Hey guys I have a developing intrigue in a fender custom Vibrolux, one of the new re issue types not a vintage one. I'm looking for any feedback on these. I am looking for something I can get a great broken up tone from, and a nice edge of breakup tone and then maybe goose it with an OD for leads. I'm wondering if this will have a nice fat bottom end for me too. I'd be using humbuckers. Whatever you can tell me good or bad, I shure would appreciate the input.
Vibrolux?
- Thread starter nedcronin
- Start date
Bludave
New member
Re: Vibrolux?
I'm a bit of a Fender snob. I have a 68 Super Reverb & a 67 Deluxe Reverb. I personally don't like the new Vibrolux Custom. I think Fender missed this by calling it the Vibrolux Custom. Its really NOT a reissue but something of a hybrid. Its a decent amp, but I think you would be better of buying a Silver face Pro Reverb or Deluxe Reverb. Any of the Silver Face Fenders if the are pre Master volume era are essentially a blackface but a lot less expensive. I PAID $850 for my DR and it needed work. My amp tech brought it back to life & it sounds better then any reissue you will ever hear. You need to shop around and get a good deal. Don't worry too much about cosmetics. If its a good amp it's been played. That typed..... the draw back to any older amp lets say from the late 60's early 70's they will all need to be recapped, retubed, etc. But it will be worth it. Fenders across the board are excellent platforms for pedals. I use a very basic pedal setup. I use a Boss CE2, a DD3, TS9, Wah & tuner. The TS9 pushes my amp to a beautiful spot of tone with a mild amount of breakup! I can adjust the gain on the TS9 to get it harsher when needed. I think this was an excellent choice for me. Any of the newer production Fenders all the tube sockets are on PC boards. when they get hot it is very possible to get a lot of noise from loose solder joints. My tech hates those new amps. Loves the old ones!
I'm a bit of a Fender snob. I have a 68 Super Reverb & a 67 Deluxe Reverb. I personally don't like the new Vibrolux Custom. I think Fender missed this by calling it the Vibrolux Custom. Its really NOT a reissue but something of a hybrid. Its a decent amp, but I think you would be better of buying a Silver face Pro Reverb or Deluxe Reverb. Any of the Silver Face Fenders if the are pre Master volume era are essentially a blackface but a lot less expensive. I PAID $850 for my DR and it needed work. My amp tech brought it back to life & it sounds better then any reissue you will ever hear. You need to shop around and get a good deal. Don't worry too much about cosmetics. If its a good amp it's been played. That typed..... the draw back to any older amp lets say from the late 60's early 70's they will all need to be recapped, retubed, etc. But it will be worth it. Fenders across the board are excellent platforms for pedals. I use a very basic pedal setup. I use a Boss CE2, a DD3, TS9, Wah & tuner. The TS9 pushes my amp to a beautiful spot of tone with a mild amount of breakup! I can adjust the gain on the TS9 to get it harsher when needed. I think this was an excellent choice for me. Any of the newer production Fenders all the tube sockets are on PC boards. when they get hot it is very possible to get a lot of noise from loose solder joints. My tech hates those new amps. Loves the old ones!
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Vibrolux?
The CVR is a VERY low headroom amp...lower headroom than most 20 watt amps!
Cool tone overall, stock speakers and tubes are kind of so so and they are a tad hissy/noisy
If you want rock and roll crunch and edge of break up this might be your Fender amp!
Past that they are cool amps...I had one but flipped it in order to get myself into another 60's Fender amp.
The CVR is a VERY low headroom amp...lower headroom than most 20 watt amps!
Cool tone overall, stock speakers and tubes are kind of so so and they are a tad hissy/noisy
If you want rock and roll crunch and edge of break up this might be your Fender amp!
Past that they are cool amps...I had one but flipped it in order to get myself into another 60's Fender amp.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Vibrolux?
I had an early '70's one that I had properly blackfaced, electronically as well as cosmetically. I don't know if the reissues are based on the blackface schematic, so take my following comments with that in mind.
IMO, it sounded sterile through it's internal speakers. Too tight, and when they did break up, it was not a pleasant sort of breakup. Sort of like a mousey, "OK, I guess I have to break up now. SPLAT." Those were Jensen ceramics. However, it came alive when hooked up to my 4x12 or 2x15 cabs. It got looser, yet also much angrier. More like, "I'M BREAKIN' UP, MOTHER****ER! YEEEEEEEEEE-HAW! LOOKOUT!"
That amp was the beginning of my realization that I just don't like 10's for guitar.
Anyhow, my point is that if you want a big, dirty, gnarly sound, you might want to add an extension cab containing 12's or 15's to that sucker.
I had an early '70's one that I had properly blackfaced, electronically as well as cosmetically. I don't know if the reissues are based on the blackface schematic, so take my following comments with that in mind.
IMO, it sounded sterile through it's internal speakers. Too tight, and when they did break up, it was not a pleasant sort of breakup. Sort of like a mousey, "OK, I guess I have to break up now. SPLAT." Those were Jensen ceramics. However, it came alive when hooked up to my 4x12 or 2x15 cabs. It got looser, yet also much angrier. More like, "I'M BREAKIN' UP, MOTHER****ER! YEEEEEEEEEE-HAW! LOOKOUT!"
That amp was the beginning of my realization that I just don't like 10's for guitar.
Anyhow, my point is that if you want a big, dirty, gnarly sound, you might want to add an extension cab containing 12's or 15's to that sucker.
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Vibrolux?
Plug into one in a shop...and then try a Deluxe Reverb too. Thats the best way to find out if you like it. If you are newish to the way fender amps sound and feel, its best you spend a bit of time with them first...maybe even see if you can hire one from somewhere. They can be quite unforgiving, but thay are also super responsive to what you do with your fingers and have bags of subtlety to offer.
Personally, i prefer 12inch speakers and would recommend a deluxe reverb as being better for the job you have in mind. 10s no matter how good the amp or how good the speaker, just speak differently to 12s. They have a more vocal, more present and sweet quality that is unique, but they just will not give you that punch in the chest trouser flapping low end that a 12 can - especially when you add the fact that the speakers in the new vibro are alnicos. Bear in mind that neither the vibrolux or deluxe have a heap of headroom and you mentioned fat bass. In the world of fender amps headroom=bass. Unfortunately extra bass means less breakup due to the increased headroom, so thats why a lot of players have 2 or more fender amps to deliver the sound they are after dependeing on the requirements of the gig. I play fender amps too and use humbuckers and im adddicted to low end. Also....if you can find one...see if you can try out one of those twin reverbs with the 15 inch speaker. It wont break up at club volumes, but they are a great platform for pedals or fuzzes.
So...to cut a long story short.....try a few amps out or maybe even hire a couple for a week or two.
I'm guessing that a deluxe will fit the bill perfectly tho - especially if you end up putting in a cannabis rex as the speaker
p.s.phew! that took a lot of self control to not join in with the other guys and tell you to try an older silverface! lol
Plug into one in a shop...and then try a Deluxe Reverb too. Thats the best way to find out if you like it. If you are newish to the way fender amps sound and feel, its best you spend a bit of time with them first...maybe even see if you can hire one from somewhere. They can be quite unforgiving, but thay are also super responsive to what you do with your fingers and have bags of subtlety to offer.
Personally, i prefer 12inch speakers and would recommend a deluxe reverb as being better for the job you have in mind. 10s no matter how good the amp or how good the speaker, just speak differently to 12s. They have a more vocal, more present and sweet quality that is unique, but they just will not give you that punch in the chest trouser flapping low end that a 12 can - especially when you add the fact that the speakers in the new vibro are alnicos. Bear in mind that neither the vibrolux or deluxe have a heap of headroom and you mentioned fat bass. In the world of fender amps headroom=bass. Unfortunately extra bass means less breakup due to the increased headroom, so thats why a lot of players have 2 or more fender amps to deliver the sound they are after dependeing on the requirements of the gig. I play fender amps too and use humbuckers and im adddicted to low end. Also....if you can find one...see if you can try out one of those twin reverbs with the 15 inch speaker. It wont break up at club volumes, but they are a great platform for pedals or fuzzes.
So...to cut a long story short.....try a few amps out or maybe even hire a couple for a week or two.
I'm guessing that a deluxe will fit the bill perfectly tho - especially if you end up putting in a cannabis rex as the speaker
p.s.phew! that took a lot of self control to not join in with the other guys and tell you to try an older silverface! lol
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B Bent
Vibroluxologist
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Vibrolux?
Did anyone here read that he is looking for break up early on and something he can goose into crunch?!
BF/SF Fenders are clean machines...the CVR is actually based on the 90's reissue Vibroverb which is a brown Fender amp...more mids, less headroom.
If you want a classic Fender tone but for overdrive you want tweeds and browns and since the CVR is based son brown it'll do the job just fine!!!
Did anyone here read that he is looking for break up early on and something he can goose into crunch?!
BF/SF Fenders are clean machines...the CVR is actually based on the 90's reissue Vibroverb which is a brown Fender amp...more mids, less headroom.
If you want a classic Fender tone but for overdrive you want tweeds and browns and since the CVR is based son brown it'll do the job just fine!!!
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Vibrolux?
The Custom Vibrolux has less headroom than a DR (by design) and the extra mids and lack of ear piercing treble makes them even more pedal friendly plus they are louder over all and the 2x10 pushes more air than the 1x12...
Both amps are fine but for gritty rock the CVR is a "better" amp IMHO...
The Custom Vibrolux has less headroom than a DR (by design) and the extra mids and lack of ear piercing treble makes them even more pedal friendly plus they are louder over all and the 2x10 pushes more air than the 1x12...
Both amps are fine but for gritty rock the CVR is a "better" amp IMHO...
Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Vibrolux?
This is a bit off topic since you say that the Custon Vibrolux is patterned off the Brown Vibroverb ....... but
Would a Brown VIBROLUX also have similar low headroom, that is .... less than a DR?
I know the technical end of it would be over my head, but I cant quite grasp why headroom would be so low on amps with 6L6s and GZ34. Are they squeezed down by the PT and OT? Is it a matter of biasing? I really wish I understood this better.
I thought I wanted a Vibrolux, but I was hoping it could be tweaked to be a bit closer to Blackface.
This is a bit off topic since you say that the Custon Vibrolux is patterned off the Brown Vibroverb ....... but
Would a Brown VIBROLUX also have similar low headroom, that is .... less than a DR?
I know the technical end of it would be over my head, but I cant quite grasp why headroom would be so low on amps with 6L6s and GZ34. Are they squeezed down by the PT and OT? Is it a matter of biasing? I really wish I understood this better.
I thought I wanted a Vibrolux, but I was hoping it could be tweaked to be a bit closer to Blackface.
glassman
Electron Herder
Re: Vibrolux?
The Custom Vibrolux, in a nutshell, is what a lot of techs like me were doing to blackface Fenders back in the 80's and 90's. They don't sound anything like a blackface Vibrolux at all...their not supposed to. They're dirtier and more aggressive. A speaker change can make a lot of difference as can a simple reworking of the power supply; I've actually modded quite a few of these Custom Vibrolux amps to make them a little more civil. I think that when they first came out, a lot of players saw "Vibrolux" but failed to read the fine print. Nice amps...just not your daddy's Fender.
The Custom Vibrolux, in a nutshell, is what a lot of techs like me were doing to blackface Fenders back in the 80's and 90's. They don't sound anything like a blackface Vibrolux at all...their not supposed to. They're dirtier and more aggressive. A speaker change can make a lot of difference as can a simple reworking of the power supply; I've actually modded quite a few of these Custom Vibrolux amps to make them a little more civil. I think that when they first came out, a lot of players saw "Vibrolux" but failed to read the fine print. Nice amps...just not your daddy's Fender.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Vibrolux?
The Custom Vibrolux in a nutshell is a reissue 63 Vibroverb (which is very close to a real Vibroverb but the RI has a SS rectifier) with no negative feedback loop...
The Custom Vibrolux in a nutshell is a reissue 63 Vibroverb (which is very close to a real Vibroverb but the RI has a SS rectifier) with no negative feedback loop...
glassman
Electron Herder
Re: Vibrolux?
There's one other difference and it makes all of the difference in the world...one resistor...change it and the amp becomes your dad's old amp.
There's one other difference and it makes all of the difference in the world...one resistor...change it and the amp becomes your dad's old amp.
Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Vibrolux?
Nobody has less of a clue than me, but I love guessing. Would it be the resistor connected to pins 3 and 8 on the PI?
Nobody has less of a clue than me, but I love guessing. Would it be the resistor connected to pins 3 and 8 on the PI?
glassman
Electron Herder
Re: Vibrolux?
R37. I checked my notes after the post and found I changed a few other things but changing R37 alone is what increased the headroom...the rest was tone shaping.
Running a 12AT7 or a 12AU7 in the PI slot can help significantly if you don't want to change the circuit...the mod will take it all the way there though.
R37. I checked my notes after the post and found I changed a few other things but changing R37 alone is what increased the headroom...the rest was tone shaping.
Running a 12AT7 or a 12AU7 in the PI slot can help significantly if you don't want to change the circuit...the mod will take it all the way there though.
Powdered Toast Man
New member
Re: Vibrolux?
The CVR is not a reissue, so don't compare it to the Vibrolux of old, or even use the term "RI" to describe it. I own one. If you do a Google search, you'll find dozens of message board posts from guys who dump all over the CVR for several reasons:
1. The hiss. As I said, I own a CVR and I don't understand the b****ing about this. Yes, it has a higher noise floor than most other tube amps. However, it's not nearly as loud as 60 cycle hum from single coil pickups. You also only hear it when you're not playing... and there's no other sound in the room. This is not a problem with bad tubes, or whatever excuse most armchair amp engineers out there seem to feel is the issue. It is caused due to the circuit design - it has no negative feedback loop. Again, that's on purpose, and is part of why the CVR sounds like a CVR and NOT your dad's Vibrolux.
Complaining that an amp make white noise when you're not playing anything is like complaining that your electric guitar's tone sucks when it's not plugged in.
2. Lack of headroom. That's because it has no negative feedback loop. This amp breaks up very early - even more so when you've got a hot signal in front of it. Humbuckers will start to OD the amp when it's on 2 or 3. It's supposed to. If you like sparkly cleans, this is not the amp for you.
3. The reverb is weak. Again, this is a symptom of the amp circuit design. Bruce Zinky designed the CVR so that both the Normal and Vibrato channels are in phase. That means you can run a jumper from channel 1 to channel 2 and get some interesting tones (just like the old tweed amps). You cannot do this on a regular BF, SF, or other reissue because the two channels are out of phase. The drawback to having them in phase is that the reverb signal is much weaker than a regular BF amp. Again, if you like jangly reverb and cleans - get a DRRI.
I A/B'd the CVR and the DRRI before I decided on the CVR. I LOVE this amp! The 2x10's are very tight sounding and it sounds incredible when the amp is being overdriven. Others have said it sounds like a smaller version of the Tweed Twin. All I know is it sounds great. At 3 or 3.5 on the vol, you get a wonderful grindy OD tone - like Tom Petty or Keith Richards. Go to 4 or 5 and plug in a hot P90 and it sounds exactly like Malcolm Young's rhythm tone.
Now, here's my best advice for anyone considering a CVR. DO NOT buy this amp sight unseen. This is one where you need to go to a store and demo it before you buy to make sure it's your cup of tea. Too many dudes order them online and expect a BF Vibrolux Reissue. Then it shows up and they're all mad when it's not a VLRI and then get on the computer and start whining about what a piece of crap it is. Consider that this is an amp that's been in Fender's lineup as it currently is since the early 90's, so I think there's got to be plenty of players out there who like them as they are.
The CVR is not a reissue, so don't compare it to the Vibrolux of old, or even use the term "RI" to describe it. I own one. If you do a Google search, you'll find dozens of message board posts from guys who dump all over the CVR for several reasons:
1. The hiss. As I said, I own a CVR and I don't understand the b****ing about this. Yes, it has a higher noise floor than most other tube amps. However, it's not nearly as loud as 60 cycle hum from single coil pickups. You also only hear it when you're not playing... and there's no other sound in the room. This is not a problem with bad tubes, or whatever excuse most armchair amp engineers out there seem to feel is the issue. It is caused due to the circuit design - it has no negative feedback loop. Again, that's on purpose, and is part of why the CVR sounds like a CVR and NOT your dad's Vibrolux.
Complaining that an amp make white noise when you're not playing anything is like complaining that your electric guitar's tone sucks when it's not plugged in.
2. Lack of headroom. That's because it has no negative feedback loop. This amp breaks up very early - even more so when you've got a hot signal in front of it. Humbuckers will start to OD the amp when it's on 2 or 3. It's supposed to. If you like sparkly cleans, this is not the amp for you.
3. The reverb is weak. Again, this is a symptom of the amp circuit design. Bruce Zinky designed the CVR so that both the Normal and Vibrato channels are in phase. That means you can run a jumper from channel 1 to channel 2 and get some interesting tones (just like the old tweed amps). You cannot do this on a regular BF, SF, or other reissue because the two channels are out of phase. The drawback to having them in phase is that the reverb signal is much weaker than a regular BF amp. Again, if you like jangly reverb and cleans - get a DRRI.
I A/B'd the CVR and the DRRI before I decided on the CVR. I LOVE this amp! The 2x10's are very tight sounding and it sounds incredible when the amp is being overdriven. Others have said it sounds like a smaller version of the Tweed Twin. All I know is it sounds great. At 3 or 3.5 on the vol, you get a wonderful grindy OD tone - like Tom Petty or Keith Richards. Go to 4 or 5 and plug in a hot P90 and it sounds exactly like Malcolm Young's rhythm tone.
Now, here's my best advice for anyone considering a CVR. DO NOT buy this amp sight unseen. This is one where you need to go to a store and demo it before you buy to make sure it's your cup of tea. Too many dudes order them online and expect a BF Vibrolux Reissue. Then it shows up and they're all mad when it's not a VLRI and then get on the computer and start whining about what a piece of crap it is. Consider that this is an amp that's been in Fender's lineup as it currently is since the early 90's, so I think there's got to be plenty of players out there who like them as they are.
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