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Topic: Fender Vibrasonic for Steel? |
Craig Bailey
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Posted 4 Dec 2016 8:41 pm |
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Anybody use a Fender Vibrasonic for pedal steel and electric guitar? What are your thoughts on this amp?
Craig |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 4 Dec 2016 10:10 pm
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Mickey Adams had used one extensively, and many people converted Twins to a single 15. Which means it's essentially a Vibrosonic. See also 65 Reissue Custom 15.
Damn near the ideal steel amp, except for really loud gigs.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 4 Dec 2016 11:29 pm
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I agree with Lane's comments, but I would add, if a Vibrosonic/Twin/Showman is not loud enough, you need to get your hearing checked before you go deaf--seriously.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 12:18 am
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Are you inquiring about a Vibrasonic, or a Custom Vibrasonic, or a Vibrosonic? They are not the same.
The Vibrosonic of the 70s was basically a Twin Reverb with a single 15.
The Vibrasonic made in the 60s was a different creature.
Then Fender made an amp called the Custom Vibrasonic in the 90s. That's a very different amp than the Vibrasonics made in the 60s. I believe the Custom Vibrasonic has a single 15 and has reverb in both channels, so it is optimized for playing both steel and guitar. I'm pretty sure it's made with printed circuit boards.
So what are we dealing with here?
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 4:30 am
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| I am inquiring about the Custom Vibrosonic made in the 90s. Sorry for the confusion. What are your thoughts on that particular amp. I found one at a decent price. |
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Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 7:45 am
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| My 1st steel amp was a '63 Vibrosonic w a matching Fender Reverb unit- terrific sound but heavy!! |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 7:55 am
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| Paul Sutherland wrote: |
| I agree with Lane's comments, but I would add, if a Vibrosonic/Twin/Showman is not loud enough, you need to get your hearing checked before you go deaf--seriously. |
I don't sit close to my amps when I'm playing with loud enthusiastic players, but if some rocker is pushing his Mesa hard, a Twin isn't going to stay as clean as we like them.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 9:12 am
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I have a Twin. I have no personal experience with any of the Vibr------ amps. I've just read about them.
If you choose to play with something louder than a Twin, you should be using ear plugs. A Twin is easily loud enough to make the use of ear plugs a good idea. It's no fun living with tinnitus.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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John Goux
From:
California, USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 11:26 am
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I agree on the hearing protection.
However, the industry standard amplifiers used by many of the players on this site...the Peaveys...have much more clean headroom and volume than a Twin Reverb or relatives. Those Fender amps can get really loud, but it is not the kind of clean volume most steel players crave. A Twin dialed in to play below breakup is not as loud as a big SS Peavey.
At least that has been my experience.
J |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 11:46 am
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| Either will produce sound levels high enough to cause permananent damage over a fairly short period. Hell, so will a Deluxe Reverb and a Tele! |
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Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 11:55 am
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If you can not keep up with a guitar player with a Marshall stack etc, thank them for their time and hit the road, it is NOT WORTH THE FRUSTRATION, and definitely not worth the ear damage.
_________________
'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Flamma Reverb, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.
Phone: 971-219-8533 |
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B. Greg Jones
From:
Middleport, Ohio USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 3:57 pm
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I bought one of the Custom Vibrasonic amps new in the mid 90's. It was great for telecaster but seemed to lack something on steel. I liked my old twin much better so I sold the Vibrasonic.
Greg |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 4:08 pm
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I had one. I sold it, but it was cool for double duty.
If you can find one for the right price, it may be a good value. printed circuit board, but I think it was US made, and never gave me any trouble. |
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Ben Edmonds
From:
Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 5:46 pm
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| I had one. Wanted to keep it because it sounded great but it had many issues so it had to go. Don't know if they all were buggy but mine was |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 6:36 pm
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| Ben Edmonds what sort of issues did it have? |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 5 Dec 2016 7:05 pm
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I think there was some interesting comments about this amp in the Fender Field amp Guide.
Anyone try this amp with another speaker ? Just Curious.... |
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Carl Mesrobian
From:
Salem, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 6 Dec 2016 12:53 pm
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| Lane Gray wrote: |
| Paul Sutherland wrote: |
| I agree with Lane's comments, but I would add, if a Vibrosonic/Twin/Showman is not loud enough, you need to get your hearing checked before you go deaf--seriously. |
I don't sit close to my amps when I'm playing with loud enthusiastic players, but if some rocker is pushing his Mesa hard, a Twin isn't going to stay as clean as we like them. |
Just keep the volume the same, but play in Hughey Land and wave to average guitar players. An above average player will respect your space, and there's no contest 
_________________
--carl
"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 11 Dec 2016 7:36 pm
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| Going to try the Vibrasonic for a dual duty Pedal steel and telecaster amp. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 11 Dec 2016 9:16 pm
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| Carl Mesrobian wrote: |
| Lane Gray wrote: |
| Paul Sutherland wrote: |
| I agree with Lane's comments, but I would add, if a Vibrosonic/Twin/Showman is not loud enough, you need to get your hearing checked before you go deaf--seriously. |
I don't sit close to my amps when I'm playing with loud enthusiastic players, but if some rocker is pushing his Mesa hard, a Twin isn't going to stay as clean as we like them. |
Just keep the volume the same, but play in Hughey Land and wave to average guitar players. An above average player will respect your space, and there's no contest |
If the loud situation was a paid gig, I'd do just that, or spend most of the night laying out. But the loud nights are at a party with some friends of mine. It's fun, just too damn loud.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Carl Mesrobian
From:
Salem, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 12 Dec 2016 5:13 am
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_________________
--carl
"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 12 Dec 2016 5:36 am
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| No doubt they are extremely loud but how do you think they are for pedal steel? |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 12 Dec 2016 7:33 am
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There's probably not a better sounding steel amp on the planet. Different, perhaps, but not better. They were intended for steel.
But my experience has been with the silverface versions. Haven't tried the reissue. |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 16 Dec 2016 9:50 pm
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I want to report to everyone who posted that I got the Fender Vibrasonic and that thing sounds amazing!!!! I was blown away at the amazing tone in both the steel guitar channel and the electric guitar channel. This thing makes my pedal steel and my telecaster sing. I cannot say enough good things about this amp. It gets a great review and a thumbs up for me. Great amp!!!
Craig |
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Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
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Posted 17 Dec 2016 9:01 pm
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| Thanks for the thread. The amp is on my watch list. |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 18 Dec 2016 5:32 am
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| I am referring to the Fender Custom Vibrasonic. Not the Vibrosonic. The Vibrasonic was made between '95-'96 and has two channels. One for electric guitar and one for steel guitar-referred to as the Nashville Mod. It is built on a twin reverb chassis with a 15 inch speaker. Outstanding amp. They are sort of hard to find. But if you find one, get it. |
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