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Post subject: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:49 am
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I love my 68 CVR, but the clean headroom is way too much for what I use it for. I need to turn it to 6-7 before it starts to break up and there is no pub or small venue where this volume is appropriate or manageable. The most I have ever run it on is 3-4 and at that level it is still squeaky clean, while being mega loud.
Any recommendations for a tube swap to achieve earlier break up (at say 3-4)?
Thanks


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:02 am
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If bias is at 70% for Output Power tubes dissipation, did you check it ?
There is nothing you can do IMO.

Overdrive pedal is the way to go.


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:20 am
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stratele52 wrote:
If bias is at 70% for Output Power tubes dissipation, did you check it ?
There is nothing you can do IMO.

Overdrive pedal is the way to go.

Yes, I currently run OD pedals with it and they sound nice but fuzz boxes sound horrible.
I'm not technically savvy to check the bias - don't have the instruments and don't know how to do it... :oops:


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:28 am
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1- Try another fuzz not all pedal are equal.

2- Fender amp bias are often (?) too cold, right bias may help but it is a case by case and often amp will not overdrive earlier with the right bias.

3- IMO you loose your time , don't loose your money


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:38 am
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stratele52 wrote:
1- Try another fuzz not all pedal are equal.

2- Fender amp bias are often (?) too cold, right bias may help but it is a case by case and often amp will not overdrive earlier with the right bias.

3- IMO you loose your time , don't loose your money


Thanks. I must have tried at least 10 fuzz boxes - good stuff too - Foxrox, Skreddy, Basic Audio, Earthquaker Devices, etc. As soon as I plug the same pedals in a slightly dirty amp at rehearsal, they just sing, but with the CVR they sound fizzy, thin and plain bad.

It's not a big deal, if I can't get breakup from the CVR I will just use other dirt boxes instead of fuzzes. In fairness, everything else sounds good and my Lovepedal Kalamazoo OD sounds very nice indeed.


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:57 am
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tremolo arm wrote:
stratele52 wrote:

Thanks. I must have tried at least 10 fuzz boxes - good stuff too - Foxrox, Skreddy, Basic Audio, Earthquaker Devices, etc. As soon as I plug the same pedals in a slightly dirty amp at rehearsal, they just sing, but with the CVR they sound fizzy, thin and plain bad.

.


I can't help you I have no experience with this amp with a fuzz box.

Are all tubes are good ? You can't tell yourself .
A cold bias make the amp sound thin

Here why we should bias output tube ;

A correctly biased amp will run efficiently and maximizes the life of your tubes.

Under - biased (hot ) amps will lack of punch and tubes will run hotter , shorter tube's life .

Overbiased amps ( cold ) will sound thin and brittle. with tubes running too cool for proper performance .

A correctly biased amps will sound clean and tight a moderate volumes, than at higher volumes breakup and distort musically .


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:03 am
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Are you using a 12at7 for the phase inverter, if so changing to a 12ax7 may give a slight boost to the output signal. If your already using a 12ax7, then maybe try a new tube in that slot.


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:17 am
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sfceric64 wrote:
Are you using a 12at7 for the phase inverter, if so changing to a 12ax7 may give a slight boost to the output signal. If your already using a 12ax7, then maybe try a new tube in that slot.


Custom Vibrolux use 12AX7 for phase inverternot 12AT7


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 8:03 am
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There's a reason hardwired into the tone stack that muddies up the tone.
This amp uses 4 capacitors instead of the usual 3.
It is more of a hifi tone control.
This creates too many phase distortions for clean reproduction. This effect is used for voicing the amp. I'm not surprised it doesn't accommodate pedals well.
To reduce the phase distortions for clean reproduction, turn the tone knobs to minimum. This minimizes the signal from 2 of the tone caps. Set tone with the pedal.

The other issue with volume it that this amp has high internal gain. Experiment with 12at7 and 12au7 in place of the 12ax7 preamp tubes.


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:03 am
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TimsAudio wrote:
There's a reason hardwired into the tone stack that muddies up the tone.
This amp uses 4 capacitors instead of the usual 3.
It is more of a hifi tone control.
This creates too many phase distortions for clean reproduction. This effect is used for voicing the amp. I'm not surprised it doesn't accommodate pedals well.
To reduce the phase distortions for clean reproduction, turn the tone knobs to minimum. This minimizes the signal from 2 of the tone caps. Set tone with the pedal.

The other issue with volume it that this amp has high internal gain. Experiment with 12at7 and 12au7 in place of the 12ax7 preamp tubes.


So let me get this right. You are saying that in order to achieve more break up, I should have both the Treble and Bass tone nobs on the Custom channel set at 0. Is that right?


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:49 am
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tremolo arm wrote:
So let me get this right. You are saying that in order to achieve more break up, I should have both the Treble and Bass tone nobs on the Custom channel set at 0. Is that right?


Or you can trade it in for a Deluxe Reverb Re-issue, an amp that seems far better suited for your purposes.

:mrgreen:
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: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:52 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
tremolo arm wrote:
So let me get this right. You are saying that in order to achieve more break up, I should have both the Treble and Bass tone nobs on the Custom channel set at 0. Is that right?


Or you can trade it in for a Deluxe Reverb Re-issue, an amp that seems far better suited for your purposes.

:mrgreen:
Arjay


And it is a better amp; 65 Deluxe Reverb


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 1:50 pm
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Well, what I'm really saying is you have the wrong amp for the application.
Most pedals fuzz out and 0 tone should help. Can't hurt to try.


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:25 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
sfceric64 wrote:
Are you using a 12at7 for the phase inverter, if so changing to a 12ax7 may give a slight boost to the output signal. If your already using a 12ax7, then maybe try a new tube in that slot.


Custom Vibrolux use 12AX7 for phase inverternot 12AT7
Yes. It was more of a question than a statement, just lost in translation and I used a comma instead of a question mark. Was just trying to find out if he has made any modifications to the tube layout called for in the specs.
Some people use the 12at7 as PI when plugging in front side effects to reduce there gain/harshness before output. Some people do it to give more headroom.


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Post subject: Re: What tubes for earlier break up on a 68 Custom Vibrolux
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:11 pm
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Power tubes used to come in three settings. Easy break up, mid, clean. Look up some JJ easy break up.


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