It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:49 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: '64 Vibroverb RI
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:20 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 73
Location: Santa Maria
So...
anyone using this amp?
I'm thinking that's the direction I want to go with my tone.
Who's using it?
What's your take on it?
How often do you gig with it and what type of venues?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:30 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:51 pm
Posts: 25350
Location: Witness Protection Program
I played through one at a jam session. Very nice tone and extremely LOUD! :!:

I'd imagine that you could use this amp at any gig (as long as the volume control works). :?

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:37 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 73
Location: Santa Maria
I interviewed Kenny Wayne Shepherd last year and he says he uses them. When I saw him perform Sunday night in LA, you could definitely hear the depth in his tone. His tone was rich, thick and full of bass response.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:13 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:39 pm
Posts: 554
i currently have a 59 bassman ltd reissue which i love

but my next amp purchase will be a fender blackface amp with reverb and vibrato(tremelo)...i thought i would either get a deluxe reverb or a vibrolux or a twin.

the other day i was at guitar center and i tried out a deluxe reverb first...then i noticed the vibroverb on the shelf below...and even though it retails for around $2500.00...i decided to plug in and play.......I was blown away....an incredible amp...really touch responsive and has everything the deluxe has but with much more overall warmth to the sound. now i am having a major gas attack for this amp. i don't know if it is really worth the money...but it is definately a step up from the deluxe reverb, the vibrolux, and it has better dirt than the twin at lower sound levels. also, a while back i played a vibroking and i like the vibroverb better.

sorry i didn't really answer any of your questions...but i just had to comment because i love the vibroverb and I may get one.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:29 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 73
Location: Santa Maria
I've played the Vibroking and was impressed with that. I think if I can get my hands on the Vibroverb, I'll go that route. It is very responsive and that warm tone is so rich.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:07 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:59 pm
Posts: 183
Location: Fort Myers, Florida swamp
I have never played through a vibroverb, but, I too want one badly! I do own a 1966 Pro Reverb and an old friend of mine said the tone is similar... And if that is true, then that is why I want a vibroverb so badly. Because I love my Pro, but, it is old and I don't want to use it out of the house.
And I think the 15 inch speaker would improve that deep bass response that I love.
I do have a 74' Musicman HD115 that is similar to the vibroverb in that it is a 15" speaker and great Fender type tone, but, it's just not the Vibroverb...

I will purchase one - maybe next year...

_________________
I love the smell of hot vacuum tubes in the morning...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:18 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:10 pm
Posts: 13467
Location: Palm Beach County FL
[quote="captain eyeball"]

For such a specialized amp, I am actually surprised that you found one out on the floor as a demo. Maybe you can negotiate a 'used' price on it. Sometimes, during a holiday season such as this, they may want to make a sale. I think 10% off the tag would be a fair offer.:wink:

I consider anything that been served at the 'headbanger's ball' fair game as 'used' gear. Either make me an offer I can't refuse, or it's an order, and an unopened shipping carton for me.

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:08 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:03 am
Posts: 214
I decided to try one of those today in a music shop. I don't know guys...I'm not that giddy about it. I've heard the original ones, and own a blackface or two myself from the 60's, and these RI's are not giving me goose bumps. I can't pin it down to transformers, caps or circuits...or a sum total of the parts, including speaker selections of the early to mid 60's.
Just a colder, more sterile sound...almost brittle. Lots of bottom end wallop, plenty loud...that's not the issue. It's pure tone that to me is a little shy on most of the RI's

Best RI out there for pure tone right now ( to me anyway) is that narrow panel '57 Tweed Twin. VERY nicely done!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:32 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:27 am
Posts: 1
I used two Vibroverb reissues onstage with Glen Campbell in the 90s. I ran them in stereo (as a ton of guys did in the 80s and 90s) and loved the tone. I didn't get many chances to crank them up except in the studio here in Nashville but the sound was clean most of the way up.
At the top, I dug it. It was not the same as my vintage amps, like my '61 and '62 brown Supers or original blackface '64 Vibroverb, but hardly anytiing these days comes close to that mojo.
You should be able to find them used pretty reasonably priced.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:46 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:03 am
Posts: 214
"It was not the same as my vintage amps, like my '61 and '62 brown Supers or original blackface '64 Vibroverb, but hardly anytiing these days comes close to that mojo. "

You pretty much have to get a boutique amp to sound like that. But most of the RI's are not in the ballpark with the old girls. The reason you may have used them with Glen was they make for a "no brainer, easy to ask for backline". Readily available.

And yes, you can likely pick them up for a good price because of this fact.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Vibroverb RI Cesar Diaz
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:22 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:55 pm
Posts: 2
I worked for and with Cesar Diaz for almost 8 years. Cesar was instrumental in switching in the tone mods he did for SRV after he said to Stevie in that classic Cesar Diaz style, "Hey Stevie, you’re a great player but your amp sounds like s___t". The user has a switch for Cesar's tuned mods, and another switch to choose tube or solid state rectifier.

Cesar mods to amps were to hand pick resistors and capacitors from a stockpile of carbon and paper vintage original parts. He would sit there for hours and tune in the amp.
His formula was documented and Fender used it as suggestions for their custom amp. The all-tube amp is also hand wired point to point wiring using Hand-wired “Eyelet Board” circuit which is only found in boutique amps now-days. This, as well as the specs of the cabinet and hardware is where the cost is and why the amp is expensive.

You will hear that the amp doesn’t have the bass response of a SuperReverb. True. Just because it has a 15" doesn’t mean bass. A Super pushes more "air". Vibroverbs with the single 15 will have a full range which will cut yet give you the right amount of midrange. You will hear this in the studio also. It mics GREAT! The Eminence in my opinion was the best because a JBL will cut you. My original (CesarRestored) has a P15N Jensen which I have to be careful with and carry a spare. The amp produces those shimmering tones and when driven breaks up well. The Eminence will last and was the best commercial choice. The amp is loud. Sounds best with a boosted input like Tube Driver. Great touring/club amp.

In closing, this is a workhorse amp which is good for the road as well as the studio. Get it, and sit down with it and you will see its versatility. Cesar and Fender agreed that this was a tribute amp, and it tells the story of the relationship between a Puerto Rican, and a Texan, two genius' in their own right who came together to renovate the sound of Blues in the 20th century.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:31 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:59 pm
Posts: 183
Location: Fort Myers, Florida swamp
Cool insight... Thanks for sharing the Cesar Diaz point of view, really cool!

_________________
I love the smell of hot vacuum tubes in the morning...


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Vibroverb RI Cesar Diaz
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:17 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:10 pm
Posts: 13467
Location: Palm Beach County FL
[quote="cpb@givemusic.com"] Pity they both died so young.

Someone is going to need to ask the 'obvious' question, because it happens all the time around here, so I might as well beat the 'tone questors' to it.

I'm familiar with this history of Cesar's work with him but, how close to SRV's gear does this amp really come??

Thanks much :wink: for all the interesting background info and the sound check.

Doc. :wink:

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:21 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:42 pm
Posts: 26
My main amp is a '63 Concert. I have several, but when I'm loading up for a gig, I seem to always grab it. Cosmetically it's a wreck so I don't have to worry about dinging a museum piece. Of course reverb would be nice, but the Vibrato is just lush!
I sat in with a guy who used a Vibroverb RI and he seemed to get great tone out of his.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:48 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 73
Location: Santa Maria
Wow guys, thanks for jumping in and giving me your input.
I especially liked the insights on Cesar Diaz.
I've decided I'm keeping my Fender Master Built Two-tone amp. It's simply wonderful. I've had other guitarists lately tell me how much they like the way it sounds, even wanting to barrow it.
I did buy another amp.
It's the Gibson Goldtone Les Paul Jr. Amp. 5-watt, 12AX7 and EL84, point-to-point, eight inch speaker.
I think I'm pretty much dialed in on luscious tone for the rest of my life. For my purposes, I have all I need.
Check out the harmony central reviews.
Here's the Gibson:
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/revi ... Combo/10/1
Here's the Fender:
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/revi ... -Tone/10/1
Merry Christmas All!


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: