Fender Twin Reverb to Head only

Jeff Pickering · Post by **Jeff Pickering** » 21 Aug 2013 11:08 am

I thought I'd get some opinions on the forum for my situation. I recently posted a question about JBL speaker replacements for my old Twin. This is still a viable option, but doesn't reduce the weight a whole lot. I'm considering taking the amp out of the Twin and making a head only Twin. The next thing would be to decide on a speaker cabinet. I have a 1980 Session 500 with a single 15" black widow. For dollar savings sake, could I use this speaker with the Twin head (I don't know a lot about ohms and such) Or I could buy a new either 12 or 15 speaker that would be lighter?

I've found a couple of places on the internet to buy the head cabinet. Has anyone done this and have a recommendation on which to buy? Also, I'd like some thoughts about the speaker cabinet options. Weight is an issue, but I don't want to sacrifice too much tone.

Thanks!

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 21 Aug 2013 11:28 am

I split my Twin, and it definitely is easier on the back. However, I didn't like the the closed back 2-12cabinet,(to bassy for my taste) so I made it an open back, and I love it. Your BW should sound fine with the Twin Head, although I haven't tried it, cause I love the JBL'S. Mather in Nashville, can make your head cab. for about 250bucks. Or like me, if you have a table saw, a router, and some clamps, you can get wood, tolex, and hardware for head and speaker cab for 150bucks, and build it yourself. Good Luck. Almost forgot, I think most Twins are 4ohms, and my two 8ohm JBL'S makes it a 4ohm load. My Session amp with a 15" BW is also 4ohms, and that likewise would work with the Twin.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 21 Aug 2013 12:34 pm

I think Fo'Bro Rick Johnson charges a bit less for the head cabs.

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 21 Aug 2013 1:38 pm

The finest cabs that I've ever seen are made by Larry Rodgers of Rodgersamplifiers.com
He's agreat guy to deal with too.

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 21 Aug 2013 2:28 pm

Plus for Rick Johnson cabs. Never seen any better and he knows what steel players need.

The Session 500 cb would be a fine separate speaker cab, too.

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 21 Aug 2013 5:29 pm

I've got three Rick Johnson cabinets now. He does A+++ work at a very reasonable price. Love my RJ cabs.

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 21 Aug 2013 5:58 pm

Don't get a Showman-height cab, go for a proper reverb cab... if the transformers get close to the reverb pan you'll get hum. The Dual Showman Reverb cabinet would be perfect.

Jeff Pickering · Post by **Jeff Pickering** » 22 Aug 2013 5:01 am

Thanks for the suggestions!

Ian Sutton · Post by **Ian Sutton** » 22 Aug 2013 8:03 am

I've definitely heard conflicting reports whether or not the reverb pan in the shorter-sized head creates noise. Is it a 'your mileage may vary' sort of scenario dependent on tank placement, or is there a hard and fast rule? Just curious.

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 22 Aug 2013 9:50 am

Cabinets by Rick Johnson, black widow speaker via a spent Session 500

said speak in action

http://steelguitarnetwork.com/video/big-time-opps

Spiffy covers by Sharp, tailored made, makes it good to go

Jeff Pickering · Post by **Jeff Pickering** » 22 Aug 2013 10:37 am

Wow Gary! That's exactly what I had in mind, except I'll probably go with black tolex! BTW..did your gear survive the OOPS?

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 22 Aug 2013 10:39 am

Survived with flying colors, including a facial red hue that made me look like I just returned from a remote island....

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 23 Aug 2013 3:54 am

I have my Vibrosonic in a head/cab configurtion. The reverb pan is in the speaker cab, works great.
The Dual Shoman head cab is the size of a combo....

Jeff Pickering · Post by **Jeff Pickering** » 23 Aug 2013 5:17 am

Olli,

That looks great!

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 23 Aug 2013 5:54 am

Those are stock Mojotone cabinets.

Mike Poholsky · Post by **Mike Poholsky** » 25 Aug 2013 4:24 pm

If you want to save a few bucks, I've seen guys just use the Twin cabinet as the speaker cabinet. Just find or make a filler for the slot, after you take the chassis out.

Jeff Pickering · Post by **Jeff Pickering** » 26 Aug 2013 10:31 am

Hey Mike...I'll probably use the Twin cabinet for my home/recording speaker cabinet, but it's got the JBL's in it and still would be a bit heavy. I'm thinking of going the single 15" route with the Telonics NEO or my old 15" Black widow from a defunct Session 500. I'm about saving a few bucks where I can though!

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 26 Aug 2013 2:37 pm

Rick Johnson for sure. Rick made the head and the two extension cabs. My cabs are loaded with 15" K130's and are open backed. Love the rig, much easier to move. No reverb hummmmmm. Infact, this amp is very quiet. I place the head on my right side on the floor, adjacent to my volume pedal, and I keep my amp volume on 10(controled with pedal)---quiet as a dead church-mouse. (Sorry 'bout the picture quality) YMMV

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 30 Aug 2013 3:44 pm

Olli Haavisto wrote:I have my Vibrosonic in a head/cab configurtion. The reverb pan is in the speaker cab, works great.
The Dual Shoman head cab is the size of a combo...

Reverb pan in the speaker cabinet- great idea! Why didn't I think of that? I split my Twin Reverb into a Dual Showman head and a built a 1 x 15 cabinet. In the end I found it bulky and cumbersome and it took up more space in the van. I went back to the combo cabinet. I'm sure I would have liked it better with the smaller profile Showman head. Great looking rig Olli!

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 30 Aug 2013 5:12 pm

Olli Haavisto wrote:I have my Vibrosonic in a head/cab configurtion. The reverb pan is in the speaker cab, works great.

ONLY if you intend to stack your head on your speaker cab always. If you place your head next to you and place your cab elswhere on stage, you will always have to have your reverb cables THAT long. The shorter you can keep your reverb cables, the better you are. I place my head cab next to my volume pedal on the right, and one cab behind me 5-6 foot, and the other cab across stage. I have absolutely zero issues with my reverb tank in my head cab anyways--dead quiet. YMMV

John Brabant · Post by **John Brabant** » 30 Sep 2013 8:34 am

James: So what are the dimensions of the head cabinet you use? I want to make sure if I purchase one, that it will be large enough to fit my reverb tank into it.
There is some discussion of the reverb being so close as to cause noise or feedback of some kind. James doesn't experience this with his set up. Can anyone explain why this would be a concern? Is some kind of shielding in order?

I am thinking about splitting my TR combo cabinet by using a new head cabinet and maintaining the original cabinet to house my twin 12s as has been suggested. Any suggestions for what I should use as a filler strip? A piece of painted pine?

Jerry Jones · Post by **Jerry Jones** » 30 Sep 2013 10:27 am

Make your filler strip from plywood but cover with black Tolex.... that should keep heads scratching.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 30 Sep 2013 11:42 am

Rick Johnson made my cabs, the same as he did Ricky Davis' and Lloyd Green's. My head cab is 11 1/2" tall and 9 1/2" wide, outer dimensions. The thing with reverb tanks is that your transformers create a magnetic field which can cause severe reverb feedback. The way to get rid of the feedback is to simple pull your reverb tank out and turn it end for end, 180 degrees, and put it back in the cab, and the magnetic fields get happy again. Reverb tanks need to live in the vinyal cover that the factory puts them in. My trannys are 2 1/2" above the reverb tank. I have owned 6 differentamps-- twins and a couple vibrosonics, and they all worked perfect in my head cabinet. Nothing magic or mystical about it. Hope this helps.

Jerry Van Hoose · Post by **Jerry Van Hoose** » 30 Sep 2013 4:33 pm

I would like to echo the "plus" for Rick Johnson's cabinets. I've seen Lloyd's split cabinets for his Fender Twin, just perfect in every way. Rick built a new a Fender Twin Reverb combo cabinet for me, absolutely beautiful.

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 1 Oct 2013 8:27 am

I use Mather - he is an artist with tolex: uses a single piece to wrap the entire cabinet. www.mathercab.com

Here is a split cab version of a Milkman amp, which is built into a Twin chassis:

The Steel Guitar Forum

Fender Twin Reverb to Head only

Fender Twin Reverb to Head only

Twin Head Cabinet.

James Morehead - diamensions of your head cabinet?

Rick Johnson Cabinets