# Tone from Crappy Old 1941 Regal Tube Amp



## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

I wanted to share this little known amp to you folks. A local picker asked if I would take a look at his old vintage amp. It was dead. Nothing. I got in there checked a few things and found the problem.

As far as I can tell it's a 1941 year. Regal Musical Instruments Co. Original field coil Rola speaker. I turned it on to noodle for a few minutes and was pretty impressed what the amp does. Sorry, I should have tuned my guitars before loading this up in haste. Just some noodling, but you get the idea. If I ever see one of these, I will immediately buy it, no questions asked.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Sounds a good deal like my old '52 Valco Supreme and my newer Vintage 47 Ric Supreme. Not surprising given that both of those have octal preamp/phase inverter tubes, 5Y3 rectifier and powered by a pair of 6V6GT's. The octal tubes give both a fat tone laden with rich harmonic content and a large sound stage - superb for slide guitar and harp in equal measure.

Sold the Valco because of the field coil speaker - just didn't have enough volume for my needs. The V-47 has had it's Weber Signature Alnico permanent magnet speaker replaced by a Celestion Blue and I refitted the chassis and speaker in a larger pine cabinet - very nice tone, far less boxy sounding than it was previously.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Sounds good what is the output wattage.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

It has two 6V6 power tubes however a single ended class -A design I believe. Not a push/pull PI design. I am going to guess 8 or so watts? The speaker is very inefficient and the overall volume is low. Great amp for cranked at home playing and recording in my opinion.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

keithb7 said:


> It has two 6V6 power tubes however a single ended class -A design I believe. Not a push/pull PI design. I am going to guess 8 or so watts? The speaker is very inefficient and the overall volume is low. Great amp for cranked at home playing and recording in my opinion.


Somewhere between 8 and 12 depending on the circuit


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

I'd bet Keith was much closer b/c it's not push/pull. I'd doubt it's putting out more than 5-6W.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Pretty good crappy tone


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I think there's been a Regal for sale in the GTA for a little while now. Might have seen a National and mixed them up though, I don't know :/


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

The original 1920's to 1940's Regal Musical Intrument Company out of Chicago was bought and absorbed by Harmony in 1950. Anything label Regal after that time has little in common with this amp. Pine/Pepco Canadian Regal branded amps are not related. Fender also briefly distributed a Regal brand in the 60's. Also not related. So be aware if you bump into a Regal brand amp.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

keithb7 said:


> I wanted to share this little known amp to you folks. A local picker asked if I would take a look at his old vintage amp. It was dead. Nothing. I got in there checked a few things and found the problem.
> 
> As far as I can tell it's a 1941 year. Regal Musical Instruments Co. Original field coil Rola speaker. I turned it on to noodle for a few minutes and was pretty impressed what the amp does. Sorry, I should have tuned my guitars before loading this up in haste. Just some noodling, but you get the idea. If I ever see one of these, I will immediately buy it, no questions asked.


Nice! Sounded like you were playing Won't Get Fooled Again at the 2:18 mark. My fist was in the air.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Are you sure it's single-ended? I've seen a few of these from that era, including a 1942 National that I own and have restored. Some of the smaller ones are single-ended but I've never seen one with parallel output tubes. Not impossible but unusual and tube topology from that era bears very little resemblance to today. Love the antique ones.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

WCGill, no I'm not sure it's simgle ended. I need to brush up on my phase inverter theory. This is the closest schematic I could find.
See schematic. What is this one telling us?

http://prewaramps.org/media/nd6V6schematic.JPG


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

I was a no while plugged into the Tele...but a yes as soon as the 335 spoke through it


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

keithb7 said:


> WCGill, no I'm not sure it's simgle ended. I need to brush up on my phase inverter theory. This is the closest schematic I could find.
> See schematic. What is this one telling us?
> 
> http://prewaramps.org/media/nd6V6schematic.JPG


Definitely push pull, paraphase inverter, common in that era.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

the humbuckers really suited that amp well, it woke up when you plugged that 335 in!

it sounded like there was reverb on it? that must have been the room echo?

nice clip. I like the style of those old amps too.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

@bolero Im the boring beginning part of the vido, where I am talking, you know the part everyone skips?  I talk about the reverb I added. 

I thought the Tele sounded a bit like Bruce Sprinsteen one. For example ."Hlory Days" sorta. The ES/345 was just all ballsout rock. Sadly the owner came and picked it up last night. I wss motivated to go find and buy a 1940's Masco. Its in the mail! Can't wait.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

@bolero In the boring beginning part of the video where I am talking, you know the part everyone skips?  I talk about the reverb I added.

I thought the Tele sounded a bit like Bruce Sprinsteen tone. For example,"Glory Days" sorta. The ES-335 was just all ballsout rock. Sadly the owner came and picked it up last night. I wss motivated to go find and buy a 1940's Masco. Its in the mail! Can't wait.


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

WCGill said:


> Definitely push pull, paraphase inverter, common in that era.


That is my guess as well. My 1946 Canadian made Sound Craft is push-pull A-B, I believe.
Old amps like this are fun for the occasional spin around the block for me. Mine is still all original and terrifies me every time that I plug it in. I changed out the stiff, two prong, brittle power cord for a safer one. In a few weeks it is going into the tech guy that I found a few weeks back. I want the amp to be safe, and retain its' sound without all the extraneous noise.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

keithb7 said:


> @bolero Im the boring beginning part of the vido, where I am talking, you know the part everyone skips?  I talk about the reverb I added.
> 
> I thought the Tele sounded a bit like Bruce Sprinsteen one. For example ."Hlory Days" sorta. The ES/345 was just all ballsout rock. Sadly the owner came and picked it up last night. I wss motivated to go find and buy a 1940's Masco. Its in the mail! Can't wait.


 ah, I always skip people blabbing on in their videos

" hey guys...blah blah blah blah " ( I don't care just play the damned thing ) " blah blah blah "

guilty as charged!


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

Skip and then proceed to ask questions. Lol.


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## Vladizza (Dec 19, 2020)

keithb7 said:


> I wanted to share this little known amp to you folks. A local picker asked if I would take a look at his old vintage amp. It was dead. Nothing. I got in there checked a few things and found the problem.
> 
> As far as I can tell it's a 1941 year. Regal Musical Instruments Co. Original field coil Rola speaker. I turned it on to noodle for a few minutes and was pretty impressed what the amp does. Sorry, I should have tuned my guitars before loading this up in haste. Just some noodling, but you get the idea. If I ever see one of these, I will immediately buy it, no questions asked.


Hey, I purchased last year this one but 1940 model, from 12th Fret shop on Danforth. I played it altogether 10 hours since then. Msg me if you still want to buy it. Since then I didn't have time to play it. It's good for blues and jazz and has super warm sound.


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