Fender '63 Vibroverb Reissue

Early 90s US made re-issue of the '63 Vibroverb. 40w valve 2 x 10 with vibrato and deep luscious Fender spring reverb.

Not the most versatile amp in the world, but it's not supposed to be. Just plug into the bright channel and go. It's a shame that the reverb doesn't work on the normal channel, & I might get it modified to make that possible. The reverb is almost perfect, deep and gorgeous when turned up to 3 or 4.

One feature that I like is that the volume control is far more gradual than on many other Fender amps. On a Blues Deluxe (or Hot Rod, same amp, basically), the volume increases drastically between 1 and 2, which can be a pain for playing quietly at home. The VV gets louder more slowly as you turn the knob up, till you get to about 6 or 7 - after that it starts to overload gradually, as you would expect.

This is now my main gigging amp. I have had a Fender Blues Deluxe since 1993, & it's great, but I got the VV last year, & it's so much better, so the BD is now my spare.

Love the sound! Clean, it sounds great - we all know the sound of a clean Fender valve amp, right?. Turned up to 10, it really sings, & becomes something very special. And because it's 40w, playing in larger venues, you can turn it up without deafening people.

We sometimes play in an old church converted into a bar, & with all that space, I can run it on 9 or 10. Using a Strat or a Tele, there's just enough clean headroom for my taste if I back the volume off a touch on the guitar, but when I turn the guitar up, the tone fattens up and becomes so responsive for solos.

The band I'm in plays soul(Stax/Motown), blues & a bit of rock. It's probably not an obvious choice of amp for heavy rock styles, but it should cope with most other stuff just fine. I take a Strat & a Tele to every gig, anything from a couple of 1980s Tokais to a Custom Shop Strat or Tele.

I read the comments from earlier reviewers, & I have to agree with the majority view - nice amp, shame about the speakers. The original Oxfords just don't do the amp justice, so I wasn't heartbroken when I managed to blow both speakers - well the cones tore.

I got a pair of Jensen C10Q speakers (ceramic), & they are a big improvement. Possibly a little less efficient, the amp doesn't sound quite as loud now, but maybe that's because the top end is smoother. Anyway the tone is much better, & now when I run the amp on 9 or 10 I'm hearing valve distortion, not the speaker cones flapping around.

It's 15 years out of warranty, so I doubt if I'll be contacting Fender now....

I've been playing for 25 years, & the only reason I didn't buy one of these new in the early 90s was that I couldn't afford one then. So I bought the Blues Deluxe, which was a bit cheaper, & nearly as good. Now, the VV is number one, & I would only change it if I needed something louder. Even then, I doubt if I'd let this one go.

If it was stolen, I would begin the impatient wait for another one to appear for sale on eBay.

Final point, if you like retro gear, it's a really cool amp too. And it's as light as any 40w valve amp is ever going to get, probably a few pounds lighter than the Blues Deluxe, even though that's a 1 x 12.

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.

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...

N/A

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.)

I bought this amp second hand from my local music shop for $700.00 cdn
the 2 10 inch oxford speakers had been replaced with a single 4 ohm 12 inch Fender speaker. As has already been noted in the other reviews, this is a 40 watt all tube re-issue of a '63 Vibroverb. This seems to be fairly accurate as far as re-issues go. The tolex is brown with a brown faceplate, brown knobs, tilt back legs and even a ground switch. These amps were made from @1990 til @1995. The tube driven tremelo is from an early Fender design as is the 3 spring long pan reverb. These amps seem very well put together. I have no problem with printed circuit boards. Unless you have a boutique amp, or an old amp you have printed circuit boards

When I first got this amplifier, I noticed it had the original duff oriental tubes. A quick trip to the old radio repair shop for some tasty n.o.s. stuff. R.C.A.'s and Philips. That helped some but still no real warmth and some shrillness at the top. Next came the Weber VST C12n 4 ohm. After a few weeks break-in.........tone to the bone!
It occurs to me that the easiest place for the manufacturers to make cost cuts is with tubes and speakers, so it makes sense to upgrade these components first. I had a Custom Vibrolux Reverb with Fender blue alnico speakers and chinese tubes and performed the same upgrades to great effect, that is i changed the speakers to Webers and re-tubed it.
Although i like the sonic spread of 2 10's I must admit that the 12 does have a lovely bottom end. Think of this amp as a Fender Deluxe on steroids. This amp is as quiet as a mouse. I put the volume on @4 or 5 the bass on @4 and the treble on @8. Reverb on 1.5 to 2 and just a little tremolo......2 and 2 sounds great. You can surf all day with this reverb and the tremolo drips.......this is very nice. I play mostly 50's and 60's rock and roll, and these are the sounds i remember. This amp will break up nicely above 5 on the volume, but as wwith much tube gear, this is a loud 40 watts. Telecasters and Stats sound great through this amp.

The construction quality is very good here. Plywood cabinet, nice tolex job, everything screwed together well. As stated before, change the tubes and carry spares, that just makes sense. Remember that this is not very expensive gear in the grand scheme of things....try buying
a Victoria, Bogner or Mesa for $700.00 C.D.N.

I have found over the years that your best bet in dealing with Fender of Gibson is to deal with a reputable retailer who will go to bat for you. If you regularly deal with a good shop they will support you just like you support them.

At our house we have Fenders, Gibsons, Marshalls but this is my amp of choice. I traded my Custom Vibrolux Reverb to my buddy for this one. He liked mine and i liked his so we swapped. I may one day return it to 2 -10's but for now I like the sound just the way it is.
To my ears this is a much better sounding amp than the '65 deluxe re-issue and only costs a little more. I would buy another in a heart beat.

The features of this amp are the specified in other submits. This one is an early 90's made amp bought new in 1995. I currently use the bright channel with reverb and sometimes tremelo. In my oppinion, both of them sounds extraordinary. The amp power is enought to play in small-medium sized locals. The amp is not too heavy (about 24 kg.).
This is not a very versatile and modern amp with a lor of features but sounds great the more classic styles (jazz, R&R, R&B, pop,....). Because its simplicity its very easy to use.

I play Gibson Les Paul, Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster and Takamine. All of them sounds well. My amp had 2 10'Oxfords. They sound very good at low level (down to 4) but if you turned the volume up the speakers got a horrible saturation. Moreover, I felt that the voice of the speakers had decrease along the years. The past year I changed them by Weber's. Now I feel happy with the great sound of the sepeakers. Now, if you put the volume at 10 the amp dont distorts. It acquires a lot of bright and sparkle sound.

The amp is very strong. I've never had problems with it. Like I've written before perhaps the speakers were not the more adequate for this amp.

Fender has not regular service in Spain. Fenders dealer in Spain gives you 6 months warranty (excluding tubes).

I've playing guitar about 20 years and I've owned and played a lot of other amps. Probably this is one of the more complete of them considering all of it's characteristics (sound, price, use easiness, strength, weight, look,..). If it were stolen or lost I'll try to find another one. I love it.

This is a pretty good repo of the original 63 Vibroverb. This is the basic Fender 2 Channel with Reverb and Vibrato on one channel. No bells or whistles here (Rating 5). I bought this from an individual who had just got an orginal Vibroverb and I had a chance to actually compare the two side by side. It doesn't break up like the original and maybe not as much nice mid range as the real thing. The first thing I did was change all the tubes. I'm running Sovtek 12AX7's and a couple of JAN Phillips 12AT7's. I put Svetlana 6L6G's in the finals. Man what a difference over the Chinese tubes that were in it! I felt it was still lacking and I got a couple of the new Jensen reissure C10Q with the 1.5 inch voice coil. After a fairly short break in this thing really rocks.

I have used this with a single coil RIC, Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul and a Epi 56 Goldtop Replica, and all with and without effect pedal. I'm using a Digtech RP 200 pedal and you can get whatever sound you want. No noise at all. Like I said above it just does'nt want to break up but the pedal makes up for it. This does have a solid state rectifier which just won't sag either. This thing sings clean though without any effect. I can't believe the bass response with the Jensen speakers. The individual guitars still sound like themselves.

I have had no problems at all with it and don't expect any. This was in near mint condition, and I do baby my stuff.

I do all my own amp repairs, This is out of warranty.

I have been playing since late 60's, mostly a bass player but love rhythm guitar and very minor leads. I have a strat, MIM tele, two gibson les pauls, one with 496 in both positions and one with PAF's, and an Epi LP Goldtop with P90's. I'm old enough to remember how these are supposed to sound. I'd rate higher but the stock speakers are not too hot and the original tubes are awful.

you know the features. a vintage-style amp with no bells and whistles and i got no problem with that.

please read this review with a grain of salt handy, because after owning this amp for several years and being happy with the sound i was getting out of it in my basement, it let me down big time at a gig last night. so some bad sounds are ringing in my ears right now. i like vintage and reissue type gear, and play the usual fenders and gibsons and, when my back feels strong, a travis bean. like everybody else, i'm always chasing the perfect tone. my style is blues-based, and i love all the '60's guitar gods. at home, at relatively low volumes and when matched with a chandler rack mount tube driver, this amp suited my style. on stage is another matter, as i'll explain more fully below.

reliability has not been a problem.

i've been playing a long time and have been thru more gear than i care to remember. for the past few years, however, i've tried to stick with the same stuff. for other amps i've got a mesa blue angel and various small blackface fenders. i had been using the mesa thru a 2x12 cab loaded with celestions with the band (a rootsy outfit playing blues and classic rock) but got tired of schlepping and decided to bring the vibroverb for a gig at a biker bar last night. the other guitarist (he tends to play rhythm more) uses a marshall 20 watt PA head into a single twelve - and he was smoking me big time! this amp is supposedly 40 watts, but sounds more like 15. funny, fender's pro junior is 15 and sounds like 40. i was playing a reissue strat, and the sound was terrible. while i like blues, i tend to go for a greasier, more distorted tone than the average tube screamer guy. the more i turned it up to cut thru, the worse the sound got. 40 watts on 8 should do the trick for the kind of band i'm in, but i was not cutting it at all. and i just couldn't get any sustain. you know that feeling when the sound is just fighting you and everything becomes an effort such that you have to play really safe so you don't sound like an idiot? it was humiliating. this amp does not really distort as you turn it up - it just goes BLAT! again, i think it's OK for clean sounds, and the reverb is good. the speakers suck, but i knew that before last night. i've read other posts where people have extensively modded these, but experience has taught me that you shouldn't beat a dead horse. i'll keep the amp and use it at home as clean amp, but i'm not risking bringing this to a gig again.

y'all know the features

play blues and drunk-a-billy with a strat and tele. when I first heard this amp I thought it was the best sounding amp I had heard. It sounds great at low volumes. When played with a band it is a little weak. I found it very tight and lacked depth. I experimented with different pre and power tubes. this helped but not enough. when played at 5 or 6 the amp broke up moderately but was very harsh. I use a TS9 tubescreamer and this enhanced the overdrive. I later ran a '59 bassman reissue with it and this improved the fullness a lot. I really thought this was the sound that i had been looking for. I then found a '73 super reverb in a basement for $65 bucks. Until then i really did not know what a good amp sounded like. This amp had warm fat overdrive and depth. the reverb and trem were lush but not as creamy as the super.

I never had any problems with it

I have been playing for 15 years. I will only get vintage amps now, no more reissues. I have since bought a '67 blackface supeer that i run with the 73 super. with that being said the vibroverb and the bassman sound better than any new amp around, including the fender blues deville. these amps sound old but they do not have the same cream and warmth of vintage fenders.

This is an update to an earlier submission:

After a year and a half of contemplating I finally had a tube rectifier installed in my Vibroverb! All that was keeping this amp from being what I wanted it to be was the lack of a rectifier tube. Gone is that stiff, brittle, fake sounding amp. Now it breathes and basically sounds like a Brown Super...a little brighter perhaps, but time will cure it of that. I also have had Jensen P10R's w/bells and Svetlana and USA Phillips tubes for a year now. Great stuff. Basically, I'm in love with the sound of this amp and the fact that there is no one out there "boutiquing" these amps seems strange. Great tone, great reverb, great trem, great weight, output, price...etc. But the tubes, speakers, and SS rec have to go.

Anyway, here's what had to be done: Order a transformer: I chose one for a Super Reverb from Zack at www.vibrowrold.com - $100 roughly. Then I took it to a good amp tech, paid him $170...and walked out with a new amp. He had to cut the chassis to accomodate the larger and heavier transformer and cut a hole for the rec tube. Not a problem.

If any one out there is being held back by that SS rectifier...I feel you. Get this mod performed. It's worth it.

Anyone know where I can find a point to point board kit for this thing!?! Hoffman doesn't make them...he makes them for almost every reissue but this one. Vibroverb owners may have to form an Alliance and find a way to get this done. We want board kits! We want board kits!

My amp must have been made some time between 1990 and 1993 according to my inquiry to Fender, as the serial number is apparantly not recorded on their system after 1993. I was very lucky to pick this amp up "used" from a local music store that I usually frequent. It had
just arrived the same day I happened to stop in. The former owner traded it towards a Fender Deluxe Tele. This amp is just like new, not the slightest bleemish anywhere, not even on the vinyl cover. I am a very fussy person and I like all of my equipment to look as good as it sounds. The '63 Vibroverb is a true vintage style amp. No frills, just great decent classic Fender sound. It is very close to the original except for the solid state rectifier and the missing conveniance plug in the back panel. That is the reason why I have rated it at a 9 instead of a 10. I don't understand why Fender did not include the conveniance plug? It is a great feature to have should you need to plug in a CD,tape player or and effect or what have you.
Mine came with the Sovtech tubes and the Oxford speakers. So far, I have not had any problems with the sound or quality. With some of the
other reports given, the owners seem to have had problmes with these.
It could depend on the individual as different playing technics, music styles etc. could have a bearing on this. There seems to be confusion on the actual wattage output, Fender specs on any of their information sheets rate it at 40 watts and some other reports are saying 35 watts? Whatever it is, I find this amp has sufficient power for most venues. Another nice feature is you don't have to be a Schartzenegger to carry it. Also the asthetics of this amp is "cool vintage".

Through my years, I have accumulated quite a large variety and collecton of guitars. Fender, Gibson, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Godin, National, Supro etc. For me this amp is very clean and quite. I rarely take the volume past 6. Of course to get the pristine clean sounds at this volume means I am using single coil pickups. Out of my main arsenal of guitars, my main usage is:'89 American Strat with gold lace sensor pickups, '99 Custom Shop Strat with fat '50's pickups, Mosrite "Ventures Model" with Semie Mosley's special wound hot single coil pickups. Rickenbacker 360 12 string with vintage toaster top pickups.
To go the opposite (still leaving the volume on the Vibroverb at no more then 6)I get a bluesy, dirtier sound when I use my big Apple Strat with dual Seymour-Duncan pearly Gates Plus & '59 pickups or my '75 Les Paul or even my mid seventies Fender Lead II. Pickups are your key to your two basic sounds.I have not found a problem with the rectifier being solid state vs. tube however it would have been nice if Fender would have left it at tube instead. The Reverb is consistant to other Fender amps of this style(I use to own a '66 Pro-Reverb that my dad had surprisingly bought for me new in 1966, then a silver faced mid-seventies Twin reverb that I swapped my Pro-Reverb for in 1978 with the guitar player for DION when I was performing with them). For complete true "drippin-wet" reverb, you will need the '63 Fender outboard Reverb unit or else get a Vibro King or a Dual Professional amp as it has the dwell,mixer and tone controls that are essential requirements required to give you that sound.
The Vibroverb or other similar Fender amps have excellent built in reverb - but it is nowhere close to the above mentioned products. Believe me, I have played "surf" music since it was originally popular in the early sixties. I find the vibrato excellent, again as consistant as to other similar syle Fender amps. With the '63 reissue Vibroverb I also hook up a Marshall Bluesbreaker II that gives me a very smooth distortion. I also use a Chandler digital echo rackmounted unit and a Boss chorus pedal.

I have had no problems with this amp. I have owned a lot of amps through my 37 years of playing and find this amp to be of consistant quality as my older Fender amps were. Besides the '63 Vibroverb, I also have a Measa-Boogie Studio Pre-amp that I use with one of my two bands. I also have a Fender Princeton Chorus and a Marshall V65R that are excellent practise amps. My '63 Vibroverb gives me the ultimate sound for my other band that is completely instrumental.
I do not take a back up amp as I have never had any problems with my Fenders. The Mesa-Boogie acted up once but it was quickly remedied.

Fender has always been great, at least to me!? I have used them for reference and found them to be very informative and friendly. I had used them once for a warrenty repair (guitar) and they met and exceeded my expectations. Again that is my opinon.

As I have mentioned above, I have been playing for over 37 years now. I have performed with some of rock n' rolls legends and I am very happy to have found this amp. If my amp should be stolen? I try not to think of this. I make sure it is with me at all times and my home is alarmed, I also have two very mean dogs that would love to eat anyone or anything that would dare try to get close to my property.
I find that the '63 reissue Vibroverb amp gives me a most loved vintage sound. I would mention that this amp is best suited for surf,
classic rock, blues and country but probably not for some one who prefers heavy metal or grunge. I play most styles of music however I mostly lean towards Hank Marvin of The Shadows, Nokie Edwards and Dick Dale. I usually perform in large arenas and community centre halls, I find this amp to have ample power (of course I have it sound
reinforced through our system).I consider myself very lucky in finding this gem and it is a definate keeper. As some of the other reports said - "if you find one, you better buy it". Besides - the brown tolex matches my '63 outboard reverb unit! What else could I ask for!!

I believe mine is a 1993 issue, purchased mail order from Guitar Center in Arlington,Texas for $650 with footswitch. This amp can do all the tones (Country,Blues,Jazz,Metal,Rock)in a heartbeat. Two individual channels Normal and Bright with no Channel switching, Effects loops, or Headphone Jack. I've been playing for 24yrs., and also work on tube amps and do upkeep on my own. I am a purist in the sense that I like a straightforward volume tone or volume EQ design amp. The more crap (channel switching and built in effects) the more muck and deterioration of the original signal, and after all don't we all want to hear what our guitars REALLY sound like? I use this amp at all kinds of venues, and it has more than enough power to do the job. I am a minimalist when it comes to effects as well, in the past I have owned a Korg-A3 and ART-SGE rack mount processors, and I got rid of them and opted for my Tom Scholz Rockman that I have owned & used for many years. The Rockman has (2)GREAT clean EQ settings(1)edge setting and(1)distortion setting, the ECHO(Reverb)and CHORUS settings are perfect, and I believe compression is designed into the circuitry such that all notes (clean/dirty) are sustained longer. The 63'Vibroverb by itself is awesome, and when coupled with the Rockman the sound is pure heaven. My amp has the stock speakers, and preamp tubes that came with the amp. The only thing that I have changed out is the Chinese Fender 6L6's for Sovtek 5881 WXT's. Even with the stock speakers the headroom is high and the sound remains tight until around 7 or 8 when it starts to break up.

I have 6, and soon to be 7 electric guitars all of them LEFTY except one. A 1990 Gibson ES-335 Dot Neck RI in Tobacco Sunburst, Custom Made PRS copy (Ron Lira - Honest Ron's Guitars Okc.,Ok.),60's Greco "Super Real" Les Paul 59'copy(previously owned by Elliot Easton formerly of the "Cars"),American Std.Tele 3-Tone Sunburst w/maple neck, Baby Blue 62' Fender Strat,Tokai 56' 3-Tone Sunburst Strat w/maple neck and tortoise shell pickguard(RIGHTY strung left).All my guitars either have stock vintage output pickups, or Seymour Duncan vintage output pickups. I play all styles except country, and have done much experimentation with this amp. It is a tight little amp primarily because of the solid state rectification, although it would be nice to be able to plug in a tube rectifier (ala Tweed Bassman RI).
The 63' RI amp can be modded to do this by utilizing an actual NOS 63'Vibroverb Power Transformer, and it can also be modded to use EL34 Power Pentodes(ala Marshall) for an improvement in both clean and distorted settings.

The 63' Vibroverb is highly dependable, especially without a backup. The only minor problem that I have encountered with the Fender Classic RI's(Tweed Bassman and 63'Vibroverb)is the Fender Chinese 6L6's that came as standard issue with both amps. When these tubes were working they sounded GREAT! but after 3 months the Tweed Bassman RI's tubes had to be replaced(one was ready to short out - red plate)and about a year after buying the 63' Vibroverb RI I noticed a low volume ticking sound like that of the tremolo being turned on at low volume. Marshall had a similar problem in past years with the quality of their OEM EL34's such that they started shipping 6550's as standard equipment.The 6550's would last through the warranty period and Marshall wouldn't be stuck with the out of pocket expense. Barring this observation on Power Pentodes, I would still give this amp a 10 for reliability, because they are no longer made and therefore most end users by now will have already changed these out for better quality tubes.

I don't need Fender for support or repair. Just as long as GOD blesses me with the ability to use my own hands, heart,and mind I've got all the customer support I need.

If I had to replace the amp, and had the money to do it, I would try to find another one just like it. I have always liked 10" speakers in combination, with configurations such as: 2X10's or 4X10's.

This is an update on the 1963 reissue Vibroverb after I have been playing out with it weekly for alomost two years.

At first I was disappointed with it because it was clean only at any volume. I tried several different power tubes including yellow jackets which did not change the tone any noticable amount. I finally decided to use a power booster (LPB-2) and an 808 Tubescreamer.

This amp is rated at 35 watts and is louder than most 100 watt amps. With the LPB-2 I was too loud so I quit using it. My amp has Weber P10Q speakers (not original).

After a few months of playing through it regularly at rather high volumes the sound started to change. It is no longer clean all the way. It starts to break up at around 4 on the volume. It is still very loud and the tone is fantastic and getting better every time I use it. It seems that it needed some break in time. I am using the original Fender tubes with excellent results.
I still use a tubescreamer on occasion to provide a Marshall sound.
I have had absolutely no problems with it. Both the reverb and vibrato are excellent. If you get one and decide to change the power tubes be sure to have it biased. I have played through the original 1963's long ago and this amp sounds considerable better with much more volume when needed. Set your guitar volume at 10 and the amp volume at 4 and get a great blues sound with nice distortion.

I play a 1966 Rickenbacker 370, 1972 Stratocaster, American Fat Telecaster and an SG Doubleneck into this amp. Each guitar has an entirely different sound through the amp. Single coil guitars are bright and clean but will distort nicely. Les Paul's and SG's have a much darker sound with more pronounced distortion. The Rickenbacker rings like it should. An archtop gets excellent jazz sounds. If you don't like the sound of this amp just try another guitar.

I have been playing for over 30 years and have played most popular guitars and amps. The only amp that compares to the 1963 Vibroverb reissue, in my opinion, is a Twin Reverb. But the Vibroverb weighs half of what the Twin weighs. I am hoping to get a (brown) 2x10 extension cabinet for it in the future. I play at some loud venues and this amp keeps up with the best of them. Don't tie the channels together. They are out of phase from each other and you will lose much of the low end.

Its a faithful copy (cosmetics) With typical controls, vol, bas, treb,reverb and trem intensity and speed. Two channel, normal and bright, just like original.Looks wonderful, nice job with all the cosmetics with this amp, but.............

Looks can be deceiving. I received this amp in very good shape. All original except new Jensen C10Q speakers. Good sovteck tubes. It was well kept and really had no operating problems at all. Here comes the interesting part. I had to write out this review after reading all the wonderful things said about this amps tone. I have been playing professionally for 22 years, own a '67 Fender Super Reverb, '65 Princeton Reverb, ya da, ya da, you get the picture. Well I hooked up my ES 335 to this beautiful looking amp and immediately looked around, up and down and inside and tried to find the TONE! Its not there brother, just not there. Very, I mean very, dark and low fi.
Tapped treble control or not if this is really anything like the original circuit I find it hard to believe the originals would be that sought after. I tried everying, my Tele single coils, different speakers, tubes. Also this amp is too loud and not in a good may. If you are looking for nice reasonable break up it isn't going to happen untill after you damage your ears. Remember unlike the original this amp has a solid state rectifier.Reverb was nice sounding but almost unusable. Anything beyond 2 you are swimming in a sea of muck. Now I know tone is a subjective thing but if you are looking for a nice blues, rock tone and are thinking Hmmmm could be like a nice old Fender, forgetaboutit!! I really wanted and tried my best to make this amp work. Its pretty, light weight and hey its a Fender.

Did not have it long. The tube sockets wobbled , I believe the original speakers are poor and there is the whole circuit board thing. But to tell you the truth I think if it is takin care of it would be fine. Now repairing it if it does break down, that could be a whole new chapter.

Fender............well I don't think they are going to be too helpful do you? Best bet is to find someone good with small soldering irons and is good with circuit boards. ( electronic repair )

AS I mentioned earlier I am not a new comer to playing and have bought and used many tube amps over the years. None quite as pretty as this one thought. All that glitters is not gold. What a shame. It worked fine, looked good, but great tone, come on guys!

Brown early 60's transisition era cosmetics with tilt back legs. 40 Watt with a pair of 6L6 and 6 12AX7 tubes and 2X10 (mine has Celestion G-10's). 2 independent Channels; one labled "Normal" with controls for Volume, Treble and Bass. The "bright" channel has seperate controls for volume, treble, bass, and reverb. The 2 channels are not internally footswitchable. To the right of the faceplate are the 2 controls for the Vibrato (speed and intensity). The reverb and Vibrato are footswitchable. Not too versatle (on its own) but it has it where it counts...read on.

Here is where this amp shines. Picture the perfect Fender clean tone in your head....you know the one that DRIPS with wet reverb, has that liquid glass harmonically rich sustain, and has the dynamic response that follows your playing. Well this amp IS that tone. Turned up above "6" to "10", the Vibroverb gets that SRV type of ballsy blues tone with lots of "smoky" flavor; natural overdrive Fender style. The reverb is certainly a great example of the classy early 60's Fender reverb sound....almost too "wet" at higher settings but very organic nonetheless. The Vibrato circuit sounds cool too! Since this amp has such a good clean sound, it makes a stellar platform to build on with overdrive boxes. I use stuff like the Visual Sounds Jekyll & Hyde, and Maxon TS-808's and they really sound super through this amp. The 40 Watts are enough for most applications. This amp esentially creates 2 tones on its own...the glassy clean sound and a smoky blues sound but these are 2 killer sounds and nobody has created a better clean sound then these Fender amps. Plus a reverb second to none. Truly deserving of the "10" rating.

Looks like it'll last.

Playing guitar for 14 years (27 years old). Other amps inlude 100 Watt Marshall Plexi, Fender Bassman, Peavey 5150, Laney AOR100. Guitars include sunburst '92 PRS custom 24 w/ birds, 3-tone 1960 Strat Customshop, '57 US Strat RI, Gibson Les Paul DC, Gibson Les Paul Classic, 2 Peavey Wolfgangs, 52 RI Telecaster and a Seagull Artist acoustic and tons of EFX. I have a pretty good reference for tone and I have enough good quality gear to give a reliable review for the more discriminating player. If one of these pop up, grab one. Fender is releasing the '65 Super reverb in January, 2000 and that is essentially the same amp as the Vibroverb with 2 extra 10" speakers and blackface era cosmetics so I am sure it will kick ass.

i bought this amp new in 99 (nos)it was made in 95.it doesnt have many features which i love just plug in and play.2 channels,normal&bright reverb and tremolo.40 watts 2 10's

i am using a tele plus with lace sensors,i play blues and old country (lots of chicken picken).this amp has a great clean sound that really suits me,deep reverb and great tremolo

have been using it for a year now and no problems whatsoever

came with a 3 year warranty that i hope i never have to use,the fender folks seem real friendly.

i have been playing for 16 years and have had many pieces of junk(peavey,crate)i compared this to a hot rod deluxe & a pro series concert,and the vibroverb won hands down,it was a ittle pricy but it was new and had a warranty.also new custom vibroluxes are about the same price as this.and this looks better and stays cleaner.

2 Channels, (normal & bright), 2x10, 40W Combo, w/ Reverb & Vibrato. Speaker out jack. Solid State Rectifier, & tube the rest of the way. Tilt back legs are a great addition! I will rate the features on the quality not quantity with what is a vintage "less is more" approach. I play guitars, not amps. I would rate this a 10 but, the stock tubes were chinese & the speakers were a bad excuse for reissue oxfords. Get some Sovtek's & Jensen Reissue C10Q's for under $100 total. -1 for the tubes, -1 for the speakers!!

This is where this amp truly shines & I beleive anyone that does not agree got a bad example, or are totally tone deaf & clueless. I was looking for a Marshall stack & had absolutley no intention of buying anything but that. I sat down to play a JCM 800 stack, & after a few minutes I noticed this classic brownface peeking at me from under a pile of mediocre modern Marshall heads. It was well hidden & collecting dust. I dragged it out & was surprised to see "Vibroverb" proudly displayed, I was aware it was an reissue but I had never played one. I fired it up & let the tubes warm up in stand-by for a while. I returned a few minutes later (w/ no expectations) & adjusted the settings to my normal Fender likings. I struck one E Chord.....& felt my mouth start to water. I was absolutley "FLOORED", & had no less than 4 people (including the store owner) approach me with that amazed look in their eyes. (apparently the owner never even plugged it in....it was on consignment.) After about 30 seconds I carried it to the storefront & gladly handed over $600 with a giant !@#% eating grin on my face. "BOTH" channels are "EXCELLENT" & they allow for "ANY" playing style , w/ the right combination of channel choice & effects. The normal channel is extremely responsive to pedals, including a Boss Metal Zone that rips the heart out of my other guitar players Marshall JCM 900 100W Combo.(set-up the Metal Zone w/ the highs & mids really low then wait for the Police to arrive) I'm not kidding!!! The Bright Channel is the epitome of Vintage Fender clean, & the reverb is as good as "ANY", I have ever heard (incl. pre-cbs, verbs, vibroluxes & twins). The Vibrato is incredibly versatile & I have actually "knocked stuff off my studio walls" when I have the speed & intensity knobs cranked. The Vibrato gets so powerful it can actually make you sick to your stomach. Try a Fulltone Deja Vibe in the bright channel, & keep some clean underwear on hand! Strap on a Vintage Tele (Nocaster in my case) & meet me in Amp Heaven. My lifelong search is over, I have found, IMHO, the perfect sounding amp! WOW!!!

I bought this amp used & it was about 8 years old @ the time. It was in "dead mint" & new cosmetic condition, in & out. I have to beleive it sat unused for the majority of it's life. I had it on my friends backseat when he decided to slam on his brakes to take a corner & it slammed, upside down onto the floor of his car & it broke off a stem of one of the power tubes. My fault!! The original speakers, (sucked) cracked & were useless after 3 months of light use. Fender's fault -1. I would never gig w/o a backup, but I am more comfortable w/ this amp then any other I have ever owned. Incidentally, the amp is still in perfect condition after heavy travel & studio use & also doubling as a giant coaster, ashtray holder & seat. The tolex job is top notch, unlike the new Fender's available today. -1 again for the speakers

I have dealt w/ Fender Customer Support on many occassions and have always received helpful, informative assistance. -1 for limited access to Fender Custom Shop & Fender Authorized repair centers.

I have been through many Vintage & Modern amps in my years of playing. This is the w/o a doubt the cream of the crop. (incl. the pre-cbs amps I spoke about in the sound section) It quite simply offers the widest range of useable tones I have ever heard. I shopped for months with $2500 in my pocket. I also own a Marshall Master Vol. JCM 800 combo, which is considered by many to be one of the best Marshall's ever made. It sits in my bedroom as a clothes rack! The Vibroverb is incredibly loud for 40W & I just smile when my drummer asks me to turn down. :) .. (it may be in part to the Jensen Reissue's) The Bright Channel is quintessential Vintage Fender Clean & the Normal Channel is the most versatile channel I have ever come across. If it were stolen......what a horrible thought...... I would sell whatever I had to, to get another one. Well besides my Nocaster. I swear it sounds better every time I play it, over a year so far. I have had many offers in excess of $1000 from my amp tech (who, by the way, has an original Verb & a Super) & have actually had people approach me @ club gigs & jams offering outlandish sums for it. They never even had a chance!!! Get one!!! NO B.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a reissue, so it's true to the original design. Early 90's.

I play Tele's and a Reverend w/P-90's. Rock, alt-country, blues. This amp is very thin sounding. When you crank it up the distortion sounds like a cheap effects pedal. The reverb is good. The tremolo is too weak. At loud volumes the tremolo is hardly noticable. For 40 watts it sure doesn't have much power. I tried different speakers with no luck.

Probably fine.

It's Fender. Who knows.

I've been playing for 26 years. I own a lot of stuff. I compared this amp to a Victoria 20-112-T and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Of course nothing compares to the Victoria. This amp basically sucked. I got rid of it 2 days later on a trade. I souldn't have bought it. Luckily I came out fine on the trade because there are other suckers out there that feel this amp is like the original. It does not sound like an original vibroverb. It merely has the same appearance. Stay clear of immitations, which this amp clearly is.

I bought this amp two months ago from a guy off Ebay. I think it is from 92. Everyone else covers the features of the amp quite well. It is a one trick pony, but everytime it does the one trick the crowd stops.

The guy who shipped it to me didn't pack it well. The speakers broke loose; took out all the tubes, power transformer, and reverb. I replaced the tubes with NOS RCA's, the 10" spkrs with Celestian Vintage 10s, and a stock Fender power transformer and reverb unit. Wow. This amp is one of the nicest sounding amps that I have heard in a real long time. It is very warm. It has the right amount of bass presence without being muddy. It has lots of punch for only being 40watts and the reverb is awesome.

Like I said the amp was packed horrible, no amp could withstand the abuse it went through. I knew I was in trouble when I saw the box it came in. But since replacing those above mentioned components, I haven't had a single problem. It has been a good little amp. I do know that the previous owner bought it new and gigged with it for close to eight years without any problems.

Never called them for anything.

If I lost this amp, I would replace it with another if I could find one. The are not easy to come by...

I bought the amp in '96 new. It's a Fender '63 Re-issue Vibroverb - a combo 40w with 2-10's, 2-6L6 power tubes, and a handful of 12AX7 pre-amp tubes.On the schematic, it says that it was created in '90, and actually plotted in '95. So, whatever you make of that. They only issued them for a year or so, I heard. It's a very simple amp (which was one of the main reasons I bought it - after checking out a Mesa Boogie Tremoverb combo, I was quite thrilled that I wouldn't have to adjust and adjust and adjust and adjust and switch and switch to get a great sound). There's no mid control, and it almost doesn't matter because it sounds great without it. It's a little too simple, though, after owning it for a few years. It's not a versatile amp in terms of features, but if you're into that signature Fender sound, it's got it. I had to change the speakers out because it came with crappy, crappy Oxford speakers. I put in some Kendricks. The amp has 2 channels: 1. Normal- Volume, treble, bass, 2 inputs. 2. Bright- same plus reverb. Both channels share a Vibrato effect which doesn't work very well at all and as far as I'm concerned, if Fender isn't going to make it right, then they shouldn't put the effect on there. The intensity of the effect diminishes as the volume gets higher. The reverb sounds good, not great. The amp doesn't have a gain stage, and no channel switching. No effects loop, no headphone jack, no nothing. Straight shooter. What you see is what you get.

I've recorded through it with a Gibson Les Paul Std., and have recorded and gigged with Fender American Std.'s - a Tele and a Strat with Van Zandt pickups. The amp suits my style nicely (Bluesy rock, alternative, swirly chorusing, clean reverb, anything but metal and country - which I'm positive this amp could sparkle on country). The amp won't sound good for metal. The sound is a brown tone that breaks up very nice and warm on the Normal channel. The clean sounds really nice too. It really starts revving after 3.5, and feels like it could jump out and bite you at any time. Being 40 watts, it feels like a great low-wattage amp. I think the thing that sold me about it is:
1. the weight, 2. the price, 3. the overdrive from bringing up the volume, 4.the characteristic Fender sound. It's not a noisy amp.It's somewhat versatile tonally. You can do surf, rock, clean, and definitely blues very well with it. I wish it had a channel switching option, and that the channels had gain stages. I've used this amp to play alternative rock (Jane's, The Cure) and rock styles (The Cult, The Black Crowes), as well as blues and even in church playing praise and worship. The amp does it all pretty nicely. Especially anywhere from 3.5 on the volume to full on. It really smacks out after 4, and up to 7. It gets really really loud despite the fact that it has 2-10's. Most occassions, I can't get the volume past 3.5. I've played many different size clubs with it, and this is what I love most about a really good Fender amp (because they make some lower lines that I wouldn't know about)- they sing under pretty much any acoustical condition. For example, I had a 70's Marshall 100w lead JMP, and it sounded incredible in some clubs and really thin in bigger venues with cement walls and floors, or not juicy enough in smaller venues and impractically big as far as size. Well the Vibroverb is great because it's about 46 pounds, never sounds thin, and you can easily back off the treble in cement places and hike up the bass. The open back makes it easy to hear on stage, and disperses the sound. I've used it to record, and it sounds really good on tape, with great tone for clean or overdriven sounds. The amp will not do metal in my opinion. It's a really cool amp with the Kendricks speakers. I also had Kendricks do some modifying, and that made a huge difference. We put in a bias adjustment on the back panel so that I can tweak the tubes easily. I wouldn't be happy with it stock, and I'm having a good time with it after replacing the tubes with Groove Tubes-Slovanian made, and the mod, along with a change of speakers. But I'm a very picky guy. I think it's a really nice combination of old tone, durability, practicality, versatility, ease of use, and ease of haul (which means a whole lot if you're always toting your amp somewhere). It sounds great for blues, surf, and Pearl Jam type rock.

I thought I could depend on it, and have never had any problems until the reverb went out on it just a couple of months ago. I've had it for 4 years, and nothing else has given me even a hint of a problem. I use it on gigs all the time without a backup, but most places, someone else has an amp somewhere, so no sweat. I can't factor in any probability of it going out on me and leaving me hanging. It's pretty solid.

The great thing about Fender is that they give you a 5 year warranty on amps and guitars. As far as amps, everything is warrantied (as far as I understand) but the tubes. As I said, my reverb went out and I took it to a Fender dealer who services (as most do) for Fender. No hassles.

Overall, I like the amp a lot for the reasons stated at the end of the Sounds section. I've been playing for most of 20 years, and have owned all kinds of amps, have played through almost everything, and have recorded with lots of great amps. I think this one is a keeper. I really need a great tone for recording, and something that will be heard and consistant playing out. This amp does those things very well. I'm a little upset that Fender uses such skimpy components in the amp's circuit (they do on their other amps, so does Marshall in this day and age and most everyone else). When we opened it up at Kendricks, it was a sad day. Just to visually see the difference between this and the 60's and early 70's Fender amps was a reason for valuum. However, since I don't use drugs anymore, I had to hop on my bike and ride out the frustration. If it were stolen or lost, I would be upset because of the cost of replacing it, but if it happened, I would go out and buy a Fender Prosonic. It's about the same set up, has switchable channels with gain stages, and everyone who knows their skunk about sound says that they are cool. I don't like the limitations of the Vibroverb, and I don't like the skimpy circuit board, and I don't like the faint Vibratto. I compared many many amps to this one, but I was really looking for something light. I had a Marshall 4x12 with Celestion vintage 30's and a bassman head. I was tired of hauling that stuff around. I also was recording quite a bit on different projects, and I needed something versatile - something that wouldn't lock me in to a certain style. I also wanted to get a good break-up (overdrive) out of the amp for recording applications, and I'm totally sold on the Fender sound to begin with. So, I think that this amp really met my needs, which were pretty specific. The biggest factor was the price. I tried out all kinds of amps - Vox, Rivera (I don't like these at all), Peavey Classic, Mesa's, Marshall's (JCM's, JMP's, reissues, etc.), Matchless, Kendricks, and Orange. Most of those have a characteristic sound (which is why I bought the 70's Marshall head), and my taste and economic situation veered me over to the Vibroverb. If you're looking at this amp and you haven't looked at the Vibrolux or the Prosonic, then look at those first. If you can get this model cheap, then get it and know that you'll probably have to trash the speakers for some real ones.

Here's an opinion on upgrades on this amp..I have bought two examples
during 1999-2000. Both were found at a local used equip.store in the
WDC metro area. The first one was traded because the previous owner said that the amp was "inconsistent". This was AFTER he had spent big
bucks on a retube and rebias and had Weber 10's installed.However,the amp looked like it had been dragged underneath a large truck. Both the
store owner and I shook our heads on that one. I bought the amp on
less than thirty seconds deliberation before the guy who sold it had left the parking lot. The second amp came through the store about six months later in bone stock 9.5 condition. Here's the point,both amps sound great,only the most anal tone freak could probably split hairs with test equipment to find some minor difference between them. Both amps are used on stage in a regional roots-rock group in conjunction with a variety of older Strats ,Teles and a '57 LP Jr.They are both brighter sounding amps than your average 30 yr old blackface Vibrolux and they retain the earlier and cooler tremolo not found with opto-isolator based circuits adopted during the blackface and silverface
eras. It has long been known that some upgrades on old Fender amps are not worth the time or trouble and in comparing these two amps I think"Mr.Inconsistent" was urinating up the proverbial "tone-rope". If you can maintain at least close to proper line voltage [yes, I know it's tough,thats why God invented the Variac] you too can enjoy all the wonders [and imperfections] of the Fender Amplifier. Also,old school owners of original Vibroverbs know that creative tone control
adjustment can result in a near perfect "flat" response. Guess what kids? the reissue has that same capability as well... One thought on factory supplied tubes...Get the best non-chineese 6L6's you can find,the O/E/M tubes were mega-poop. Then, save up for that variac.

Bought both used, learned long ago NOT to call Fender for anything.
Have repair capability and access to high quality repair shops in area ,so, don't need factory anyway except to mfg. the product.

An outwardly accurate reissue but have trouble with the concept of
PC boards used internally. Probably sounds like a new amp did in 1963. Most players are likely misinformed as to its disimilarity to 1964-1967 Vibrolux Reverbs creating some ill feelings amongst some pickier ears.Way cheaper than trying to find an original example.
Needs an old style fuse holder, who has time to use a screwdriver
to pull out a fuse? Mounting of reverb tank needs more spacing between mounting edges of tank and cabinet bottom. Fender would have
been smarter to specify the use of old style sponge rubber spacer strips on top and bottom of tank instead of a thin cardboard mount.
Outer cabinet covering is more prone to permanent staining from "bar products" than original tolex. The covering is also much thinner than original as well.

I have dated this amp to be a 1991 production model.I use the amp
mainly for jazz,country,pop,.....clean,pretty sounds
I always plug into the bright channel-vol.-4 treb.-5 bass-4
reverb-2-3
This amp is perfect for me.No frills.Classic Fender.i found it with
the original owners manual.The cosmetic condition is a 9,with the original tubes and speakers.virtually unused.

i use a Fender Strat,a Fender Tele,and an older model Epi Riviera with the amp.It fits me perfectly.Very little noise,very clean with
a nice round sound.reverb and trem are killer.
If i wanted distortion i would consider a different model amp.The only drawback is that it is a bit on the dark side[possibly due to old tubes and Oxford Speakers]

The amp has had a 100% reliability factor......and i am really tempting fate with these old tubes.
I have been told that the factory fit speakers and tubes are no good in this amp.But i am enjoying it too much right now to justify a
change......Maybe later.

I have never had a problem with Fender Musical Instruments.And this dates back to the 1960's.

i have been playing over 25 years.I would buy this amp again without hesitation.There really is not anything I hate about it.
I compared this to a Blues Junior and a Blues Deluxe,and this is a better fit for me personally.

UPDATE!!

I posted about this amp several months ago and I would like to update my opinions after using this amp almost weekly at my jams.

First off...The original Fender speakers are not the best. A good replacement of Jenson or Weber speakers will improve the tone considerably.

I was not happy by the fact that I had to set it at ear bleeding volumes to get it to overdrive the power section. I tried replacing the power tubes with several others and got little or no change. I even tried Black Jacks. I love the sound of pushed Fender tube amps.

I have been playing for many years and I recall hearing people get great distortion from the older Vibroverb and Vibrolux amps. Even at low volumes in the studio. Si I wracked my old fart brain to remember how they did that. Alas I remembered. One guy I played with often in the 70's used an Electro Harmonix LPB-2 Linear Power Booster into the front of the amp to boost the tone and a Tom Sholz Power Soak between the speakers and amp. Neither of these units have been made in over 20 years. But they are not the most coveted units today. That keeps their prices low. I found an LPB-2 at a show and a Sholz Power Soak on EBay. Low and behold, I now have the best sounding Fender tube amp around with no analog or digital effects. It puts out only the true sound of the overdriven power amp section. I can also overdrive the preamp section with the LPB-2. For those of you who want the best of both worlds: Marshall distortion and Fender clean...This is the closest you will get to it. I like it so much that I am considering getting a 4 ohm extension cabinet and loading it with either 30 watt Celestions or Webers. Now this amp is a true Back To the Future amp.
Without effects.

Serial #00376 - Vibroverbs were made from 1990-1995...mine might be a '90. This amp is the king of clean and has a very forward sound. 2x10 inch speakers...40 watts. I suppose you could use it for almost any application. I use it for rockabilly, alternative, jazz, rock, country, folk, fingerstyle...etc. The amp has two channels, bright and normal. The reverb and tremolo are luscious. I agree with most of the other postings that this amp could use a tube rectifier in place of its solid state rectifier. I'd like to get a smoother overdrive. But then again it has a very tight and percussive sound that comes in handy for fingerpicking and rhythm styles. I use this amp in a band and in the bedroom. It is a good amp to have if you can only have one. Plenty of power but not too much that it won't clip. It weighs about 46 lbs. These are features that I look for in an tube amp. Apparenly Hoffman makes a point to point board. But after cost and installation; you might as well buy a '63 Super and a Fender reverb unit.

I use a '59 Strat and a '78 Tele Custom through it right now. They both sound great; single coils and humbuckers. This amp has that Fender clean sound - bright and focused. To me, the Fender sound is a "normal" sound and it is on the basis of this that I judge all other amps. If you were to plug an old Les Paul into this amp, it would sound like an old Les Paul should. If you plug a nasty guitar into it it will sound nasty. Like I mentioned above this amp will suit many styles, just like the '65 Fender Twin. The amp is very quiet but it depends on the condition of the tubes. When you crank it you get that cool amp hiss. Just like a stereo. As far as variety of sounds...no. Just one. Good, clean Fender. It is really up to your fingers and soul. The amp will overdrive above 3 depending on the guitar and the tone settings. The treble and bass add volume. I like to plug into the second input of the bright channel, dime the amp, and turn the EQ's all the way down and play very, very softly. To me, this produces the livest sound. You get the overdriven tubes and the speaker thump and crackle. By the way, I put some Jensen Reissues in this thing. The original speakers weren't bad, just a little lack luster. I've learned that this amp is not meant to be overdriven. Yes, when you crank it and slam some chords it will overdrive. Brownface type amps aren't revered for that. Get a tweed style amp. The sound is piercing and LOUD!! Don't do that to your ears. This amp is loud like a Fender Twin only it distorts earlier so technically they have to rate this at half the wattage the never distorting twin is rated at. This thing is loud! In band situations...think between three and six(loud clip). I can't find a distortion pedal that sounds good thru this thing. Maybe I just like it clean. I've owned Jekyl and Hydes, DOD 250, Pro Co Rat. I'll try a tubescreamer sometime...I'm sure to the same result. They all sound grating and piercing to my ears. They don't sound like overdriven amps.

I bought this amp because it was sort of a compromise. It sounds great, it is lightwieght, it has great verb and trem. And it is affordable and reliable. I would depend on it as long as I know the venues I'm playing. Some places have hodge-podge wiring. This amp will achieve full power in most places though. Hasn't broken down on me yet...the reverb got weird on me once...All in all I would trust that this amp can be neglected and still work.

Fender people are nice. But if something goes wrong with the amp...don't go to Fender. What do you want them to do? Wave their wand? Take it to a good amp tech and have it fixed. These amps should outlast all of us. People give Fender customer Service a bad rap because the guy/gal on the phone can't fix their amp. Do you know how long and how much it would cost to ship your amp and wait for it to get fixed? Fender will always make parts to sell us. They are a good company.

I'm a young professional musician who has been at the guitar for over ten yeras. I'm kind of a tone head and have owned a lot of amps and guitars. At the price these things are going for...might as well get one. I couldn't think of any reason to sell this other than to get some money. If it was stolen I might get another one eventually. These amps aren't amazing...but really good. They sound good on tape too. I do wish it had a tube rectifier. I've owned tweed fenders and some newer Fenders - I just love the sound. I've played Vox ac30's, Magnatones(underrated), Marshalls, Orange, for a while. I've tried almost every amp that is out there. This nails the Fender tone. I could sell it, but what would I replace it with?

I believe this to be a '91. Pretty basic and true to the '63 Vibroverb with the exception of the SS rectifier. Has 2x10" ceramic speakers. I bought this because it was similar to our other guitar player's '70 Vibrolux. Sounds almost identical. It's a bit harsher, which I believe to be attributable to the ceramic, rather than alnico magnets.

I play mostly blues and a little country rock through a whole bunch of guitars - a '60 strat, '63 Firebird, Jerry Jones, '80s Les Paul Standard, '60 ES175 with PAFs. Sounds great with all of them. The strat quacks, the bird will tear your head off, the Les Paul is thick and creamy, The 175 has an almost acoustic quality and the Jones is twangy enough for the little bit of country we do. I bought this used and once I found the microphonic 12ax7 and replaced it, the annoying noise that occurred every time I hit a g-note disappeared and the amp is now very quiet. I haven't had it more than a month, but it's become my main amp for a number of reasons. I've always liked 10" speakers, tube amps and it's fairly light for an old fart to carry around. I usually play it at about: vol 6, treble 8, bass 4 and reverb on 2. I use the bright channel because the reverb doesn't work with the normal (true to the '63 verb)

Aside from the microphonic tube, have played it every day for a month with no trouble.

Don't know, don't care. I use a local tech for my other tube amps and would use him for this one, if I needed to.

I've been playing about 20 years. I also own a bunch of other amps, including 2 1959 Fender Deluxes, 1957 Harvard, 1974 Music Man 65-410, and early '60s Supro (same circuit as a champ). I had been playing one of the Deluxes almost exclusively and I still love it's saturated sound for blues, but the sound of the 2x10s in the 'verb is what I'm looking for now, along with the extra power. If any of my stuff got stolen I'd hunt the bastard down and sell his organs to replace what he took.

My 'Verb reissue was made in '90. Two channels no switching, reverb, tremelo, about 40 watts tube power with SS rectifier. Except for the SS rectifier, these are the features I look for in an amp. Surprisingly warm for a SS rectifier. I use it mostly for roots and progressive rock, occasionally a blue or two. For me this amp has all the features I want, as I much prefer to manipulate effects (tube screamer, wah, delay) outboard as not to corrupt the amp tone. This amp is a gem in the small & mid sized clubs. Great sound and plenty of power. This amp gets its share of compliments. Large clubs and outdoor festivals were miked, but the tone was great. I'm going to give it a 10 for versatility because I can do (and have done) everything with it without much effort, from bell toned blues, progrssive chiming to power chord blasting.

Mostly I use a '69 Strat and a '69 tele. But sometimes the Les Paul, ASAT, Ric, and ES345 come out to play. Any combination works great with this amp. About the only thing is the Fender single coils sound better rolling off the treble a bit. I play many styles but mainly a roots and progressive rock style. The amp's tone is great, but from the semi-hollows (Ric,345 and ASAT) they are incredible. This amp has been quiet for the two years I've had it. The distorion is nicely compressed as you get louder, really sweet. But everyone needs to drive the tubes they like. My favorite is to set the vol at "5" or so, and use a screamer to get it right at that touch sensitive "sweet spot". That is is spot where you can play with a light touch to stay clean and dig in to drive it hard.

This amp has been going two years with no problems or even the hint of one yet. It makes about two gigs a week. I originally bought this as a backup to my '67 Vibrolux, but now it is the only one I carry. The 'Lux does studio work.

I tried to deal with Fender support way before I bought this amp. Support Service was invisible then so I haven't acknowleged them (support) since.

I have been playing for 25 years and have owned/played every major amp brand on the market. Many are good, but I prefer the Black & Brown Fender Amps. This is the only reissue I own, but it has been a pleasure. There are two weak spots on this amp from the factory, tubes and speakers. Although the speakers have never given out on me, they begin to sound thin at high volumes. Just about every other speaker I've used sounds better when driven. The Fender guy who made the decision on factory brand tubes for this amp, especially the output tubes should be fired. But this is very easily resolved, and almost any other tube put in will be better. I tried Mesa tubes and they are doing a wonderful job.

Made between 1990-1995. Amp is versatile but by no means a heavy metal amp. 2 channels with two inputs per channel. One Normal and one Bright channel. One input on each channel is 6db higher gain. No channel switching, no effect loop, no headphone jack. Since this is a reproduction of the 1963 amp the features are minimal. It has vibrato and reverb, bass, trebble and volume controls. 35 watts that will do well in most band situations. 8 tubes total. 2 Power tubes. 6/12ax7's & 2/6L6GC's. Solid state rectifier. I like the sound but may convert it to a tube rectifier in the future. Tubes are original Fender which I intend to change to Svetlana's. 2X10 Oxford speakers which have been replaced with Weber Alnico VST's. Has dual foot switch for reverb/tremolo. Brown tolex, wheat grill cloth and tilt legs. Weight is aprox. 50 pounds. Mostly PCB circuitry. Looks true to original with the exception of having a 3 wire power chord and not having a convenience outlet.

I use several guitars. Rickenbacker 370, Fender Stratocaster, US Fat Telecaster and an SG doubleneck. Also a 1965 Fender Malibu acoustic w/Seymour Duncan woodie humbucking sound hole pickup. I play various styles from jazz & blues to classic & hard rock. The amp does well on each style mentioned. I use an 808 tubescreamer for heavy stuff. It is not noisy but you can hear the vibrato slightly when not playing. but it does not click like many Fender amps do. Reverb is lush and surfy. It will distort at volumes over 5 which is quite loud. The distortion is surprisingly warm for a solid state rectifier. Clean tones have very nice bass and midrange at all volumes. I will credit the good tone to the Weber speakers.

I have not used it long enough to rate it's dependability but it is a Fender amp and they are noted for being quite rugged. Tubes are original and at least 5 years old. No problems but I intend to change them in the near future to prevent failure.

I bought the amp used with no warranty and have no reason to contact Fender.

I have been playing for over 35 years. I played through the original Vibroverb amps long ago and I find that this re-issue sounds better than the original but again I believe that the Weber speakers are a big compliment to its tone. I have 5 guitars, a bass and 3 amps which include a Marshall JCM and a DSP Crate. I am not a purist and was not looking for an exact duplicate of the original Vibroverb. To my surprise this amp looks like the original and sounds even better. I chose this amp because I like the old Vibroverbs and Vibrolux amps from the Pre-CBS era. The original Vibroverbs, if you can find one in nice shape, are selling for the price of a new car. This is the closest I can get in a reasonable price range. This amp is a time machine for me and I enjoy every second of playing through it. If you are reading this I assume that you are interested in buying one. Since they were a limited re-issue and no longer made they are getting hard to find. If you find one in good shape for a reasonable price I suggest that you buy it. Remember that it is a Fender tube amp so if you don't like the sound just change tubes and/or speakers. I compared specs between the original 1963 amp and the re-issue and found it to be very close to the original.

-This is a RI amp, what do you expect? 2 channels, normal and bright. Reverb for bright only. Has vibrato also. -2x10, 40W, tubes, SS Rect. I bought it used, came with Eminence. Replaced them with Webers P10R. Why R? It was for sale,used, for quite cheap, and I didn't wanna wait. Also, my main guitar is pretty trebly, so i wanna tame it down a bit on this factor. - Strictly bedroom. Haven't had time (college) to take it out, not that I gig hehe...well, maybe when I'm real confident I don't get booed offstage...

- Guitars: `91 Strat Plus with Fralins,`96 Lonestar (Tex Specials, Pearly Gates + bridge), with Klon Centaur pedal. - I play mostly blues, in the hope of at least to decently play SRV, Collins, Hendrix etc. I'd say the Plus, with Blues Special Fralins, would be SRVish in the veins of songs like Dirty Pool, So Excited. Also, very nice clean. The amp gives clean tones until about 6, and the breakup's real nice. I just got the Klon Centaur, and it does make a difference. For some reason, my tone is more meaty, as well as the usual overdrive duty.
The Lonestar is kinda dirtier, and janglier. Both guitars have their own places, I guess. But they both sound dreat with the amp. Prolly this is the best thing: you'd have to spend 1000+ for Supers and 2000+ for the real Vibroverb. This has the legendary Fender clean, and the overdriven tube sound as well. It's a shame they stopped making these. About reverb: As others have said, it is real fine. Not too much though, or you'll be swimming. Tremolo: I don't use it much. Too much does produce the ticking sound (not that noticeable). Prolly the real ones had this too; I am comparing teh amp to an old SF Vibrochamp that I sold to get this amp :( Mine, as I said, came used. Tubes are all Sovteks, so I cannot comment on original ones. I plan to replace these with NOS Phillips power tubes. I am looking to more breakup, at lower volumes. And, I think the Webers did help the tone. More mids, more bass, but still enough treble. Maybe I should have changed preamp tubes, well I'm still learning about tube amps, and it's all good fun.

I had it for about 2 months now. No problem so far. Well, there is one. The original owner, when he replaced the speakers, left the screws jutting out too much, and this pressed against the grillcloth. So, it kinda tears a bit from the inside. Not much though - not Fender' fault. Other than this, I don't think I got no reason to worry about.

I don't think warranty applies. Never contacted Fender, so cannot comment. However, for the amp, I think I can find, if I need to, local amp techs.

Playing for nearly 3 years, so my gear buying isn't really justified. Help I got GAS real bad. Oh shut up...hehhe. I just love guitars...If it was stolen, I'd get real mad. I saved hard for guitar stuff, so keep off ;) Seriously, I prolly would get some vintage stuff, like a SR, VR, etc, as long as the price is not ridiculous. Also, I'd like to note the Klon pedal. Man, this thing is awesome. I had a TS9/808, and it's nothing like it. Other than quiet, not coloring the tone, it gives more meat to your sound. Prolly I'm not putting it clearly...well, go give it a try. You spent thousands on your vintage/boutique amps, why not spend $300 more and get something that'll make you smile...
oh well...

A sterling reissue of a ferocious two channel tone monster: 40 watts through six 12AX7 and two 6L6 tubes driving two 10-inch speakers with footswitchable spring reverb and tremolo (speed and intensity controls included). This amp has the standard Fender channels, "Normal" and "Bright," independent from one another, each with a volume, treble, and bass control. Each channel has two inputs: "1" for full power, and "2" for reduced power (a bit more practical for bedroom practice volume levels). The Bright channel has access to reverb and tremolo, Normal is tremolo only. I would've liked to see Fender implement master reverb and normal to bright channel switching, but they're being faithful to the original Vibroverb so c'est la vie. It's not a problem.

Audiophiles and guitar amp purists are cringing everywhere as I write this, but I'm using this guitar with a Carvin DC127, a two humbucker vintage '80s shred machine, and a truckload of Boss effects in series the first of which is a Metal Zone. See the "Thrash" section below ...
Overall: This amp is a little on the loud side for bedroom levels, but sounds great for a variety of musical styles. There is a bit more vintage Fender quack in the "Bright" channel, but both normal and bright channels have similar sounds and equally responsive volume and tone controls.
On the clean sound: Imagine the vintage clean tones of years gone by that we've come to know and love. Now better it and add reverb and trem. Absolutely UNREAL bass thump when playing at "3" or above, but the amp doesn't get really gritty until you reach some of the higher volume settings (at least "5" or "6"). All the while your friendly treble knob is providing the perfect amount of cut-through to balance everything nicely. Even with the treble on "1" and the bass on "10" you're able to get a jazzy sound to the amp where the notes have virtually no high end but can be made out clear as day because of the amp's natural mids and huge amount of headroom.
Reverb: Sick. Sick sick sick. On "10" it sounds like you're underwater, I usually keep it parked at "4" so my sound doesn't get drowned out. Although, maxing it out could make for some intertesting effects ...
Tremolo: Gorgeous but a little overbearing on some volume settings. Not as staccato as I would have liked on the more intense "intensity" settings but very smooth and a great effect when used sparingly. The Johnny Marr "How Soon is Now" vibe is easily achieved with this amp.
Thrash: I'm not sure if this fits into this amp's description, but it's a great metal amp. It truly is. I get the clarity of Fender clean channels and the flexibility of a stomp box when using the Metal Zone. This amp's preamp tubes, when smacked with a heavy duty amount of gain, respond in ways only a VHT Pittbull or Mesa Dual Rectifier can. Amazing clarity and character to the notes, even when slammed with distorted chords involving four or more strings. I highly recommend this amp and a Metal Zone to anyone looking for an alternative to forking over their life savings for a Dual/Triple Rectifier or similar amp. You will be pleasantly surprised. Remember, you can't play metal all the time though ...

I would depend on this amp for any gig, but it must be miked for proper effect. It simply isn't loud enough to play over a full band on its own (then again, who doesn't go through a PA today?). Fender amps are renowned for their reliability and durability, just see your local music shop for the going price on a vintage Super Reverb. I expect to get years of service out of this amp and do the usual tube maintenance/repair/etc.

Never had to deal with Fender customer support, I've heard mixed reviews but realistically I could probably service everything myself.

I've been playing for 10 years and this amp is the culmination of a lot of different amp sounds I've tried to re-create. There was the solid-state phase in the beginning (gotta love those Peavey Envoys with "tube emulation" circuit boards), a flirtation with power amps and rack units, a small tube amp (Fender Blues Junior, 15 watts) and floor pedals, and now the Vibroverb.
Going for me: It's a Fender, it has gorgeous tone and reverb, it's capable of handling the machinations of a weirdo insane enough to call it a great metal amp.
Going against me: It'll probably be around longer than me, which means I've got to give it up at some point. Lucky is the person who gets this amp ...
If you find one, buy one. I got mine for $450 because I traded in my Blues Junior for $150. It was on consignment in this hole in the wall music store for $600. Good deal on my part, though I think these amps (if you can find them) typically go for around $750 - $800.

Nothing to add beyond what you've already read or know. Intended for the '60s blues, surf, and rock sounds and does them perfectly. Features are right for the intent of the amp.

Using various Strats, ES335, Blueshawk, and '57 LP Special, even the Strats send it into sweet overdrive. The reverb and tremolo/vibrato are PERFECT. I played a MIDI synth thru it and ripped up the Oxford reissue speakers. I successfully repaired them, but replaced them with Eminence 50 watt 10's. A bit louder by pretty edgy at higher volumes. I replaced them with Reissue Blue Alnico's. That's the sound to die for. Not nearly as loud but SWEET and PHAT. Tried Svetlana and NOS RCA 6L6's and they overheat. Would need to add a bias adjust circuit to cool them off. I did this successfully with my Deville 212--big improvement.
Note that with the speakers in it now you can't get a clean sound above volume 3, and that's not very loud. Even with the original speakers in it dirtied up before getting really loud. That's the way I like it and it's perfect for my style--electric blues--warm and not too hard (usually).

I've used it on and off since I traded my '67 Blackface Twin Reverb for it new in 1990. Other than frying up the Chinese 6L6's within a year, no trouble whatsoever. My fault the speakers blew with the synth--DUH!

Fender is no fun since they moved to Arizona--they don't really want to talk to us consumers about details anymore. Find a good amp tech! They do have a good warranty though.

Great amp for what it was intended and a super replica of the original.

Very basic features-typical Fender two channels-normal and bright: the bright channel has reverb; both utilize the built-in vibrato; both channels have volume, bass and treble, and two inputs, the number 1 input 6db hotter than number 2 input; the vibrato has speed and intensity controls. This is plenty enough for me!

I play harp. Blues harp. I prefer dynamic element mics over crystal, and crystal over ceramics, in that order. Right now I use and old E.V 630, and a Universal Model 308. I've recently switched from Hohner Special 20s to Lee Oskars. To be honest, this was the first amp I bought to use exclusively for harmonica, and I didn't particularly like it in the beginning-but I was using an Astatic JT-30 (reissue) at the time and the stock tubes that came with the amp. Since then I've replaced the cheap-ass Chinese 6L6s with Tung-Sol-made RCA 5881s (brown base) and replaced the crappy preamp tubes with Amperex Bugleboys and Telefunkens. Man-o-man, what a sound! And to think I almost sold it! I can get a tone and volume out of this amp without feedback standing almost in front of it that I can't get out of any other amp.(I have seven others, including two Harmonys, a couple old Bogen P.A.s, a '47 Masco P.A., and a Sonny Jr. I and II). I had thought about replacing the speakers with Webers, or something like that, but I can't see why-for harp, these just sing. I did find some '65 Oxford 10L6's in an old Fender cab and ran them out of the main speaker jack to see if they would be any better, but the Oxford reissues that came in the amp sounded almost exactly the same. I replaced the 12AT7 reverb driver with a 12AU7 for a little more control over the "surf". I can get some good honkin' and smooth playing out of this sucka, and playing my Martin tenor guitar with DeArmond P/U through the amp with the reverb and vibrato gives me a perfect Magic Sam "All Of Your Love" sound. Ahhhhhh......

I've had this amp for over three years with no problems to date, except for the lousy tubes that came with it (one of the 6L6s was loose from the tube base)-although they sounded like garbage, they still were functional.

Don't know- I bought the amp used.

Although I'd wished Fender gave us the option of a tube rectifier, like they did with the '59 bassman reissue, I'd definitely buy another, given the chance!

This amp isn't the most versatile, but it does what it was designed to do flawlessly. This thing nails the SRV - strat tone. One of the few Fenders whose tremolo doesn't tick, and the reverb is astounding! Nice speakers as well. Only nagging thing is that they are still loading their high-end amps with Chinese power tubes. Yuck!

Again, this amp is dripping with strat-quack. The reverb boings when you hit it hard (as it should). I bought mine used, and the first thing I did was replace the Chinese power tubes with MOJO/Sovtek 5881's. Major tone and volume improvement here. Nice bluesy break-up at around half power. Best sounding amp I have.

Bought mine used...I've never had a problem. Seems like it'll hold up for quite some time.

Never had a problem. N/A

This is definitely my favorite amp. It's always a pleasure plugging into this box. I would recommend to anyone reading this that if you happen to come across a used Vibroverb Reissue, snag it...they don't make em' anymore! If you want something comparable now, you've gotta get a Custom Shop Vibrolux (over $2000 list!)

This amp, like most old amps is versatile in that they were made to play many styles of music when they were made. There are two channels-one dry, the other w/ trem and reverb. They are not switchable. It's @ 40 watts pushing two tens. Mine was modified when I got it w/ two JBLs. This defintely cranks up the gravity of the amp (i.e. it's heavy), but the speakers make it @ 1/3 again louder than the uninspiring Fender speakers. The tube for the dry channel was missing when I got it too. It seems to have better tone and response without it as well (maybe due to increased plate voltages???).

I usually use a tele or Les Paul Sp. and occaisionally a Dano. The Dano sounds a bit muddy w/ this amp-but I did dime it once and got a good Link Wray sound. The amp seems to have a flat response to it, unlike most amps, which seem to have a midrange dip. It makes it very nice for swing, country, blues and roots rock. It doesn't have much distortion when cranked, a very "grown up" amp in a good way. It responds well w/ a good overdrive pedal (like a TS-808) but pedals that diminish bass response will have that characteristic become quite obvious than if tried on a very bright amp. The reverb and tremelo make me cream myself.

I've had it for five years and it keeps on workin'-no problems at all.

Bought it used-n/a

I've had several amps and currently have this 'verb, a '65 Twin reish, and an AC30. The Vibroverb continues to be my main amp (though sometimes simply ecause the AC30 is sooo daaang heavy). I'd kill for it. ;}

Amazing tone!! There are not too many controls on this amp, and I consider that a breath of relief. I am so tired of amps that have so many controls, all these push/pull pots, and the sort. It just is awful, but this amp is very basic in its controls. There are two channels, each with a volume, treble and bass. Then the bright channel has a reverb control, and there are two vibrato controls that affect both channels. It is so nice to have so few controls. It is like a step back into yesteryear. I have to admit, this amp isn't extremely versatile, but if you are looking for a blues kind of sound, this amp can not be beat.

This is the best sounding amp I have ever played. It has tone to die for. I have been playing this with a '90 Fender Tele Plus, and a '94 Fender Strat plus. Both of these guitars have Fender Lace Sensors, and the Tele has a rather untraditional tele sound. The strat sounds like a vintage strat, though. I have been looking for a Stevie Ray kind of sound, and using these two guitars I can get so close, it is scary. This is a beautiful amp, and just what I have been looking for. If you are someone who wants a heavy metal/distortion sound, look elsewhere. This amp can not do that without some kind of pedal in front. This is not a grunge amp. This is a blues amp, and the tube breakup is sweeet. One of the first things that I have done, though, is replace the stock Fender Chinese tubes with Mesa/Boogie tubes. The Mesa tubes give it outstanding warmth.

I would certainly depend on this amp. It is several years old, and still in mint condition.

I have dealt with Fender, but not over customer support. I just wanted to get a manual that I lost, but they were very responsive, and I got the manual within a week. They seem to be dependable.

This is an ideal amp for blues. It has tone to die for, and simply can not be beat. If you have the chance of getting one, definately go for it. The brown tolex is a nice touch, but this amp really has a legendary sound. I am ecstatic about it, it is just incredible!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!