19 Comments »

1. Hi Ingo!

   I have the Tone King Imperial in red color for 2 years now and I can confirm that this is a great amp. The sound is really Fenderish on rhythm channel and more tweedy on the lead one. The lead one is much more loud than the rhythm channel and with the mid bite control to zero changing from rhythm to lead is an interesting way to boost the sound with minimal change on the sound. The channel switching works fantastic, smothly, with no noise at all. The tremolo is bias modulated so it is the smoother tremolo I have heard and the switching is also completely transparent. However you has to plug the two-button footswitch (channel and tremolo) to stop the tremolo as it is working always by default if the footswitch is not connected.

   Another interesting feature is the weight of the amp. With only 30lbs and 20 Watts this is the perfect amp to move around without hurting your back. For readers reference, the Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb reissue is 42 lbs. However the finish is like a soft tolex very easy to tear, so it requires some care to avoid damaging it.

   My only concern was that the amp was a little too bright and the lows were not as tight as on the blackface amps. It was incredible great for getting that Tele twang or to play humbuckers like Les Pauls but I wanted a fuller sound with the Strat. You can see what I meant in these Youtube links “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBaPoK-6zoc” and “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkwGlFIuwnU”. So I decided to order a Weber 12F150 50W speaker light dope (the one Weber Speakers recommends for a Deluxe Reverb replacement) and swapped the speaker last week. The result is exactly what I was looking for: a closer sound in my opinion to the Fender backface sound with tighter bass, mellow response on the top end and more “in your face”, powerful sound. So now I can get different tonalities just changing the speaker!!

   A really nice amp!

   Regards,

   Eduard.

   Comment by Eduard — 15. February 2010 @ 23:09

2. Hi Eduard,
   thanks for your comment full of valuable info

   Comment by Ingo — 15. February 2010 @ 23:23

3. Totally agree with hoe great an amp the TK imperial is.
   Changing out the speaker to the weber 12F150 w/light dope is a must as well!
   Love it!
   Richard

   Comment by Richard M. — 18. March 2010 @ 14:36

4. Friends, do you think the old Mark’s tone (especially on Communique) can be a 6V6 amp like the deluxe? Or absolutely an 6L6? Which you think is best buy for that tone, a silverface deluxe or a vibrolux silverface? (2×10 can?)

   Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 24. March 2010 @ 14:35

5. We don’t know much about the Communique amps (see the page ‘gear on all songs –> Communiqué’ under Pages in the side bar).

   I remember that years ago I met Jack Sonni at the Frankfurt Music Fair, and asked him what amps Mark played on that old Dire Straits stuff. He said “I believe an old Deluxe or something” (which is 6V6). No idea in how far this can be regarded as confirmed info, but I admit when hearing this I “saw” something like a black-face Deluxe Reverb on Once upon a time in the west in my fantasies.

   Comment by Ingo — 24. March 2010 @ 15:13

6. Me too Ingo.. something low powered with reverb and a single 12″

   Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 24. March 2010 @ 15:17

7. Especially with a celestion speaker – greenback

   Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 24. March 2010 @ 15:41

8. Ingo, will you choose it over a vibrolux reverb?

   Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 27. March 2010 @ 14:27

9. I think such a question cannot be generalized. I admit there are surely some vibrolux incarnations (e.g. a black face with yellowed front grill) that would make feel tempted.

   On the other hand, a new amp of the quality like the toneking will never be a mistake, it is surely more reliable than a vintage amp. Knopfler can afford both but decided for the toneking on stage!

   Comment by Ingo — 27. March 2010 @ 18:55

10. I have been playing and copying Dire Straits since 1978 and I can assure you that a small tube amp like the Fender Vibrolux will do the job. I add just a little compression and digital (Alesis)reverb. The equipment is one side of the story, another condition is that Knopfler plays with his bare fingers (except for recent years), which is probabely even more important than his equipment. Knopfler often ‘squeezes’ out notes, but says he doesn’t use his fingernails. His sound emerges from the flesh of his fingertips, giving him the possibility to create wild dynamics but also to dampen his strings when necessary.
    Keep up the good working!

    Comment by Harry (doesn't mind) — 6. April 2010 @ 15:17

11. Really Harry? I use a blues junior now and while I use my fingers as you said the tone is close to that but not exactly the same. That’s why I am in dilemma between the vibrolux and the deluxe? Have you tried them both and like more the vibrolux?

    Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 8. April 2010 @ 08:20

12. I’m talking about the 2×10 vibrolux.

    Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 8. April 2010 @ 08:22

13. I use two amps linked together: a Vibrolux 2×10″ model, silver face, about early seventies. Couldn’t afford or find a blackface. Next to the Vibrolux I use a Mesa Boogie IIc, 1984, rhythm channel, Electro Voice speaker, in short, a happy combination: the Vibrolux gives a very bright sound and the Boogie adds the mellow tones.
    But now for something completely different. I remember that, in the early days of Dire Straits, lots of speculation was in the air about how Knopfler got his typical sound. Some music magazines even suggested that he used the Direct Input method, which means that no tube amp was used at all!

    Comment by Harry (doesn't mind) — 9. April 2010 @ 23:40

14. Ok friend, but how then his tone have so warmth without being a tube amp? I thought a vibro like yours will has plenty of warmth. Some say the deluxe is sweeter because of the 6v6. I like your infos.

    Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 10. April 2010 @ 08:29

15. Thanks for your comments. Hank B. Marvin once stated in an interview that the combination Strat and Twin Reverb needs a bit more warmth, it sounds too thin.That’s way he uses a Vox AC 30. But when you use a Vibrolux, the sound will be thicker and warmer than a Twin, due to its lower output. When a little compression is added, your sound will turn brilliant and creamy at he same time. Be sure not to add too much compression, try to avoid the “click” that can be heard at high compression rates.

    Comment by Harry (doesn't mind) — 10. April 2010 @ 13:04

16. I haven’t played a Deluxe yet, maybe I should try one.

    Comment by Harry (doesn't mind) — 10. April 2010 @ 15:54

17. That’s great Harry (doesn’t mind). Thank you.(!)

    Comment by Jeff - Anthony — 11. April 2010 @ 19:20

18. if anyone gets chance to try a wienbrock ME 1 amp do so just got mine and it’s early ds in a box bit of compression and verb + delay only 1 watt aswell so great for home use

    Comment by shane — 18. July 2010 @ 17:05

19. Sultans of Swing: brown Vibrolux (1960-1963), played with a Orange Squeezer compressor pedal. AnalogMan makes a reincarnation of this odd compressor called the Juicer. It’s a compressor with more ‘mojo’.
    In my opinion, a blackface Deluxe (snap the bright cap!), or BF/SF Vibrolux will do the job too. A little compression is a must! (Demeter compulator is a very mild compressor, Analogman end Keeley ‘old school’.

    Comment by Dave — 9. September 2010 @ 22:58

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