Super Reverb VS. Twin Reverb

[BenHagerty]

I just got a 20% off coupon for Musiciansfriend so I was looking at twin reverbs and super reverbs and with the coupon I could get a sweet deal for my birthday next month. 

What are your opinions of each?

[greenlander]

I love my Super Reverb RI. Fantastic amp! I've always been partial to 4x10 speaker config. I can't think of a single fault with this amp, it's perfect for me. I play Strats mostly, but a Jazzmaster through a Super sounds awesome.

The Twin will give you more clean headroom, but unless you're playing enormodomes every night or you're into self torture that's more volume than most people will need. I play pretty loud and don't have a problem with breakup on my Super (I use pedals for OD/fuzz).

It mostly depends on which speaker config you prefer. Some people like 12" more than 10".

[mewithoutus]

get four.

[RumorsOFsurF]

I love my Silverface Twin, but if I had to do it again, I'd buy a Super.  The Twin is clean as hell, but I'll never use all that power.  Besides, the 4-10's would be sweet.  Also, a Super will break up nice at VERY high volumes! 

Supers are more desirable used, too.  They usually fetch at least $200 more than used Twins.  There just aren't as many out there.

Come to think of it, I might get a Super as well! 

[ohm-men]

The Twin is clean as hell, but I'll never use all that power.  Besides, the 4-10's would be sweet.  Also, a Super will break up nice at VERY high volumes!

I found the RI twins to have less volume then the SF ones. Although but still a LOT of LOUD with them. I'd also opt for a super. At least you can use that one at home as well.
IMO a twins power is only necesary if you play a lot of venues without propper PA. I used to play in a band where the lead guitarist used a Quad reverb (twin with 4 12" speakers) and I always had to turn my amp up to keep up with it. I like a good twin, but it's too loud imo.

[williamh]

I bought a twin because i thought I wanted the clean headroom.  What I discovered was that all of my dirt pedals sounded terrible, because most are designed to work best if theres a little bit of grit going to begin with.  You don't really get that grit on a twin til its at deafening volumes.  I had a silverface super reverb for a while and it was superb.  Out of all the gear I've sold, its probably the one piece I wish I hadn't.

[northern_dirt]

I bought a twin because i thought I wanted the clean headroom.  What I discovered was that all of my dirt pedals sounded terrible, because most are designed to work best if theres a little bit of grit going to begin with.  You don't really get that grit on a twin til its at deafening volumes.  I had a silverface super reverb for a while and it was superb.  Out of all the gear I've sold, its probably the one piece I wish I hadn't.

What about putting some sort of tube dirt pedal at the end of your chain before the amp?.. tube pre sorta dealy?

[RumorsOFsurF]

I bought a twin because i thought I wanted the clean headroom.  What I discovered was that all of my dirt pedals sounded terrible, because most are designed to work best if theres a little bit of grit going to begin with.

What?  That's what an overdrive or distortion pedal does.....Add grit/dirt/etc.  I don't think you need pre-existing "grit."  Mine sound great through my Twin.

[williamh]

Most overdrive pedals will sound better if theres already a little bit of grit to work with....I'm not talking an overdrive already, just not pristine clean.  The super reverb was just a superb amp for dirt pedals of any sort.

I bought a twin because i thought I wanted the clean headroom.  What I discovered was that all of my dirt pedals sounded terrible, because most are designed to work best if theres a little bit of grit going to begin with.

What?  That's what an overdrive or distortion pedal does.....Add grit/dirt/etc.  I don't think you need pre-existing "grit."  Mine sound great through my Twin.

[OffYourFace]

Fuzz/Dist. pedals sound better thru Supers than they do thru Twins.  My theory is that the tube rectifier makes a big difference.  A super has one, the twin doesn't.

A twin is overkill, imo.  It's too loud for most clubs.  My '72 'blackfaced' SR is the most beautiful sounding amp I have ever owned.  The tremolo is so magical on it...

Whatever you do, stay away from those later 135 watt Twins!  Those will never be great amps no matter how much you mod them... unless you completely rebuild a different amp inside it.

[RumorsOFsurF]

I don't think the UL Twins are as bad as people make them out to be.  I have a friend who has owned one for 20+ years, with no probs.  It sounds...well...Like a Twin!

I'd personally rather have a non-master model(which I do)...

[ohm-men]

Hmmm. I have a love/hate thing with the UL Fenders. They sound great but not for everything. although the have a rather unique sound, ear defening but it's unique. Especially those with the orange frame JBL, the clean is amazing.....
Same goes with the UL Bassmans. But they are still very affordable amps. But only buy them if you like how the sound. I agree "OffYourFace" about modding them. It's rather useless imo...

[GUITARmole]

By "UL" you mean ones with an ultra-linear transformer?

[RumorsOFsurF]

By "UL" you mean ones with an ultra-linear transformer?

Yep...

[-2N3904-]

65 RI TR is 85watts into 200watts of speakers,clean,loud and sounds nice as hell.
4x12AX7 / 2x12AT7 / 4 x6L6. thats a lot of tubes for maintenance but worth it.
it loves fuzz and distortion,the tube/spring reverb on it gets drippy and is only second to a fender outboard reverb tank IMO.

bottom line is i love my TR.