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Topic: Mid-90's Fender "Custom" Vibrasonic Amp |
Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 8:22 am |
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I have a mid-90's Fender "Custom" Vibrasonic (with an "a" as opposed to Vibro) for sale in the Tampa, Florida area. I acquired this from forum member Steve Spitz in NOLA three years ago, and it's been a great amp, and everything he said it was. I love the look, tone and rugged build of it, but the hard reality is that I finally just had to move to a much lighter amp rig for my back's sake. It was getting harder and harder for me to hoist this into my truck at the end of the night. I also need to raise some major house renovation money.
I put "tilt-back" legs on it, and had a D2 cover made for it, as well as an added top panel in back that was missing. I has removable wheels, too.
This is a Bruce Zinky designed amp that Fender made only in 1995-96. If you're only familiar with the 60's era VibrOsonic amps, you can learn about this model here:
http://ampwares.com/amplifiers/fender-custom-vibrasonic/
I said I was hanging on to this one in my review of it, but the truth is, it's for a younger man's arms and back. Sounds and looks killer, though, for both Tele and steel.
This baby is heavy, so I really would prefer either local pick up, arrange another way to deliver (maybe a friend or relative), or at the very least, meet you somewhere convenient to both of us to collect.
I'm asking $800. Thanks for looking!
TJW |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 2:34 pm
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I had this amp for a long time, and and rarely used it. I bought it needing tubes, and was too cheap and lazy to get around to it. One too many projects.
I kept the amp upstairs. and with my old house with the funky old stairs, I was reluctant to move it. I finally retubed it , and it sounded great.
This long winded story is just to let the next owner know this amp has minimal hours on it, for its age, and sounds great.
best of luck with the sale. |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 3:28 pm Thanks!
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Thanks, Steve. It's been a very good amp, and we've had a lot of good gigs together.
I love the sound/look of this amp for my Tele/steel in my retro country band. Unfortunately, the weight just got to be too much for me. Frankly, I'd keep it around, but we have some major home repairs, and I have to 'thin the herd.' 
TJW |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 8:04 pm
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This is a great amp. I use it for steel and telecaster. Great tone.
Craig |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 18 Jan 2017 5:36 am
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| Todd, what are the numbers you have on the back of the amp on a piece of tape? Are those your settings? |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 18 Jan 2017 8:07 am
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| Craig Bailey wrote: |
| Todd, what are the numbers you have on the back of the amp on a piece of tape? Are those your settings? |
Hey Craig -- yeah, I put those there as my "start" settings and then adjust to the room. 
I wish this was a lighter amp, because I love the cosmetics and the big, throaty tone for both my Tele and my Stringmaster. Thought about putting a 15" neo in there, and that would help, but only by maybe 10 pounds.
TJW |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 19 Jan 2017 8:21 pm
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That is neat. I think I might try your settings. Man, you might want to keep it. I know it is heavy. I don't like to carry mine, but when I plug into it, it makes the very temporary aggravation of carrying it all worth it. I love mine. A great amp for double duty on steel and guitar.
Craig |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 19 Jan 2017 8:31 pm Funny you say that...
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| Funny you should say that. I plugged mine in just to fire it up and crank it a bit. Oh yeah... great amp! I would love to keep it, but we have SOOOOO many home projects to finance that I just can't justify keeping it with the other options I have. If we were more solvent, I'd definitely hang on to it. We just have too may projects we need to raise money for. I'm digging my Quilter for my One Amp/Two Instruments solution, and at almost 2/3rd's less weight! |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 20 Jan 2017 1:51 am
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| How does the Quilter tone compare to the Vibrasonic? I have considered the Quilter too just for an extra amp. However I have never played through one and wasn't sure how good it was. |
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Scott Appleton
From:
Ashland, Oregon
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Posted 20 Jan 2017 6:11 pm custom vibrasonic
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These amps have got th mojo .. put a tele or a bass 6 in one channel and your steel in the other .. tone to die for .. put a Neo speaker in it and cut the weight 22 lbs.
better yet isolate the amp and have a separate cab .. anyway you cut it these amps
got magic .. |
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Scott Appleton
From:
Ashland, Oregon
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Posted 20 Jan 2017 6:15 pm quilter vs fender Vibrasonic
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The Quilter is a great option .. but you gonna pay $$$$ big time .. the Vibrasonic has got the tone to die for and costs about 2/3erds less for one in good shape .. course if you got the bucks Quilter is only 35 lbs instead of 72 lbs .. if i had a roadie i'd have both .. use the Vibrasonic for the Bass 6 and tale and play steel through the Quilter.
but hey they don't pay me that kind of money .. anymore .. |
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Craig Bailey
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Posted 20 Jan 2017 7:05 pm
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| Yea.. I can tell you that I have AB'd many amps beside my Vibrasonic on steel and telecaster and to me, it blows them out of the water for tone. It is the best I have found. But now it IS heavy. The casters are nice. Great amp. |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 21 Jan 2017 7:57 am Quilter
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Craig - I sent you a PM.
Scott, I have thought about your idea for putting a NEO in the Vibrasonic. If I cut it down by over 20lbs, it would certainly make it a lot more schlep-friendly. I ended up putting an Eminence Lil' Texas neo 12 in my Quilter, not so much for weight reduction (already light!), but for more of an American flavor. The Celestion Lead 80 is nice, but wanted just a tad less British mid presence. The six pounds of weight reduction was a bonus.
It sounds KILLER with my Stringmaster and I'm getting even more Tele twang!
T |
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Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2017 4:23 pm
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Would you be interested in a possible swap for a PV Blues Classic PLUS cash...Classic 50 with a 1-15" & fairly light for it's size? I could do in person since I live in Spring Hill.
BTW do you play with the Only Daddys? I know Johnny & Don for a long time.
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 23 Jan 2017 5:34 am Swap
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Hey Richard -- yes, it's me. Funny you mention Spring Hill, since The Only Daddys have a one-off special event gig there this Wednesday afternoon!
Those are nice amps, though. I had one of their EL84 Classics with a 12 some time ago, and it was a little workhorse.
I appreciate the offer of a trade, but I'm flush with amplifiers right now, and in more need of the cash for a house repair project we're commencing to start. I have another guy in Tampa with a really nice Gibson SG Standard that wants to trade, and while I've always wanted an SG in the stable, I'm also up to my eyeballs in guitars, too!
TJW |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 30 Aug 2017 11:10 am Bump
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I still have this beauty if someone in the Florida/Georgia/Alabama region wants "swing by" to pick it up!
I really don't want to try to ship, as the weight would sure make it expensive as all get out to ship.
Or, if you're from anywhere, and are going to be driving through the Tampa, FL region, and are looking for something like this, let me know. I've gone to a 12" combo for my needs, and this is just taking up space in my music room. It could use a good home and someone with a strong back and biceps.
T |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 10 Oct 2017 8:26 am Bump
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| BUMP |
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