Fender SuperReverb Torres Mod

[M Fowler]

Here is a Torres Super Reverb converted to Super Texan with Reverb and Effects loop.

This amp has been tone poor since the mod was done 2000.

I am going to replace the filter caps which are IC and take out the carbon comp resistors left. I know Henry H (RedPlateAmps) has experience with one of these because I played through one at his shop last week that he had just rebuilt and it was fantastic.

What do you think?

[M Fowler]

Some more pictures

[Structo]

So Torrez took a super reverb and modded it?
I see all the blue molded caps are gone.

Might as well make the changes if you are not happy with it.

[M Fowler]

It has channel foot switching through relay board on top, a radio shack board. It has a dual stage master volume pot a push/pull unit that replaces the foot switch to switch channels. The gain master push-pull acts as an overdrive channel bright switch when the foot pedal is plugged in.

There is Reverb on both channels. Effects loop. The OD caps are Torres branded. The 470R CC caps are crumbly one is 469ohms the other reads over 800 ohm?. Cap job last performed in 2000.

The amp sounds terrible no matter what tubes a guy uses and its more than just replacing the filter caps.

[Structo]

Did you mean the 470R CC screen resistors are crumbly?

[jelle]

I have built an amp with that schematic once, a couple of years ago. I did not care for it. I'm not a fan of the design. I liked the amp better as a superreverb.

[billyz]

That is a later model Super Reverb and even though I am not a fan of Torres mods, those models never sounded good. It never had the good sounding Blue molded caps and the ones Torres used are pretty good.

First , get rid of all the mods. The shielded cable is killing alot of tone too. But when you run it all over the place what else are you going to do ?

The transformers in those models are alot of the problem. Some are Ultra Linear and the Voltages on the PT can be very high. They were trying to get 70watts out the Super Reverb by that point. So, check the Plate voltages to see what you have.

Then rewire it like a Blackface, the hum balance can stay. I would lose all the Metal film resistors, they sound too sterile in an fender. CC's are good. Change the Screen grids to 470 1 watt CC.

You might consider a VVR instead of the Master Volume. Otherwise, try a Dual Pot post PI type.

Get a good layout diagram of a Blackface and follow it.

[selloutrr]

Sad to see a great amp in it's own right bastardized to less glory . Sozo is making a reissue "blue" cap that might help get it back on track.

[Jana]

I will put another vote for removing the mods. I had a blackface Deluxe reverb come across my bench quite a few years ago that had the same kind of "monkey work" done to it. It was the strangest concoction of "look ma, I can solder" I have ever seen.

[M Fowler]

Yeah I think your right that this amp deserves to live again. Perhaps a blackface. I will check into a parts list. I have a lot of CC resistors already.

[selloutrr]

I do think a master volume is useful in crunching up a fender if your interested I can post a mod diagram that you can put in the ground lift hole and not have to bastardize anything you can't reverse in a few minutes.

+1 for restoring it to glory!

[M Fowler]

Brian,

Sure I'll take a look at the MV mod diagram, thanks.

Not sure I want to use fiberboard when I rebuild this Super Reverb rather get a turret board set.

Mark

[Bear]

UL OT taps? Kevin O'Connor (TUT guy) converts the 135 watt Twins to half or full triode operation in the output tubes. With only one pair, there's no halfway. There might be more to his tweaks than that, though. I'd look into that unless you want to pay for the normal Super PT right away.

[billyz]

UL OT taps? Kevin O'Connor (TUT guy) converts the 135 watt Twins to half or full triode operation in the output tubes. With only one pair, there's no halfway. There might be more to his tweaks than that, though. I'd look into that unless you want to pay for the normal Super PT right away.

You do not have to use the UL taps on the OT. They are usually tapped at 40% of the wind, I believe. I was pointing out that this era is known to have Ultra Linear OT in some models. This design can sound good, but usually does not do it for guitar apps. It is however a Very Bass amp design. The real problem is the Power transformers that went along with these amps. You can never get to the Great sounding Blackface circuit, You can get close . Measure it first, it might be fine.

I would do this amp one step at a time. First remove the MODS and do a Blackface circuit. Then see how it sounds. The amp already has a Master Volume, probably a pull pot for extra dirt, they are the worst. I would use the same hole for a better sounding MV. Like a ken fischer circuit Post PI. Or better yet Dana's VVR . By the way this amp Never was a Blackface circuit and they did not sound that great to begin with. Which is why I think it is a Good candidate for MODS.

Another area that has not been discussed is the choice of speakers and even the Cabinet construction. The cabs are crappy sounding too. Glued in Particle board baffle and rabbit joints that fall apart. Even though Fender did use particle board baffles on the Blackface amps, I have out of necessity had to replace a few with thin Plywood (HQ) and in every case it made a noticeable improvement to the overall tone , warmth and articulation.

[Zippy]

Argggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I had an early Torres "Super Texan." That was a sad phase of my life. What a crappy amp. He could never get it to sound anything like his showroom model - what garbage. The floating parts board, no apparent attention to lead dress, yards of shielded cable... Even the custom hardwood cabinet fell apart and had to be replaced.

Fizz, buzz...

The good news is that the experience propelled me to do my own amp work. Thanks, Dan!

Bottom line: Rip out the mods and give the poor amp a chance.