DIY budget Reverb... anyone tried this??

[rynaro]

Hey mosritians my financial situation is very poor (i am lucky i still have a job but in a low paying one)
So i am thinking of making a budget reverb tank out of an old suitcase. My plan is to obtain a spring reverb out of an old organ or amp, then screw it into the bottom an unused old suitcase. I plan on using a marshall preamp i own to run before the tank and may try a diy tube kit after the tank.

it will work like this:
guitar->boss line switcher->preamp->spring reverb->tubes (maybe)->lineswitcher

has anyone tried something like this?
if so i would love to know if it is gonna be a money pit or if it will sound good.

-R

[thunderhead]

Sounds like a crazy Idea. Reverb on the Run!!! Either a money pit or someting if it worked, you will wish you had made a real cab for. Good Luck!!!

[ElTwang]

Hahaha, cool idea! If you're going to DIY the output circuit why not include the preamp as well?
Do you have any experience in electronics? The way you describe your project, I'd say ''no' .

[rynaro]

Do you have any experience in electronics? The way you describe your project, I'd say ''no' .

not good with electronics ... tried once to build a BYOC fuzz pedal.... it looked ok but didn't work.
-R

[ElTwang]

G'luck with the project and keep us posted rynaro.

[Mr. Bill]

Rynaro:
As you have figured out, building an outboard reverb tank can be a fairly simple thing.

The first step would be to figure out how to drive the tank, the second would be how to retrieve the signal from the tank and mix it with the straight signal.

The simplest way to drive the tank, would be to attach the tank input to the speaker of your amp. This way any signal coming from your amp will be sent through the tank. The down side of this idea is that if you turn up the amp the tank gets driven harder and if you turn down the volume of the amp, the tank gets driven less. This is why most outboard tanks have a small amplifier built in as a way to consistently drive the springs. You could use a stomp box as a driver, as long as the tank you choose has a high impedance input.

The tank output signal is just like the signal from a guitar pick-up, so you could simply take the output from the tank and feed it into the input of your amp. This will work best, if your amp has a second pre-amp channel with it's own volume and tone controls. You will have to watch out for feedback, as you are basically just sending the output back into the input of the same amp. This is why most outboard tanks will have its own return pre-amp and mixer stage.

So a simple controllable outboard reverb could be something like a this:
Guitar>
Y-cord A>Amp input
Y-cord B> 1st MXR Micro Amp> spring tank input> 2nd MXR Micro Amp> Amp input.

With the Micro Amps at both ends of the tank, you can control the drive to the tank (Dwell) as well as the amount of return signal (Depth).

[zarfnober]

I have a point to point(no board, component to component!) hand wired copy of a fender reverb unit, all new parts, in a nice cab.FOR SALE! Musicians Friend gets $750.00 for the fender reissue, which will not sound as good as this one. I'll take $500.00, shipped to your door and, you won't have to do anything but plug it in. I'll even warranty it for 1 year.

PM me and I'll send photos.

Rocco

[zarfnober]

Rynaro, if you want the best sounding BUDGET reverb, either the Danelectro spring king or an Electro Harmonix Holy Grail will do the trick for you. Both sound quite good.

Rocco

[rynaro]

Rynaro, if you want the best sounding BUDGET reverb, either the Danelectro spring king or an Electro Harmonix Holy Grail will do the trick for you. Both sound quite good.

Rocco

I have a holy grail but my girlfriend "borrowed it" and i haven't seen it in a while.
-R

[rynaro]

Hey guys I am lookinto reverb tanks now. Accutronics seem to be the way to go for the best sound.
I am looking into a type 4 or type 9.
Has anyone tried these tanks and which would give the beat sound?
This project is becomeing complete in my mind that I can almost hear it
-r