silver and black

This Fender Bandmaster piggyback head and cab, circa 1961, is a match made in heaven. But could another cab configuration work even better?

Photo courtesy of Fender.

Wondering how to get the most out of your Fender amp? Our columnist shares his top amp-and-cab combinations to boost your tone and volume for any situation.

Let's talk about speaker cabinets. If you have read my previous columns or been to my website fenderguru.com, you’ll know how much I value knowledge about speakers. Speakers affect the tone and volume vastly in guitar amps, and an extension cabinet is a smart and cheap way to get your tone right at practice, live gigs, or in the studio. In this column I will share my favorite amp and speaker cabinet pairings. As usual, I will refer to the classic black- and silver-panel Fender amps, which many of us enjoy.

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The Victorilux comes in the 3x10 configuration discussed by our columnist, plus 2x12 and 1x15 combos.

Our columnist is a Fender die-hard but finds thrills in an inspired modern alternative: the Victoria Victorilux.

I am extremely loyal to vintage Fender amps. I love their clean and transparent tones, and how their simplicity makes for amplifiers that are not only collectable but serviceable. I do play other guitars and amps besides Fenders, although I have to admit that I always measure them against the brand and often try dialing them to a sound as close as possible to Fender tone. But this month I want to share a story about a Fender-inspired amp that I love: the Victoria Victorilux.

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This 1964 Vibrolux Reverb arrived in all-original condition, right down to a two-prong power cord and a death cap wired to the ground switch. The author’s well-worn Strat is the perfect companion.

How our columnist’s risky purchase turned out to be a dusty pre-CBS jewel.

This month, I’d like to share the story of my 1964 Fender Vibrolux Reverb. It was a really risky purchase that had some big surprises.

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