@@UncleDougevery video is a joy and I’m sure I speak for everyone else watching when I say that. The wealth of knowledge that you have shared and continue to share with all of us gearheads is more appreciated than you’ll ever know. Thank you my friend!
I'm 91, and my memories let me down some times. But I DO believe I bought one of those Fender Amps. Yes I DO believe it. Wow! Sadly, it didn't give the tone; that I needed for my Fender 400 Pedal Steel Guitar. So I sold it and bought a Fender Twin Amp. For what it's worth. Thanks for your making this video. For I was an electronic technician (and Instructor) for RCA, for 33 yrs and 12 yrs I was a sub for Co's. Before I retired. So, to make a little more money; I repaired musical instruments and Amps at nights. And I had ALL the Schematics of Fender. But, I like a jackass, threw them away when I retired. Wow does that bring tears nostalgia. Thanks again kind Sir.
good choice iv used a reissue vibrverb 2 of them a new one and a used one my second one howled needed to put new caps in and it was ok then play steel myselfhave used Twin reverb 2 of them
Thanks, Alexis. These long videos take forever to produce and to watch, but there is so much information to convey that they simply require an hour or more to do so. I'm glad you enjoy them.
@@UncleDoug on the georgia election interference case: if this legal tangle has anything to do with Obama's getting away with genocide, then i am not happy about it. i am not saying their conduct was exemplary, i just know that they are just people in context to a much more complicated world than the media has any ability to convey. and where OBVOUSLY Wisconsin suffers Horrendous Election Year swing state Influx up from chicago, Notably marked by sharp increases in traffic fatalities, violence, cases of frostbite, "overdose", and preliminary voting year pressure on residents to flee certain voting districts. ( all of which was dissipated into a frenzy of media convolution, leaving us now with only the definitive court actions against the georgia interference ) as i said, i am non-partisan issues based .... and The Issue is the swing state election year influx that comes pounding into wisconsin causing all manner of horrors. Could I Vote For That To Stop ??? and if i could, i know my concerns would only be disregarded by that greater problem at hand.....that's the problem, it always has been. i am quite familiar with the political dynamics in wisconsin. and it all has to do with one seemingly simple thing, and that is africa's ability to continuously pull illegally obtained shiploads of food out of the heartland, at rates that will soon have us all starving to death.
What a great tutorial of, "on the job engineering," by Leo on brownface to blackface Vibroverb evolution. Uncle Doug you really brought this one back to tip top shape in sound and performance.
I use to go to blues shows as a kid in the late 80’s with my dad. I heard a guy playing one of the originals and sounded fantastic. I worked my tail off to buy the reissue when they came out in the 90’s. Still have it too.
Sure miss learning from your electrical mastery, seeing the awesome equipment and the great dry humor! Hope all is well with you and yours ,keep em coming Uncle Doug .
Always happy to see a new Uncle Doug video come up in my feed! Well done sir, that amp sounded really great! Nice amp history lesson as well. Thank you!
I'm thinking an Uncle Doug repair didn't take any value away from this app. It's a documented repair on UA-cam too. Value added Uncle Doug repair on his UA-cam channel.
I have absolutely no knowledge on amp history other than what I learn here but you can see almost instantly why this amp is so revered and sought after. It's a work of art in engineering.
Actually... its revered for it's rarity and mystique. It was NOT well engineered and that's why they only made a few. Back in its day. there were likely a bunch of ticked-off owners who where not impressed with their purchase and so Fender killed the product and reengineered it.
The body of work you are leaving here on UA-cam is just out of this world! The depth of your knowledge plus the well experienced understanding you have on audience attention and possible wondering and needs for connections is mesmerizing. What I've gained from watching your videos in the last couple of months is way beyond my pay check. And you are funny and entertaining as hell! Wish I could support this channel with more than words. Until then, I will leave you with a big, single ended thank you.
Doug, another informative entertaining video, thanks for tremolo circuit mini-lecture, the gun-blue coloring tip and the bypass switch circuit rework. All valuable tips. When the owner sells this gem, adding "Recently serviced by Uncle Doug" should fetch at least a $5K rider. Thanks from Colorado.
It's always a good day when there's an Uncle Doug video. I shall make myself an enormous mug of industrial strength coffee, park myself in front of the computer and enjoy the show.
What a timely video. A good friend of mine was just given a 1963 Vibroverb that had belonged to the guitarist from Australian rock band Dragon who sadly passed away last year. I wish I could attach a picture of it here, but suffice to say it is beautifully roadworn. If you think how rare an amp it is in the USA think about a factory export model with 240v transformer. Thanks Uncle Doug, you are a treasure to the worldwide amplifier community. Best from way down under M
That is a beaut and it sounds amazing after your refresh of it. The mods seem fine to me, and I am happy to hear this will be used and not just collected. So cool. Thanks for sharing as always.
I was thrilled to see another repair of yours uploaded, and what a treat with this gem. If only you could play as well as your pets.... thanks, Uncle Doug!
Saw the Music City Playboys in Nashville at the music city bar and grill yesterday. Guitarist had a tele jacked into a silverface Vibrolux. What a SOUND, pure bliss. Proof that what folks like you do still lands in the hands of worthy musicians.
Thanks for sharing his with us, Glenn. I too have enjoyed the music at that bar and was astounded by the sheer number of fabulous musicians in Nashville. We're glad to help any time we can :)
Hiya Uncle Doug. I haven't commented on any videos lately but it's not because I haven't watched. I watch and hit the like button every single time. As I've mentioned a couple of times before, I find your video style to be extremely watchable and informative. Your voice over narration is easy to listen to and your teaching style is conversational and engaging. All in all it makes for yet another outstanding Uncle Doug video. Thanks for sharing sir.
I learn something new every time with these vids. Great job as ever. A lot of these older amps seem to have a smoother tone (if thats even a thing) than modern ones that sound a bit harsh.
This was a rare one. Thanks for the knowledge ! I realise that after two years or so watching to your videos, I can now understand pretty quickly everything that you’re talking about. So thank you again, and I’m looking forward to the next Rusty’s workshop show 😉
It’s always a great day when I see a new video from Uncle Doug. Love your videos, love your channel, love you. UA-cam creates a strange dynamic, although you don’t know me or most of your viewers, I’m sure many will agree that you are like family to us. Thank you for all you do Uncle Doug.
Thanks so much for the very nice comments, JJ. Part of why I chose the "Uncle" part of my name is to foster a feeling of family.....which I really enjoy.
I just realized after watching that there wasn’t anything in this video that went over my head as far as what you did here. I gained a basic understanding of tube amps and their workings through osmosis by watching your channel for so long lol!
Uncle Doug. This one seems to be a real jewel. What a delight that the owner was happy to let you bring it back to its former life, rather than turn it into a museum piece. I reckon once it left your hands it was as good as new and perhaps even slightly better... Interesting that you didn't "stuff" the capacitors but instead left them so they could be put back, this is probably a more honest restoration. Thank you for what you do, and how you do it with such care and dedication.
Beautiful amp, and beautiful work as always Uncle Doug! I appreciate the fact the owner is not precious about the originality.. I revere these old amps as much as anyone, but I can't get behind the outrageous prices they fetch.. The museums can have the amps that were never touched, but these amps were made to sing out there in the wild. Thank you for honoring the work and intent of the good folks in Fullerton and keeping these things alive - maybe someday the young cats like me can enjoy these things again!
I built a '63 6G16 circuit Vibroverb clone in a Deluxe Reverb sized chassis, 12 years ago, Same number of controls & 11/16" smaller than the VV chassis. I used the AB763 power section & bias pot / grid resistors. What a great sounding amp, live & recording, I really like the taped treble controls, the thicker tremolo & the warmer reverb, more chime & sparkle, warmth & nice overdrive. I finally removed the Deluxe Reverb faceplate tonight & installed a brownface Vibroverb style replacement that that fits the chassis. Cheers Uncle Doug, from London England.
Every video you put out i always think its the nest one ever! But truth is Uncle Doug every time you share, educate, an entertain us its the best ever. Thank you so much for all you do.
Absolutely amazing! I had a chance to play one about 10-15 years back though a friend of a friend and was told it was a reissue. It was for sale(cheap)but I realized pretty soon it was the real deal. Didn’t feel right to not let the seller know. Talk about the one that got away. I’m glad you gave this amp the glory again so that owner can create some new memories. Great job!
UD is a great teacher and has the gift at making a pretty dry subject interesting. And just plane good content covering the important aspects of these circuits.
Uncle Doug, I'm such a happy novice electronics hobbyist(at 64 y.o.:P) to have found your channel.Thanks so much for sharing these awesome amplifiers, and your great humor and knowledge and skill! I found Psionic audiofirat on UA-cam then Colleen Fazio and thanks to Colleen --you, after I began trying to figure out how I might work on my music rig. I Have a guitar guru (Daves world of fun stuff)and now with Uncle Doug I have my amp guru)...I am taking it slow, starting with learning the components and building a guitar pedal to sharpen my soldering skills. But hopefully in a few months I will feel confident pulling my DRRI chassis and fixing some noise issues!
Thanks so much for this interesting clip. I had the great privilege of using one of these in South Africa on a recording we made in 1966/7. I loved it and really wish I had one now. Great amplifier!
Uncle Doug, you are the man! This is truly an incredible video. To be straightforward, I am more impressed with your knowledge and technical skills than I am with the amp itself. The amp may be worth $20,000, but a man who knows what he is doing is priceless! Are you, by any chance, located anywhere near Southern California? If you are, I want you to work on my amps when the need arises. Thanks again for a superb video!
The tube tester did not catch the 6L6 worn out tubes. I'm glad because it shows how using a tube tester is not the final judge of tube function. As we see here, the low power test will not find problems that show under real world power conditions. This can confuse beginning amp techs. Tubes are not 'tested' until pushed hard in circuit. Same goes for micro phonic tubes.
Good observation, CA, and one I failed to mention in the video. Yes, time and again, tubes that test OK on an emission tester are not worth a darn in a functioning circuit.
Wow! What a great video this one is. I very much appreciate your schematic explanation and analysis. The comparison with the '64 blackface version is fascinating. You implemented a respectful and objective balance of restoring this historic amplifier, A proper vintage output transformer is so important I am amazed at how good it ended up sounding! One of your best videos
thankyou uncle doug ! thoroughly enjoyed your video as always, another example of flawless applied logic as befits the occasion, and the resultant aural demonstration was sheer bliss ! an oasis of sanity in a world gone seemingly bat guano bonkers 👍🎯🎶
Always a great day when I see a new video from you. This amp is beautiful, The fact that someone sent it to you for repair speaks volumes about the confidence and trust they have in you, and rightfully so. Thanks again.
I have actually discussed the difference between the Brown-face and Black-face amps with my dog, Josh, and his tail never stops wagging! Thanks for that tip!
It's 3am here in Brisbane and I'll watch this on the big TV later because I know it's gonna be good. So glad to know Uncle Doug is still 'doin' it'. I'll fondle some NOS Sylvania chrome dome smoke glass 6v6s and drink coffee then...
Greetings to you too, Uncle Doug, hope you and your family, and the cats are all doing well, I'm currently in the process of getting parts together to work on a scratch-build guitar amplifier based on the Soldano SLO-100, my scratch build is going to be an SLO-50 which I will call the Sloclone 50, I will be using two matched KT-77 power tubes and five 12AX7 preamp tubes, it will have footswitchable clean and overdrive channels with their own preamp gain and master volume controls as well as an FX loop, just recently I bought ten 28X2 tagboards for mounting all the resistors and caps from Evatco, should be a fun build, I'm also going to be re-tolexing the wooden cab for the amp chassis, new tolex will be black snakeskin.
A centuple thumbs up, Uncle Doug, thank you for another insightful video about this insteresting amp. Fantastic work. It is absolutely excellent that you kept the replaced parts with the amp, I wish every repair technician did this. Matt
Kudos to the owner for using the amp as it was originally intended. Thanks for taking the time to educate us amateurs. Oh yeah, as I commented in one of your earlier videos, I always think of the classic original Turbo Encabulator video.
Uncle Doug! It has been a minute and a half since I have had time for such fun as this. I greatly enjoy your work, tutorials, and all that you do, THANK YOU!
Doug, I had no idea that the Thanksgiving table conversation at your home was so stimulating! Thank you for the interesting discourse on the evolutionary analysis of Fender amplifier circuitry.
Uncle Doug I really like the way you stick to your "procedure". Aside from the reservoir cap mod, very nice BTW, all the original issues got sorted out by following a step by step proven procedure. Thanks for showing us.
Hi again Doug. I just want to thank you for the great resource you have provided. I just finished my first amp build fueled in large part by confidence gleamed from your channel. The thing sounds amazing! You are absolutely the coolest.
This was a must watch as soon as I seen the title. I have been wanting to build mojotone version of this amp. I learned some valuable info. Thanks and please keep it up!
Hi Uncle Doug, greetings from Belgium... I enjoy your videos and hope to build my own tube guitar amp someday (retirement in four years so hope to find the time then). Your videos are such an inspiration and I have learned so much, THANK YOU. Have noticed that it has been some months you did not post anything??? So I truly hope that you are in good health and just taking some time for yourself... Big hug....
Not happy with YT notifications.. Uncle Doug has a video up for almost 3 days, and I find it all by myself. Happy Hour is about to begin, as I hit the PLAY button👍👍
Hey Doug, just a fabulous amp..! What a jewel as you call it. So much info and work to get it back to it's original state..Love the video and as usual, your play by play technical explanations. I always learn so much from your excellent videos. Regards Ed..uk..😀
Another excellent video from Uncle Doug! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I hope to be able to post on one of these videos in the near future confirming my own repair of my 76 TR amp but it's still very much a WIP. Lately the amp has no volume at all until the MV is turned to about 2.5 and then the amp breaks up pretty quickly once the channel volume gets past 5-6. This started after my 3 prong cord addition/death cap removal operation. Unfortunately, I did have to touch a couple other wires while doing that job so it's hard to pin-point exactly what part of the process introduced this new problem. In the future, I might be better served recording all my work on the amp so I have better historical data. Anyways, from scouring forums, it seems like I may have a bad Output transformer but yet to confirm this. On top of all that, the dastardly tremolo issue is still a thing as well. One day this thing might sound excellent again. Keep the excellent uploads coming UD.
Cuanto para ver, oír, aprender Tío Doug. Es admirable sus conocimientos no solo de la electrónica valvular, sino también de la historia de las maquinas que abrieron camino a los nuevos instrumentos musicales y a la música más preciada de todos los tiempos. Es que usted también esta haciendo historia con cada video que pone en la tierra de internet. Lo felicito, lo admiro y le envio mis respetos y saludos cordiales desde Argentina. (Sin egoísmos) Dios le de más años con nosotros!!.
I hope your enjoying spring, and it hasn't broken your transducer, Your approach to educating your subscribers and giving your customer choices based on originality versus best practice demonstrates why you have an excellent reputation.
Doug, this was on vintage guitar magazine's website. The Dickerson family was involved with the Los Angeles music scene during the Depression, if not before. The Dickersons also owned a factory known as Dickerson Brothers, and Delbert J. Dickerson began producing Hawaiian lap steels and small tube amplifiers branded with the family name in 1937 or ’38 and sold through the American Hawaiian Teachers Association (AHT) in Los Angeles (and likely elsewhere). Dickerson also contract-manufactured guitars and amps for Varsity, The Southern California Music Company, The Oahu Publishing Company, Bronson Publishing Corp., studio and store owner Roland Ball (father of Ernie Ball, who began performing on steel in the ’30s), and Gourley, plus others, carrying the purchaser’s own brand. Almost all, if not all, of these were covered in mottled sheet celluloid, or pearloid, which Dickerson called “Lumarith.” The infrastructure that supported the Hawaiian music scene was a fairly sophisticated nexus of music publishers, instrument manufacturers, and music education conducted either by teachers or through the mail. The publishers were numerous; some thrived on the music, but others were heavily involved in pedagogy, including National Institute of Music & Arts (L.A.), Oahu (Cleveland), Bronson (Detroit), and Eddie Alkire (Easton, Pennsylvania). All offered instruments - primarily through the mail - made for them by manufacturers including Supro, Kay, and Dickerson. Much of the music published by these firms was clearly pedagogical - that is, often consisting of songs in the public domain arranged in simple, beginner-level melodies. This music might be part of a mail-order course or used by a music teacher. The article concludes with the Dickerson amp company being sold a couple times and changed from manga to magnatone, your Gibson EH-150 may have some cool history.
Wow I could hear the clarity immediately before the first chord was done playing! I’m glad it’s going to be played rather than gawked at by a collector! Very nice of the owner to brave the shipping process so it could be documented and enjoyed by everyone. By the way,is that the oil can delay oil sitting on your current limiter, UD? That stuff is expensive enough to keep in sight! 😊
That old thing has fabulous tone. That is awesome work and I love the way you try to preserve the original, but add later Leo tweaks that like you said may have been the reason why so few of this particular model made it out the door back in the day.
Wonderful video. I built a clone of the 6g16 about `0 years ago and find it to be a wonderful amp, especially with two 1960's Jensen C10q speakers. It seems that this amp was built on a 6g4 Super Amp chassis. The space that is usually between V3 and V4 is not there as would be on later amps. It is interesting to note that Fender adapted and existing platform to incorporate reverb into their combo amps without having to retool or completely redesign their circuits. I have always wondered what a Fender amp with reverb and Harmonic tremolo would be like but it would take eight preamp tubes and probably a redesign of the power transformer. Again, great work.
I'm really just guessing that the bias modulation would cause premature wear, Andrew. Let us know how your 5881's do with this unusual tremolo. Regardless, the trem effect in the Vibroverb was surprisingly vivid and beautiful.
@@UncleDoug Thanks so much. The Tremolo sounds fantastic on the amp so far. I biased the tubes fairly conservatively (following your lead), so hopefully they will have some staying power. And I build the amp so that I can switch down to 6v6s if needs be. Thanks for the reply and for yet another awesome video!!
Great video as always Mr D. Thanks for always getting into the circuits and the changes they made over the years. You ever get your time machine worked out, I am your trusty assistant in waiting.
Thanks for another excellent video Uncle Doug. Your sense of humour cracks me up every time! Combining that with your ability to impart knowledge sees me as a fan of yours (and proud Patreon supporter) for many years. Being in Sydney (Australia) means I am very envious of you that you can make such small parts orders so quickly delivered. I have to mortgage the house and wait for 3-4 weeks for my delivery from CE/Antique Electronic Supply. Stay well.
One hour and 11 minutes of pure joy!
Glad to hear it, O. Thanks :)
Definitely!! When I get a notification that UD has posted a new video, I know it’s gonna be a very good day!
@@Joe_Hunt_Music Glad to hear it, Joe. Hope you liked it :)
@@UncleDougevery video is a joy and I’m sure I speak for everyone else watching when I say that. The wealth of knowledge that you have shared and continue to share with all of us gearheads is more appreciated than you’ll ever know. Thank you my friend!
@@Joe_Hunt_Music Thanks so much for your very kind words, Joe. We really appreciate them.
I'm 91, and my memories let me down some times. But I DO believe I bought one of those Fender Amps. Yes I DO believe it. Wow! Sadly, it didn't give the tone; that I needed for my Fender 400 Pedal Steel Guitar. So I sold it and bought a Fender Twin Amp.
For what it's worth. Thanks for your making this video. For I was an electronic technician (and Instructor) for RCA, for 33 yrs and 12 yrs I was a sub for Co's. Before I retired. So, to make a little more money; I repaired musical instruments and Amps at nights.
And I had ALL the Schematics of Fender. But, I like a jackass, threw them away when I retired. Wow does that bring tears nostalgia. Thanks again kind Sir.
At least all the Fender (and other manufacturers') schematics can be found on line.
@@silasfatchett7380 Are they? Thank you, I will get some.
Thanks for sharing, Mr. P. We're glad you enjoyed the video.
good choice iv used a reissue vibrverb 2 of them a new one and a used one my second one howled needed to put new caps in and it was ok then play steel myselfhave used Twin reverb 2 of them
@@edwardkujawa Thank you kind Sir.
There are not many folks around here shooting 1 hour length videos and still leave us wanting more! Amazing work as always
Thanks, Alexis. These long videos take forever to produce and to watch, but there is so much information to convey that they simply require an hour or more to do so. I'm glad you enjoy them.
@@UncleDoug on the georgia election interference case:
if this legal tangle has anything to do with Obama's getting away with genocide, then i am not happy about it. i am not saying their conduct was exemplary, i just know that they are just people in context to a much more complicated world than the media has any ability to convey.
and where OBVOUSLY Wisconsin suffers Horrendous Election Year swing state Influx up from chicago,
Notably marked by sharp increases in traffic fatalities, violence, cases of frostbite, "overdose", and preliminary voting year pressure on residents to flee certain voting districts.
( all of which was dissipated into a frenzy of media convolution, leaving us now with only the definitive court actions against the georgia interference )
as i said, i am non-partisan issues based .... and The Issue is the swing state election year influx that comes pounding into wisconsin causing all manner of horrors.
Could I Vote For That To Stop ???
and if i could, i know my concerns would only be disregarded by that greater problem at hand.....that's the problem, it always has been.
i am quite familiar with the political dynamics in wisconsin.
and it all has to do with one seemingly simple thing,
and that is africa's ability to continuously pull illegally obtained shiploads of food out of the heartland, at rates that will soon have us all starving to death.
@@UncleDoug but don't talk to them about it, because they get information about the rest of us faster than we do about them, if at all.
What a great tutorial of, "on the job engineering," by Leo on brownface to blackface Vibroverb evolution. Uncle Doug you really brought this one back to tip top shape in sound and performance.
Thanks so much, Butch. I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
I don't think I've ever seen 99% of the amps on this channel in real life. Amazing stuff.
I only feature "special" amps that most of us will not encounter, Book. I'm glad you enjoy it :)
@@UncleDoug it's really super cool. Just like your hot rod trucks 👍
@@book3100 Thanks, Book :)
I use to go to blues shows as a kid in the late 80’s with my dad. I heard a guy playing one of the originals and sounded fantastic. I worked my tail off to buy the reissue when they came out in the 90’s. Still have it too.
Thanks for sharing, Cappy.
Sure miss learning from your electrical mastery, seeing the awesome equipment and the great dry humor! Hope all is well with you and yours ,keep em coming Uncle Doug .
Thanks, RD. Will do :)
Always happy to see a new Uncle Doug video come up in my feed! Well done sir, that amp sounded really great! Nice amp history lesson as well. Thank you!
You're welcome, Ferd. Glad it was enjoyable :)
I think you made the right call there. Flawed museum piece or beautiful sounding playable amp with sentimental attachment. Great work.
Thanks, Dave. My feelings exactly :(
Agreed. This amp should be used regularly.
@@sgt.grinch3299 I hope so too, Sarge.
I'm thinking an Uncle Doug repair didn't take any value away from this app.
It's a documented repair on UA-cam too. Value added Uncle Doug repair on his UA-cam channel.
@@renegade44040 Thanks, JJ :)
Let’s roll. Thank you for sharing this incredible opportunity to see a small piece of history. Sounds great to my ears Uncle Doug.
Ive got my coffee and egg sandwiches (with black pepper) for this video !!
My thoughts exactly, Sarge :)
I have absolutely no knowledge on amp history other than what I learn here but you can see almost instantly why this amp is so revered and sought after. It's a work of art in engineering.
Agreed. Thanks for your input, KK.
Actually... its revered for it's rarity and mystique. It was NOT well engineered and that's why they only made a few. Back in its day. there were likely a bunch of ticked-off owners who where not impressed with their purchase and so Fender killed the product and reengineered it.
@@CKDz Thanks for your input, Chris.
What a tasteful restoration. A perfect mix of modern working parts with original vintage. The verb tank and OT sounded great.
Thanks, Rohan :)
A big up to the owner for wanting to use the Amp and not sit looking at it. Great work and video, again, Unc D.
Thanks twice, Paul.
The body of work you are leaving here on UA-cam is just out of this world!
The depth of your knowledge plus the well experienced understanding you have on audience attention and possible wondering and needs for connections is mesmerizing.
What I've gained from watching your videos in the last couple of months is way beyond my pay check.
And you are funny and entertaining as hell!
Wish I could support this channel with more than words.
Until then, I will leave you with a big, single ended thank you.
You're quite welcome. We're so glad to hear that our videos are appreciated :)
I always look forward to an Uncle Doug video, best and most entertaining amp technician in UA-cam land.
Thanks so much, Steven :)
Doug, another informative entertaining video, thanks for tremolo circuit mini-lecture, the gun-blue coloring tip and the bypass switch circuit rework. All valuable tips. When the owner sells this gem, adding "Recently serviced by Uncle Doug" should fetch at least a $5K rider. Thanks from Colorado.
Thanks so much, Craig. It's always good to hear from you. I'm glad there were some useful hints :)
It's always a good day when there's an Uncle Doug video. I shall make myself an enormous mug of industrial strength coffee, park myself in front of the computer and enjoy the show.
We hope you enjoyed it, Frank :)
what a trully magnificient sounding amp, the chime and sparkle is spectacular, as is your great restoration UD
Thanks so much, Alex.
Another great video on a really rare amp! Thanks, uncle Doug!
You're welcome, Greg. Glad you enjoyed it.
What a timely video. A good friend of mine was just given a 1963 Vibroverb that had belonged to the guitarist from Australian rock band Dragon who sadly passed away last year. I wish I could attach a picture of it here, but suffice to say it is beautifully roadworn. If you think how rare an amp it is in the USA think about a factory export model with 240v transformer. Thanks Uncle Doug, you are a treasure to the worldwide amplifier community. Best from way down under M
Thanks so much for your nice and interesting comments, Michael.
That is a beaut and it sounds amazing after your refresh of it. The mods seem fine to me, and I am happy to hear this will be used and not just collected. So cool. Thanks for sharing as always.
Thanks so much, JL.
I was thrilled to see another repair of yours uploaded, and what a treat with this gem. If only you could play as well as your pets.... thanks, Uncle Doug!
Glad you enjoyed it, Jay. I am indeed fortunate to have my furry pals helping with the audio demos.
Saw the Music City Playboys in Nashville at the music city bar and grill yesterday. Guitarist had a tele jacked into a silverface Vibrolux. What a SOUND, pure bliss. Proof that what folks like you do still lands in the hands of worthy musicians.
Thanks for sharing his with us, Glenn. I too have enjoyed the music at that bar and was astounded by the sheer number of fabulous musicians in Nashville. We're glad to help any time we can :)
Hiya Uncle Doug. I haven't commented on any videos lately but it's not because I haven't watched. I watch and hit the like button every single time. As I've mentioned a couple of times before, I find your video style to be extremely watchable and informative. Your voice over narration is easy to listen to and your teaching style is conversational and engaging. All in all it makes for yet another outstanding Uncle Doug video. Thanks for sharing sir.
Thanks for watching and for your very nice comments, DE :)
Your respect for these old amplifiers is amazing! I am so glad this fell into your hands and not somebody else.
Thanks, WT. So are we :)
I learn something new every time with these vids. Great job as ever. A lot of these older amps seem to have a smoother tone (if thats even a thing) than modern ones that sound a bit harsh.
That's good to hear. I agree with your observation, Pat.
Old speakers maybe??
@@capitanvonchickenpants8492 Quite likely. Just like an old pair of shoes, old speakers get a nice lived-in quality after years of use.
This was a rare one. Thanks for the knowledge ! I realise that after two years or so watching to your videos, I can now understand pretty quickly everything that you’re talking about. So thank you again, and I’m looking forward to the next Rusty’s workshop show 😉
It was indeed, 74C. I'm glad the videos are informative :)
It’s always a great day when I see a new video from Uncle Doug. Love your videos, love your channel, love you. UA-cam creates a strange dynamic, although you don’t know me or most of your viewers, I’m sure many will agree that you are like family to us. Thank you for all you do Uncle Doug.
Thanks so much for the very nice comments, JJ. Part of why I chose the "Uncle" part of my name is to foster a feeling of family.....which I really enjoy.
I just realized after watching that there wasn’t anything in this video that went over my head as far as what you did here. I gained a basic understanding of tube amps and their workings through osmosis by watching your channel for so long lol!
That's great to hear, Grax :)
Uncle Doug. This one seems to be a real jewel. What a delight that the owner was happy to let you bring it back to its former life, rather than turn it into a museum piece. I reckon once it left your hands it was as good as new and perhaps even slightly better... Interesting that you didn't "stuff" the capacitors but instead left them so they could be put back, this is probably a more honest restoration. Thank you for what you do, and how you do it with such care and dedication.
Thanks so much for your very nice comments, TIL.
Beautiful amp, and beautiful work as always Uncle Doug! I appreciate the fact the owner is not precious about the originality.. I revere these old amps as much as anyone, but I can't get behind the outrageous prices they fetch.. The museums can have the amps that were never touched, but these amps were made to sing out there in the wild. Thank you for honoring the work and intent of the good folks in Fullerton and keeping these things alive - maybe someday the young cats like me can enjoy these things again!
Thanks so much, CH :)
I built a '63 6G16 circuit Vibroverb clone in a Deluxe Reverb sized chassis, 12 years ago, Same number of controls & 11/16" smaller than the VV chassis. I used the AB763 power section & bias pot / grid resistors.
What a great sounding amp, live & recording, I really like the taped treble controls, the thicker tremolo & the warmer reverb, more chime & sparkle, warmth & nice overdrive.
I finally removed the Deluxe Reverb faceplate tonight & installed a brownface Vibroverb style replacement that that fits the chassis. Cheers Uncle Doug, from London England.
Thanks for sharing, CM.
Thanks for sharing. Regards from West Texas, USA.
This was a treat. Thanks particularly for showing the detail on improving the standby circuit. Sounded great!!!
Glad you enjoyed it, Stephen.
You make great, informational videos Doug! With humor, easy dialogue to follow and great insights. Makes me want to build an amp 😊
Thanks, B. By all means, give it a try.
Every video you put out i always think its the nest one ever! But truth is Uncle Doug every time you share, educate, an entertain us its the best ever. Thank you so much for all you do.
Thanks for the very nice comments, Strat.
Absolutely amazing! I had a chance to play one about 10-15 years back though a friend of a friend and was told it was a reissue. It was for sale(cheap)but I realized pretty soon it was the real deal. Didn’t feel right to not let the seller know. Talk about the one that got away. I’m glad you gave this amp the glory again so that owner can create some new memories. Great job!
Thanks for your very nice comments and input, BK.
UD is a great teacher and has the gift at making a pretty dry subject interesting. And just plane good content covering the important aspects of these circuits.
Thanks so much, David :)
Uncle Doug, I'm such a happy novice electronics hobbyist(at 64 y.o.:P) to have found your channel.Thanks so much for sharing these awesome amplifiers, and your great humor and knowledge and skill! I found Psionic audiofirat on UA-cam then Colleen Fazio and thanks to Colleen --you, after I began trying to figure out how I might work on my music rig. I Have a guitar guru (Daves world of fun stuff)and now with Uncle Doug I have my amp guru)...I am taking it slow, starting with learning the components and building a guitar pedal to sharpen my soldering skills. But hopefully in a few months I will feel confident pulling my DRRI chassis and fixing some noise issues!
Greetings, Gao, and welcome to our channel. We hope you continue to find our videos helpful and entertaining.
Thanks so much for this interesting clip. I had the great privilege of using one of these in South Africa on a recording we made in 1966/7.
I loved it and really wish I had one now. Great amplifier!
You're welcome, Glen :)
Thanks Uncle Doug, It's great seeing an old, great amp packed for shipping with loving care so these beauties can be enjoyed by the next generation.
Amen, Tom :)
Uncle Doug, you are the man! This is truly an incredible video. To be straightforward, I am more impressed with your knowledge and technical skills than I am with the amp itself. The amp may be worth $20,000, but a man who knows what he is doing is priceless! Are you, by any chance, located anywhere near Southern California? If you are, I want you to work on my amps when the need arises. Thanks again for a superb video!
Wow, thanks so much, BL. Your very kind words are appreciated :)
The tube tester did not catch the 6L6 worn out tubes. I'm glad because it shows how using a tube tester is not the final judge of tube function. As we see here, the low power test will not find problems that show under real world power conditions. This can confuse beginning amp techs. Tubes are not 'tested' until pushed hard in circuit. Same goes for micro phonic tubes.
Good observation, CA, and one I failed to mention in the video. Yes, time and again, tubes that test OK on an emission tester are not worth a darn in a functioning circuit.
Well there you go.
I'm glad I read through the comments and picked up on this gem of information.
Wow! What a great video this one is. I very much appreciate your schematic explanation and analysis. The comparison with the '64 blackface version is fascinating. You implemented a respectful and objective balance of restoring this historic amplifier, A proper vintage output transformer is so important I am amazed at how good it ended up sounding! One of your best videos
Wow.....Thanks so much, John. Glad you enjoyed it.
Wow, Uncle Doug. What a cool amp.
Glad you like it, ST :)
Hi uncle Doug I watch a lot of this type of content and you are highly regarded when mentioned in other videos. Your reputation will stay in tact.
That's good to hear, Sam. Thanks !!
That amp found the right person to bring it to life again! Excellent work! Greetings from Brazil, Uncle Doug!
Thanks, Marcel :)
This was an incredible journey! Thank you Uncle Doug, I wish I could be your apprentice.
Thanks for joining us, Mark.
thankyou uncle doug ! thoroughly enjoyed your video as always,
another example of flawless applied logic as befits the occasion,
and the resultant aural demonstration was sheer bliss ! an oasis of
sanity in a world gone seemingly bat guano bonkers 👍🎯🎶
Thanks so much, William :)
Always a great day when I see a new video from you. This amp is beautiful, The fact that someone sent it to you for repair speaks volumes about the confidence and trust they have in you, and rightfully so.
Thanks again.
Glad you enjoyed it, Randy. It's always good to hear from you :)
I have actually discussed the difference between the Brown-face and Black-face amps with my dog, Josh, and his tail never stops wagging! Thanks for that tip!
You are obviously a good pet owner :)
Another great video. Thanks Uncle Doug!
We're glad you enjoyed it, Roger :)
It's 3am here in Brisbane and I'll watch this on the big TV later because I know it's gonna be good.
So glad to know Uncle Doug is still 'doin' it'.
I'll fondle some NOS Sylvania chrome dome smoke glass 6v6s and drink coffee then...
Turn it up real loud so the neighbors can enjoy it too, Vinny :)
@@UncleDoug your videos actually passify the drunk next door. Kudos
@@ix-Xafra Good to hear, Vinny :)
Greetings to you too, Uncle Doug, hope you and your family, and the cats are all doing well, I'm currently in the process of getting parts together to work on a scratch-build guitar amplifier based on the Soldano SLO-100, my scratch build is going to be an SLO-50 which I will call the Sloclone 50, I will be using two matched KT-77 power tubes and five 12AX7 preamp tubes, it will have footswitchable clean and overdrive channels with their own preamp gain and master volume controls as well as an FX loop, just recently I bought ten 28X2 tagboards for mounting all the resistors and caps from Evatco, should be a fun build, I'm also going to be re-tolexing the wooden cab for the amp chassis, new tolex will be black snakeskin.
Thanks for sharing Simon. That sounds like a very challenging, but promising, project. Good luck with it.
A centuple thumbs up, Uncle Doug, thank you for another insightful video about this insteresting amp. Fantastic work.
It is absolutely excellent that you kept the replaced parts with the amp, I wish every repair technician did this.
Matt
Thanks so much, 1967 :)
A beautiful amp, a nice restoration and a great sound. Thank you.
Thanks thrice, Andrew :)
Kudos to the owner for using the amp as it was originally intended. Thanks for taking the time to educate us amateurs. Oh yeah, as I commented in one of your earlier videos, I always think of the classic original Turbo Encabulator video.
Thanks, FC. Yes, that was an epic educational video :)
Sweet sounding amp! Great job of informing, instructing and restoring a gem back into useful service. Kudos!!
Thanks so much, FB :)
Well, the owner sure picked the best hands to trust this gem with. Great stuff as always, Doug!
Thanks so much, GM :)
Uncle Doug! It has been a minute and a half since I have had time for such fun as this. I greatly enjoy your work, tutorials, and all that you do, THANK YOU!
You are quite welcome, JC. :) That's great to hear.
Another great Uncle Doug Fender history lesson. So much appreciated.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Kim.
Doug, I had no idea that the Thanksgiving table conversation at your home was so stimulating! Thank you for the interesting discourse on the evolutionary analysis of Fender amplifier circuitry.
You will knock them dead with that tidbit of Fender history, KW.
Uncle Doug I really like the way you stick to your "procedure". Aside from the reservoir cap mod, very nice BTW, all the original issues got sorted out by following a step by step proven procedure. Thanks for showing us.
You're welcome, Brad. Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi again Doug. I just want to thank you for the great resource you have provided. I just finished my first amp build fueled in large part by confidence gleamed from your channel. The thing sounds amazing! You are absolutely the coolest.
Wow....Thanks so much, Jeb :)
This was a must watch as soon as I seen the title. I have been wanting to build mojotone version of this amp. I learned some valuable info. Thanks and please keep it up!
That's great to hear, Erich. Will do.
That one is a gem! Thanks for sharing. I always get something out of every one of your videos!
Thanks. We're glad, Buckeye.
Excellent work and an admirable perspective by the owner: not a museum piece but a fab tool.
I agree, Ray. Thanks for your input.
Man, new Uncle Doug and new Psionic videos in less than 24 hours?! Im in heaven! Thanks Doug!
I hope you enjoy them both, RS.
Hi Uncle Doug, greetings from Belgium... I enjoy your videos and hope to build my own tube guitar amp someday (retirement in four years so hope to find the time then). Your videos are such an inspiration and I have learned so much, THANK YOU. Have noticed that it has been some months you did not post anything??? So I truly hope that you are in good health and just taking some time for yourself... Big hug....
Greetings, Frank. I hope you enjoy your retirement as much as I have enjoyed mine :)
Not happy with YT notifications.. Uncle Doug has a video up for almost 3 days, and I find it all by myself. Happy Hour is about to begin, as I hit the PLAY button👍👍
We're glad you found us, Jennifer. You are always a welcome guest :)
I'm so into this stuff. I appreciate your knowledge and insight to these vintage amps.
Glad to hear it, JS . Thanks !!
Masterful job- that OT is meant to be with that amp. Slick work on the tank, you’re the best
Thanks so much, SW :)
Hey Doug, just a fabulous amp..! What a jewel as you call it. So much info and work to get it back to it's original state..Love the video and as usual, your play by play technical explanations. I always learn so much from your excellent videos. Regards Ed..uk..😀
Thanks, Ed. That's great to hear :)
Another excellent video from Uncle Doug! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I hope to be able to post on one of these videos in the near future confirming my own repair of my 76 TR amp but it's still very much a WIP. Lately the amp has no volume at all until the MV is turned to about 2.5 and then the amp breaks up pretty quickly once the channel volume gets past 5-6. This started after my 3 prong cord addition/death cap removal operation.
Unfortunately, I did have to touch a couple other wires while doing that job so it's hard to pin-point exactly what part of the process introduced this new problem. In the future, I might be better served recording all my work on the amp so I have better historical data. Anyways, from scouring forums, it seems like I may have a bad Output transformer but yet to confirm this.
On top of all that, the dastardly tremolo issue is still a thing as well. One day this thing might sound excellent again.
Keep the excellent uploads coming UD.
Thanks for sharing, CP. Best of luck with your project.
Cuanto para ver, oír, aprender Tío Doug. Es admirable sus conocimientos no solo de la electrónica valvular, sino también de la historia de las maquinas que abrieron camino a los nuevos instrumentos musicales y a la música más preciada de todos los tiempos. Es que usted también esta haciendo historia con cada video que pone en la tierra de internet. Lo felicito, lo admiro y le envio mis respetos y saludos cordiales desde Argentina. (Sin egoísmos) Dios le de más años con nosotros!!.
Gracias por tus amables palabras, Ángel. Realmente los apreciamos :)
A new Uncle Doug video is my absolute go-to. Keep them coming!
Good to hear, Thomas. Will do :)
I hope your enjoying spring, and it hasn't broken your transducer, Your approach to educating your subscribers and giving your customer choices based on originality versus best practice demonstrates why you have an excellent reputation.
Thanks so much, Mack :)
Your videos are the best. You're an excellent instructor.
Wow, thanks, Greg :)
Definitely worth watching more than ONCE! There are some great nuggets of information here.Thanks, Uncle Doug!
BTW,RUSTY APPROVED!
That's nice to hear, Curtis. Thanks.
Doug, this was on vintage guitar magazine's website.
The Dickerson family was involved with the Los Angeles music scene during the Depression, if not before. The Dickersons also owned a factory known as Dickerson Brothers, and Delbert J. Dickerson began producing Hawaiian lap steels and small tube amplifiers branded with the family name in 1937 or ’38 and sold through the American Hawaiian Teachers Association (AHT) in Los Angeles (and likely elsewhere). Dickerson also contract-manufactured guitars and amps for Varsity, The Southern California Music Company, The Oahu Publishing Company, Bronson Publishing Corp., studio and store owner Roland Ball (father of Ernie Ball, who began performing on steel in the ’30s), and Gourley, plus others, carrying the purchaser’s own brand. Almost all, if not all, of these were covered in mottled sheet celluloid, or pearloid, which Dickerson called “Lumarith.”
The infrastructure that supported the Hawaiian music scene was a fairly sophisticated nexus of music publishers, instrument manufacturers, and music education conducted either by teachers or through the mail. The publishers were numerous; some thrived on the music, but others were heavily involved in pedagogy, including National Institute of Music & Arts (L.A.), Oahu (Cleveland), Bronson (Detroit), and Eddie Alkire (Easton, Pennsylvania). All offered instruments - primarily through the mail - made for them by manufacturers including Supro, Kay, and Dickerson. Much of the music published by these firms was clearly pedagogical - that is, often consisting of songs in the public domain arranged in simple, beginner-level melodies. This music might be part of a mail-order course or used by a music teacher.
The article concludes with the Dickerson amp company being sold a couple times and changed from manga to magnatone, your Gibson EH-150 may have some cool history.
Thanks for sharing this interesting info with us, Noel :)
Great video, superbly paced and full of enlightenment and humour. A rare gem indeed.
Thanks so much, CM :)
Nice Amp repair Uncle Doug 👌 You are the best Teacher 👍
Thanks twice, Meik.
You're always 1-upping me there brother. I just had a Dr. Z amp come though my shop... and I felt like a boss... You win again.
I'm rooting for you in the next video, DK ;)
Wow I could hear the clarity immediately before the first chord was done playing! I’m glad it’s going to be played rather than gawked at by a collector! Very nice of the owner to brave the shipping process so it could be documented and enjoyed by everyone. By the way,is that the oil can delay oil sitting on your current limiter, UD? That stuff is expensive enough to keep in sight! 😊
Thanks, William. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I keep the UC oil handy in case of chapped lips and hands ;)
That old thing has fabulous tone. That is awesome work and I love the way you try to preserve the original, but add later Leo tweaks that like you said may have been the reason why so few of this particular model made it out the door back in the day.
Thanks for your nice comments, Ryan :)
Excellent...lots of great info...One of the best sounding amps that you've brought back to life. Thank you 👍👍👍
Thanks so much, Doc.
Absolutely priceless video. A passionate expert with a sense of humour and a fine cat. Very entertaining. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Victor :)
What an awesome amp. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Thanks, Grax. The pleasure was ours :)
Wonderful video. I built a clone of the 6g16 about `0 years ago and find it to be a wonderful amp, especially with two 1960's Jensen C10q speakers. It seems that this amp was built on a 6g4 Super Amp chassis. The space that is usually between V3 and V4 is not there as would be on later amps. It is interesting to note that Fender adapted and existing platform to incorporate reverb into their combo amps without having to retool or completely redesign their circuits. I have always wondered what a Fender amp with reverb and Harmonic tremolo would be like but it would take eight preamp tubes and probably a redesign of the power transformer. Again, great work.
Thanks, Arnold, for the nice comments and interesting info.
Uh-oh, now I am regretting my custom AA964 Princeton build that uses 5881 tubes but still has the bias modulating tremolo. Time to buy extra tubes! 😞
I'm really just guessing that the bias modulation would cause premature wear, Andrew. Let us know how your 5881's do with this unusual tremolo. Regardless, the trem effect in the Vibroverb was surprisingly vivid and beautiful.
@@UncleDoug Thanks so much. The Tremolo sounds fantastic on the amp so far. I biased the tubes fairly conservatively (following your lead), so hopefully they will have some staying power. And I build the amp so that I can switch down to 6v6s if needs be.
Thanks for the reply and for yet another awesome video!!
@@CSAndrewHenry You're welcome, Andrew. Best of luck with your project.
Great episode, Uncle Doug !
Thanks, Jay :)
Thanks Again Uncle Doug ~ Fabulous Work and much Appreciated. Love learning all you share. Your is my favorite Content on UA-cam.
That's great to hear, R55 :)
Thanks U.D.
I needed something to lift my spirit up these days…. Fortunately ; You always deliver on that.
Glad to hear it, Adrien.
That reverb at level 6 made me feel like I traveled back in time 60 years or so. It was an amazingly strong feeling.
I agree, Choim. The reverb was spectacular.
Great video as always Mr D. Thanks for always getting into the circuits and the changes they made over the years. You ever get your time machine worked out, I am your trusty assistant in waiting.
Thanks, AZ. I will let you know when the first expedition is ready to launch ;)
Thank you Uncle Doug!
You're welcome, TC :)
Hello Uncle Doug, nice to hear from you..!!!It sounds awesome..
Likewise, ZN :)
I love your explanation of the evolution of the amplifier, enjoy you day
I'm glad to hear that, OG. Likewise :)
Thanks for another excellent video Uncle Doug. Your sense of humour cracks me up every time! Combining that with your ability to impart knowledge sees me as a fan of yours (and proud Patreon supporter) for many years.
Being in Sydney (Australia) means I am very envious of you that you can make such small parts orders so quickly delivered. I have to mortgage the house and wait for 3-4 weeks for my delivery from CE/Antique Electronic Supply. Stay well.
You're quite welcome, GAT. Glad to hear that you enjoy our furry family productions :) Thanks for your continued support of our channel.
Excellent video UD! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching, S01 :)
Another ace repair! Thanks for bringing us along.
Thanks for joining us, Greg :)