Speak to me of Vibro Champs (NAD p.2)

Make it loud here.
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Gavanti
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Speak to me of Vibro Champs (NAD p.2)

Post by Gavanti » Sun Dec 10, 2017 6:05 pm

My family would like less LOUD. My kids especially do not appreciate impromptu soundtracking of Dinosaur Train and Ready Jet Go! My Slant 6v does many things, and can even be gorgeous at a reasonable volumes but at very low ones, it just kind of sadly fizzles out. I've got a Pathfinder, but I'm thinking a BF or SF Vibro Champ might give me a little bit more of that glassy magic and still take pedals well. I need one of these right?
Last edited by Gavanti on Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by N0_Camping4U » Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:16 pm

Look into Fender Bronco amps. I believe they entirely identical to vibro champs but usually are a little cheaper for some reason.

And that's all I have to say about that.
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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by marqueemoon » Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:39 pm

They are overpriced these days. The trem is fantastic though.

Mine doesn't sound very good pushed as the speaker farts out too soon. Sounds better with thinner/more midrangey guitars.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by Gavanti » Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:20 pm

N0_Camping4U wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:16 pm
Look into Fender Bronco amps. I believe they entirely identical to vibro champs but usually are a little cheaper for some reason.

And that's all I have to say about that.
Thanks. Will keep my eyes open for Broncos too.
marqueemoon wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:39 pm
They are overpriced these days. The trem is fantastic though.

Mine doesn't sound very good pushed as the speaker farts out too soon. Sounds better with thinner/more midrangey guitars.
Good to know. I had thought if I got one that I might convert in to a 10" or run an extension cab. The trem does sound incredible in the videos I've watched. I've considered a Princeton NR too if I could find one at a reasonable price. There was a '63 with a repro cabinet in a shop here for awhile that I loved playing.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by Arthon » Wed Dec 13, 2017 1:49 pm

Gavanti wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:20 pm
N0_Camping4U wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:16 pm
Look into Fender Bronco amps. I believe they entirely identical to vibro champs but usually are a little cheaper for some reason.

And that's all I have to say about that.
Thanks. Will keep my eyes open for Broncos too.
marqueemoon wrote:
Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:39 pm
They are overpriced these days. The trem is fantastic though.

Mine doesn't sound very good pushed as the speaker farts out too soon. Sounds better with thinner/more midrangey guitars.
Good to know. I had thought if I got one that I might convert in to a 10" or run an extension cab. The trem does sound incredible in the videos I've watched. I've considered a Princeton NR too if I could find one at a reasonable price. There was a '63 with a repro cabinet in a shop here for awhile that I loved playing.
I have a BF 1967 Vibro-Champ. It's a great amp, but it's not that quiet. I nearly always play in the second input when I play with it. It's sort like a in-between amp (too loud too shine in a appartment, but too quite to play in a band). or a really good basement amp... I still prefer a good Princeton Reverb. That are not that much less quiet but they can go alot more loud. I would avoid non-reverb Princeton . Since they are cleaner amps, you have to push them more to sound good (like a bigger VB if you will).

I still have the original speaker, but I have a Weber in my VB. No more speaker fart...
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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by rexter » Thu Dec 14, 2017 3:03 am

My '73 is loud as Fuck and doesn't break up.... unless it's on 10, which is way tooo loud for home, even 5 or 6 is... Sounds really great on 2 or 3 for clean home sounds though. It has a Weber Sig ceramic in it, I wonder if an alnico speaker would give lower volume/earlier breakup.

Weirdly my Princeton Reverb clone breaks up earlier and is just as usable for home use.

Love the VC and will never sell it though, like people say the trem is great!

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by cestlamort » Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:08 am

I loved my bronco (1968), although it never really broke up. I also had a late 70s vibrio champ that sounded amazing, but seemed to weigh twice as much. Both were sold (the bronco to fund a Princeton reverb).

I agree that a Princeton reverb more than cover that ground (and more). The vibrato/Tremolo is different, however.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by HH1978 » Fri Dec 15, 2017 3:56 pm

I have a 1977 vibro champ.
As previously stated, it's not THAT quiet, I would only take it to the break up point if I'm home alone and even then, that would be in the basement to avoid annoying the neighbours.
That said, it sounds really beautiful with warm and sparkling cleans on 4, and gets a fuller tone on 5-6. Break up point depends at lot of the speker and the guitar. Mine starts to break up at 7-8 with single-coils. Earlier with humbuckers but that's not the type of pickups I would recommend through that amp, unless you change the speaker for a 10", too much low end. I don't have any P90 equipped guitar for the moment, but I remember they worked very well too.

Mine has a Jensen P8R. When I got the amp, I felt some regrets. It sounded thin, and at the same time the bass farted...nothing that reminded me of the 1976 champ I used to have (well, I still have it, but it burned so will need restoration). Then after a few weeks, it started sounding better and better, and now it's my favourite low wattage amp. I suppose the previous owner had just changed the speaker before selling (I got the original Oxford 8EV in the sale too) and the P8R needed some time too be broken in.
The bias tremolo sounds quite nice. Yet, you have to be aware of the thicking sound that comes with the design.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by sookwinder » Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:05 pm

Firstly do a search of OSG because there is a shit load of threads on VCs and Broncos.

If you do get a vintage VC or Bronco (I have both) there are some things that will be needed to be done.
- Replace the electrolytic capacitors and capacitor "cap can". This is standard procedure for vintage amps. It will immediately improve the bottom end and in some cases reduces him considerably. (this is really easy to do yourself, or a amp tech can do it in about an hour)
- fit a 3 pin power cable
- If you have the opportunity to ... purchase a VINTAGE (not new, but VINTAGE) JENSON C8R 4 ohm speaker (8 Ohm versions also work).
This speaker will open up totally new sound/feel with the amp. The standard Oxford 8" speaker is OK, the Jenson C8R is awesome.

There are many vintage Jenson C8R speakers available as they were used in many organs and other musical situations in the 50/60/70s
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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by DesmondWafers » Sat Dec 16, 2017 9:02 am

If I turn the bass down, I can play my super reverb at the same volumes as the VC. It's not really the amp to get if you're trying to turn way down.

But if you do get one, listen to sook and change the can cap. I've had 4 or 5 and they've all sounded shit until I properly went over one.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by lususnaturae » Sat Dec 23, 2017 2:22 am

Terrific amps. I have a '65 VC that I just had serviced by George Alessandro. The stock RCA's that came with the amp still test very good and didn't warrant replacement. Amazing trem and the amp perfectly suits my needs for playing at home.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by jdr1014 » Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:12 am

Beautiful amp/lovely combo :)

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by BoringPostcards » Sat Dec 23, 2017 8:59 am

They sound incredible for the type of amp they are; they are well made and a have a nice tube tone.

EDIT: The ghost of Kurt Vonnegut just shuddered at me, and I'm ashamed of myself. :-[
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by HorseyBoy » Sat Dec 23, 2017 10:51 pm

I've got a 1970 Silverface VibroChamp that I couldn't live without. The tremolo circuit alone is worth the price of admission. But be sure to take sookwinder's advice if you get one - he walked me through it when I got mine and I'm forever grateful that he did. Antique Electronic Supply sell an exact cap can replacement so you can't go wrong. I'm still looking out for an old Jensen for mine…

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Re: Speak to me of Vibro Champs

Post by Maggieo » Sun Dec 24, 2017 11:27 am

Honest to God, my '65 is my all-time favorite amp. It loves reverb pedals, the trem is the best ever and the timbre so soooooo sweet. I couldn't live without it.

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