'64 Reissue Fender Vibroverb Unveiled at NAMM

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · From: Branson, Missouri, USA

Hey guys, I just read where Fender is reissuing the '64 Vibroverb Custom at NAMM in Anaheim this weekend.
Here are the specs link to their website:

http://www.fender.com/misc/winternamm2003/8140000_000.html

Thanks, Michael T.

------------------
UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

Gino Iorfida · From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Hmmm and they DON'T include the footswitch like in the old days!

One thing I'd like to note is that they are using the new Groove Tubes 6l6's, which are actually (and as far as I know) the ONLY tubes that Groove Tubes actually produced themselves-- most GrooveTubes are just relabelled Sovtek, Svetlana, Chinese tubes or other origins. Apparently, they got one of the old US tube factories to re-open and start pumping out good 6l6's again... VERY cool for all the Fender owners out there...

Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

It does say they include the 2 button
footswitch (down near the bottom of the page).
Since it's handwired...it's gonna cost
quite a bit, I'd imagine. Probably about
the same as a Vibro~King or Tone~Master.
Only thing is, the Eminence speaker they're
using doesn't quite sound like the old
original Jensen C15N, but they do have
a good sound of their own.

------------------
Steelin' Video * * * Bolt-on* * * * Wraparound* * * *Fingertip

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

How can it be a '64 Reissue if it has "Circuit Modifications Designed by the Legendary Cesar Diaz". He was just a kid living in Puerto Rico in 1964.
OK so he was the guy that worked on Steve Ray's Vibroverb(With a JBL D-130) and helped with the current interest in them,and why you can find Vibroclones on ebay all the time.. Does anyone know what his circuit modifications are?

And yes Groove Tubes has finally started making tubes in the USA. They got all the old GE production line and machines, and are producing 6L6 tubes out in San Fernando. They are 90% US made tubes. $90 for a matched duet.GT6L6GE

Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

Alvin,
The main modification he made to Stevie's
amps was to replace the standard Vibroverb's
output transformer with a larger Fender one.
The original's had a transformer similar in
size to the Pro Reverb and Vibrolux.
The transformers from the Bassmans, Twins,
Showmans, etc. had a larger core for more
efficient energy transfer (fuller tone with
more punch).

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

I don't think this is a custom shop amplifier, despite the name. According to the web site it is from the reissue series, not the custom shop seriesm. This should keep the price relatively low. This looks like a cool amp.

------------------
www.tyack.com

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

I was just over on another forum this morning and checking the discussion of the amp. It will be a mere $2999.00 list price! Touted as hand wired! It is speculated it will have a heavy PC board with flying leads. Now I know why Fender booted my ads off of Ebay for my clones!
I just am about to finish #4 clone. It will has the Twin Reverb OT and this time a different speaker, an Altec-Lansing 418C! All my others were JBL D130 at 4 ohms (reconed). I am keeping this one for myself! Fender is cracking down on a lot of Ebay stuff, so you are not likely to see clones there much anymore. I think mine is just as nice!

[This message was edited by Ken Fox on 17 January 2003 at 03:55 PM.]

Mike Black · From: New Mexico, USA

I was at a guitar show last weekend and one of the vendors had a real 64 Vibroverb. The tag said 4K, I don't think it sold. I didn't look in the back but it was cean and original in front.
I'm happy to see Fender putting this amp out. If the list is 3K I bet they retail for less. I hope they sell a pile of 'em. It rounds out the Reissue line with a 2-6L6 single 15" speaker Amp. Perfect fit, just like the glory days.
The Black Face Pro and Vibroverb were the end of the line for the single 15 combo for 7 or 8 years. The 1x15 SF Vibrosonic brought it back. I think the 1x15 2-6L6 combo was the backbone of Fenders amp line since it's introduction and Fender's amp designs, are as important to modern electric instruments as anything else they did. Of course it seems almost everything they did was great right up to and including the 64 Vibroverb and the rest of the BF line!
I'm not slighting the 1x12 Deluxe, in all it incarnations. It seems to have appeared first and is a killer amp, but the Pro was not far behind the Deluxe. Mike DeTemple in LA has a K&F with a 15 and Bob Wills band of the era shows Noel Boggs and Jr. Barnyard with them.
Kudos to Fender and the rebirth of the 1x15 Combo.
Anyone ever tried a new Bass Breaker? Is that amp a 2x12 version of the RI Bassman?

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

Ken,
I'm sorry to here that the Fender Police have been harassing you. Would they still have a problem if you used the "Vibroclone" faceplate instead of "Vibroverb"? To me the duel 6L6 with a JBL D-130 is the greatest amp on earth.
I just played through a '61 Vibrosonic with the factory D-130. The guy is asking $2000. for it, and it looks and sounds great. The problem is I've never paid over $500 for an old Fender amp. I try to get the ones that don't work and get them living again. The second problem is I have a '61 Fender 1000 that would look great sitting next to this amp.

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

I just found a 1962 recently and had it re-covered and re-grilled back in St. Louis at Vintage Amp restoration, by Greg Hopkins. It is a great amp. I will likely not purse doing anymore clones, I will keep #4 for myself. Here's a link to the 1962:

http://users.safeaccess.com/fox1/kenfox/Untitled-3.gif

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

Ken,
Is that '62 for sell?
Its been 12 hours since I played through that '61, I realy want to get one of these. I have had almost every version of pre CBS amp except the Vibro ones. I do have a pro with the 15, but it dosn't sound like that brown Vibro did.
Also, your Vibroverb looks great. Where do you get your cabinets from. I have a '65 showman head I've been thinking about puting into a one 15 combo cabinet.

Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

Mojo (now in the Carolinas) makes finger
jointed pine cabinets for any Fender amp
or extension cabinet.Click here.

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

Mojotone makes great cabs. I used one for a 1957 Deluxe I restored. There prices on the net are twice what I pay as a dealer! I could be temped to the sell the Vibrasonic. I have about tens anps and more on the way! It is all original including the 16 ohm JBL (both an 8 and 16 were offered with two different output transformers to match).
I have a local company (Eagle Works) do my cabinets,grill work, Tolex work and speaker reconing. I recover some amps, nut in this cold weather my waterbased contact cement is more difficult to work with. I got Pat to build my cabs with true fingerjointed corners and he uses hide glue for the covering (like the originals). I have a lot of control over what I get with a local supplier!
Mojotone can definitely do your cab for the Showman, basically a Vibrasonic cab (like the one in the 1990's).

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · From: Branson, Missouri, USA

Alvin, check out my Dual Showman: http://www.wpro1.com/utilitymanproductions

------------------
UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

Alvin Blaine · From: Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA

I just talked to a friend that was at the NAMM show. He said that this new Vibroverb amp has a switch to go from stock to the Diaz mod. It can switch between a rectifier tube or solid state rectifier. And the transformer can switch between 40 watts and 85 watts. He didn't know if it had two output transformers or just one that can go back in forth.

Cartwright Thompson · Posted 22 Jan 2003 6:53 pm

I'd be curious to know how they get 85 watts out of a pair of 6L6's....

Ken Fox · From: Nashville GA USA

A common mod for Vibroverb and Vibroclones was to use an 85 watt, Twin reverb output transformer. It just gave it more iron and wire, not wattage. This substantially improved low end respoonse.
My last Vibroclone I am building has the 85 watt Twin O.T. As the Twin is rated at 4 ohms with four 6L6GC tubes, then the transformer will be then rated at 8 ohms for two 6L6GC tubes. A perfect impedance match and a lot beefier OT!

Cartwright Thompson · Posted 23 Jan 2003 3:08 am

Yeah, I run a pair of 6550's in my '66 twin, which has a D-130 in it. I've owned four 15" Vibroverbs over the years and I sold my last one after modding (and hearing) the twin. It helps to have some "big iron" in there.

Steve Stallings · From: Houston/Cypress, Texas

I've got one of the Custom Vibrolux Reverbs. I really like this amp and it is far less expensive. It really does have the vibe!

------------------
God Bless,
Steve Stallings

www.thenightshiftband.net

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

That Fender VibraVerb amp is really sharp. I just bought myself a '65 reissue Twin Reverb for Christmas and I love it. Clean sound and that Fender cosmetic look I always liked. I still have an original 1964 Fender Deluxe Reverb (Pre CBS) I've had for over 35 years. I've also got a '67 Princeton Reverb that I let my daughter use with her electric Mandolin. It's great now having a big Fender amp with tubes to play Steel through. But I'm still keeping my Peavey Nashville 1000 & Nashville 400 in case I ever want to switch back to solid state.

Nick

Eric Stumpf · From: Newbury, NH 03255

I finally got to see one of these today. I'd love to know if any of you folks eventually did buy a '64 Reissue Vibroverb and now have enough playing time into the thing to give me a review of its performance. Is $2100 a decent price for a new one in a local music store or can they be had cheaper through the big mail order houses?

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic