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Post subject: 1967 vibrolux reverb
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:08 am
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Hi, this is my first post here on the forum. I purchased a vintage vibrolux reverb which sounded fine at the store but at home it has a noticeable white noise and slight hum. I did not notice this the first couple times i used it at home. I have tried plugging it into a different wall socket and same problem. I purchased a Furman RFI EMI noise suppressor and still the same problem. My other amp ( a new blues jr has some noise also but to a lesser extent. The noise is there as soon as the tubes warm up with all volume knobs turned all the way down.

Also, Is there any way to get an owner's manual for these older amps? I don't even know how to connect the foot switch it came with!

Thanks


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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:15 am
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The hum is probably due to old and out-of-spec power supply filter caps. They should be replaced, along with the bias cap. As for the hiss, there are several possible causes......bad tube(s), incorrect tube(s), weak solder joint on some component on the circuit board, etc. You should consider taking the amp to a qualified technician familiar with the blackface Fenders and let him "tune" it up for you. Be prepared to spend some $$$ but once done, the amp should play for the next 15 or 20 years without requiring further major servicing.

HTH

Arjay


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:33 am
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You've got a great amp,thing about these old amps is there's always things that could be out of spec and making some noise also,that's one of the drawbacks to owning one if you're not used to that sort of thing.
I have always just replaced things that needed to be,because if it sounds good tonewise changing lots of things will cause a change in tone,and that might be good or not so good.If you take it to a tech you might want to not do a whole overhaul of caps and resistors.
Some of the components used in building the amps had a + or - 20% tolerance if I remember right.Schematics can be found online for it...if you have a tendency to safely tinker with electronics.


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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:01 pm
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Thanks for responding. I am willing to pay to have it overhauled or tuned up as you say but I need to find a place I can trust with vintage amps. I live in San Diego, CA. I'm going to start looking for a place to take it too. I know of a speaker place but not an amp place in town. BTW, what kind of Caps are they supposed to be and are they even available anymore?

Any suggestions as to a repair place within a 100 miles of San Diego?

Thanks again


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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:09 pm
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Parts are plentiful to restore and/or repair nearly any vintage Fender amp ever made.

However, you'll be hard-pressed to find stuff to keep a solid-state Fender model from only ten or twelve years ago serviceable. That's the beauty of these old warriors.

I'm sure there are amp repair shops in your neck of the woods that can handle your VR and keep a smile on your face.

HTH

Arjay


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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:36 pm
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Put a three prong cord on it while your at it........... 8) Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:40 pm
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cherokee747 wrote:
Put a three prong cord on it while your at it........... 8) Mike


Absolutely! And deep-six the "death cap" as well.

Arjay


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:50 pm
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Thanks. I had the pwr chord changed before I took it home. I just found a place in orange county that is one of two authorized repair places for Fender. I sent him a picture of the back of the amp and he said that there may be some other items replaced that the the store did not tell me about. now i am worried because they said that it was all original except tubes and one of the transformers. I figured I could eventually find an original transformer and have it rewound but...

I wish I knew about this forum before I got a wild hair and bought it. :oops:


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 6:33 pm
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If your amp is anything like the Vibrolux Reissue (which I recently bought), it will hiss and hum!

Just do a google search on Vibrolux hiss.

I did the mods on mine and now it's quiet as can be!


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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 6:44 pm
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I wouldn't be too concerned with a single replacement tranny as long as the part was correct for the amp. And are you certain that the tranny has been replaced?

Of more serious import is the hiss and hum you described previously. But a qualified shop should be able to remedy any problems and have you ready to rock in no time.

HTH

Arjay


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:02 pm
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The part numbers on the two large tranny's are as follows:

606 838 (F022798) This is the one on the far left if you look into my cabinet it looks to be newer and is black and does not say Fender on t.

The other one next to it is silver (with Fender stamped on it) and the no's are:

606 017 (from 1960? or ??)
022 871

This number corresponds to a Bassman output Xformer (125A13A) according to the S.V.V.A website and apparently the year of manufacture is not 1967.

The store guy told me that only the pwr tranny was replaced so I'm guessing it is the first one I listed here.


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Post subject: This just in from the Amp tech:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:07 pm
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022798 is from Bandmaster,Super Reverb or Pro Reverb Power Transformer
022871 is from a Bassman Output Transformer

It would appear from your not being able to remove the chassis that the amp
has been modified. From your photos the filter capacitors look original. I
think you paid a heavy price for a modified amp.

Good Luck,

Looks like I did get ripped off! Now what? Small Claims court??


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:16 pm
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Neither of those trannies are original to the amp nor even the era.

Proper iron for 1967 would be marked "606-7xx".

Your course of action at this point is up to you and whatever consumer protections are in place in California. If it were me though I definitely would not be a happy camper......

Best of luck, HTH

Arjay


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:32 pm
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Suddenly I feel sick. :!:


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:16 am
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Not knowing who the people are that sold it to you I wouldn't pass too harsh a judgement on them just yet,vintage amps are similar to many other antiques,some people really just don't know as much as they think they do.
I've seen many times where people thought an item was original but weren't experts,and if you know more than they do you can see other things that are not right.
There are transformers out there that are really good,probably pricey,like Mercury.
I didn't see what you paid for it,don't get too sick,somebody once told me,"you didn't pay too much,you just bought it too early." :oops:
Just do what you think is right.


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