1

SPRING REVERB TANKS EXPLAINED & COMPARED

SUPPORT
SPRING

INPUT
IN TRANSDUCER

TRANSMISSION
SPRINGS

CONNECTORS

INNER ALUMINUM
CHANNEL

OUTER STEEL
CHANNEL

OUT
OUTPUT
TRANSDUCER
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

PAGE(S)
The Reverberation Effect …..….……………………………………………………………. 3
Electro-Mechanical Reverberation Devices: The Reverb Tank
Historical use in Musical Instruments
Spring Reverb Construction and Operation

The Significance of Multiple Transmission Springs …..….……………………………. 4

Delay Time
Decay Time

Input and Output Impedance …..…..……………………………………………………….. 4

Impedance @ 1kHz
Approximate resistance of transducer coils

Mounting Considerations ……..………………………………………………..…………… 5, 6

Mechanical mounting considerations
Electrical mounting considerations

Connector Grounding/Insulating …………………………………………..……………….. 6

Drive & Recovery Circuits ………………………………………………………………..….. 7, 8

Drive Circuit Design Considerations
Recovery Circuit Design Considerations

Accutronics® and MOD™ Part Numbering Systems ……………………………………… 8, 9

Belton Part Numbering System …………..……………………………………………..…….. 10

A Comparison of Reverb Tank Brands …………..…………………………………… 11, 12

Physical Comparison
Sound Characteristic Comparison
Three Springs vs. Two Springs

SOURCES

1) Vail, Mark; The Hammond® Organ: Beauty in the B; pp. 48, 50

2) Morrish, John; The Fender® Amp Book; pp. 25, 26

3) Scott, J. L. – Chief Engineer; Accutronics® document 126-00005 (February 1, 1978)

All technical information was taken from this Accutronics® document. Much of the original document has been paraphrased with
additional drawings and explanations.
 3
The Reverberation Effect 3

A listener standing some distance from a sound source will perceive sound that is actually a
combination of direct sound and indirect sound that has been reflected from the boundaries of the
listening area. The reflections are referred to as reverberation. Reverb can enhance the perceived
sound from a source by adding depth, color and liveliness.

Reverb can be thought of as being composed of two parts:

1) Early reflections – shape the listener’s conception of room size
2) Cluttered reflections – convey the liveliness of a room

Imagine you are inside a large hall and you clap your hands once. The length of time required for
the arrival of the very first reflections is called the delay time (usually on the order of tens of
milliseconds, e.g. 33 ms) and is related to the volume of the room (or distance of the reflective
surfaces from the listener). The number and density of reflections increases rapidly with time and
they become cluttered while simultaneously decreasing in level until they are no longer audible.
The length of time required for a sound to decrease in level by 60 dB is called the decay time
(usually on the order of a few seconds, e.g. 3 s) and is related to the acoustical properties of the
reflective surfaces in the listening area. For example, poured concrete walls will reflect more
(absorb less) acoustic energy than drywall.

Electro-Mechanical Reverberation Devices: The Reverb Tank

Historical use in Musical Instruments

Laurens Hammond of Illinois popularized the use of artificial reverberation devices through his
church organs in the 1940's and 1950's. “The early (pre-B-3®) Hammond® organs were sold to
churches on the principle that organ music is greatly enhanced by reverberation, but the minister’s
speech in the church is hampered by reverberation. Therefore, churches were designed to be
acoustically dead, and the Hammond® organ had to have its own artificial reverberation.” 1
“[Reverberation] made its debut in the Fender® line as a separate item, using a spring [unit] bought
from Hammond®, [in] 1961. It was first incorporated in a Fender® amplifier with the Vibroverb® of
1963 and then spread widely throughout the amp line, just as vibrato/tremolo had before it.” 2
3
Spring Reverb Construction and Operation

The main components used to produce the spring reverb effect are: REVERB TANK
TRANSDUCER
Input and Output Transducers
Each transducer consists of a coil centered around a magnetic lamination and
small cylindrical magnets centered in the air gap of the lamination. COIL

Transmission Springs
MAGNETS

These components are mounted on an inner aluminum channel, which is

LAMINATION
connected by four small support springs to an outer steel chassis (or channel).

An electrical signal applied to the input transducer coil generates an alternating magnetic
field which moves the transducer magnets. The magnets are mechanically coupled to AIR GAP

transmission springs. The signal is reflected back and forth through the transmission
springs with an amount of delay determined by each spring’s diameter, wire gauge and
length. The moving magnets of the output transducer generate an alternating magnetic
field which induces an electrical signal in the output transducer coil.
 3
The Significance of Multiple Transmission Springs 4

The use of multiple transmission springs helps to improve the reverb characteristics. A listener in a
large hall with natural reverberation is not usually standing the same distance from each reflective
surface. Naturally, there will be reflections from different surfaces having different delay times. The
use of multiple transmission springs with different delay times serves to simulate a more natural
ambiance, as well as improving the overall frequency response because one spring’s response will
fill voids or holes in the other spring’s response.

Vintage Accutronics® specs list the following delay times per spring:

TYPE 9 (3 Springs) TYPE 4 (2 Springs)

SHORT 33 ms 33 ms
LONG 41 ms 41 ms
MEDIUM 37 ms

Decay time should be selected to suit the application. The same reverberation decay time that
enhances and adds liveliness to the sound of the guitar can make speech unintelligible.

General decay time suggestions traditionally used for specific instruments:

DECAY TIME
GUITAR Long (2.75 to 4.0 s)
ORGAN Medium (1.75 to 3.0 s)
VOCALS Short (1.2 to 2.0 s)

3
Input and Output Impedance

Reverb tanks are supplied in a variety of input and output impedances (measured at 1kHz) to allow
for flexibility in designing drive and recovery circuits. The input and output transducers can be
characterized as essentially inductive, with impedance rising with increasing frequency (inductive
reactance). When replacing the reverb tank in an existing amplifier design, it is important to match
the original tank’s input and output impedances as closely as possible. The reverb effect will sound
poor or inaudible if the impedances are not matched.

Input Impedance @ 1kHz Output Impedance @ 1kHz

TYPE 4 TYPE 8 & 9 TYPE 4 TYPE 8 & 9
A 8Ω 10 Ω 500 Ω 600 Ω
1.0 Ω* 40 Ω*

B 150 Ω 190 Ω 2,250 Ω 2,575 Ω

25 Ω* 215 Ω*

C 200 Ω 240 Ω 10,000 Ω 12,000 Ω

30 Ω* 800 Ω*

D 250 Ω 310 Ω
35 Ω* Because DC resistance can be easily measured with an
E 600 Ω 800 Ω ohm meter (and Impedance @ 1kHz cannot), it is
60 Ω* sometimes useful to estimate the impedance by way of DC
F 1,475 Ω 1,925 Ω resistance.
200 Ω*
* Approximate DC resistance of transducer coils can be used as a reference for input and output impedance if the original reverb
tank is not labeled. The actual resistance of transducer coils may be different between manufacturers or production runs.
 3
Mounting Considerations 5

Because reverb tanks are electro-mechanical devices, their performance is affected by how they are
mounted.

Mechanical mounting considerations:

Weight of springs and displacement of transducer magnets along the air gap
Isolation from vibrating surfaces
Mechanical feedback through tight cable connections

Mounting Planes & Magnet Displacement

The ideal mounting plane for reverb tanks is one that allows the weight of the transmission springs
to keep the transducer magnets centered along the air gap and not toward the lamination.
IDEAL The reverb tank mounting plane that results
TRANSDUCER in this ideal transducer orientation is
ORIENTATION referred to as “Vertical Connectors Up”.

Connector

Simplified cross-
Transmission sectional side view
Springs of a reverb tank to

OPEN SIDE
illustrate transducer
orientation inside
the tank in the
Vertical
Connectors Up
mounting plane.

Gravitational pull on the transmission springs

displaces the magnets along the air gap (not
toward the lamination).

If the reverb tank cannot be mounted in the ideal “vertical connectors up” plane, the tank should be
chosen with magnets that have been factory adjusted to be centered in the air gap for that specific
mounting plane.

Simplified cross-sectional side view of a reverb tank:

Horizontal Open Side Down mounting plane.

Gravitational pull on the

transmission springs displaces the
OPEN SIDE magnets toward the lamination.
Mechanical Isolation: 6

The reverb tank should be isolated from vibrating surfaces as much as possible. Avoid mounting
the outer channel of the reverb tank directly to the mounting surface by using grommets, rubber
standoffs, reverb tank bag and liner or other products designed for mechanical isolation.
Avoid mounting on cabinet members that would tend to act as “sounding boards.” A small
dimensioned rigidly supported surface is best.

Cable Connections:
Allow for slack in cables attached to the reverb tank to prevent forming mechanical feedback paths.

Electrical mounting considerations include:

External Magnetic Fields

Even though the transducers are shielded by the outer steel channel, the output transducer end in
particular should be kept away from transformer fields. The effectiveness of the shield varies with
its orientation in an external magnetic field.

ORIENTATION OF TRANSDUCER IN EXTERNAL

MAGNETIC FIELD FOR MINIMUM PICKUP

ORIENTATION OF TRANSDUCER IN EXTERNAL

OUT
MAGNETIC FIELD FOR MAXIMUM PICKUP

OUT
EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD

EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD

3
Connector Grounding/Insulating

In order to suit any grounding scheme, reverb tank connectors come in all combinations of input
and output insulated and non-insulated phono jacks (a.k.a. RCA jack). A non-insulated phono jack
is one whose outer shell is grounded to the outer steel channel (chassis) of the reverb tank. Vintage
Accutronics® specs recommend insulating both input and output connectors and grounding the tank
chassis separately.

If the amplifier’s connection to the reverb tank’s phono jack shell is not at ground potential, it is
important that the tank be chosen with an insulated connector at that connection point. If the amp’s
connection to the reverb tank’s phono jack shell is at ground potential, either insulated or grounded
connector may be used at that connection point.
Drive & Recovery Circuits 7

These schematics are examples of drive and recovery circuits from popular guitar amplifiers. There
are many varieties of tube and solid state drive and recovery circuits used in guitar amplification
resulting in different input and output impedances. It is important to match the original tank input
and output impedance as closely as possible in order for the reverb effect to work properly.

Fender® Twin Reverb® 4AB3C1B

RECOVERY CIRCUIT
DRIVE CIRCUIT
½
.003µ
“125A20B”
12AX7
12AT7 1
BLU
GRN 4AB3C1B
500p 470K
1 6 2

OUTPUT COIL
INPUT COIL
25KΩ 8Ω
100K 100KL

2250 Ω
2 7 BLK 3

8Ω
220K REVERB 220K
RED E
3 8
1M +
820 25µ
+
25µ 2.2K B D
These input and output
coils can be grounded or
floating (i.e. insulated or
grounded connectors).

’63 Fender® Reverb® (Reissue Stand Alone) 4AB3C1C

RECOVERY CIRCUIT
DRIVE CIRCUIT
½
.1µ
12AX7
6V6GT “047605”
3 BLU 1
GRN 4AB3C1C 250p
.0022µ TONE
2
OUTPUT COIL
INPUT COIL

4 5.5KΩ 8Ω
5 100K 250KL
2250 Ω

BLK 3
8Ω

1M
RED
8 .01µ
220K +
1.5K 220µ
Y
+ X
1K 22µ 1N5370B

Fender® Blues Junior® 8EB2C1B

DRIVE CIRCUIT
RECOVERY CIRCUIT
+15V
330p 8 +15V
910K 3
+ 8
1 RED 8EB2C1B WHITE
10K 5
TL072 + .015µ .0033µ
470K
OUTPUT COIL

2 7
INPUT COIL

120K - TL072
2575 Ω

2200p
800 Ω

470K 6 -
4 4.7K
330K 10p
-15V 4
-15V 50KL
SHIELD SHIELD REVERB

47
2K

+
22µ +
.47µ
This drive circuit This output coil can be
requires a floating input grounded or floating (i.e.
coil (i.e. insulated input insulated or grounded
connector). output connector).

Marshall™ AVT50X™ 8DB2C1D

DRIVE CIRCUIT
RECOVERY CIRCUIT
+15V
.0022µ 8 +15V
10K 3
+ 8
1 RC+ 8DB2C1D RD+
470 5
TL072 + .22µ
OUTPUT COIL

2 7
INPUT COIL

100K - TL072
2575 Ω
310 Ω

22K 6 -
4 22K .001µ
100K 470p 22K
-15V 4
-15V 5KL
RC- RD- REVERB

47
3.3K

+
47µ
.22µ
This drive circuit This output coil can be
requires a floating input grounded or floating (i.e.
coil (i.e. insulated input insulated or grounded
connector). output connector).
 3
Drive Circuit Design Considerations: 8

Use an input high-pass filter to compensate for the input coil’s inductive reactance. It is
recommended that the driver be a current or voltage source with an output rising 6 dB/octave
with increasing frequency.
Drive the input coil as hard as possible without overdriving (exceeding core saturation).
Avoid DC currents through the coil for maximum headroom before core saturation.

In general, a current source is equivalent to a

voltage source with a resistor in series. R
R > 5Z
In practice, the resistor should have a value greater I
than 5 times the 1kHz impedance of the input V Z
transducer.

The voltage required will be: Vmax= I max ( R + Z )

3
Recovery Circuit Design Considerations:
The output signal from the tank should be about 1 to 5 mV. Use a preamp circuit with flat
frequency response for recovery.
The recovery circuit’s input impedance should be high enough to prevent roll-off due to the
output coil’s inductive reactance. For example, the 10,000 Ω at 1kHz coil appears as a 60,000 Ω
source at 6kHz.
Use an output high-pass filter with a 50 Hz to 100 Hz cutoff to lessen the effects of rumble when
the unit is mechanically shocked.

Accutronics® Part Numbering System

Vintage Accutronics® part numbers consist of a seven character alpha-numeric code with each
character of the part number representing a specification.

CHARACTER SPECIFICATION
1ST TANK TYPE (Tank Length and Number of Transmission Springs)
2ND INPUT IMPEDANCE (Measured at 1kHz)
3RD OUTPUT IMPEDANCE (Measured at 1kHz)
4TH DECAY TIME (Short, Medium or Long)
5TH CONNECTORS (Insulated / Non-Insulated Configuration)
6TH LOCKING DEVICES
7TH MOUNTING PLANE (Transducer Magnet Adjustment)
 ACCUTRONICS® (USA & KOREA) AND MOD™ REVERB TANK PART NUMBERING SYSTEM
Accutronics® part numbers consist of a seven character alpha-numeric code with each character of the part number
representing a specification (For example, 4AB3C1B). MOD™ tanks add “MOD” in front of the part number (MOD-4AB3C1B).

TANK TYPE (Length & Number of Transmission Springs)

1 Short tank (9.25") with 2 transmission springs 8 Short tank (9.25") with 3 transmission springs
4 Long tank (16.75") with 2 transmission springs 9 Long tank (16.75") with 3 transmission springs

TYPE 1 & 4: INPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz) TYPE 8 & 9: INPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz)
A 8Ω 1.0 Ω*
A 10 Ω
B 150 Ω 25 Ω*
B 190 Ω
C 200 Ω 30 Ω*
C 240 Ω
D 250 Ω 35 Ω*
D 310 Ω
E 600 Ω 60 Ω*
E 800 Ω
F 1,475 Ω 200 Ω*
F 1,925 Ω
* Approximate DC resistance of transducer coils can be used as a reference for input and output impedance if the original reverb tank is not labeled. The actual resistance measured may vary.

TYPE 1 & 4: OUTPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz) TYPE 8 & 9: OUTPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz)
A 500 Ω 40 Ω*
A 600 Ω
B 2,250 Ω 215 Ω*
B 2,575 Ω
C 10,000 Ω 800 Ω*
C 12,000 Ω

DECAY TIME
1 SHORT (1.2 to 2.0 s)
2 MEDIUM (1.75 to 3.0 s)
3 LONG (2.75 to 4.0 s)

CONNECTORS (Non-Insulated or Insulated from Outer Channel)

GROUNDED = 0 INPUT OUTPUT
INSULATED = 1 A 0 0
B 0 1
C 1 0
D 1 1 E = No Outer Channel

LOCKING DEVICES
1 = NO LOCK

MOUNTING PLANE (Predetermined Factory Adjustment of Transducer Magnets)

HORIZONTAL (Least Desirable*) VERTICAL (Best*) ON-END (Next Best*)
A = OPEN SIDE UP C = CONNECTORS UP E = INPUT UP
B = OPEN SIDE DOWN D = CONNECTORS DOWN F = OUTPUT UP

HORIZONTAL MOUNT VERTICAL MOUNT ON-END MOUNT

OPEN SIDE DOWN (B) CONNECTORS UP (C) INPUT UP (E)
INPUT

*The ideal mounting plane for reverb tanks is one that allows the weight of the transmission springs to keep the transducer magnets centered along the air gap and not toward the lamination.
 BELTON REVERB TANK PART NUMBERING SYSTEM
Belton reverb tank part numbers have a slightly different numbering system than the Accutronics® numbering system (For
example, BL2AB3C1B).

Company Identification
B Abbreviation for BELTON

Size
M MINI Outer Channel Length = 5.91"
S SMALL Outer Channel Length = 9.25"
L LONG Outer Channel Length = 16.75"

Number of Transmission Springs

2 two transmission springs 3 three transmission springs

2 SPRING: INPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz) 3 SPRING: INPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz)

A 8Ω 0.9 Ω*
A 10 Ω
B 150 Ω 26 Ω*
B 190 Ω
C 200 Ω 27 Ω*
C 240 Ω
D 250 Ω 36 Ω*
D 310 Ω
E 600 Ω 75 Ω*
E 800 Ω
F 1,475 Ω 200 Ω*
F 1,925 Ω
* Approximate DC resistance of transducer coils can be used as a reference for input and output impedance if the original reverb tank is not labeled. The actual resistance measured may vary.

2 SPRING: OUTPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz) 3 SPRING: OUTPUT IMPEDANCE (@ 1 kHz)

A 500 Ω 42 Ω*
A 600 Ω
B 2,250 Ω 200 Ω*
B 2,575 Ω
C 4,000 Ω 350 Ω*
C 4,000 Ω
D 10,000 Ω D 12,000 Ω

All Other Specifications

SAME AS ACCUTRONICS®
A Comparison of Reverb Tank Brands 11

For many years, Accutronics® (a Hammond® Corporation Company) designed and built spring
reverberation units in the United States. Today, most reverb tanks are built in Korea and China.
The following is a comparison of current made reverb tanks, as well as the Accutronics® (made in
USA) tanks which are no longer in production

Physical Comparison:

Accutronics® (USA) – no longer in production

These tanks are the industry standard. They were marked as made in the USA.
unpainted steel chassis
panel mount phono jacks riveted to outer channel
phono jack shell is grounded to reverb tank outer channel by surface to surface contact
3 spring units have all transmission springs laid out in one single plane
phono jack terminals connect to transducer coils via small two pin plug connector

Accutronics® (Korea)
Accutronics® was purchased by Belton. These tanks are currently made in Korea with Accutronics® equipment.
black painted steel chassis
panel mount hooded phono jacks clamped into outer channel via plastic housing
phono jack shell is grounded to reverb tank outer channel by a tab and self tapping screw driven into the chassis
3 spring units have all transmission springs laid out in one single plane
phono jack terminals connect to transducer coils via small two pin plug connector

MOD™
Is a trademark of CE Distribution (USA). These tanks are currently made in China to vintage Accutronics® specs.
black painted steel chassis
PC mount phono jacks riveted to outer channel
phono jack shell is grounded to reverb tank outer channel by two PCB copper pads and their soldered connection
3 spring units have transmission springs laid out in two planes
phono jack terminals connect to transducer coils via direct wire taps

Belton (Korea)
Belton is a Korean electronic components company that also makes the Digi-Log Reverb Module.
gray painted steel chassis
panel mount hooded phono jacks clamped into outer channel via plastic housing
phono jack shell is grounded to reverb tank outer channel by a tab and self tapping screw driven into the chassis
3 spring units have transmission springs laid out in two planes
phono jack terminals connect to transducer coils via direct wire taps
 Sound Characteristic Comparison: 12

Here is a comparison between the four different reverb tank brands discussed previously. In
comparing the sound characteristics of reverb tanks it is important to remember that the amplifier
plays a major role in how the reverberation effect will sound. (i.e. The same reverb tank will sound
different depending on the amp).

As was discussed in detail on p. 3, the reverberation effect can be thought of as being composed of
two parts:

1) Early reflections – shape the listener’s conception of room size

2) Cluttered reflections – convey the liveliness of a room

In this comparison we have created two categories to compare the early reflections and cluttered
decaying reflections of each tank. The same guitar (Mexican Fender® Stratocaster®) and amp
(Mesa Boogie® Mark II-C®) were used with each tank. A solid chord chop was played as the
easiest way to compare these two characteristics.

“Echo” is used to describe the initial reflections. The first reflections arrive about as quickly as the
blink of an eye, but they can be heard as being “pronounced”, “moderate” or “subtle”.

“Flutter” is used to describe the cluttered reflections while they decay over the matter of a few
seconds. As the cluttered waves blend into one another a fluttering sound can be heard as “rapid”,
“moderate or “slow”.

COMPARISON OF 9AB3C1B REVERB TANKS CONNECTED TO THE SAME MESA BOOGIE® MARK II-C® GUITAR AMP

Echo (early reflections) Flutter (cluttered reflections) Guitarist Description (Overall)

Accutronics® (USA) Rapid,
Pronounced Focused, bright and mellow wetness.
No longer in production Most emphasis on highs

Accutronics® Rapid,
Subtle Thick, with lots of wet bite and mid attack.
(Korea) Emphasis on lows & mids

Rapid,
MOD™ Pronounced Focused, lots of wet shimmer and bite.
Emphasis on mids & highs

Slow,
Belton (Korea) Moderate Straightforward with lots of wet bite.
Most emphasis on lows & mids

Three Springs vs. Two Springs:

Any amp using a two spring tank may have its tank replaced by a three spring tank of the same
impedance code (for example, 4AB3C1B vs. 9AB3C1B) and vice versa. This will also change the
sound characteristics of the reverberation effect. Three spring tanks have a more smoothed out
flutter with a bigger, fuller sounding reverb effect and more lows. Two spring tanks have more flutter
and grit, they also seem to capture that vintage 1960's vibe better.

Written by Kurt Prange

Kurt Prange (BSEE) is the Sales Engineer for Amplified Parts in Tempe, AZ (amplifiedparts.com). Kurt began playing
guitar at the age of nine in Kalamazoo, MI. He is a guitar DIY’er and tube amp designer who enjoys helping other
musicians along in the endless pursuit of tone.