Rick Guitar Plus Ampeg Amp

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Wed Jun 12, 2002 3:45 pm

Does anyone here play their Rick through an Ampeg? Specifically, I'm wondering about the Jet12T or the SJ12T. Is the 50 watt SJ too big for the bedroom? Do they compare to a Fender Blues Jr? How about compared to a Vox AC15? Thanks.

pilant · Post by **pilant** » Thu Jun 13, 2002 2:13 am

I play my 360/12 (and Guild Starfire 3) through a V-4 and a VT-22. Since I play clean, I can use them as soft or loud as I need (or want

On occasion, I do use a chorus with the Guild.

If you are looking for some sort of tube distortion, then the higher powered amps will be at a definite disadvantage for a bedroom.

I've used most of the Fender amps at one point or another, and with the exception of the Twin and Showman, none really had the headroom I wanted to play as clean as I'd like.

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Thu Jun 13, 2002 7:06 am

I recall several "favorable" comments in a.g.r. from users of Ampeg Jets (J12T and J12R-now discontinued, I think). Perhaps an archive search would yield some of the posts. I seem to recall the only complaint was that some of the early-made ones produced a "buzz" at certain volumes/frequencies. I believe that problem has since been corrected at the factory. But overall, I think most folks liked the way their RICs sounded through the Jet.

glennlewis · Post by **glennlewis** » Thu Jun 13, 2002 6:02 pm

I love the sound of my 360's or 660 through my old Ampeg ReverbRocket 2. However, it's too damn loud to play in the bedroom, but quite loud enough for street fairs, tent shows, medium size halls, etc. And I have no problem being heard above the rest of the band.

Ampegs are a great value. You can grab one up fairly cheap.

philco · Post by **philco** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 7:18 am

Glenn is right, Ampegs are a GREAT value. The problem that some people had is that the tubes used were sometimes a bit out of the mainstream and many owners dumped them because of that when tube production ceased in this country. 6C4 tubes are available from Watford Valves of England as the Mullard CV4058 (military number) which is also known as a KQDD/K or M8080. These tubes are the best 6C4 variant that money can buy, and Conrad-Johnson uses them in their new PV-14L audiophile preamp. They told me they have never found a better 6C4 tube. They were made for Britsh military mobile radios and can really take a thrashing, as well as a minimum 10,000 hour useful life. I checked the official Mullard spec sheet on it, then I ordered 10 spares.

The 7025 output tubes can be substituted with 6L6GC or KT66 tubes by a good amp tech. The Sovtek KT66 is not a true KT66 as it draws a lower heater current to make it compatible with 6L6GC powered amps. Using a real NOS KT66 tube in a 6L6GC or 7025 equipped amp can sometimes take out your filament windings (which is usually part of the expensive power transformer), as they draw considerably more heater current. I use the Sovtek KT66 in my Heathkit W-5M audiophile tube amps, and they are great sounding rugged tubes for $25 each. They also look fabulous with vintage coke bottle shape. Don't even consider paying $150+ for the real British NOS KT66 tubes, unless you are restoring a collector's amp and want to stay original.

BTW, the KT66 was the first tube ever designed for high fidelity use that was not a triode tube. It was based on the 6L6 which was an American design intended as a low cost tube for cheap public address amps. "KT" stands for kinkless tetrode and the KT66 addressed the design deficiency of the original 6L6 tube. Owners of 6L6 or 5881 amps should try some Sovtek KT66 tubes if they want a higher fidelity tube in their amp. It's worth the extra cost, and just might sound better than more expensive NOS 6L6 or 5881 tubes.

The 12DW7 tube is now back in production in Russia, so you now don't have to pay high dollar for NOS tubes that are hard to find, or hunt down a good amp tech to get your Ampeg converted to another tube.

Ampeg owners rejoice! You're back in action.

I just may get one some day. I never heard an Ampeg I didn't like. The original SVT bass amp is awesome.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 7:24 am

Philco: Thanks for this tube data. I just turned down an ampeg guitar amp because of this tube hassle. Turns out it may not be such a problem after all.

philco · Post by **philco** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:33 am

Oops! I screwed up on one tube substitution. The 7025 is a low noise substitute for a 12AX7 preamp tube. The 6L6GC or KT66 can be made to substitute for a 7581. A KT88 or 6550 will substitute for a 7027.

The Russians are supposed to be making the 7591 again as well as the 12DW7.

You can find more substitutions for common tubes at http://www.alltel.net/~vintage/tubefaq.htm

I consult a tube data sheet if possible before using a tube listed in a tube substitution manual. Triode Electronics has a lot of data sheets listed on their website, and they are a good supplier of NOS tubes.

Try substituting a 12AY7 or 6072 for a 12AX7 in your first gain stage for a bluesier distortion if you have a high gain preamp that gives a modern Mesa-Boogie distortion that is too radical for your tastes. I got NOS GE 6072A tubes from Angela Instruments for only $16 each recently.

Watford Valves has test reports on common guitar tubes as well as Celestion and Jensen speakers on their website.

Learn to spot the good tubes such as the GE 6072A, Mullard M8137, Telefunken ECC803, RCA 6L6GC, Tung Sol 5881, etc. They will make your generic amp sound almost like a boutique amp if your speakers and signal caps are of high quality as well. These tubes are hard to get, but I have stumbled across some and have four NOS Tung Sol 5881 tubes and two Amperex 12AX7 tubes that came as a freebie with a set of Heathkit amps I bought for fixing up. That means I got $300-$400 worth of tubes for free with the amps. Those NOS tubes are where ever you find them.

philco · Post by **philco** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:18 pm

For those of you who are into fixing up old Ampeg amps, I found a good bit of tube substitution data at Triode Electronics website. There is some especially useful information for 7027 substitutions. It seems that some Ampeg amps cannot upgrade to the superior 6550 or KT88 tube and must stay with the 6L6GC or KT66. The 7027 was just a 6L6GC with a couple of the pins strapped to adjacent pins internally in order to gain more contact reliability, thereby using all eight of the pins on the octal plug. Ampegs use higher voltages than most other amps, SO BE CAREFUL!!! That is probably what helped give them their unique gutsy sound I liked.

http://www.triodeel.com/7027.htm

Angela Instruments is where I usually buy my transformers and chokes. They are a Hammond stocking distributor and have the entire standard tube amp transformer line ready for immediate delivery and the lowest prices with quantity discounts. They occasionally have very good deals on specific NOS tubes. I got NOS RCA 6C4 tubes used in Ampeg amps for $9 each. By far the lowest prices I found on EI ECC83 flat plate tubes (Telefunken copies) at only $5 each for shiny plates. The gray plate version is the same tube but finished darker for better heat dissipation and costs $8. Others get $10-$15 for the same tube. I could tell no difference in sound between the two versions. They sound fabulous, but past production tended to go microphonic. Mine have worked fine, so maybe they got it figured out. Mine are in a little Kustom Tube 12 and it really shakes up tubes, so EI may now have a real champion in their ECC83. It is at the top of the list among new 12AX7 type import tubes for audiophile amps. My only reservation for combo amps is the past reputation to go microphonic.