Amplifier ID help 1950's???

Tube and solidstate amplifiers made by Rickenbacker

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cdavidledbetter
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Amplifier ID help 1950's???

Post by cdavidledbetter »

HI,
I joined this forum in the hopes that you guys could help me identify this Rickenbacker Amp that I've inherited. It wasn't working when I received it, so I took it to a great tube amp repair shop in town and had it rewired. Much to both of our surprise, the original power source, speaker, and tubes worked great and the knobs are pretty clean as well.

Neither the repairman nor any buyers at local guitar shops here in Portland can really tell me much about it. Clearly is says "professional model 12" on the plate, but that hasn't yielded much online or in books at shops.

I'm hoping to assess a value, as I'm relocating soon and would love to find someone who'd put it to good use.
Any help is greatly appreciated! I'll attach the photos I've already taken, but can snap more if it helps.

Thanks!
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libratune
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Re: Amplifier ID help 1950's???

Post by libratune »

There are a few of these amps on the Register. I happen to own two of them. I dated mine by the speaker date codes, 1938 and 1939. http://www.rickresource.com/register/in ... 20&order=5

You may have noticed that the grille pattern on the front of the amp spells "R I C K" in an art-deco kind of way!

I would estimate your amp to be of circa 1938 vintage. If you could get the 6-digit date code number from the speaker, that would provide additional info as to date. I would estimate market value at around $600 or so based on sales over the last few years.

This was the earliest of the model M-12s. Later ones had the large "R" on the front, even later ones in late '50s/early '60s had two 12" speakers. There is an M-11 version of this amp produced in the late '30s with the same front design but without the slanted back panel. The slanted back panels came in both red and beige.

More info here: http://jzu.free.fr/rick/amp/3040.html
12-fullsize.jpg
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