Using reverb amp from 62 GE console RC1430A

[davohilts]

I picked up a reverb amp unit from a GE Stereo console that I want to adapt to a guitar reverb unit. The reverb unit came with a circuit board loaded with a power trans. 2x12AX7's, an 6BQ5 and a 5Y3 rectifier. The board has 5 rca jacks which were originally connected to a reverb control (25K with on/off switch), Left output, Left input, right output, right input.
What I want to try and do in connect this reverb unit to a guitar amp which doesn't have reverb and since it is stereo and has a separate left/right ins and outs I thought I could use it with two separate guitar amps or combine the two channels for connection to one amp.
I'm attaching the photofact file which covers the whole console for more information.
Any help would be appreciated.
Dave

GE Console RC1430A.pdf

[olddawg]

I don't think it will be a good candidate for a reverb unit. But, if you have the whole mess, you could use the PT and tubes to make a nice 18 watt Marshall clone. You would need a different OT because this is stereo with two single ended amps.

[davohilts]

alas, I only have the reverb tank, the circuit board and transformer plus the 4 tubes. I was hoping to be able to take the reverb signal and run it into an amp after the preamp stage but I guess not huh?
another bone on the old pile, maybe use it later for something
thanks for the help

[hasserl]

alas, I only have the reverb tank, the circuit board and transformer plus the 4 tubes. I was hoping to be able to take the reverb signal and run it into an amp after the preamp stage but I guess not huh?
another bone on the old pile, maybe use it later for something
thanks for the help

Do you mean you don't have the chassis?

If you have the whole assembly I think it would make a viable outboard reverb tank like the Fender '64 Reverb tank. It has stereo inputs, but you would just need to use one of them.

[davohilts]

Hi hasserl,
I have the whole reverb chassis and reverb tank. I ran power into it and the tubes powered up and I checked voltages and everything seems to work. I guess my question is if that if I put this unit into a little cabinet and I scrounged up a 25K pot with an integral on/off switch I could then wire it into the preamp section of a guitar amp. I was thinking of wiring in some rca jacks to the guitar amp and then using some shielded cables to connect the reverb unit to the guitar amp. I would need to 3 things, the 25K reverb control pot which I would put on the reverb unit cabinet, the channel output to the guitar amp, and the channel input from the guitar amp. I don't even have the slightest guess as to where to wire in the rca jacks into the guitar amp circuit. I have an old harmony h415 that has has a lot of room to work inside the chassis and also a magnatone 262 that I'm interested in adding reverb to.
Thanks,
Dave

[olddawg]

Hi hasserl,
I have the whole reverb chassis and reverb tank. I ran power into it and the tubes powered up and I checked voltages and everything seems to work. I guess my question is if that if I put this unit into a little cabinet and I scrounged up a 25K pot with an integral on/off switch I could then wire it into the preamp section of a guitar amp. I was thinking of wiring in some rca jacks to the guitar amp and then using some shielded cables to connect the reverb unit to the guitar amp. I would need to 3 things, the 25K reverb control pot which I would put on the reverb unit cabinet, the channel output to the guitar amp, and the channel input from the guitar amp. I don't even have the slightest guess as to where to wire in the rca jacks into the guitar amp circuit. I have an old harmony h415 that has has a lot of room to work inside the chassis and also a magnatone 262 that I'm interested in adding reverb to.
Thanks,
Dave

Seriously dude...you can spend hours hacking up a nice old amp to force an anemic reverb out if an old stereo to work with it with lackluster results or you can spend $30 and buy a Beringer reverb pedal and be done with it. I would recommend the pedal. If you can get the reverb unit to work as a stand alone box on the input like a Fender unit, well maybe. But you will have to re-engineer the whole thing and will probably be disappointed in the long run.

[davohilts]

Seriously dude...you can spend hours hacking up a nice old amp to force an anemic reverb out if an old stereo to work with it with lackluster results or you can spend $30 and buy a Beringer reverb pedal and be done with it. I would recommend the pedal. If you can get the reverb unit to work as a stand alone box on the input like a Fender unit, well maybe. But you will have to re-engineer the whole thing and will probably be disappointed in the long run.

the reason that I thought I'd like to try to use this unit is it comes with a full size reverb tank. i didn't get to hear the console as a whole unit so I don't know how it sounded like but it seemed like it might give good reverb. I'm not interested in hacking up my vintage amps, i'd want to add a connection that can be removed leaving the amp stock, but the real issue here for me is learning something about inserting a signal into an amp and how to do so and make it work right. i know its a lot of bother to do this and I could just use my holy grail reverb pedal that I have but heck, this stuff is interesting to me and i like to tinker around because it keeps me from dwelling on what a crappy guitar player I am.
i understand where you are coming from olddawg, and I really appreciate you input.
Dave

[olddawg]

the reason that I thought I'd like to try to use this unit is it comes with a full size reverb tank. i didn't get to hear the console as a whole unit so I don't know how it sounded like but it seemed like it might give good reverb. I'm not interested in hacking up my vintage amps, i'd want to add a connection that can be removed leaving the amp stock, but the real issue here for me is learning something about inserting a signal into an amp and how to do so and make it work right. i know its a lot of bother to do this and I could just use my holy grail reverb pedal that I have but heck, this stuff is interesting to me and i like to tinker around because it keeps me from dwelling on what a crappy guitar player I am.
i understand where you are coming from olddawg, and I really appreciate you input.
Dave

My appologies Dave. I did not mean to sound condescending. It's just that I've seen people spend hours on these old stereo units only to be really disappointed. As was said before, look up the schematic and layout for the old Fender unit. If you have the tank (do you know what kind if tank?), usable tubes, and the transformers you can probably cobble something together by making a new turret board. That would be my suggestion if you are doing this for fun and learning and want something that might be usable. Just my opinion of course. You could do the effects loop mods to your amps later.

[davohilts]

My appologies Dave. I did not mean to sound condescending. It's just that I've seen people spend hours on these old stereo units only to be really disappointed. As was said before, look up the schematic and layout for the old Fender unit. If you have the tank (do you know what kind if tank?), usable tubes, and the transformers you can probably cobble something together by making a new turret board. That would be my suggestion if you are doing this for fun and learning and want something that might be usable. Just my opinion of course. You could do the effects loop mods to your amps later.

No problem olddawg. I've got a hammond reverb tank type 4. On top there are these numbers stamped: 1122-6034. The chassis I have has a power transformer, a rectifier tube, a power tube, and two preamp tubes. There is no reverb transformer so I've no idea how the reverb works. If I build a fender type unit I'll probably have to buy a reverb transformer and I don't know if the impedance will match the tank I have. I'll take a look at a schematic for a fender standalone unit and see what I can figure out.
thanks for the help.

[hasserl]

I would stick to making an outboard tank like the Fender outboard tanks (lot's of others made them too). I wouldn't try adding it into an existing amp, stick with a stand alone unit that you plug your guitar into and the output from the reverb unit goes into the input of the amp.

Dig up a schematic of the Fender outboard unit, they are available online (Fender Amp Field Guide, Schematic Heaven), compare the design of this unit to the Fender and see what you'd have to change. I don't think it would be drastic. You don't have to copy the Fender design, just use it for inspiration. You've got stereo inputs & outputs with this unit, you just need mono, that will leave you with an unused triode if you need it, But I don't think you will. You've got 1 gain stage prior to the 6BQ5 driver tube, that should do the trick. And you've got 2 stages to recover the signal post reverb tank, more than enough. Seems like a cool project to me.

[davohilts]

I would stick to making an outboard tank like the Fender outboard tanks (lot's of others made them too). I wouldn't try adding it into an existing amp, stick with a stand alone unit that you plug your guitar into and the output from the reverb unit goes into the input of the amp.

Dig up a schematic of the Fender outboard unit, they are available online (Fender Amp Field Guide, Schematic Heaven), compare the design of this unit to the Fender and see what you'd have to change. I don't think it would be drastic. You don't have to copy the Fender design, just use it for inspiration. You've got stereo inputs & outputs with this unit, you just need mono, that will leave you with an unused triode if you need it, But I don't think you will. You've got 1 gain stage prior to the 6BQ5 driver tube, that should do the trick. And you've got 2 stages to recover the signal post reverb tank, more than enough. Seems like a cool project to me.

Okay that sounds like it is the way to go!
Thanks,
Dave

[madkatb]

Check out Traynor schematics (google images "traynor reverb schematic"). They had several reverb circuits that were capacitively coupled (no transformer) that may be close to what you have. Only thing is, those circuits are all part of the overall circuit where the signal is "sampled" and reinserted just prior to the power amp. I'm not sure how well they would work as a stand-alone unit placed before the amplifier. All part of the learning curve.

[davohilts]

Check out Traynor schematics (google images "traynor reverb schematic"). They had several reverb circuits that were capacitively coupled (no transformer) that may be close to what you have. Only thing is, those circuits are all part of the overall circuit where the signal is "sampled" and reinserted just prior to the power amp. I'm not sure how well they would work as a stand-alone unit placed before the amplifier. All part of the learning curve.

Thanks for the information! I'll check it out! I'm also going to build a stand alone unit out of the Tonnes of Tone book I have as a project.
Dave