Fender '63 Vibroverb Reissue

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.

Believe it's a '93 mfg. Features etc., listed in most of the other reviews. Although rated at 40watts, I have to tell you this is the loudest 40watt amp I've ever come across. I play all types of venues and volume has never been a problem, other than my previous bass player telling me to turn down! Hell, I only once turned it up past 5 1/2. Like many others I upgraded the tube, GTs, and the speakers, Weber 10A125-O. The Webers in particular are fantastic. I would strongly recommend these above all other brands. They turned a really good amp into a really seriously Great amp. I give it an 8 for verstility in that it doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, but then if that's what you want buy a Line 6.

I play strictly rhythm. I use a '62 RI Tele Custom with a Kinman Avn '62 in the bridge and a Duncan Antiquity in the neck. I play original roots rock running the gamut from blues to country but with a definete rock edge. This amp is perfect for me. The Webers give it loads of very solid smooth bottom end and just wonderful shimmering highs. The only effect I use is a guitar cable. The "vibrato" is wonderful as only tube driven can be. The reverb is okay but tends to be over the top unless you want Dick Dale sounds in which event it's nearly perfect. I rarely set the reverb over 1. I'll replace with a three spring tank at some point. A relatively cheap upgrade.

I used to use a '78 Tele Custom until the weight became a problem. The Seth Lover humbucker's stronger output created very nice crunch when required. With single coils it stays fairly clean unless you really whack it up. Eventually I'll replace the Duncan with an original Fender humbucker.

My lead guitarist, a truely legendary Texas guitar slinger, used my Vibroverb at a rehearsal and was knocked out. We are now in the process of selling off his Devilles and a Marshall to swap for a "63 RI Vibroverb with Webers.

This is a killer harp amp, BTW.

This is actually my second Vibroverb. The first I bought new in 1991 when I lived in the UK. I toured Europe with it for 12 years before I moved back to Austin. It literally fell out the back of a truck! An hour later it fired up and performed flawlessly. Never a problem.

I also play a Takamine acoustic through an AER Compact 60/II. The Fender is not likely to breakdown but on the odd occasion that I pop a guitar string I just swap to the acoustic till it's sorted.

Never used them.

Playing for 38 years. I also have an AER Compact 60/II and a Takamine jumbo. In addition I play harp through the #2 input of the normal channel using an original '60s Shure "Green Bullet". This is a fantastic harp amp!

Best value for money amp on the planet! I'd definetely get another and another and another.. In fact, I came to buy the RI Vibroverb when my '65 BF Vibrolux-Reverb was stolen.

Built in '91. Nice and basic--normal and bright channel. Reverb and vibrato. Same basic circuit as the original except on a printed circuit board instead of point-to-point. Solid state rectifier, which varies from original '63. Speakers have been upgraded, just like every other one out there. I gave features a 9 because it's almost perfect for what it is. You would hate it, of course, if you were shopping for something fancy. The features it has are flawless. I like the 2x10 setup. During the 60's Fender opted for a single 15" speaker after '63, but the 2x10 seems to sound a little sharper to me.

Teles and Strat only. One Tele with Texas specials. Good for blues and general duty where guitar sound is important. I doubt you'll see Linkin Park using one of these. Amp seems like a perfect match. The amp generally stays pretty clean, then gets tubey up loud. Very strong. There's debate about the benefits of point-to-point wiring over PCB amps. I don't think I play well enough for that to really matter much in this case. If I did, it probably still wouldn't matter. Either way, everyone ought to be listening to the music, not the amp, anyway. An the music sure sounds good through this amp.

Belt and suspenders man--it's always easier to switch to a backup than to stand there wondering why your perfectly reliable rig isn't working. This amp could probably fall off the truck and still work, so I'm confident. I feel the same about the backup.

The folks at Fender are decent, but they are totally unequipped to deal with consumers, even for most warranty matters. They keep service as easy as 123--1. take to where you bought it, 2. take it to an authorized service center, or 3. take it to a tech you trust. For this amp, forget it. Cust. service is irrelevant. Choose option three.

I play a couple of Teles, Strat, couple of acoustics. Not much of a pedal fanatic. If this were lost or stolen, I'd definitely want another one. The only alternative I'd consider would be a Super Reverb. This is a great little amp--compact, pretty light, sounds way bigger than it looks. I've been a Fender fan since the 60's, and they've never really disappointed me. They generally always sound like Fenders and are usually bulletproof. It would change anything on the Vibroverb. It's the ultimate utility amp.

Not sure of the year the amp was made. I bought it used off eBay. The features have all been covered. Two channels, Normal and Bright. Two inputs for each channel. I play classic rock, jazz and country. This amp is well suited for all my playing styles. I'm currently not playing in a band. I'm was in high school when the original Vibroverb was produced by Fender and that's why I bought the reissue. I always liked the no nonsense function and sound of 60's Fender amps.

I am playing an 87 Fender Strat Plus, a 96 Fender Strat Plus, a 99 Fender American Series Tele and a 2003 Gibson SG Special. When I first got this amp used the reverb wasn't working. The tubes were original and the amp didn't have much punch. I retubed it with new Sovetek's all around and dropped in a new Accutronics reverb tank with 3 springs instead of the original 2 springs. That solved the problem. Now the amp has a very deep and lush reverb with very long dwell time. The amp is dead quiet which is unusual for a tube amp. The amp sound is clean, clean, clean. You can push the tubes to a nice break up but you have to have the volume up pretty loud. If you want distortion at a lower volume level get a pedal. The amp gives me all the variety I need. The Tremelo is fantastic. Brings back a lot of memories. I used to have a 1965 Super Reverb my senior year in high school and this amp sounds very similiar.

Can't say yet, but if it's like my previous Fender tube amp experience it can fall off a truck and be run over and still be playable. As with any tube amp, regular servicing is required. I would gig with the amp without a backup.

I have not dealt with Fender with this amp other than downloading an owner's manual. If Fender is like they used to be, they are difficult to deal with. A good local music store that is a Fender Authorized Dealer will make life easier.

I have been playing for over 40 years. I own a 1987 Fender red knob Champ 12 tube amp and a Crate Blue Voodoo BV60 in addition to this amp. Now that I have the Vibroverb the Blue Voodoo is going. I don't need it as this amp has enough power for my needs. If this amp were lost or stolen I would definitly try to replace it.

This amp is true to the original in cosmetics. It has two distinct channels. One Normal and Vibrato and one Bright with Reverb and Vibrato. There is no effects loop or channel switching. In that respect it is like the original. It has two Oxford reissue 10" speakers. It is 40 watts I believe. It has two 6L6GC's, four 12AX7's and one 12AT7 for the inverter. The rectifier is solid state. The amp meets my expectations for strictly a vintage Fender sound. There is no master volume on this amp. The reverb is weak, but I have ordered a new reverb tank that has 3 springs.

I'm using a 1987 Fender Strat Plus, a 1996 Fender Strat Plus, a 1999 Tele American Series and a 2003 Gibson SG Special. This amp is quiet since being retubed. The sound of the amp is strictly 50's and 60's vintage Fender. The tubes can be drivin at a high volume so if you want low volume distortion you will need a pedal.

I haven't had the amp long enough to know how reliable it will be. I did install new Sovetek's all around and the amp sounds 100% better than when I first got it used. My only concern is the weak sounding reverb. Hopefully a new tank will help.

Don't know. Haven't used them with this amp. If previous experience is any indication support will be spotty.

I bought this amp with the hope of bringing back memories. I have been playing for over 40 years. I think it will live up to my expectations.

I guess I dont have to repeat everyting one more time.

I love this amp, but you need to do some mods. I changed the cap on the bright channet from the original 0.047 pf to a 0.120 pf. That really opened up the high end of the amp. I also repaced the stock speakers (crap IMO) to a pair of Celestion Vintage 10s. That gave the amp much better bass response and it also increased the clean headroom. With the stock speakers this amp couldnt handle any external od/dist/fuzz pedals but now I can trow almost anything att it and it just sonds super. Enough volume to do unmiked gigs in small/medium venues. Wonderfull sound with my Tele or Strat. I'll give it a 8 cous it is not the Holy Grail of guitar amps, but it is a very good amp for anyone seeking a portable (and good lookin!!!)tube amp with a superb clean/slightly dirty Fender sound. But you need to mod it to get there IMHO.

No problems so far.

Bought it second hand. No warranty, never delt with Fender.

Been playing for 25 years, now mostly using a 72'Tele and a 65'Strat into a Fulltone modded Cry Baby, a T-Rex ComNova compressor, a Line 6 Modulation Modeller, a HBE Power Screamer, a BJF Dyna Red Dist, a BJF Pink Purple Fuzz and a Ernie Ball Volume Pedal into the Vibroverb amp. I play almost everything from jazz to heavy metal and this amp does it all, with a little help from my pedal board. And I dont break my back carrying it to and from gigs. I've heard that the Vibroverb ri is almost identical to the current Custom Vibrolux Reverb amp that Fender sells this day. Dot now about that but I do like this amp (but you need to mod it!).

This amp was made in 1994. The reverb is awesome. This amp does not have a dial for the midrange, it is auto-set at 4 i believe. Bass can get really tight with it down to 1.5. That's awesome. Does my blues just fine.

This amp rocks, but there are two things that many people complain about. The tube and speakers break up way too early. This is not a very clean amp with the stock parts. I just installed some ruby tubes in this mother, and that makes a big difference right there. The amp is not as loud, and is actually has a clear bright sound. Next I am going to install some ElectroVoice speakers, those speakers will not break up one bit.

With those two changes, this amp owns.

Reliable as Fender always is

Never had to deal with them, that's a good sign of reliability.

Of course, I would like a Dumble amp or a '64 vibroverb...but those are extreemely expensive. Plus, I'm not a pro player. This amp has that clear tone, add a tube screamer, and you have a great sounding amp for blues.

Everyone has listed the features... It's a one trick pony, but it's a helluva trick!
One thing I hate is that the reverb/tremolo pedal cord is only about 6 feet long. I went out and got some stereo cable and made my own - now it's 25 feet long! Little things like that bug me, cheap ways to cut prices and annoy consumers.

I play straight ahead rock in the Replacements, Tom Petty tradition using Rickenbacker (6 & 12's with toaster tops!), Custom made Telecasters with mini-humbuckers in the neck and an ES-135 with mini-humbuckers. This amp stays clean when I want it to and breaks up when I want it to. I could drive the amp hard and get it's own distortion but we don't play that loud, so I use a DOD pre-amp 250 pedal. I think the only decent pedal DOD ever made! Also a MXR micro-amp, Tube Screamer and volume pedal.
The speakers and tubes sucked in this thing when I got it so I put in Svetlana 6L6's and Naylor Special Drive 1040 speakers. Then this thing came to life!
Currently I'm running this along side a Vox AC-30 and am attaining a huge sound without getting obnoxious. It's a good sound I have, I like it, I'm sticking with it for a while.

So far so good, but this one always scares me to rate...

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Been playing 16 years and have played through most popular brands of amps, and owned quite a few as well. I was looking for a Super Reverb when I found this one and fell in love with it.
Of course there are things I wish it had but most of my demands are unnessasary.

I got one of the earliest production models--traded a '67 twin reverb even for it. std. features for what it is.

blues. the original oxfords sounded really good but didn't break up enough for me at the time--needed volume at 6 or 7 and that was LOUD.

i parked this amp and started using a Deville 212. Later I used it with a keyboard synth, and when I tried it with guitar again I found the speaker cones were ripped. I pulled them out and repaired them, then ordered two 50 watt Eminence speakers from Parts Express. The amp got a bit louder and broke up a little sooner. Then I put in Svetlana tubes. Much smoother. Then I ordered 2 of the Jensen Blue Alnicos. Lost a lot of volume and breaks up really early. The best tone comes from the origianl Oxfords with Svetlana outputs and other high quality 12AX or AT7's. If you want SUPER full SUPER REVERB sound from this amp, add a 2-10 cabinet to the extrension output.

Best tremolo anywhere. Reverb is super thick past "2".

I recommend also adding a bias adjust circuit, and , if you really want to get closer to the original Verb's sound, mod it for a tube rectifier.

Own 8 guitars and also a '65 RI Super Reverb and a Deville 212.

Playing blues 14 years. None of these amps does everything perfectly.

This is a March, 1992 amp (according to Greg Gagliano's explanation of Fender amp production codes). Others have discussed the features, so I won't repeat them here. Although the amp is traditional in its layout and features, it has all that I need -- two channels and reverb, alomg with the best sounding tremelo circuit available on a production amp. For blues, R & B and Americana, that's all you need.

At first I was disappointed in this amp. It lacked the high-end air and shimmer of the Fender BF amps that I had played, and I began to regret selling my old 1966 Pro Reverb (until I recalled how heavy it was to cart around). Several others have remarked on this site how this amp is "dark," and I would place the treble on 10 to begin to get enough air or presence. I use a variety of guitars through this amp -- Strats, Teles, a Les Paul Special with P-90s and some humbucker-equipped guitars -- and found the same problem with each. Also, it seemed to break up early(on 4), and I was looking for a lot of clean headroom. Over the past year and a half, I have: (1) replaced the stock Oxfords with Jensen C120Q reissue speakers; (2) replaced the stock Chinese tubes with Svetlana 6L6 power tubes and Electro Harmonix (12 AX7-EH) and Phillips (12 AT7) tubes; (3) replaced the 47 pf bright switch cap (C11) with a 120 pf cap (the same value used on the BF bright switch); and (4) replaced the 1.1 K ohm bias resistor (R58) with a 3.9 K ohm bias resistor (as Fender Technical Notes recommend for VVs built before summer 1992). With these changes, the bright channel sounds more like a BF Vibrolux Reverb, I only have to turn the treble to 6 or 7, the headroom is much greater (with breakup at 6 rather than 4), and the normal channel has a very usable (though non-reverb) brownface tone. Now I'm happy, and so is my back.

So far, I've had no problems. I know there's a debate between PTP and PCB wiring in terms of tone, serviceability and durability, but I was able to make the modifications I needed to get the right tone, and so far, the amp is both quiet and dependable.

I have dealt with Fender before, though not with this amp. They were somewhat bureaucratic and difficult to deal with. This amp is long off-warranty (and my mods would have voided it anyway).

I've been playing for over 35 years. With the above described modifications, this amp is fine and should last me for a long time. In a perfect world, I'd own a 1965 -1967 BF Vibrolux Reverb, but this will do (and is substantially less expensive). The reverb is good (and almost too much -- I can't really set it over 2), the tone now is airy enough for the twang and snap of a Tele and for the quack of a Strat, and it gives me all the volume I need in a reasonably portable package. It works well with pedals, such as a TS-9, for those times when I need to get a thicker tone at a lower volume. (Also, I purchased this from the Twelfth Fret in Toronto -- they were great to deal with, and made buying internationally an easy transaction -- not a shill, just want to recognize good service.)