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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:42 pm
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Well there remains the not-insignificant matter of a Pro Reverb as well......

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:59 pm
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Really nice score Arjay. Makes me miss my 66 Vibrolux Reverb. :(

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:02 pm
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Gawd, I hope the one I just bought wasn't yours!

:shock:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:14 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Well there remains the not-insignificant matter of a Pro Reverb as well......

:mrgreen:

Arjay


Well since the Vibrolux Reverb was the "New" amp to go with your new guitar, it would appear that you have at least two more new guitars coming sometime so you can close out the collection :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

T2

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:26 pm
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OH LORD!

:shock:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:55 pm
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Well the amp arrived on schedule via UPS and without damage – a relief given the spate of recent horror stories involving “brown”.

Image

The Tolex is solidly in 8.5+ shape with only a few chafing scars at the rear corners of the cabinet. The grill cloth is dingy but in good repair – it’ll find its way to an appropriate silverface restoration in the future. The original snowman knobs are beautiful -- no chips or missing inserts, and the numerals are all bright and legible. Sometime during it’s journey from Fullerton (likely early on) 14-inch tilt-back legs were added, and not just any tilt-back legs – they’re vintage style with a serial number and the “PATENT PENDING” embossed at the bottom. The silverface front panel dates to the early ‘70s era, reading “VIBROLUX REVERB” instead of “VIBROLUX REVERB AMP”. The grill cloth is of similar vintage – real Fender with the silver/white/turquoise weave (it was incorrectly installed, with the cloth reversed). The tubes are a mix of Mullard, RCA, and GE, with one 7025 of indeterminable origin. The Fender-marked Jensen C10NS’s are in fine shape and appear to have their original 1965 cones.

Image

Image

How does it sound? Aside from a few scratchy pots and a microphonic tube somewhere in the vibrato channel’s signal chain, it’s a real honey. At “5” it’s as sweet as vintage Fender tone gets – smooth, articulate, tonally balanced. Dimed, it’s got that ballsy growl -- compressed and loaded with harmonic overtones. Controllable feedback is easily achievable without effort. The reverb “verbs” and the trem “molos” in the finest of tradition of a Leo-designed Fender combo. A new (FEIC repro) blackface front panel has been orderd and as soon as I locate the correct grill cloth the amp will be returned to blackface glory. It’s been thirty-nine years since I last owned one of these sonic beauties......too long!

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:22 am
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Did it have the footswitch with it? I didn't see it in any of the pics. That is a nice amp and those original Jensens are sweet.

Can't wait to see the finished product.


T2

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:28 am
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Nice score - congrats!

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:44 am
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T2Stratman wrote:
Did it have the footswitch with it? I didn't see it in any of the pics. That is a nice amp and those original Jensens are sweet.

Can't wait to see the finished product.


No footswitch supplied although I did source a vintage black-enameled two-button type which should be arriving shortly. I also ordered a standard Fender cover intended for the Custom Vibrolux Reverb -- it should fit fine after some minor alteration to the height.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 6:47 pm
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A fine addition to your stable Arjay!

Looking forward to your photos and comments on your road to bringing this very nice amp back to showroom condition. :mrgreen:

Jerry

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:34 pm
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The journey has begun, Jerry. Check your e-mail.

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 11:59 am
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Most Excellent !!!


cheers!

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 10:59 pm
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Here’s the amp, now re-emerging in true blackface guise......

Image

The “correct” face plate for 1966 would read “FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS” of course but the FEIC repro is the only part currently available -- not that I’m all that bothered about the minor discrepancy (the amp is still an AA864 circuit with pre-CBS trannies all around). The condition of the snowman knobs is truly remarkable......no chips, no faded numerals, hardly any embedded dirt or grime at all.

Image

The aged-white grill cloth that I ordered from Mojotone will be arriving shortly. Then the baffle board comes out and the transformative return back to blackface will continue. I’ll also be cleaning the surface rust from the corner protectors with Simichrome. The discarded silverface grill cloth will be cleaned and subsequently recycled to some future silverface project.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 12:48 am
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Clean control panel really makes a difference. Once that grille is matched, the amp is going to look vintage BF.


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Post subject: Re: While you were sleeping......(NOAD)
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 1:34 am
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I think so too.

And once I remove the grill cloth I'll be able to pinpoint the baffle board's original mounting holes for the logo. The current location is incorrect -- too far to the left side and too much vertical angle (yeah......I'm that anal).

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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