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Post subject: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:40 pm
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Hey guys, just bought this reverb unit on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=230797584049&nma=true&rt=nc&si=j2pQP%252BfL8WUhfYgPsSxgsH8JRtU%253D&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

The guy says the only non original parts are the grillcloth and the tank (accutronix relacement). SN is R06638 which puts it around 1964. Says everything else, tolex, tranny, caps, knobs, etc are original. Looking online it seems that in 64 they started to use the blackface look, but I guess this is a tansitional peice where fender was still using some of the late brownface smooth brown tolex.

What say the vintage Fender experts? Seemed like a decent price, esp considering the reissues are about 650$. Seem like the real deal?


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 11:30 pm
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Looks to be from August of '64 ("NH") and aside from the tank and the valence cloth, it's "all there". Grab yourself a single-button footswitch with a 1/4" phone plug on the end and you're ready to rock.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:22 pm
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Thanks Arjay. Its great to have some really knowledgeable people on the board here to help verify vintage gear. Its difficult to know what you're getting when you have to buy hard to locate items that aren't local.

Is the circuit the same for the 6g15 reverb units over the coarse of their production 61-66? I assume it is since they all have the same circuit number. That's interesting since Leo was such a tinkerer.

Also does anyone know if these units have a rectifier? I don't recognize a rectifier tube on the schematic, so if it has one I assume it must be solid state. As I understand, modern boutique reverb units use ss rectification as not to "color the tone"


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:58 pm
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Sorry, to butt in... but the 6G15 has three solid-state diodes as rectification. As soon as Photobucket gets fixed I'll post photos of my 6G15. Very cool unit.


http://www.webphix.com/schematic%20heav ... _schem.pdf


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:01 pm
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The 6G15 uses a diode stack for rectification. Here's the schematic......

http://web.archive.org/web/200702192132 ... _schem.pdf

So far as I know there were no circuit revisions to this unit until the first FMI/CBS re-issues in the mid '70s.

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:24 pm
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Hopefully, you can see the photo of my 6G15. I suggest adding a 1 meg ohm grid-to-ground resistor on the output 7025 (12AX7) to avoid runaway & help stabilize the idle bias. You can see the added resistor at the bottom right corner going from pin 2 of the 12AX7 to the foot switch jack plug's grounding point (maybe once P-Bucket is up again).

Image


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:58 pm
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Beemer has the ballgame in hand ! It's a halfwave rectifier design. And his 1meg recommendation is spot on ! Art

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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:48 am
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Indeed, Art......beemer-man is the go-to guy here when the topic is 6G15's. He's rebuilt and improved many of them, both vintage and re-issue.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:05 am
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I have a brown unit from '63 also,I installed the resistor like BMW suggested when I changed the 'lytics and month ago...that is one cool thing to own,it sounds great.
Congrats s3mamill,looks like you got a good one!


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:43 am
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Thanks for the tips/suggestions guys. Will post more when it arrives in a few days.


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:05 am
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Great find! I'd love to have one of these! I have an Egnater Rebel 20 and it has no onboard reverb. After playing a DRRI the last 5 years, the lack of reverb is making my tone, well, lacking. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:52 am
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Hollis, yeah unfortunatley, restorable original 6G15 Reverb Units on the Net, have gone up a lot in $$$ in the last 10 years. The '63 RI, stock, is not a very good unit. At least not the "vibe" of the original ones (IMHO). But, you can fix that issue.

One thing about the RI... very THIN circuit boards. So special care is needed to replace parts. I cut the old parts, at the body of the component, such that I leave the lead. Then pigtail the new part onto the lead. That way you aren't pulling parts out of and into the board (which leads to tracings lifting and other permanent damage).

One other thing, putting in heavy caps (like F&T PS filter caps and Black Beauties, like I did) requires some kinda support of those caps. Like goobering them with silicone seal. As their vibrating may also damage the dang, thin board.

Replacing the ceramic disc caps with good silver mica is a must to get that sparkle outta the unit. As is pulling the Korean made tank and replacing it with an NOS US made one.

The RI needs the strongest 6V6GT you can find. I ended up using an NOS 6Y6GTY, which is one of the most potent 6V6GT made. But, maybe a nice, selected JJ 6V6S may work nicely. Anyhow, here's a photo of the '63 I redid.

Image


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:22 pm
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s3mamill - looks like a great find. Looking forward to more photos.


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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:58 pm
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Beemer, did you try a 6K6 in the RI ? What was the result ? Art

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Post subject: Re: 64 reverb unit
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:42 pm
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Art, Yup tried some NOS black plate 6K6GT... just not enough oomph for the setup in the RI. You need a powerful 6V6GT. In fact, you can "test" your collection of 6V6GT by putting them each, into the Reverb Unit and listening to the "well" tone. The powerful ones have that deep water-well drip-drip-drip, like the classic 6G15 circuit with a good 6K6GT.

I'd imagine even a good 5881 might work. Once you beef up the power supply with good caps and a nice WW cathode-tied resistor. I used a Riken CC in the cathode (just to play around with different resistors I had on hand). Next to a Mills, the Riken is a great resistor in this position.

http://www.partsconnexion.com/resistors ... _watt.html


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