NAD- 1963 Vibroverb- now with gut shot pics

ICBM

jacksparrow said:

Brilliant it has the blue molded caps and not leaky astrons, looks like routine maintenance of the electrolytic caps and bias caps.

Also the bias feed resistors and virtual centre-tap resistors - looks like it's had a bad valve short at some point, but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary.

Exactly how a good vintage amp should be - the bits that need replacing already done to a high standard, and the rest left alone.

DJH83004

A thing of beauty, no question, has a bias modulated trem as well, which sounds lush. 

Gassage

ICBM said:

jacksparrow said:

Brilliant it has the blue molded caps and not leaky astrons, looks like routine maintenance of the electrolytic caps and bias caps.

Also the bias feed resistors and virtual centre-tap resistors - looks like it's had a bad valve short at some point, but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary.

Exactly how a good vintage amp should be - the bits that need replacing already done to a high standard, and the rest left alone.

Yeah, there was a minor issue with a valve seat but Frank sorted that.

Fuengi

That looks absolutely lovely. Any chance I could borrow it for a couple of years? 

roberty

The perfect size! Onboard verb and trem is super practical too. Congrats

Hydra19

Congratulations!!! That is one rare amp
I have the Fender Reissue, for about 6 years now. I guess it cannot really be compared to an original but the same sort of adjectives about the sound apply. I especially enjoy to hear someone else playing it as I can simply enjoy the sound. I had mine serviced and put in RCA valves in it, and anywhere I take it someone asks if it's for sale

I had a Princeton Reverb reissue before it and have since bought a 5e3 tweed deluxe clone. Compared to the Princeton it's warmer, fatter sound overall, which helps at low volume, it seems to sound nicer at lower volume than the princeton. It doesn't have that same blackface eq, I liked that on the princeton. The reverb was drippier and surfier on the princeton, but this one is nice too, more spacey. Tremolo is great but I prefered it on the Princeton, maybe the fact that mine has a solid state rectifier has something to do with it? Mine doesn't get very dirty and is totally clean compared to the 5e3. the VVRI takes pedals well but I prefer mine for mostly clean playing, and the 5e3 for dirtier stuff.

I have been tempted to sell it for a Princeton Reverb again, since i don't need to extra volume but always change my mind based on the rarity, even the reissues are rare. Jeff Buckley and Gary Moore both used a VVRI on recording, anyone else famous?

I guess the fact that the real Vibroverb was made in such limited numbers and only for a year means it's just as rare to hear it on recordings, so I wouldn't know any classic 1963 recorded Vibroverb tones.

Anyway, enjoy your amp, the sounds coming out of those speakers can probably not be improved upon, and if you ever decide to sell it, you're sure to get what you paid for it at least. On lastly, you are a member of a very rare and exclusive club!

Gassage

Hydra19 said:

Congratulations!!! That is one rare amp
I have the Fender Reissue, for about 6 years now. I guess it cannot really be compared to an original but the same sort of adjectives about the sound apply. I especially enjoy to hear someone else playing it as I can simply enjoy the sound. I had mine serviced and put in RCA valves in it, and anywhere I take it someone asks if it's for sale

I had a Princeton Reverb reissue before it and have since bought a 5e3 tweed deluxe clone. Compared to the Princeton it's warmer, fatter sound overall, which helps at low volume, it seems to sound nicer at lower volume than the princeton. It doesn't have that same blackface eq, I liked that on the princeton. The reverb was drippier and surfier on the princeton, but this one is nice too, more spacey. Tremolo is great but I prefered it on the Princeton, maybe the fact that mine has a solid state rectifier has something to do with it? Mine doesn't get very dirty and is totally clean compared to the 5e3. the VVRI takes pedals well but I prefer mine for mostly clean playing, and the 5e3 for dirtier stuff.

I have been tempted to sell it for a Princeton Reverb again, since i don't need to extra volume but always change my mind based on the rarity, even the reissues are rare. Jeff Buckley and Gary Moore both used a VVRI on recording, anyone else famous?

I guess the fact that the real Vibroverb was made in such limited numbers and only for a year means it's just as rare to hear it on recordings, so I wouldn't know any classic 1963 recorded Vibroverb tones.

Anyway, enjoy your amp, the sounds coming out of those speakers can probably not be improved upon, and if you ever decide to sell it, you're sure to get what you paid for it at least. On lastly, you are a member of a very rare and exclusive club!

Many thanks. I also had a RI for a bit.

Re classic songs- here is one I'm aware of

ICBM

Gassage said:

Re classic songs- here is one I'm aware of [Dire Straits - Lady Writer]

No, that was a Vibrolux - 6G11A, 1x12", no reverb.

He does apparently have a Vibroverb (original) too, but didn't get that until much later, after Dire Straits.

https://www.mk-guitar.com/2011/05/31/mark-knopfler-brown-fender-vibrolux-vs-fender-vibroverb/

Haych

ICBM said:

Gassage said:

Re classic songs- here is one I'm aware of [Dire Straits - Lady Writer]

No, that was a Vibrolux - 6G11A, 1x12", no reverb.

He does apparently have a Vibroverb (original) too, but didn't get that until much later, after Dire Straits.

https://www.mk-guitar.com/2011/05/31/mark-knopfler-brown-fender-vibrolux-vs-fender-vibroverb/

Sorry, this might be something of a thread hijack - apologies in advance.  Not sure if you're referring to the live or studio version of this song.

The Comminique sessions were recorded in the Bahamas and I read somewhere that for logisitcal reasons DS didn't take any amps to the studio and had intended to use the studio's amps, but they were a bit crap so ended up using amps from Robert Palmer's band.  In fact, this is an excerpt lifted from the very site above - so I did read it somewhere lol:

"In the Dire Straits book by Michael Oldfield book we find a hint that the band “were borrowing Robert’s [Robert Palmer] amps because all the studio ones were useless”. It makes sense that the band took their instruments over to Nassau, Bahamas, but not their own amps [live Knopfler played the Music Man 212 HD-130 before and after recording Communiqé]. Unfortunately we don’t know wat kind of amps they borrowed from Robert Palmer, if I had to guess I would clearly say Fenders."

So was Lady Writer recorded before/after the Communique sessions in Nassau or is there other information out there that confirms the amps used on the recordings?  Or is the reference to the live performance and not the studio recording?

Soz, bit of a DS geek so need to know this stuff and it's always bothered me that gear on Communique isn't documented.

TIA

Gassage

@haych

The only thing I know is years ago (9 or 10) the Knopfler brown V-verb was in Chandlers being serviced.

I played it and fell in love. They told me at the time LW had been recorded on it- that's my source- I was told it was his favourite though.

Anyway, she's coming home now! Saw Frank @jpfamps this morning and they'd checked all out on it and even confirmed the cone originality. MK's isn't quite as nice as this one.

It even has the original cloth/leather cover.

Haych

Gassage said:

@haych

The only thing I know is years ago (9 or 10) the Knopfler brown V-verb was in Chandlers being serviced.

I played it and fell in love. They told me at the time LW had been recorded on it- that's my source- I was told it was his favourite though.

Anyway, she's coming home now! Saw Frank @jpfamps this morning and they'd checked all out on it and even confirmed the cone originality. MK's isn't quite as nice as this one.

It even has the original cloth/leather cover.

Ah, fair enough @Gassage - thanks for that.  Nice find in any case, don't think I've ever seen one in the flesh let alone played one.

Gassage

First impessions- bell like chime, incredible bass, absolutely wonderful

With Cornish, it's OK. With a Wampler Euphoria or a @ThorpyFX Veteran Ge, it's fucking sensational.

jacksparrow

Cool Beans. I think if i could have only one fender amp that would be it.

Grocer_Jack

Sensational amp, well done sir!

i have a related question about the circuit. I have a 1990s Custom Vibrolux Reverb reissue which has had the Moyer mods done - they reduce the noise floor and the reverb now works on the bright channel only. I know it's a completely different circuit to the original Vibrolux, but I've read that with the Moyer mods it's as near as dammit to a Brownface Vibroverb. Any experts know if that's true? @ICBM?  It's a great amp anyway. 

Gassage

Grocer_Jack said:

Sensational amp, well done sir!

i have a related question about the circuit. I have a 1990s Custom Vibrolux Reverb reissue which has had the Moyer mods done - they reduce the noise floor and the reverb now works on the bright channel only. I know it's a completely different circuit to the original Vibrolux, but I've read that with the Moyer mods it's as near as dammit to a Brownface Vibroverb. Any experts know if that's true? @ICBM?  It's a great amp anyway. 

I am not sure about this, but I believe the tone stacks work differently. ICBM is the man,

ICBM

No idea what the Moyer mods are, sorry. The Custom Vibrolux Reverb is based on the Vibroverb rather than the Blackface Vibrolux Reverb though.

Grocer_Jack

http://www.tdpri.com/attachments/customvibroluxreverb_moyermods-pdf.103616/ 
 Moyer mods above. 

ICBM

Grocer_Jack said:

http://www.tdpri.com/attachments/customvibroluxreverb_moyermods-pdf.103616/ 
 Moyer mods above. 

OK, so it's basically just converting the circuit back the Vibroverb.

Grocer_Jack

Yep seems so

billzabozo

Congratulations, I did go and have a look at this amp & it was in exceptional condition. If the top left corner is a little buffed up that was me stroking it, my hands were clean honest.