Installing a Vintage Fisher Space Expander Reverb Unit into a B3

[dzlvs8]

Does anyone know how I need to install this thing???? I took it out of my BC organ. The preamp on the BC was modified with an RCA in and out plug for the reverb unit and there was this crazy pot with an arm off of it that connected to the swell pedal and moved when u moved the swell pedal. I cant get the unit working right in my B3.

Here are some pics of what I have. I am attempting to connect it to my B3 with this little tube adapter thingamabobber that was used on my old broken reverb unit that was used to be in my B3. I assume my problem with hooking everything up is that this Fisher reverb unit requires a stronger input signal to work right. Basically when I hook it up now, I get a reverb sound or nothing.

Could someone explain where I need to tie into my signal to use the space expander? I am curious if I just can go off the G terminal on the amp and then ?????? Any help would be appreciated.

[dzlvs8]

OH and just a side note that confuses me: That extra potentiometer that was connected to the swell pedal plugs in to the TWO lower a and b inputs. That makes absolutely no sense to me.

[Admin]

If the lower AB inputs went only to the pot, the pot was being used to control the input level based upon the position of the swell pedal. My guess is that the upper and lower inputs are wired in parallel in this case. Perhaps, this was done to prevent overdriving the reverb on louder volumes so that the reverb effect would be more pronounced at lower ones. Who knows?

I would keep the pot out of the circuit until you get it working. A schematic of the unit would be helpful if you have one.

[BlueOliveB3]

Those Fishers can fetch silly money on eBay from producers of dub and reggae. I say ebay the thing and use the profits to buy a new Trek II RV1-C. Cleaner, quieter, and lusher with the 6-spring Accutronics tank. Yeah, it's solid-state...but it's a superb unit. I have an earlier Trek II in my B-3...it really is all that and a bag of chips. Smoke's a genius...he doesn't make anything that isn't fantastic.

TP

[dzlvs8]

Wow, thats very interesting. I may go that route for the purpose of simplicity. I didint like how the space expander was set up in my BV with one of two reverb pots on the swell pedal. I also really like the trek II equipment. I will look into going that route. Thanks.

[BlueOliveB3]

Check completed auctions to see how they're doing, but I recall the Fishers fetching around $400 for awhile, the Trek 'verb runs around $330 IIRC.

TP

[dzlvs8]

yeah, I just popped back up on here to mention how much the RV-1D costs. Thats a lot of money! I hope someone really wants a space expander. For $400 you can get an RE-101 space echo!

[dzlvs8]

Prices for the space expander dont seem to be going for quite as high as I would need them to in order to be able to afford a trek II. I may throw it up on ebay but I will probably try getting the space expander hooked up via my G-G terminals and see what happens. Thats really my only hope for getting it hooked up. Right now I have no other ideas.

[Chris Keyman]

I have a space expander sitting around too. No idea how to use it. Does it sound good? I found it in an organ, but nobody had hooked it up! If I apply AC the tubes light up. The tubes test fine as well. I just don't get how it was supposed to go on an A0-28.

[Hamman]

I have a space expander sitting around too. No idea how to use it. Does it sound good? I found it in an organ, but nobody had hooked it up! If I apply AC the tubes light up. The tubes test fine as well. I just don't get how it was supposed to go on an A0-28.

Same thing here too! I was working on a elderly ladys C3 and found what looks to be a complete fisher reverb unit stored in her bench seat. I also noticed rca jacks installed on the AO-28 preamp which now has a jumper rca cord connected. She gave me the whole reverb unit and I have yet to test it or see whats wrong with it. Like the pics above of dzlvs8's unit mine also has all kinds of felt tip writing all over it. Were these a universal reverb unit or specifically made for the Hammond?