Tremolo TMB surgery

[Bieworm]

Howdee! For those who don't follow me on instagram (@bieworm) or youtube (bjorn vanheusden) I'd like to update you on some changes I made to my last Tremolo TMB build.
It's strictly subjective and personal, but I can't bond with the 1-tube-reverb on any amp. So also not on the Tremolo TMB..
I decided to disable the temptation of still using the reverb out of laziness by entirely removing the reverb circuit and all components involving it.
To me the Tremolo TMB sounds best without reverb in the circuit. However minor the difference in tone with or without the reverb circuit, it still affects the sound in a less desirable way (to me). I like it better with a tank in front of it, or through the FX loop. Although on the latter there is that gain suck again

https://youtu.be/IVxkfljoIYo

[Daviedawg]

Although I cannot comment on the circuit you are describing, I have only used a separate spring reverb for a long time now. In my case a Fender 63 clone. There is a lot of fexibility in drive, tone and mix. Not all reverb is equal.
The upside is that one unit serves all amps. The downside is another box with heavy iron to move around and a load more knobs to set right for what you want. I can see big benefits in a built in reverb for gigging.

Dd

[Bieworm]

Although I cannot comment on the circuit you are describing, I have only used a separate spring reverb for a long time now. In my case a Fender 63 clone. There is a lot of fexibility in drive, tone and mix. Not all reverb is equal.
The upside is that one unit serves all amps. The downside is another box with heavy iron to move around and a load more knobs to set right for what you want. I can see big benefits in a built in reverb for gigging.

Dd

Me too. I have built 2 of those
One with a 6K6 and one with a 6AQ5 driver

[chaliapin]

Sounds great bie but to be honest all your demos sound good...

You prefer the fender or the Australian anzac one or whatever it's called?

Better in the passive loop or out in front? I still haven't added the passive loop...

[Bieworm]

Sounds great bie but to be honest all your demos sound good...

You prefer the fender or the Australian anzac one or whatever it's called?

Better in the passive loop or out in front? I still haven't added the passive loop...

In the front, definitely! It adds noise, but it’s way better and there’s no gain or tone suck.
The fender 6G15 is better than the Lamington (Aus) by factor 10! Both mine are 6G15 inspired. The one with the 6AQ5 is less effective than the 6K6 type, but still plenty Dick Dale territory though. Both have their benefits but if I hd to choose it would be the 6K6 for sure

[JMPGuitars]

Did I post my latest version of the 1 tube reverb? I don't remember...but it's crazy now. You can go swimming in it, and it's pretty darn quiet. I used shielded wires for the reverb pot; 2M reverb pot (instead of 1M); 22µF instead of the 10µF cathode cap (1 22µF on each cathode). I also decoupled the rest of the preamp from the PI, but that may not be necessary.

My "Dragon" amp in this demo is a Tremolo TMB Xtra with the modified reverb:

[Bieworm]

Did I post my latest version of the 1 tube reverb? I don't remember...but it's crazy now. You can go swimming in it, and it's pretty darn quiet. I used shielded wires for the reverb pot; 2M reverb pot (instead of 1M); 22µF instead of the 10µF cathode cap (1 22µF on each cathode). I also decoupled the rest of the preamp from the PI, but that may not be necessary.

My "Dragon" amp in this demo is a Tremolo TMB Xtra with the modified reverb:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLm_nj71nq0

Nice!! But with a large reverb level the 1 tube type washes away the riffs. The stand alone tank delivers a lot more reverb, but your riffs stay more focussed.
https://youtu.be/fwxqR2DgTJI?feature=shared

[JMPGuitars]

Nice!! But with a large reverb level the 1 tube type washes away the riffs. The stand alone tank delivers a lot more reverb, but your riffs stay more focussed.

That sounds to me like you'd prefer the reverb voiced brighter rather than warmer.

[Bieworm]

Nice!! But with a large reverb level the 1 tube type washes away the riffs. The stand alone tank delivers a lot more reverb, but your riffs stay more focussed.

That sounds to me like you'd prefer the reverb voiced brighter rather than warmer.

I do. That’s the advantage of the tone control on the tank

[JMPGuitars]

That sounds to me like you'd prefer the reverb voiced brighter rather than warmer.

I do. That’s the advantage of the tone control on the tank

Yeah, but rather than a simple bright/fat switch, you could implement a tone control instead, even with the 1 tube reverb. That could be a fun project.

[Bieworm]

Yeah, but rather than a simple bright/fat switch, you could implement a tone control instead, even with the 1 tube reverb. That could be a fun project.

Well, I may have inspired you
Anyway, isn't a tone stack gonna soak up gain more than without it? That would affect 'just' the thing that gives the amp its character IMHO

[JMPGuitars]

Yeah, but rather than a simple bright/fat switch, you could implement a tone control instead, even with the 1 tube reverb. That could be a fun project.

Well, I may have inspired you
Anyway, isn't a tone stack gonna soak up gain more than without it? That would affect 'just' the thing that gives the amp its character IMHO

Not a tone stack, a tone knob. We're talking about an experiment, we'll know when we know. A full tone stack would probably need a driver, but we're not going there.

[Bieworm]

Ok! I’m busy with other stuff at the moment, but when I find some time I’ll re-implement the reverb circuit in the ironside amp and do some experimenting