Fender Super Reverb Settings Guide
The Fender Super Reverb is a 45W 4x10" combo — four 10" Jensen or CTS speakers rather than the single 12" of the Deluxe Reverb or Twin's dual 12". The 4x10" configuration produces a unique midrange-forward, slightly compressed character that is distinct from any other Fender. Stevie Ray Vaughan used the Super Reverb as his primary stage amp throughout most of his career. A cornerstone of Texas blues tone.
Used by: Stevie Ray Vaughan
The best Fender Super Reverb settings start with: Volume 1 at 0/10, Volume 2 at 7/10, Treble at 7/10, Mid at 3/10, Bass at 3/10, Reverb at 3/10, Vibrato Rate at 0/10, Vibrato Intensity at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Texas Blues (SRV): Volume 1 8/10, Volume 2 8/10, Treble 8/10, Mid 3/10, Bass 2/10, Reverb 2/10, Vibrato Rate 0/10, Vibrato Intensity 0/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | 0/10 | Off → Loud |
| Volume 2 | 7/10 | Off → Loud |
| Treble | 7/10 | Dark → Bright |
| Mid | 3/10 | Thin → Thick |
| Bass | 3/10 | Thin → Thick |
| Reverb | 3/10 | None → Full |
| Vibrato Rate | 0/10 | Slow → Fast |
| Vibrato Intensity | 0/10 | None → Max |
These are universal starting points. Adjust based on your amp, guitar, and room. Scroll down for genre-specific settings and artist-documented positions.
What Each Control Does
Recommended Starting Settings
Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.
All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.
Settings by Genre
Both channels linked — SRV ran both Normal and Vibrato channels open and plugged a Y-cable to link them. Volume 8 on both channels pushes the 4x10 speakers into natural overdrive. High Treble and low Bass/Mid reflect the scooped blackface Fender tone — the Texas blues approach is to run bright and loud and use pick attack for dynamics rather than mid-forward EQ.
Vibrato channel only at moderate volume — the Super Reverb's vibrato channel is the more commonly used of the two. Volume 7 is below full breakup; a Tube Screamer in front provides lead boost. Reverb at 3 adds spring reverb depth.
Low Volume for a clean tone with tremolo — the Super Reverb's tremolo circuit operates on the Vibrato channel. Vibrato Rate at 5 and Intensity at 4 produce a classic vintage country tremolo. Treble high, Bass and Mid low for the clean twang character.
Artist Settings
Documented settings used by professional guitarists on this unit.
SRV's Super Reverb setup involved running all volumes high with both channels linked — the amp's overdrive came from its own speakers being pushed, not from external pedals. His heavy strings (0.013–0.058) contributed to the amp's saturation at these settings. Treble high, Bass/Mid low reflects his scooped Texas blues approach.
Also in Our Rig Database
Guitarists who feature this gear in their documented rig — explore their full setup.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- The Super Reverb's 4x10" speaker configuration produces a midrange-forward, slightly compressed character that is distinct from the Deluxe Reverb (1x12") or Twin Reverb (2x12"). The multiple smaller speakers react differently to cone excursion than a single large speaker, contributing to a more immediate, compressed response.
- Original blackface Super Reverbs (1963–1967) are highly valued — the CBS-era silverface (1968 onward) versions are sonically similar but often less sought-after. Both periods of amplifier are functional; the blackface era is more collectible.
FAQ
Fender Super Reverb — Common Questions
Best starting settings for Fender Super Reverb: Volume 1 at 0/10, Volume 2 at 7/10, Treble at 7/10, Mid at 3/10, Bass at 3/10, Reverb at 3/10, Vibrato Rate at 0/10, Vibrato Intensity at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Texas Blues (SRV): Volume 1 8/10, Volume 2 8/10, Treble 8/10, Mid 3/10, Bass 2/10, Reverb 2/10, Vibrato Rate 0/10, Vibrato Intensity 0/10. Both channels linked — SRV ran both Normal and Vibrato channels open and plugged a Y-cable to link them. Volume 8 on both channels pushes the 4x10 speakers into natural overdrive. High Treble and low Bass/Mid reflect the scooped blackface Fender tone — the Texas blues approach is to run bright and loud and use pick attack for dynamics rather than mid-forward EQ.
For Blues (single channel): Volume 1 0/10, Volume 2 7/10, Treble 7/10, Mid 4/10, Bass 4/10, Reverb 3/10, Vibrato Rate 0/10, Vibrato Intensity 0/10. Vibrato channel only at moderate volume — the Super Reverb's vibrato channel is the more commonly used of the two. Volume 7 is below full breakup; a Tube Screamer in front provides lead boost. Reverb at 3 adds spring reverb depth.
Volume 1: Normal channel volume (Off to Loud). Volume 2: Vibrato channel volume (Off to Loud). Treble: High-frequency EQ (Dark to Bright). Mid: Midrange EQ (passive — cutting rather than boosting) (Thin to Thick). Bass: Low-frequency EQ (Thin to Thick). Reverb: Spring reverb mix (None to Full). Vibrato Rate: Tremolo/vibrato speed (Slow to Fast). Vibrato Intensity: Tremolo depth (None to Max)
The Super Reverb's 4x10" speaker configuration produces a midrange-forward, slightly compressed character that is distinct from the Deluxe Reverb (1x12") or Twin Reverb (2x12"). The multiple smaller speakers react differently to cone excursion than a single large speaker, contributing to a more immediate, compressed response. Original blackface Super Reverbs (1963–1967) are highly valued — the CBS-era silverface (1968 onward) versions are sonically similar but often less sought-after. Both periods of amplifier are functional; the blackface era is more collectible.
Stevie Ray Vaughan settings: Volume 1 8/10, Volume 2 8/10, Treble 8/10, Mid 3/10, Bass 2/10, Reverb 2/10, Vibrato Rate 0/10, Vibrato Intensity 0/10. SRV's Super Reverb setup involved running all volumes high with both channels linked — the amp's overdrive came from its own speakers being pushed, not from external pedals. His heavy strings (0.013–0.058) contributed to the amp's saturation at these settings. Treble high, Bass/Mid low reflects his scooped Texas blues approach.
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