My Amp CRISIS! | Friday Fretworks

[@ChrisBuckGuitar]

I’m intrigued as to everyone’s thoughts on the two 10” speakers in the Vibrolux - aside from the odd session with a Princeton, I’ve not had much experience with 10” speakers. What’s your thoughts? Love ‘em? Loath ‘em?

[@Dang...]

I love the Vibrolux. Eminence 1028K speakers sound the most authentic vintage (and are light too!), but there are LOADS of great choices available.

[@simondixon6761]

I'm not a fan of 10" speakers. I modded the hell out of my old Princeton trying to get what I wanted from it. Turns out I much prefer amps with a lot more headroom

[@simondixon6761]

That said I do think the vibrolux sounds good. Do you set both amps clean?

[@christophersuggs8487]

Love my 4x10 Deville.

[@paulmatulevich3623]

Love em! Worked fantastic for OG Baseman's and they're good enough for Greg Koch, and he's a tone giant literally and metaphorically

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

Hey all, Ignazio Vagnone from Jensen Speakers here. Chris, awesome find with this Vibrolux, and moreover because of the speakers you found in it! I'd wish to drop a little bit of info background about the speakers that are in this Vibrolux. The Jensen P10R-F are a special version of the standard P10R, the reissue of the speaker used in the Tweed Bassman, Deluxe 5E3 etc. Fender commissioned us this version, to be originally installed in the Custom Shop '57 Bandmaster and in the 20th Anniversary edition of the Vibro-King amp. Then these speakers were "set free" to be offered as replacement speakers and not exclusive anymore to Fender. How do they differ from the standard Jensen Vintage Alnico P10R? They have a different membrane, mounted on the same voice coil and magnet assembly. The goal was to have sweeter treble, and warmer bass ranges. A sort of "aged tone", if you wish to consider it so. Moving further: in principle, how a 10" differs from a 12"? Assuming size would be the ONLY difference, rarely the case though, the 10" will have less moving mass (smaller, lighter membrane), so it might have slightly more efficiency in the upper midrange and treble, and it might deliver a higher sense of immediacy, a sensation of a quicker reaction to the transients. It might also deliver less power in the bass range. The 12" may sound fuller, move more air, and maybe sound slightly less "forward" and more "relaxed". Will a 2x10 sound bigger than a 1x12? Most likely yes. It will move significantly more air. Will a 10" have less "headroom" than a 12". Once again, if the cone diameter is the only difference, while voice coil, magnet etc. are all the same, no, they will have likely the same power handling and efficiency/sensitivity. I hope this might be interesting for the community... Feel free to hit me for info and tech chat at anytime!

[@ChrisBuckGuitar]

Thanks Ignazio! Very much appreciated mate. I’ve been meaning to give you a shout actually - I’ll drop you a line over the weekend 🙂

[@BrettPapa]

Dude that was an awesome performance!

[@andrewpartington7274]

For what it's worth, I definitely preferred the vibrolux over the pro reverb, the treble seemed a bit more noticable

[@lees7836]

Both amps sounded great to me and your tone at the Royal Albert Hall was spot on.

[@jimo4106]

I like the fact that CB seems to have no undying loyalty to any guitar brand.

[@jeremydean6320]

When you can play like that, any guitar is gonna sound amazing.

[@Datimdavis2900]

Yeah. I like he make any guitar sound amazing

[@adam_michael540]

Loyalty to tone 🤙🏽

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

Because the big ol paycheck for a signature model and sponsorship hasn’t come yet.

[@HillcrestGames]

Who the fuck is this guy? I just stumbled upon this video randomly and that was one of my favorite solos I've ever heard in the opening. What a pleasant surprise. That solo deserves all of the subs.

[@mia1326]

Enjoy it, but watch out, Chris' guitar playing makes you addicted!

[@Impractical_Engineer]

Pro reverb has a similar sound to the Super Reverb. After running 12in speakers for a long time, the 4x10 in a super reverb is something magical. Super heavy but magical at nearly any volume.

[@arottie4097]

Yup!!

[@davidkeane2399]

Good shout. Remember being very pleasantly surprised by a Super a few years back. But then I went to lift it...

[@JamieRossWilliams]

Honestly i get shivers everytime you play guitar. Seeing you live in the house of rock tomorrow, cannot wait man!

[@donaldnelson8764]

Hey Chris, for what it is worth, I have been playing guitar for 62 years and I have been playing through two amps, most of the time, since the mid 70's. For the last 8 to 10 years it's been a combination of Fenders, Dr Z and Carr amps. The Fenders are '67 Super Reverb, Vibrolux Reverb, Deluxe Reverb and Princeton Reverb depending on venue size. I almost always use a Fender with one of the other two brands for the same reasons that you discussed. The great thing about pairing a Fender amp is the diversity of power and speaker combinations. If you can find one, a vintage 2x12, 45 watt, Pro Reverb should give you what you need.

[@TheDankCat127]

Unrelated to the video but I just gotta say, I remember seeing a video of yours years ago on the King of Tone pedal and being so impressed with your playing and sense of melody and feel with your licks. Years later I started seeing Cardinal Black stuff pop up on my social media feed and thinking “hey, there’s that awesome guy from KZbin!” Glad to see you gaining more success and recognition, Chris.

[@FJB-NOW]

Generally the Pro Reverb was my preferred sound but one passage on the Vibrolux had a very nice chime.

[@seanemmettfullerton]

Yes, i thought so too... for Chris' soloing, that Pro amp seems to delivery a rich soulful sound, like a female blues singer. Michael Landau and Buzz Feiten used to swear by Pro amps :)

[@smelltheglove2038]

I absolutely love my drip edge vibrolux. It’s not as expensive as the other more popular vintage drip edge amps. It’s my perfect amp.

[@seanemmettfullerton]

@@smelltheglove2038 I hear you... it's articulate and powerful. How did you discover it? Did you rent one or know someone who had one?

[@smelltheglove2038]

@@seanemmettfullerton I went into my local shop, they had a blackface Princeton upstairs that I wanted. The vibrolux just came in and was sitting at the bottom of the stairs. I tried it loved it and bought it. Serendipity maybe?

[@seanemmettfullerton]

@@smelltheglove2038 Awesome! Either way, you'd have something nice :) I'm just now realizing what the AB763 tone stack is... that shimmer sound was quite a game changer.

[@Joeyd123abc2]

I personally think it's worth playing around with speakers in the Pro Reverb before changing amp all together. The predicament you are in sounds similar to mine, I found a nice Jensen sorted it out and brought back a bit of that bite instead of the creamback bark.

[@davidkeane2399]

Absolutely agree. Changing from Celestion to Eminence didn't quite do it for me. Then I put 2 25w rated Jensons in a 2x12 cab and found everything I was looking for. Game changer, and a relatively cheap one at that.

[@Joeyd123abc2]

@@davidkeane2399 which Eminence did you go for?

[@ezyrider556]

The Vibrolux is my absolute favorite amp. Sadly sold mine and have been kicking myself since. I have a Deluxe Reverb now and think of trading or selling for a Vibrolux.

[@seanemmettfullerton]

Awesome, as always... well, first of all :) Peter Frampton's sound ALWAYS has a way of making other guitarists on stage sound smaller and less present :) It's uncanny... and like others have said, experimenting with speaker types and brands may get you closer to your ideal, because the Pro Reverb has given you everything you needed until this last experience. Best wishes :)

[@GitShiddy]

I'd be intrigued (if I were you) to test pairings. Pro/Copper vs Vibro/Copper vs Pro/Vibro the last one of which may be surprisingly good, or surprisingly same-y. Might also be worth trying the Pro through a 2x10 or 1x10 to see if the speakers bring that top out of the Pro. (*note I am a 10' speaker fan, so biased.)

[@adamcorvinelli]

Never in a million years thought I would like 10's until I was chasing Jeff Buckley tones and now my Vibrolux is the only amp I use to record cleans. They can obviously reach Hendrix territory too with the right speaker choice to provide enough headroom since Bassmans have 4 so a 2x10 might require higher efficiency models to prevent fuzz from becoming fizz but that's about it. I'm using 10" Celestion V's like the pair that were in the Blackstar Artist 30 which you inspired me to buy long ago haha they seem to handle any dirt well. Welcome to the club!

[@markroylance1584]

Hi Chris! I had a Fender Prosonic about 25 years ago. It had 2 10'' speakers and it was ferociously loud... Great drive channel with 2 drive knobs and a lovely twin reverb sound. Changed my mind about speaker sizes! Happy Crimble!

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Thanks for a very informative video. I wish I could enjoy the nuances in the variations. I’m nearly deaf so most amps sound the same to me. What I can hear is the style and attack. I love your style. Merry Christmas to you and your family and Band.

[@benjohnson1665]

Awesome context on how the amps pair with one another. Amazing playing as always. I would bet that the Magnatone Twilighter or Twilighter Stereo would pair nicely with the Cooper. Of course that beautiful pitch shifting vibrato would be a nice touch at times but I’m partial obviously lol. Thanks for always inspiring Mr. Buck. My brother and I are huge fans of your work! Reaching out from South Louisiana btw✌️

[@paulvsmith]

Really enjoyed the playing here. You make less more. And then when there is more, it's more of less being more, which is great.

[@paulvsmith]

@chris___buck Reported.

[@tacmason]

I Love Seeing and hearing your Music struggles Brother- Promise your self to record everything you can in these early years-you never know - How far you will go ! Good luck !~

[@tomjansen3432]

Dear Chris, I think with such great feel, control and intonation like yours, you would really benefit from an amp that has more headroom and "size" for the lack of better terms. I would really love to hear you in the same context with a nicely dimed Two-Rock Bloomfield Drive e.g. and see if that sounds more open and lively. Also give those newer Stereo Magnatones a try... the Twilighter for example.

[@brandonlash3629]

Did you happen to discuss the tone you are chasing with Frampton or his techs? Not that you aren’t seasoned, but they have been around the block in every size venue imaginable. I haven’t heard you live from America, but your tone choices seem impeccable and you sound like Chris Buck with any piece of equipment I have heard you play through.

[@greatscottvoicemedia8651]

Dude your singer is smokin’! Love your tone during that solo as well. Nice!

[@rschelyoung8705]

Always been a fender guy but after bad times with light but odd sounding super reverb tone master I swapped with a mate for a Mesa Transatlantic 30. Amazing amp. Totally nice cleans in a tweed way and actually quite lightweight. They don't make it anymore (not metal enough (at all) for their core market. Strongly recommended. I'm 56 and have tried everything..

[@daveshepard9154]

Great video. Also, WOW, the Vibrolux sounds amazing: more character down quiet, quite a bit more presence cranked up.

[@ac81017]

I've always struggled with ten inch drivers. I'm always found that a 12 inch is more fully voiced and more dynamic. I've always used to amps (peavey classic 60 and vox ac15hw1x) had the best of both worlds from peavey big sound and drove and the vox to brighten up the sound. I've now sold both amps and I'm going to buy my dream amp, a magnatone 2x12 twilighter stereo.

[@andresgaron]

The Anderson’s Session sounds amazing. Cheers.

[@DavidMartin-mf5jm]

More clarity in the Vibrolux to my ears. Very nice tone. I had a Blues Deville with a 4x10” config…lovely amp but silly loud for anything other than a large auditorium!

[@ryangunwitch-black]

Dude. That playing at the beginning! Love it.

[@-plexico-]

Chris, greetings from LA. Kudos for your tour with Mr. Frampton! Come see us in the US! Happy Holidays.

[@Shaunquirk89]

Have you thought about changing the speaker? The Creamback M totally lacks top end so try the Creamback H The Alnico Cream is also pretty magical

[@steveburroughs7343]

Well, I’ve had Deluxes (silver & black face), a ProReverb, and a Vibrolux. I liked them all but the Pro was the most satisfying to play. However I’m now using Two Rocks for bigger shows because they hold together better at volume - you should check one out. As far as my Fender journey is concerned, I’ve ended up with 2 Princetons with Celestion G10 gold speakers, to my ears perfect for smaller gigs, but nowhere near big enough for your needs Chris.

[@MrPolevaulter]

You play some seriously good stuff man 👍

[@daniellarson3068]

There is the value of good teaching.

[@cliftontorrence839]

hey Chris, love your work and the new band, thanks too much. here in the states the various incarnations of the 2x10 fender style amps have always been popular. fender's own original vibrolux has often headed the list. 60's blackface are coveted and usually well maintained. both in the 2x10 and thee 1x15 formats. SRV and Cesar Diaz said the '64 1x15" shipped with a grey service cord was the holy grail of 'em all. I have had older and newer vibrolux amps and they were pretty amazing and useful. fender sweet yet still punchy. these days i still have a 2x10 in my life. 50w handmade from the nederlands called 'koch'. designed by phenom player greg koch and built by koch as a classic design, superb vintage tone, loaded w/ features, and not too heavy to work with. comes with a 5 button switching floor panel. not cheap. truly inspiring. i recommend you find one in your travels and stretch it out. cheers bro, pick on !

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

Could not agree more exploring different speaker configrations may be extremely interesting. There are a handful of 15" speakers that are really sweet, and quite some really good 10". BTW, the Greg Koch signature amp uses 2 Jensen Falcon 10" (C10-40FA)...

[@petestewart2701]

Weird... I have it the other way around! For me the Vibrolux has a mid hump that does what you seem to want from the Victory. The Pro Reverb is nice, with a bigger low end and more obvious highs - ie scooped - but I'll bet the Vibrolux works really well in a mix

[@gratefulphred]

i also prefer the mids on the vibrolux. It certainly has more top end, smaller bottom end…. but to say it’s more scooped kinda threw me for a loop.

[@tapilaha]

if you like the amps, what if you experiment with other speakers.. put a celestion v30 in the pro reverb, and maybe a celestion gold in the vox-like amp? the v30 midrange will get you heard in a band mix, and the gold (high wattage alnico) can add that chimey goodness

[@TheFlutecart]

The speakers in the amps make a big diff. I put some Jensen Falcons in my 2x10 cabinet to replace the no name speakers and it came to life like magic, love those Jensen speakers. I use a 1x15 cabinet as well, it had some old vintage organ speaker in it, sounded great, but the speaker wore out several years later, started making scraping sounds, , weird eh? Perhaps the 50 watts of tube power did it in? I put in an Eminence Beta 15 and I'm not really happy with it. Might have the old one re-coned or try another. It's all touchy stuff getting the rig right. Love your tone dude, killer playing! Come to Austin Texas, you guys would be a hit. I'd come see you play.

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

Good taste... the Jensen Falcon 10" are used by the mighty great Greg Koch... and he knows a thing or two, right?

[@howard5508]

The Vibrolux seems to have a bit more of a fuller sound. The Pro seems to be a bit thinner.

[@bedroomstudios205]

I’ve found that using two amps at once can create great tones that fill rooms with rich harmonics. A vibrolux paired with a jcm900 for instance.

[@northmanlogging2769]

I've been a proponent of the 2 different amps thing for years, it just makes things sound way huge and full of depth. Currently its a dreaded red knob Fender super 210, and a Mesa Boogie DC-5 the fender is 2x10 and the mesa a single 12, together they cover a plethora of tones, I'll run them through an AB-Y peddle and switch back and forth from both to either individual... that an overdrive, wah, and a tuner... cover nearly every tone I'll ever need.

[@stefanodelstef7988]

Hard to tell what's the problem even with my studio monitors due to the compression of KZbin. I do compensate a little bit with a BB Preamp from Exotic effects and have multiple Fender amps (vintage and reissues). I did also try the Helix LT and found that there was presence missing and same with a TC Electronics G-System IB. Hope you find the answer! Cheers!

[@lightsjohnson8253]

I was in the same dilemma as you are having. I bought a vibrolux and swapped out for 2 celestrians. Paired with a super reverb, the tone is wider across the spectrum. Bright with mid-range, very articulate.

[@chuckfarley7642]

Chris. Whatever problem you are having with your Pro Reverb, we aren't hearing it. You are a wonderfully talented player, have a great band, and are climbing your way to stardom. Quit worrying about your gear and enjoy the ride!!! The greatest still-living guitar God plays arenas with a 25W bandmaster, one strat, and a wah pedal these days. I found this to be a sobering lesson in gear.

[@DBMorris]

Who's that?

[@chuckfarley7642]

@@DBMorris Clapton

[@DBMorris]

@@chuckfarley7642 I knew he didn't run through much. But I didn't know what amp he was using. Thanks 👍🏼

[@narglefargle]

I dig the Vibrolux. That being said, I'm of the mind that the speaker matters way more than the amp, so I would change the speaker before I change the amp. That being said, you're a skilled enough player that even if you plug into a Gorilla, you'd probably sound fantastic. I wouldn't worry too much.

[@smelltheglove2038]

My old man had a tiny gorilla in the 80s. He played his Les Paul custom through it. To be fair, he was in The navy and we were in Hawaii at the time and moving around the world from Germany, Scotland to Hawaii with his old Marshall stack and plexi that I saw in pictures wasn’t reasonable lug around the world along with three small kids and all the crap that went along with us.

[@randyhughes4049]

In the 80s I worked for a guy that was a distributor for gorilla amps. I got a gg60. The largest one they made. 10" speaker. I've had it since then. I take it to rehearsals. I get more compliments on that amp.

[@awolk]

There's some kind of phenomenon with amps in ultra loud settings, where the more harmonic amps like the Vibrolux actually perform better. I just sold a 64 Showman (best sounding amp I've ever had) for a 76 Princeton (more tame but suits what i'm doing) because of the inverse problem you have. Thanks Chris! PS. You sound incredible in all the clips.

[@yinoveryang4246]

Thats a good point, I dont think anything, including the volume switches on the guitar, especially those, are intended to be used at 11

[@funhousebaby3104]

"were intended to be used at 11" and thank the almighty gods that people had/have the instinct to turn it all the way up or rock and roll would never have happened!

[@barkeater9606]

SRV used a Fender Vibrolux amp with EV speakers for awhile. Try different speakers, they can make a huge difference. Or just get a late 50’s Fender high watt tweed twin. IMO, the best amp Fender ever made, but Joe Bonamassa might have bought them all. 👍

[@mrcoatsworth429]

The speaker makes the biggest difference in the whole signal chain.

[@JeffSmithbureau13]

Agree, I think different speakers are likely more impactful than a different amp.

[@markio5830]

All the Fender amps sounded amazing, the Pro Reverb was the sweetest to my ears, it was just warmer sounding, I would love the vibrulux though! I didn’t like the Vctory which sounded too fizzy for me, I expected a better from this brand, especially when compared to the Pro which blew it away. On a slightly different notes Chris, would you mind sharing what strings you use? I am sure lots of us would love to know this, thanks and keep up the great videos!

[@michaelgriffin5304]

Amps that fly under the radar are Rivera amps. Essentially all of the Fender goodness you want with extra mods. I have a Clubster Royale Recording Top and it is absolutely nuts. I have it stocked with NOS tubes and it is magical.

[@OilCanHarry2U]

About Rivera amps…True.

[@ianglencross]

Thanks Chris, this was a great look into what's happening in your world. You are right, the Vibrolux may be a better option. I've really only used 12" cabs myself, except for a brief experiment with a 15" about 20 years ago. I've thought of switching my fender devillle 212 to the 410, but after seeing how it effects your tone ... maybe next year ,,, maybe

[@Thirsty_Deer_Studio]

Chris I have a vintage Drip Edge (67/68) Twin Reverb with one JBL and one stock speaker. I think that would be the perfect amp for what you need. Even a reissue might be something to check out. But It is good to hear you like the originals better. Mine definitely has something special.

[@michaelshearer3559]

You really can't beat a Twin Reverb for live gigs. There is a reason Jerry Garcia and countless others relied on them.

[@coreymcdonald6306]

I've played an old marshall 4x10 (72 or 73 18 watt green backs x4) for years and love it.

[@cortmiller]

A lot of these differences to some degree can be dramatically altered through speaker selections. I have had two vintage vibroluxe reverbs (64 and 65) and both had original oxfords and got new Weber f150s which made a huge improvement (to me) but at least a really big difference in sound. They both sounded different from each other (both had really different reverb sounds) but the speaker changed things a lot. I also have two vintage deluxe reverbs (67 and 66) and have run a bunch of speakers through those and they can all change with the speaker. The best I have found for those were a 55hz heritage g12h30 in one and a eminence sc64 in the other. Both still have their bright caps.

[@christianstevens9804]

Those 2- 10” speakers in the vibrolux are having a big impact on the frequency response. I like it. What about a super reverb matched with the victory? A bit more head room without adding too much weight considering the purpose of the rig.

[@theguitarelectric5218]

Have you thought about a Bassman 59 reissue as a second amp in your setup? 4) 10” speakers , 45 watts . Very nice.

[@glennbeeler3312]

the vibrolux is a deluxe reverb circuit with a different output transformer and speaker compliment. if that helps.

[@pierheadjump]

⚓️ Thanks Chris 😎

[@tacmason]

I do have a pair of Jenson Neo 12's in an open back that I Like- Tens are great, and very even, but they do wear out quicker than Twelves !

[@richardnish6469]

I've had my Black Panel Vibrolux Reverb since 1975 , used. I like the projection of the 2 10" speakers. I pair it with my Bassman and it fills a room a cuts through.. Gregor Hilden has a channel. where he plays a lot of different guitars and mostly uses a Vibrolux for a good balanced tone.

[@Telorchid]

I’m curious how mixing in a Hiwatt style might suit you. 12 inch Fanes or Celestiom Creambacks in the cab. Get more upper mids with fullness but not flubby.

[@robertyboberty]

The Pro Reverb reissue comes with a Neo Creamback. You could pop a Jensen in there for more Fender chime

[@paulmatulevich3623]

I have that amp and love it, I was surprised it never quite caught on! My one gripe was the speakers washing out too soon, so with that taken care of I think it'll be great!! Little low headroom maybe? But running nice and bright with a bit of the trem running over that Copper and I'm sure it'll be magic!!

[@arottie4097]

Curious, what do you mean the speakers washing out too soon?

[@paulmatulevich3623]

@@arottie4097 just that they would fart out when you drove them a bit, they started to become indistinct when driven

[@mad24r45]

I converted my Super Sonic 60 from 1x12 to 2x10 Jensen (it has a Vibrolux'ish preamp stage) and it's night and day. Think dynamics besides tone also, it's just a tighter impuls response, I can only imagine a player of your caliber liking it because of it's immediacy. Great projection and cut aswell. And it's way lighter, not sure you're carrying your cabs yourself still, in the case of doubt the crew will also like them :)

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

Super interesting! May I ask which speakers have you chosen?

[@mad24r45]

@@JensenSpeakersVideos well, given your name I think you rightfully can :) 2 x P10R 8Ω wired in series, the obvious choice. Bit of a mismatch with the 60W poweramp, but no issues there for years.

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

@@mad24r45 awesome :) Thanks!

[@GazP23]

I think most of us would kill to have an amp crisis that sounds as good as that! It’ll be interesting to see (hear) how the Vibrolux sounds at The Patriot. Last time you were there with B&E in June you had a Shotmaker, that sounded pretty sweet, any word on that? All the best for the shows this weekend, sadly I can’t make it to either!!

[@bubs42]

@ChrisBuckGuitar I love the sound of 10’s and 12’s together. You get the cut and clarity from 10’s and the 12” acts like a subwoofer filling out the sound. Have you thought about running a 2x10 Fender Ext Cab off of the Pro Reverb? Think of it like listening to a Soundbar on a TV without a Subwoofer, then adding a Subwoofer and wondering how you ever lived without it. I think your a fabulous and tasteful guitar player and your journey to refine your tone to compliment your playing is a joy to watch.

[@adamodeluca9202]

Great Chris!!! Nothing Is casual !! 🤟🤟🤟🤟🎸🎸🎸🎸👏👏👏👏🤗from Italy 🇮🇹👋

[@danielbertola7868]

Quad Cortex from the current offerings is the answer. Sound, touch, and user interface are currently top of the heap.

[@Gayden9090]

It all depends on the setting. If you are in a small club a small p. A. And really only vocals going through it. You kinda need a real amp. Playing at a church or any place where they do silent stage or you have to travel light then a helix, kemper, quad cortex is definitely handy. If I was recording I’d definitely want the real thing to play through. And to those trashing the modeling profilers, those things get you %95 of the way there. They are really good at mimicking a mic’d amp. Especially the new universal audio pedals.

[@CarlyonProduction]

This is great content though, Chris! It’s interesting to get insight into your journey, with the various comparisons! If your hooked on that fender sound, have you tried the brown panel amps? The brown vibro would have a touch more midrange (also has the gorgeous harmonic trem) If I were trying to find an American sounding amp for your rig I would try a ‘Z master’ which is based on a tweed band master. You could put the Jensen p10s in if they float your boat. It depends how much dirt you like to get from the amp too. For me that’s always the challenge - getting an amp with the right power so that you can run it hot enough without it taking your head off. The matchless laurel canyon is a stunning amp in the black deluxe realm. They aren’t cheap, but then neither are original black panel amps!!

[@larrydavis3573]

Have you tried the 68-custom deluxe re issue or the Supersonic. I have always liked 10-inch speakers for guitar from a one 10 combo for recording to a 2 or four speaker cab or combo such as the Super Reverb. Peace Chris!

[@drewjared9551]

Hey Chris, I used to work at Fender as an amp engineer, and I agree with other feedback that the speakers are a very important part of the overall sound. I sat a couple of offices down from the guy who worked on Pete Townshend's amps and might be able to put you in touch with him if you're interested... let me know.

[@jimmyjimmy951]

Well, I like the Vibrolux.. I would like you to try the Tone Masters Amps just for a sanity check..👍🇦🇺

[@brummythebrit1899]

I had 70's Vibrolux for a while and found it sadly lacking till I paired it with a 60's Marshall 50 head & 2x12 cab with 12" McKenzie spks which gave me the full spectrum of sound I was looking for.

[@funhousebaby3104]

Vibrolux all day for that! Pairs incredibly well with anything. Got mine as a wet amp, still pushed. Clear, vibrant and immediate. Many people have done speaker swaps just to put the cheaper originals back in, Fender hit it out the park with that one man!

[@colejustesen]

The Vibrolux pushed to tilt will be sweet! I don't think you will be disappointed on the stage with it. I am not familiar with the P10R, but I love the P12Qs. They work great to balance out the low mids with my Budda Superdrive V40.

[@treforroberts3046]

I'm a big Victory fan and use my V50 clean through a V212 cab. Masses of headroom on the clean channel and sounds great at virtually all settings above 20% master output. The signal through the setup is very neutral with little colouration of the guitars natural sound (Albert Lee MM90). Not a fan of the Copper though. It seems to colour the signal more than an AC30 to my ears. As others have mentioned I think headroom is crucial for somebody who uses the amp relatively clean (as I believe Chris does). I set the preamp to get the right tone and adjust the master to get the correct "loudness" for the stage size. Something you can't do with a smaller wattage amp as the output stage when driven hard will massively affect the tone. Great for those who like OD from the amp but not good for those who want a clean platform.

[@jrotondi]

Hello Chris. Big fan of yours, over here in the US. Congrats to you and the band on your tour with the legendary Peter Frampton. I’m wondering if you have tried a Fender Vibro-King? I saw Pete Townshend at VH1 Rock Honors The Who, and his sound using Vibro-Kings was amazing! His amp sound blew away that of all the major warm-up acts that preceded them. Thanks for doing Friday Fretworks. Cheers!

[@gben2457]

You would sound great though any amp. Have you checked out Swart Amps out of North Carolina? Just bought an STR used on the Reverb site. Arriving next week... can't wait.

[@robertlewis8024]

I've always preferred playing 12s, but 10 inch speakers seem to have something in live and loud situations.

[@Stboser]

Pretty sure that vibrolux reissue has a modified Bassman circuit in the first channel that you can use the reverb and trem with too but I might be wrong. Loved the 2x10 sound personally!

[@less_concerned1221]

Sometimes it’s a speaker choice. If you have friends with a lot of speakers, try different ones with your Pro. For example, I have two ‘66 Princetons. I changed the baffle and put a 12” Celestion Creamback in one. I can always change it back, but it changed that amp in some really positive ways!

[@mikehedrick8675]

Bought a new VibroLux in 1977. Loved the sound and perfect breakup but couldnt keep up with higher watt amps needed in those days for live gigs. Traded for a Twin...should have kept it.

[@jasonmyers3847]

Sounds superb to me. I wouldn't change a thing.

[@seanparker7415]

The vibrolux brings out the snarl of the p90s in a way that the other doesn't - the pro reverb is a little thin or brittle in comparison when clean too.

[@BigIronTexas]

holy shit, that guitar is beautiful

[@doctorvmusic]

My two stage amps are the Fender 68 reissue Vibrolux and a Marshall studio plexi. You will absolutely love the Vibrolux, I certainly love mine for punchy Fender cleans; the only downside is it’s is fairly low wattage and breaks up way to easy at higher volumes

[@markthespark6240]

I've been gigging the Mesa Lonestar head with matching 4 x 10 Jenson cab for almost 15 years. Much prefer the 4 x 10 as compared to the 2 x 12 cab with Vintage 30's which I also still own because I couldn't bring myself to sell the matching cabs. Looks impressive with both stacked up in our practice room!! You've got roadies now!!!!! Get a 4 x 10!!!!

[@JensenSpeakersVideos]

FYI, the speakers you have in the Mesa 4x10 are the Jensen P10R "Vintage Reissue", slightly brighter and tighter than the P10R - Fender version that Chris has in his Vibrolux :)

[@glenlarkin7886]

I have a pro reverb and (counter intuitive as it sounds) if you turn the mids right down to 2-3 that top end comes back and you cut the mix just fine...not I also have the bright switch on for gigs. I am considering switching out the neo speaker. Mics up fine and is great to make it portable but im sure it's the weakest link. I pair mine with a Vox AC similar to Chris (but its a budget AC15) and my ears struggle to tell a marked difference in a live setting when played together. In conclusion, drop the mids to 2/3, drop some bass out 3/4 and trebble up on 6/7. Investigate the neo speaker and keep the copper paired with it.

[@randy206]

The Les Paul is the right guitar for you. You always sound your best when I see you playing an LP and you seem to be the most comfortable playing it. The music that pours out of you when you're playing an LP is perfect. And the punch,smack,slap,kiss,smooch,brash, whatever word you want to use there, of the upper mids is kind of your signature and if you were to add too much brightness it would take away from the sound that I identify as, "oh that's Chris Buck."

[@MtechMusic1]

That live at Andertons solo blows my mind every time I watch it. I challenge you to do a video breaking that down, what you reckon Chris? haha .. Awesome job on 'January Came Close', great record👍

[@nevillecragg9066]

I think the Vibrolux is going to cut more, the Victory sounded choked when isolated live to me. Your tone is warm. It’s great, but maybe you need to get it cutting through more to be happy with perceived volume.

[@virgilgiordano4582]

I use a 1988 red knob fender" the twin "to do that its a clean amp and a dirty amp in one that you blend and it has a bunch of push pull knobs .it's loud AF I only use it if I'm playing with a drummer. I also have a black face twin reverb 68 reissue for the living room

[@bartvschuylenburg]

Have you concidered putting an Eminence Swamp Thang or a WGS G12A in your Pro Reverb for better brightness? The stock Celestion Creamback a British voiced dark and midsey sounding speaker while Fender amps to my taste work better with American voiced speakers.

[@karst41]

Chris Try a Oxford 12T 6 speaker in the Pro reverb. a Celestion G12 65 with the 444 cones might be too bright but the 1771 cone could resolve. cheers

[@SlowfingerJC]

Shwmae Chris, The Twin Reverb is the ultimate monster. You just need to tame it before you can get the sound you need and a crane to get it on the stage. The Twin Reverb has an ultra linear output which tidies up the quality of the output signal to essentially hi-fi level. I have the 135 watt version ... tidy!

[@davidkeane2399]

Chris, have you considered or even tried different speakers for the Reverb ? Maybe even a 1x12 extension cab ?? I've got a pair of 25w Jensens in a straight 2x12 cab under my 20w Marshall head, and it does wonders for my presence in the mix. I had an Eminence loaded 1x12 that didn't quite cut the mustard despite the speaker being more powerful and having a higher dB rating. Just a thought, as you can't underestimate the importance of the feel you have with the current amp. Definitely think the vibrolux is going to sound good in a live context with the Copper

[@picksalot1]

I preferred the clarity and overall tone of the Pro Reverb. The mids on the Vibrolux were crunchy, causing a muddled sound on chords. Each could be the perfect tone depending on the tune and part being played. Modelers can easily remove the problems of trying to select which Amp is best in a particular context. Some guitarists use a Cab with two different types of Speakers to fill out the tonal spectrum.

[@benweekes2797]

For what it’s worth I tried a Vibrolux about a month ago and while it was ‘nice’, it didn’t scream “buy me” or inspire me personally. It may not have helped that I tried the ‘64 reissue Vibroverb immediately after which took me to another place and is now sat in my home.

[@jeanlucbergeron3106]

My personal view is 2 complementary amps with distinct character and different speakers. I use a twin reverb ( 2 tight 12" C12K Jensen speakers 4 ohms ) and a CS Vibro king ( 3 soft Jensen P10R 10" speakers for 2 ohms ). Works wonder :)