Fender '63 Vibroverb Reissue

I don't know when the amp was made, probably 90's. I came from an 83' JCM 800 50 watt head/half stack, and I needed new inspiration from somewhere. Initially, I thought the amp was only good for clean tones and maybe a little break up if you tried real hard around 5 or 6. I didn't really know it "went to 10" until this evening...when I put it on 10. The only outboard effect I will ever plug into this unit is maybe a powerbreak.

Vibrato is awesome, but I think my tube crapped out. It makes terrible noises and/or does not affect the sound in any way above 3 or 4. Reverb is pretty nice. I'll probably replace the tubes and the speakers soon.7 for that:

What a difference.

I will now always have this plugged into the bright channel on 10. My controls on my guitar suddenly come to life, and a whole pallet of sonic bliss is at my fingertips. It sounds amazing. Here's my chain -->

Stock Les Paul Junior Special Plus + cable + Vibroverb on 10.

My only "issue" is that it sounds best to me when bass is at zero and treble is at 10. It's very transparent, and it let's you play the guitar, not the amp. Again, the tubes are really bad, and probably stock and 15 years old.

Tubes suck, so I'll have to get back on this.

It's old, who cares.

Ten for the 10. Sonic Bliss.

Does anyone know if tubes are the strange issue, or is it something else. I get a rattling sound sometimes too. Not a mechanical rattle, more like a dirty pot scratching when turned.

bought and made in 92.bass and treble pots. could use middle, for thats where you need adjustment in different circumstances.2 channels .reverb only on bright channel.would like to have it on both (like the vibrato).someone told me you can fix the reverb issue. i use it for small gigs where nothing is miked

the amp works well on volume 4 to 5. get a nice tube overdrive.just the sound you need.reverb and vibrato (tremelo, really)excellent.
replaced original speakers (eminence,too harsh and brittle)with 2 blue alnicos.
They can handle less power but give the amp the necessary character it deserves.Don't put this next to a full rock drummers kit. i would recommend a twin or a vox ac30 for that.However, to get more out of your amp you can hook up a jbl k120 or e120 as an extra speaker to get more sustainable low and high end headroom. also replaced tubes.

bought it in 92. still works well in 07.no major repairs needed.take care of it, it will take care of you.

no contact with fender, but there are lots of mechanics out there who know their stuff. and the vibroverb is easy to fix

i've been playing for 30 years. i play roots music.the vibroverb won't do the trick on every stage, but it's light and has warmth and character, the best reverb and tremolo. the extra 12 inch jbl speaker comes in handy for bigger gigs.just rock up to the gig and see what you need.The best setup combination would be:fender twin(with jbl speakers)for the clean tube sound and the vibroverb for the effects and overdrive

this is the first year it was re issued(1990?).
2X10 combo, with a pair of 6L6's tremolo and reverb.
two channels normal and bright.

having heard an original back in the day, i was very excited
to get this amp when it was re issued.
lets call it an impulse buy.
at first the excitement carried thru after i purchased it.
i wasn't using my ears i was using my wallet to hear.
eventually reality set in.
this is one cold stiff sterile bright harsh bitch.
no tube rectifier for one.
no choke, crap speakers and cheap tubes.
but the bottomline really is it just doesn't sound very good.
its not for the serious user.

well it is dependable.
it doesn't really breakdown but on the other hand who cares.
sounds like ass.

unconscionable for putting this into production.

been playing over 30 yrs got a guitarsenal of amps and guitars.
trust me on this one don't waste your time
learn from my mistakes.
i have since gutted it and made a point to pointamp using the chassis.

I think mine was a 92.
It has all the features I need for my stuff: Blues (Ronnie Earl!) and some Hendrix.
Having just TREBLE and BASS makes it easy and fast to get the tone I like.
35W are ok for everything. Just played in a Club testerday, un-miked, and averyone could hear me.

The sound it delivers is what i've been searching for for many years!
It's classic fender tube sound with these "no-mids" kinda feel, and it's not plastic-feeling like other reissues (have a Deluxe Reverb that i'll sell asap!!!!!!!).
It breaks up at 4/5 depending on pickups and playing style.
I use a 1961 Febder Stratocaster with Voodoo ST'60 pickups and on my pedalboard i have: '67 Arbiter FuzzFace->'69 Vox Wah-> VDL L'OVERDRIVE -> 82(?) Tubescreamer TS 808-> Ibanez Rotary Chorus RC99

P-E-R-F-E-C-T!

made in 1999, (has 2x10 Celestion's instead of Fender stock speakers) and let me start by saying I'M IN LOVE. ; )

This amp may be only the second amp I've ever owned that I really loved everything about right from the start.

2 channels, reverb and tremolo, bass and treble (no mids but trust me - on this amp it doesn't matter)

plenty of head room, but what's really great is it breaks up at a reasonable volume, (around 4 it starts to break up, but at 6, it sounds amazing) - also, a really SMOOTH overdriven sound, - not trebly or piercing, and not grungy - IDEAL for blues, country pickin', rockabilly, and all kinds of rock, pop you name it - wouldn't use as a jazz set up though

1952 tele reissue, and a squier reissue with fat fifties custom pick ups.

sounds UNBELIEVABLE with both guitars - use a TS9 or T-Rex with it and get that sort of Doyle Bramhall II, or SRV kind of sound? IDEAL.

also, playing it clean it has a wonderful balanced sound - if you want to play Robert Cray or Mark Knopfler sort of clean melodic sounds, it works wonderfully as a plug in and play.

don't know - just bought it = )

again, just bought it

overall i have to say, it is the best amp i've owned in many years of playing - now i hope i haven't jumped the gun and discover any reliability issues, but for sound and versatility of sound, this thing is it.

Normal and Bright channels, reverb only on the bright channel. 35 or 40 watts, depending on who you ask. Two 10 inch alnico speakers. It's a really simple amp, limited features to get in the way of your tone. Reverb is huge, with a classic kind of sound -- I generally don't go past 2 or 3 because it starts to get excessive by about 5, unless you're playing surf. The vibrato is way better than any pedal I've ever used and adds a great vibe. I followed someone else's suggestion and set it at 1.5 for both speed/intensity. It's really subtle and compliments the reverb beautifully. This amp works really well when I accompany an acoustic guitar, my Hot Rod could overwhelm very easily.

Also, the volume knobs do what you'd expect. 1 is very low, 2 is a bit louder, then 3 is a bit louder, etc. etc. This is how it should be, but on my Hot Rod, you get a huge volume increase between 1 and 2, so it's hard to dial in volumes between quiet and really loud.

I use a 1995 AmStd Stratocaster, with a bunch of distortion/fuzz/od pedals, as well as phaser and delay. I play garage rock, some classic rock (Velvets, Stooges, Stones, Who), and a whole lotta alt.country.

Prior to the Vibroverb, I had a Hot Rod Deluxe and liked it, but felt that my strat didn't sound as "stratocastery" as it did on various records by my favorite artists. To make a long story short, the Vibroverb brings out the true stratocaster sound in a way that I've never heard before. A friend has a Tele and the same thing applies. This thing kicks a** in the clean tone department!!!

Next, I was shocked to find that it also kills my Hot Rod Deluxe in the distortion/overdrive department as well. If you turn the amp up to about 4, which is nowhere near as loud as 4 on the Hot Rod, it starts to break up in a great way. With a Boss DS1 or a TS9, it has the best distortion/overdrive I've ever heard. Add in a touch of reverb and it's unbelievable.

No issues and I've had it for about 6 months.

Bought it used, this doesn't apply

When I bought the amp it came with the original speakers and the original tubes. I've read every review on this website for this amp and can tell you that most of what people say has proven to be true. They almost all got new tubes and speakers. I did too and can report that it made a difference, but wasn't absolutely critical like some people make it seem.

The tubes actually did more than the speakers, in my case. The new tubes really brought out the warmth and sparkle, the power tubes and reverb driver were the key tubes to spend money on.

The original speakers are fine for low volume but get "farty" when you turn it up past 3 or use a lot of distortion. So, the reviewers that say the original speakers are fine most likely don't play the amp all that loud or use a lot of distortion.

When I called Weber Speakers to see about replacing my speakers, they recommended the Alnico Signature model. This speaker sounds similar to the original at low volume, but has a bit more bass and just sounds awesome when you crank it, no fartiness. I've thought about getting a speaker with a 1.25 or 1.5 inch voice coil to get more bass, but I haven't because it wouldn't break up as quickly either. So, I've traded some bass for crunch at lower volume.

In summary, I would recommend this amp to anyone who plays a Fender Strat, Tele or Jaguar/jazzmaster. It's an excellent upgrade from the Hot Rod series that improves your tone, but also gives you an amp that works at low volumes. It's also a huge bonus that it breaks up at a reasonable volume. My Hot Rod would make your ears bleed before it got that nice tube overdrive (even with the gain channel).

Made in the early to mid 1990's. This amp is very versatile for the music I currently play which is 50's - 70's music. Two channels nice when you want to plug in a mike and have your voice in reverb or add an echo for a solo gig. I wish it had distortion so you don't have to fool with a pedal. Great vibrato for the slow golden oldies.

I use a Fender Telecaster. No noise, just clean sound on no more than volume 5.

I do not have a backup but do carry spare fuses. The tubes have been upgraded and are new. I've been using this amp for several years.

Never needed to deal with Fender. It's used so if I need repair I can certainly arrange that with my local music store.

I read that the ground switch on these amps are there but don't work -just there for exact reissue purposes. I found that to be very interesting.After 45 years of playing it gets easier! I'd have to look for another one if it was stolen - call the insurance company! I love the cabinet because it's narrow and not wide like the new Fenders - they are wide and clunky to carry.

classic fender combo style. non master vol, 2 channel, 4 input, with 2 jensen 'legends' 10" speakers, footswitch for 'verb and trem. i bought this primarily because it was non-master volume and had valve driven reverb and vibrato (and because it's a wierd weetabix colour which piques peoples interest). the relative lack of weight and portability of this amp was a bonus compared to the hassle of lugging around my previous 7o's marshall superlead and 4x12 cab (never again). It's pity the reverb is only on the bright channel, but for the one song that i need alot of reverb on i can just pull the jack lead out and stick it in the bright channel between songs no problem. according to the QA sticker i worked out from the internet that mine was built in january 1995.

Great basic tube tone for the strange rock style of the current band i'm in. And i NEED that vibrato in my life because it really adds magic to the intro on beard money. It could do with some more clean headroom because at gigs i usually have it cranked up to "8" - but at the same time i like the mild natural overdrive so i can't have the penny and the bun! keeps up fine with our other guitarists' marshall tsl 60 head on a 2x12...the onstage volume of this amp is tremendous because it really cuts through the band mix - which i find slightly disconcerting because i wonder if it's as overpowering out front of house, which makes me feel a bit shy.
lack of middle tone knob was a shame a first, but then again i always did leave it at about halfway on other amps so it's not missed anymore. i'm currently using it with my current main geetar - washburn n2 and with a knackered visual sound route 66 and george dennis volume peds. it's also very quiet - not much hiss at all, even when cranked (until i stomp on the overdrive pedal of course)

only crapped out on me once at home, which was circuit board related - i can't remember exactly what but it's written down on the jobsheet somewhere. other than that no problems. i carry a couple spare fuses in my guitar case but not spare valves because i like to travel light.

never used them so don't know, probably rubbish since fender are a big corporation who swallow up all the competition (r.i.p the quality marques of old:- guild, charvel/jackson, gretsch...) when it died at home i just took it to a local expert who had it fixed within a few days - i wouldn't even consider doing any different with any of my gear.

expensive for what it is, but you're always going to pay over the odds for a good used fender amp in a retail store.
upsides: non master volume fender tube sound (works well with stompboxes), electronically quiet even when cranked up, portability, tremolo and reverb, wierd colour of it stands out on stage. i've had it since may '99 and i can't see myself getting rid of it.
downsides: sometimes i yearn for a classic hard rock/metal sound to play with aswell, so i may have get a laney or something and a/b between them. been playing for 14 years since early teens (where has the time gone?)

My amp was made back in 1995, and I've had it for about 6 months. The amp is versatile enough for me, and I've been playing for over 30 years semi-professionally. I essentially go for a big clean tone from my amp and various boutique & homemade pedals take that tone further. It has just basic features; two channels, a great sounding reverb- very 'Dick Dale' or 'Wicked Game' depending how you play, and a really superb sounding vibrato- very 'swampy' and warm- instant Ry Cooder! I've come to realise when it comes to good guitar tone (in my humble opinion) then 'less is definately more'. Having had every guitar rig going- rack stuff, stereo amps, multi-effects, midi, blah, blah,blah- I've found that keeping it simple improved my tone- and my Vibroverb re-issue does exactly that. A good strong warm clean tone that loves effects.

I use a '57 re-issue Strat,'52 Tele re-issue, Gibson Les Paul & '71 SG and it copes with most of the styles I play- it gets a little too warm sounding with humbuckers at times- but I prefer that anyday to those nasty 'ice-pick in your ear' treble frequencies you seem to get out of most amps these days. The Vibroverb doesn't distort that much- just in a gentle and musical way. It has great headroom- something again most modern amps seem to lack- big dynamics.

Haven't had any problems so far, I've heard the speakers are a un-reliable and indeed they are probably the 'achilles heel' of this amp-they tend to crap out rather easily at times- so I'm considering up-grading to jensens or possibly Celestion vintage 10's in the near future.

Don't have a problem with tech support as I do all my technical repairs myself, or if it's too tough I have a good friend who is a total whizz with tube/valve amps!

I would really hate it if my Vibroverb went 'breasts skywards' as I really like its combination of portability and powerful tones. I also am lucky enough to own a vintage 1968 Marshall plexi with matching 4X12- but I got tired of carrying it about (hey- we all get old eventually!) and believe it or not the Vibroverb is similar in some ways to my old Marshall- loads of power- and a big warm tone without those nasty treble frequencies I really hate!

If you find one going cheap- buy it- if your a fan of 'good old fashioned tone' you won't regret it- in fact I want another one so I can go stereo- anyone in the UK got one spare??? ;-)

I bought the amp new in late 1992. I play harp/guitar/slide guitar in a Texas Roadhouse band (combining Blues/Rock/Outlaw Country-think about the Fabulous Thunderbirds and ZZ Top opening for Waylon Jennings) called the SCREAMIN' ARMADILLOS. My Vibroverb is the most versatile amp I've ever owned. I've sat in with various bands and no matter what the personal style or type of guitar the other guitarists use, all of them are impressed by the tone/punch and how the amp responds to their playing. Love the tremolo/vibrato; rarely use the reverb, but it is extremely toneful. Two channels-both useful. Loudest 40-watt amp ever made (I keep up with the other guitarist's Roland JC120 easily) with great Vintage Fender tone. Also responds to stompboxes very well (specifically MXR Phase 90, Ibanez TS9, Crybaby, Jim Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Classic Fuzz, and Danelectro Daddy-O). I wouldn't mind if it had two more 10" speakers.

I use four main guitars: Fender Esquire maple fretboard w/vintage-style single coil in bridge; '62RI Fender Stratocaster rosewood fretboard w/three single coils; Danelectro DC3 rosewood fretboard w/three lipstick single coils; G&L F-100 rosewood fretboard w/two phase- and coil-tapped humbuckers. Also use a vintage (1940's) Astatic microphone & Lee Oskar harmonicas for harp. Very suitable for the Texas Roadhouse music that I play. Great vintage Fender Tube tone. Overdrives-doesn't really distort-at volume settings above "7" but I rarely have to push it that high. Only noisy when I turn on too many overdrive pedals at once.

Very dependable--never left me stranded. I carry a Line 6 Pod for backup but never had to use it in emergency (the other guitarist has used my Pod when his Roland died painfully during a set). I blew the original Oxford-style speakers after seven years of semi-regular use and abuse--replaced them with Eminence 50W/10 inch.

I've been playing for 15 years and have owned several other Fender tube amps (silver-faced Twin Reverb, Champ, and Bassman Ten) but this is the best amp I've ever owned or played through for my style. If I were to have to replace it, I would definitely try to find another just like it. The only other amp I've found as versatile and responsive to my style is the Fender Super Reverb. The only thing I wouldn't mind having added to my Vibroverb is two more 10 inch speakers (an extension cabinet is in the works) for the extra punch.