[HAM] Covers over Oil Filled Reverbs

[William Mark Bristow]

George,

The cloth covers are there because the units were mostly in open air
cabinets - and containing oil - attracted dust.  The cloth bag hopefully
keeps dust - bugs, spiders, mice, etc., from getting into the oiled tubes -
and the suspension spring mechanism which "balances" the whole apparatus.
All Hammond tone cabinets such as the PR-40, HR-40, etc., were open back -
and instructions state that they be placed at least 6 inches from a wall -
to allow for sound reflection and heat dissipation from the tube amps.  Most
of these reverb units were originally sold in churches and halls - where the
"church mouse" and other such might try to nest in the mechanism.

 

Over the years, I've turned on many a Hammond/Leslie and heard a church
mouse (literally) running for his life.

Mark