Grateful Dead Music Forum

Looking into a possible purchase of '75 pro reverb. If anyone uses this amp, how do you compensate tone settings without having a mid control? Also is this an ultra linear model.? Thanks Paul

I play a Pro Reverb although mine is a '66 blackface. I also have a Deluxe Reverb reissue. Neither of them have mid controls and it really doesn't hinder my ability to dial in a good tone. The bass and treble controls work such that you actually control the mids by adjusting the bass and treble. It may seem a little odd if you are used to having amps with a mid control but many folks seem to get used to it pretty easily. Some folks actually prefer not having a mid control...different strokes. It is also pretty easy on the older point-to-point Fenders to add a mid control if you're handy with a soldering iron. In fact, I did it on my Pro just because I like to tinker but I could just as easily get by without it.

What kind of tone are you shootng for? Are you looking to exactly replicate Jerry's tone as much as possible, get 'in the ballpark', other?

Also, to your question about whether or not the Pro in question is ultralinear or not: ask the seller how many watts it is. If it is 40 watts, it is not; if it is a 70 watt amp, it is ultralinear.

Hope that helps.

Joe

In the ballpark would be good. I never like too much bass. I believe it is a 40 watt. Thanks for the reply Joe.

I Imagine it would not be too hard to add one if you did not mind modding the amp. you could use the bass or treble spot from the normal channel and the mod would be reversible.

I use one in my band.

I set the controls: Vol@ 3 Treble @7.5 and Bass @ 3 Reverb @ 3.5

Hit the link in my sig to hear what it sounds like.

softmachine72 wrote:I Imagine it would not be too hard to add one if you did not mind modding the amp. you could use the bass or treble spot from the normal channel and the mod would be reversible.

An alternative - and still reversible - option is to put the mid control on the back of the amp. This is what I did as I don't fiddle with it too often. You can use either the hole for the (useless) ground switch or the hole for the reverb foot switch. I did the latter because 1) I never turn off the reverb, and 2) I used the ground switch for a vibrato-circuit disconnect mod.

Joe

Thanks Guys I did get the amp in a trade and and like it alot. Jack, I already heard your songs that were posted on the other thread. And you guys sound great. Really some good energy going there. Are you using JBL's in the amp? I think mine has Eminence speakers in it. Thanks Paul

Thanks for feedback.

No JBLs for me. I've never liked my tone when I've played with them. I have a pretty robust right hand, so transients are spiky already with me. I tend to think the metal dust cap and huge magnet sounds harsh. I prefer paper speakers. My favorites are alnicos made by Jim at Southbay Ampworks. Scumnico is the model. I know...bad name, best speaker ever IMHO. Based off the old celestion blues.

Sadly I have a pair of celestion GH30 reissues in my pro, not the scumnicos. The greenbacks are ok actually. I'm not sure about speaker choices in these open back fender combos, things get a little squirelly, with half the sound going out the bac. I prefer a head and cab rig, but I haven't found a head that does this tone well enough to make me bail. I really love playing through a nice old Marshall believe it or not, so much headroom and better grind when you drive it, but the bass footprint of the amp is so massive it doesn't work so well in a quintet. If I ever do a quartet or trio...it's on like donkey kong. Save your judgements if you've never heard an old Marshall clean tone...so great. Not the "jerry tone" but great.

So, for now, I'm very happy with my shakedown tweaked '66 pro reverb and my pedals. I also use an attenuator to knock the volume down about 6 or 9 dB depending on how big the space I'm playing in and how hard the drummer is hitting.

I think the pro is a great and affordable platform for this style of music...can't go wrong IMHO.

Joe's amps sound great. That explains that nice tone I'm hearing in yours.

Great player too...just did an impromptu gig with him last week. 3 hours! Super fun...lots of jams.

Thanks agin for listening and the kind words about the band.

Jack