All user reviews for the Fender Vintage Reissue '63 Tube Reverb

This is one of the more interesting pieces of gear that I have ever come across. This basically the biggest reverb pedal you have ever seen. Forget the tape echo lunch box from the 60's this is as big as a guitar amp head. This box is essentially a reverb unit that uses tubes to drive the reverb spring that is suspended underneath the unit. For what it does it a very cool unit.

• 1 - 6L6 Groove Tube output tube
• 1 - AX7 preamp tubes
• 1 - 12AT7 tube
• Dwell, Mix, Tone controls
• Brown textured vinyl with Wheat grille cloth

UTILIZATION

Details
Type Tube
Number of Channels 1
No Power Amp
No Effects
Reverb
EQ Tone control
Amp Modeling No
Number of Models 0
Number of Tubes 3
Preamp Tubes 1 x 12AX7, 1 x 12AT7
Power Tubes 1 x 6L6
Inputs 1 x Instrument
Outputs 1 x 1/4"
Footswitch I/O
No Effects Loop
Height 10.5"
Width 18.88"
Depth 7.5"
Weight 13 lbs.
Notes Tube Reverb - For use in the signal chain between your guitar and amp, or in your effects loop.

SOUND QUALITY

So you would put this box in front of your amp or in the effects loop of your amp to get a very cool and organic sounding reverb. Is sounds fantastic! Any guitar will work and any amp of your choice will work for this amp. You can really shape your tone with the dwell control knob and the tone to get smoother or more out front tone.

OVERALL OPINION

This unit is something that someone knows what it is and knows what to expect. If you have ever spend time with a unit like this then you know what your in for but this is not an amp. It is a very expensive but surreal sounding reverb. It is big and clunky to carry around on your pedal board. So this would be something to consider. If you are a gigging guitarist and need some reverb as and additive then this isn't for you. This is for someone who loves reverb and is an essential part of the tone they are going for.

At new these units come in at around $650. That is a high price for simply a reverb unit but this thing takes reverb to a whole new level. For the simple reverb user this isn't necessary, but for the surf rocker it is a good thing to have.

This is a free-standing reverb unit, made by Fender in 1963. Almost all the ones that you will buy nowadays are reissues but they are still the same basic idea. The idea is to run this between your guitar and the amp, as it will give you a deeper, surf-rock style reverb that isn't quite possible on a guitar amp. With a regular amp, such as a Fender Twin Reverb, the reverb unit itself is pretty small, and is nailed to the wood of the guitar, which gives the sound less room to move around, and thus, less reverberation. The springs are in the center of this unit, and the tubes in it help drive the reverb even more, resulting in some huge sounds.

UTILIZATION

This thing is pretty easy to edit. It has 3 knobs; Dwell, Mix, and Tone. The dwell knob controls the amount of reverb that the unit produces, the mix knob controls the amount of dry signal vs wet, and the tone controls whether the reverb comes out brighter or darker. The setup is kind of weird at first, some people like to run it through the effects loop while others like to run it before the amp. It's almost entirely a personal choice. I personally have had more luck running it before the amp as you lose less volume. The manual explains the whole thing pretty clearly.

SOUND QUALITY

I like this unit the best with my other fender products, namely a Fender amp (almost all the greats like the Twin, Champ, Blues Jr. and Deville will do), as well as a Jazzmaster, Jaguar, or Tele. The strat doesn't usually cut through as well but it still works well. Theoretically this will work fine with any guitar but I'm sure Fender tests it with their own, which is probably the reason that it sounds so good. This is great if you are looking for surf rock tones like Dick Dale, etc. but it can also work really well with a lot of sounds.

OVERALL OPINION

I think that this unit is pretty cool; however, lugging it around is not always a pleasant experience. Thus I'd say leave it in the studio, unless you are a surf-rock player who plays a lot of gigs. If it's not a crucial part of the setup for you than it's really not necessary. For me personally, I don't think I use it as much as I should considering how much it costs. I'd say be absolutely sure that you need a super-high quality reverb for your guitar, otherwise avoid it unless you work in the studio a lot and need a quality reverb there.