Thinking of Jumping on This Baby

Allan Jirik · Post by **Allan Jirik** » 10 Jun 2016 7:09 pm

I've been watching this post with interest. I had an original Fender Vibroverb in my glory days in the 70s. It bought my lunch while I attended college. What do you think? A clone for sure but maybe the memories are worth it.. http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/msg/5599714653.html

Dave Campbell · Post by **Dave Campbell** » 11 Jun 2016 1:38 am

if i lived near detroit that'd already be in the trunk of my car.

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 11 Jun 2016 10:32 am

I'd say go for it!

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 11 Jun 2016 12:41 pm

Looks interesting, wondering how you add reverb and vibrato to a bass head ?
Wouldn't you need a reverb transformer, send and return tubes ?

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 11 Jun 2016 2:12 pm

[quote="Steve Spitz"]Looks interesting, wondering how you add reverb and vibrato to a bass head ?
Wouldn't you need a reverb transformer, send and return tubes ?[/quote]
???
Ain't no bass head.
Those are nice amps. Not great for pedal steel but that one is a great deal for the money.
Be careful to check how they got the JBL in there. I had one and the D-130 did not line up right with one of the transformers. More than likely, the bolts have been rearranged. Probably not a big deal but make sure they didn't booger something else. There's something a little weird in the photo. You can't see the aluminum dust cap that the JBL should have and the circle surrounding the speaker is a little odd. Probably fine but something to check. It looks like it says 16ohms on the speaker. It should be 8 for that amp...picky picky picky...

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 11 Jun 2016 2:25 pm

It says it's made out of a Bassman 70 head... A "Vibroclone"
The weird looking circle is because the speaker is front loaded, not backloaded like Fender used to do.

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 11 Jun 2016 3:57 pm

That's my point Carty , it ain't no bass head, which is what the seller states.
If it was in my area, I'd try to take a look.

A lot of curious unknowns. I see a reverb control on the faceplate, but I don't see a reverb send and return on the chassis. Am I missing something ?

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 11 Jun 2016 4:52 pm

Wow. That's what I get for not reading the fine print. I thought it was the Fender custom shop reissue. I stand corrected!
Definitely not necessarily a great deal.
Sorry about that Steve.

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 11 Jun 2016 6:34 pm

It appears that the builder added in reverb and vibrato. The send and return to the reverb pan is using the hum balance pot hole in the back. I guess it is a double shielded jack. You'd have to go hear it. Not a classic amp, but could sound real nice. I have a vibro-clone, made from a Bandmaster Reverb head. A fantastic steel amp. As long as you don't have to crank it too much, it is beautifull with my D-10 ShoBud. A dandy steel amp, (if you beef up the OT, like I did).

Basically a Pro-Reverb with a single 15. I think, when you factor in the weight of these, you're better off modding a Twin Reverb with a 15". Unless you really dig the sound of 2 6L6's instead of 4. Definitely warmer at lower volumes.

Jamie Mitchell · Post by **Jamie Mitchell** » 11 Jun 2016 6:51 pm

Cartwright Thompson wrote: Those are nice amps. Not great for pedal steel but that one is a great deal for the money.

vintage Fender w/ a 15" JBL not good for steel?

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 11 Jun 2016 7:42 pm

Hard to say, as the photo isn't detailed enough, but that looks like the footswitch might be coming from the hum balance, with a cable closer to the right side of the cab that may be reverb send and return. I can almost make out a red and white RCA type connector coming from the bottom of the chassis, not from the rear panel of the chassis. If it's 4 preamp tubes, it could be the bassman 70 , made from 77 to 83. It's hard to tell how many pre amp tubes. That would be some serious modification. My custom Vibrasonic had a similar 1/4" input jack for the footswitch.

The seller states the reverb and vibrato work well. I think the Bassman 70 had only six knobs across the front ? Volume , Bass, and treble , X2 ? Again, a major mod. I think this head is as wide as a pro, and the bassman was not as wide, a piggyback.

Just guessing, I could be mistaken.

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 11 Jun 2016 8:09 pm

"...maticulless in its built by an electronic engineer..."

Say no more.

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 12 Jun 2016 3:31 am

[quote="Jamie Mitchell"][quote="Cartwright Thompson"]
Those are nice amps. Not great for pedal steel but that one is a great deal for the money.[/quote]

vintage Fender w/ a 15" JBL not good for steel?[/quote]

I was referring to one of the custom shop reissues.

Tommy Boswell · Post by **Tommy Boswell** » 12 Jun 2016 3:49 am

I have a Bassman 70 head, looks nothing like that.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Jun 2016 7:31 am

Jamie Mitchell wrote:
Cartwright Thompson wrote: Those are nice amps. Not great for pedal steel but that one is a great deal for the money.
vintage Fender w/ a 15" JBL not good for steel?

That's right...not good for pedal steel. Just putting a 15" JBL (or any other kind of speaker) in a 35-40 watt amp doesn't make it a good amp for pedal steel. Might be okay in you bedroom or the studio, but it would likely suck, big time, in a live venue.

Allan Jirik · Post by **Allan Jirik** » 12 Jun 2016 2:51 pm

Thanks guys. I know it is a cobbled together amp. Might be good or not. The seller hasn't responded to my questions so I'm gonna pass. Thank you for your "input"

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 12 Jun 2016 3:11 pm

I'm seeing three tubes. A 70 watt mid-70's? Fender wouldn't have a rectifier and would be boasting 70 watts from 2 6L6's, have an ultra-linear transformer.

Jamie Mitchell · Post by **Jamie Mitchell** » 8 Sep 2016 6:14 am

Donny Hinson wrote:
Jamie Mitchell wrote:
Cartwright Thompson wrote: Those are nice amps. Not great for pedal steel but that one is a great deal for the money.
vintage Fender w/ a 15" JBL not good for steel?
That's right...not good for pedal steel. Just putting a 15" JBL (or any other kind of speaker) in a 35-40 watt amp doesn't make it a good amp for pedal steel. Might be okay in you bedroom or the studio, but it would likely suck, big time, in a live venue.

yeah, you might think that.
you should hear Greg Leisz on a backline gig.
i did.
500 cap room, sold out. festival set, throw and go. no soundcheck.
dude walks in to a rented Deluxe reissue. spends all of a minute 'dialing it in'.
proceeds to sound better than you or i ever will.

i'm not saying there's no need for bigger amps.
but there's no inherent sucking big time w/ a little amp.
j

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 8 Sep 2016 6:36 am

Wish I could see it... the link doesnâ€™t work for me... the dreaded 404

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 8 Sep 2016 6:39 am

Donny Hinson wrote:
That's right...not good for pedal steel. Just putting a 15" JBL (or any other kind of speaker) in a 35-40 watt amp doesn't make it a good amp for pedal steel. Might be okay in you bedroom or the studio, but it would likely suck, big time, in a live venue.

This information does not apply to current live playing conditions. My 40 watt milkman is plenty for most all of my gigs lately. If I am playing a pickup gig with a band that never learned about stage volume or I need to push the room for a dance gig I bring a louder amp. Thankfully that is happening less these days.

Actually one of the main reasons steel players get cut from gigs is that they play too loud and distract the singer. Guitar players with that problem get replaced by better ensemble players. There are not enough steel players that know how to play in a band context to go around though.