Reverb tank transplant

[Savoy13]

i have a fender reverb tank from a Dual Chorus (solid state) 2x12 and i was wondering if it is possible to install it into my orange rocker 30 or make a stand alone unit like the one that fender makes. in the past year i have really been trying to simplify my rig and i want to avoid adding pedals unless it is absolutely necessary.

i have done a lot of fairly advanced electronics work in various jobs so i'm pretty familiar with this type of work though i have not worked on any amps before. i know it is far more complex than it would seem. i'm just wondering if it is possible and if so what are the issues involved? if it is not realistic to do this what are my other options?

i have seen tanks for sale on various sites but the info on their application seems to be lacking so any good links will be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance

[BackwardsBoB]

Accutronicsreverb.com can show you how to determine the input impedance and mounting orientation of your tank, and you'll find nice people there who will quickly build exactly what you want (I recommend the short decay) and ship it to you for what I find to be an extremely low price.

You need to mount the tank in the same orientation as in the original application or the springs won't hang right.

Check reverb tank in/out power? for more reverb driving pointers.

[Savoy13]

thanks a lot!

How big of a job is this? if i do choose to do this will i have to modify the amp or simply tap into existing circuitry? is there any risk of damaging the amp or is it like a guitar were if you mess up you can just rip out the wiring and start over? my Rocker 30 is my baby, i would be a very unhappy camper if it got messed up.

[BackwardsBoB]

I don't know. I don't own an Orange Rocker 30, but I see from the page at Orange that it doesn't have reverb, or at least have a reverb knob.

You'd have to tap in somewhere between the preamp and power stage, and take the high impedance signal you choose, buffer it to provide some significant power into the tank, then amplify the output of the tank and mix it in with the dry signal. Doing it right takes the addition of two tubes, though single tube solutions are common, and solid-state buffering is straightforward and works well, but only after you've built the proper low-voltage supply.

Then you're going to want a knob for the reverb level in the mix, and maybe a knob for the reverb tank drive strength (dwell).

I think you'll agree that it's a pretty serious hack job.

If you're feeling handy, you can build a classic Fender-style Reverb unit from a kit like this one:
DIY 6G15 Fender Reverb KIT Tube Stand Alone Reverb Kit - eBay (item 380160469616 end time Nov-19-09 10:01:58 PST)

There may be others that are better. You'd still need an enclosure, chassis and reverb tank.