Will 12" speaker fit Vibrolux cabinet?

[Crawfish]

Hi all -

Am getting parts together to build a 5E11 Vibrolux. I have a repro chassis and am planning to order a cabinet from Mojo. The original Vibrolux had a 10" speaker and I'm considering a 12" if it will fit.

My research shows a 5E3 Deluxe and the 5E11 have the same cabinet dimensions overall, the only difference is the chassis cutout. I'm guessing a 12" will fit, but wondering if anyone can confirm?

Thanks
Crawfish

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

My tweedy V-lux amps are a hot rodded 5F11 with a 12" speaker baffle, 12" Neo speaker, bigger power and output trannies and weighs in at 27lbs.
The real American 18 Watter, ...destroys a 5E3, totally kicks ass and takes names.
I'll be curious what MOJO will quote you for a cabinet since the V-lux 12 is my design....

[TD_Madden]

Bruce,

I didn't see the v-lux on your site.....got a link?

Regards.

[TD_Madden]

looking at Ampware's Fender Field Guide, that 5F11 looks a LOT like my '60 Gibson Explorer...even the three inputs!

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

I don't do the V-Lux as a kit... I just build them outright myself.
Been messing with those Eminence Neo Lil' Texas speakers and I think they sound great in the light weight tweed cabs.
A stock 5F11 makes about 10-11 watts and drives a single 10" speaker.
The Mission V-Lux makes 18 watts dead clean, ...a bunch more cranked up and the power tube modualted vibrato sounds sweet.
All that into the 12" speaker is crazy good sounding plus +26lbs dripping wet is nuts when you heft it compared to the volume level of a heavier tweed Deluxe with a standard speaker.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Yeah... love that three jack system.... mine are modified so that the last jack is slightly more then -6dB down from the high gain one and the middle jack is only a few dB down from the hot jack... again the V-Lux is not a dead stock 5F11.

[TD_Madden]

Bruce,

Are you offering them as custom-builds only, or as part of your standard line (with the Auroras)?

Regards.

[Crawfish]

Hi Bruce -

I also didn't see that amp or cab on your site...part of why I'm looking at the Mojo. They offer the Vibrolux cab for about $250 and then it's like $45 (!) for a baffle change.

The amp you described sounds killer and I'm guessing from what you're saying about your amp is I'll have no problem putting a 12" speaker in - am concerned about chassis clearance.

The Vibroluxes (5E11 and 5F11) have an interesting circuit. Uses 1/2 of a 12AX7 for the first gain stage versus the 12AY7 in a 5E3. (The other half of the preamp tube is the oscillator for the tremolo). The Deluxe has no negative feedback but the Vibrolux does (56K resistor in circuit). I'd guess with the increased gain Fender wanted to 'tame' it a bit with the negative feedback. Am already looking forward to experimenting with feedback both in and out, as well as messing with the three inputs to get some varied gain/response out of each.

I haven't seen anyone offering the Vibrolux chassis outright; I was lucky to snag this one on e**y. Someone must have made them at some point?

-KR

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Yes WeberVST made some quite a few years ago... they didn't sell well, mostly because, at the time, nobody had a power tranny that would fit the small 2"x2" punch out.
About 5 years ago I bought the last 30 or 40 they had left.

I built a few stock amps and made cabinets myself.
They sounded really good but lower power then a 5E3 and the 10" speaker was limiting.
Remember the stock 5E11/5F11 is only a 10 watt amp with a 10", 93dB to 96dB/W speaker.
Mine now makes over 18 watts dead clean and has a 12", 100db/W speaker.
And by the way, most who hear it say the tremolo in these blows the Marshall 18 watters out of the watter and the MA5F11 V-Lux has a fabulous and rich, full toned clean sound too.

I took all my stock chassis up to my friend, Steve Rowen, the owner of www.Pigtailmusic.com... and borrowed his CNC machine, worked up a quick program to mill out the chassis mountings for a new bigger power tranny, modified eyelet board and 20 watt OT. Then I had KC at MOJO build me a couple dozen 5F11 cabinets, but with the 12" baffle board.
So far as I know, I am the only one doing this and I call the project the MA5F11 V-Lux.
I have a number of locals bugging all hell out of me to make these... as a matter of fact I built two MA5F11 V-lux amps just this week!!
When these 5E11/5F11 chassis are gone, I'll be having my sheet metal shop run another 100, I'm sure.

Although the 5E3 is a blast to play and sounds fabulous, I actually prefer the V-Lux to any of the 5E3s I've built as the V-lux makes more clean power then the 5E3, still sounds very tweedy Deluxe when driven hard, but has a cool sounding vibrato/tremolo and the volume control is wired like brown face Deluxe which means it is VERY controllable.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Pretty much... a local music store here in the Denver metro area:

http://www.drumcityguitarland.com

wants to buy them and put them out on the floor with the new Fender 5E3 as an alternative choice.
The problem is, my MA5F11 cost MUCH less at retail then the reissue 5E3, has more clean headroom and power, in many ways, I think it sounds better and is much more usable the the 5E3!
The guitar player in the band I play with uses one and is amazed at how loud it is at +26lbs and how good it sounds with humbuckers, P90s, his Tele or Strat.