Vibroverb vs. Deluxe Reverb?

[howlback]

I'm trying to get some information about the differences between Vibroverb and a Deluxe Reverb. I currently own a blackface Princeton Amp but I would like to get something with reverb. Also, going with a little more power makes sense. The Princeton can sometimes have a tough time live depending on the scenario. I am interested in the new Custom '64 Deluxe Reverb that Fender offers. As far as a Vibroverb goes, I'd probably have to settle for a clone of some sort. The prices for the 90s reissues are too high IMO.

 

[68goldtop]

Hi!

I'm trying to get some information about the differences between Vibroverb and a Deluxe Reverb. I currently own a blackface Princeton Amp but I would like to get something with reverb. Also, going with a little more power makes sense. The Princeton can sometimes have a tough time live depending on the scenario...

The Deluxe will be a HUGE step up from your non-reverb Princeton!
It will do everything your Princeton does (well, except for the smooth tremolo...) and a lot more. More volume, spread, overdrive etc.
The Vibroverb will be much louder/tighter and fuller-sounding than a Deluxe - and in a completely different league compared to your Princeton.
I personally prefer Deluxes for their great mix of features and usability.

I recently sold an sf Bandmaster Reverb (very close in specs to a Vibroverb) and havn't looked back. The guy who bought it from me came over to our rehearsal space to pick it up and played it for a while. It sounded great, but I also thought that I'll probably never have the need for an amp THIS LOUD again

cheers - 68.

 

[uriah1]

Vibroverb can be very loud and it may take lot of work to get in zone you want to be in.

 

[howlback]

Hi!

The Deluxe will be a HUGE step up from your non-reverb Princeton!
It will do everything your Princeton does (well, except for the smooth tremolo...) and a lot more. More volume, spread, overdrive etc.
The Vibroverb will be much louder/tighter and fuller-sounding than a Deluxe - and in a completely different league compared to your Princeton.
I personally prefer Deluxes for their great mix of features and usability.

I recently sold an sf Bandmaster Reverb (very close in specs to a Vibroverb) and havn't looked back. The guy who bought it from me came over to our rehearsal space to pick it up and played it for a while. It sounded great, but I also thought that I'll probably never have the need for an amp THIS LOUD again

cheers - 68.

Really love the trem on the old Princeton. I thought I read where the custom 64 deluxe has "the same" tremolo (tube bias) which is not technically correct for a Deluxe but an obviously superior tremolo circuit, to my ears anyway.

 

[68goldtop]

Hi!

Really love the trem on the old Princeton. I thought I read where the custom 64 deluxe has "the same" tremolo (tube bias) which is not technically correct for a Deluxe but an obviously superior tremolo circuit, to my ears anyway.

Wow, that's a nice touch to add the bias-vary tremolo to the Deluxe!

cheers - 68.

 

[David Barnett]

If you want a "63" Vibroverb RI, but don't want to pay the inflated price, there's always the Custom Vibrolux. These are going for about half the price of the Vibroverb and are essentially the same amplifier with a few (bad) modifications. Get your local amp tech to install the "Moyer Mod" to the Custom Vibrolux to undo the changes and put it back to the same as a Vibroverb RI.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I needed to sell a few years back ( emergency $$),
but my '68 Deluxe Reverb...
( running punchy and clean w/ JJ 6V6's and Eminence Red, White, and Blues speaker)
...was the perfect all-purpose Classic Rock, Blues, Classic Country amp for me ( I was in 3 separate bands, at different times)

My SFDR was pro-maintained, and slightly nodded with increased Midrange value on Normal Channel ( plus Reverb and Tremolo worked on this Channel too!), which was great for tinny, reflective, 'chatty' rooms- mod reduced bright edge of the amp.

Miss it mucho! ( but I do smaller gigs/smaller amps now)

 

[FenderLover]

The '65 Deluxe Reverb was also available in a head version, in case you already have speaker choices to match the rooms you play.

 

[Telenator]

Deluxe Reverb has a 12" speaker. That's a winner in my book. Don't care for the sharper attack of 10's.

 

[schmee]

A Deluxe fills 95% of my gigging needs and plenty loud. I'm always on 3 volume with pedals.
You can also boost them if you need a bit more:
-a loud, high Db speaker
-MXR Micro Amp or
-OD set to near 0 gain.
The only time I jump to a 2 x 6L6 Fender amp is for outdoor gigs, and even then not always.

Most of the 6L6 Fenders are nearly the same amp with small differences. A VV clone can be difficult to get in a tasty zone without a lot of volume as can many of those amps. But do sound superb when you can use the volume.

 

[Wooly Fox]

Probably start with a DR, there's a reason it's a guitarist staple. A cool idea would be to try dual mono with the Princeton if you want an extra dimension to your live sound.

 

[trandy9850]

Which Vibroverb are we talking about?

1964 Reissue?

Or 1963 Reissue?

 

[G Stone496]

Vibroverb vs. Deluxe Reverb?

Yes.

 

[Maguchi]

Which Vibroverb are we talking about?

1964 Reissue?

Or 1963 Reissue?

Although not a Vibro-VERB, there's also a white knob Vibro-LUX from the mid '90s to early 2010s. I had one and they sound really good. They're 40 watts with 2x10" speakers, a swampy tremelo and lush spring reverb. These seem to fly under the radar and you can usually find them for good prices. I coulda, shoulda, wouda never sold it, but live and learn I guess.

Fender "Custom" Vibrolux Reverb 40-Watt 2x10" Guitar Combo 1995 - 2013 | Reverb

Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb for sale on Reverb.

reverb.com

 

[billy logan]

topic #1) David Barnett post #6, and Maguchi post #14 got me curious about the Vibrolux, and the Moyer mod.
so I googled this up: Custom_Vibrolux_Reverb_Moyer_Mods.pdf - talkin' about "hiss-free" and "reverting back to '63 specifications

#2) In 1984 I was taking lessons from a guy (his gigging amp was a Dumble Sweet String Slinger (?)) but the amp at the lessons place (back room of a music store) was a Vibroverb. Not the brown one; probably blackface. Doubt if we ever turned it up past 1 1/2 haha. Maybe 2.

on the topic of "does a Vibroverb sound good quiet?

This was my guitar (His, a Tele with a Modulus graphite? carbon fiber? neck)(and probably highly-evolved p/u's like a touring and recording Dumble owner would rock )

photo from Reverb: TrueTone (Kay) thinline Jazzmaster (except the p/u switch wasn't missing)

Ok. Teacher said "That would be Django Reinhardt's guitar if he played electric" and "Maybe could I borrow it to record sometime?" which, that borrowing topic faded away. (yeah I know Django played electric, some, but what I was hearing from teach was "TrueTone + Vibroverb = best electric version of that tangy (sic) tone Django usually is known for, acoustically"

My recollection is: that Vibroverb had 2x10' speakers. But That seems to contradict various sources saying that era would've had a single 15" speaker. Idk.

btw That one in photo is listed "used, non-functioning" for $450 +expensive shipping. Seems low. Idk. Missing switch. But this is a Vibroverb thread! btw don't conclude that I'm a hotshot guitarist

 

[loopfinding]

a deluxe (low 20s watt wise) is not much louder than a princeton reverb (around 18 watts). all that really equates to with the PI type and beefier iron is a minor increase in headroom. especially with the 12" and the cab it's mostly a timbral thing at that point. to me it's subtle enough that it doesn't make much sense to own both, just the one you like better (i prefer the PI type on the princeton, but to run it through a 12).

if you really do need more power, look at a vibrolux or a pro. basically the same as the DR preamp but with 6L6s and different iron for more power. the vibrolux is 2x10, the pro comes in both 1x15 and 2x12. the iron/voltages are different between them, and some people make a big stink about this, but in practical application it's probably not going to make as much of a difference to you as the speaker config and cab voicing.

keep in mind though those are LOUD. unless you have the opportunity to play loud unmic'ed stuff (like punk, DIY gigs), you're never going to be able to turn them up to grind. so if your PR is already doing it for you, i would suggest maybe getting a head cabinet for it, keeping the original combo cab as one speaker cab, and then getting another speaker cab (1x12, 2x12, 1x15, etc), maybe with higher efficiency/multiple speakers, to change things up.

 

[tele_savales]

I played thru the CDR and it was superb.

 

[AustinPaul]

All sorts of recommendations, but no idea how you like to use your amp. If you just need a bump in volume and bottom, then the DR. If you use pedals and need more headroom and punch, then the Vibroverb of course.

 

[Alex W]

I own a 63 Vibroverb reissue, and I will say that yes it is louder than a Princeton, but I took it to a jam once and really it did not seem to have quite enough volume to be heard in the mix. The other guitarist was playing a ZT Lunchbox which looks like some sort of little practice amp but it is actually quite loud. My take away was that a 63 Vibroverb reissue is only loud enough to play in a quiet band, and if everyone's rocking out it isn't quite loud enough, not in the league of amps like a 59 Bassman or a Twin Reverb.

That said, I love my 63 Vibroverb and I don't think I would ever part with it unless I won the lottery and bought a real vintage 1963 Vibroverb.

 

[robt57]

The Vibroverb will be much louder/tighter and fuller-sounding than a Deluxe

You forgot heavier.