Tweed Vibrolux

[Lazarus1140]

I played through a '57 at Guitar Center last night. What a sweet sounding amp ... and the tremolo was unbelievably organic!

Not necessarily this amp, but on any, would you spend $BIG.00 for a vintage model when there are high quality, less expensive clones available from various boutique builders? I mean, the clones may vary in build quality, and would likely not nail the vintage vibe exactly because the cabinet's wood is not aged and component values have not drifted and so on, but they would still be new and sound excellent.

In the case of this amp it is without separate ground, so I would be inclined to make at least that modification. Would that not compromise vintage value? Why not buy something based on the same circuit but with modern components?

Thoughts?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

Same reason you'd buy a real '62 Strat instead of a Nash, Suhr, Fender CS or MJT. The real vintage one will appreciate, the others probably not. Also, there is something to be said for vintage style Caps and Resistors, NOS tubes and NOS speakers, but a boutique builder could do all of those. I think the best boutique builders are compensating for the new components in their design to deliver vintage tone with modern components. If you are a player, not a collector, I think a new hand wired boutique amp is the way to go.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

Whether I am a player or not depends on who you ask, but I am definitely not a collector.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

i drag my bf deluxe reverb all over the place and it gets beat up. ive had it maybe 10 years and its taken a beating but it still sound great and thats what i care about. im not a collector, im a player. i love old stuff but i dont think there is anything wrong with getting a modern clone of an old amp. victoria makes killer amps if you want tweed stuff

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

I have a Tweed kit from Mission I haven't built yet. Right now I'm wanting something from the Brown era that would save me from dropping serious coin on a Magnatone Twilighter.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

The magic is in the circuit...not the parts. When that amp was built they used the stock parts of the day. In many cases, the parts of today are better made.....many caps certainly are. Do not get hung up on any of that crap...it is a dead end.
But yes, you are right, if amps have a "collectable value", it may make more sense (for you) to buy a clone. All depends on how much money you have, an what you want to spend it on and why.
Only an idiot would devalue an amp because of a grounded chassis...so no, there is no value lost over a 3 wire power cord.
Tubes wear out...some NOS is still available.....some will carry a ridiculous price tag...some will hardly cost more than modern day glass. It is beyond your control, and, again, nothing to worry about. No decent player will be stopped by having to choose from a combination of the tubes we have available today.
Any capable builder can make you a fine clone of that amp.....and today. the speakers choices are more than at any time in history.
good luck

 

[AlexR]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

One of the big gambles with an old amp is the natural lifespan of a lot of the components. I know filter caps need doing fairly regularly, and there are various different resistors that have a hard working life. Not to mention the physical degradation of the various metals and plastics. A couple of times having to get an old amp on the bench for this sort of repair can really add up.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

You never said how much!!!

A Tweed Tremolux is one of my all time favorites.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

I've got a couple of vintage amps. They certainly just smell good. I know that sounds goofy as hell, but seriously, they smell like guitar heaven.

Of course the ones I have have been hacked to death by me or someone previously, so no real value there. Have fun with it if you get it. Will stuff break? Sure. Just fix it as it breaks.

To me, this amp in question would boil down to price. and , if you're in the market to collect. I'm amped up right now. No room for more, but I've got parts to make two new amps and I've not gotten around to it yet. I'm making a Brown Deluxe soon and have parts for another JTM45 or cathode-biased offshoot of that. I'm looking forward to a classic brown face for the collection.

I'm looking at my wall. Silver face drip edge Pro Reverb, Gibson 15 watt Goldtone, Blackface 6L6 thing I built, Brown deluxe empty cab, empty JTM45 head, 2x12 blues breaker style cab, Fender Mustang 3, some old 50's Gibson 6V6 thing (can't remember the model and too lazy to get up), Vox Bruno 4x6V6, Tweed Bassman 4X10 with a tremolo thing built into it. More amps than I can play. Can't part with any.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

You never said how much!!!

A Tweed Tremolux is one of my all time favorites.

$2,300. I'm not doing that.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Tweed Vibrolux

That's a lot of cash.


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