N(to me)AD - silverface content

[Fab4ever]

Hey guys, I scored an amp I've been searching for for a while now - a silverface Vibrolux Reverb.

I fell for silverface Fenders after getting a Bassman 50 and then a Princeton Reverb. I found the Bassman (and its enormous 2X15 cab) to be too much amp for me and sold it off. But I feared the Princeton, as sweet as it is, may not have enough headroom or shear volume for every venue.

So I began looking for an affordable Pro Reverb or Vibrolux Reverb. I finally found a VR that I got for $500 cash plus my Fender Musicmaster Bass amp, a nice ratty sounding little sucker I've been using for band practice.

All I can say is -- I am deliriously happy!

The VR is in rough shape cosmetically. The tolex is dirty and torn in a few places, and the grill cloth has somebody's name stenciled on it (grrrrrr) along with the typical nicotine stains.

But it sounds heavenly -- a good bit more headroom than my Princeton, which starts to get dirty after 4 or so. The VR is clean until 5 or 6, and it's a good bit louder.

I also noticed that it's a brighter amp than my PR, even with the "bright" switch off. But it's also got more lows, seemingly, than the Princeton.

It has two Kendrick speakers. I've never heard of Kendrick but these black babies with gold labels sound good to me!

I don't have any good photos, but here's one of the innards:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cMaylG4JmSA/T4xIGCVlshI/AAAAAAAAAFw/adouGvUX7No/s640/2012-03-31%252011.54.00.jpg

Does that look to be in decent shape, those of you who (unlike me) know what to look for?

[smolder]

fwiw... I've never played through a small what amp that had the same dynamic range of the 35-50 watt fenders. With no science behind this, and knowing the circuits are largely the same, I gotta think its the transformers.

looks pretty nice with all of the original blue/brown blobby caps in place. I can't tell from the photo, but make sure it has a three prong power cord. If its' mine, I'm switching the hum balance to a traditional bias adjustment and replacing those white (electrolytics) caps as well as the bias cap (also white and in front of the power transformer).

[Fab4ever]

Thanks for the tips, Smolder. It does indeed have a three-prong. I will ask about the electrolytics caps when I take it in for a tune-up... wouldn't trust myself with that kind of work for sure.

[Zerksies]

It does look good on the inside. The capacitors are probably original, I would think about getting a cap job done on the amp.If you are planning on really using the amp alot, it does not sound like it is a museum piece.

[blackba]

Congrats on the Vibrolux reverb. Amp looks to be original from what I can tell. I would replace the electrolytic caps if it were me. The big ones are under the dog house and could be leaking. You can get juiced, so if you are don't know what you are doing, then have a tech check it out.

[mxvin]

Very cool. Looks stock and I go along with the above with replacing the electrolytic caps and getting the bias circuit back to blackface specks. The Kendrick speakers have a very good rep with Fender amps.
If you like the tone leave the brown and blue "blob" caps in place.

[Fab4ever]

Cool - thanks everyone for the advice. I *do* love the tone so I will be looking to replace as litle as possible. But it is definitely *not* a museum piece! So I'd have no reluctance to replace those white caps.

[mxvin]

Cool - thanks everyone for the advice. I *do* love the tone so I will be looking to replace as litle as possible. But it is definitely *not* a museum piece! So I'd have no reluctance to replace those white caps.
and the filter caps which are on the outside of the chassis under that cover (doghouse) as someone already mentioned.