Fender VibroSonic

RJP · Post by **RJP** » 9 Aug 2000 9:03 am

I'm looking into a Vibrosonic as my steel amp because I still play guitar in my band as well a steel. I understand that the Vibrosonic has inputs for both and it would be nice to haul just one amp around instead of two. Does its sound quality make it a good amp for both purposes or is there another amp out there which has a far better sound for steel? Does anyone have experience with it as a guitar amp?

------------------
Ron Plichta

MSA Classic S-10
Fender Stratocaster
Fender Telecaster
Rivera R100

Rich Paton · Post by **Rich Paton** » 10 Aug 2000 3:48 am

Ron, poke around in this site a bit; you'll find someone with the answer. http://www.fenderforum.com/

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 10 Aug 2000 7:12 am

I used to have one. It sounds decent on steel as long as you don't play C6. It will break up badly on low notes, especially if you play two or three at a time. It will also break up on E9 on the low strings at more than 5 on the volume. I did like it pretty well for lead guitar. If you are going to play at low volumes at all times it will do. It is not comparable to an Evans 500, or a new Peavey 1000. It's also fairly heavy.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 10 Aug 2000 11:16 pm

Ron I played through one of the newer Vibrosonic 'Custom' amps. I a/b'd it to an older twin, and I prefered the twin. Although the two together were awesome.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 11 Aug 2000 3:50 pm

I had a 70's vibrosonic reverb (master volume)which I put an EVM-15L in and used for a while for steel and guitar. It was a good sounding amp, but like Fred said it would break up on low notes at higher volume. It would work well at moderate volume, miked if necessary.
I traded it, and now I listen to some old tapes and wish I had it again.

RJP · Post by **RJP** » 13 Aug 2000 6:28 pm

Thanks for all the input. Judging by what I'm hearing, I'll probably buy a Peavey instead and keep my current guitar amp.

B0b, please close this thread. Thanks

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 13 Aug 2000 8:04 pm

I would take a listen and decide for yourself. Additionally, you have some flexibility in retubing an amp to give you more headroom and a cleaner sound, if that's what you're after. I say: You decide, if you can.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 13 Aug 2000 8:14 pm

No WAIT don't close it. Hey RJP don't do it man; get the Fender pal. I just played one and sounds great. I had this baby cranked(just to see how much room there was) at a gig; and no problem with break up. Actually I could break up my (used to have) peaveys and Evans; and I believe it was because the pickup was distorting. Every since I put Bill Lawrence pickups in my guitars I've never had the problem with solid state or tube. Well the speaker does have to be a good one in the tube amp and I believe that is a JBL-15 in the Vibro; so that's a good one. Those folks wishing they still had their old tube amps cause that was the best they have heard theirselves>you should listen to. Any amp will break up to your ears if you are playing at a level that can actually distort your ears. You will have no problem playing Country Music at regular Country Music volumes with the Vibro; now if you have to play louder than that than your not playing Country Music and there are huge stack amps that will fix that problem>

Those solid state amps are not built for tone; they are built for VOLUME(sorry herb I could'nt resist) but the tone of a tube amp will always remain superior to VOLUME.
Now these are my opinions just to help one think if they haven't made their mind up yet.

------------------
Ricky Davis
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html
www.mightyfinemusic.com
sshawaiian@aol.com