The Steel Guitar Forum

Saw a Fender Vibrolux amp in a pawn shop the other day price $279.00,Seems like a pretty fair price to me but I dont know alot about them.It had silver face cosmetics so I assume its a 70's model,I think the grill cloth had been replaced because it is black and not silver.The cabinet it self is in great shape, the tremolo knob is missing as well as the pot shaft and one speaker is not original.I plug a no name strat copy they had in the shop to try it out and the thing acually sounded good just like it set.Have any of you used these amps on small to med gigs and how do they hold up.....I guess the question is ..to buy or not to buy???

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sho-bud,session 500,american standard strat,shecter tele,peavy classic 50

Hey Gary I had one for 2 years as a second amp in a two amp set up. I also used it alot on small radio/studio shows...in-store/low volume shows....and stuff like that.
I loved it and it has a great sound...but unfortunately I had to sell it when money got tuff last year.
That price you posted is pretty dang good too.
Ricky

thanks Rickey, did you use for steel or six string guitar?

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sho-bud,session 500,american standard strat,shecter tele,peavy classic 50

I used it for my ShoBud Pro II and my Non-pedal steels.....I don't play regular guitar.
Ricky

Thanks again Ricky,I was'nt clear on what I would be playing through this amp.

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sho-bud,session 500,american standard strat,shecter tele,peavy classic 50

IMO the Vibrolux is the ideal compromise between size, weight and power in a Fender vintage combo amp. I used my 72 Vibrolux as my primary PSG gigging amp for 25+ Years. mostly alone, sometimes with a second amp (BF Bassman 2x12)
It ain't loud enough to keep up with insane people, but at sensible volumes it sounds great. At insane volumes, it sounds great too, just not Clean.
You can always mic it .

It's the 'baby twin reverb"



<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 12 January 2002 at 10:40 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks for the info Dave, I called the pawn shop today and they still have it, they said they would hold it untill I can get back up that way to get it.

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sho-bud,session 500,american standard strat,shecter tele,peavy classic 50

I love my Vibrolux and it's a late 70's model as it has a "pull boost" on the volume knob, (don't ever use that!) Anyway, I think it's a great Telecaster Amp and has a great tone.

Shaan

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The Pickin' Paniolo

One of my favorite amp setups is a '64 Tremolux w/matching 2-12 Bassman cab. Same circuit as the Vibrolux. The circuit design is very similar to the 40W series of that period(Super/Bandmaster/Pro, etc.) but uses a slightly lower voltage. The amp has a great tone and with the lower voltage, I find it is much harder to distort than it's bigger brothers.

The blond head and cab<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Bowden on 15 January 2002 at 09:20 AM.]</p></FONT>

L-O-V-E that picture!!!


A Family Picnic

you can see my Vibrolux looks rode hard & put away wet...

the Vibrolux thru both it's own speakers AND/OR one of the 2x12 Bassman cabs are choice too <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 15 January 2002 at 09:20 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 15 January 2002 at 09:27 PM.]</p></FONT>

Now I feel guilty. I've never taken my amps out for a picnic.

Even though it needs some work that's a great price. Even silverface Vibroluxes are getting up into the $800+ range for good conditioned ones.

THANKS TO ALL FOR THE GREAT INFO SO FAR, AND GREAT PIC'S TO BOOT.DO any of you Vibrolux'ers have any links on where to find fender grill cloth and allso know what pot I need to use for the tremolo replacement ?Thanks in advance

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sho-bud,session 500,american standard strat,shecter tele,peavy classic 50

Smart Parts is the "official" online source for Fender replacement parts. They are at http://www.partssmart.com. I've never dealt with them, but I've poked around their site a bit. They have the grille cloth for blackface and silverface Fenders. They also list both of the tremolo pots. (Speed = 3 Meg reverse audio taper, Intensity = 50K reverse audio taper.) I don't know what they charge because they don't list prices on their site.

You might also try angela.com. I bought a bunch of stuff for a Pro Reverb from them recently and was very satisfied. Another place is tubesandmore.com.

Btw, schematics for most Fender amps are posted at the Fender Amp Field Guide at http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/

Have fun. The Vibrolux is an absolutely great amp.

I was fortunate enough to have a 65 original
Vibrolux to learn on, It had an incredable
clean tone and unlike the re-isue stuff had
a great break up when pushed, its maybe my
favorite blackface amp, just the right size.
The demand seems to be there, all the company's are Re-isueing there classic amps,
but in my opinion they really fall short,
a healthy original is so sweet and clear.
If anyone knows of a blackface Vibrolux
preferably 64, 65, 66, I'm interested,
Greg

Up date...Just got the vibrolux home a little bit ago and man does it sound fine with my strat and pretty sure it will sound good on steel as well. Again I would like to thank all for the advise, info, and encouragement to make this purchase,I don't buy equiptment very often so this is kind of a big deal for me

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sho-bud,session 500,american standard strat,shecter tele,peavy classic 50

just got back from the gig and man did this amp sound good all night long.I play alot of clean snappy country licks and this amp is just right for that.I may try to get a A/B box to switch between the vibrolux and my classic 50. Any recomendations out there on a good low cost box ?

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sho-bud,session 500,american standard strat,shecter tele,peavy classic 50

If it's good to ya it's got to be good for ya!




I have no suggestion on an A/B box...sorry

Thats a nice looking one,in my origional post I had thought the speaker grill had been replaced with black cloth but I later discoverd that the origional silver cloth is still underneath.I pulled the black off and the silver has a tear about 2 inches long but I think I'll leave it that way(gives it that road tested look) ha ha...

"Now I feel guilty. I've never taken my amps out for a picnic. "

Me either!....I was always a little "antsy" about doing that!....ha!....sorry

PMS

I just got a new Vibrolux Custom. It is a phenomenal guitar amp, but breaks up at way too low fo a volume for steel. Mine has 2x10s and I'd sure miss the bottom end from my 15s. BTW, These cost a lot more than $279.


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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas

Don't have a Vibrolux but do have a Tremalux, at least thats what I think it is. It has no reverb but does have tremalo/(1) 10 inch speaker. Tweed cover and a brown speaker cloth. It has a chrome chassis/(2) instrument inputs and (2) mice inputs. Does that sound familar to anyone?

Doyle, that one sounds like a 1955 to 1960 model Tremolux. It should have a 12" speaker. This amp was based on the narrow panel Deluxe of the same era. I restored a 57 Deluxe last year, a neat little amp for sure. The difference is that yours has tremolo. In 1957 the power was increased to 15 to 18 watts on these (model 5G9). There was a 1-10" model, a piggyback amp in the 60's.

If it is a tweed combo, then it's from the 50's. In 60 or 61 it changed to a piggyback style with the most common speaker configuration being 2-10s in a sealed cab. Mine is an early 64 and sounds great driving a 2-12 Bassman cabinet.