Isolating the spring reverb in my vintage fender amp

[Lenard]

I own a 65 blackface fender pro reverb which, if you don't know, has an amazing authentic spring reverb built into the bottom of the case. I always loved the way it sounded and I had the idea a while ago that with the simple construction of this old amp I should be able to isolate it pretty easily and so be able to use it to effect something else, say a vocal recording without running it through the amp or the speakers. At first glance this seemed quite simple. The reverb is already completely isolated from the rest of the amp and is connected by two phono cables. The first thing I did was make some phono to quarter inch adaptors and run a guitar directly into the reverb and directly out of the reverb and into another amp. I then realized that an unamplified guitar could not have enough amplitude to move this heavy, foot long spring. So, I plugged the reverb back into the pro reverb and plugged the guitar into the front and went directly from the output of the reverb unit into a speaker, but I still got no signal. Could anyone tell me what I might be doing wrong? Thanks so much for your help! I have attached a schematic which is huge and annoying.

[Enzo]

Yes, you are assuming that the reverb pan all by itself is making reverberation. It doesn't work that way. The reverb pan is only part of the reverb system. The reason it is out by itself in the bottom is that it won't fit inside the chassis. And the farther it is from the power transformer, the less hum it picks up. SOme small amps DO have the reverb spring assembly inside the chassis. The Mesa 22 comes to mind.

The output of the reverb pan needs to be amplified, just as the output of your guitar has to be amplified. You cannot plug your guitar into a speaker and hear sound either. It need s an amp. That is what the tubes are doing in the amp's reverb circuit.

You can make a stand alone reverb unit, look up the Fender "Reverb." It is an effect unit though, it does not drive a speaker directly. it is made to be used just like a distortion b[pedal - plug the guitar into it and the output from it into the amp input jack.

[stokes]

But even your stand alone reverb will have to go into an amplifier.To simplify things,just plug your"something else" into the Pro Reverb amp.