Vibrolux amp opinions

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Has anybody tried a Fender Vibrolux for steel? How do they compare to a Twin?

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

OK... I've never played steel thru a Vibrolux, but I do have a brownface Tremolux,which amounts to a piggyback brownface Vibrolux,and a Music Man 210-65,which is something like a Super-Reverb with only 2 10s. They're OK for steel, but my Music Man 21HD-150 and Twin-Reverb 15-- and Milkman Half & Half-- just sound beefier. I should think a Vibrolux @35-40 watts RMS would get better stage volume than a DR's 22, but my own preference is for a lot of headroom and to move a lot of air.Not loud,but clean and full.

David Ball · From: North Carolina High Country

I have a 68 "Dripedge" Vibrolux, which has the blackface circuit in a silverface cabinet. I like it a lot. The two big differences to me anyway between it and a Twin is (1) Power. The Vibrolux has considerably less power. For me, that's actually better, but for someone else, who knows. (2) 10 inch vs. 12 inch speakers. I personally like the sound of a pair of 10s, but it's not for everybody. Just like comparing a 15 to a pair of 12s--different sounds.

I like mine as a steel amp.

Dave

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Florida USA

Are you talking about an older Vibrolux non-reverb? A blackface Vibrolux Reverb from the 60â€™s? A silverface from the 70â€™s? Or one of the reissues? They are quite a few differences among them build-wise which often affects tone.

Iâ€™m not a fan of the reissues. Oh, they sound ok but when A/Bâ€™d right next to an original in good condition and running at 115-117 volts thereâ€™s little comparison.

On a related side point, most wall voltage nowadays is 120-124 volts. But the older amps were designed to â€œseeâ€ anywhere from 110-117 volts. That difference makes a difference tonewise. In other words, your old blackface Deluxe Reverb will sound different on 120+ volts compared to 115V. I think the vintage, older amps sound better at the lower, original amount.

Back on topic, playing steel through an older Twin is really something that every steeler should experience, preferably at a young age. Thatâ€™s because, as every older player knows, a Twin is beyond heavy.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

well here comes another post, for those who are counting forum members posts ! Rolling Eyes

A Vibrolux shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Twin Reverb.

Vibrolux amps ( reverb and non) are great, for what they are, 2 x 6L6 approx 40 or 45 watt rated amps . Most had 2 x 10's. They DO break up early and thats why guitar players love them .

They will never grow up to be Twin Reverbs !

A few years back I purchased one of the NEW era Custom Vibrolux's with 2 x 10's, supposedly 40 or 45 watts, it broke up too early even for me. At a local guitar show I ended up trading it for a 71 Twin Reverb. That was a great trade, for me !
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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

I assume you're talking about Vibrolux Reverb, not earlier brown or tweed Vibrolux. Tweed Vibrolux is great for guitar, but I can't imagine using one with pedal steel. Lap/console steel - sure. I actually have a brown Vibrolux, sounds good for pedal steel with a good speaker in it. Not gonna compete with a Twin Reverb in the volume department, but with external reverb and/or delay, mine does sound good for pedal steel. Knopfler used one on first Dire Straits album, I believe.

But the more common Vibrolux Reverb, blackface or silverface, if set up properly with good tubes, strong speakers, and properly biased, can sound very good with pedal steel if you don't expect it to be too loud. It has a bit more "power" than a Deluxe Reverb, but is not a lot louder - and all that depends on speaker efficiency.

But of course they will never have the headroom of a Twin Reverb. But I have situations where they work fine. Same for the Deluxe Reverb.

But I will say this - a Vibrolux Reverb is, IMHO, the best Telecaster amp ever made, bar none!

And - I definitely and strongly prefer vintage blackface and silverface Vibrolux/Deluxe/Twin/Princeton etc. reverbs to the PCB reissues. They do make some hand wired reissues, but it seems like the price is the same as a nice vintage one. Some of the handwired clones without the Fender name seem to be available for more reasonable money.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

A little problem finding parts for the old Beetle, Jack.
Even Mexico quit producing the "Vocho" several years ago!

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

I bought a "reissue" 68 Custom Vibrolux in an attempt to downsize from the Twin Reverb I schlepped around for 20 years. I love it! It has enough power if mic'd, sounds great, smaller footprint and weighs in at a featherweight (compared to the Twin) 40 lbs. The Custom channel is voiced like a tweed Bassman and is great for guitar and the Vintage channel is classic blackface for steel. I put a 12AT7 in the steel channel to cut down on the gain. All in all a terrific tube amp solution for today's lower volume stages.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Late 60's I bought a blackface Vibroluxe with two 10 inch JBL speakers. Back then Fender blackface amps were plentiful so when I sold it I figured I could acquire another down the road. Oh Well

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Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Here's my 1967. It's been with me a long time and I've played a lot of guitar gigs with it! Like Dave M. said, it's a killer guitar amp, but not so much for steel. I've tried it on a few steel gigs and it's not the sound I'm looking for. I guess I'm too used to playing pedal steel through a 15" speaker, 200 watt amp. There's just something missing with the VR. But for Tele it's out of this world!

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Mike Schwartzman · From: Maryland, USA

If it's of help, I would definitely rule out the 1st reissue Vibrolux Reverb for PSG. When they first came out I did a side by side A-B comparison with an original 1970 SF model. The reissue started breaking up way earlier than the SF, and the reissue was brand spankin' new. The distortion began just a bit above 3 on the volume knob of the reissue with a Telecaster. Definitely very low headroom there. I believe my friend who bought the reissue sent it back after the test.
As far as my 1970 SF model with PSG is concerned...even though more headroom is there, I would need beefier speakers to run it with PSG. I think the stock speakers are 2x10" C10Q's and as folks here said, wonderful with a Tele, yet probably too wimpy for PSG except at very low volume.
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George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Sounds like it might be an OK amp for practice or a small room venue, orif you want to have a guitar/steel double duty amp.

Ron Shalita · From: California, USA

I have a 67 VR that I would NEVER part with.. and have had more amps than I deserved ! Sounds perfect for my guitar and PSG I also play through a 67 deluxe Reverb and a 59 BassMan and a 54 Deluxe all original and all great amps I switch em everyday ... also have a peavey LTD that I never use .. lol
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Been playing all of my life, Lead Guitar, and Pedal Steel, sing Lead and Harmony.. play other Instruments also but I hate to admit to it..

Edward Efira · From: California, USA

I have a '67 VR as well, best amp ever to my ears. It's like a Deluxe reverb on steroids. I favor the non reverb channel for my Zum, gives an amazing headroom. I can add the reverb by piggy backing to the reverb channel.
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David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

Have an original 1964 Vibrolux and must agree, the Jensen 10's do not cut it for me personally. HOWEVER, with the internal speakers unplugged and the amp running through a 15" cab loaded with a JBL D-130, to my ears, the tone is difficult to beat

Ron Shalita · From: California, USA

Lots of Boutique builders are trying to duplicate the sound of the old fenders and some have gotten close but the thing they will NEVER duplicate is the re-sale value .. sound is subjective but we all love to put money back in our pockets ... still none of my amps are for sale... well maybe the LTD LOL
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Been playing all of my life, Lead Guitar, and Pedal Steel, sing Lead and Harmony.. play other Instruments also but I hate to admit to it..

Mike Marsh · From: Florida, USA

With the right Speaker these are Great steel amps! The circuit is very similar to some very popular Steel amp models.
IMHO,
Mike
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