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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:41 pm
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What do you guys think about the Schumacher transformer wiggling?


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:44 pm
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"the serial numbers for the blackface Vibroverb run from A00100 to A05300 indicating a total production of around 5,200 units" from a site I found on Fenders

Vibrolux Reverb AA864 (blackface)
A00100 to A00800 – 1964
A00800 to A03600 – 1965
A03600 to A08300 – 1966
A08300 to A10700 – 1967

This would suggest that it was the 294 correct?


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:52 pm
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We are talking about the Vibrolux Reverb and not the Vibroverb?

Is the tranny's screws loose on the chassis or the windings loose in the housing? If it's the screws, you will need larger diameter self-tapping. If the windings are loose, test for shorts between the primary windings and the housing. And the secondary windings are the housing. Using resistance continuity test.


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 3:56 pm
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Thanks for all the help guys. The whole transformer wiggles side to side about 1/8-1/4 inch


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:02 pm
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I'm going to get the speakers re-coned and store them away for safe keeping. Should I build the tester and try and power up the amp or should I pull the board and take pics for you guys to review?


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:08 pm
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If you remove the tranny from the amp, does the tranny still "wiggle?" Or is it wiggling where the frame meets the chassis? Where it is held down with self-tapping screws?

As for the serial number. I believe that #2 is a QA number. Not production or date of birth number. During this era Fender used a two letter code, which appears to be torn away from your tube chart.


From Superior Music site:

Fender Tube amp codes:

1953-1970 - (look for a 2 letter code stamped on the tube chart inside the back of the amp)- the first letter is the year, and the second letter is the month. An amp stamped NA would have been made in Jan. of 1964. Here is a list of the first letter showing the year of manufacture.

These codes have nothing to do with the serial number that is stamped on the right rear of the chassis - Those numbers are posted below.

A=1951, B=1952, C=1953, D=1954, E=1955, F=1956, G=1957, H=1958, I=1959, J=1960,
K=1961, L=1962, M=1963, N=1964, O=1965, P=1966, Q=1967

A=Jan, B=Feb, C=Mar, D=Apr, E=May, F=Jun, G=Jul, H=Aug, I=Sep, J=Oct, K=Nov, & L=Dec





Such as this tube chart on a Tremolux. Birth appears to be MI = 1963, Sept. "24" = QA number.


Image


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:25 pm
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I haven't gotten that far yet. But it seems to wiggle as thought it's loose on the board moving side to side. I don't have time tonight but I'll try and remove the board in the next couple of days so you guys can get a good look to diagnois any problems.
From what I gather it was the 294th VR off the line in 1965. The 1965 VR chassis's started at A 00800 so makes sense.


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:58 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
Image

I would go with model number 94 in the production. The #2 on the tube chart maybe the second amp of a production run. Dunno, for sure. But, the stamp on the chassis would indicate that the chassis in the 94th made. I suppose that Fender built, say 100, at a time. With the 94th chassis going to the #2 made amp? Better minds on this Board may know.

Anyhoo... Ma technique de langue de français n'est pas bonne. Le fer pour souder. Oui? :lol: :lol: :lol:


The number on the Tube Chart indicates which 'Batch', or production run, it was produced in. So 2 would mean the second production run of that year (Noted by the first Alphabetical character ink-stamped on the Tube Chart).

Production runs were directly linked with both Sales of the model and/or Dealer Inventories. The size of the batch is determined by how many were deemed necessary to fill orders from dealers, so there is no set number produced per batch. It could be a batch of 1,000 or a batch of 500, or anything really depending on demand.

Typically in a running year (not the introductory year), the second batch was usually produced late in the first quarter or early in the 2nd quarter.

The 'Batch' number in no way correlates to the Serial # either.

The Serial #s are stamped pre-production on the chassis and therefore are not sequential insofar as when a particular amp was produced. Like many parts and components, these were stockpiled and then distributed 'down the Line' to the assemblers. For example, one assembler may be working on chassis A 00123 while another could be assembling chassis A 00387 and so on. So while you may own chassis # A 00123, it doesn't mean it was the 123rd amp produced.

So to close the circle, beyond dating the Amp's year and month, there is really no other way to tell where in the production sequence it was produced.

Low Batch numbers are 'better' than high ones because they were made earlier in the year. But there can be multiple Batches produced in the same month as well.

Take for example my 1967 Blackface Deluxe:

Image

If you look at the Tube Chart, you'll see it was made in January, 1967 (QA), but it was also made in the 4th Batch of that year.

Image

To add to the confusion, the serial #s for 1967 run from A 06100 to A 06500. Mine, made in the 4th Batch of '67 in a year where only 400 were made (production of the Deluxe ceased (forever) in March '67) is serial #: A 06252, meaning that an avg. batch run would be some 60 amps per batch, probably about a week's worth of work. My amp could very well be the 252nd Deluxe Amp produced in 1967, but there is no way to prove it, so I can't say it was #252 to roll off the Line.

Sorry, but you can't place it's value due to being a low production number amp, or at least there is no way you can credibly say that it is, there are just too many undocumented variables.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 5:22 pm
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I was mistaken in my earlier post, the transformer that is loose is the OUTPUT tranny. :oops: The first thing I would try is tightening the screws. If they are stripped, then go to the next larger size. Conjecture over what the #2 on the tube chart means is at this point, meaningless, the objective is to get the amp functional. By all means, replace all the electrolytic caps and build the "dim bulb tester" in Stratele52's post to power the amp up.



Stratele52 wrote:
Image


JMHO,
vinyl


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 7:05 pm
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vinyl wrote:
I was mistaken in my earlier post... Conjecture over what the #2 on the tube chart means is at this point, meaningless...

Stratele52 wrote:
Image


JMHO,
vinyl


JYHO or not, it is not conjecture. The Numeric character on the Tube Chart of all Blackface Amps is the production batch number.

To clarify my point, there is no way to determine/confirm when any Blackface Amp came off the assembly line except by Year, Month or Production Batch.

The Serial Number is just a unique number assigned to every box and does not reflect when that box was produced. If so, why would Fender ink-stamp every Tube Chart?

Even Serial # A 00001 might actually have been the 15th or even the 50th Amp to be assembled, boxed and shipped.

There is no way to tell.

"Now back to our regularly scheduled broadcast..."

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
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'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 8:14 pm
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Lightnin MN, I knew there was a logical reason for that #number. I feel so ashamed, though. My Blonde Tremolux is the 24th production run of 1963? The shame!!!! :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 8:36 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
Lightnin MN, I knew there was a logical reason for that #number. I feel so ashamed, though. My Blonde Tremolux is the 24th production run of 1963? The shame!!!! :lol:


Image


No shame in owning a '63 Tremolux, whatever batch it was produced in... :wink:

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 9:53 pm
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Like you guys said, the number is meaningless to me. The amp will stay in the family so I just want to get it working for my Dad. I was just curious about the history. I'll build the tester as soon as I can get the parts together.

What do you guys recommend for replacement speakers?


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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 11:03 pm
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I've tried several speakers in my 1971 SF VLR. The best by far... CTS alnicos. Reconed by Orange County Speakers. The amp came with OEM ceramic magnet Oxford 10L5's. Not bad, not great. I'd tried some new issued Weber 10A125. Much better. Better bass, cleaner notes.

The CTS alnicos take the amp to another level. Great overtones and smooth harmonics. Like no other 10-inch speakers made. These speakers are a big part of the classic Super Reverb tone, in those amp equipped with them.

Jensen (Chicago, USA made) P10Q would be nice, too.

Maybe, keep an eye out for some good used ones, that need reconing.

-----

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Post subject: Re: Repairing original 1965 Vibrolux Reverb
Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:55 am
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I would have to agree partially with Beemer, CTS Alnicos are great speakers (I have one in my 64 Princeton), but you could also go with the CTS Ceramics. The Ceramics are also a great speaker that came in the BFSR and a speaker with tone that makes it difficult to choose between the two CTS speakers. Jensen C10Q's would also be a fine choice and was one of the OEM speakers for blackface amps.

If the OP is looking for a newer speaker, then an alnico Weber would be the way to go.

T2

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