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Old 15th Jan 2018, 4:32 pm   #4
ColinTheAmpMan1
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wimbledon, London, UK.
Posts: 1,463
Default Re: Reverb foot pedal.

Could you tell us what the amplifier model is? Earlier Fender amps used spring reverb, but more recent ones might well have digital reverb.

The operation of the reverb foot-switch is to short the output from the spring reverb tank to ground, i.e., before the reverb recovery stage. If you are intending to use the amp for an instrument (guitar?) and voice, then switching off reverb when you do any announcements is a really useful feature, unless you want to come over as a bit of a wally.

As ITAM805 states, Fender reverb footswitches were usually plugged in to the rear of the amplifier using a phono plug. Removing the plug will default to "reverb on", but if you want to remove the footswitch and not use the reverb, you could plug in a shorting phono plug. I have no idea why you might want this, as you could just as easily put the existing footswitch into the case of the amplifier in the "off" state, or turn the reverb level right down, or maybe remove the reverb driver valve. Perhaps your amp has a wired-in reverb footswitch? If so, I have not come across such a situation and it just might be a modification.

If you really want to have a switch on the front of the amp to turn reverb off and on, then you could mount an ordinary single-pole on/off switch on the front panel and run a screened cable from that switch to the contacts on the reverb footswitch phono-socket(with the outer screen connected to earth on the socket). If there is no phono-socket, then desolder the footswitch cable at wherever it goes to in the innards of the amplifier and connect your panel-switch lead to those same points, again ensuring that the screen of the cable is connected to earth (and only at one end, not both). It should be easy enough.

I think I should introduce a caveat or two here. I can't think of many reasons why you would want to change the convenience of the footswitch for a panel-mounted reverb on/off switch, to be honest. Leo Fender was no fool and neither were his designers and engineers. If we are considering a classic Fender amplifier with valves, then any modifications will have a negative impact on the re-sale value of the amp. If you mount the switch on the front panel, that would be a pretty major mod as it is immediately obvious. Mounting the on/off switch on the rear panel might be less obtrusive, but it will still affect the value of the amp to others and to be honest with you, the switch wouldn't be that convenient in use, certainly much less-so than the existing foot-switch. Of course, your amp might be a modern, solid state item, in which case modifications won't have much, if any, impact.

Just my two-pennyworth.
Colin.

EDIT: I don't think Diabolical's idea of a switched pot of the right value is of that much use, but having thought about it, you could look for a pot of the right value (i.e. same as the one present) but with a push-pull switch and use that switch for your reverb on/off. That way, you wouldn't be drilling holes in the front panel and the mod is reversible, especially if you put the original reverb pot into a ziplock bag, drawing-pinned into the inside of the case.

Last edited by ColinTheAmpMan1; 15th Jan 2018 at 4:39 pm. Reason: Extra ideas.
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