Ampeg Reverberocket 2: early '68 transition

[slider313]

In 1967 Fender Musical Instruments changed the cosmetics, and in some amps the circuits, of their amplifier line. The new silverface amps were ready for summer NAAM to promote the new look for the next year's models. The silverface "drip edge" was born.

 

Ampeg must have followed the lead and felt it was time for a change also. The company had just been purchased by UniMusic at the end of 1967 so I would guess this was part of the new owners trying to put their "stamp" on the product. They did away with the blue checkered tolex and silver grill and went to black tolex with a blue/silver grill. It could be coincidence but they also went with their own "drip edge" trim. The new look also brought about the use of pc construction. The pots on the late '67/early '68 models were mounted to a pcb but the rest of the amp was hand wired/tag board construction just like the earlier models. The Reverberocket series was Ampegs answer to Fenders' Deluxe and Deluxe Reverb amps. The RR2 is cathode bias which gives it a bit more compression and earlier break up when pushed, compared to a DR. These amps are a bargain compared to their Fender counterparts.

 

Here's my late '67/early '68 RR2. This sat in a NJ accordian players closet for the last 40 years. The original CTS speaker is boxed in favor of a 1961 Rola alnico which was reconed by Weber VST with their Blue Dog cone and 65 watt voice coil. As with all vintage amps, this one needed a tune-up and a new reverb pan. Reverb pans can easily be compromised in shipping as they have springs attached to small transducers which don't fare well in transit.

 

[Gitfiddler]

That is one cool old Ampeg!!

 

I'm not familiar with that stubby little 6U10 tube. Is that similar to the 6C10 found in '80's Super Champs that runs the reverb and preamp?

[slider313]

That is one cool old Ampeg!!

 

I'm not familiar with that stubby little 6U10 tube. Is that similar to the 6C10 found in '80's Super Champs that runs the reverb and preamp?

 

Yes, the 6U10 is a compactron tube like the 6C10 but it's gain factor is different. These are actually three triodes in one tube where a 12ax7 or 12at7 are two triodes. My early '65 top loaded RR has a 6C10, 6U10, two 12ax7's and a pair of 7868 power tubes.

[golferwave]

Awesome amp....The old Ampeg units are certainly a bargain, and yours is time machine clean!

[slider313]

Scott,

I believe the vintage Ampegs to be one of the best bargins out there. Some do require oddball tubes. The power supply caps, along with the bias cap, are contained in a twistlock can. These can be a chore to remove. A 75+ watt soldering iron is a must. The cost to restore an old Ampeg may be slightly higher than an old Fender but you can still get a clean Reverberocket or RR2 in the $500-$700 range. Mine sat in a closet, with the cover on it, for over 40 years. I paid $650 for it, shipped from NJ.

 

Look to put anywhere from $150-$250 into one of these if you don't do your own amp repairs,

[golferwave]

Mike,

 

I found a 64 Reverberocket in a local pawn shop for $325.00. The shop owner said it didn't sound right, hence the lower price. It had a replacement Weber 12A 150 speaker in it and when I got it home discovered a small tear in the cone. After cone repair and re-tubing it sounded great. A friend bought it from me and he still gigs with it. I have another friend that builds amps and he made me an amp head with the proper transformer to use the 7591 power tubes. Those power tubes have a unique tone all their own. I'm always on the lookout for old ampeg amps and I'm sure I'll come across another in the near future.

[slider313]

Mike,

 

I found a 64 Reverberocket in a local pawn shop for $325.00. The shop owner said it didn't sound right, hence the lower price. It had a replacement Weber 12A 150 speaker in it and when I got it home discovered a small tear in the cone. After cone repair and re-tubing it sounded great. A friend bought it from me and he still gigs with it. I have another friend that builds amps and he made me an amp head with the proper transformer to use the 7591 power tubes. Those power tubes have a unique tone all their own. I'm always on the lookout for old ampeg amps and I'm sure I'll come across another in the near future.

 

There is a rare '64 model, I believe it's the R12-R-M, that uses one 12au7, three 12ax7's and a pair of 7868 power tubes. I'm always on the lookout for that model. Don't dismiss the models with 7868's; they are the exact same tube as a 7591, with a noval pin base. They're less expensive than 7591's and there seems to be plenty available. Do not use the New Sensor "Electro Harmonix" version as it has a magna noval base and the pins are much thicker than the originals.

[golferwave]

 

There is a rare '64 model, I believe it's the R12-R-M, that uses one 12au7, three 12ax7's and a pair of 7868 power tubes. I'm always on the lookout for that model. Don't dismiss the models with 7868's; they are the exact same tube as a 7591, with a noval pin base. They're less expensive than 7591's and there seems to be plenty available. Do not use the New Sensor "Electro Harmonix" version as it has a magna noval base and the pins are much thicker than the originals.

 

 

I was told the same thing when I got the Reverberocket and the 7591 head, that the EH 7591 tubes are rebased 5881's or something along those lines. I've used the new 7591 JJ's, even though I'm not a big fan of their product.

[Spectrum13]

Great amps. $50 for mine in 65. Thanks mom! Lots of sag with a highly reactive tone stack. Young Slammer was poka rocking a Gemini back in the day.

[Guest HRB853370]

Great amps. $50 for mine in 65. Thanks mom! Lots of sag with a highly reactive tone stack. Young Slammer was poka rocking a Gemini back in the day.

 

Great amps. $50 for mine in 65. Thanks mom! Lots of sag with a highly reactive tone stack. Young Slammer was poka rocking a Gemini back in the day.

Yep and I foolishly sold that amp too!

[bolero]

a bass player friend of mine has one of those, the trem is to die for!! I think it is power tube modulated

 

gets great cleans, and when you crank it: all kinds of juicy goodness

 

slider you even got the slip cover...nice score

[DC Ron]

In 1967 Fender Musical Instruments changed the cosmetics, and in some amps the circuits, of their amplifier line. The new silverface amps were ready for summer NAAM to promote the new look for the next year's models. The silverface "drip edge" was born.

 

Ampeg must have followed the lead and felt it was time for a change also. The company had just been purchased by UniMusic at the end of 1967 so I would guess this was part of the new owners trying to put their "stamp" on the product. They did away with the blue checkered tolex and silver grill and went to black tolex with a blue/silver grill. It could be coincidence but they also went with their own "drip edge" trim. The new look also brought about the use of pc construction. The pots on the late '67/early '68 models were mounted to a pcb but the rest of the amp was hand wired/tag board construction just like the earlier models. The Reverberocket series was Ampegs answer to Fenders' Deluxe and Deluxe Reverb amps. The RR2 is cathode bias which gives it a bit more compression and earlier break up when pushed, compared to a DR. These amps are a bargain compared to their Fender counterparts.

 

Here's my late '67/early '68 RR2. This sat in a NJ accordian players closet for the last 40 years. The original CTS speaker is boxed in favor of a 1961 Rola alnico which was reconed by Weber VST with their Blue Dog cone and 65 watt voice coil. As with all vintage amps, this one needed a tune-up and a new reverb pan. Reverb pans can easily be compromised in shipping as they have springs attached to small transducers which don't fare well in transit.

 

Great history lesson, and details I was unfamiliar with. Went back and checked my "1969" blue diamond GS12R and it is apparently a 1967 with a 1969 CTS speaker. Need to read the Ampeg book one of these days...THANKS!

[slider313]

Great history lesson, and details I was unfamiliar with. Went back and checked my "1969" blue diamond GS12R and it is apparently a 1967 with a 1969 CTS speaker. Need to read the Ampeg book one of these days...THANKS!

 

It's tough to date these transition amps as, I believe, when the company was on the block, production may have ceased until after the buyout. My early '68 has mostly '67 date codes. The CTS alnico shows early '67 and the power transformer, from what I remember is early-mid '67. Running the serial number on the chassis puts it into mid 1967 but the output transformer dates to the fifth week of 1968. This means it couldn't have been finished in 1967.

[H]

Is it possible the OT failed very early in the amp's life and was replaced?

[rockabilly69]

My favorite Ampegs are the 6v6s models from the Early 60's with the 6SL7 preamps. Here's

my Mercury and this amp is on so many recordings of mine I can count! It's a killer live slide

guitar amp, and it is BONE STOCK!

 

Here it is on a rhythm guitar (DuoJet) and lead guitar (Les Paul) (I think the lead has an original Rat on it)...

http://news.iheart.com/new2/artists/i/19364

 

 

Here I used it for the bass guitar that comes in around the second verse (won't be heard on computer speakers)...

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=6629164

[slider313]

Is it possible the OT failed very early in the amp's life and was replaced?

 

No. The solder joints are original. This was a one owner amp. Even if the output transformer had failed early on, the amp would have been under warranty and the customer would have received a replacement amp.