So I've had one of these



for like ten years now. 97 Vibrolux Reverb Reissue. Two 10's, 40 Watts, almost-almost-but-not-quite tone, too much background noise, poor circuit build quality (coughMexicocough), reverb so shallow it's unusable. It fried the transformer (I think) about 5 years ago. I've decided I don't wanna pay several hundred bucks, only to get this amp back.

Instead, I want to do the following... I want to build a Ceriatone amp kit into a new chassis and slide it into this cab. So far I'm thinking I like the Matchless Lightning clone sound the best, but I've emailed them to ask if it's possible, and for advice about what pairs up best with the 2 stock fender 10's. They'd need to make me a chassis (the steel box al the guts sit in, and out of which the knobs and controls protrude) that fits that amp, otherwise it's just one of their kits. I'd wind up with something I want a HELL of a lot more than the vibrolux. And I have a road case for it, which is probably what this is all about anyway... hate to waste a good road case.


Thoughts? Bloor, Phil, et al?

Seems totally doable.

The guy from Ceriatone emailed me back several times, right away. That's a good sign. So he doesn't make any slant-front chassis, and at first he wasn't willing to even make a straight-front one that's this width and height, but then he said he would if I measured mine. So I could get from him a kit with guts and tubes, and a chassis that would slide into this with a flat front, BUT he won't make a custom front plate for it. So I'd have a plain steel front, unpainted, and I'd have to handle the paint, lettering, logo, etc... I'm intrigued, and kinda into it, but how the hell do I do it without it looking like shit? Are there, like, stickers?

I need help. Dont wanna hand-letter this if I can help it. Maybe Cats knows...

Ask Terry. Maybe he could make you a face out of wood (for the right price)

Oh hell. I didn't even think of that. A wood front panel... I'd still have to figure out what to call it, and how to letter everything. Maybe inset little pre-printed plaques? Jesus this might be hard.

It would have to be veneer-thin. And infact, probably should just be a piece of veneer if I went that route.

Looks like the best thing I could fit in there is a reproduction of the old 50's tweed Twin, the low powered one at like 50 watts. This appears to be what Keef plays.

I dunno. I'm doing a good bit of welding lately but I don't think I'm ready for the sort of exacting fabrication that you might need.

Have you checked out Antique Electronic Supply?

I had not, but I see they make chassis. But I don't see anything model-specific, or any angle-front ones. Maybe I should skip that and look for just face plates... duh.

New to this thread but just reading quickly I gather you're looking to have THIS PART fabricated to fit your new knobs?

Yup, that's the faceplate. I could get an aluminim plate, or wood veneer, or god knows what else, and that part's only marginally scary. It's the lettering and a potential logo that scare me. How do I do that? Print cleanly on something, in some font...? I know the "real" answer is to screen print, but fuuuuuck that for 1 measly amp.

Other ideas? Should I just HP LaserJet-on-copy-paper-and-then-scotch-tape this bitch?

are you not wanting to pay a screen printer to do that? because that's what you should do. i could lay out the lettering or whatever for you.

Duct tape and a sharpie. As long as it sounds good.


FYI, now that the scratch is starting to come back in, I'm again toying with selling my 2x12 Hot Rod Deville, and moving up in tone and down in weight with the Deluxe Reverb.

That and a new guitar (undecided still).

Tell me to quit stalling and do it.

Dude the Deluxe is where it's at. Fucking love those things.

And for new guitar... it was the SG that had your eye when last we spoke. Still the same, and what else is in the mix?

What do you think would be involved? We discuss, you lay out some kind of photo file, someone burns it into a screen, etc? What do people charge for that?

If I wind up there, it will be as a last resort. This could wind up being a killer little amp, and really unique. I'd hate to slap my shitty handwriting all over it.

For the layout work I would charge about a beer for that unless you got really picky and there were lots of revisions. The screen stuff my bandmate would do it in a couple hours and would charge around 50 bucks tops. The screens are reusable/he can wash the image out after he's done with your job. I don't know if you'd be comfortable mailing this thing around or if that would increase your cost too much.

Holy shart. Well, that opens up a whole lotta possibilities. Now I just need to figure out what to use for one.

Count me in, duder. Whaddya wanna name it?

Captain Sound

Before you sell your HRD, I IMPLORE you to buy one of these and possibly an upgraded set of tubes (per my guidance of course )

This is what I did to Carson's Blues Deville--totally new amp. Dave (the singer/guitarist from the Habits (RIP)) just bought a Hot Rod after unsuccessfully trying to buy Carson's amp, was miffed with it and since adding the volume box is basically freaking out at how great it is. The tubes are next.

Yeah that old DeVille sounded really fucking good when you got done with it, Kurtz. Waaaay better than it had any right to at that price point. Also bennie the answer is almost never to sell what you have, it is to buy something additional. I STRONGLY suspect you have old tubes in it, and probably cheapies as well. Shit makes a big difference.

I'm picturing a pretty classic style of script, ala Matchless amps' front panels. But I want it to say something good. If I wind up making a 50's tweed 50W twin clone, there would only be a Volume, Volume, Bass, Treble, and Presence,like this... here's their pre-made head.

I played it for Carson when he was visiting for Thanksgiving and he pretty much didn't believe it was the same amp. Especially the distortion channel.

Maybe the manufacturer could be Cap'Tone and the model could be the "TwinnyTwinTwin"