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Post subject: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:38 pm
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Hey guys. I'm in the market for an older Fender and I am looking at 3 amps right now, all Silver Face amps...a 73 Deluxe, a 74 Vibrolux, and a 68 Super. The super is the best deal at only 900 bucks. My question is, with the Deluxe and the Vibrolux, which is going to have a bigger, fuller low end? I haven't had a chance to turn these amps up yet so I am not sure what to expect. Both sounded great at low volumes. I don't think I have ever had an amp with 10's so my concern is a lack of a full, fat deep low end. I assume the Super will deliver a nice full low end with 4 10's...am I wrong? I haven't played that amp yet and my concerns with the super are it will be heavy and loud. I do have a DR Z attenuator so I could use that to shave off some DB's if needed. I appreciate any feedback I can get from you guys, thanks in advance.


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:07 pm
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Between the DR and the VLR, the VLR will be presumed to have the beefier low end, if only due to its larger radiating speaker-cone area and its 6L6GC output tubes. The SR will be heavy, and somewhat awkward to wrestle in and out of a vehicle. Of the three, it will likely have the best full-range tone assuming it has a decent set of speakers. The DR is a great all-around amp if portability and simplicity are primary considerations. As with the other contenders, an appropriate speaker will enhance an already-potent package.

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:18 pm
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I have both the SFSR and the SF VLR. Both are great amps, for their own reasons. And I've own BFDR on the past. With a good purchase, I don't think you'll be dissapointed in any of these great amps.

Maybe, best to go for the amp that is in best condition with the least amount of funky non-OEM tweaking. Have any photos? We love them here. And they do speak a thousand words.

Sorry, for those sick of seeing the same old photos.

My SFSR:


Image


My SF VLR

Image


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:24 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
I have both the SFSR and the SF VLR. Both are great amps, for their own reasons. And I've own BFDR on the past. With a good purchase, I don't think you'll be dissapointed in any of these great amps.

Maybe, best to go for the amp that is in best condition with the least amount of funky non-OEM tweaking. Have any photos? We love them here. And they do speak a thousand words.

Sorry, for those sick of seeing the same old photos.

My SFSR:


Image


My SF VLR

Image


I'll play along.

My '68 drip-edge Deluxe Reverb with a gray-frame JBL D120F......

Image

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:27 pm
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If I had the three of them sitting there and I had to chose I would have a hard time so I would find a way to buy all three. And then get a divorce.


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:36 pm
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tbazzone wrote:
If I had the three of them sitting there and I had to chose I would have a hard time so I would find a way to buy all three. And then get a divorce.


No need for such theatrics, TB......

The moment your wife saw you unloading them from the car she'd shoot you in the head.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:53 pm
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Ha ha yeah my wife has approved one(1) amp! LOL! All these amps are in very good shape and have been through the shop for caps, etc. They are also all original & un modded with original speakers. The super has had the original speakers re-coned. I'm really leaning toward the super as its only 900 bucks. The VR is 1300 and the DR is 1600. The super is a private sale and the other two are at a high end vintage dealer. I played the amps and when I talked $ with them and the were not budging. I honestly don't think they would even knock 100 bucks off either amp. I would say all 3 are in very similar condition. I'm just coordinating a time to check out the super but if it's all there I think that will be the one, the others are just too steep!


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 10:06 pm
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$1600 is way too much for a '73 Deluxe Reverb. $1100, tops (and that seller damn well knows it). The '74 Vibrolux Reverb is priced just about right while the '68 Super Reverb is a relative steal. If it's an early model (made before May) it'll likely be the AB763 circuit.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:10 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
tbazzone wrote:
If I had the three of them sitting there and I had to chose I would have a hard time so I would find a way to buy all three. And then get a divorce.


No need for such theatrics, TB......

The moment your wife saw you unloading them from the car she'd shoot you in the head.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

Roger you must know my wife. :lol: 1600 for the DR is why I couldn,t find one people are treating them like gold. 900 for the SR is a good price and I love SR,s


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:05 am
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tbazzone wrote:
Roger you must know my wife. :lol:


Image

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 1:01 pm
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Vibro and Super are about the same amp with different speaker configuration, Deluxe with 1x12 would have tighter low end. But I'd go with the Super.


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 1:58 pm
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atolleter wrote:
Vibro and Super are about the same amp with different speaker configuration.


No......they're not.

Have you ever examined either of these amps?

I have, on occasions too numerous to cite.

The Vibrolux Reverb is based on Leo's AA864 circuit -- the Super Reverb is an AB763. Look at both schematics then compare the tone-stack layouts and the different coupling components just forward of the phase inverter. Note the huge, over-built power supply of the Super Reverb and its massive output tranny. Each of these platforms relies on a pair of 6L6's but the Super Reverb's plate voltage is 460 VDC. By comparison, the Vibrolux Reverb has 50 fewer volts.

Both are tremendous amps, but for different reasons. And those reasons are due to the deliberate engineering differences of each circuit design.

HTH

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:12 pm
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If cash is the issue (always is) the super is a bargain if everything but the cones are original. The VR is priced about right and the DR is overpriced a bit.....It will also depend on what you want to do with them. If you are gigging and don't mind hauling the amp around, the super is the best bet. It as around 40 to 45 watts (I think) The VR is a very close second and more portable and 35 watts. The DR is 22 watts.

I have a VR and I don't think you would be dissapointed with it at all....


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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:21 pm
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Well IMHO go with the Super...of course I could be a little biased...
Image
Although I did sell my SFSR recently...but only because this BFSR came along. :mrgreen:

FWIW

And Beemer, anyone here that gets tired of your SFSR photo...well doesn't belong here any longer :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Please Help me I am shopping SF Fenders
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:47 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
atolleter wrote:
Vibro and Super are about the same amp with different speaker configuration.


No......they're not.

Have you ever examined either of these amps?

I have, on occasions too numerous to cite.

The Vibrolux Reverb is based on Leo's AA864 circuit -- the Super Reverb is an AB763. Look at both schematics then compare the tone-stack layouts and the different coupling components just forward of the phase inverter. Note the huge, over-built power supply of the Super Reverb and its massive output tranny. Each of these platforms relies on a pair of 6L6's but the Super Reverb's plate voltage is 460 VDC. By comparison, the Vibrolux Reverb has 50 fewer volts.

Both are tremendous amps, but for different reasons. And those reasons are due to the deliberate engineering differences of each circuit design.

HTH

Arjay


Isnt the Vibro AA270 circuit? I thought some years was AA270 as well for the Super. Sorry I didnt bother checking schematics :)


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