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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 7:16 pm
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Why bother about tolex or non-tolex in the first place?!


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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:00 pm
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When I build an amp I'm going to cover it in rich Corinthian Leather.

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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:32 pm
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Nikola Tesla wrote:
Why bother about tolex or non-tolex in the first place?!


Because here on the Fender Lounge we have the ability to discuss whatever we want. It's up to you to decide if you want to contribute to the postings.
That's why! :wink:

Oh and Corinthian Leather......I like. :D

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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 1:41 pm
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Tolex has nothing to do with an amp being a piece of crap. That was just the start. When they started using cheap thin single sided boards with cheap Taiwanese components , lousy farty speakers and poor quality control, that's when things turn to crap. I never owned an unreliable Fender amp till I bought a HRdlx. They used to hold their value pretty well and never let me down on a gig. The first time my HRDlx died and I looked inside, I couldn't believe all the corners that were cut, from the cheaped light gauge poorly stamped out chassis, to the cheap Taiwanese filter caps to the cheap cheesy connectors. My 5e3 clone that I built myself, has a Mil Spec PCB and all the connections to all the tube sockets, switches, pots and my fabulous Weber speaker mounted in a nice, Tweed covered Pine cabinet were all soldered correctly by yours truly. I built this amp for roughly $700 plus my time and it sounds awesome.

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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:05 pm
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Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 1:20 pm
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Location: Indiana
Experience is everything. I have a US made HRDlx that has been nothing but great for 14 years, so I think that they are great amps. Someone else has one that craps out, and they think that they all suck. Understandable on both counts. On a related note, speaking of cheap Taiwanese components and poor quality control, I was foolish enough to try another Chinese made Egnater, after owning a POS Twkr 40 that crapped out twice (PT). I saw a new Rebel 20 at GC on clearance for about $330 and thought, hmmm, the 20 seems to be the only trouble free Egnater, so I bought. Big mistake, as after less than an hour of playing, the volume dropped and then came back up after another few minutes. I returned the Egnater after owning it for less than 24 hours, and traded up for a hand wired US made Mesa Boogie TA-15 and am thrilled with the MB.

The Egnater and Fender are covered with the newer vinyl stuff, and the MB is all metal with a black crinkled paint finish and powder coated trim and panel. I don't have to worry about the vinyl covering screwing up the MB. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 3:28 pm
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My Egnater Rebel 20 has been reliable for three years of gigging, not bedroom playing. Being tossed in and out of my car two to four times a week for gigs and rehearsals. My HRDlx lasted three months and only three gigs. That wasn't the only new Fender amp I've had a problem with. I tried a DeVille, another HRDlx the Deville had a Reverb problem and the HRDlx III crackled. and a couple SS20's that hissed like a bag of snakes,as well as a Tweed Champ that buzzed like a can of bees from a loose ill fitted baffle. I'm not getting into a pissing contest over this. Egnater has seen the error of their ways with the Tweaker and Renegade models and Bruce is talking about bringing production back to the U.S. Here's what I'm seeing as a trend. Lou, you got an early HRDlx and I got an early production Rebel. That could be it. As Egnater grew, they couldn't keep as close an eye on QC. But what you're not telling people is you did a couple of tweaks to your HRDlx over the years with heat sinks and what not.

My new kick is building my own amps. Don't get any better than that.
This is going to be my next build. http://byocelectronics.com/amps-cabs/am ... b-674.html very cool amp and covers a lot of territory.

I'm not really loyal or a fanboy of any brand amp or guitar. If my Egnater gave me a bunch of problems, I'd be on their site bitching. I know many professional players locally that use the Rebel 20 most over a couple of years old. Lots of my friends bring them while hosting open mic nights ans leave their Victoria's and Dr Z's home. They let people do as they will with them and the 20's seem to be holding up fine.

Right now, my 5e3 clone is my favorite and has held up to many rehearsals and close to a dozen gigs with no problems yet. I'm seriously stoked. We'll see how the tubes hold up. :lol:

The Egnater Tourmaster amps are pretty nice and I believe they're built here. Most of the problems with the Rebel 20 seem more tube related.

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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:21 pm
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I hear you guys. The new stuff is really just so so. I wish I could buy a Reissue amp and not have to do a series of costly upgrades to make it sound "almost as good" as a BF or SF amp. I owned a Hot Rod when they first came out, had it about a week then back it went. I was shocked. I know some of you guys probably get good tones out of them but I was really disappointed in the tone. I was used to a BF twin though. So, if that BF tone wasn't my reference point, maybe I would have liked it. But they do use cheap, junky speakers, crappy tubes, and the cabinets are nothing like the old stuff. I recently bought a TRRI and it finally sounds pretty good but I had to replace the speakers, tubes, etc. then when I plug into my 68 Super, I'm like wow!
That being said I like the Custom Vibrolux and SS22's. if I bought one I would just plan on the upgrades. There is a shop near me that has vintage amps in nice shape but they really are priced high. Checked in last week. Had a SF Vibrolux for 1300 and a BF Vibrolux for 1700. A SF Deluxe 1600, and close to 2300 for a BF Deluxe. Those Deluxes are priced to the moon!


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Post subject: Re: Who knew?
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:52 pm
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thenedster wrote:
I hear you guys. The new stuff is really just so so. I wish I could buy a Reissue amp and not have to do a series of costly upgrades to make it sound "almost as good" as a BF or SF amp. I owned a Hot Rod when they first came out, had it about a week then back it went. I was shocked. I know some of you guys probably get good tones out of them but I was really disappointed in the tone. I was used to a BF twin though. So, if that BF tone wasn't my reference point, maybe I would have liked it. But they do use cheap, junky speakers, crappy tubes, and the cabinets are nothing like the old stuff. I recently bought a TRRI and it finally sounds pretty good but I had to replace the speakers, tubes, etc. then when I plug into my 68 Super, I'm like wow!
That being said I like the Custom Vibrolux and SS22's. if I bought one I would just plan on the upgrades. There is a shop near me that has vintage amps in nice shape but they really are priced high. Checked in last week. Had a SF Vibrolux for 1300 and a BF Vibrolux for 1700. A SF Deluxe 1600, and close to 2300 for a BF Deluxe. Those Deluxes are priced to the moon!


I'm the same way. I've played mostly Fender amps since 1966. I broke my heart to move on. I owned a 1966 BF Vibrolux Reverb and that amp was incredible. It was stolen. Like I've said a bunch of times, I just built a Tweed Deluxe 5e3 clone from Tube Depot and I really love that amp. The only thing I did different to it was put a Weber speaker in it.
I had a 76 SF Twin for 30+ years too. It just got to be too loud and heavy for what I do now so I sold it to a friend. Now he's talking about moving and I'll lose my visitation rights. :cry:

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