I have a spring reverb! But how to wire?

[smoguzbenjamin]

Hi guys!

I just found out that I am the proud owner of a spring reverb... Is it as simple as connecting signal to one set of wires, and ground to the other, or what?

Is there any circuitry involved?
cheers
Ben

[zeta55]

Check out http://sound.westhost.com/project34.htm

[smoguzbenjamin]

I was considering turning this into a semi-stompbox design, with the reverb tank mounted onto my pedalboard, and the switch and circuitry elsewhere in a stompbox...

I still have one unanswered question though.

There are 4 wires poking out of my reverb springs. A red and brown wire at each end. Do I connect brown to ground and red as in/out?

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

A red and brown wire at each end. Do I connect brown to ground and red as in/out?

Probably. But, BE CAREFUL!! because, it is easy to burn out the driver coil.
No, I can't tell which one that is.. but, as you know, bumpinga spring reverb gives a 'boinnngg' signal out, so I suppose it is possible to listen for this at each end & see which one sounds right!

[smoguzbenjamin]

Cool I want a reverb unit, but I' a poor chap, so this'd be a perfect solution. Only, the LM386 chip needed for the circuitry is only available to me through mail order, ad I never manage to fill the 20 euros minimum order. I could get the 6V version of the LM 386, but that's not what I want  :x

[Peter Snowberg]

Reverb tanks come with many different coils, so beware about that. Some circuits will work, some won't depending on your tank.

Also look for Craig Anderton's Stage Center Reverb. I think it may be a project at GGG.

If you connect the receiving end up to an amp, just like a guitar, that gets the sound out....  An LM386 works well as a driver if you have a tank with a low send impedance.

As Paul was saying... if you put one on your pedalboard, be preparred for a lot of annoying noise every time you stomp an effect.

Good luck!
-Peter

[Aharon]

The tank should have IN and OUT written on it.
Look for any numbers on a sticker too,that'll tell you what input impedance you have.Something like 8DB2C1D.
If there's no numbers tell us the brand,or if you got it from an organ.All clues as to what circuit could work there.
Aharon

[smoguzbenjamin]

I got the reverb tank from a "Keyboard control center KB-15" and the PCB has "OAK" stamped all over it. It's got two springs, and on one end it has a green sticker, and on the other it has a red sticker.
On the side of the green sticker the coil goes through the coil that the sticker is on, and on the red end, it goes over the coil with the sticker on it.

BTW, I never stomp hard on my FX, I'm generally quite calm. I'm having trouble finding a band to play with, and so I've never played a gig in my whole life   I only use the FX for music lessons at school and for personal pleasure. I like guitar FX!  :twisted: It makes my playing sound much better because you don't hear the mistakes :twisted:

[smoguzbenjamin]

I got the reverb tank from a "Keyboard control center KB-15" and the PCB has "OAK" stamped all over it. It's got two springs, and on one end it has a green sticker, and on the other it has a red sticker.
On the side of the green sticker the coil goes through the coil that the sticker is on, and on the red end, it goes over the coil with the sticker on it.
Can't I just measure the impedance with my multimeter? :?

BTW, I never stomp hard on my FX, I'm generally quite calm. I'm having trouble finding a band to play with, and so I've never played a gig in my whole life   I only use the FX for music lessons at school and for personal pleasure. I like guitar FX!  :twisted: It makes my playing sound much better because you don't hear the mistakes :twisted:

[Mark Hammer]

Take a peek at the Accutronics website.  There are some recommendations there for mounting reverb pans.  Some they recommend to mount flat pointing up, some flat pointing down, and some mounted with the long side pointing up/down (i.e., along the side of an amp chassis).  I gather this has something to do with shock absorption and the way in which the springs are suspended.  Even if you aren't terribly boot-heavy yourself, there is the question of the springs picking up vibrations from speakers, etc.

[smoguzbenjamin]

I was going to mount it the way it was in the keyboard amp I ripped it out of... Flat down :mrgreen: But I'm afraid of stripping the wires, I might just break 'em and then I'll have a spring box without wires...

[Aharon]

It's probably a 200 ohm to 500 ohm tank.
Solid state is the way to go.
I built the Stage Center Reverb from JD's and and it works very nicely.My tank is 250 ohms inputZ
Aharon

[smoguzbenjamin]

Cool... any ideas about the red/green stickers? I'm worried I'll blow it up by wiring backwards...  :?