Any SF Pro Reverb players here? Like 'em?

TT100 · January 4th, 2005, 05:56 PM

Similar to a VR but with 12s it seems. For the early 40 watters anyway.

How do they compare to Deluxe and Vibrolux reverbs?

TT100

Robin Nahum · January 4th, 2005, 06:56 PM

I have a 74 Pro which is a 40W model, and a 69 Vibrolux. Both have Weber Vintage Ceramic speakers in the appropriate size. I mostly play 40s-50s style jazz and do not work the amps that hard so I'm not sure how helpful my comments will be.

The Vibrolux has a more 'focussed' sound whereas the Pro tends to 'bloom' with a big warm tone. The Vibrolux tends to break up a bit earlier - around 4 or 5 whereas the Pro tends to stay the same.

I tend to favour the Pro for gigs, however my former jazz teacher, who played fusion style and needed to borrow an amp on occasion, preferred the Vibrolux.

Speakers make a big difference. I tried the Vibrolux with Jensen P10R reissues and it sounded really bright and dirty. I also tried Weber Californias in the Pro and it sounded too bright - although clean.

The Pro is about 10lbs heavier than the Vibrolux.

RickC2 · January 4th, 2005, 07:01 PM

a good friend of mine has two *great* VRs (one black, one silver) and an equally nice Pro. Whenever I see him on the gig, he's always using the Pro.

In my experience, these amps *love* single coils

/rick

eryque · January 4th, 2005, 07:26 PM

I think they love humbuckers too :-)

A well-tuned Pro Reverb is a beautiful thing, but don't expect it to break up much for you. I've pushed mine pretty hard and mostly it just gets louder. A good overdrive pedal can make it a very versatile rig, though.

Bill · January 4th, 2005, 07:46 PM

I've got a 77 Pro Reverb. Best $150 I ever spent on an amp.

However, the original speakers were a little bright. I put in some Jensen C12 N's that were nicer.

4mal · January 4th, 2005, 08:01 PM

I have a 74 and at the $450 I paid, I doubt it is 3 times the amp your '77 is ;~) I really like it a lot. It is the 40 watter tube rectifier model. Breaks up nicely to my ear but not until it is pretty darned loud. Currently it's running at 4 ohm with a pair of ancient Altec 417's. I'm keeping the treble under control and the bass up high and it sounds great! I'm puling out the Altecs and building up a Fender 2x12 clone cab for them and the stock Fender's will go back in for a while.

That Pro also makes a great sounding bass amp. I often disconnect the internal speakers and plug in an 8 ohm JBL 15 in a TL box... What a fabulous tone! It just oozes and drips thickness...

These are great amps - snag one while the value is still reasonable.

TT100 · January 4th, 2005, 09:18 PM

I'm looking at a '68 in about 8 of 10 cosmetic condition. Here it is:

68 SFPR

The owner doesn't have a footswitch. I'd take it with the original speakers but I'd like to spend a lot less.

TT

Jim L · January 4th, 2005, 10:11 PM

I had a '73 for several years. Like others have said, it's a cleaner, rounder tone than the VR. I think of it more as a half-powered twin. Over-simplification, but it kinda says it all.

The only reason I unloaded it was because they're a big combo. 2x12, heavy, and really, more amp than I need at most of my gigs. I sold it in order to buy a Holland Lil Jimi, which is a 1x12 combo, but more like a Super Reverb in power and break-up. Still a bit too much power for most of the small places we play, but it's at least much more compact.

Classic Fender clean. The circuits can be blackfaced which may make it break up a bit earlier than stock SF circuits. And like Robin said, the right speakers can really make the amp.

TT100 · January 5th, 2005, 12:58 AM

Thanks. The PRs might be more than I need but they still have me interested. About the Holland Lil Jimi, I've heard several songs one of these was used on and it sounded very fine.

Cheers,
TT100

eryque · January 5th, 2005, 10:24 AM

FWIW, my Pro is actually a '67 BF model, and it really doesn't break up that much more than the SF models even after doing a couple of things to maximze breakup, including installing some good alnico speakers.

And that price on the ebay auction doesn't seem like a bad price. I bought mine for $1250 about 4 years ago, and even then a '68 was going for around $700. A late SF one was around $450 or so. I saw a '66 listed at a local shop for $2k last week, and it'll probably sell for something real close to that.

trag-o-caster · January 5th, 2005, 10:45 AM

That looked like a nice 68. It's been BF'd, which is a plus. It looks like it's been recently serviced too, so you shouldn't have to take it in to a tech immediately after getting it. At $850, I'd say that it was a pretty good deal.

I paid $800, or $850 for my 73 several months ago. It hadn't been serviced at all, and it's original Oxford speakers were shot. I put in some Celestion G12H-80's, and bought a Weber MASS. The amp full up, with the MASS is a WONDERFUL thing! There's just enough crunch going on to let me keep all my extra toys in the gig bag.

Bill · January 5th, 2005, 04:22 PM

One nice thing about the late 70's Pro Reverbs is that they already have a Master Volume control. I know most folks aren't fans of such things, but I get a warmer sound turning the Master down to 2-3 and the Volume to 6-7. Sounds better to me than having the Master at 10 and the Volume at 2-3.

FrankFoxBand · January 5th, 2005, 05:01 PM

and I think it is superb w/ a Tele or Strat. I've installed a pair of Alltone 1250's in place of the old, tired Oxfords. This increased efficiency (somewhat LOUDer), but also increased snap,snarl, n' spit. It loves stompboxes and frankly, just sounds KILLER!

Jimbo

January 4th, 2005, 05:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
TT100 Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 214	Any SF Pro Reverb players here? Like 'em? Similar to a VR but with 12s it seems. For the early 40 watters anyway. How do they compare to Deluxe and Vibrolux reverbs? TT100

January 4th, 2005, 06:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
Robin Nahum Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 57 Posts: 1,732 13 Photos	Yep I have a 74 Pro which is a 40W model, and a 69 Vibrolux. Both have Weber Vintage Ceramic speakers in the appropriate size. I mostly play 40s-50s style jazz and do not work the amps that hard so I'm not sure how helpful my comments will be. The Vibrolux has a more 'focussed' sound whereas the Pro tends to 'bloom' with a big warm tone. The Vibrolux tends to break up a bit earlier - around 4 or 5 whereas the Pro tends to stay the same. I tend to favour the Pro for gigs, however my former jazz teacher, who played fusion style and needed to borrow an amp on occasion, preferred the Vibrolux. Speakers make a big difference. I tried the Vibrolux with Jensen P10R reissues and it sounded really bright and dirty. I also tried Weber Californias in the Pro and it sounded too bright - although clean. The Pro is about 10lbs heavier than the Vibrolux. __________________ RN

January 4th, 2005, 07:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
Bill Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 2,697 59 Photos	I've got a 77 Pro Reverb. Best $150 I ever spent on an amp. However, the original speakers were a little bright. I put in some Jensen C12 N's that were nicer. __________________ B i l l B a e c k A journal of our year in London

January 4th, 2005, 09:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
TT100 Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 214	And reasonable would be??? I'm looking at a '68 in about 8 of 10 cosmetic condition. Here it is: 68 SFPR The owner doesn't have a footswitch. I'd take it with the original speakers but I'd like to spend a lot less. TT

January 4th, 2005, 10:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jim L Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrimac, MA Posts: 378 13 Photos	I think they're great amps.. I had a '73 for several years. Like others have said, it's a cleaner, rounder tone than the VR. I think of it more as a half-powered twin. Over-simplification, but it kinda says it all. The only reason I unloaded it was because they're a big combo. 2x12, heavy, and really, more amp than I need at most of my gigs. I sold it in order to buy a Holland Lil Jimi, which is a 1x12 combo, but more like a Super Reverb in power and break-up. Still a bit too much power for most of the small places we play, but it's at least much more compact. Classic Fender clean. The circuits can be blackfaced which may make it break up a bit earlier than stock SF circuits. And like Robin said, the right speakers can really make the amp.

January 4th, 2005, 07:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
RickC2 TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 91	a good friend of mine has two great VRs (one black, one silver) and an equally nice Pro. Whenever I see him on the gig, he's always using the Pro. In my experience, these amps love single coils /rick

January 4th, 2005, 07:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 7,241 44 Photos	I think they love humbuckers too :-) A well-tuned Pro Reverb is a beautiful thing, but don't expect it to break up much for you. I've pushed mine pretty hard and mostly it just gets louder. A good overdrive pedal can make it a very versatile rig, though.

January 4th, 2005, 08:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
4mal Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Gorge Posts: 2,198	I have a 74 and at the $450 I paid, I doubt it is 3 times the amp your '77 is ;~) I really like it a lot. It is the 40 watter tube rectifier model. Breaks up nicely to my ear but not until it is pretty darned loud. Currently it's running at 4 ohm with a pair of ancient Altec 417's. I'm keeping the treble under control and the bass up high and it sounds great! I'm puling out the Altecs and building up a Fender 2x12 clone cab for them and the stock Fender's will go back in for a while. That Pro also makes a great sounding bass amp. I often disconnect the internal speakers and plug in an 8 ohm JBL 15 in a TL box... What a fabulous tone! It just oozes and drips thickness... These are great amps - snag one while the value is still reasonable.

January 5th, 2005, 12:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
TT100 Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 214	Thanks. The PRs might be more than I need but they still have me interested. About the Holland Lil Jimi, I've heard several songs one of these was used on and it sounded very fine. Cheers, TT100

January 5th, 2005, 10:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 7,241 44 Photos	FWIW, my Pro is actually a '67 BF model, and it really doesn't break up that much more than the SF models even after doing a couple of things to maximze breakup, including installing some good alnico speakers. And that price on the ebay auction doesn't seem like a bad price. I bought mine for $1250 about 4 years ago, and even then a '68 was going for around $700. A late SF one was around $450 or so. I saw a '66 listed at a local shop for $2k last week, and it'll probably sell for something real close to that.

January 5th, 2005, 10:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
trag-o-caster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Flushing, Michigan Posts: 4,631	That looked like a nice 68. It's been BF'd, which is a plus. It looks like it's been recently serviced too, so you shouldn't have to take it in to a tech immediately after getting it. At $850, I'd say that it was a pretty good deal. I paid $800, or $850 for my 73 several months ago. It hadn't been serviced at all, and it's original Oxford speakers were shot. I put in some Celestion G12H-80's, and bought a Weber MASS. The amp full up, with the MASS is a WONDERFUL thing! There's just enough crunch going on to let me keep all my extra toys in the gig bag. __________________ Timothy Jon Lamb

January 5th, 2005, 04:22 PM	#12 (permalink)
Bill Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 2,697 59 Photos	One nice thing about the late 70's Pro Reverbs is that they already have a Master Volume control. I know most folks aren't fans of such things, but I get a warmer sound turning the Master down to 2-3 and the Volume to 6-7. Sounds better to me than having the Master at 10 and the Volume at 2-3. __________________ B i l l B a e c k A journal of our year in London

January 5th, 2005, 05:01 PM	#13 (permalink)
FrankFoxBand TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Pa. Posts: 46	I've got a '66 and I think it is superb w/ a Tele or Strat. I've installed a pair of Alltone 1250's in place of the old, tired Oxfords. This increased efficiency (somewhat LOUDer), but also increased snap,snarl, n' spit. It loves stompboxes and frankly, just sounds KILLER! Jimbo