FENDER BROWNFACE VIBRASONIC
1959-1963
Configuration: Combo
Power: 50 Watts
Effects: Tremolo
SCHEMATICS
LAYOUT
- Front Panel (5G13): "Normal" In, In, Bass, Treble, Volume - "Vibrato" In, In, Bass, Treble, Volume, Speed, Intensity - Presence, Pilot Light
- Front Panel (6G13-A): "Normal" In, In, Volume, Treble, Bass - "Vibrato" In, In, Volume, Treble, Bass, Speed, Intensity - Presence, Pilot Light
- Back Panel (5G13): Ground Switch, Fuse, Power Switch, Standby Switch, Speaker Jack, Vibrato Jack
- Back Panel (6G13-A): Ground Switch, Fuse, Power Switch, Standby Switch, Speaker Jack, External Speaker Jack, Vibrato Jack
CABINET
- Dimensions: 20 x 25 x 10¼
- Tolex: Pinkish brown (59-61) or Rough Brown (61-63)
- Grill Cloth: Oxblood (59-62) or Beige Brown (Wheat) (62-63)
- Logo: Grill Mounted, Flat
- Hardware: Large Chassis Straps 5 5/8''
- Handle: Brown Strap
- Feet: Chrome Glides
- Knobs: Brown Barrel
SPEAKER
- Size: 1 x 15
- Impedance: 8 ohms
- Model: JBL D-130F (For more info, check out the Mojotone Replacement Speaker Guide)
TUBES
- Pre amp:
- Power:
- Bias: Fixed Bias, Nonadjustable
- Rectifier: Solid State
Comments: Model 6G13-A's tremolo circuit left 12AX7 unused. Some early Vibrasonics have a plugged hole in the rear panel labeled "pulse adj." located about 1½" to the right of speaker jack. As the label implies this may have been a control to adjust the waveform of the tremolo.
10 comments
Howdy. I have a 1959 Fender 5G13 brown face amp in excellent condition, serial number 00123. My father had this before I was born and I learned to play on it.
I’m considering selling it as my elderly mother could use some help. I’m trying to figure out the best avenue to sell.
I’m in the Dallas area.
Any suggestions on where to get started?
Thanks so much!
I have a Blackface Vibrasonic that I bought at Guitar Center in Hollywood in their vintage room about 7 years ago. Now this particular amp supposedly, from all my research, doesn’t exist. It was made in August of 1963, when they were phasing these out. It has the JBL and it is all original. Nothing has been altered or pained over. I believe they put out a few of the BF versions of the 6G13-A circuit models before entirely scrapping this line. I’m assuming that they thought this line would continue into the BF version and they built just a few of them. Haven’t seen another anywhere on the internet. It has the round tuxedo style white knobs, and is set up like the 1963-64 Princeton amp. The code numbers on the back are MH=August, 1963. Same look. Just thought I’d share this. 🙂
I forgot to mention that the grill cloth is a blackface grill cloth. Not from the ones you see on the brownface amps. And the the staples appear to be period correct from the early 60’s. Nothng looks altered.