NOW SOLD.........FT: 1963 Ampeg Reverberocket for Combo /Head or Guitar

surfguy13

I'm looking for a combo, or possibly a low power head.....would potentially consider something like an old Selmer 50 watt head though.  Open to suggestions  Also may trade for a tele, ideally 52 reissue.  Although it's a long shot I thought I'd see if anyone may be interested in a trade for the Ampeg.  

The Reverberocket is a 1963 amp and in great condition all round.  These early Ampegs were built like tanks.  Late last year the amp was gone through by a very experienced engineer who worked for H&H in the 70s/80s and went on to do some astonishing restoration work on old British amps.  Chris went through the whole amp painstakingly, checked the values for all the components and made sure that the amp was functioning perfectly.  Incredibly he only had to change one capacitor.  I have drawn a ring around the new cap on a couple of the photos of the chassis.  Please see Imgur album link.

The chassis is virtually all original bar that one cap and a changed output transformer in the early 60s.  Apparently early Ampeg guitar combos suffered major problems with transformers and it is rare to find one now that doesn't have a replacement.  The replacement OT in the amp is dated 1963 according to the serial number ending in 3.  Fortunately a transformer was used that had a 240V tap so it runs without the need for a stepdown.

I was using the amp for ages before I found out that the original Gibbs reverb pan had only one of its 2 springs.  Sounded great with one spring though and still functions perfectly.  However, I got a new MOD tray from Fliptops in the US (they specialise in Ampeg parts) to try it out.  Inevitably it has a great deal more range so have left it in there but the original comes with the amp.

The amp has it's original Jensen C12R speaker dated 1963 which sounds great but I also bought a new Jensen P12Q with bell cover for a bit of variety. The ceramic C12R and the alnico P12Q sound quite different.  The pots are also dated 1963.

The valves in the amp are octal which give it a really nice fat sound and are all vintage.  It's currently running:

Output valves: 2 x JJ 7591S (100% matched)
Preamp valves: 1 x Brimar 6SN7, 3 x 6SL7 consisting of one Brimar, one Sylvania and one original Ampeg

The footswitch is original and operates tremolo and reverb.  Both these effects sound amazing!!

The amp is quiet and functions perfectly, no issues whatsoever.

The amp comes with both speakers and also a stack of spare valves, these would cost close to £200 to buy:

4 x vintage NOS Sylvania 7591 output valves.  These are half of a quad with the other two installed in the amp.
4 x vintage Raytheon 6SL7 preamp valves
2 x vintage NOS (unused)  6SL7 military preamp valves (badged as 6H9c, the Russian equivalent)

Any questions please ask.  Very happy to ship the amp if needs be but as always pickup would be preferred.

This is a link to a load of detailed photos of the amp.  The photos show the amp with the original speaker and with the new Jensen speaker.  Also shows the amp with the old grey reverb pan and the new one.  Also photos of the spare valves: 

https://imgur.com/a/3POAT


https://i.imgur.com/pGG2JYM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TY0wiUl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OxPGYq9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/fLXvz2D.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KaNqRoZ.jpg

bandmaster188

Lovely things these. Seriously regret getting rid of mine 

RiftAmps

When you say 'Tweed Combo', what do you have in mind?

dcg

I have had two Ampegs, one with the blue check vinyl and cooker knobs, very similar to yours - but a pair of stereo 12' speakers would you believe?  Sounded great.  And a 1970s V4, which destroyed buildings in a 5 mile radius...also a beautiful sound, sublime reverb, and so much cut and push.  Totally underrated amps, and I think of interest to every vintage-leaning player...

surfguy13

RiftAmps said:

When you say 'Tweed Combo', what do you have in mind?

I've had a number of 1950s fenders over the years and that's really the sound I'm looking for.  Probably a 6V6/6L6 sound?  The last two tweeds I had were a '59 princeton and a '54 twin and both offered a really sparkling but warm top end with a deep rounded bass.  That's pretty much it.  Not a 70s twin sound which is probably a bit too spikey.  The thing I love about 50s fenders is the warmth and clarity.

In terms of speaker configuration I guess I'm quite open.....2x10, 2x12, 1x12.  The best amp I've ever heard is a 2x10 50s Super so that has a lot of appeal. 

surfguy13

dcg said:

I have had two Ampegs, one with the blue check vinyl and cooker knobs, very similar to yours - but a pair of stereo 12' speakers would you believe?  Sounded great.  And a 1970s V4, which destroyed buildings in a 5 mile radius...also a beautiful sound, sublime reverb, and so much cut and push.  Totally underrated amps, and I think of interest to every vintage-leaning player...

Never seen a stereo 2x12 but I bet it sounds huge.  This 1x12 kicks it out and I dread to think what a 1x12 would sound like.  Is it a guitar or bass amp?

I think the V4 is a bass head?  The old ampeg bass amps are just amazing and really personify the 60s/70s sound we all know and love!!    Never owned one sadly.  I have an ampeg B3 combo for bass and the sound is sublime.

I think the early ampeg amps are stupidly good value for money if you're looking for a vintage sound and as you say, massively underrated.

dcg

As I recall, there was a V4B (for bass) as well as a guitar version; mine definitely was the guitar version as it had reverb, and mid switching.  The V4 head weighed over 65 lbs!  However, I was still sufficiently motivated after a gig to drag it up three floors (along with a 4x12" cab) at 3.00am in the morning.  This would now put me in A&E...

I haven't heard any of the newer Ampegs in person, although the cosmetics look good.  But they really should be properly built (i.e. PTP) and promoted as a genuine alternative to the main brands; they were more than contenders.  And which bass player doesn't want either an Ampeg Portaflex or SVT?  Finally, I think Keef used a VT22; that would make a great reissue if done properly.

Both my Ampegs (of course) are sadly long gone...

surfguy13

Everything ampeg seems to be a best kept secret.  There are models out there I've never heard of and yet they've been around for decades.

My B3 weighs 68lbs and once in a heavy duty full flight it is literally impossible to move.  It's a definite 2 person job and even then it's not easy.  There's no doubt their bass amps are as good as it gets and virtually every reference bass sound is courtesy of an ampeg.

I think the reissues sound like they've been done really well; @Eschap has a reissue guitar combo, similar to my reverberocket, if not a reissue of that amp, and he seems to be very happy with it. 

ESchap

The Modern J20 looks like an old Ampeg but the circuit is based on the 6G3 Brown Deluxe, but with less gain in V1 than the original.   Nice amp, decent components and nicely laid out hand wired circuit.  Didn't really do what I wanted but a great platform for modding.  So I've now heavily modified mine to basically a 6G16 Vibroverb with 5881's and an EVM-12L speaker, fantastic tremelo.  

ESchap

Sent you an email Guy

surfguy13

ESchap said:

Sent you an email Guy

Thanks Gordon, one on the way back to you! 

surfguy13

Gentle bump.......

jumping@shadows

These are superior to a ‘60s BF Fender Deluxe Reverb at a third of the price imo- fatter and warmer midrange, the tremolo and reverb are swampier and it breaks up much more musically, and having had half a dozen of each one the years I think these are absolute sleepers  

surfguy13

jumping@shadows said:

These are superior to a ‘60s BF Fender Deluxe Reverb at a third of the price imo- fatter and warmer midrange, the tremolo and reverb are swampier and it breaks up much more musically, and having had half a dozen of each one the years I think these are absolute sleepers  

Yes, agree totally.  They are really unique amps with a sound like nothing else and I think that's why they've come in under the radar.  And the fact that they didn't make that many of them.  The octal valves are definitely what sets it aside from other 60s mainstream amps.  It also works equally well with an alnico or ceramic speaker.

The reverb and trem are also amazing with far more usable sounds than you'll ever get from transistors.  I had an early 60s fender reverb tank and the reverb is almost identical.  Trem has great range too.