I'm looking to build a spring reverb. Most articles start from a pre-assembled spring reverb tank, but I am looking to order only the springs, and I don't know what types of commercially-available springs are best suited for reverb applications. Any ideas?
Bob Adams
Bob Adams
My only exposure to a spring reverb gizmo was in my Grandpa’s 1979 International Travallall.
The springs I recall were more akin to those on an older screen door, just much smaller of course.
The springs I recall were more akin to those on an older screen door, just much smaller of course.
I use slinkys:
The Electronic Peasant's Slinky Spring Reverb Page
The Electronic Peasant's Thermiomniverb Page
Take care,
Doug
The Electronic Peasant's Slinky Spring Reverb Page
The Electronic Peasant's Thermiomniverb Page
Take care,
Doug
Look at the springs in commercial pans. They are not strong springs, as they don't have to pull anything. Accu used to make a long spring out of two dis-similar springs joined in th center. for a more complex return. Their springs were made custom for them, so you won't likely find them off the shelf.
If I were into it today, I'd try various springs by holding them right by a guitar pickup and twanking them to see what sound emerges.
If I were into it today, I'd try various springs by holding them right by a guitar pickup and twanking them to see what sound emerges.
The spring constant of a helical spring goes with the 4th power of the wire thickness and third power of the coil diameter, and the number of turns per unit distance will affect the linear acoustic velocity too - so it would be dead easy to get something way out by guesswork - even if you bought a variety pack of springs the odds are low you'd get something that's in the zone for a good sounding reverb.
Either get a working tank, or a broken one and repair it (or at least measure the spring's properties carefully).
Or wait and see if someone here has the info.
Either get a working tank, or a broken one and repair it (or at least measure the spring's properties carefully).
Or wait and see if someone here has the info.
Look again but now from closer up.
The springs are "nothing", the main component of reverb tanks is the transducer pair, one at each spring end, which is a very compex assembly, which must to be custom made.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
FWIW I (used to) make my own reverb tanks, had to invest a small fortune in dies (lamination cutting, bobbin injection), which takes 5000 units sold to recover costs , had to order some 3000-5000 tiny hollow cylindrical magnets (whatever fits in 1 kilogram of ferrite dust), plus having parts made in high speed automatic lathes, cut and bend holding trays, actually winding and assemblingbthe d*mn things .... the springs (which I also had to custom order by the 100s) were the least of my problems.