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Post subject: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:47 am
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Hi everyone! Just purchased a 1977 Silverface Vibrolux in very good condition with no push pull. All original, GE tubes, Oxford speakers and correct dated transformers. The amp had a hum so I send it to a tech to check, he change all caps to correct silverface specs to Sprague, to my surprise the tubes were in great shape so they stayed in. The amp is as quiet as it can be now. Tried the vibrato channel and it sounded very good, but to me the first channel sounds a lot warmer, everything I was looking for. I am using a Sadowsky semihollow and looking for a fat Jazz sound, that first channel really nails it down. I noticed it has a lower volume as opposed to the vibrato channel, not much but noticeably . My question is, are both channels voiced differently in the silverface vibrolux ? is the lower volume normal in channel one? Has any of you perceive that difference ? Thanks in advance!!


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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 8:37 am
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Absent any mods, both tone stacks are identical IIRC.

Normally the vibrato channel has slightly less gain due to the insertion loss of the tremolo circuit. It could be the amp has some attenuation in the normal channel due to a drifting-and-aging component. So long as the amp has sufficient available volume in both channels, you shouldn't lose any sleep over this anomaly.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 9:17 am
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I agree with Arjay. There is one thing you can try. Switch the 12AX7's (7025) of V1 (NORMAL) and V2 (VIBRATO). Could be one is a tad weaker than the other. A cheap experiment, anyhow.

Enjoy that great amp!


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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:12 am
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
I agree with Arjay. There is one thing you can try. Switch the 12AX7's (7025) of V1 (NORMAL) and V2 (VIBRATO). Could be one is a tad weaker than the other. A cheap experiment, anyhow.


+1

It costs nothing and could isolate the problem.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 4:19 pm
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Ahem...pics or it didn't happen. We have a few rules here and that is one of them.

And we just LOVE AMP Porn :!: :!: :!:

Welcome to the forum and congrats on a Great Amp :!:

T2

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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:15 am
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Thanks Arjay, BMW and Stratman!!
Did exchange the V1 and V2 tubes. The same , 1rst channel big and warm and less volume, 2nd (vibrato) channel, higher volume not as warm but good. Anyway not a big thing, just liked having a reverb when practicing and having that great tone. Ordered some Webers , 10a125 and 10F150 combination, maybe will order a cab from Armadillo Amps or Mojo to put the Webers in and save the original cab with the Oxfords at home. Sending some photos, thanks again!!!!!!


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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:27 am
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The original enclosure (and its Oxford speakers) is worth *dick*. It's rabbet-joined corners, velcro-secured grill frame, glue-in baffle, and composite-board construction.

Get yourself an all-pine replacement and broom that POS off on Ebay. If you wish to backdate the cosmetics to blackface style, Marsh Amps offers a realistic FEIC faceplate. If you're keeping the silverface motif, specify the aged silver/blue grill cloth when you order the new enclosure. And remember, a blackface Vibrolux Reverb will not have tilt-back legs.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:46 pm
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Coabey...Thanks for the amp porn! Nice amp, but yeah those oxfords are crap speakers, that amp should livin up once you get the cab and webers loaded and broke in!

Enjoy the amp project!

T2

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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:14 pm
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Coabey, as I see it, the normal channel hits a .047 cap, after the last gainstage, on it's ride to the phase inverter. The vib channel hits a .022 cap, after the last gainstage(reverb "on" or "off") and half of a 7025 on it's ride to the phase inverter. So yeah, even though the tone stacks are the same, the signal path has that wrinkle. And yes , a very nice amp! Art

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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:15 am
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Hey Arjay , Stratman and Art!! Thanks for all the help!! Yes Arjay the Oxfords are not up to it, but surprised that they sounded not as bad as I thought after the cap change at low volume, looking for great improvement with the Webers. Do you have a cabinet preference? as I mentioned, looking at Armadillo and Mojo.
I have no knowledge about electronics and I am learning as I read this forum from all of you so I apologize for making so many questions.
Confused as to the caps on the grids of the power tubes, are they to be removed or replace with something else, what could be the result?

Really enjoying this vibrolux, after many, many years of using polytone, acoustic image and Heriksen amps which are fantastic solid state amps, but decided to try tubes again. Purchased a lonestar classic which has a good clean but this Vibrolux , uffff, has all my attention. Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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Post subject: Re: 1977 Fender silverface vibrolux
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:39 am
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Those grid caps tied to ground on the power-tube sockets should be unassed -- they're tone thieves.

As for cab choices, any Leo-spec enclosure will be fine whether it be from Mojotone, Marsh Amps, Larry Rodgers, or J.D. Newell. The latter three will likely provide no-charge color changes should you wish. Of the four, I prefer Larry as he'll also stain the interior of a cab to match a specific era.

Arjay

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