Vol. 23, No. 8
June 2022
Players, Gear & Sound — The Inside
Riverhorse hunts down a one-owner 1966 Vibrolux Reverb and has Terry Dobbs, Mr. Valco, restore it, while Dave Boze shares his enhancements for the amp. A 1958 Supro Rhythm Tone gets a look with Jason Lollar on the original Supro pickups. Mike Kropotkin of KCA NOS Tubes discusses the state of NOS tubes, Tom Guerra talks about his album Sentimental Junk, and David Allen's Accomplice takes on the Deluxe Reverb. Riverhorse closes with a Stratocaster built from parts David left behind.
PLAYERS, GEAR & SOUND
The Inside
Vibrolux Deaux
By Riverhorse. Riverhorse tells the story of hunting down a pristine 1966 Fender Vibrolux Reverb and enlisting legendary amp tech Terry "Mr. Valco" Dobbs to restore it and add three reversible mods — a RAW control, a tremolo intensity lift, and a variable negative feedback switch — that unlock new voices without harming the vintage circuit.
DAVE BOZE
Vibrolux Reverb Enhancements
By Dave Boze. Guitarist and amp enthusiast Dave Boze shares his hard-won insights on getting the most from a Fender Vibrolux Reverb, covering everything from electrolytic cap refreshes and power tube swaps to adding a midrange control and dialing in tremolo. A practical, player-focused guide to enhancing one of Fender's most beloved mid-size club amps.
THE 1958
Supro Rhythm Tone
By Riverhorse. A vintage 1958 Supro Rhythm Tone with its legendary, fire-breathing neck pickup proves to be a wooly, wild slide machine — and pickup wizard Jason Lollar weighs in on what makes the Supro's gonzo design so special.
THE STATE OF NOS TUBES &…
Homegrown Honey
By Riverhorse. ToneQuest catches up with Mike Kropotkin of KCA NOS Tubes for a wide-ranging conversation on the dwindling supply of NOS tubes, the best remaining options for guitar amp players, and his unexpected second passion — backyard beekeeping.
TOM GUERRA
Sentimental Junk
Connecticut-based songwriter and former Mambo Sons guitarist Tom Guerra talks about his fifth solo album, Sentimental Junk — a raucous return to electric guitars, classic tones, and the beat 1957 Stratocaster that inspired most of the record.
The Allen Accomplice Amp
By David Wilson. David Allen of Allen Amplification has built the Accomplice, an enhanced take on the classic Fender Deluxe Reverb that runs on either 6V6 or 6L6 tubes and delivers authentic vintage tones with exceptional hand-wired craftsmanship. ToneQuest puts it through its paces and finds it a worthy — and in some ways superior — alternative to expensive vintage originals.
The Beautiful Gift
By Riverhorse. A deeply personal tribute to a lost friend, told through the building and first playing of a lightweight sunburst Stratocaster assembled from parts David left behind — a guitar that rang out alive from the very first chord.
I want to hear a telecaster through a Vibrolux turned up to ten.
— John Hiatt
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