Fender Vibrosonic

Buck Dilly · From: Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.

I am currently using a 70's? silverface Fender Vibrosonic with a JBL D130 15" Spkr.
This sound spectacular when I play alone but may be lacking in the crystal highs when with a band. Any suggestions? Different Speaker? It also seems too punchy, or perhaps I'm not used to so much punch as I have been using a Super Reverb for a ling while. Also would someone mind moving this for me; IT IS TOO FREAKIN' HEAVY!

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Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Hi Buck. If you don't mind> can you tell me what Steel and pickup in that steel you have?
Also are you putting the amp down on the ground? You might try tilting if back so the whole bottom is not in total contact with the floor; if you are.
Also what are your settings on the amp?
And are you running through the far left channel designed for steel or the middle channel??
And what volume pedal exactly are you using.
From your room to a stage is a difference in many things that can easily be adjusted or improved upon> I've spent most my steel playing life on this very subject

and would love to help you if I can and you let me.
Ricky

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Ricky's right...get the thing off the floor! Also, how do you have the controls set? (This should prove interesting!)

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

Buck Dilly, huh? Geez, I know another forumite from Branchville, NJ - what a coincidence....

I have a newer Custom Vibrasonic and it's got more highs than I can handle. Also, compared to my rack, it's a featherweight (ugh...).

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

adding my 2 cents... agreeing with Ricky and Donny, tilt it or get it up on a stand... then try to get out about 4-5 feet in front of it if the venue stage setup make it possible, to let the tone "bloom" before it reaches the back of your head...

as to the weight of Vibrosonics and Twins, it's been said before and I'll say it again:

"you only have to carry it for a few minutes... you get to listen to it ALL night!"

ajm · From: Los Angeles

As for the weight issue......

1) Go down to Home Depot or a similar place and buy a 2 wheel cart (hand truck). I found one new at a Freight Sales company that also converts to a 4 wheeled cart by moving the handle for $20.

2) Buy a set of Ernie Ball removable casters (also about $20).

jerry wallace · From: Artesia , NM (deceased)

The vibrosonic is one I have never seen..Its sounds like its a "twin " with a 15" JBL?Is that close?
Remember fellows I am out here in UFO land and it takes about 20 years for Stuff like this to reach New Mexico

..I used a twin with JBL'S Back in the early 70's and it was a great amp..In my opinion though,the tubes are a pain in the A

..The noise,heat, getting harder and higher to replace etc.

Even with pretty new tube amps they start to pickup noise and strange sounds that take a "bang" on the side to stop for a few minutes and then its "bang it again!!

I know a lot of people love them ,but with a lot of hauling around and use ,they are much more fradgile,and require much more maintaince in my opinion..

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Jerry Wallace- "98 Zum: D-10,8+8, "96 Zum: D-10,8+5,Nashville 1000,Session 500 ,Tubefex,ProfexII, Artesia, New Mexico

[This message was edited by jerry wallace on 29 May 2001 at 12:57 PM.]

Chris DeBarge · From: Boston, Mass

Vibrasonic - early 60's, brown tolex, 15" JBL D130, ~50 watts, no reverb.

Vibrosonic Reverb - 70's, essentially a silver-faced 135 watt Twin Reverb with a 15" speaker.

Custom Vibrasonic - Mid 90's, essentially a '65 Twin Reverb reissue with a 15. 100 watts. First channel voiced esp. for steel.

Bill Crook · From: Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance

??????

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I'm no expert (actually not even a novice) but different frequencies seem to radiate better at different levels. The big thing in home entertainment speakers is to elevate them off of the floor for better sound (they sell raised mounting brackets for speakers).

My personal preference is at least chair height. At floor level I'm constantly screwing with the EQ as it doesn't sound right to me but as soon as I get it elevated I can go back to my "normal" EQ settings and everything sounds correct. I also tend to play louder when the speaker(s) are at floor level.

ajm · From: Los Angeles

When doing these "taste tests" with the amp raised or not, it might be a good idea to compare the tones when you're standing about 20 feet away.

If the amp is a couple of feet behind you on the floor, and then you raise it up so it's blasting in your ear, it's naturally going to sound different. Same thing if it's off to the side. Not to mention the fact that if it's on the floor and you turn it up loud enough so that you personally can hear it, you'll probably be killing people in the audience with the volume.

This might seem obvious but many might overlook it. My also barely a novice opinion, no make that more like a guess, would be that if the amp were on the floor that you might perceive a little more bass response. But standing in the crowd in a noisy bar it would probably tend to get lost anyway. Also, don't forget that things will change depending on what the floor is made out of (wood, carpet, concrete), if the amp is backed up against a wall, what the wall is made of, etc. etc. etc.

I think I'm getting a headache.

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Mike it, that should do the trick.

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www.tyacktunes.com

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Monitors are usually always at floor level; so I put my amp at floor level; so I can mix with it since that's the way I'm hearing most the sound on the stage>make since??
As far as the amp being tilted so that it is not sitting the bottom flat on the floor is a hearing preference and some tone preference. When the amp box is sitting flat on the bottom it tends to be a bit too boomy(low end boxy sounding) because of the way the box resonates against certain surfaces of floor. So in essence you are tilting the box so it isn't resonating against the floor hardly at all; and now the speaker is pointing up at you and your hearing it the way the monitors are pointing up at you too>(same projection in listening)helps you to play better with the band in the mix on the stage. Now this is my opinion in how I hear things; and may not be the way you hear things> Hell try all different things and come up with the way you like to hear it>"is always my moto"> I do put my amps on chairs; trap cases; amp cases; on floor; behind me; beside me; waaaaaaay back; or right next to me; and I like it all just fine when you have a good amp> but my preferences are stated above.
Hope that helps you some in your quest.
Ricky

Mark Herrick · From: Bakersfield, CA

I believe, if I recall correctly, high frequencies are more directional than low frequencies and low frequencies tend to reflect more. Therefore the higher frequencies will go straight out of the speaker, and if it is not pointing up or at ear level, you won't hear them as well as the low frequencies that will bounce off the floor. If you look at monitors, they tend to be angled up toward the band.

Buck Dilly · From: Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.

Thank you for all the feedback. Since the day I put this note in and today I have done some comparisons and tried some or all of the recommendations made. I will try to respond. My rig is as folllows: A Push Pull D-10, through MatchBro, Emmons Volped, through some other crap for occasional overdrive (I love the Fulldrive II for lap and Pedal), through the Vibrosonic Reverb. This one has an original JBL d-130 15" spkr. recently reconed, it has been slightly modified to sound a little more like a blackface twin, the settings are vol 3 1/2, bright on, treb 4, midd 3, bass 7, rev 0 to 4, and master 5 through 8. 1) Truly, I only have to carry it for a few minutes, BUt I get to listen all night. Thanks. 2) I have kept my amps off the floor for years using a milk crate. This keeps solid contact with the floor, while getting the amp to where I can accurately hear it. 3) I a/b ed this rig next to a Peavy 400 and it sound a good deal better. BUT TONE IS SUBJECTIVE. 4) THe stage I played on the first night I used this complete rig is a linolium and tin nightmare of suffering and I believe that I may have panicked when the tone was not what I got at home. I will try again tonight. This amp sounds remarkable, but no amp does everything great. My super sounds better when I want "grunt". I appreciate all the feedback that I got. This forum is great! Buck Dilly.

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Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Turn master volume all the way up for the best use of the amp. Then use the volume knob to regulate your volume.
Those tone settings look fine; but the stuff you have in line will cheat your tone; but you can make some adjustment to compensate for the great ammount of loss that is suffered when putting anything in line from your volume pedal to your amp; but right now I don't know what that is.
Yes metal or tin warehouse type places and cement floors are the worst for hearing proper tone from the amp.
Have fun.
Ricky

Slim Lattimer · From: Anaheim, CA USA

Buck, Thanks to Gary Brandin's recommendation to me, I've opted for a higher Mid setting and less on the Bass setting. I've found that for me, in a band environment, my Emmons PP played through my '70's Vibrosonic does not have "too much punch" with the Bass set at 4-5, and the Mid set up around 8-10. I get plenty of bass from the guitar, nice even mids without the mud, and clean highs with the High setting on 4-5. The speaker is the original Fender 15F, I'm not sure who made the speaker, but it sounds cool, and works for me. Might be worth a try.

Buck Dilly · From: Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.

I played out again last night with more attention payed to location of steel and amp.
It sounds great but a variable that I had not taken into account has become apparent. At the same time I got the steel I got an Emmons vol Ped. It seems that this will not go all the way to the toe (full volumn) and this is robbing me of overhead. Shouldn't this Pedal be ideal for this instrument and shouldn't it go all the way. I have adjusted it in manny ways and it is NOT on a rug. Thanks for the input. Yes effects can rob some "stuff" from sound. I am rethinking my set-up. I am certain that one rig will not work for guitar and for steel. Buck.

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