According to the book “Walk Don’t Run,” for the March 22, 1960 recording, the “amps consisted of two Fenders, (Vibrolux and Bassman), and a Gibson model GA-40.”  I assume Bob used the Vibrolux and Don the Gibson amp.  I know too little about the Vibrolux and GA-40 amps to recommend current equivalents. 

What would be the modern-day equivalent of the Vibrolux?

Andy

Just like mine in the basement.

Rich

Wally you take some pics next week and download. Don't know how to download pics.

So sorry,'
Rich

Thanks, Walt.  I posted the same query in Shadowmusic (a great place with helpful folk even on Ventures stuff), and a similar recommendation was made there.  Another member recommended this very interesting alternative.  It even looks the part, but promises to be very expensive!

http://www.fender.com/products/clapton

Since then, the Victoria Victorilux has also been recommended:

http://www.victoriaamplifier.com/amplifiers/classic-amplifiers/victoria-victorilux/

I wonder if anyone has here has had any experience with these two models.

Best,

Andy

Thanks for the advice, Walt. 

Although Hank didn't sound exactly like the original releases in his 2004 tour, he did try it seems.  The Matchless amps he used were Vox AC30 clones and probably sounded closer to the 1960s Vox amps than the Vox models available then (but please someone correct me if I'm misled here). Matchless, a boutique amp, has since evolved, I understand.  Hank did not use a Meazzi echo in the tour, as that would have been impossible to use live, but i think did use Charlie Hall's EFTP programs (probably on an Alesis Q20).  Still, the sound isn't spot on, as of course it is difficult to replicate a 40-year-old studio sound (which utilized a reverb chamber and studio compressors, among other things) on stage.

Nokie on stage usually doesn't sound anything like the old records, to my ears.  Both he and Hank play very well, of course, but, as it is their pieces, they can sound anyway they wish.  I just wanted to capture the old sound.  The EF86 channel in the Vox Heritage series was quite a revelation and contributed so much IMO to achieving "That [Shadows] Sound,"  so I was wondering what amp would be good for the very early Bogle pieces. 

As I mentioned elsewhere, the Ventures' sound in their concert earlier this year was nowhere close to what many here expected. There is a bit of a time warp here, as the Ventures fell out of favor in Manila in 1964, victims of the British invasion, so their old fans were looking for their old sound.  Nokie was fantastic though, and I appreciate him, as many did, not so much as the Ventures' lead, but as an artist in his own right. 

But, insofar as the quest for nailing a specific sound, such as Walk Don't Run, is concerned, what Nolie uses is probably irrelevant.  He doesn't, and probably doesn't care to (with good reason), emulate the old sound.  So we amateurs are left to our own devices.  Hence, my query.  T

But I do appreciate the advice.  I do know that, if I mortgaged my home several times over and bought all the right amps and guitars, a real guitarist will sound better on the the cheapest gear.  We do practice but should practice more (we need to as I am severely handicapped in the talent department!). We hope to have more Ventures pieces in the next show.

Best,

Andy

When The Pickniks play at the Fan Jam, it's Jazzmasters through Twin Reverbs for the early Ventures tone.  Last year, they also added my Twin Reverb to the line up.

Also of note, but not necessarily of Ventures' tone, the vintage-sounding bands at Instro-Summit (Chapel Hill, NC) each year are usually playing Jazzmasters & Jaguars through Bandmasters or Showmans and stacked cabs, with separate Fender reverb tanks.  The amps are all vintage stuff and that don't come cheap.  Eddie Kaster with The Surge out of Atlanta are masters of the old surf sound.  AquaLads out of Charlotte are pretty good at this tone, too.

Please record something withit and post here.