The Best Fender Amp Ever? Making the Case for the Vibrolux Reverb
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- #FenderAmps #FenderVibrolux #Guitar
Is the Fender Vibrolus Reverb the best Fender amp... ever? Think about it. It ticks off all the right boxes to be in the running, yet it isn't even close to the most popular. Let us know what you think! Playing a Fender Stratocaster with Seymour Duncan Lipstick Pickups, a Gibson ES-335, and additionally using a Wampler Tumnus Deluxe and a Maxon 808 Overdrive.
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Disclaimer: I do basic audio editing on my videos to account for the microphones, preamp and room. This editing, mostly light EQ and compression, is intended to give you the most accurate representation of how the featured gear actually sounds. NO editing is done to misrepresent how the featured gear sounds in any way.
Clarification: many of you have mentioned this specific model, the CVR, had some issues. When I say best amp ever, I'm referring to the Vibrolux overall, not necessarily this specific version of it. But please also let us know which is your favorite Fender amp, either in general or a specific one!
~ jackfossett.bandcamp.com
princeton hands down!
What issues it has ?
@@gln8871 It has a noisy ground floor when you are not playing, so it is not ideal for recording. However, out on gigs the more ambient noise floor of a club or other venues lessens or masks that factor. I have used the CVR out on gigs, and it is fantastic for sounding great and really cutting through, no mods need apply. But purists often go for mods that IMHO are defeating the true purpose of the amp. I believe it was really made to compete with blaster live gig amps like a turned up Carr would, etc., but more on a budget. It is my budget Carr, ha.
Hi Jack - I have the CVR blackface 65 and it is a great amp but it is different from the actual Vibrolux model that SRV popularized. It is called Custom because they messed around with the circuit design. The used the Vibrolux name perhaps for marketing reasons but CVR differs substantially from the original Vibrolux and compares to a VibroVerb or other
There were at least 4 Fender amp models called ‘Vibrolux’ and 1 called ‘Vibrolux Reverb’ (well there were actually about 4 different versions of that but internally they are very similar) that came out before the CVR you have. The first 4 were 1x12 amps. So when you say ‘Vibrolux’ you’re talking about a lot of different models.
How awesome is it that Fender made so many awesome amps that folks can’t even decide which is the best? The classics all sound amazing but I do love the vibrolux.
Roy Buchanan played one pretty much exclusively. They sound so badass cranked on a tele bridge pickup
I have a ‘67 Vibrolux. It sounds absolutely gorgeous, it just has this instant magic that’s hard to put your finger on. The natural harmonics it generates are unbeatable
I have a '67 Vibrolux that I just brought back from the scrap pile. It's a beautiful sounding amp for sure. I lucked out and found EVERY part I needed to make it right.
I have a vintage 1971 Vibrolux Reverb and I will keep it forever. I went through lots of amps over the years. Huge tone, any type of guitar, loves pedals, or not. Any style of music I play it's there. The sag observation you make is so true, and a big part of the "voice or vocal" quality they have. The point you make about the two 10 inch speakers is spot on. I agree with you, if it's not the best Fender Amp ever, it'll do till the best one comes along.
The Gibson's tone was so rich, I'd never put that guitar away. Thanks, Jack.
Yeah - I really love the Vibrolux Reverb. It really is a great mix of elements power, 2-10” spkrs with Reverb/Trem. However, even without Reverb, I have to go with The ‘59 Tweed Bassman. No reissue crap, only the real deal for me. It’s quite simply the best tone I’ve ever gotten from
ANY Fender amp. It sounds so damn good I both think it sounds like it has Reverb, and it sounds so fricken’ good I don’t care that it doesn’t have Reverb! Sounds kinda crazy but it’s true. I can say, the very best Blackface amp I ever heard was indeed a ‘66 Vibrolux Reverb owned by a friend.
I have a 68' Custom Vibrolux Reissue ( Silver Face ). I have to be honest about some things. First of all, the speakers that Fender put in it, Celestion Ten-30's, are not exactly the cream of the crop of the Celestion line. But still, the amp sounded good enough with any guitar I plugged into it. The amp loves pedals, it became instant buddies with my Radial Tone Bone Hot British Distortion. I like the Custom Channel, which has the Bassman Tone Stack. It won't turn the Vibrolux into a Bassman, but it does put in the grit at higher volumes like Fender said it would. A nice change up when you want a little bit of old style drive. It sounds pretty good. I also like how it can be played at a lower volume level and still have great sound, without disturbing the neighbors. A few weeks ago, I jacked up the power tube bias to 38mA, because they were biased way too cold, then I got rid of the cheapo Ten-30's, and put in Eminence Cannabis Rex 10's. Needless to say, the improvement in sound was phenomenal! The Cannabis Rexs' have made the amp heavier to lug around, yes, because of their large ceramic magnets, but I don't care when it comes to getting the best tone possible. I am now waiting on delivery of a JJ Gold Pin and matched power tube set, and that will put the icing on the cake for me. Overall, I have to say it is a good, decent amp that will do everything I want and need it to do, and now much better.
I have played a Fender Vibrulux reverb since 2005 . 18 years , same tubes , same speakers , same great tone , volume . reliability , sounds great with single coils and humbuckers . Before this I had a 1969 Super Reverb that I had for years . Got a little heavy for gigging , switched to the Vibrulux . LOve it !!
That green strat through that amp are a match made in heaven.
A friend of mine had 2 of these. Both early 70’s. He beat them to death, never had maintenance done on them and gigged 2 or 3 times a month with either one that happened to be in the trunk of his car at the time. They always sparkled sounding great and never let him down no matter the size of the venue. Amazing Amp.
I totally agree! I own 8 different Fender Tube amps, and over the years there's a couple of others I've owned. The Vibrolux is the one with which I want to be buried. (Jack is right about how giggable it is. Perfect.).
If you don't have the experience, you owe it to yourself to become familiar with the Fenders that have multiple ten inch speakers. There's something magical about that combo. Thanks for talking about this subject, Jack. Oh, and I strongly recommend the Wampler Clarkdale overdrive with the Vibrolux. Give that a try; it really matches up well for blues, rock (not metal), and even a little jazz.
The Clarksdale is on my short list - I love Wampler overdrives in general, and I love Tubescreamers. It just fits.
@@JackFossett Oh, I am glad to hear that my ear for a pedal to complement the Vibrolux aligns with your taste. I like your tone(s) very much on so many of your demos.
I am mostly a telecaster blues man, but I want to add to your views by mentioning how great my couple of Gretsches sound with the Vibrolux. They just come alive for blues and 60s/70s rock. Love your channel, Jack.
I agree. Multi-10 speaker setups in a Fender is a beautiful thing.
(Super Reverb guy here)
Sell it to me before you croak!
@@michaelcraig9449 Hah, you'll have to look elsewhere. They're hard to find, nowadays. But other Fenders with ten inch speakers like the Super Reverb and the Bassman, are available. They're wonderful, too. Good Luck.
I took a 1969 bandmaster reverb head and put the chassis in a 210 combo cabinet. That gave me a vibrolux reverb with a mid control. Best clean amp ever
I agree. I think it's definitely the best Fender amp ever made. There's no doubt that this amp will bring out the true potential of a Fender guitar. It expresses the comfortable, powerful, and clear tone of a single coil. Please don't let it disappear from this world.
I've played thru twins a lot and they always blow my mind. One of the best sounding amps on earth, but they're so damn inconvenient. I can't imagine having to carry that thing around anywhere. The great thing about it is how good it sounds at any volume. But I really love my Deluxe Reverb RI, it sounds really amazing and it's not too heavy. Plug a strat in, turn it up around 4.5, put the treble at 5 and the bass a little under 4 and you have some of the best tones ever.
You make a strong argument. Stevie played them. Every demo video I watch with a vintage Fender amp always sounds incredible. I loved Marshall’s because of Hendrix but the more I played Fender amps, the more I realized you can get the best of the both worlds with pedals. I actually have been using a SuperSonic 60watt which has a Vibrolux and a Bassman channel with plenty of really great tube tone and really nice spring reverb. But it has a cascading dual gain stages and two gains knobs to control on the Burn channel and it’s an amazing overdrive sound. I have an Orange, a PRS, Katana for the bedroom and Marshall but I always go back to the Fender SuperSonic on a Vibrolux setting.
You're right, Jordan. The supersonic 60 is a versatile and great amp.
Love the Super Sonic 60 though I prefer the Bassman mode.
Hendrix also used twin reverb and bassman amps! Maybe not in as many songs as marshalls, but it's a part of his sound for sure.
I did not think SRV used the Custom Vibrolux Reverb or CRV. I think he used a Vibrolux which is different from CVR. The CVR they say is more modelled after the tone stack of a Vibroverb I understand in spite of the name. I have the CVR and it is really nice. It is the 65 reissue.
I have a CVR and a Traynor 1969 YGM 3 and the Traynor tremelo and reverb is better
I'm a Blues Deluxe guy, but I've always been interested The Vibrolux. Never played through one though . . . yet that is! Great vid! 👍
I have this one, that I got new in the early 2000s. It is the Fender "Custom" Vibrolux Reverb. Not part of the newer '68 Custom series, although they copied much of this one for that newer model (and also into the Sonic Series, the use of both Blackface and Tweed style circuit voicings). This one has the 1964 white transitional knobs and it is NOT a re-issue, it is an original design by the Custom Shop, says so on the back panel, hence the "Custom". It was part of the Pro-Tube Series along with the VibroKing. They blended together features they liked from various eras of the Vibrolux and some new features like global reverb and vibrato. It has no channel switching (which can be accomplished by an A/B footswitch), and no effects loop, and is a bit noisy for recording. However, out on the gig with a higher ambient noise floor, it is is the best tube amp I have ever gigged with. Plenty of cut through power and can handle sizable gigs, but would need miking in a huge venue like a coliseum, of course. I love the clarity of the Jensen P10R Alnico speakers, my favorite 10s. The reverb and lush tremolo are global across both channels, something you won't find on a vintage Blackface, although those sound great. They are relatively light at 47 lbs. This is the amp I have had the longest, in addition to an early Fender Super Champ XD, which I like a lot too. I have often told folks that the Fender CVR is the best kept secret in the Fender tube amp world. If you wonder how good it really is, just A/B it against the more popular Fender Deluxe Reverb and Twin Reverb amps. It will destroy them with its warm, full, lucious, sparkling shimmer. That is if it is in proper working order. Too often I see used ones in stores with tubes that need replacing, and/or other servicing, so make that part of the deal to fully assess them and buy a reliable used one. They will all be used, since this model is discontinued, unless you somehow found a NOS. This all said, the new 68 Custom Series is pretty cool too, so check that one out also. I just think the original CVR is a classic I will keep. Got my eye on another one local in CA blond tolex, looks pretty cool.
I agree. Great little amp in so many ways. I’m curious, do you have any tube suggestions for the CVR? I’m gettin ready to order some new preamp tubes for mine. I’m assuming yours hasn’t been modded, right?
@@renodavid yes, not modded, and no tube replacements to date. I hear a lot of good things about JJ Electronics tubes, but I am no real expert on that. You might search replacement tubes and sets on Reverb. They do that for a lot of amps.
I just got an early CVR from 1995 in black with the white knobs. As far as I can tell it's completely stock with the blue alnico Eminence speakers and the reverb and tremolo work in both channels but, it's not the least noisy nor hissing. I have not examined the preamp tubes yet to see if any were substituted for the recommended types.
I will say the amp sounds phenomenal! My Telecaster likes the normal channel cranked anywere from half to 3/4ths. The gain and the touch sensitive overdrive are outstanding. Lower volumes have nice big toneful cleans with shimmering highs and rounded mids. She sounds far better than I'd hoped for and I had hoped it would have been excellent.
@@Slammintone Congratulations, that sounds awesome on your buy there. They are sleeper amps, for sure, not well known or understood. I recommend hold onto it and enjoy the sonic bliss, no doubt. Mine came with all stock Groove Tubes since it was new when I traded a local store in Memphis out of it, which I have not changed yet. I probably will try the JJ Electronics, people seem to like those, but TBD when the day comes. Enjoy your CVR, glad you got one.
@@nealixd.3011 I happened to have a newish set of Tung Sol 6l6GC tubes from my Victoria Bassman (which now has NOS JAN Phillps 6l6WGCs ). So for the heck of it I installed them and checked the bias in the Vibrolux and they were in a comfortable 60% max plate dissipation zone with the factory bias resistor.
Today I played at lower volumes with a stock 62RI Strat through both channels and it was sooo good sounding I think 3hrs passed before I got my first cup of Java down. Adding a touch of my Maxon OD9 tubescreamer I was in heaven. I will NOT be modding this amp!! As you know, they NEVER sound the same and mostly they sound worse LOL. The hiss is negligible at best and compared to my other amps, it’s practically unnoticeable at any volume.
I have a ‘66 Vibrolux and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Beautiful cleans and absolutely some of the best breakup tones cranked up to 9 or 10 with PAFs. I think the BF Vibrolux and the BF Super Reverb are the best amps Fender made.
A 66 vibrolux is my dream amp!!
@@dustyparker4806 I own both amps you mentioned, VR and SR, both 1966 and even though each sounds different, the tone is amazing !
@@544w71 awesome! Thanks for that helpful info.
I had one of these. This was made in the 90s. It was designed by Bruce Kinky when Fender asked him to revamp their amp line.It was thrown together with spare parts leftover from the previous era.The breakup on these is way early and they are noisy. With the mods ( which is what you appear to have) it cleans up nice. This amp is in no way similar to the Vibrolux reverbs of the middle sixties and early seventies. They are similar in name only. Thank you for sharing your info, you have been very helpful to me on crafting my sound.
*Zinky
You don't have to sell me on that! First amp I ever got was a 1968 Vibrolux Reverb in almost pristine condition. Got it in 1971. I have bought and sold many brands and types of amps throughout my life. I still have that amp and it sounds as great as the day I got it. I've had 3 friends go out and buy Vibroluxes because of mine and none sounded anywhere near mine. Mine is a bit of a freak. It has a the metal Fender logo on the grill. The only that sounded close to it was a 68 Super Reverb also dripedge. It was just a bigger sounding version of Vibrolux.
I don't think there is a "the greatest amp" but for me there is and it is absolutely my first love.
Exact amp that I convinced my brother to get after he asked me which amp to get...he didn't dig it...
LOVE this amp personally 👍😎
Hope Fender makes a Tone Master version👍😎
👍😎❤🖖
Love brother
You are so right about 10 inch speakers.
I have a super reverb 65 RI. Also a 65 bassman original fully recapped and all that good stuff. Also a 66 pro reverb in mint condition 76 bassman 10. and a 78 bassman 135. And most recently a 66 vibro champ. I love these fender amps so much. But sadly none of these are really small gig worthy with what I’m doing anyway. So I’m thinking a vibrolux would be perfect for picking up and goin to gigs and not blowing the doors off and also good at low volumes. Thanks for this video I found my next fender!
I have a 1965 Vibrolux Reverb. I bought it because it was the best sounding clean amp I had ever heard, with the best reverb I had ever heard. It has the original Jensens which give great character. Everyone has their favorites, and certainly the venerable Deluxe Reverb has to be in the conversation when discussing "best Fender amp".
Better than the 1966 fender black face twin reverb?
@@mr.e1220 I love Twins. My issue with the Twin is how loud it has to be before it hits the sweet spot. Sometimes my Vibrolux is too loud depending on venue. If you have big stages, why not go with a Twin, but if you put.a Twin on 5 in most places, you will be asked to turn that beast down. I also like the tightness of 10's as opposed to 12's. I realize I am in the minority on that.
Great amp. I’m more of a Fender tweed amp type. I love my 5E3 tweed deluxe, and especially my Tweed Pro 5E5. I do plan on getting a tweed Vibrolux 5F11, and a Super 5F4. I love that warmer fatter tweed sound.
This needs to be Fenders next handwired amp!
I agree and hope Fender hears you too. I bought a slightly used so-called '64 Custom Hand-wired Deluxe Reverb a few months ago. New they go for $3200; mine, used saved me about $1K. It is dead mint. When Fender wants to do things right, they can come up with great stuff. This amp sounds amazing, especially when cranked. A similarly done VR would be equally awesome, no doubt!!
Very nice, I like your playing! My favorite is my 1964 Fender Princeton reverb amp with the Alessandro 10-inch speaker and a second cabinet with an Electro Voice 12 in
Awesome, thanks! I actually have a Princeton and an Alessandro but I haven't put them together yet, the Alessandro is currently in my Super. But I may do a Princeton speaker shootout in the not too distant future.
Do you guys think that Princeton has more clean head room than the Vibrolux?
I played a ‘77 Silver Face Vibrolux a guy put up for sale. I’m not sure if it was modded or not but it was the sweetest sounding amp I’ve ever played through and wanted it so bad. The guy decided not to part with it and I don’t blame him.
I agree the Vibrolux the best. They sold more twins and deluxes, but i always wondered why more didnt pick the VR. Not as heavy as some, and more power to gig more places than the little ones. I have had for years a 79 silverface and love it. Alot has been made about the black vs silver, and thats fair i guess, but some did not change much so i cant see double the price for blackface models. The silvers have been workhorses for the un-rich for years because of this. I do like the tens as well. They are tight and snappy, and they rip up well when pushed. The glory of vibrolux will one day be known to everyone, so if you want one- get it soon!
Jack you are one of my favorite players. Tasteful ,driven and melodic.And you end your phrases purposefully without that hitting of the strings. Thanks Favorite amp # 1 Deluxe Reverb #2. Vibrolux
definitely one of the best Fender amps ever. it as the coolest sounding reverb in my opinion but subtlety is not my thing usually w verb and i love how big and full the sound is
Great video! I'm building myself a new amp that is loosely based on the Vibrolux/Vibroverb design (Allen Encore). Super excited to play it when it's done!
Allen designs spectacular amps.
Currently saving $$ for a Allen Encore with the 15" Legend 1518. I play a highly modified Epiphone Broadway Hollow Body Jazz Box. I'm running Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Staple P-90 bridge & neck and a Tru-Arc Aluminum SerpenTune bridge on a Rosewood base, along with other mods. I have seen and heard plenty of videos of the Allen Encore, always amazed even though it was always through my aftermarket computer speakers. I just never heard one with a big hollow body.
I agree with a lot of your points about 10" speakers and 6L6s. For that reason I favour the narrow panel tweed Super (5F4). It's relatively low powered 6L6 amp driving two 10"s. I habitually use delay so the absence of reverb is not a show stopper for me. In addition, the 5F4 has the classic cathode follower driving the tone circuit so it's got that late 50s Fender big amp distortion. It also has a presence control (hi pass filter on neg feedback) which gives it top end to match a blackface Super Reverb (although not at the same volume!). In general I agree with you, but if I had to choose only one, I'd take my 5F4.
Now THERE is an under appreciated Fender amp. It’s a crying shame that they don’t make a modern reissue of it.
Fender had a 1990's period "Tone Master" amp that was a tube circuit. That amp is absolutely fabulous is all respects. See if you can give that model a spin. And of course, the older Super Sonics were excellent as well. I've seen a lot of Super Sonics on stages around the world. But the old Tone Master was just a beautiful amp, clean and driven.
First time I hear about that model. Might be a tough term for online search now with the new Tonemaster series.
One thing folks often don't know about two inputs per channel on Fender amps is this. The first on the left as you look at it is a normal 0 Db (higher) gain, made to strengthen your normal single coil Fender Guitars. The second or rightmost (lower gain) input is minus 6 Db for Gibson style guitars with more powerful humbuckers or P90s. Your choice. You might want to plug your HBs or P90s into the first input to overdrive it even more (and clean up at lower volume via your guitar volume controls). But, the original nominal purpose is left input for single coil, right input for humbuckers. Something known more back in the early days as a design feature, that should still be emphasized today.
I highly doubt that is the case. Fender and Gibson were in direct competition with each other and Leo voiced his amps to sound great with his single coil Fender guitars. The first Fender with Humbuckers didn’t come out until the 70s. Very unlikely he would design a feature into his amps so that that they play well with his main competitor’s humbucking guitars.
@@darwinsaye You can doubt all you want. Leo Fender was a smart engineer and businessman who knew the market and how to correctly position Fender amps for pleasing the customer, regardless of what brand they played, he was all about market share. Leo did not even play guitar, but he knew what he was doing, and designed things from an engineering perspective to sell a good product at an affordable price to as many folks as he could.
Moreover, I was there and know the story. I started playing guitar in 1965 and most folks were aware that the two input jacks were made for single coils and humbuckers (mostly manifested in Gibsons at the time. I had an ES-335 and a SG Std.). You rarely saw Gibson amps back in the 60s onward, but Fender amps were everywhere. Most Gibson owners, including myself, used a Fender amp or something else. Gibson amps were not considered very good amps compared to the Fenders, Vox, Marshall, etc. Leo was very smart to design his amps to work with both single coils and humbuckers, thereby increasing his market share.
Can the 2 channels be merged? Bridged essentially as you can with some other units?
@@incredifunk I never tried it, but I don't think these newer CVRs and 68 Custom Series Vibroluxes were designed for that. I would not want to possibly damage the amp. You can use a A/B footswitch to switch your guitar signal between the two channels, the first channel is more tweed and the second more blackface. The reverb and tremolo are global across both channels, so you are covered that way.
My pick for sleeper amp was the 1980s Rivera designed Concert. Had the Fender cleans, and a really good lead channel.
I have one with a 2X12 G12H80 Celestion cabinet. I think it sounds as good as my '64 BF Super Reverb and that's saying something.
Man, I had a Rivera era Princeton. Sold it to get the 335 in my picture. Kinda wish I didn’t. That thing was sweet.
Completely agree. My '69 Vibro is irreplaceable.
I’m with on the last crusade and raiders. 10 inch speakers too
Thanks Jack!! Kinda wish you did this last year. Fender must have discontinued these. And now I WANT ONE!!!
Check out the 68 Custom!
@@JackFossett its not like owning a Blackface Jack
I have the '68 Custom, and it's beautiful. If a song I'm writing is missing something, I plug into the Vibrolux and the combo of the tremolo and reverb are just so inspiring. Best gear purchase I've ever made.
@@Oh.No.Brousseau even with this one, the 68 Custom is still on my must have list
In this Video Jack presents the Custom Vibrolux Reverb that was discontinued some years ago. Then Fender introduced the `68 Cudtom line and with it a `68 Custom Vibrolux Reverb which is not the same amp. The `68 Vibrolux was recently (last year?) discontinued probably due to the introduction of another ~35/40 Watt amplifier in the `68 Custom line, namely the Pro-Reverb.
I have an early blonde one and it has been my #1 gigging amp for almost 20 years. Seldom use pedals if I do its just a tuner and a echo. Mine has the blue Eminence speakers and never felt the need to change them. Run 5881 power tubes and old nos preamp tubes. I also have over twenty other amps in various brands and sizes to chose from.Mostly play Teles and Strats.
Totally agree, I want one.
If nothing more than 35 watts.. then I say a 1963 fender vibroverb or 64 vibroverb brown or the black face
If wattage is not considered is the 59 tweed bassman I've played at least 6 originals ALL OF THEM are indescribable in tone... it's breathtakingly beautiful
That CVR is definitely the best fender amp I've had but they weren't crazy popular because of the insanely loud hiss from its stock wiring and weak reverb but a simple mod kit turns these things into tonal heaven
Easy fix just having a good amp Tech disconnect the Reverb from channel one
Own a ‘66 Vibrolux reverb and picked up a CVR because of this video. The ‘66 stays home and is my recording amp now. The CVR does the hard work.
Ive got a 90s reissue vibrolux in rare tan tolex. A tech completely gutted it and rebuilt it handwired to blackface specs. It has 1 weber ceramic and 1 alnico jensen. It sounds anazing and has replaced my super reverb. It also has the reverb in the normal channel.
Mam, those buckers clean bring the stank 🤌🤌🤌 absolutely stunning tone.
This is a dream amp for me. Definitely hope to own one some day. Currently playing my other dream amp, a Princeton Reverb. I’d also love a head/cab Bassman at some point in my life.
Super Reverb with 4 10 inch speakers, about 1967.
I use one of these with Phillips NOS tubes and it's just heaven.
It is noisy - but I've used it on recordings no problem. The noise really isn't that noticeable if you run the amp loud. I used this for years with no pedals. I would have the amp's volume at around '5' and just turn up the guitar's volume when I wanted distortion.
The amp is actually technically 'too powerful' for the speakers - which is a great thing IMO. The distortion you get from it is just incredible. I maximised this effect by running it into a 4x12 with two ripped speakers (only for a few bars of music I hasten to add).
You can also do the trick where the input you're not using on a channel turns into an output, allowing you to use both channels at once.
My amp came new with both the normal and bright channels using the reverb BTW. I played another one the same, so I don't know if they changed this. Mine was bought in the early 2000's - around 2003?
My choices are fairly straightforward and represent nobody but me. Breifly then: any of the tube made twin reverbs, the Fender Champion 100 (2x12) etc. Whatever works for you is all you need. Voice.
God bless you ❤🎉😅
It is definitely in my top 2-3. The thing sounds amazing, isn't too powerful, has great cleans and natural power tube distortion is achievable without going deaf (and increasingly important in the modern age of mic to pa and lower stage volumes). Its big enough not to sound small but small enough not to be a chore to lug around. A hand wired one of these would give my AC30 a close run for #1. Edit: On second thoughts, I would go with a super reverb, purely because 4x10 is always better than 2x10. :)
“It’s big enough not to sound small but small enough not to be a chore to lug around.”
Truer words have never been spoken. 👍
Ac30 is such a great amp. I need something exactly like it but like 25 lbs less lol
Your Vibrolux Reverb sounds Ace! Best Fender amp I ever heard in person was a vintage Bassman (don't rember the year). My script logo version of the Super Sonic 60 (has the chasis mounted tube sockets and does a bassman and vibroluxe type sounds) is the best amp I've ever owned sound wise.
If you love the bassman you should try out the marshall jtm45. Crystal cleans and nice and bassy. Crank it and you get that classic kinda plexi sound
An Es-335 through a 1966 Vibrolux Reverb is just to die for.
I have a 66 Vibrolux...have wondered what a Gibson or Gretch would sound like through it.
@@MrStanleyMilton Everything sounds great through them. My Es-335 is a Gibson.
black panel twins have often been good, i played a LOT of house ones. dont think ive ever played two that are the same which is always cute on tour because it stops things being boring. played a 68 silver panel vibro on a fender sponsored stage at a fest a few years back and was blown away. finally bought one a few days ago on clearance! fender have discontinued it and im pretty sure the value is gonna go up and up which is always the dream cuz you're essentially being paid to have it in your studio when time comes to sell on
Great video. I thought I was a Super Reverb stan until I first heard a Vibrolux. Sounds like magic.
Glad you liked it!
The Fender CVR has two AlNiCo Jensen P10R speakers, which some folks complain about as "too ice-picky", but I think the ones in my CVR add a tremendous clarity and sweetness, as well as a warm vintage punch.
I just bought a '65 Vibrolux Reverb. I agree with your assessment. This is a tough amp to beat.
Allesandro handwired Deluxe with Allesandro Eminence speaker. This Deluxe is the real deal. I do think your vibrio sounds gorgeous. Nice Playing !
Yup! I have a Alessandro Deluxe. It’s amazing.
I just bought this exact amp, the vibrolux custom reverb. It’s great because it sits somewhere between a tweed amp and a black face amp. I think I still prefer my black panel twin though. I also own the pro jr iv but want to try a tweed champ.
Ohhhh man this is a topic with so much material to choose and work from. Just when I think I've figured out which one is the best another comes along and I back track. I'm at the point where I can be ok with not having a best. For the most part they are all so damn good, really good that I would stay in a land of confusion if I try to decide on just one. I have noticed that the 63 and 64 vibroverb and the 58-59 tweed twin high power seem as if they're always around me more than the others though. DAMN they sound so good. Your vibrolux does sound beauriful though. I would love to have it.
Amps quitars and in between.. I don't care
Jack you are getting better player .. every time i hear from you 🎶🎸🎶✌️
Yes, KEEP YOUR amp. Why? because you like it. If you bought another Vibro, but 1 serial number away from yours, it might sound quite different. Valve amps do not have the tight parms solid state has. The amp is part of total instrument. Valve amps of the same model and circuit can sound different for many reasons. Vibros were built for an older stage. Today, the sound lads want your stage volume as LOW as possible. I have used Deluxes for the last 35 years because of this. I only make sure the speaker is an Alnico. Prior to this, the Bassman/Super was my amp (1956 tweed and a 1963 Super). The difference? -mostly, just the reverb.
The Vibro has the EXACT same circuit as the Bassman/Super. TWO 6L6s. A few difference may occur due to part supply -that's all.
Fender amps are the easiest to work on. Changing the value of a simple RC circuit can completely change the personality of any valve amp.
I have E.E. university degree (I wish it was a music degree), but i encourage all players to learn basic valve electronics, and how to solder. It's easy and will delight you when you make a mod in your amp that pleases you. Also, you will loose The Fear when problems occur.
Enjoy.
The CVR needs the Mark Moyer modification, you can order a Fromel supreme kit to do it yourself if you are familiar with electronics.
The Fender Vibrolux Reverb is one of Fender's most classic circuits, and the CVR is a mere shadow of the original...until you install a the Fromel Supreme kit!
The mods change all of the crucial components in the signal path and restore the glory of the Vibrolux Reverb. The mods remove the buzz and hiss that these amps are notorious for, and also restores the shimmering clean headroom of the original design. The weak reverb is made fuller with longer decay and lush tone, while the tremolo gains a warm pulse with plenty of presence and no harshness. At high volumes, the tube saturation and bluesy distortion is unbelievably articulate and warm, while the club volume clean tones are dynamic and crisp.
All of the caps are replaced with high quality audio grade caps that are specially chosen for great tone, reliability, and accurate fit in your Custom Vibrolux Reverb.
Don't settle for a mediocre reissue when you can tap into vintage Fender mojo with a few Fromel mods!
Included in the kit are all of the components necessary to to get your amp in top shape and the detailed instructions to make the changes easy. If you have a basic understanding of electronics and soldering skills you can do these mods in a couple of hours.
Please Note: the Supreme Kit is the ultimate tonal upgrade for your amplifier and is a combination of both our "Mod Kit" and "Recap" kit. All of the components from both the "Mod Kit" and "Recap Kit" are included with the Supreme kit
So to clarify my stance, when I say best Fender Amp ever, I'm talking about the Vibrolux in general, not necessarily this specific model. I looked into the Fromel mod kit and thought about it, but then wound up trading this amp for a Twin Reverb.
It looks like you're playing a 90's reissue Vibrolux? One big difference is that amp has a solid state rectifier vs. the super reverb reissues which are still using a tube rectifier. The tube rectifier is going to have a more squishy, compressed tone.
Honestly for me the Delixe Reverb is the King
I used to run a '68 maple-cap Telecaster with Duncan Broadcaster reissue pickups through a vintage mid-60s blackface Vibroluxe Reverb. Nothing else ever came close - though I DID like the Princeton Reverb, the Pro Reverb and crazily enough, a blackface Vibro-Champ combined with a Fender outboard tube reverb unit.
I am a Temple of doom guy. That one and Raiders are my top two and everything else after...
Fantastic amp, mine has the mod, which gets rid of the noise. Put a strat throuh it and its THAT tone. The tremolo is the best i've ever heard, and its such an easy load in/out!
hello can you tell me what is the modification to do to remove the background noise of the amplifier?
I believe it was the Mark Moyer mod. 👍🏼
@@bretskiihearn5535 Ok thanks 👍
My 2 favorite amps. Both Fenders. 65 pro reverb and 70 vibrolux reverb
I just got a 71 Vibrolux. This is my first vintage amp. As you said, I wanted something I can record and gig. I would love a Super but its just not doable for gigs. I could have got the Super Tone Master, but maybe I have watched too many Bonamassa videos and loving the idea of having gear that come with a story and want to create more stories with me.
Well said it’s all about them 10’s. I am leaning towards the vibrolux or Princeton 65
I owned a 66’ & it truly was great. However at 35 watts it was too much amp for small gigs & recording. So I sold it & bought a Carr Super Bee & have never looked back!
Modded is the key here! The “Custom” Vibrolux has a hiss to it and the reverb is not very good! Once you correct these issues it’s a Completely Different Amp! You Will Love It! If you like the classic Fender Tone.
Actually in this video I'm referring to the Vibrolux model in general, not necessarily this specific amp.
I've had one for years. I love the 2~10 sound. But fender marketed the "Custom" as a Professional Tube Series. I think they should have listened to it before they sold them. Really enjoy your channel! God Bless You! @@JackFossett
Tone honest, nowadays Fender makes a lot of stuff they should take more time to listen to before they sell... @@CountryHitsUSA
There is no such thing as "the best amp" universally. I rebuilt one of these including new speakers and I must say you can't go wrong with this one if you can deal with open back. It does not overdrive well at all (like all Fenders) so a fuzz box is required if that sound is required, or the circuit modified. There is also no FX loop. If you have a weak back, get ready to have it schlepped around for you by someone else, or leave it home or in the studio.
Love tremolo, Great tones and playing.
Many thanks!
I love your Indiana Jones reference. Absolutely right!
It was good enough for Koch, Ford, and Buchanan. That's all I know. Great video!
I have a custom built '59 Bassman Clone combo with (2) 10" Jensen P10R. Post inverter Master Volume. Huge sound.
Great amp. Breaks up beautifully
I think Fender's calling card when it comes to amps is definitely the clean tones, even in a lot of their solid state amps. You can always mess it up with the pedals you like after that. I can't say the same for all other brands, many which lack in the clean tones department. I stick with the proven and tried Fender "Custom" Vibrolux Reverb (the one in this video at 1:28), the Super Sonic-22, and the mighty little Super Champ XD (the secret weapon on that one is the great line out for FOH). I also have a nice little Champion 20 for grab and go practices with bands or duos in small spaces, to just go over material not needing a full dress rehearsal.
Great topic! I think the 10” argument is a bit subjective though. It’s an ungodly monstrous, loud piece of gear, but the Dual Showman with the two 15” cab has every bit of the “characteristic Fender tone” as any black or silverface amp with tens in it. I think it depends what any individual person thinks of as “the Fender tone”. 😁
So hard to watch. Mine was stolen about 15 yrs ago. Great amp. It just complimented my playing so well. I now have a Twin but...the sound is just not the same.
The various sound abilities of the amp is straight up awesome!
The best Fender amp.....I’ve not played em all so I can’t say. My favorite Fender amp.....the Deluxe Reverb. It’s the right size for my needs and the reverb and tremolo are outa sight.
Yeah, I haven't tried 'em all either, so I don't know what's best. I built a couple clones of early Fenders, a 5C1 Champ and a 5C3 Deluxe (Not an exact clone but Ted Weber's redesign). Of the two, I prefer the 5C3 - there's something about the paraphase phase inverter that gives it a unique distortion.
Personally, I think a good, decent Vibrolux covers the ground between the Deluxe and the Twin Reverb better than the Pro Reverb. I mean, I'm not going to complain that the Vibrolux only has two 10" speakers as opposed to the Pro and Twin Reverb's two 12" speakers. So freaking what? My Cannabis Rexs' that I put in my Vibrolux, as I mentioned in my previous comment, can take 50 watts per speaker, and along with their hemp cones, the sound has more power and clarity, and you get 35 watts of power with the amp in the first place. Power is really overrated to me. Unless you are playing a much bigger room than your typical bar or average sized multipurpose room, say at like an American Legion Hall, the Vibrolux can handle everything else with ease.
Inspiring playing!
Kinda depends on; for what? The 59 Bassman, early Tweeds. All have amazing uses. I own a pro tube Twin and wouldn't put that on this list at any time. I started on a silver face Super reverb. Great amp. But great Fender amps were always too expensive for me. My Boogie S O B is still 1 of the best deals for a REAL amp even today. Can't get a comparable Fender for equal price. I just looked up Vibro King from the 90's and I might point to that as best ever. Easy to work with and no pull knobs, just a FAT switch.
I'm with you. Either the Bassman or the Vibrolux. I once tried a brand new Hot Rod Deluxe which was up there but no other Hot Rod Deluxe has sounded like that one. I don't know why other than it was green.
Was there something different about the green Hot Rod Deluxes apart from the colour?
Those pickups sound really nice. Better than I'd have thought for sure
I have a brown face bandmaster. It sounds pretty good,too
Lovely sound as is your playing. Would have liked to have hear the switch to the gibson without the klon first, to appreciate the difference?
I can’t quite afford some of these level Fender amps (yet) but I have to say I’ve played through both a BJr and a ProJr. and the 10” speaker is definitely awesome in comparison. I can only imagine how two 10’s would feel/sound! Maybe I should try two ProJr’s in stereo? 🤔
I got a drip edge vibrolux reissue for 850 bucks. You can find them for not so much.
I modified my CVR into the 63vibroverb reissue....( it uses the same circut board). With good tubes and speakers it works pretty well....Research the Moyer mods
I’ll put my vote in for another Fender 2x10 6L6 combo with reverb, the 6G16 brown Vibroverb. Much nicer trem than the blackface Vibrolux Reverb, plus better (fatter) mids and smoother highs. Yeah, it’s extremely rare and expensive, but it takes first place.
Had one in High School breaks up at 3. Lovedit.
I really like your piece "Thomas Point".
Hey thank you, glad you like it!
I like my Fender CVR a lot but decided to use it mostly in my studio to tone test my guitars and practice. I got a Fender Sonic-22 for live gigs now, but most of the time I just end taking my Fender Super Champ XD anyway, great line out and a lot of amp models and effects, foot switchable, loud enough for stage volume, go FOH for the rest. Doing the KISS principle and sizing the amp to the gig.
That being said, I just enjoy having a group of tube amp heads, combos and speaker cabs that can be used from small gigs to giant ones, ha. My more fastidious friends have gone the other direction, smaller, but it's good to have a nice versatile inventory for gigs, and a fun collection to fool around with. It's best to take two, the one you want to go crazy with, and one as a reliable back-up.
I do like the sounds your getting, Fender forever... ...
I love this amp, the problem is mine get in the sweet spot at about 4.5 to 5. Stupid loud, but I've played it live enough live to know this is where it really sings. So I do it when my wife is out of the house. The tremolo is a delight on this amp as well. Mine gets a microphonic thing going. I band on it and it stops. I assume it is a tube going bad. Anyone know how to fix this problems? My favorite pedal with this amp is the Wampler Bell with a single coil guitar. Wow really great stuff. Fun video thanks!
Whoops, I forgot to vote, for blues, country and rockabilly this is my go to amp. For rock a prefer my Marshall MK II 20 watt amp. I personally think your 10 inch speaker coment was spot on.