[sdiy] Driving high impedance reverb springs with IC amps + transformer?

[aankrom]

 I have a reverb tank with an input impedance of 600 Ohms. There's a 
 simple circuit I found online to drive reverb tanks with an LM386 amp. 
 I've heard that driving a tank with too much DC bias can magnetize the 
 core of the input driver - which is probably bad. Also, since I plan to 
 use +/- 9V, I probably won't have enough swing to really drive the tank. 
 Then I had an AHA! I could use one of those cheap 1KCT:8Ohm audio 
 transformers from Radio Shack. I could drive the 8 Ohm side with the amp 
 IC (I like LM380's better...)and drive the tank with the secondary. If I 
 use the tap it'd be 500 Ohms, which should be close enough. Also the 
 xformer will isolate the tank from DC. The small size will cut low end, 
 but for reverb, this is probably a good thing. I'm just wondering if I'm 
 overlooking anything, like maybe should I let the transformer output --> 
 reverb input float or should I ground it? I thought if I grounded the 
 center tap, I could switch the phase of the reverb audio by switching 
 which primary lead I use. Will I really get enough swing using a +/- 
 supply? Might I get too much? Should I load the amp IC with a resistor, 
 that is, might this help protect the tank? If I burn an LM386, big deal. 
 I have a million of them.

 AA