Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm sure this topic has been beat to death around here, but I didn't find it. Write it off to poor research skills! Does anyone know for sure what amp(s) McGuinn was using in the mid 60's Byrds? Tube? SS? Fender? Roland? Vox?

Wasn't he using painfully loud Fenders?

I think he used Roland JC's later, but they certainly weren't around in the mid 60's.

I'm with Jerry, probably a Twin Reverb or a Super Reverb.

Depended on exactly When you're talking about, what year, month, etc. Generally, Always Fender amps.He used Super Reverbs, Twin Reverbs, Dual or Single Showmans.The Fenders were all tube. For a short time in late '67 or so, he was using the then new Acoustic 260 amps,solid state,preamp heads w/ powered bottoms, 2x15" Altec Lansing loaded cabs.I'm sure there were other, but these are the basics you'd have seen him with then in some configuration or other.When I saw him w/ the Byrds in early '70, he was running a Super, a Twin, and a Dual Showman Reverb, all w/ JBLs. Loud as hell, and magnificent. No Compressors, just the Vox treble booster,nailing you right between the eyes with a sonic icepick.

Jerry, yes the Fenders were "painfully loud, but, and I never personally saw him w/ the Acoustic amps[he used 2 of them!!]the first real Rick 12 I ever got to try out in a music store in 1968, I was able to plug into one of those Acoustic amps.
2 15" Altecs w/ a high frequency horn in the top of the cab.Without the Vox treble boost, that was just glass shattering overkill.

I saw the Byrds in November of 1965 in my home town in northeastern Ohio. They all used Dual Showmans and hillman used a Bassman(large cab. Yes, they were very loud and the harmonies were nowhere as good as the recorded versions, but we dug 'em anyway.

Cool info, MJW. Thanks!

I saw a pic of them playing Hollywood High in the very early days. I think Hillman was playing a Vox amp. I think in those days they used Voxes at times, too, if only when sharing gear with other bands on the bill most likely.

They played Dual Showmans when I saw them at "The Trip" in the late 60's..

Saw them twice in the mid 60's. Showman amps were the pick.