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Clean Settings For A Custom Vibrolux Reverb

Excalibur

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
435
What is your standard settings for a clean sound with a Les Paul on the Fender CVR? just bought one 2 days ago and I find my self hooking in to the normal channel input 2 (the -6 db attenuated) with the treble control on 8 and the bass on 5, sounds pretty full and sparkling. any other suggestions?
thanks.
 

shakti

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2007
Messages
494
It does a much better clean if you replace the 12AX7 phase inverter tube with a good 12AT7. I don't know why they're using a higher gain tube in that position when every Fender I can think of has used a 12AT7 there, but try it and you'll see. Tightens up the bass and gives you a litte more clean headroom while maintaining all the nice sparkle it has.
 

Excalibur

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
435
It does a much better clean if you replace the 12AX7 phase inverter tube with a good 12AT7. I don't know why they're using a higher gain tube in that position when every Fender I can think of has used a 12AT7 there, but try it and you'll see. Tightens up the bass and gives you a litte more clean headroom while maintaining all the nice sparkle it has.


Thanks a lot for the advice Shakti :salude I actually have a nice new mullard 12AT7 at my possession. where is the phase inverter location in the back of the amp? first from left, second or what? Thanks again.
 

Wally

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
The PI is next to the power tubes....V6. Imho, that amp is 'hot' compared to the stock circuit form which it is derived. The negative feedback loop has been eliminated which turns the amp into a much thicker and quicker distorting circuit than the Vibroverb 2X10 RI that it is built from
I have to agree with ES350 that the CVR is not a clean amp compared to a true Vibroverb 2X10 or a BF reverb amp. That said, you are going about things correctly to get as clean as you can get form it....I probably would run the bass even a bit lower especially. Twiddle to your satisfaction.
 

Excalibur

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
435
O.K, so I pushed a Mullard 12AT7 in to the V6 socket and played for a while. I feel like it added more hi freq content and focused the bass quite a bit. It really made the amp sound different and the problem is that I'm not sure if I like it...

I've been a Marshall and Hiwatt kind of guy up until lately and my Fender experience is the first one with this amp so I'm kind of used to the darkish sound of cleans and up until I made the switch with that PI, the Vibrolux really behaved on the darker/mellower manner of a sound (respectively).

I think now I really sound like SRV with a paul...:) guess I'll give it a couple of more days of playing and see if it suits my liking or not. the treble is real Hi-Fi sounding now and thats actually very nice, especially on the neck pickup.

keep in mind that I play in a very moderate levels duo to the fact that I'm living in an apartment building and don't want to upset the neighbors. I'm guessing that with a higher volume this will sound tremendous.

thanks again for the help guys.
 
Last edited:

Dino_k

Active member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
1,000
I beg to differ, this amp has the most beautiful clean tone from 0 to 5 when it starts to break nicely. YMMV.

I have not seen the schematic for the CVR, but the original Blackface Vibrolux should be much cleaner than its stablemates - the Deluxe Reverb, Super Reverb and Twin Reverb - due to having one less gain stage in the preamp. The Vibrolux preamp design was shared with the Tremolux, Bandmaster and Showman amps all of which have a great tone, but different from the Deluxe and Super. And while the Twin is known for its clean tone, I think it's more due to the sheer volume produced before clipping is noticeable, rather than the preamp design itself.

And, like Shakti, I don't understand why they would use the 12ax7 in the PI role. The entire Blackface line used the 12at7 for that purpose.
 

Excalibur

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
435
While we're on the subject, can anyone explain me the difference between the Weber 10F150 and the 10F150T and which of the two would be more suitable for upgrading my Vibrolux? thanks.
 

68goldtop

Formerly Omo
Joined
Mar 23, 2002
Messages
941
hi guys!
the custom vibrolux reverb is NOT supposed to be a reissue of the bf vibrolux reverb.
they made it to be a "hotter" amp by purpose. that´s why they eliminated the nfb AND threw a 12ax7 in the pi-slot - which used to be a common mod to get a "hotter" sound from the bf-amps.

i´m sure most of you knew that already - i just wanted to share that with the folks who wonder about the differences to the original bf amps.

cheers - 68.
 

Wally

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
While we're on the subject, can anyone explain me the difference between the Weber 10F150 and the 10F150T and which of the two would be more suitable for upgrading my Vibrolux? thanks.


go to WEber VST...speakers....the 'T' is brighter. Your choice would be personal.
 
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