Fender '64 Vibroverb Custom

This amp is a 2007 model that was actually a "floor model" at a Guitar Center in the Northwest. I had been looking for one of these that was used in good condition,

This is a blues players dream amp. I have a SRV Strat with Texas Specials as well as an American Deluxe HH. The sound from the single coils is really responsive, and when you hit the S-1 switch and kick in the 2nd set of single coils for the humbucking sound, it is really loud. I still have a 100 watt Marshall head and a 1960A Cab, but this amp is really L O U D! I also play with a Ibanez Tubescreamer (both the TS-8, TS-9, and the Turbo) it will really bring out the Diaz Mods. In a home setting, it is hard to get this up above 2 without making the windows shake! This amp does not have the distortion that a Marshall has, but then if you are looking at this amp, then you know this already. This is one of the best amps that I have played through in over 30 years of playing.

I have not gigged with it yet, but I have spoken with several people that have and, just like other hand-wired Fenders, they are built tough! Everyone I spoke with said that they recommended purchasing one of the "flight" cases that are for sale on e-bay and everywhere else if you are going to gig, due to the cost of this amp.

When I unpacked the amp and plugged it in, I noticed some tube rattle. I called Fender and they were extremely helpful. They told me that the tubes have a 90-day warranty and to get it to the shop that they aurthorized as soon as possible! The next day, I took it to the shop and by 24 hours, they had the problem solved as well as re-biased the amp! No Charge at all!

I have been playing over 30 years. Mostly in hard rock-type bands and for personal enjoyment. Due to a change meeting with one of THE Greatest Blues/Rock musicians in 1983, I began listening to and playing a lot of blues. This amp, with the right guitar and technique will come very close to one of the most sought after tones that there is out there. As I mentioned before, use a Tubescreamer to warm the tone up more (especially with the Texas Specials) and you won't be disappointed. The only thing is the price. I would have loved this amp back when I was playing as a teenager, but there would have been no way to afford it. I truly believe that if Stevie and Cesar was still alive, that this amp would be about $1000 cheaper. But as I learned in economics in school, supply and demand!

Hello, mine is a 2006 model Fender Custom Vibroverb with the 15" speaker. I never would have tried out this amp if it wasn't for Joe Lawing (ex-Gregg Allman guitarist). He recommended I sit down and give this new Fender custom shop amp a run through. I had been leaning towards a Vibroking...but from the first runs through this amp...I was sold! Amazing is the word for this amp. Easily as good as my 1970 Fender Twin with orange JBL's, and maybe better. As good as my old blackface fender vibroverb, in other words...the real deal. And....this amp has HEADROOM. Perfect for gigging.

Sounds amazing! Seriously. I've owned and own many amps, and this Vibroverb is at the top of the heap. I know it's hard to believe, but this amp is really special, and all of Fender's mojo at the custom shop finally came together in the perfect Fender amp. I play it with my Tom Anderson classic strat, and the tone is Stevie good. I put my hollowbody through it, and I can jazz with the best of them. Even my buddy Gayle Chapman (ex-Prince keyboard player)said, "what a wonderful tone", at a gig we did New Years Eve. So if pro players are giving you compliments...that's all I need to know. I run my SIB Varidrive through the Vibroverb with a touch of delay, and there you go....the sounds of the gods. One note...this amp won't do Marshall type distortion, of course, I have my Germino Lead 55 for that.

The amp has been perfectly reliable on about 15 gigs so far.

Fender has more money than even Gates right now...so I'd hope they'd be cool if there was a problem, but this amp is point to point wiring, and any good amp tech (me? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaaaaaaaaaaaap) LOL, even I could probably figure this baby out after owning over 20 Fender amps in my lifetime.

This amp truly is a 10. Just plug it in on the standard setting without the Diaz mod etc, and play your gig. You will be smiling afterwards. If you fender tone...this is your amp. It's the real deal. Plenty of shimmering clean headroom with this amp, and it is friendly with my pedals!

Outside of the Diaz mods, pretty standard fender. No middle knob. 1 -15" speaker, vibro, reverb. I gave it an 9 for this catagory because of the mods

I play mostly blues with Fender USA strats loaded with Texas Special pickups. I'm relatively dissapointed in the sound of this amp. Not that is sounds bad, it just doesn't sound any better than the 65 Twin reverb I have that I paid $550 for. In fact I like the dirty sound of the twin better. For as much as I paid for this amp, I expected more. Simulating SRV's sound on Voodoo Child or Taxman is difficult unless you want to switch it to "modified" mode, crack the volume to 10 and turn up the drive on the tube screamer. When playing at high volume levels, the amp seems to lack sustain. Almost like the volume knob on my guitar is turned down to about 6 (in fact I had to check the volume on my guitar a few time to make sure is was turned up). Like I said, it doesn't sound bad, it's just that I can get the same if not better sound out of my twin reverb that cost 2/3's less. Because of that, I give it a 7

If I had it to do over again I might spend my money on something else. This amp will most likely sit in the closet in favor of my Twin Reverb. In my opinion, the only reason this amp is so high priced is because Fender is trying to capitalize on Stevie Ray Vaughan's success. If it wasn't for SRV, these amps might not even have been reissued.

Classic two channel Fender blackface layout. It had a 15" speaker. Most guitar players are not used to 15" speakers, especially rock/blues players.

I pretty much ignored any guitar amps with 15's in the past. I never really seriously tried out one 'cause I always thought they were for bass amps and their responses were too slow for guitars. But then, I came across the Vibroverb last week. I actually tried these amps before but used starts thru and played stevie-licks and other funky rythm runs. I thought nothing special of it then -- just another nice but costly clean Fender reissue amp. What was different last week was that I used a guitar with the neck humbucker. I'm a jazz player and own an archtop, but still do like the portability, low feedback low maintenance solid bodies though you sacrifice the depth and body on solid bodies. I was out at GC trying out a limited run SG (SG is my all time favorite for its awesome playability), and happened to plug it into this amp. What a great warm, deep, round tone I got out of this amp. I was blown away by this amp after few minutes of playing!!! SG's tone tends to be a bit hard and thin, but the big Eminence 15 really made it big, deep and soft. It truly was awesome experience (which later was diminished by the hefty price tag and the weight of the amp -- so heavy and expensive!!!).

I've called Fender a few times in the past. I can see Fender management has been putting some efforts into their customer services. For a company of this size, I think they are doing a good job, althought the reps don't have in-depth knowledge about their products, so if you ask technical questions, they either babble or fizz out. but for general product inquiry, they are more than adequate.

I don't think I'll buy one unless I can find one at $500. The amp sounds great, but is too darn expensive. And I don't get all this hype about all hand point-to-point wiring. I don't really hear the difference between the good ol' PCB and hand-wiring. so to me, it really doesn't warrant the high price tag. also it's a very heavy amp too, which however i understand and can live with. those big 15" speakers with big magnets/coils are what makes these amp sound so warm, deep and round. it's the simple law of physics. i've used/tried many amps before, and this amp is definately one of the better ones i've tried for the tone. i currently own a polytone (a great portable jazz amp) and a 2x12 boogie combo. my final verdict is, this a great sounding amp with a 15", but pricey.

2006 Model Year. I would assume anybody reading these reviews (those listed above and below this one) are already familiear with the features of this amp.

Multiple Fender Strat & Tele Guitars, a few Gibsons, and one Danelectro Baritone used with this amp. I had an early 70's Super Reverb w/JBL's that was the most expressive/amazing sounding amp. Guitar players across the country would approach me to try to get me to sell it. It was the main amp I used (on and off the road) for about 8 years until it was stolen in Santa Barbara, CA, in 1979. I have owned/played thru just about every amp type/model over the years, many good sounding amps, but none of them came close to that Super Reverb....until this one! WOW! Had to have it. Now I own it. At the time of purchase, I also purchased the new Seymour Duncan Twin Tube pedal. It was the perfect compliment to this amp. One happy camper here.

2 days after purchase I had to replace a 12AX7A. Since then, no problems. Hey, it's a Fender tube amp.

Local music store replaced the 12AX7A. No need to contact Fender

I have been playing guitar since the late 1960's. most of those years as a pro. Too much equipment bought & sold to mention here. I must admit, I never thought I would find another Fender amp (within a reasonable price range that most giging-for-a-living musicians could afford) to compare with aforementioned stolen Super Reverb. Never say never. I would replace this amp if .........dare I say....stolen.

I bought mine in the UK in August 2003. As far as I know it was the first one shipped into the UK. I play blues/rock in a three piece and covers in an 9 piece band. The amp has the standard Fender channels: normal and vibrato. It has some (not all) of the Cesar Diaz mods so that you can use switches on the back to disable the normal channel and the vibrato unit, and use a diode instead of a tube rectifier, thereby gaining an extra 10 watts, upping the output from 40W to 50W. There's no effects loop. There's a bright switch - Cesar also modified this by changing the value of the capacitor to 250pf - this apparently made it more of a mid boost than bright boost, but the amp doesn't have this. Other important mods which Cesar made and the amp doesn't have were that he put in a Bassman output transformer and replaced the baffle board with 3/4 inch ply - to take the output generated by Stevie's heavy strings. I haven't done these but probably will at some stage. The amp has plenty of power even without the mods to play 200 - 300 capacity venues with or without being miked up. I give it 9 because if you're buying this amp you're not going for features, you're going for the sound. I use GE 5751's instead of 12AX7's - these are lower powered and SRV used to use them - and TAD 6L6's - any decent 6L6 will do.

I play a couple of 60's Fender Strats with 10 or 11 gauge strings sometimes tuned to Eb. So what about the sound? First I must say this: it is ESSENTIAL to re-bias the amp. So much garbage is spread about bias "I had the tubes professionally biased" - so what? anyone can bias the tubes. The question is: HOW did you have them biased? People DON'T generally set the bias to make the amp sound good, they set it so that the tubes won't blow up at full volume. This means that at the volumes most of us play the tubes aren't going to sound right, they won't be in the sweet spot. What Stevie and Cesar used to do was bias by ear. Generally this meant they would set them hot. As long as the tubes weren't obviously overheating that is how they did it. Cesar used to stand behind the stage and replace the tubes when they burned out. That is how you should do it. You'll run through more tubes, but your amp will sound great. In my covers band I don't get the volume up much above 3 or 4. So I have the tubes biased real hot: about 50 to 55mA: because I don't play so loud that works fine. And just to be safe, I have a big fan behind the amp blowing on the tubes at every gig. Never had a problem.

And the sound? Glorious. Absolutely the best thing I've ever heard. I'm 55 years old. I've been playing since 1962, and tried many different amps. I even played through a Fender Super Reverb which SRV used and liked, and signed. This sounds better. It's clean but pushed. It compresses, breathes, and gives body to your clean sound. All the simplest blues licks sound better: they all speak, they're not just cliches. It begins to break up at about 4. With the 5751's, though, it has that 'clean' drive. Another mod Cesar did was to change the input resistor to 100K so that the preamp tubes weren't driven so hard. I use an old Boss DS-1, a Mesa Boogie V-twin and sometimes a Keeley/Ibanez TS-808. The greatest thing is the sound of these pedals through the amp when the bias is set hot. When all the drive is coming from the output tubes, not the preamp, the distorted sounds are rounded and smoothed. Gives you the control with the pick and with the fingers. Heaven.

When I got the amp it sounded bloody awful. I was quite disappointed. The sound kept coming and going. The shop I bought it from replaced the output tubes for me but it made no difference. I ended up putting the amp away and forgetting about it even though I paid over 2 grand (British pounds) for it. Then one day I got it out and it still sounded crap. I started looking in the back to see if anything was wrong, and I noticed that one of the speaker connections was loose, nearly falling off. Pushed it back on and hey presto. Now that is sloppy finishing in the Fender Custom Shop. This made me check all the speaker screws - the ones holding the speaker onto the baffle board - and they were ALL loose. I tightened them all up and I have never heard such a difference. I suggest you do this to any amp you have as a matter of course. Other than that it's never let me down. It sounds awesome no matter what the venue. I've played it in a glass conservatory with a tiled floor, and in a marquee with open sides. Never sounds bad, always the same full sound. I'll give it 9. It would get 10 if it hadn't come so badly finished off.

Not had to use it.

If it were stolen I would immediately buy another. Nothing else could replace it. The only other thing which comes near it is my 1959 Superlead reissue. I paid over the odds for it, but I wanted it NOW!! I don't regret it at all. I give it 10 because I can't give it anything less.

Purchased new in December of 2003. I think anyone looking here knows what the features are and they provide what I'm looking for.

I did not like the stock speaker so I put a Weber Alnico California with an aluminum done (a copy of the JBL) and I just love the tone!

I have not had any problems but I may just be lucky.

I have not had to deal with Fender customer support so I don't know.

I am very, very happy with this amp!

64 Vibroverb Custom.
I wanted a single 15 speaker. I also have a closed back JBL d140F Cabinet that really puts this amp over the top. 2 channels (not switchable. 6L6 Powered. I mat retube the amp with some better tubes.

I am using a Les Paul Double Cutaway (98 Model Year) 57' series humbuckers) The amp is quiet. Very clean at low volumns, typical Blackface. I use the reverb/Vibrato channel with the tube rectifier (stock) I also use a SIB Fat Drive Pedal. It really warms up the amp. Volumn is usually on 4 Bass and treb. on 5 Toggle switch on bright.

I had trouble with the tubes adter shipping Some were loose and also trouble with the reverb RCA inputs. The cords ends did not grip the female jack. I tightened with a needle nose and no more problems. I use it at church in a worship band and it has been vert dependable

Never contacted Fender

I have been a professional singer/Guitarist for 35 years. Too much gear to mention. But a typical rig for me would be: Les Paul > Ibanez TS808 > SIB Fatdrive * see note below* > Boss DD20 Delay > Fulltone Choral Flange > Fulltone Supa-Trem Tremolo > Fender 64 Vibroverb. I use a "One Spot" Transformer for pedal power.
*Note* The SIB Fat Drive is an amaizing tube driven pedal with potental to utterly improve your sound no matter what you use for other equipment. Read the reviews and buy one as soon as possible.

I traded a Tone Master for this.I wanted a 50 watt amp with reverb that could be versatile.I have owned an original one years agao and this is much brighter sounding.I actually like it better.I used it right out of the box and played two blues festivals with it.I loved it with a les paul.The strat was very nice but a little brite for me.I turned down the treble to about 6.My tele was really brutal..too brite but moved lots of air.

A 52 tele reissue with Duncan hot stacks.Fender hwy 1 strat with duncans and 59 reissue les paul.I need to take this to my amp guy and take some highs out or add some mids.Distortion was very nice.I use a tone bone with it and a Vox wahand a Line 6 echo.

No idea its new.

Long and mcquade are fabulous to help you.

If you play it a lot it will warm up.The speaker is too new to sound right.My old one was 30 years old and played 4 nights a week.Its the BEST new amp out there and all you ned to do is get it biased and tweeked.

It is meant to be a standard, black faced Fender amp that we all know and love ( at least, the Fender lovers). And, they added the hot rodding; of course, simple for most players.

Excellent sound. Of course, any tube amp you buy off the floor should have the bias and tubes checked right away, so you can play without worry. The US 6L6 tubes sound very good. The speaker sounds like a lot of research was put in to provide a well rounded 15" sound, without too much in the low mids and having smooth top end. Of course, it will never sound like a JBL, but some of us don't want that anyway. If you want that, get the new speaker from the Custom Twin Reverb; a JBL clone.

Alright, there have been issues with most new Fender amps, but I have found tha actual customer support to be very good. And, if you have a breakdown, see if your local store/repair dept. has another amp you can use in the meantime. Great customer service also involves the retailer. These amps really seem to stand up.

Very good. Parts do take a while, but get the retailer involved. Warranty coverage is the best in the mass produced market.

I have owned many older Fender amps, and some vintage Strats. I have been playing vintage Fender amps for many years, and waiting for Fender do do a "reissue" type amp the right way for a long time. The actual reissue amps, like the Twin Reverb, are good amps, but don't quite nail the "old" Tone. Also, circuit board construction is not as reliable. This is why is was great to see it done much the same as done in the '60's, with the eyelet-style board, wired components and no printed circuits in sight. This will add to the reliability of the unit, as this will withstand regular road beating better that the printed cct brds. Another bonus is the pine cabinet, built again to similar specs to the original '60's amps. This does add to the warmth of the tone.

If I had to buy a new Fender amp to replace any of my old Fenders, this would be the one. Oh, and the sound is great as well. It is meant to be both a slightly hot rodded black face amp and a regular, great sounding black face amp. Well done by Fender. I can't wait till they convert the whole reissue series to this type of construction. Remember, if you were to buy a real 1964 Fender Vibroverb in mint conditon, you would pay over $3000.00 USD now. So this is good value if you want a Vibroverb.