Session 500 Reverb Tank Placement / amp mod

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

I have acquired the pre section of a Session 500, cabinet, and reverb tank (all work) and plan to build up a separate head / amp and speaker setup. I assume to use the built in reverb, the tank needs to be in the speaker cabinet, right? Reason I am asking is I have seen reverb tanks in PA heads...

I should mention that the large transformer that was part of the amp section has been removed, and a smaller 15V unit placed for the power supply.
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Scott, unless you want to run an extra cable or two between head and cab, you'll want the tank in the head, but you'll have to make the head large enough to get some distance between tank and transformer to keep it from humming.
You COULD put the tank in the cab and run a TRS cable to the tank

You said the pre section. Does that also include the power supply and power amp? On the earlier runs, this was a separate board
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Thanks Lane, it does not include the power amp or supply. It was blown and removed, and the fried I got it from (an electronics tech) made pp a 15V +/- supply for the pre section. And I had thought of doing a TRS cable for the reverb so it could be in the speaker cab.

I also got the remote control for the amp.. Very Happy

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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

In that case, I'd put the tank in the head. No transformer to hum your tank, and no extra cable.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

OK Lane. Gonna dig into that thing in a little while to see what I can do.
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

Scott, I put a Bandit chassis in a head cab that I built, and the reverb works fine. I wondered if I needed to build a shield on the PT side of the tank, but it wasn't necessary. As you can see the tank is close.

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

That's nice, Bill. As I indicated, this one no longer has the huge transformer it had with the power amp. The distance won't be a problem.

I did take it out of the cabinet to have a look. It is a "pristine" 500, having never had any audio mods (other than the amp removed).

I may look at building this into a "rack" to sit beside my seat, and feed it to a powered full range PA speaker of some kind. Would like to stick with 12" for the weight, although I know the 15" would sound better.

I do know the reverb tank will have to go in the bottom of the rack, as that is how it is situated now. (Unless I buy another tank). I will probably mount it with rubber and springs so it "floats".

I will probably make sure it is in fact operational, and if so, I may do a mod kit for the chips, caps, and resistors. I may look at modifying the metal case to make it a little smaller, since the amp heatsink and parts are no longer there.

Gonna be a project. May clean up the Session 500 bare cabinet and offer it for sale, as I don't think I will use it, but might. If I could find a lightweight 15" speaker, I might use the old cabinet to house it.

Lots to experiment with and think about.
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

Tank sits in the bottom of mine with no problems.

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Thanks Kevin, looks nice!

Good news, the pre section works! I connected it to the power amp in on my 112, and everything seemed to work fine. The string effect is kind of more than I like, but I may never use it.

One thing I have found is that the compressor circuit is disconnected and two ICs in the circuit are missing. One is a TL074, the other a CA3094 (ugg). I'll have to study the schematic more, as that circuit may have only worked in the power amp, and may have nothing to do with the pre amp (??? input from others helpful).

Anyway, I'm getting a start.
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

Scott,
My head was a Session that had been cut down from the original cabinet and the speaker than put in a new cabinet as this had to remain taller than most to accommodate the reverb rank. I did not want to have a Session with an external reverb, wether in pedal form or old Fender style stand alone to tag along.
On another note, I have a friend who says his effects remote will only work the amp phaser and reverb while being plugged in. When the 6 prong remote is removed, the reverb & phaser quit. I told him mine worked wether plugged in or not.
No knowledge of the power amp section but feel they're worth the time & money spent.
Kevin

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

The string effect was heavyhanded from the beginning. Add a touch of reverb, play single note lines and you can get decent string parts. But if you want rock distortion, you're better off diming the gain and throttling the master down to 2½.
I believe Mike Auldridge used the string effect of a 500 in post production on this record. I do know it was him and not actual strings.
http://youtu.be/2QwMvS3RFDE

PS: my favorite fuzz when I gigged with the 500 was to dime the gain on an Izzy Plus (that's 24dB gain) and saturate the input.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Thanks Kevin and Lane for the info. I want to use the Session reverb. I think I have it figured out. I too am going to cut down the Session cabinet, but I cut the chassis down on the control part (got rid of the "L" shape). That way I can mount the controls facing up on one side of the cabinet, and the rear panel on the other. Got quite a bit of cutting and modifying of the cabinet to do.

Kevin, my controls work even if the remote isn't plugged in. I may rethink the remote, since the controls will be beside me anyway. I may put the two switched in the remote on the face of the amp, so I can leave the knobs positioned where I want them.

Lane, yep that string effect is HEAVY! I do like the phase effect. With it set just right, you can get a sudo (not real) Hammond B3 effect. Sounds neat on slow, soulful, gospel tunes.

Still thinking about using an active PA speaker as the output. What do you all think?

12" or 15"?
Wood cabinet or the new composite stuff?
How much wattage?
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

With Class D power available as cheap, powerful and light, I'd go for that idea. I think I'd go for at least 250W, and if you're not playing much C6, a 12 oughta be fine
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Thanks for the info on the powered speaker Lane. Yea, Class D amps are doing well right now, and not too expensive. Guitar Center has some blemished stuff for less than $250 in 12" models.

Well, here is where I am at...
The preamp now "stands upright"...

And the tank is resting comfortably...

Once I start modifying the cabinet, I'll remove the top part off about 1" above the knobs...

And cut the cabinet down so it is about 8 - 9" wide total. That will leave some room for rack mount goodies in the future. Right now, I will probably put a blank panel there, or maybe a tray.

The "front" will have a 2" x 1" board to stabilize the top of the bottom half, with a piece of Lauan for the panel screwed on so it can be removed. The upper half will have 1 x 1s (or so) added to make it a box, and hinged like Fred Justice does his cases. I'll put some folding handles on the ends of the cabinet. The cabinet will sit beside my seat.

If you noticed in the top picture, I added an IEC connector to the back panel, so the power cord can be removed. I may add a power strip to the back also.

And don't worry, I will remove the electronics before I start surgery on the wood!
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Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

I will have to say one thing... Peavey glues the tolex down really good on their stuff!

Anyway, removed the covering, cut down and modded the cabinet, and started painting it yesterday. May have some pics later today.
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

OK, here is the finished product...

As you can see, the top is removable. Here in my locale, I couldn't find a set of take-apart-hinges, so I modded an standard set. The latches are windows latches. And, the cabinet has "character"! (old mounting holes, dings, etc.)

Now to procure a 12" powered PA speaker!
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

Scott, I think you have too much time on your hands!
It is an interesting project, though.

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Well, decided to hook it up and play a little... NO sound! Did some checking, some how in the modding process IC U6 (the one nearest the master gain) fell out... so it's off to Radio Shack I go...
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Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Replaced U6 with a TL082, and we're back in business! Remote needs some new switches, so I think it will be totally rebuilt, case and all, and leave out the reverb control.

Sting Effect.. hmmm... I could just see me on a stage somewhere July 4th channeling Jimi Hendrix's version of Star Spangled Banner... on PEDAL STEEL!

Bill, you're right.. too much time on my hands!
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Changed the remote setup... the original was too far gone to fix... and since it will be right beside me, I don't need the extra Reverb knob.

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Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

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