Fender Super Reverb

Speakers and transformers in my amp are from '68 and '69 so it's a late '69 model. It's got the silverface looks, blue sparkle grill cloth, aluminium trim and a Fender logo with tail. It's a 40 watt all tube (even the power supply's rectifier)two channel combo with 4 x 10" CTS AlNiCo speakers. 1st (normal) channel: volume, bass and treble pots and a bright switch. 2nd (vibrato) channel: volume, bass, middle, treble, reverb, speed and intensity pots and a bright switch. The reverb on this baby is a (large!) spring reverb unit that's coming from the Hammond factory, later models don't have this sweet reverb spring any more. No modern features like channel switching and effect loops on this amp. Sound is more important than features, that's why I'm givin' it an...

Lot of people think that their SR is an AB763 (july 1963) circuit because the tubechart says so.. dream on! Mine probably is the AB568 circuit but still originally with a GZ34 rectifier tube. It had balanced bias rather than leveled. The sound was nice and clean (others say: boring), just like you'd expect your average seventies silverface Fender to behave. The '68, '69 and seventies SR's are *very* easy to "blackface" because they all still have a tube rectifier and use the same transformers as the AB763 (july '63) model. Especially the 2 Ohm output transformer makes that magic sound! I had my amp recapped and "blackfaced" (rewired to AB763 circuit), it's a MIRACLE! I recommend this modification to every '68, '69 and seventies SR owner! You will not believe your ears! Can't describe, must hear; MAGIC! The tone is awesome, lots of headroom, beautifull warm sustain, cruch to overdrive when volume set to 4 or higher levels and the reverb from the Hammond spring is soooo sweet! I know I've said this before, but now it's for real. There is defenitely no better amp than a blackface(d) Fender Super Reverb! I think though that it's only suitable for blues(rock), jazz, rockabilly etc.

It's very reliable because it worked fine when I bought it! If you buy a 30 year old amp, have a technician have a look at it! This amp deserves the best! Don't be proud that your amp is 100% original because it's stupid! (one should be ashamed!). Capacitors and resistors tend to loose their capacity throught the years and handsoldered points can become weak too. So if you want a good and safe (!) amp with magic tone, have it re-capped using Mallory blue caps (not available any more) or Spraque orange drops. Have al the wiring checked and use new preamp and power tubes (use a matched pair and don't forget to bias it again) and enjoy that 1963 tone again. If you have a '68, '69 or seventies model: HAVE IT BLACKFACED!! or at least have it rewired for leveled bias instead of dodgy balanced bias.

Although I'm sure they're doing a good job, everybody agrees that "new style Fender" sucks! Just visit your local tube-amp-freak, he can do better things to your amp than Mr. Fender himself

I'm a Dutch blues and rockabilly player. I liked my early silverface bandmaster, my early silverface bassman export, my late silverface bassman ten for the great always-clean 'n' punchy sound. I never experienced (or even heard of) the "blackface" sound. An (internet) friend of mine told me about this. He also got a silverface SR and got it blackfaced.. a world opening to me, incredible and magical! We've tested several blackfaced silverface SR's and also some blackface SR's. They all seem to have their own character but that's the great thing about USA handwired equipment. Even the blackface owners were pretty impressed by the silverfaces. One guy thought the silver was even better sounding than his own blackie! Anyway.. this is my last review for harmony central, as far as I'm concerned there's only one amp: SUPER REVERB. Never gonna sell it, I'm afraid I can't express here what I would do to the thief if it was stolen.

BTW: there are a lot of mods for the SR that can give you some extra boost and or tone. e.g. remove normal channel tube, disconnect vibratopot and tube, use 12AX7 instead of 12AT7 as PI (more gain, less tone though), use 12AU7 as reverb driver (better control) etc. Just check the internet!!

This is a follow up review to my original review 10/4/98. I've had this amp for about 1 1/2 years. This is the perfect amp for what I was looking for in an amp. I play blues, rock & rockabilly. You can't get a million sounds out of this amp, but what it does do, it does it better than any other amp I've heard. 9 howling tubes! Clean for when you need it, twirl the volume knob & you get awesome Fender tube bite & distortion. I play in a cover band & cover quite a bit of territory. All I really need is a delay pedal (Dan Echo) & distortion (Full Drive). The reverb is just beautiful. This has more that enough power for just about any gig. If you're on a big stage, throw an SM 57 in front of the grill & put it in your monitors. Nothing else needed. Just as practically every other review noted, this amp has a very LOUD 40 watts. 4 x 10 CTS alnico's.

I play a '62 reissue Fender strat GHS Pure Nickel 11's, a newly acquired Gretsch Brian Setzer Signature model & a '73 Gretsch Country Gentleman-both with D'Addario 10's. All stock. I use Monster Cable. The amp is dead quiet, but the single coils pick up a lot of hum (what's new). This amp really responds well to what & how YOU play. So, the variety is really in your hands. Clean sounds up to about 4, then it gets a little edge to it. Volume on 10 is ideal for my strat. Back off the volume on the guitar or pick attack & the distortion cleans up a bit. The Gretsch get from 4 to 5 1/2 on the volume. Any higher & the feedback is uncontrollable. I am still totally happy with this amp. I've never heard a bad sound out of it yet. I had all of the capacitors replaced since my original review. The amp really is in top notch shape!

The amp is a very dependable piece. Just keep spare tubes, fuses & you're set. No need for a spare amp. I was a little disappointed in the first guy who worked on my amp, so I had Hal at Guitronics in San Francisco go thru the whole amp. He said that my amp reminded him of a Super that someone had kept hid in a closet for 30 years! This guy really looked out for my best interests! He told me exactly what was & what wasn't original. He replaced everything back to original specs/parts. He's a player too & understands the quest for tone that we all have. I also had him put casters on it. It's VERY HEAVY! He also suggested Tuki Covers for the amp vs. a full-on road case. It was a great move! My back is eternally grateful! If you're within an hour of S.F., GO SEE HIM! He's right around the corner from Guitar Center.

The honeymoon is definitely over. But I still love it! You don't see this many exclamation points in any other review of any other amp. Been playing about 20 years. No other amps. Don't need any other. This is one piece I would run back into a burning building for...But, then I remember why BB King named his guitars Lucille. (There was a fight over a girl in a bar he was playing at, the place caught fire & he risked his life to get his $30 guitar out of there. The girls name was Lucille-He named all of his guitars since then to remind him not to do a foolish thing like that again!) The only thing I wish it had was someone who could run the sound system, tune my guitar, load in & out, get us more gigs, keep the drinks coming, tell the bass player to show up on time & keep him from hitting the bar during the song!!!...Wireless can be an evil thing.

It's a silverface model dating 74-76 with master volume. It's near mint with all the original parts. It has a wonderfull tremolo (called vibrato), great great reverb, two non switchable channels with two inputs each, one channel with volume bass and treble, the other with volume, treble, middle, bass, reverb. Speed and intensity for the tremolo. The super has four 10'' CTS ceramic magnet speakers and a footswith for reverb and vibrato. Ext. spkr out. 40 ''loud'' watts. It's all the features I need. For a 25 year old amp, it's hard to find more features than that.

I'm using this amp with a strat. plus and an Am. std. tele.
It suits my musical styles (Blues, rock, jazz, even disco and R & B) This amp is perfect for roots music. For metal it sucks. The speakers don't handle distorsion very well. With a tube screamer, it just sings My Daddy-O on the other hand sounds rather crappy through it. It just buzzes at high distorsion or farts at lower distorsion levels. With the master pulled out, it sounds a bit better but you loose some reverb. The reverb is absolutly gorgeous by the way. The vibrato too. There is almost no drop in volume contrary to my seventies twin and the sound is the best I have ever heard. Ok, so it sound like a ten for clean to moderate break up. But the speakers don't like distorsion and produce that farty sound that most people dislike about 70's fenders. They're made to be played loud and clean.
I'd give it a ten if it was a blackface or if it had better speakers and blackface mods done to it. I might eventually install some webers or jensen reissue alnicos. The average rating is high in this category but I have to be fair, it's not there yet. It would'nt cost that much to make i a ten though.

It's 25 years old and should last another 25.

I've been playing 9 years and I love fender amps and guitars. This amp is versatile for blues rock oriented players but is not everyone's cup of tea. It doesn't cover every style. For what it does though, it's hard to beat. I got a great deal on it and with some mods, it could be as good has an early sixties super which according to many, is considered the holy grail of blues amps. As is, it falls just short. But for the price, you just can't get a point to point wired all valve amp that sounds better than this one when played clean.

This is a 1966 "Blackface - AB763" Fender Super Reverb 4 x 10 combo. The date code printed on the lower left hand corner of the tube chart reads "PD". The "P" stands for the year (1966) and the "D" stands for the month (April). The production number is stamped as "30". The preamp section has 6 tubes, 2-12AT7 and 4-12AX7's. Currently there are Sovteks across the board in this section. The power section has 2 sovtek 6L6's. There is a US made (manufacturer unknown) GZ34/5AR4 rectifier tube.

This is a two channel amp, "Normal" and "Vibrato." There is no Headphone jack. The footpedal allows one to switch off the reverb and vibrato. The vibrato channel has intensity and speed knobs to control the vibrato output. I purchased this amp knowing the features that it had and did not wish for anything more. Simpler is defintely better. There is of course no effects loop, and to switch the channels you simply pull the guitar cord out of the one channel and put it in the other. What more do you need?

I use this amp in my basement hobby recording studio. It is a very loud 40 watts, more than enough for my application. If I were to use this amp in a band or live situation, I would simply mic it and run it through the PA.

I am currently using this amp with two guitars: a 1993 Fender American Stratocaster loaded with Texas Special pickups and a stock 1994 Japanese Fender FotoFlame Strat. I play primarily blues, and this is without a doubt the holy grail of blues amplification. It makes a little noise, but less than a Marshall JMP or a Laney AOR. It is really much more quiet than I imagined it would be.

The Super Reverb is known best for its lush reverb and clean, full sound. It is brilliantly clean up to about 3 1/2 on the volume, and starts to break up nicely around 4. Above that, the amount of distortion and volume increases proportionately until the volume reaches about 6. Higher than that and the volume does not really increase. This is not a metal or even a hard rock amp. Blues, Jazz, country. . .This is the best sounding amp for these types of music.

This amp is 34 years and I would trust it in any situation. I plan on always having an extra set of tubes available. I'm funny that way.

Never dealt with Fender never will. Customer support exists in the form of news groups and web pages of people dedicated to providing quality information to people like you and me. There is a plethora of information available on the net .

I have a pro service my amp. I would not trust just anyone to work on this thing, and I will not touch it. Tube amps can kill you.

I've been playing for about 20 years now and have owned a variety of amps throughout my life. I own several other guitars, too many to mention, but my strats are my main guitars. I have a variety of instrument and vocal mics, and my hobby recording studio is built around a Roland VS-880.

I waited a long time to buy this amp. I have been in search of the "elusive tone" for years and finally found it in this amp. If the amp was stolen or found among the ashes of my house (God forbid), I would begin the search all over again. I have played other vintage Fenders (Dual showman, bassman, Twin reverb etc,) and nothing compares to the SR.
Even though I payed a great deal of money for this amp, it is worth many times that in terms of the satisfaction it brings. Smiles in a box. Also, I suspect that this and other Fender vintage stuff will continue to increase in value. As a second thought, I consider it a sound investment.

Late 1975 model. Reverb, Vibbroto, 4 10's Alnico's. Complete rebuild Ruby tubes 6L6STR's. Amp put back to pre CBS Black Face Specs. Only feature lacking would be channel switching.

I play an American Standard Strat with Texas Special Pick ups, and a Guild DeArmond X-155. My music style is mostly Blues/Rockabilly and Vintage 60's Rock n Roll. SOUND! SOUND! SOUND! What this amp lacks in features is more than made up by the quality of sound. I wish I had bought a Super Reverb first. After owning several amps in my 40yrs of playing, the sounds this amp can make are superior all the way. It breaks up nicely at about 4 and stays with the creamy bluesey sound even when you crank the volume. For my style and what I play this amp is a 10+++. If you're considering one just read the reviews and then make your decision. You will not go wrong with the Super Reverb. IN MY NOT SO HUMBLE OPINION.

No problems so far.

You kidding? Fender "The Multi-National Corporation" has prayer meetings every day to pray that all their old amps & guitars would just vanish of the face of the earth.

Playing 40+ yrs. Effects pedals Danelectro Dan Echo & Cool Cat Chorus,
Ibanez T-9 Tube Screamer. If this amp were lost or stolen I would definately get another one ASAP. The only thing I can think I wish it had was 4 10" JBL Orange Label Speakers. If you know of a set priced reasonably please email me.

I've been looking for a Super Reverb for some time and I finally found one that was in mint condition and wasn't priced like a Rolls Royce. Mine's a 1969 Silverface. I checked the date through the usual chassis hand stamps,transformer and speaker code numbers etc. The guy who sold it to me also said it was already Blackfaced and that turned out to be true when I had my tech give it a thorough ckeckout. Not only was it Blackfaced but everything was original except that one of the CTS alnico speakers was reconed at some point.The only work my tech had to do was replace the caps on the vibrato circuit. I had a complete retube done with tubes of my preference (Svetlana 6L6GC's were my power choice and my tech recommended Tesla preamp). The cabinet and grill are mint as well. Looks fabulous.

I don't need versatility so this amp has everything I require in an amp - medium power, reverb ( vibrato is handy but I don't use it much)The few other things I might use can be added as outboard.

This amp is about tone...especially for Blues player. I play in a working Blues/R&B band and this is a "holy grail" amp. I traded a '59 Bassman Reissue and a '63 Fender Reissue Reverb to get this thing.I liked the Bassman a lot (especially after I got the Fender reverb) but the Super Reverb kicks my tone to the next level. The Super is just sooooo SMMMOOOOOOTH ! The highs are warm but very clear and the lows are solid. The real plus for me, compared to the Bassman,is the way this amp handles midrange. Anything..amps, guitars, pickups, pedals etc that contribute to an overly midrangy tone (ie: even the slightest hint of "boxiness") drive me nuts. Even the Bassman did that to some degree.But the Super lets me turn the midrange up and benefit from the fatness without any trace of boxiness..even on my semi with humbuckers.And the Reverb is very, very lush.

I use two guitars on most gigs and they both love this amp. My favorite is my mid-80's Yamaha SA 2100 (335) semi. Its got a SD Seth Lover HB at the neck and a Classic '57 HB at the bridge. The Super just makes this guitar sing.Incredible versatility of tone. My other guitar is a former Strat Lone Star that I took the midrangy Texas Specials out of and replaced with Vintage Fralins. The Strat/Fralins and the Super Reverb define absolutely classic '50's Fender tone.It even has me playing "Walk Don't Run" by the Ventures again just to hear "the tone". I don't use much in the way of effects...just a Fulldrive2 to boost it a bit at lower volumes.

I've had it for two weeks and I've used it to both gig and record.The unanimous opinion of my band guys was that this amp has killer tone.And they have heard me with a lot of different amps. Even the drummer noticed.

The Super Reverb is everything that its reputation says it is. Although I'm a Blues guy I can sure envision this with a Tele doing fabulous country tone. Or great roots or classic rock. No metal though.If you dig great blues tone or simply state of the art vintage Fender tone you must get one of these. Not to discount the importance and tone of the Twin Reverb or the Deluxe Reverb ( both holy grail amps on their own)but I haven't played a TR or DR that gives me the same "vibe" as the Super Reverb.Maybe its the mid power (40 watts). Maybe its the 4x10 configuration ( my personal favorite). Maybe both but this is one gorgeous tone machine.

Hard to say but my experience with Fenders are that they are built to last.

The amp's 30 years old. I think the warranty has expired.

If it were stolen I'd search again to find another mint one. Definitely worth the price.

I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF A 76' SUPER REVERB. THIS HAS A 5U4GB RECTIFIER TUBE AS WELL AS 7025'S,12AT7'S & ONE 12AX7 IN THE PREAMP TREMELO REVERB STAGE AND RUSSIAN 6L6'S POWER. MASTER VOLUME CONTROL IS ALSO A PUSH PULL DISTORTION SWITCH. I HAVE SEEN THIS MODEL(ABOUT THE SAME VINTAGE WITH A BASS INPUT)CAN ANYONE CLUE ME IN? I NEVER USE CHANNEL 1, THIS IS RESEVERED FOR MY ACOUSTIC FRIENDS. I PLAY MOSTLY BLUES & R&B AND FOR THIS FORM, IT IS A KILLER TONE DOG. IF THERE ANY DISBELIEVERS OUT THERE SEARCH ONE OUT, AND PLUG IN, NUFF' SAID.

I PLAY A JAPANESE TELE (95') FOTOFLAME WITH SEYMOUR DUCAN VINTAGE 54'S NECK AND BRIDGE. STRUNG WITH FENDER 250'S 9'S. THE AMP WITH THIS SETUP PLUGGED INTO IT IS A LITTLE NOISY AND HUMS.THESE SYMPTOMS ARE NOT PRESENT WHEN I'M UNPLGGED. ANY IDEAS OUT THERE? I ALSO HAVE 2 EFFECT PEDALS. DANELECTRO DADDY-O & FAB TONE WHICH ARE EXCELLENT. AS FOR THE SOUNDS FROM THIS AMP.... WELL LIMITLESS. I GET NOTHING BUT COMMENTS ON MY RIG (PROUD PARENT THING).

I DON'T GIG, BUT HAVE JAMMED A FEW TIMES AND MY ONLY COMMENT IS WHEN TRANSPORTED THE TUBES WERE LOSS AND TOOK AWILE TO WARM UP. BUT NOTHING SERIOUS. THE OWNER BEFORE ME HAD THE AMP SERVICED WHICH INCLUDED NEW TUBES & OUTPUT TRANSFORMER LUCKY ME.

NO WARRANTY, BUT AT THS AGE WHO CARES.

I PLAYED IN A GARAGE BAND IN THE 60'S, HAD A GUITAR IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER SINCE. I PLAYED BASS AND PICKED UP THREE CORDS AND PLAYED THE HELL OUT OF THEM UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO. WHEN I DECIDED TO TAKE LESSONS, THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA, NOW MY TEACHER SAYS I SHOULD BE IN A BLUES BAND, WHAT A GREAT COMPLEMENT. SO BY THIS YOU CAN SEE THAT I SAW AND PLAYED, IF ONLY BRIEFLY LOTS OF EQUIPMENT AND I ALWAYS WANTED WHAT I HAVE NOW, EXCEPT FOR A RICHENBACHER 4001 BUT THATS ANOTHER STORY. JUST A COMMENT... PLAY FOR YOURSELF FIRST.

1965 Black Face Super Reverb. I just purchased this latest as a sister for my other '65 BF Super Reverb. This makes a total of three Supers (one silver and two blacks) and I can say without reservation that these are the best sounding amps I have ever owned. This amp was one of the best I have seen in some time for condition and originality of parts. I bought it from a pawn shop for a paltry $600. These things go for nearly $2000 in California. Like everyone else has said, keep them tuned up and checked out by a qualified tech at least once a year and these things go forever.

For those who are looking for an amp that works for blues, rock and country this is it. All you will ever need is a fuzz (for that rock) and possibly a wah pedal. I just like to plug in straight from the output jack of the guitar.

Reliability is its middle name. If you don't spill to many beers into the back and keep the tubes changed it will outlive you.

Support from Fender? There is no such thing. Not that you will need it. You sit and listen to musak on hold until you forgot why you called in the first place. I have tried on numerous occassions to call Fender service and to this day I have yet to get anyone to answer the phone. I can recommend the web site and one of the discussion groups. I have been much more successful there. Jack Schwartz of Fender will reply to your requests expeditiously.

This amp is worth every penny you can spare. If you buy just one amp, I would recommend this amp.

I am the original owner of this beautiful piece of equipment. I bought it in 1965 for $399.00. It is a very stock amp. I just had it reconditioned by a very thurough co. in Seattle called Bozotronics. It is a two channel revervb/tremelo amp that really has all the features it needs. I play rock and roll, and blues, and classic top 40 stuff if you twist my arm. I have had stomp boxes in the past, but keep comming back to the combination that works best, Guitar/cord/amp.

This is an amp that will bring back all the flavor of the year in which it was manufactured. I play nothing but strats through my amp, and weather its an american standard, or a strat plus, the sound is incredible. At a volume setting of 5 you can go from a clean sound, and just by rolling the volume knob on your guitar, you have a down and dirty blues sound. I have always miked this amp, and let the sound man fit it in with the big boys. Add a fuzzface, and a wah-wah, and you can play any sound from the 60's you can remember.....or have heard on MTV. This is a benchmark amp to which all others should be compared. It delivers the most with the least.

I changed the oil every 3k, and always rotated the tires, and this amp never even coughed for over 30 years. It started to blow fuses a while back, and I had it gone over by an amp guru here in seattle to bring it back up to snuff. I play it an average of 4-20 hours a week, and will never sell it. It was my first, my best, and my favorite.

I have never delt with fender. When they make a product that lasts for almost 35 years.....well what can I say. I know that no where on the amp does it say "MADE IN JAPAN" I make things for a living, and I am proud to be an american, playing an american amp.

If you can find one snatch it up. I have been looking for another in the same kind of condition mine is in, but havent had much luck so far. I saw one in a guitar show for $2500.00 but was not able to part with that much at that particular point in time. It is hard to put a price on happiness, and this amp has been making me and others happy since 1965.

Late '69 Fender Super Reverb. 40 Watts. 2 channels. 4-10" CTS Alnico Speakers. Pure Tube Tone. Reverb and Vibrato (tremelo). Bass, Mid, and Treble knobs, speed & intensity for vibrato. Simple. That's all I need. This amp is probably my favorite amp I have ever owned. Found it in a Music Shop. Gave $384.00 for it. Wouldn't take 3 times that for it. AB763 circuity (blackface). Silverface cosmetics. No Master Volume. Up to about 5 -6 on volume, it's clean and warm. Over that, true overdrive kicks in that is warm and round. Nothing like a blackface Fender tube amp for this kind of sound. SRV in a box. Sparkling highs and tight puncy lows with the 4-10's. Sometime does not have enough power to compete with a bass amp with 300 watts or a hard-hitting drummer, but you HAVE GOT TO PLAY THOUGH ONE OF THESE THINGS TO BELIEVE THE TONE!!!!! Deep Lush Reverb (tube driven). Amp is all point to point hand wired.

Play mostly classic rock, country, some blues, Motown, 50' & 60's, etc. Very versitile amp. Will need to be miked on stage in bigger venues, though really a loud 40 watts. To me, this is the amp to own. Not heavy like my '77 Twin with JBL's (another awesome amp though) Clean till about 6, then warm tube overdrive. Very quiet amp. Great harmonics. You owe it to yourself to try one.

Have just had a speaker blow on me. I guess that's not bad for a 30 year old amp. Will take it to an amp tech and get speaker reconed and have complete amp gome through (filter caps, tubes, three prong cord added, wiring, everything) After this is done, I would have no problem gigging it wiht out a backup. Been playing Fenders for 24 years now and this is the first problem I have ever had. You keep them serviced as they should be, they will last forever.

Fender??? Are you kidding? Amp is 30 years old. No support anyway.

Been playing for almost 30 years. 24 of those years, I have been playing Fender equipment. Bought a new Telecaster and Fender Twin Reverb in 1975. Paid $800 for both. Still have the Tele. Just recently purchased a '77 Twin with JBL's. After I picked it up the first time, I remembered why I got rid of the first one. I would buy these blackface circuitry/silverface cosmetic Fender amps all day long for $384 a pop. The best buy in music equipment today. Blackface sound without the blackface pricetag. If something happened to this one, I would not be able to rest until I got another one just like it. No doubt. Try one and see for yourself. Super Reverb or Twin with JBL's - you can't go wrong!