Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb

This amp is collectively owned by my band. Cops the look of real blackface amps from the 60's. Crap tubes (gone), reverb (still sucks), & Fender logo. Nice clean sound when you throw the tubes in the garbage and buy a quality set. Perfect set of features, yet the sound quality of one of the major selling points (reverb) sucks ass. I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't just buy a decent original on the used market for half the money. Those originals are what all those great records were recorded with.

New production Fender amps are really bad (from the ice-picky princeton ri, to the blah hotrods). This amp has a very good clean sound though (but expect that you'll have to drop mega-bucks after purchase to get it). Personal taste is personal taste, but harsh, crappy speakers, tubes, and reverb still sound bad, if not painful. Buy an original on the used market, and you still have $500 in your pocket to make it sound its best.

I've given up hope that someday Fender will come around and offer a "new classic" instead of recreating "vintage voodoo mojo vibe etc." through advertisement alone. I do hope the recession kicks the bean counters to the curb and someone picks this company up out of the gutter. Good-quality tubes, transformers, speakers, and a solid pine box would be an excellent place for Fender to start recreating some authentic "mojo". I'll give it a 5 for the excellent clean tone, 0 for the rest.

This has just about all the features I could want in an amp. I'm all about simplicity and this amp has that. When I bought it, I was looking for an amp with tremolo and no master volume. I give it a 9 because it could have come with better speakers.

When I bought this amp, the previous owner had swapped out the whole set ore pre-amp tubes with JJ and EH. This dramatically reduced the noise from stock. I can't even play one at the stores anymore because of the lousy stock tubes. But aren't stock tubes always lousy? This was a great amp and playing at church and for small gigs/jamming.

It wasn't until I turned it past 5 that I could hear the limitations of the current tubes. So I swapped the power tubes for a new set of Winged "C" SED 6L6GCs and swapped V3 and V6 with JAN-Phillips 12AT7WCs that this amp really began to sing. Tons more head room than before. I have much more definition while jamming at high volumes (6-8). A good 12AT7 in V6 is a must for this amp if you're going to play at high volumes.

One more thing about this amp is that I can't seem to get a good tone with humbuckers unless I use a compressor. It sounds amazing with my '94 Fender American Vintage '57 RI strat and my Rickenbacker 620/12. I think this may have to do with the stock speakers. I plan on swapping them out and hopefully it will make it better.

I give it a 7 with stock tubes and a 9 with upgraded tubes because of the current limitations of the stock speakers. There is also the occasional crackle and pop but that's hardly a problem.

The only thing that has failed me on this amp is the little cable that connects to the internal speakers. It seemed to have a loose connection and would crackle sometimes. I replaced it and everything is good. It has been in and out of my trunk many times. I have only bent one of the tilt-back legs which was because of my carelessness.

Never had to deal with them

This is a great amp if you put some love into it (new tubes). It has a lot of potential in stock form to be a real player's amp. It's simple and easy to get a good tone out of. For someone who wants a vintage-esque tone with some originality, this is a great amp.

Well I got the mod bug and decided to do the Moyer mod to my CVR. Also changed out the P10R's as they were kinda flubby in the bass department. 2 hours and 15 bucks for the mod plus 190.00 for a set of Celestion G10 Vintage speakers. The Reverb is great now, the cleans are vintage Fender and I have all the headroomn I will ever need. I can get to 7 on the volume knob without the early breakup and the volume knob on my guitars still give me some drive. Guess I'll leave it alone and just play it now. Much better overall, but not gonna get drive at bedroom levels anymore.

My parts o caster with Vintage Tall Boys(Rio Grande) sounds really sweet now, and my Tele has all the twang you will ever want. 5 stock, and 10 modded.

too new to tell and the warranty is now void so I guess only time will tell.

who knows, did get a T-shirt, or at least I'm supposed to.

Love this amp now with any style pickup I have tried. May just have to get an axe with P-90's as I got a feeling this will scream or sing as needed.

Not bad for a scratch and dent that UPS just dropped off upside down on my front porch.
Just an update on my earlier review. I changed the power tubes to Tung Sol 5881's and the pre amp v1 and v2 to tung sol 12ax7's. The change is amazing. The cleans are Fender. They sparkle and shimmer. It still starts to break up early but with the new tubes it's much nicer and the farty bass is a thing of the past. Still an 8 cause Fender uses crappy tubes from the factory

The bright channel is bright, but if you eq it some it gets that sultans of swing tone with the volume on 3 1/2. I can now get some really stellar tones from my faded SG, and my tele and strat just sing.

it's new so only time will tell.

got the spec's and schmatics with no problem

It's a keeper

Bought this new in Jan 05 from a Guitar Center in Seattle. Simple feature, two channels, normal and bright, vibrato and reverb (go figure). 40 tube watts. Love the tilt back legs, wish I had that on my original Blues DeVille.

I play my 62 re-issure US Strat, 62 re-issue Japanese Strat (with EMG DG 20s) and my Yamaha SA 503 TVL (ES 335 copy with P90s) through this amp, with a Dual Overdrive pedal and several others depending on what I'm playing. I mainly play blues stuff with this amp, and occasional classic rock. It was noisy when I got it, but swapped out the Groove Tubes with JJs and all is sweet now. There is a very low level of noise occasionally, but I attribute that to single coil as well. This amp seems made for single coil or Fender guitars and in the blues/classic rock vein. This amp does break up earlier than other amps that I have. This is basically a VibroKing in lightweight combo size. If you want metal, get a Marshall or Mesa.

I've had to swap out the tubes (but the JJs are so sweet, I would have likely done so anyways) and have had to replace the reverb tank. I have a Fender dealer here who is an *** so I pay out of pocket to fix my stuff.

I haven't had to deal directly with Fender, so I don't know.

I love this amp for what it is. I have been playing for 30+ years and play blues/classic rock/modern rock. I own a 65 Bassman head, a Blues Deville and this amp and they all have their functions. I love the others for what they do, but this one drips with blues tone. I would likely get another if something untoward were to happen to this one.

New 2009 Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb - paid $1200
All tube 40 watts
Two - 10 inch Jensen Speakers - open back
spring reverb *** Warning
vibrato
two channels - reverb and vibrato settings work on both channels
tilt-back legs
46 lbs

*** Warning - this spring reverb is not the classic Fender fantastic reverb of yesteryear!
It is weak and thin, and must be augmented for surf lead guitar! Why Fender chose not to put the same reverb as they did in all the other '65 re-issues (Princeton Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, Super Reverb, and Twin Reverb) is beyond all understanding. Hopefully they will do a 65' reissue and fix this blunder. I was so disappointed I took the amp back, but a good friend told me to augment the puny reverb with the Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail reverb pedal. Problem solved for $90. This was a big step for me because I haven't bought a pedal since the Gibson Maestro fuzztone I bought in 1965 to play the Satisfaction riff, As a 60's guitar purist and studio musician, to me pedals are cheap phoney copies of what we did in the recording studio. If you want Hendrix - turn the amp to 10 (that's what he did).
I play a Paul Reed Smith bolt-on neck, custom 24 fret guitar, and play mainly 60's top 40 hits. My all-time favorite amp is my 1965 Super Reverb, but at my age (62) it's way too heavy to gig with. plus the amp did not survive a basement flood. This amp with the pedal nearly equals the Super Reverb in tonal quality, and it's about half the weight. I play surf lead guitar, and classic old rock'n roll - clean with a touch of natural tube distortion for sustain. I have always plugged straight into the amp - no pedals ever (except now the reverb one for this amp only). My normal volume level with bands with this amp is at 2 to 3 and a half. As with any classic Fender tube amp, 4 and half and above distorts according to taste and how hard you crank it - I nearly blew the windows out in the store when I played Sunshine of Your Love on volume 10 for a test - exact sound of the record with fantastic sustain. Too bad about the reverb - it would have gotten a 10 rating.

Amp is new, so we shall see. I am still gigging with the Fender Princeton Reverb I bought in 1976, so hopefully this amp will follow suit. I bought it for a fuller, cleaner sound and more horsepower for larger venues (12 watts VS 40 watts).

Fender is famous for it's support and 5-year warranty. I am a loyal Fender customer as well as a longtime local store customer. I do not foresee any problems.

I have been playing guitar since 1959, and have been lead guitar in bands since 1963. I did a world tour with my Mosrite Ventures model guitar and my 65' Super Reverb in 66' and 67', and it is that sound I was looking for, especially for the surf tunes I do. This would be a perfect amp if it wasn't for the puny reverb - the amp's tone is rich, clean and full and classic Fender in every way except the reverb. The Holy Grail reverb pedal is a cheap and good fix when added to the amp's reverb, but the best would be the 63' Fender Reverb unit ($750). Of course Fender could fix the problem if they just did the reverb like they did in '65 - if they did that, I would give it a 10. If this amp were lost or stolen, I would begrudgingly buy it again, as I cursed the "modern" spring reverb.
As for my other gear, for my Beatle band, I use a Vox AC 15 with my Gretsch Tennesse Rose (same that George played on Feb 9, 1964 Ed Sullivan Show). The Vox reverb is vastly superior to this particular Fender, but not to my Princeton Reverb. The Vox-Gretsch combo is a must for Beatles, but that is a different subject.
One final complaint - I had to buy a Fender cover for this amp ($20) - you would think for $1200 they would include a cover.

Mine is a 2003 vintage, it is very versatile; but don't think I would use it in a small venue. Two traditonal Fender channels normal and bright. No frills. Currently being used in an airplane hanger and at larger outdoor venues.

My Les Paul struggles for tone in this amp, my USA Double Fat Stratocaster sounds outstanding! It fits my rock a billy, country, blues roots to a tee. Mine is not noisy, although when I turn up the reverb it starts to feedback above 5. This amp sounds really good between about 4-7 in volume. The fellow I bought it from seemed stunned that the normal channel sounded so good. I don't think he ever used it. The distortion is great. It's there but not in your face.

To soon to tell; but every Fender I've ever owned has never let me down.

Fender customer support is always very helpful or as helpfull as they can be.

I've been playing over 40 years. I have 2 brown Deluxe's, 2 blackface Princeton Reverbs, 2 Mesa Boogies a Studio Caliber DC2 & a DC3. A blackface Fender Vibrochamp, a Champion 600. And a 1959 Tweed Fender Deluxe.

If it were stolen or lost or sold I don't know if I would buy it again. Although I really like the sound of this amp I'm wondering if there is something out there with the same sound in a slightly more compact package.

I was originally going after a Fender Super Sonic; but this one stepped in and sold me.

The amp just looks great and after switching over to my Strat it sounds off the wall. My bandmates were all smiling by the end of rehearsal last night.

Brand Spanking New. Very Vintage tones with good cleans, and a ton of nice juicy tube overdrive. It has 2 channels and both the reverb and vibrato work on them(Why, who knows) no switching without an A-B pedal. Wish it had better tubes from the factory(they are horrible) the speakers are real farty new but they seem to be breaking in quickly and clean they have a nice sparkle. I mostly play this as a practice amp, and to sit in with friends at open mic nights and it does the job nicely. It has all the posibilities, but it still needs some time to losen up for that Fender tone we all lust after. Better tubes would have got a higher score

I play mostly vintage rock, southern rock and surf and this amp has plenty of tone for these styles. The knock about hiss may be seserved, but the amp I got is quiet as a mouse. No more noise than my Vintage Twin(silver faCe 73) This is great for most styles, but you will need pedals for metal(duh). The cleans are very Fender, but you need to use your volume knob on your guitar to get the best tone. The overdrive is a little early, but on this amp I can turn the volume up to 5-6 and the drive is just getting that sweet bluesy bite and sustain. Up at 8 it gets a little farty(it's new give it some time and watch out) all in all I like and figure it's a keeper. It's not a Wintage VibroVirb yet, but it may be one day

to new don't know

Never delt with them, heard both good and bad but no first hand knowledge(my first new Fender)

Been playing off and on for 30+ years and have owned a bunch of nice sounding amps and Gitfiddles and this one with singlecoils will do me for now. I was looking at the Deluxe Reverb, but wanted to try a verb cause I love the tone of the onld ones. I hope it breaks in quickly, but you can't rush the good stuff. It has a lot of possibilities and only time will tell.

I bought this amp for gigging in a cover band at local bars. I liked its simplicity, light weight, tilt back legs and versatility. I bought it off eBay for $800 in 2002 and have played out with it 1-2 nights per month. The amp has been great for me and what I want, plenty of power (I usually have volume set 3-4 and roll back guitar volume because 3 is too loud for a bar). I'm set up in no time and a quick tweak of bass/treble/reverb for the venue and I'm sounding good. No channel switching, but I solved that with an A/B switch and I set the 2 channels up at different volume levels in order to get a solo boost. I give it a 9 here for sound versatility, not for bells and whistles.

I play a Parker Fly Classic through this amp and with it I get a wide variety of sounds. The bridge pickups give an edgy powerful cutting tone and the other reviewers are correct that the amp is very responsive to pick attack and guitar volume. I can get nice warm tones through the bridge pickup. The Parker lets me split the humbuckers into single coils and with that I get a nice strat sound.

The amp does break up well but I like that and it has a really nice overdriven, singing tone when the volume is up. I really feel like I can go from clean and quiet to ripping just by using my guitar volume.

I use a Tube Screamer for distortion and find that I can do classic rock, blues rock and modern rock distortion depending on how I set the levels on that pedal. The amp handl;es that overdrive pedal nicely. I've recently added a digital delay and chorus and along with the built in reverb (which I like) and vibrato, I have most musical styles covered.

I find that the amp cuts through the band mix well and I always get compliments on my tone from guitar players and non-players alike.

I had the tubes replaced, but I haven't changed the speakers, still it sounds good. A tad noisy at home when practicing, but not noticeable at all when playing at a gig.

I've been using it for 6 years and never had a problem. I don't bring a backup.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing for over 20 years, although I've not been a big gear hound. i also have a Line 6 Ax2 amp that I got when they first came out. I have fun with the modeling and effects, but when I used the amp live, it got lost in the mix and was impossible to get balanced sound levels using the different settings. Overall it was too complicated which was what led me to look for a small, lightweight lower wattage tube combo.

I think the 2x10 configuration can sometimes be a little lacking in the low end dept, but for me, in my real world, this is just what I was looking for.

This was a new amp right out of the Musician's Friend Warehouse. It is very versatile, for a Fender blackface style amp. I really liked the way the channels both had the reverb and vibrato and also the lack of a middle tone control I liked (call me old fashioned but I just prefer treble and bass).

This was such a mixed bag. The good part: The sound was warm, round, full spectrum. Lots of nice low end along with a good balance in the mids and highs. Probably one of the best sounding Fenders I have heard in a long time.
The bad part: The reverb did not change from level 3 up to level 10. It was that way on the one in the store as well as one that I ordered so it is not a one unit issue. I rarely turn the reverb up past 3 but that did not feel right and it was unlike any other Fender amp I have ever experienced. The worst was the hiss. Just Google "Vibrolux noise" and you can see what is out there. I wish I had done that before I bought the amp. The noise level was unacceptable. To test, I plugged my blackface Twin into the same outlet as the Vibrolux, turned them on, no guitar and the hiss from the Vibrolux was excessive. Adding reverb, vibrato, pedals, all made it even worse. Thanks to the good people at Guitar Center (they own Musicians Friend) I took it back for a refund. I was not about to spend money on all of the fixes I saw on the internet to repair what Fender should get right in the first place. The Custom Vibrolux is a great little amp, right size, power, etc., but the noise is a problem. Due to the hiss I rate this down.

I have never had a Fender amp give me reliability problems and I did not keep this one long enough to find out.

Who knows about Fender--it is easier to get in touch with AT&T. Kudos to Guitar Center though for making it possible to return a piece with which you are unhappy. the rating below is for Guitar Center, not Fender (I am not an unhappy Fender customer,I have many of their guitars and two of their amps other than the Vibrolux).

Really wish they would do a PTP version of this amp. It is such a great configuration and without the noise, has such a great tone. With noise so bad it is not a keeper and Fender should be ashamed for putting out such an inferior product that retails for over $1000.

I just got a 2007 Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb on a whim from Geetar Center! its so far the most versatile amp in my collection, which consists of 6 amps- (from smallest to largest) a 1979 Fender Champ, a 1961 Silvertone 1482, 1997 Vox AC15TBX, 2002 Fender Deluxe Reverb, (this, my Vibrolux) and a 1966 Bassman Head with a 2x12 Avatar cab loaded with a Jensen P12Q and C12Q. there are 2 channels, normal and bright, both can use the Reverb and Vibrato, which i like having use of very much, especially in this amp. no channel switching, effects loops or headphone jacks to speak of. there's no features i wish it had and theres nothing on this that i never use! i have been using this amp everywhere but the studio, since my deluxe has a bit more clean headroom to it, but i most certainly prefer having less headroom live. power to this amp is a strange issue, since compared to my deluxe reverb, its about the same volume, but overdrives WAY quicker

im playing primarily with 3 geetars now a days- a 2006 Custom Shop Les Paul Special single cut (2 P90's), a 2005 Gretsch Electromatic G5129 that i had Duncan Antiquity P90's retrofitted onto and took all the knobs out of the circuit except for the pickup switch and master volume and a parts o caster with an All Parts neck, Ash Body, Bigsby, mini humbucker in the neck and P90 housed in a telecaster pickup in the bridge, a phase switch, 4 way selector for the pickups either in series or parallel. all geetars have .13 gauge flatwounds. it should be noted that i took the original Jensen P10R's and put in 2 C10Q's in it for extra headroom as well as put in all new JJ Tesla preamp tubes (NOS power tubes coming soon). it suits all my styles to a tee! i play in the Arkhams, check us out at www.myspace.com/thearkhams and it works better than my deluxe reverb, which i always had a problem getting to overdrive, as it overdrives later than this amp, even this amp is more powerful. this amp has SOME noise to it, but nothing overbearing! so far its made 3 gigs and all 3 were successes in terms of balance and mix, so im happy! again, i have only been plugging into the normal channel with the volume on 3 (were not that loud of a band live, since our singer plays an upright), the treble 3/4 of the way up and the bass at just below 4 (higher than that, and the bass is REALLY overbearing, but that is good, since every other amp i got doesn't get nearly as much low end as this, and if i ever use anything aside from P90's, I'm going to NEED a channel as dark as this one). im probably going to experiment with a 12AY7 in the preamp for the bright channel one of these days, since that will yield lower gain and a more sparkly tone, which i haven't heard yet on this amp! in terms of the actual type of sound this amp makes, it sounds like a halfway house between a tweed deluxe and a deluxe reverb, as the tweed is much darker than this, but the deluxe reverb is more sparklier and cleaner than this and having that sound REALLY works in the Arkhams! this amp DEFINITELY gets VERY distorted at higher volumes, as even at 3 on the normal channel, it gets the distortion (with less highs) that my deluxe gets at 7, and much more than 3 and its in a different musical style sound, as it looses the old school flavor of the rockabilly/garage/r&b/merseybeat/surf/instrumental music that we play and that is why I'm interested in trying a lower gain tube in the bright channel, but at 3-even 4 (depends on the pickup) which is PLENTY loud.

i haven't had it long enough to know how the dependability factor is(i got it in October), but i always bring my deluxe reverb to shows anyway just in case anything goes wrong. so far so good. i always carry a spare set of tubes (or 2), speakers and fuses just in case something goes wrong

ive never dealt with the company, or had warranty work done, but i have MANY of Fender's products and they all seem to hold up well!

ive been playing for over 20 years and do 2-3 gigs a week (on geetar with the Arkhams and bass with various other awesome bands from the NYC area) and i mentioned the geetars and amps i have in previous sections of this review, but i own all rugged gear. if stolen or lost, i would EVENTUALLY get another one, as my budget is kind of tight these days. there's nothing i hate about it. even the new speakers went in without having to take out the chassis (a first for me) i chose this particular Vibrolux cause i played it in the store and liked it better than almost any other Vibrolux i ever played through. it warms up RIGHT AWAY in all channels and that is a definite first for me, as most other amps are cold and harsh until they hit like 4-5 and then they only marginally warm up! last things i want to share is 1) check out the Arkhams at www.myspace.com/thearkhams and 2) musicians, dont get fooled by the 'vintage' or 'handwired' or 'custom' tag some amp and geetar companies put on their product. trust your EARS and not the price tag fior quality!

Follow up to previous review directly below this one. All tube,two channel, very simple plug and play amp. Not a lot of bells and wistles. Just reverb and vibrato. Being a simple man, I find a simple rig to suite me better. I gig with 2x tubescreamers, a compressor, and a modulation effect(not named because depending on the amp I play I might use different ones)!

As I wrote below the sound quality of this amp was already very good but very noisy when I first got it. which is one reason for writing another review. I want to say that before any new owner go and try abunch of new expensive, extensive mods on the amp, first try CHANGING the tubes (stock tubes are cheap) I am currently using Tung-Sols in V1,V2. These are a bit mid-rangy, but very detailed, and yield thicker single notes. Very nice! I've also changed speakers. The P10Rs were nice understand. Nothing against them. But I read in an interview with SRV's amp tech that he changed SRV's JBLs to EVs. I just happened to have a pair in my Rivera Concert II. So I tried them. Sure enough SRV to the bone (with the speakers and Tung-Sols). As if the amp alone didn't have enough SRV vibe. So I put the P10Rs in my Fender Super w/ a pair of C10Qs(great).Had a extra pair of Eminence Copperheads I put in the Concert II replacing those EVs. Alls very well. The EVs are not as sparkly in the top as P10Rs(they tame the top end slightly) but the retain the chime (wonderfully thick) in pos.2and 4 on the guitar and gives the amp a more muscular tone.The tone would come somewhere between Copperheads and P10Rs. Copperheads are another very strong sounding and middy speaker that many put in the Custom Vibrolux (sounded a tad to dark for me). But before many expensive mods please try some of these changes. And remember no speaker or tube sounds good with every thing and there is always combinations of amp circuit-tube-speakers to consider. Thats why I never trash any speaker, tube or amp. What works in one may not work in another. Vibrolux was good out of the box, but I.m an SRV tone freak so I went for that tone.Awesome amp.

So far 5751s have gone microphonic in v2 but not 12ax7s. Currently trying a GT5751M that seems to be holding up.

Haven't talked to Fender. Prefer other owners.

I've been playin' for 15-20 yrs. and currently own Fender Super 4x10, Peavey C50 4x10, ConcertII 2x10, Roc Pro w/4x12 cab, Fender Cyber Deluxe,Roland 405, Westbury 60. But I wanted a Vibrolux since I became aware of them and it does not disappoint. If it were lost or stolen I would replace it because of size, weight, simplicity,kick back leggs, and tone to the bone makes it worth it. And it is as loud as you need.The only thing I wish it had would be channel switching. Remember cheapest and quickest mods with this amp are tubes and speaker changes. Happy tone hunting.

This is the amp everyone calls a reissue which is not, but is a modern interpretation of the "blackface vibrolux" This vibrolux was produced in the 90's after the brownface model. The amp has two channels (normal and brite) with two inputs each (normal and a padded -6 decible on each side. Reverb and vibrato works on both channels. No effects loop or headphone jack or channel switching. The amp also has the stock Jensen P10R speakers (2x10). Simplicity sometimes is best. This thing is Plug-n-Play !

I'm using this amp with strats with mainly Van Zandt blues pickups. I play blues, southern gospel, and church worship music (which sometimes include playing at biker blowouts[gospel rock]. When I recieved the amp (bought it off e-bay) this sucker was noisy It hissed and popped rediculously. The amp was publicly unusable. Great tone, but unusable. I thought" the old lady is really gonna get me now", because two weeks before that I had just bought a Concert II, Reviera Era at$650 (This SOB is fire),but I always wanted a Vibrolux. So according to other reviews written here, I retubed the amp, put an AT7 in the phase inverter and bingo. The amp runs as quiet as any other tube amp that I own and the tone, and volumn says FENDER VIBROLUX.....FENDER VIBROLUX.....FENDER VIBROLUX....

I can't really say yet. I only took position about a week ago. I would probably try gigging without a back up. I usually bring just a Behringer V-amp pod to go directly into the board. Getting old and can't carry too much more. This was another reason for buying the Vibrolux, light weight portability and tone.

Never have had to deal with Fender. Have heard some horrendous tales.

I've been playing for about 20 years. I own a Fender Super 4/10,Peavey classic 50 4/10, Reviera Era Concert II, Fender Cyber Delux, Fender hybrid Roc Pro w/4x12 cab. If this amp were lost or stolen I would definitely seek to own one again. I love this amp for it's tone and it's portability and size. The only thing I don't like is if you're going to buy an amp like this new for approx.$1200.00 you shouldn't have to change tubes at those prices,even though by some reviews, many spend that money and retube and replace speakers anyway (I didn't buy new). I think this amp ranks right behind my Concert II in tone but the Concert II is heavier. This thing does have tone. I love it. Get one used and be prepared to retube.

back to basics, fender style!no small slider switches(fender twin etc)
Normal and bright channels and 2 inputs Hi and low for both.
Also tremolo and reverb that works on both channels.
Everything works as it should and does it very well

I play blues and rockabilly with a gretsch duo jet, Fender strat and a guild starfire, The amp makes all the guitars shine, it breaks up on about 3-4 but it is so dynamic that depending on how hard your pick attack is, Small amount of noise at living room levels ,but once playing , it does'nt matter as i have old vintage amps that are far more noisy!
Reverb is not as cavernous as a twin but more usable,. tremolo is simply fantastic.
I also use a carl martin red repeat delay which nails a really authentic gritty twang and at 4 on the volume as more than loud enough with clean if you back off a bit!

As all fender amps are , i used to use a selmer zodiac twin , but always had to take my back up laney, now ,the vibrolux does it all for hours with out problem and lighter too!

bougtht second hand but mint so dealings with fender as yet

been playing for 17 years and wish i had bought a fender valve amp before, had Vox Ac30 ,selmer zodiac twin 30, laney vc30 ( kind of a pattern forming here of british 30 watt amps) all have been good but never quite there .
If it were stolen i would get another
PCB over hand wired,Depends who built it? boogie amps don't have a problem selling high end PCB amps, as long as the speakers and valves are matched well there's not a problem,
Selmer is hand wired and that can be a right pain at times.
Might have bought a fender super reverb ,but vibrolux sounded warmer and more portable! so it gets my vote

Mine Is A 2007.
This amp Is the foundation for all style's
Blue's, Rock, Hard Rock, Country, Even Metal
2 Channel's, Normal' Brite.
I use the normal. The reverb work's on both channel's unlike the 65 Twin. Tried the brite but to thin for a strat, Maybe LP.
I use this amp at home and gig's.
The most powerful 40 watt's I've heard.
Tube's Tube's and Tube's. 2-10 Jenson's Handles with Impact.

I have an american deluxe strat with SCN pickup's.
This amp with my setup,I can play all style's.
It has a little hiss, But It's a high gain amp, As soon as I start playing the hiss goes away even at the lowest volume.
Great Clean tone's. Crank it up and WOW! Handle's pedals well. I traded a 65 twin for this baby and I do not plan on going back. Best Overall tone and spank's the Twin, Belive It or not. I've had to many amp's to count In my 29 year's, And this Is one of the best I've played through, Hand's down! To get the best reverb change the reverb tube and put In a 12AX7. Now that's reverb!

It's a Fender

I have dealt with fender before, Great customer support.
5 Year warranty enough said.

Like I said I have been playing for over 29 year's, You know how us guitarist are on trading. But I tell you this amp Is Mean,Loud and hold's the tone all the way up. I've had stack's. But this amp will hold any volume you need.If It was lost or stolen I have Insurance.This amp Is only 46 Lbs. And will stay up with any volume you need. Great freaking amp By Fender.

Mine is an '07 Model purchased at my local GC for about $1100. Some of the other reviewers have already done a pretty good job of identifying the features. Basically you have two channels, normal and bright. There is also a reverb and vibrato onboard effect. The tiltback legs are a nice touch.

Before I get into sound let me explain what I was looking for when I bought this amp and why I'm so high on this amp.

I am primarily a 'clean' Telecaster player with few effects. I might use an OCD and that's about it. My playing tends towards old style blues and some country folk. I also like to break out my Rickenbacker 12 for a change of pace.

I needed an amp that could handle a medium sized club and cut through a bass, drums and unmic'd P.A. It needed loud, clean and portable.

This amp is the perfect intermediate amp between a Deluxe Reverb and a Twin.

I don't know what else to say except the sound is absolutely fabulous. The sound with a Telecaster or Strat is very big and rich. I have played everything from a Byrds type 12 string thing to chickenpicking to BB King to Jimi Hendrix and this amp handled it all.

However let me talk about the modifications that I did to make this amp better. Fender took the old Vibroverb amp and changed it to the Custom Vibrolux Reverb. Some of the changes were for the good ie 2 10's instead of a single 15 and Celestions over Oxfords. Some were not for the good ie reverb in both channels and no neg. feedback loop.

The new version is designed to breakup early. It does. But it also results in a lot of hiss at bedroom/living room levels that would be annoying. However this is no problem in a live setting because the ambient noise cancels it.

Also there is a legitimate debate as to how you might like the breakup. As stock it breaks up at about 3. If you do the mods it will break up a little later at about 5. It's a matter of personal taste.

If you go on the Fender Forum websites you will see ample dicussions about the mod which are highly recommended.

Without the mods the amp gets an 8. With the mods it is a solid 10. In this class there is not another amp I've heard in my 40 years of playing that matches it.

So far I can't tell. It is a PCB which gets a bad rep. Purists will argue PTP wiring is more reliable but I haven't had trouble with my other PCB reissues and I drive them pretty hard.

I have not had an issue that required support.

I've been playing for 40+ years. I have 15 guitars and 10 amps and 15 stompboxes. I know what is good and what is not.

The CVR, as it is known in Fender circles, is my primary bluesjam/openmic local medium sized gig amp. Other guitar players request to use my amp because they love it so much.

What I really love about this amp is the clean headroom with just a little breakup at tolerable levels. With the onboard reverb and vibrato I find I only need an OCD or TS9 for the lead parts. I play primarily on the bright channel. I also really like the fact it is relatively portable. My Fender Bassman is great but it is bulky and heavy. The CVR fits in the trunk of most cars.

This is a new (Jan 2008) CVR. I've left the Jensen speakers, and stock groove tubes in it. Despite not having 16 channels, and a gazzilion knobs, this amp is 100 time more versitile than most people give it credit for. If you ask me a great sounding simple amp is more versitile than a bad sounding modelling peice of junk.

Awesome clean sound. I like the bright channel, classic blackface fender snappy tone. The bass response is perfect. I think Hot Rod Deluxes for example, have a boomy, muddy, flappy bottom end. This amp has a tight sounding bottom, with plenty of "body" in the sound.

Im using a handmade Australian Tele (www.tomkinsguitars.com) with Duncan 5 2' (Brent Mason/Nashville Set).

The amp is a tad noisy at idle, but only if you put you ear up to the speakers.

The break up is maybe a tad early, but that is why we bought it instead of a twin.


Seriously, if you cant get a good tone out of this amp- you are a bad player.

Its new, so i cant comment. Has 5 years warranty, though.

Screw fender, get your local amp guy to work on it IF it needs it.

I love Danny Gatton, Eric Johnson, George Benson, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Morse, Larry Carlton and other high end players. I use a Tubescremer, DynaComp and a Boss DD6 Delay in front of this amp and i get a monster tone.

I think it has just the right amount of headroom, and the reverb is great. So is the tremolo.

I want another one!!!

This is the perfect amp for me and my style of play. I use some reverb and a little vibrato to play mostly solo jazz stuff. The sound I use is similar to Ted Greene. Other than these effects, I don't use any of the other features. The amp has a lot of watts. It stays fairly clean for me. I would like to change the tubes to something of higher quality. I also hate new Jensens, so I put a Weber F150 and a A125. These amps should come with the cover. Why not?

This amp sounds very good with the stock Jensen crap and the Groove Tubes. It sounds good enough to buy. That means, with top shelf speakers in it, it is majical. I really love the sound of this amp. I feel like it would be great for any guitar. I use a G&L Bluesboy Semihollow no f-hole. It stays on the middle position (neck hb bridge sc). About 80% of my playing is fingerstyle. This Fender amp pulls the mud off of every note but doesn't rob it's body. There is some hiss on the amp. It is nothing compared to some others that I have auditioned. Mesa is rediculous! I think a tube change will be the solution. If the vibrato is up high, the hiss will go along with it... that's annoying. But, so is having the vibrato up really high... so, I don't really care. My hiss is not bad enough to mess up a recording, and I play solo clean jazz with a tele style guitar. I give this amp a 10 because it doesn't need any pedals, and I just like it. I'm sure other people do to.

This is a reliable Fender amp. It needs tubes. I bring a backup to work, but it is a piece of crap Marshall 1x8. That shows how much I trust the Vibrolux.

I have a local amp guy.

I have played since I was 4. Now I'm 26, and have a amp that I really like. I would recommend this amp to anyone who wants a great simple amp with reverb and vibrato. I chose this amp over a Victoria amp. I saw this as having more potential, and it was cheaper. I am really happy with my choice.

I don't believe this amp was built with 'does it all and then some' in mind. It's like Fender says - "not a reissue, but rather a modern interpretation of a classic Fender". That said, when you stack it up against some of the amps Mesa has to offer for instance, (for 2 - 3 times the price, I might add) you are obviously going to come up a little short with this amp. It's pretty bare bones, but the vibrato is second to none if that's your thing. I don't even personally use the vibrato yet, but I can appreciate a good thing when I hear it.
I guess if you count sound as a feature (which in my mind is the most important reason anyone should by an amp) then this amp gets a 10 for the styles I use it for. I'll give it a 7 in the event someone reads this who is looking for a more versatile amp.
Some points to consider:

- Normal and Bright channels, can't switch between the two with the footswitch.
- Footswitch enables/disables only reverb and vibrato features.
- 4 ohm external speaker jack.
- 40 Watts at 4 ohms
- 2 x 10" Jensen speakers
- Very Loud for such a little amp
- breaks up nicely at a volume of around 2.5 to 3.
- responds AMAZINGLY to pick dynamics.
- 'Cuts through' better than any amp I've ever tried of it's size.
- Might not get the crystal clears you want from a Fender amp on stage because it breaks up so early. you could mic it, but then a gain pedal might sound thin in comparison to if you use the gain with natural breakup.
- No effects loop.
- More than enough power for most small to medium clubs. In fact, the only reason you should ever need to mic it would be when playing quite a large venue where you need to fill a lot of air. It's THAT loud!

Before I get into "sound", let me just say that I am a VERY bare bones player. I like 6 tones - Strat clean, strat clean with some natural tube breakup, overdriven strat. Now, replace the strat with a Les Paul standard, and you complete the 6 tones I typically use. I don't currently use any 'effects', but that may change down the road.
For what tones I personally like, and considering I usually play small, medium or large bars or clubs only, this amp does it all.
Right now I use a Boss Blues Driver in front of the normal channel right into either the strat or Les Paul, and that's ALL I need.
I had said earlier that the amp breaks up at 2.5 to 3 which also happens to be the volume level I use for most clubs I play in. Because the amp is so responsive to pick dynamics, you want clean, play lightly. You want a little grit? Dig in and you got it at that volume level. Tap the blues driver and you've got INCREDIBLE drive and sustain that cuts through any band in those surroundings. Strat OR L.P....
Now, my musical styles fall into the aggressive blues/funk/jam band/rock categories, so ambience, effects and drop D chunk metal are not priorities on my list. I just needed a simple amp at an affordable price that would cut through a LOUD trio, sing with a drive pedal, and provide some natural grit when needed.
For my needs, this amp provides!
That said, as my musical styles change down the road and I find myself needing more, then maybe this amp won't be getting a 10 from me.

So far I've been fine, and I bought it second hand....Gig once a week with it.
I did upgrade the tubes, but to be honest, the difference would only be detected by the snobbiest of tone snobs, but I'm metioning this because maybe putting the new tubes in it are giving it a longer life?
I have the original tubes handy, but stupidly never take them with me to gigs as backup. I guess that means I consider the amp very reliable.
I'm sure just writing this will come back to haunt me, so I'm going to start packing those backups in my gigbag!

Have never had to contact Fender about anything, and I've owned 3 strats and two Fender amps, but that does not necessarily mean their customer support is worth anything. No warrantly - second hand.
I don't really have a foot to stand on here, and until I get any customer support, bad or otherwise, I have to give them top marks.

I've been playing for 20 years, I'm a semi-professional musician. Now own a jumbo Takamine acoustic, Gibson Les Paul Standard, Fender American Deluxe Strat, this amp, other gear not worth mentioning.
Have owned MANY other electric and acoustic guitars and amps over the years, so I have a pretty good idea of what is decent especially for a barebones approach - I prefer to not hide behind a lot of smoke and mirrors.
Despite my glowing review of this amp, if it was stolen, I would go higher end simply because music is treating me better and better as time goes on, so I could afford something that does what this amp does plus more. But, for the $850 Canadian I shelled out this amp has been incredible. I get comments on it's cutting sound from seasoned veteran players all the time, so it's gotta be doing something right.
What do I love about it? The tone and ability to cut through the mix. Will never get lost...What do I hate? Nothing. For my needs it does the trick.
Compared it to Fender Hot Rod Deville and Traynor YCV40WR(?) Deville was WAY too loud and would only break up at RIDICULOUS volumes, sounded like crap with any pedal I tried it with. Traynor could not cut through like the vibrolux. I would get lost in most band situations. An effects loop would be nice (but not necessary for my needs now), a GOOD gain channel would be nice (no pedal), but this is just nitpicking....You asked!

Two Channel - you all know the details by now. This is a VERY versatile amp if you know how to use it. Everyone adds pedals and such. The Vibe is just the perfect place to start. Read on for how to make it super versatile...

I use this amp in large halls and small clubs. I use the external jack and run another 4 ohm cabinet with two Celestion Vintage 30s so I'm running at 2ohm.
Here's the secret to making this amp SING!!!! - get a THD Hotplate and crank the amp! Whoa. That makes this amp come alive. With this set up you can control your volume and get beautiful power tube distortion and harmonics. Get a 4 ohm hotplate. You can run 2 ohms into the 4 ohm hotplate you just can go over 4 ohms
I have no noise problem either. The hotplate has a built in noise reduction system

Excellent - Fender got this thing figured out a long time ago. It's a tube amp so you got to go prepared - a couple extra power tubes and rectifier tube and you have nothing to worry about.

Just go to the dealer or any local dealer if it needs fixed.

Been playing a long time, 40 years. I have a lot of other amps. A mode four, a TSL, a Twin, and a pig nose. I could give up any of the others, they can;t do what this amp does.

Classic fender options

It??s a great sounding amp for medium clubs. The clean sound is just what I want from a fender amp. I play a fender strat and a fender tele. This amp works well whith single coils and responds the way I like it.
This amp has a hiss and I don??t recommend it for home practise.
Reverb?? Even if you turn the nob to 10 it doesn??t respond at all.
Breaks up around 3-4 and gets loud too soon for my use.

To make it short. It??s a nice amp for those who want to play whith a cranked up amp. This amp breaks up too soom for my taste and the hiss is a problem in a studio.

I sold it and bought a -76 pro reverb. My back don??t like it but the sound of a SF point to point amp suites me better.

I love the reverb and tremolo. I DO NOT like the Normal/Bright input section. Why not just have a bright switch and use the extra space for some mid control? It looks like a cool retro touch, but not practical.

BRILLIANT. It really responds to the input signal. Very interactive, clean, biting, whatever. A real Fender tube amp.

Straight up, no Frills Tube Amp! Two channels, no switching. Plenty of Power! Gave it a 9 because 'no frills' is what I wanted!

Playing a 60th Anniversary Standard Strat with EMG David Gilmour SA Pro rig into Boss ME-50 into CVR amp.

Yes, it has a measure of 'white noise', but I expected it to because I read most all the reviews and I knew it was comin'. However, the 'white noise \ hiss' doesn't bother me at all because I don't hear it except when I'm not strummin; even at lower volumes.

Has the classic Fender Tube Sound that I personally love the best and gets loud pretty fast (though not as fast on the volume pot as the Hotrod series). I can actually turn this up to 2-4 in the house (if no ones home). *The HR Deluxe I couldn't get it to 1!

Mostly play at home, occasionally at Church. This amp will hold its own most anywhere (could be miked for larger venues).

Sounds great right out of the box. I got it off of Ebay as new 'Scratch & Dent' from a fender dealer. Cant find any scratches or dents at all! Good deal!

This amp stays clean at lower volumes (1-3 to 4) begins to break up around 4 and up. Of course, I can't take it that loud in the house! I use the ME 50 to give me breakup at lower volumes. The two work together very well. Doesn't have Effects loop, but I've never been able to use one to my audio advantage anyway. Other reviewers said the amp was 'pedal friendly' and I believe they are right.

I've had many, many Fender amps and have only had to have two taken in for repairs. One was a Solid State Champ 30 which quit working when I got it home (ie, my 1st Fender Amp), the other was a Fender HR Deluxe which blew a Power Tube the first week and the shop guy said to put it through the amp shop to make sure no other problems.

n\a - However, I have called Fender several times over the last years to ask questions about guitars and amps, etc... I always get the help I need.

Great Tube Amp. I'm a Fender Dude 100%. Have owned many other amps over the years both S. State and Tube. The Tube wins out every time. The only other brand of Tube amp that I fell head over heels in love with was a Carvin Vintage 16. That's an incredible amp! But Fender fills the bill here!

New "custom" Vibrolux Reverb 2005 all tube

My main guitar is early eighties 57 Strat reissue with Duncan vintage strat pickups. This amp sounded really good at the store but at gigs it broke up way to soon. If your miking this won't be a problem. The tone was good but not OMFG. I set about to remedy the situation. The first thing I did was put in ceramic tone tubby 10's. Yes, I know the Alnico ones are the ticket but I wanted the extra efficiency of the ceramics. The difference was huge. The tone was vastly improved. The jensen alnicos it came with are a joke. Garbage. Next I put in an output transformer and choke from Mercury Magnetics. This gave it another nice improvement. The amp now sounds delicious, can "cut" through the drums. it is really loud with excellent touch sensitivity .These improvements ain't cheap @$450.00 but I got a good deal on the amp which you should be able to find as well. Stock its an ok amp but if you want to go the tuner route as I did you can get an amp that rivals the boutique amps for half as much.

no problems so far.

I would rate it a 5 before the mods, a 9 after

The amp is "fender-simple". Four inputs total and two channels non-switchable (normal and bright), plus reverb and tremolo in both channels. Two 6L6's for power, and 5 12AX7 and one 12AT7. It is a 2x10" speaker configuration and mine came with Eminence Blue Alnico speakers. Controls include volume, bass and treble in both channels. The type of circuitry in this ampilfier is reminiscent of Fender Bassman-style amps where channles can be jumpered for greater tonal versatility. I rate high in versatility because though it does not have 3 channnels and other bells and whistles, it is transparent enough to fit any playing style (even metal with the right distortion pedal) and suits any guitar.

It is a ver classic-type Fender sound. The amp loves to distort and at 40Watts it is loud! Past 3 o'clock the beautiful creamy tube distortion Fender is famous for starts to come in. It is nice to jump both channels to control the EQ and level of brightness in the distortion.
I use a Gibson Les Paul Junior Special, an Epiphone Les Paul Custom, an Electra Omega, and a Cort Beck 6. Each guitar has its unique voice through the CVR, and the tones and amount of distortion can be controlled using the volume know in the guitar. Amps liek these are no plug-and-play. It offers an amp[lified version of your playing abilities, so if your attack and control suck, the sound is going to suck. This amp "forces" you to engage in better guitar playing and improving your chops, so in that sense it is inspirational.
I plug my guitars into a HAO Sole Pressure, A Keeley-Modified BD-2, a DOD FX-69 ("Grunge"), a DOD Stereo Chorus and a Danelectro Fish n Chips EQ. All distortion pedals sound great through it, and the chorus is amazing when plugged into this amp. Lush and rich harmonics, great seering distortion sounds, light twang clipping, and any other sound you can dream of has come out of this amp and my pedals.

Never a problem. Still has the original tubes after 6 years (though i will be repalcing the m soon)!

Never needed!

Great amp and part of my collection which includes a '65 Fender Twin and a 1965 Fender Bassman head.