Guest HRB853370 Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 Fender Vibrolux Reverb Seems like this is kind of a 2x12 version of the Fender Super Reverb amp? Anybody tried one? I know its not a point to point or handwired amp, but some of the modern day Fender tube amps are pretty darn good. I was just wonderin.
GASguy Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 I have been looking at silverface versions from the 70's online, and they are 2x10s.
yoslate Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 What vintage? I've owned a '65 ( 35W, 2x10) and a '76 (35-40W, still 2x10) which was blackfaced...about as far as that can go. I understand the newer Vibrolux re-issues have some changes from their forebears. The older ones kill (in that very Fender 6L6 way)! Don't know anything about the new ones.
DetroitBlues Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 A favorite Heritage player named Shane Dwight plays a H-157 with P-90's into a Vibrolux. He's got some awesome tone for the stuff he plays. I couldn't figure out what his setup was, so I asked him on Facebook. Guitar, tube screamer, Vibrolux.. His whole setup. Nice and simple.
Kuz Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 My '67 Vibrolux will stay with me to the grave. I paid $1800 for her, she is all original. I would suggest saving up and buying an original Vintage blackface or silverface (then get it blackfaced) before paying close to the same for a new one. I also would caution people with blackface Fenders and whining them up to break up. They sound MUCH better with the right OD pedal in front of them.
barrymclark Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 The V'Lux is my hands-down favorite Fender amp. I missed my opportunity to get one for $800 about 5 years ago. I just popped in to the old GC I worked at and there it was. It was used but worked like a dandy. The price was great. I went to the salesman and told him I'd be back in two hours as I had to drive back home (an hour away) and will be back with cash. I was in the market and already had the cash out. He said, "Oh, sure. No problem. I'll hold on to it for you for a couple hours." I go home, come back, and it was gone. I was SERIOUSLY bummed.
Guest HRB853370 Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 I meant 2x10 (the Super Reverb is a 4x10 combo). So what does "blackfacing" do to the tone a Vibrolux?
Kuz Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 Blackfacing brings back the amp to "pre-CBS" circuitry. Around 1966-67 is when Fender changed the circuitry on their amps (to save money & just to screw things up. LOL). The best values are early Silverface amps that you can blackface, the most collectible and the ones that hold their value the best are original Blackface amps. Vintage guitar are WAY overinflated price wise for what you get. But vintages amps are still affordable ( around the same cost as new ones), have better component & circuits, hand point-to-point, and sound better!!!
DetroitBlues Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 I bet we know someone who can recreate this amp at a much lower pricepoint than an original or a reissue....
212Mavguy Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 I agree with Kuz wholeheartedly here. The older style Fenders of this type have a build style that is both easy to mod and easier to repair than new production PCB units. The circuits were built on waxed cardboard eyelet board. However, in exrtremely humid envoronments these boards had a tendency to develop random crackle-y sounds over years of time due to humidity eventually moistening the cardboard. Compnents are much easier to remove and replace than on modern printed circuit board builds. Sub garolite turret or eyelet boards for the cardboard and that crackle problem does not exist anymore. You can get the old style cardboards with eyelets from some suppliers if you want, though... IMHO if you want amp breakup from a vintage Fender the Concert model is tough to beat. They run 6l6's for around 40-ish watts. They came in 4/10's and more commonly 1/12's, Paul Rivera did that circuit, It's awesoime sounding and relatively affordable. I bet we know someone who can recreate this amp at a much lower pricepoint than an original or a reissue.... Yup, I'm not taking on that bet! Some D-clone builder, I bet!
DetroitBlues Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 I agree with Kuz wholeheartedly here. The older style Fenders of this type have a build style that is both easy to mod and easier to repair than new production PCB units. The circuits were built on waxed cardboard eyelet board. However, in exrtremely humid envoronments these boards had a tendency to develop random crackle-y sounds over years of time due to humidity eventually moistening the cardboard. Compnents are much easier to remove and replace than on modern printed circuit board builds. Sub garolite turret or eyelet boards for the cardboard and that crackle problem does not exist anymore. You can get the old style cardboards with eyelets from some suppliers if you want, though... That could explain why the Vibrolux was considered a "student' model... For some reason a wax coated cardboard amp sounds like a kit that came from a cereal box....
Guest HRB853370 Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 I was playing through my 65 RI Super Reverb yesterday, and, unlike my Twin, the Super with the 4 10's and 40 watts starts to break up very nicely right around 5 on the volume dial.
DetroitBlues Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 That's why I like my Deluxe Reverb. With humbuckers, it has nice breakup around 4 (helps having a Celestion V12). Takes a little more volume for the strat. But with a OD pedal in the front of the amp, makes it one sweet sounding amp! Went to GC today to see if they had a Vibrolux RI, but they did not. Almost tried out a DRRI, but I decided to try out a Gibson LP Standard Goldtop with P-100's... It was ok....
smurph1 Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 Fender Vibrolux Reverb Seems like this is kind of a 2x12 version of the Fender Super Reverb amp? Anybody tried one? I know its not a point to point or handwired amp, but some of the modern day Fender tube amps are pretty darn good. I was just wonderin. Played one the other day..Tone to the Bone!! Just too dang heavy for this old fart..I'll keep my C-30 thank you..
Guest HRB853370 Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 That's why I like my Deluxe Reverb. With humbuckers, it has nice breakup around 4 (helps having a Celestion V12). Takes a little more volume for the strat. But with a OD pedal in the front of the amp, makes it one sweet sounding amp! Went to GC today to see if they had a Vibrolux RI, but they did not. Almost tried out a DRRI, but I decided to try out a Gibson LP Standard Goldtop with P-100's... It was ok.... You meant to say Reverb Deluxe?
LK155 Posted July 27, 2011 Posted July 27, 2011 Slammer, Kuz has described what 'blackfacing' is about, essentially returning the electronics to the mid/1960's circuitry. The 1976 Vibrolux Reverb I got from Yoslate earlier this year has been blackfaced. Although it has its original speakers (sometimes frowned upon by cork sniffers), it has a lovely clear, warm tone. And plenty of volume if you need it. For a sound bite, check out my post about a song called 'Spring' in the Musically Speaking section. All the guitar parts in that song use the Vibrolux with a Carbon Copy delay in front. My impression on reading reviews of the reissue Vibrolux is that it has nowhere near the tone of the original, and can suffer from severe hiss.
212Mavguy Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 That could explain why the Vibrolux was considered a "student' model... For some reason a wax coated cardboard amp sounds like a kit that came from a cereal box.... Nope, Dig deeper on Fender lore. Fascinating! Buuutloads of early Fenders were made with those wax coated cardboard eyelet boards, and most vintage ones make the new production printed circuit board build of similar types sound like ass in comparison. For an affordable Vibroluxe reverb combo that has good parts and build style available prebuilt for 1450 bucks or the slightly less expensive kit (for very experienced builders) check out Marsh amps. Mike's company built the D-clone that is the subject of the "Izzon de truck" thread a few down the amp page right here. That amp was had for a screaming teaser BIN deal on fleabay and it's a monster. Speaking of that amp, it's been warming up for a half hour, I'm on my fourth beer, and it's time to tear muh face OOOOOOFFF.... again... love burning in a new amp! Peace.
DetroitBlues Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 You meant to say Reverb Deluxe? I should say that, but many don't realize the Reverb Deluxe is a really well made clone of the original Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb design.
smurph1 Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 The V'Lux is my hands-down favorite Fender amp. I missed my opportunity to get one for $800 about 5 years ago. I just popped in to the old GC I worked at and there it was. It was used but worked like a dandy. The price was great. I went to the salesman and told him I'd be back in two hours as I had to drive back home (an hour away) and will be back with cash. I was in the market and already had the cash out. He said, "Oh, sure. No problem. I'll hold on to it for you for a couple hours." I go home, come back, and it was gone. I was SERIOUSLY bummed. Man..I HATE when that happens!!
DetroitBlues Posted July 29, 2011 Posted July 29, 2011 Played one the other day..Tone to the Bone!! Just too dang heavy for this old fart..I'll keep my C-30 thank you.. Just saw a CL post for a Peavey Classic 30 for around $350....
Kuz Posted July 30, 2011 Posted July 30, 2011 The problem with today's re-issue stuff is you can replicate the beefy transformers that they used 40-60 yrs ago. This is why anyone buying a vintage will check to see if the date codes all line up. If the trany has been replace, so has that original vintage tone.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.