Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This is a repost under my own topic, I accidently posted under the "Rickenbacker Road amp" post, but here's what I originally Posted:

Is there other places to find out info on Road amplifiers? I was in a Pawn shop a few weeks ago and picked up a 2x12 solid state Road amplifier for $130. It's a Kenny Gill signature model, and sounds really great. It's got 7 knobs, from left to right...Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Reverb, Effects, Master. I think the Effects is a compressor of some type, but I'm not sure, there's no effects loop though...Great clean sound though, nice and Jazzy sounding (since Kenny Gill was a jazz musician it makes sense.) Nice overdrive too when you crank the Volume and Effects, but keep the Master low. Anyway, is there anyplace I could find more info on this amp, what year it was made and all? The above amp does not say Rickenbacker on it...It says Road on the metal plate where the knobs are and on the grill, on the top is a little plate that says "Kenny Gill Baton Rouge, La". I just now found out that Road was made by Rickenbacker. Any info would be nice.

Me: Thanks for the post. Please post a photo or email photos to me and I will post them for all to see.

Here is a photo of the Kenny Gill Road amplifier.

The flash glare in the photo of Me's amp makes it a little hard too see, but it does appear to have Rickenbacker era appointments. I've never been too clear on the exact date that Rickenbacker took over manufacture of Road amplifiers. Perhaps Mr. Hall can shed some light on this.

This is not a RIC era amp and we had nothing to do with this or Kenny Gill.

As I recall, the buy-out was in either 1979 or 1980.

Thanks for the info...Any idea who bought the Road amps?

Me: I have only recently found additional information with regard to the "Kenny Gill" model. The Rickenbacker Registration Page received an email from Mr. Kenny Gill, a professional guitarist, who has recorded with many well known artists. On December 29, 2000 Mr. Gill wrote Quote:I knew the person who started ROAD amps (Bud Ross) but he's never mentioned a Road amp with my name on it, or am I being too
presumptuous?? Once I owned a very large music store in Baton Rouge,Louisiana USA and we always attached a metal plate to all amps with the name "Kenny Gill Music " on each amp. Could someone be thinking that was a K.G. Model ROAD??? Please let me know more if you can.Thanks, Kenny Gill

So it would certainly appear that the rather official looking nameplate on your amplifier was a nice labeling job done by Mr. Gill's store. There were no Kenny Gill Road amplifier models. Please give the amplifier another going over for component codes that may give a clue to it's date. I will ask Mr. Gill when the store was in operation so that we may have a better idea when it was dated. The bottom line is, however, that Rickenbacker was not involved in the manufacture of this amplifier.

Well, that explains the plate...And that was my mistake, it's still very interesting to know. Thanks to you and Mr. Kenny Gill himself. I will try to identify the amp further...Which leads back to my original question...Any idea where to look? Any sites that might have more info on Road amps? Where should I look for component codes? On the back is a plate that says "Griffin Music Inc. Los Angeles Calif." Would that be any help? The serial number is there too. I've heard that sometimes the last couple digits reveals the year of the amp. If that's the case, the amp would be from 1981, because the last two digits are 81. Again thanks for all your help, if I find out more, I'll be sure to post.

I have been sent a copy of this nameplate by Kenny Gill which I will post as soon as I am able.