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Post subject: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Custom
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:25 pm
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Just bought it a week or so ago. It's in nearly mint condition, with a JBL 130F speaker and upgraded cables. It was working perfectly until an hour ago when it abruptly died. No popping sounds or anything, it just suddenly went silent. Pilot light went out, tubes went dark.

Dead.

I pulled the fuse. It was a 4A, and the glass had gone totally black. The fuse description on the amp calls for a 3A. I checked the tubes, and nothing looked amiss physically, but because the amp wouldn't fire up again I couldn't see whether the tubes would all light up. I popped in another fuse, a new 3A, and it immediately blew. I tried another 3A with a different type of filament, and it blew right away too.

Any ideas?


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:53 pm
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Yes some idea.

Alway check fuse first with a second hand amp before use it .Too many people put wrong fuse and may damage amp.
Power transformer could be burn, not sure yet.

Remove all the tubes, put a new 3a fuse and power ON.
If pilot light glow, power transformer may be ok and one or more tubes ( Output power ? in first ) could be short.

First put 12XX7 tubes one by one, power ON each time and after do same for 6L6 one at time.
If fuse blow, this is the bad tube, the last one you plug.

Good luck


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 1:04 pm
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Schematic here;

http://www.thetubestore.com/lib/thetube ... ematic.pdf


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 2:35 pm
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The place where I bought the amp has a thirty-day return policy anyway, so what they're going to do is buy it back, fix the problem, and sell it back to me at the same price. I'll have them throw in a couple of extra fuses and power tubes. No biggie.

This question is primarily for Arjay, since he knows both amps, but anyone else can add their two cents as well....

Would I have to be out out of my mind to take the refund for this '64 VVC and buy a brand new '65 Super Reverb Reissue instead? I know the easy answer is to play both amps and see what I think, but absolutely no one in my area carries either amp, so that option is a nonstarter.

My reasoning for possibly making the swap: new vs used/5-year warranty vs no warranty beyond the thirty days, and I figure the two amps sound basically similar, the '64 VVC's SRV/Cesar Diaz mods notwithstanding. Also, the Super is the only classic Fender I've never owned, and I've always wanted one. I always read that the '65 SRRI's 22ma bias is too cold from the factory, causing harsh, early breakup, but that with the usual recommendations of "better" power tubes and a warmer 38ma bias the amp sounds a whole lot more like a real Blackface 4x10 Super or '64 VVC.

That's where I'm at with this thing: keep the '64 and be amp-less for a good month or so, hoping upon its return that it won't prove to be chronically problematic, or go with the new '65 SRRI and hope that its newness will offset its basically inferior build quality, relative to the handwired/PTP '64 VVC.


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 3:40 pm
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Frankly, I doubt it'll take a month to isolate the VV's issue and repair it -- remember, it's a hand-wired platform and those are generally much easier to trouble-shoot and service than Fender's modern PCB amps which are prone to solder-joint problems.

While there may be some familial sonic similarity between a Vibroverb and a Super Reverb, this kinship disappears when both amps are pushed. Reason? The SR output tranny is huge in comparison to the VV and it does not saturate and compress nearly as quickly.

As well, you're likely to be disappointed with the re-issue SR's OEM speakers. If you consummate the intended amp swap, count on replacing them once you realize that ceramic Jensens imported from Italy sound nothing like an alnico JBL made in the USA.

That's my dos centavos' worth.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 5:03 pm
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Thanks for the response.

Two points. One, if you've ever dealt with Guitar Center, you'll know their repairs always take a month (or more), particularly once they get FMIC involved. Our local authorized Fender repair shop always takes three weeks minimum for any repair, and if we add GC's usual sludge-footedness, well, there you go.

It will take at least a month, guaranteed.

Also, the '65 SRRI comes standard with a quartet of Jenson Reissue P10Rs, the same alnicos used in the '59 Bassman LTD. No ceramics.


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 5:38 pm
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I say go with the SRRI, but if it were me I probably wouldn't by it from GC.


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 6:03 pm
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stevieraygovan wrote:
Also, the '65 SRRI comes standard with a quartet of Jenson Reissue P10Rs, the same alnicos used in the '59 Bassman LTD. No ceramics.


Same difference. Imported Jensini junk.

If the one-month repair time is a showstopper, then go for the trade.

For the impatience of others, I am blameless.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:42 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
Frankly, I doubt it'll take a month to isolate the VV's issue and repair it
Arjay


It is very easy to fix for a qualified tech, so basic.


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 11:39 am
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Just curious.
Does GC routinely (or ever) sell vintage gear?
Was there not a '64 VV re-issue?
IIRC perhaps with some Diaz mods?
Stevie, could you be talking about a re-issue rather than a Blackface?
Not being anywhere near a GC and only having ever visited one once, in Salt Lake City, Utah, I always thought they were a sort of guitar box-superstore.

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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 12:40 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Just curious.
Does GC routinely (or ever) sell vintage gear?
Was there not a '64 VV re-issue?
IIRC perhaps with some Diaz mods?
Stevie, could you be talking about a re-issue rather than a Blackface?
Not being anywhere near a GC and only having ever visited one once, in Salt Lake City, Utah, I always thought they were a sort of guitar box-superstore.


The amp under discussion is a re-issue model, specifically a hand-wired edition from the Custom Amp Shop.

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: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 5:14 pm
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K

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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 5:25 pm
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Quote:
Does GC routinely (or ever) sell vintage gear?
GC does have a vintage section, US searchable at least for guitars. I'm not sure about amps, haven't ever really looked.


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 6:05 pm
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The GC's I've been to have had a vintage amp or two.


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Post subject: Re: Diagnose the issue with a suddenly dead '64 Vibroverb Cu
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 6:35 pm
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Blue Notes wrote:
The GC's I've been to have had a vintage amp or two.


+1

Usually stores located in the larger metropolitan areas.

Arjay

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