear heaven already anyway. I've found an application for every pickup setting and the amp is clean, clean, clean.
One of the reasons I sent this amp across the country to KENDRICK AMPLIFIERS for the modification is because they go through every stage of the amp looking for any slight deviation from normal specs. FREE OF CHARGE. They found several abnormalities and fixed the parasitic oscillations. This amp is probably better than new and there is absolutely no flaws in the tone anywhere.

The amp is built like a rock and I expect it to rock for at least another thirty years.

If you've got an amp in need of a cap job or if you want to go the BF modification route like I did, you've GOT to consider KENDRICK AMPLIFIERS. I probably talked to these guys over the phone 15 or twenty times, NO KIDDING. You don't have to wait through an automated voice mail system and you won't run into a more upbeat crew than these guys, each time I talked to them they couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. Dan ultimately ran through a number of scenarios with me and he managed to explain the theory and cause/effect in a manner that I could easily grasp despite my minimal experience with tube amps. Obviously Gerald is world-renowned (he is like some kind of zen tone master when you talk to him) but all the guys who work there are straight up TONE FIENDS as well. I really can't say enough.

This amp provides exactly what I wanted: tone, tone, tone. Nothing fancy, just pure guitar signal with a little reverb. I tried all my pedals with it and then quickly removed each from the signal chain. "I'M STRAIGHT-JACKING IT JERRY, AND LOVIN' EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!" I've been looking for this tone for all my life without really knowing how to describe it. The dynamics floored me. It seems like I've got 10 decibles of volume in my pick. The articulation is like a laser, and the reverb is positively dreamy. Its a superior amp and I really want to thank KENDRICK AMPLIFIERS for their ability to transform my incoherent fragmented descriptions into the tone that I was looking for.

1967 Super Reverb. 4 new Jensen P10R's, all JAN NOS Tubes. Completely Recaped by tech and rock solid. Reverb/Tremelo

Killer tone...from blues to jazz to country. Amp can be soft and it can be loud. Uses 2 6L6gc and does not have the warm tube over drive that the 6V6's have. But with a nice Tube Screamer, you get that and the great clean! NO amp is perfect. This gets a 9

once you have the 30 year old amp serviced They are very reliable

This is the best all tubes giging amp any player could want. Will do he big rooms as well as the small. Its kinda heavy but for 4x10's your gonna have some weight. If don't have the speakers you wont have the tone. Much lighter then a twin!

Early 70s silverface,normal and a vibrato+reberb channel, bright switch and 2 inputs for each channel. Play rock/pop (originals half like weezer, bush, and half slower tunes "similiar" to travis/pumpkins). Use the amps for gigs/band practise/bedroom practise/in studio/bedside cabinet. Played it at an outdoor gig once, was a bit one directional but was loud enough if you weren't sitting to the side too much.

Use it with PRS C22 with the dragon 1s which are fairly trebly on the bridge, but excellent clean sounds can be achieved especially on the 2nd input with a bit of reverb. Also use a v-twin preamp for distortion, which this amp handles a lot better than other old fenders due to it having a much tighter bottom end (or so the engineer on our recording said). I think this is more so on silverfaces because they are more of a 'hifi' amp than an amp that breaks up nicely for blues etc. Depends what distortion pedal you have and how much time you have, took me 2 years to find a sound i really liked with a boss solid state distortion pedal.

little problems - the connector/jack thingos on the vibrato and reverb were bent out of shape and made popping sounds all the time until they were fixed. amp was making strange noises also for a while but they went away! NFI. gets carted around a lot so it has handled things pretty well.

Not applicable

playing 10 years - dont own much other good stuff. the other guitarist in the band has a marshall jcm 900 and a rivera 5512 - clean sounds on the rivera are pretty good, but i would say this amp is better - the other guitarist wanted to buy this super reverb

2 channels, vibrato, no master volume, 40 all tube watts, reverb, incredible TONE.

this thing kicks,clean sound,lots of headroom, most of all amazing tone. If you need more volume you are either deaf or are playing arenas, it is very loud for forty watts. The best way to describe the sound of the super? listen to SRV's texas flood, that is exactly what it sounds like, if you plug in a tube screamer it sounds like the live version of the house is rocking. Many people buy these amps because they like SRV, if you are looking for that sound, look no further.(there is nothing wrong with wanting to sound like this, great tone is a good thing. If you do not want to sound like anybody else don't play guitar).I play a strat and this combination is orgasmic. With an Ibanez tube screamer it sounds great (the box's sound is modeled after the natural distortion of the super). However the amp's natural distortion (mine arround 6, maybe 5.5 on the volume knob if you hit it hard enough )is truly something amazing, so warm and fat, great sustain and TONE, unfortunately the amp at this volume will actually kill you, it is way too loud for normal home use. If you walk into a store and see one sitting there and don't have the money, DO NOT go near it much less play it, you will not be able to play the blues on any other amp ever again. Every other amp sounds like shit to me now. This thing is the greatest piece of equipment (of any kind) i have ever owned, really. Strongly recommended. After buying mine i had it retubed with Svetlanas,(these are great sounding tubes and they are not expensive) added a 3 prong cord ,had the caps changed and it was rebiased. Versatility? yeah right!, look elsewere, portability? don't even think about it this thing is HEAVY, features? not today! This amp is about one thing only, TONE! I have tried many amps vintage including Vibroverbs, Marshall plexis, Bassmans etc. The only amp i like as much as the super is the Bassman (but only the original,i feel the reissue is way off even with different tubes and rectifier)but it has no reverb, another plus for the super, as the reverb is the sweetest, fullest, warmest reverb you ever heard. This amp has the greatest tone in the world, so clean and warm. The distortion is incredible, you can hear every string in a cord even when it's being overdriven hard. You must get this.
I reacently played the reissue super and it sound better than any new amp i have ever tried, but not quite like my original, even though it has the correct sound for a black face fender super reverb. Maybe it's the new speakers or those awfull tubes it comes with, i don't know. I feel the original is worth the price difference, if low on cash, definately get the reissue, it does have the right sound.

Have had it only for about 2 years,and the only problem is a minor scratching sound that disapears as the reverb knob is turned to 0. When played, i can't hear the wierd noise. Old amps need to be checked well.

WHAT?

if it was stolen i would first die then i would have to get another one as you will not be able to play any other amp after the super. I own all sorts of cool shit but the super is really one of my most priced posessions and i don't think i could live without it.

(Follow up review)
Standard features of a '73 - '74 Silverface super reverb. Non-MV, of course.
This review is nearly completely about sound and the various mods I did so far to convert it to Blackface spex.
For what this hunk of 70's junk is, it has some great features and you wind up asking yourself "do I really need anymore?"

I'm using a mex. strat w/ lil' 59 pickup and two soon-to-be-replaced stocks. 7 pickups combinations w/ a push-pull switch.

Okay - I've heard a few blackface SR's and I haven't been able to compare directly, but I think a subjective survey can be just as good, y'know?
The first channel has a brightness mod on it that sort of makes it sound like a tweed amp, and it offers good contrast to the reverb channel bright tones.
Maybe it's just the pickups (though the ceramics still aren't great), but I find myself being able to get SRV and Buddy Guy type tones (esp. with the bright switch) and BIG, Meaty (full sounding) notes. Treble is sweet and can be dialed in with lots of prescence (which I really like to use). Reverb is great, but it clicks when it goes past 7 and loses some volume at that point. Not too bad.
Vibrato isn't super special, but it's great and very useful and inspiring.
Turned past 5 1/2, there's a great mellow breakup that gives you super full and domineering tones - without a distortion box!
I REALLY love the sound of this thing, only last thing to do would be to get a level bias control in there, which might make the tone even better. It sort of grows on you and makes you really enjoy clean and powerful sounds.
Definitely gets a high score here. Mods were an improvement but I can't compare it now to what it was before so I can't say it was a HUGE improvement. Just about perfect.

As with any old tube amp, it's got problems (that can be fixed!). Or more correctly WILL HAVE problems. But that's what you get. It's cheaper but it's less reliable. Can ANY 20+ year old tube amp get a 10?

I'm rating my local dealer, which is 30th Street Guitars in NYC. They're really cool there.

Wonderful device.
It works great clean and really gets it out dirty. Volume is good, though I haven't gigged with it yet.
Truly, I cannot think of a better overall guitar amplifier (Marshalls are great for overdrive and sparkly clean, not really heavy clean, voxes are great for clean and crunch but old one make too much noise, boogies are too much $$$).
The Super Rev. (and maybe a combo bassman or a boutique amp in similar fashion) is really the perfect amp for country/blues/funk/rock n' roll/heavy rock/reggae/rockabilly/and even some electric classical. 4 X 10" speakers? PERFECT!!

Used by Albert Collins, Albert King, SRV, Steve Cropper, Danny Gatton, Chuck Berry, Bonnie Raitt, and a myriad of others, it really is great.
Mod it yourself and don't die and you will praise yourself and be very proud. Or get someone to do it for you. It worked for me and I'm actually content with the sound of something (for once!)

I have a 76 or 77 (I think) Super Twin Reverb....It is a great sounding blues, rock or surf sounding amplifier. Simple untill you get to the augmented EQ. Lots of extra knobs that you can dial in hundred of tone variations from sweet or strange all the way to unbareable or annoying...BEWARE: This amplifier is very loud....I have a halfstack from Russia and this Fender makes it sound like a cricket....I only have used it so far in the studio...no live use...occasional practice...

I use a seventies Les Paul Special primarily.....The fender is capable of fattening up the gibson single coils on this guitar...
My particular Super Twin Reverb is terribly noisy sometimes, I am positive that it is due for a doctoring and a re-tubing....It has a knop labeled "distortion". I tried to use it and I concluded that the label should instead read "make your amp sound broken". No kidding, this is, I guess, a kind of distortion, but it is not the kind you would want to use...kinda sounds like you are trying to pump 1200 watts through a pair of Wal-mart headphones.......ugly...use a sans amp GT2....It gets me any clip or overdrive that I can think of just about.

I tell you what, regarding the reliability: I will get it serviced soon and tell you how long good performance lasts....though maybe that says more about the magician or oaf that gets to work on it...

I don't call Fender.....they have crap to churn out of their newer, better, faster sheiss factories....(boycott new gear until they start to make better product!!!)

I have played for a long time....interpret that however you like...If it were lost or stolen, I would always buy (not necessarily this model) another older Fender Amp....nothing sounds as cool as a Fender.
Nothing sounds like a Fender.....every guitar and bassplayer should have one or two......The tweed era bassman is maybe the best amp I have ever heard.....

This amp was made in 1972.
Its is a silverface, I am disappointed in it, the sound is not pleasing, It lacks fullness and I would rather listen to a diesel truck. I had it into the shop, replaced parts, tubes etc.
When I tooking home I put it in the corner where it has sat for the last 20 years. The more I thought about it the more angry I got.
I checked the speakers, they had beed reconed found one reverse from normal polarity. Why didn't the tech catch it. Am truly wondering if he wasn't in a big hurry. I can preamp it, with a new fender deluxe, Thats the only way it sounds good. Any suggestions welcome.
Have thought about a blackface change over, I'm so dang mad at this thing. It stinks.

I use several different pickups and guitars, the noise level is there but the tone quality is thin and it would be an ebarassement to solo it.

Reliability, is good I keep trying it and putting it away. It always starts up.

I have read many good things about this type of amp, Mine isn't a good one.

1969, silverface, cts spkrs, all original, i traded a dr z head for this amp. reverb a bit noisy, probably needs a new tube. reason i traded a new production amp for this is the versatility factor and the classic fender sound...

breaks up a bit early, but pure fender clean tone. i had decided to ditch old fenders, as i have had a few, because if figured that if i were going to have one amp, it would be a new one so i wouldnt have to work on it a lot... old ones need a lot of care, but i found a good tech nearby and decided to settle on what i really wanted... the tone is what brought me back to an old fender....

don know

i changed my mind about the older amps, at one time there was no way i would have one anymore, i tend to never have more than one or two amps and always wanted a new one, but no more,,, the older tones fit my style a lot better... you can only play one at a time and it is going to be an old fender...

45 watt tube - 1973 - '74, 4 inputs (2 on each channel), speed & intensity for vibrato, reverb, M, B, T, & volume for 2nd channel. V, T, & B for 1st. My SF SR is around '73, so no master volume or crazy degenerate wiring (well, actually...). Bright switches on each channel.
Solidly built, 1 original speaker (3 eminence alnico's), and that's about it. It has a bright, thick, or mellow tone, depending on how one sets it up. Great features, no distortion (it comes naturally, of course). No extras or unneeded add-ons (just reverb & "vibrato").

I use a mex. strat w/ a lil' 59 bridge pickup (the others are going to be replaced soon). I picked this up about a month ago and since then it had some noise, but that was mostly fixed (loose grille, bad speaker soldering). I currently have the chassis pulled out and am about to do some mods on it, bringing the design more or less back to blackface standards.
Anyway, the sound it bright, loud, and clear. The distortion (past 6 on volume)is fabulous. Singing, sweet, and LOUD. I have a Mesa bottle rocket for more overdrive, so I don't have to crank the amp too much to get a good sound. The pedal, by the way, sounds very good with the amp.
Sounds are full and clear. I've have an Ultimate Chorus and have owned an old Gibson Invader, and this has more sonic fullness than either of them. I love the bright switches. Wouldn't get another amp without 'em. Excellent for any style, single coils are cool. Only thing is the noise (somewhat buzzy). Maybe its just the single coils, but I think something in the mix isn't grounded.
HOWEVER, since I haven't really modified my SR yet, I can't truly predict its new sound. I'll update this review when I can, but I don't want to review something that I haven't heard yet. Other people on this board have spoken favorably about their BF'ed Silvers, though.

It's old. It's tube. It requires fixin', either from yourself or a specialist. I took it in to the place where I got it to have it checked (it was emitting a crackling noise), and that helped. Ya gots ta look after it. So, I'll give it a 7. I don't think that any other 30 year old tube amp could really get a better diagnosis.

From the shop where I bought it? Great. Why would you go to Fender with an old tube amp like this? The guy/girl who constructed it has long since retired.

If you're willing to commit to it, sky's the limit. It's like getting married. My other Gibson required 7591 (very very very very very rare tubes)and I...uhhh...divorced her. Take care of yer amp.
About the mods, I think that some were already done to my SR. I am by no means an expert at this stuff, and I hope it works out well. The supressor caps were already removed, some resistors changed. Looks like the process was started but never finished.
BY THE WAY, I played through 5 different SR's before deciding. One late 60's Silverface was great, but $1000 and I couldn't transport it. Another was a $729 Master Volume, which was a bit thin and had the "undesirable" circuit. Two others were blackfaces that truly were not better sounding than the amp I have now. Difference between BF's and SF's?
BF's: more bass, tighter, less bright, a little thicker sounding. More focused reverb.
SF's: CHEAPER, tight tone, brighter, and deep reverb.
ALSO, you can always modify the hand wired circuitry.
For anyone attempting to blackface a silverface, here are some tips:
1. Remember to discharge (ground) the filter caps - touch screwdriver to caps (preamp tubes?) and chassis.
2. Remove caps on the power tubes.
3. Compare schematics - change a few resistors around (47K's to 82K and 100K, etc.). Also capacitors.
4. Possibly upgrade the "chocolate drop" caps to new ones.
5. Change bias filter caps to bias filter cap (100uf@100V). Change another cap in the chassis.
6. There's a GZ34 rectifier in the AB763 circuit, a 5U4GB in the SF one.
7. Have fun and experiment.
I'd rather not spend upwards of $1000 on an amp, and it'll cost less than $50 and a few hours to modify a cheaper Fender.
Given the affordability, ease of modification (I hope!), and sound of this amp (4 X 10" speakers! Yay!), it gets a very good overall review.