Fender blackface Vibrolux

Amps, Cabs, Speakers, etc
Post Reply
User avatar
laurie
Posts: 2227
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by laurie » Mon Mar 17, 2025 2:32 am

The newest addition. Unmolested - in 100% original condition, and it still works, even with 60 year old capacitors!
.
Vibrolux2sml.jpg
Vibrolux2sml.jpg (282.44 KiB) Viewed 34456 times
.
Vibrolux3sml.jpg
Vibrolux3sml.jpg (198.29 KiB) Viewed 34456 times
.
Vibrolux4sml.jpg
Vibrolux4sml.jpg (87.85 KiB) Viewed 34456 times
Top
User avatar
Pepe
Posts: 2259
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Germany
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Double Platinum
Contact:
Contact Pepe

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by Pepe » Mon Mar 17, 2025 6:31 am

Nice, nice, nice! :D
Pepe at YouTube and Instagram
Top
User avatar
The_Doc
Posts: 550
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:02 am
SBZ: Gold
Bossarea: Gold

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by The_Doc » Mon Mar 17, 2025 8:18 am

Great find ! Are you going to do any work on it?
Top
User avatar
laurie
Posts: 2227
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by laurie » Mon Mar 17, 2025 2:14 pm

The potentiometers are all dirty so will need cleaning and potentially some replacing. Plus a re-cap. 60 years... it is due! I'm actually surprised it still works.

Plus I'll clean the eyelet-board. The wax coating gets impurities (mainly carbon from cigarette smoke) and that leads to parasitic capacitance and resistance. UPDATE - the 1964 blackface, of course, does not have a wax coating.

And a good clean. Some of the gig-dust in the back of thea amp is nearly as old as I am...
Last edited by laurie on Mon Apr 07, 2025 1:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
zentropa
Posts: 224
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2023 6:13 pm
Location: Minnesota
SBZ: Silver
Bossarea: Gold

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by zentropa » Mon Mar 17, 2025 3:30 pm

Nice score. I love the Vibrolux.
Top
User avatar
laurie
Posts: 2227
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by laurie » Wed Mar 19, 2025 9:25 pm

So, not as unmolested as I was told.

It has been recapped. Very nice capacitors, date code is 2015. This is a happy thing!

Not a lot of restoration to do...
.
20250319_152123.jpg
20250319_152123.jpg (207.07 KiB) Viewed 34299 times
Top
User avatar
Pepe
Posts: 2259
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Germany
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Double Platinum
Contact:
Contact Pepe

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by Pepe » Wed Mar 19, 2025 9:38 pm

Ooooh, high quality capacitors! :o These Sprague 16µF cost over 28 EUR at Banzai Music in Berlin. Per piece!
Pepe at YouTube and Instagram
Top
User avatar
fernieite
Posts: 303
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:44 am
Location: BC, Canada. Age: Early 60s
SBZ: Silver
Bossarea: Silver

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by fernieite » Thu Mar 20, 2025 2:53 am

Fantastic, man! 8-)
September 1964 tube chart code. (NJ)
Where did you find it? Local?
Top
User avatar
laurie
Posts: 2227
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by laurie » Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:12 pm

Really clean inside.
.
20250320_102212.jpg
20250320_102212.jpg (415.46 KiB) Viewed 34088 times
Top
User avatar
laurie
Posts: 2227
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:07 am
Location: Canada
SBZ: Multi Platinum
Bossarea: Multi Platinum

Re: Fender blackface Vibrolux

Post by laurie » Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:14 pm

First job... replace the 2 prong power cord with a grounded power cord and remove the grounding switch and Death Cap.
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Amps”