Total newbie to the site, but I LOVE everything I have seen so far!
My son plays mostly classic rock on a Fender Strat, and he has been drooling over a Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb amp for a couple of years now, but just can't afford it. So, I am planning to build him something with similar characteristics--hopefully in time for Christmas. He really likes the tone (and even the hiss) and the 10" Jensen speakers of the Vibrolux.
Anybody out there have a favorite to recommend?
Thanks!
My son plays mostly classic rock on a Fender Strat, and he has been drooling over a Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb amp for a couple of years now, but just can't afford it. So, I am planning to build him something with similar characteristics--hopefully in time for Christmas. He really likes the tone (and even the hiss) and the 10" Jensen speakers of the Vibrolux.
Anybody out there have a favorite to recommend?
Thanks!
A favorite what? Favorite Vibrolux? Or favorite other Fender?
The simplest Fender to build would be the Champ. Fender amp fans often like to use model numbers, so 5F1 would be a typical Champ. But it is a very basic amp.
I'd say the most popular Fender amp to clone is the 5E3 Deluxe. Not huge or screaming loud, but has nice sound and is usable on stage.
If the kid likes the Vibrolux, it has a couple features. See if the kid really would want them both. First the tremolo/vibrato. That give the vibrating tone. Many payers never turn it on. In fact in almost all Fender amps, you cannot turn the tremolo - or "trem" - on wiithout connecting a footswitch to the amp. COmpare that to the reverb, which is always available UNLESS you kill it with a footswitch. If the kid really wouldn;t use the trem, then you can find Fender models very similar to that amp, but lacking the trem circuit. That will save you an entire 12AX7 tube and socket, plus support parts, including the Fender opticle photocell part usually called a "trem bug."
Personally I really like my amps to have a reverb. But that 5E3 Deluxe I mention doesn;t have one, and folks love it. The reverb requires tubes and transformers to drive it. and the "reverb pan" that is the core of the effect. Some people also call that a "reverb tank."
The project would be fun, but I am not so sure you will save much money, even if you don;t add in the value of your time. Most of the time, building an amp is a way to get some personal satisfaction rather than to save money. Buying new can be expensive. Buying used can turn into a bargain.
Buying a dead amp to restore might be a worthy shortcut. Even if the expensive parts are shot - the transformers, you;d have to buy them anyway if you build one. And also many many guys have found old Bogen PA amps and similar products, torn them down and rebuilt them into the same circuit as some commercial amp, though of course the internal layout would be different. A smaller, but no less interesting segment of the conversion crowd is amplifiers from old film projectors. I see regularly guys with old Bell and Howell projector amp units, rebuilding them into interesting little guitar amps.
Not cheap, but kits is another option. WHen buying a kit, generally everything has been thought of. You won't order a bag of parts, start to build and then realize you forgot to order something. Many kits come in various forms, like complete kits, including cabinet and speaker. SOme are just the chassis and parts. Some are just the parts set so you can build in your own chassis. SOme have more detailed instructions than others.
This DIY forum is interesting because it covers such a broad range of audio topics. However the guitar amp part is a relatiovely small portion. May I suggest you also visit a couple of guitar amp forums. One popular one is the AX84. This is oriented to the build your own crowd, in particular those without a lot of building experience. There are well documented projects there.
AX84.com - The Cooperative Tube Guitar Amp Project
And Music Electronics Forum, which is mostly focused on guitar amps. A lot of help there too.
Music Electronics Forum
never hurts to have a lot of resources.
The simplest Fender to build would be the Champ. Fender amp fans often like to use model numbers, so 5F1 would be a typical Champ. But it is a very basic amp.
I'd say the most popular Fender amp to clone is the 5E3 Deluxe. Not huge or screaming loud, but has nice sound and is usable on stage.
If the kid likes the Vibrolux, it has a couple features. See if the kid really would want them both. First the tremolo/vibrato. That give the vibrating tone. Many payers never turn it on. In fact in almost all Fender amps, you cannot turn the tremolo - or "trem" - on wiithout connecting a footswitch to the amp. COmpare that to the reverb, which is always available UNLESS you kill it with a footswitch. If the kid really wouldn;t use the trem, then you can find Fender models very similar to that amp, but lacking the trem circuit. That will save you an entire 12AX7 tube and socket, plus support parts, including the Fender opticle photocell part usually called a "trem bug."
Personally I really like my amps to have a reverb. But that 5E3 Deluxe I mention doesn;t have one, and folks love it. The reverb requires tubes and transformers to drive it. and the "reverb pan" that is the core of the effect. Some people also call that a "reverb tank."
The project would be fun, but I am not so sure you will save much money, even if you don;t add in the value of your time. Most of the time, building an amp is a way to get some personal satisfaction rather than to save money. Buying new can be expensive. Buying used can turn into a bargain.
Buying a dead amp to restore might be a worthy shortcut. Even if the expensive parts are shot - the transformers, you;d have to buy them anyway if you build one. And also many many guys have found old Bogen PA amps and similar products, torn them down and rebuilt them into the same circuit as some commercial amp, though of course the internal layout would be different. A smaller, but no less interesting segment of the conversion crowd is amplifiers from old film projectors. I see regularly guys with old Bell and Howell projector amp units, rebuilding them into interesting little guitar amps.
Not cheap, but kits is another option. WHen buying a kit, generally everything has been thought of. You won't order a bag of parts, start to build and then realize you forgot to order something. Many kits come in various forms, like complete kits, including cabinet and speaker. SOme are just the chassis and parts. Some are just the parts set so you can build in your own chassis. SOme have more detailed instructions than others.
This DIY forum is interesting because it covers such a broad range of audio topics. However the guitar amp part is a relatiovely small portion. May I suggest you also visit a couple of guitar amp forums. One popular one is the AX84. This is oriented to the build your own crowd, in particular those without a lot of building experience. There are well documented projects there.
AX84.com - The Cooperative Tube Guitar Amp Project
And Music Electronics Forum, which is mostly focused on guitar amps. A lot of help there too.
Music Electronics Forum
never hurts to have a lot of resources.
Shame he was not into Tweeds.
Fender Tweed Deluxe 5D3 from 1954 - YouTube
Or a Harvard which is a Tweed Vibrolux without the vibrato. Even with the vibrato they are simple amps to build.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyYLSdK7WTk
Fender Tweed Deluxe 5D3 from 1954 - YouTube
Or a Harvard which is a Tweed Vibrolux without the vibrato. Even with the vibrato they are simple amps to build.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyYLSdK7WTk
Hi kpatt99, as there is not a lot of time left before the Holidays, and I am not sure how much building ''from scratch you'' want to do:
Suggest checking
Mojo Blackface Vibro Champ Style Amp Kit [amp-kit-vibrochamp] - $369.00 : The Vintage Sound, Your source for vintage tube amplifier and guitar parts!
You could get just the basic kit chassis/transfos components, or decide of you want to get the whole cabinet and hardware...you can source speaker separately, they have the Jensen Mod 10'' too.
As was mentioned, a build kit may be more expensive then refurbishing a used/damaged amp, but you may get more satisfaction from your own DIY. Good luck!
I'd recommend avoiding the Bell & Howell amps for a first (re)build. At least for me, the amount of parts they cram in there originally is overwhelming, and the chassis is so small (4x10 or 12 inches) that you don't wind up with much if any room for a turret/eyelet board, requiring point to point wiring. Add to that the holes that you might want to cover (as the B&H's tend to have 2-3 extra tubes for projector purposes) they can become a bit of a challenge.
That being said, I've got one that is particularly awesome, made from a model 302 amp, that has gain out the wazoo and a sweet "clean" tone. Currently I'm converting one from a 202 into a Gibson GA-40 circuit - all the parts are already there save for the 6SQ7. Well, there's 6AQ5s where there would be 6V6s, but essentially the same. Cheap scores for under $50, but a lot of working in a tight space and trying not to burn wire insulation! If I get another, I'm going to buy a new chassis.
That being said, I've got one that is particularly awesome, made from a model 302 amp, that has gain out the wazoo and a sweet "clean" tone. Currently I'm converting one from a 202 into a Gibson GA-40 circuit - all the parts are already there save for the 6SQ7. Well, there's 6AQ5s where there would be 6V6s, but essentially the same. Cheap scores for under $50, but a lot of working in a tight space and trying not to burn wire insulation! If I get another, I'm going to buy a new chassis.
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