Vibro King Questions

[WhoFan]

Looking for some info on the new and old version of the Fender Vibro Kings... I'm wondering what was the Design change they did a few years ago? I heard the Tweed covered 90's Vibro Kings were in the repair shop more often and they changed something in the design... Rectifer i think???? not sure..

But if someone could tell me what the differences are between the new and old please fill me in...

What are the tone changes of these upgrades? did it make a huge difference in sound?

Also has the Vibro King not always been 6L6 based? I'm pretty sure they have been 6L6 all along but someone is asking me if it had EL34's in the first issues... Just wondering?

WhoFan

 

[B Bent]

Re: Vibro King Questions

The 1st ones had a bad habit of killing the EL84 reverb driver. The design put too much voltage on that tube. I read an article Gerald Weber published on how to fix the issue with the real early ones. I am sure they have since fixed this issue.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Vibro King Questions

The 1st ones had a bad habit of killing the EL84 reverb driver. The design put too much voltage on that tube. I read an article Gerald Weber published on how to fix the issue with the real early ones. I am sure they have since fixed this issue.

Oh so it had an EL84 Reverb driver tube... I assume the power tubes in the early ones were still 6L6, and the reverb tube used to be an EL84?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Vibro King Questions

I think they changed to a 6V6 reverb driver, but I'm not sure which year they did that. They've always been 6L6's for power.

My favorite was the Ltd Ed. brown tooled leather version....that thing looks sweet!

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Vibro King Questions

I think they changed to a 6V6 reverb driver, but I'm not sure which year they did that. They've always been 6L6.

My favorite was the Ltd Ed. brown tooled leather version....that thing looks sweet!

I saw one of those LTD ED at a guitar show.... the same dealer had a surf green covered one too that oddly looked great...

I assume besides the reverb circuit the rest of the amp should be the same between the older and newer ones...

A fellow Who fan is looking at buying one tomorrow. I'd kill to own one as well but the cost is crazy for such nice toys. Townshend makes those amps sound great.... makes me wonder what mods have been done to Pete's amps? If his Vibro kings are like any of his other Stage gear over the past 40 years i'm sure there is some mods done somewhere... Nothing that guy uses is stock or simple

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Vibro King Questions

Robert Cray uses a surf green one. My friend just got the normal current black one, and I played one a bunch of times, pretty killer stuff

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Vibro King Questions

I saw a Used Vibro King listed for $2200 Canadian... Still highly priced used!!! These are point to point wired are they not?

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Vibro King Questions

I saw a Used Vibro King listed for $2200 Canadian... Still highly priced used!!! These are point to point wired are they not?

My friend got his for $850 Used, missing the cover and maybe a year old, something else very minor. It was a pretty amazing deal...

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Vibro King Questions

My friend got his for $850 Used, missing the cover and maybe a year old, something else very minor. It was a pretty amazing deal...

I'll say that was a deal!!!!