j45
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2002
- Messages
- 9,081
I am a self proclaimed amp snob and bored to tears with the latest greatest amp claims...and today it seems that's not the smartest place to be if you want to find "something new" or special.. ..I've owned just about every vintage amp known to man to be even half decent... most boutique brands and several models of each at that...and so on... Played most modern production amps and owned quite a few of those ,too.... ...played Dumbles?? check...Trainwrecks?? check.. and on top of that, I've probably played more one nighters than 99% of all guitar players alive (well over 6000 in past 40 years)..so my ears are pretty well educated in what are the practical and desirable traits of what constitutes a great amp that will handle a wide variety of musical duties in outstanding fashion. Every time I read of someone pumped about their incredible "new" amp.... I just yawn and think, "wait until they try an early AC30, Trainwreck Rocket, '59 Twin, or JTM 45 (real ones, not clones) and then see what they say".
Anyway, I'm currently a little less blase' than my usual indifference to amp impressions.... and not because of one of the best amps I've heard ....BUT... for the *money*....maybe! It was only luck that I stumbled across and bought an Ampeg Reverberocket R-212R with 2 x 12" speakers and a pair of 6L6's. Used, $450 from a guitar shop... this amp has been out of production for years..maybe late 90's?...not sure. IMO the amp absolutely kills the Fender Blackface '65 Reissues of the Deluxe Reverb, Vibrolux Reverb, and Twin Reverb...all of which are decent amps but leave me cold when compared to the sweetness of the originals.. And.. the Reverberocket is still better than the also out of production brown '63 Vibroverb Reissue which was probably the best sounding "new" Fender in decades. It's much bigger and heavier than the original 60's Reverborockets with one 12", it is a PCB amp, but good Lord this amp sounds heavenly and expensive!!, superb reverb, great overdrive, and for under $500??, there is nothing even close.
:winnerHighly recommended for a VERY affordable amp with more of a blackface style voice and takes pedals as good as any amp ever. Anybody have one of these gems???:winner
edit: I googled and just noticed Ampeg is now offering a "handwired" Heritage Series version of the Reverberocket...price $4,449.00 :bug
Anyway, I'm currently a little less blase' than my usual indifference to amp impressions.... and not because of one of the best amps I've heard ....BUT... for the *money*....maybe! It was only luck that I stumbled across and bought an Ampeg Reverberocket R-212R with 2 x 12" speakers and a pair of 6L6's. Used, $450 from a guitar shop... this amp has been out of production for years..maybe late 90's?...not sure. IMO the amp absolutely kills the Fender Blackface '65 Reissues of the Deluxe Reverb, Vibrolux Reverb, and Twin Reverb...all of which are decent amps but leave me cold when compared to the sweetness of the originals.. And.. the Reverberocket is still better than the also out of production brown '63 Vibroverb Reissue which was probably the best sounding "new" Fender in decades. It's much bigger and heavier than the original 60's Reverborockets with one 12", it is a PCB amp, but good Lord this amp sounds heavenly and expensive!!, superb reverb, great overdrive, and for under $500??, there is nothing even close.
:winnerHighly recommended for a VERY affordable amp with more of a blackface style voice and takes pedals as good as any amp ever. Anybody have one of these gems???:winner
edit: I googled and just noticed Ampeg is now offering a "handwired" Heritage Series version of the Reverberocket...price $4,449.00 :bug
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