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Topic: Question: 'custom' Vibrolux Reverb |
chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 23 Jan 2010 1:07 pm |
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i just saw one of these on craigslist for $650 which seemed like a fair deal considering the $1599 retail price. what are these newer versions? how do they compare to a regular vibrolux reverb?
thanx. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 23 Jan 2010 4:04 pm
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I think this is the best combo 40 watt amp out there today. Each time I plug into one I am totally impressed.. I think $650 is probably a good price, they sell at GC for just under a grand new. I have seen them sell, real clean , from $599 to $750. I will add one to my closet full of amps over the next couple of months.
These have been out since the mid 90's but somehow have been kept under the radar.
t
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Jay Jessup
From:
Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2010 5:47 pm
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| While I don't know anything about the newer Vibrolux mentioned above, I have a 74 silverface that sounds just great for steel as long as you don't need massive volume it's the main amp I use for jams and practicing at home. |
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Mike Schwartzman
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2010 8:09 pm
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Back in the late 90's a buddy and I did a side by side comparison of the Custom Vibrolux Reverb RI with a 1969 SF Vibrolux Reverb (with the circuit restored to Black Face specs.)...and the verdict was that the tones of each were very similar. The main difference was that the reissue began to break up much earlier than the '69 as the volume was increased. This little A/B test was done with a Telecaster (not a PSG).
Given that the reissue that you're looking is in good shape all around, 650 is a good price...not a steal, but a good price IMO.
_________________
Emmons Push Pull, BMI, Session 400, Home of the Slimcaster Tele. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Jerry Erickson
From:
Atlanta,IL 61723
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Posted 24 Jan 2010 9:08 am
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The Custom Vibrolux uses the same reverb design as the Blackface Vibrolux. That review cracked me up when he said that the new one is "all tube" and the old one was "spring driven". I didn't compare them part for part but, they're the same circuit. The trem/vibe circuit is all tube instead of using the opto-isolator that was used in the BF model. The Custom Vibrolux preamp is more closely related to the Brown era Vibrolux.
One other difference between the two amps. The earlier model used a tube rectifier and the new model uses silicon diodes for the rectifier. |
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Rich Hlaves
From:
Wildomar, California, USA
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Posted 24 Jan 2010 4:10 pm
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I own a CVR, my second. I sold the first to finance a PA mixer and regreted not keeping it so I got another. It is anything but a reissue Vibrolux Reverb. It has the tremolo and reverb available on both channels which is a good thing becasue the bright channel is a bit too bright for my tastes.
Also if you are looking for that super lush Fender reverb, the CVR ain't got it. The reverb is decent but not up to blackface par IMO. Just not deep enough for the surf sound. The amp is also downed for being noisey. I would agree as my 1st one was very noisey. Criters crawling through it and audible hiss too. The amp lacks clean headroom to a degree and has more of a brownface/tweed sound rather than traditional blackface.
All the above sounds pretty harsh but the amp is very pleasing to play at moderate volumes. It is quite special with humbuckers. My ES-137 and Les Paul sound great through the CVR. Laps sound good too if you are after a bluesy tone. Clean is not so good except in small venues.
I have come across a few mods that I will perform on my CVR to improve it. 1. Convert the preamp to '63 Vibroverb specs. 2. Add fuller reverb. 3. Add a negative feedback loop. 4. Remove the surge protection diodes from the power section. 5. Install a bias pot. 6. Replace the alnico blue speakers with C10Qs.
All the above is geared to remove noise, add clean head room and get the reverb right. $650 is a fair price for a clean used CVR. If that is what they are asking, it could most likely be had for less. If you pick one up and want a copy of my mod sheet drop me an email.
RH |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 25 Jan 2010 2:40 am
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Rich, nice review. If anyone has the chance to sit with one of these and AB them to another amp you will come away with a smile on your face.
The local GC has had a few of these lately ( not usually) and I sit on Fender row and play through all of the so called similar amps in the same price price range which is about a grand. Being an owner of a Hot Rod Deville, Bandmaster , Tremolux and Classic 30's, this CVR is different than all of the other amps I own and I can feel the sweet spot that this amp offers. I plan to get one soon, somewhere but not new. It appears that +-$600 is a starting point for these amps in nice shape on the used market. I bid on one on Ebay and missed it by $10. a few months ago , that was right over $500 for a one owner basically new amp. But remember, I don't know what the winners top bid was, for all I know it was $650 !
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Randy Reeves
From:
LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2010 4:36 am
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I picked up a Custom Vibrolux back in the 90's. I like this amp very much. it is very responsive to my playing, pick attack, for example,. I agree there is no clean headroom. the breakup is warm and early. that's what drew me to love this amp.
most times the amp is super quiet. plugged into a bad circuit I hear hums, radio, etc. |
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Marc Stone
From:
Louisiana, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2010 5:20 pm
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| I remember the first time I saw those CVR amps Southern Culture on the Skids was usong them. They sounded incredible for that roots/raunch style they do. Very seriously considered getting one, but I needed a little more clean. Killer amps tho. |
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Jim Newberry
From:
Seattle, Upper Left America
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Posted 27 Jan 2010 5:03 pm
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I think lots of people really like the amp as-is.
As Rich hinted, the Custom Vibrolux Reverb (CVR) started life at Fender as the '63 Vibroverb Reissue and shares the same Printed Circuit Board with it. The modifications made to it increased the gain (decreased clean headroom), made reverb work on both channels, moderated the reverb quite a bit, and unintentionally ended up (usually) adding quite a bit of hiss at lower volumes on most of the amps. These modifications from Vibroverb to CVR involved some minor changes in component values and some components left off of the board completely. For instance the Negative Feedback circuit was removed for the CVR with the intent of increasing the gain.
I inherited one this summer from a friend who passed away and found the instructions on the web (known as the Mark Moyer mods) to revert the circuit back to the '63 Vibroverb. For my desires, I'd rather have more headroom, less hiss at home levels, and above all, deep, surfy reverb. I don't care if the reverb is only on the bright channel (like all subsequent Blackface and Silverface amps).
Anyway, I did the conversion (including adding a bias adjustment pot) and I'm really happy with the results. The only hiss is probably just a little preamp tube noise, the reverb is deep, and the bias pot gives me quite a bit of flexibility with output tubes. Since this amp is based very closely on the brownface Vibroverb circuit (rectifier a major difference), it is a little beefier (more midrange, I guess) than a Blackface circuit. Another major difference between the CVR/Vibroverb and the Blackface Vibrolux Reverb (and other Blackface amps) is that the tremolo works (on both channels) by varying the bias voltage to the power tubes which is a really great effect. I like the trem better than the photoresistor style that my '73 Deluxe Reverb has.
That said, tremolo kind of makes me seasick anyway...
I play it mostly with a telecaster. At stage volumes, the CVR unmodified is probably a decent steel amp if you can live with limited headroom.
_________________
"The Masher of Touch and Tone"
-1950 Fender Dual Pro 8
-1950's Fender Dual Pro 6
-Clinesmith D8
-Clinesmith 8-string Frypan
-Clinesmith Joaquin
-~1940 National New Yorker
-~1936 Rickenbacher B6
-Homebuilt Amps |
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Rich Hlaves
From:
Wildomar, California, USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 3:49 pm
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| I do have a copy of the Mark Moyer mods. If anybody needs them, shoot me an email. |
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