# Got an old Ampeg Reverberrocket 2 last night



## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I spied this on Kijiji and the owner lived right down the street from me. Judging by the amount of calls pouring into his house about it while I was there, I wouldn't doubt some forum members might have been trying for it.

As far as I know, it's about a 1966 Ampeg Reverberrocket 2 in insanely clean condition. The original owner played accordian through it. It still has it's original tubes (GE + Sylvainia), original speaker (Jensen Concert) and 2 pring chord. There is not a mark on it.

It's an absolutely beautiful sounding amp. I have no experience with Ampeg guitar amps either old or new till now. Incredible lush clean tones, and a ton of head room for the specs. I never thought I'd find an amp that rivals my Princeton Reverb, but this totally does. AND, it does Surf tones even better which is nice because I play a lot of Surf and Rockabilly.


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## bickertfan (Feb 23, 2006)

I picked up an old Ampeg Gemini a few Months ago and I have been totally pleased with it. Top notch cleans, great reverb (echo), mine has a tremolo too. The amp feels good too - touch sensitive. Does yours have the echo? Is it small and light enough for a grab and go? - Don


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

wow congrats!!

those are amazing little amps, sleepers too, not many people are aware of them


they have FANTASTIC trem & verb, plus great clean sounds, but also get nice & nasty when you crank them

howe much did you get it for, if you don't mind my asking?

thx


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

The amp is not small compared to a Princeton Reverb, but it's not huge. And it is quite light for it's size. It's about 4 inches taller than my PR and about 2 inches wider. That extra cabinet size REALLY contributes to the tone though.

It does have the Echo on it, which I am assuming is just reverb. It sounds killer whatever it is.

It also has the original footswitch.

I paid $275 for it.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...score one for torndownunit!

well done.

-dh


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

The only problem with having so many nice older amps is it's pretty touch to get rid of any of them lol. And I really need to. I have 5 amps in the 15 watt range right now.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

torndownunit said:


> The only problem with having so many nice older amps is it's pretty touch to get rid of any of them lol. And I really need to. I have 5 amps in the 15 watt range right now.


...that's easy! keep those five, and get rid of all the other ones!

-dh


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

$275 ! Yeah, I'd say you did pretty good. Theres a couple of older Ampeg amps for sale in a used place here in Ottawa. From the pictures, yours looks more like the Gemini than the Reverberocket, but, if you look at the prices, you did good either way:

http://www3.retrotownmusic.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=27&osCsid=c9c8e3fc91b1aeb284e86f67e547e9bc


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

bagpipe, I think they kinda phased into one another at one point. It's definitely a Reverberocket II those because it says so in huge letters on the front  .

I'd recommend to anyone thinking about jumping on one of these to do it. I have a 1968 Princeton Reverb which are widely regarded as one of the best amps around. This amp easily rivals it in tone. It's a bit larger, but that larger cabinet is part of the reason it sounds so nice.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Welcome to the Ampeg club..... I have a SJ-12R that I absolutely love. It's a re issue of the blue diamond series that's been tuned up and sounds just like your description.. It's my #1 amp :food-smiley-004:


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Retrotown's prices are a joke. I honestly don't think they want to sell anything.

That said, your new amp looks cool. I would like to try one of these.

TG




bagpipe said:


> $275 ! Yeah, I'd say you did pretty good. Theres a couple of older Ampeg amps for sale in a used place here in Ottawa. From the pictures, yours looks more like the Gemini than the Reverberocket, but, if you look at the prices, you did good either way:
> 
> http://www3.retrotownmusic.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=27&osCsid=c9c8e3fc91b1aeb284e86f67e547e9bc


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I can't even get retrotown's site to work so I have no idea what their prices are lol.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Got the site to work. What are those guys smoking? Those are the most ridiculous prices I have ever seen.

Their guitar prices are all over the map. They range from ok, to ridiculous.


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## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

$275????!!!!What a great score! I have been looking for one of those for years. IMHO, they are the equal of Fender amps of that period. Congrats on your purchase.:food-smiley-004:


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

There was a guy selling one in Toronto for $750 last month and he got it quick. Great deal.

I just picked up my dream Ampeg a few months ago. 1966 Gemini II w/ the 15" speaker. I couldn't be happier. I'll take this one over any vintage Deluxe Reverb and it goes for less than a quarter of the price.

Rich, full, soul tone. None do it better than a 60s Ampeg.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

Awsome score score bro! Excellent amp... $275... thats the deal of the year.
The tubes are a prize unto thier own.

Congrats
Craig


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

Ian, I am thoroughly (spelling ??) jelous !! 
that is a stupid price.

shhhhhhhhh...............stop spreading the word !!!

I've owned a few of these: same as yours (revrocket II), gemini, g212xt I believe it was called, that amp was so unique, it was a fliptop like the b15's, and the name plate light up from underneath, it was so cool, had 2x12 jensen alnico's, power of a super reverb.

well done, they are great amps..........

are those wierd power tubes hard to find ?????


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

ssdeluxe said:


> are those wierd power tubes hard to find ?????


JJ is making them now I believe.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I have been told that both JJ and Electro-Harmonix makes them. I read varying reports on both brands. People either love or hate both lol. I will likely try to track down a set of NOS ones though to have as spares. When you get a deal like that, I don't mind dropping a little money on some nice tubes.

The amp works great, but it's still a 40 year old amp so I am going to get it checked over. I'll have an idea what I need to do tube wise after that.


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

torndownunit said:


> I have been told that both JJ and Electro-Harmonix makes them. I read varying reports on both brands. People either love or hate both lol. I will likely try to track down a set of NOS ones though to have as spares. When you get a deal like that, I don't mind dropping a little money on some nice tubes.
> 
> The amp works great, but it's still a 40 year old amp so I am going to get it checked over. I'll have an idea what I need to do tube wise after that.


Keep in mind how robust the originals are. Mine is a 41 year old amp that spent almost half it's life being used regularly in a rental rehearsal space. It is still running on it's original tubes and sounds great. I'm going to get a set of JJs power and preamp tubes to use as backups, but I will try them out on arrival to make sure they are working and to see if there is any improvement. I'll report back when I do.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Ya, let me know what you think if you do that. I personally have no real opinion when it comes to tubes. I like the current product EHX tubes I have in my Princeton Reverb as much as anything else I have heard in it.


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