NOTD!

That90'sGuy

DyzaBoyzologist
New Output Transformer Day! :D Feeling bold, I finally decided the 'ole Vibrolux Reverb needed a bit more headroom and less compression so I decided on ordering one of Dave Allen's "output transformer upgrades" - a TO40MT. I guess a lot of folks felt the original output transformer was wimpy in the Pro Reverbs and Vibroluxes, so people were changing them out for Bassman output transformers (the 50w and bigger iron make for a bit more output, headroom and lowend cohesiveness). The problem I've seen is that the footprint on Bassman transformers were different so people were modifying the chassis' to make them fit. I didn't want to devalue the amp by doing that, so Allen's output transformer fit the bill as it happened to have a different footprint for a proper retrofit. Given the fact that this amp is staying with me for sentimental reasons, I decided it was well worth taking the chance and spending the money on a chance that it would give me just enough to keep from wanting to buy another Fender. This was my first time ever doing amp surgery like this, but it worked like a champ the very first time and it sounds better without changing the underlying character of the amp, which was a big concern given the sweetness of it (I had it in my head part of the mojo was the aged transformer, but in this instance I feel the replacement just enhances it).

You gotta love modding things when they make sense. I'm going to have to do some new recording with this amp :) Best of all, nothing got done that couldn't be reversed down the road if I wanted to really put it back to stock. A big kudos goes to Dave Allen for getting it out to me so quickly, he's a true class act and this is a great product for a very, very reasonable amount of money :fing2:
 
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Re: NOTD!

Which speakers do you have in the Vibrolux, because they can make a big impact on getting it to break up later.

My newest amp is a blackfaced silverface Pro Reverb. I'm pretty pleased with where it's volume sits, and at this point I'm in love with the Eminence Swamp Thang. I've heard Pro Reverbs with many other speakers, and the volume is lower and the breakup is rattier.
 
Re: NOTD!

That's great .... congratulations!

Thanks Lazarus; it's never too late to try new things I suppose :D

Which speakers do you have in the Vibrolux, because they can make a big impact on getting it to break up later.

My newest amp is a blackfaced silverface Pro Reverb. I'm pretty pleased with where it's volume sits, and at this point I'm in love with the Eminence Swamp Thang. I've heard Pro Reverbs with many other speakers, and the volume is lower and the breakup is rattier.

I hear you on the speaker thing. I've tried some WGS G10C/S speakers in it for a little while, but they were too muddy and really lost the Fender character. For some strange reason, I really dig Celestions (even with Fenders). I guess my ears are used to them, so I bought some G10L-35s off of Terry (PUCKBOY99) years ago and they worked a lot better than the crappy stock Fender speakers. I won't say the output transformer made it so that I could go to "8" on the volume with it staying clean, but everything sounds better with this new transformer... it's punchier, clearer, the lowend is tighter and I get a hair more headroom overall (not a lot, but enough to make it more usable). I still get some light breakup around "5" on the volume, but it even breaks up with more definition and thankfully, it's a smooth breakup.

It's funny you mentioned the Pro Reverb. I was actually looking at a '73 PR on Craigslist and was really tempted to pull the trigger the last three weeks or so, but I talked myself out of it given the fact that my Vibrolux seems like it's pretty comparable. I personally wanted a bit more shimmer and wanted to focus on 10'' speakers since my Tungsten has a 12'' speaker and I didn't want to have to justify a 3rd amp to the wife when I really need a top grade acoustic :D. From what I've gathered power wise they're very similar; I've assuming it's a bigger sound with a slightly darker character? Anyhow, congrats on the new amp and I'd love to hear more about it. :) I really am a big fan of the earlier era silverface stuff (pre-master volume) and, while they aren't as desirable as the blackface stuff, I feel they hold their own tonally.
 
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That's some upgrade! Glad it started up on the first go and that you didn't have to buy another amp to get what you wanted.
 
Re: NOTD!

That's some upgrade! Glad it started up on the first go and that you didn't have to buy another amp to get what you wanted.

Thanks Fuse :) Honestly, the upgrade is really simple, it's just a matter of draining the caps (which is pretty effortless on Fenders), unsoldering 5 wires and re-soldering the new ones in place. I took my time, took pictures (since I new I wouldn't remember what color was supposed to go where) and thankfully the new one matched color for color, so it only took about an hour between taking the amp apart and putting back together with testing it.

I posted this thread because I honestly think things like transformers go unnoticed sometimes and it's amazing just how simple it is to work on older P-T-P hardwired amps. The transformer only cost $75 + S&H so for easily less than $100 I got a substantial improvement in tone and you can't even buy a halfway decent effects pedal for that anymore :)
 
Re: NOTD!

and bill of lading

but seriously folks - that's an interesting thing to upgrade. I don't usually consider upgrading that aspect of an amp. at that point I guess it's a different animal from what it started as huh.
 
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