Amp Question - - How Close to this '60's Ampeg Sound Can I Get ?

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 11:39 AM

Used Ampeg GV15-22 W/JENSEN SPEAKERS Tube Guitar Amp 35 Watts | Tube Guitar Amps | Music Go Round Littleton

This was * similar to * my practice amp from the old days. I got rid of it 'cause it weighed a ton, and was a little too large.

Now here I am, I'm trying to get this sound - -or close to it. I'd prefer spring reverb.

Again, like the Ampeg, this will never leave the house and will be played at living room volume. Oh yeah - -and the guitar plugged in will be an L-5 WesMo.

Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks !

**Greentone** · 06-10-2016, 11:51 AM

Hey, why don't you buy that amp. You can get really close to the 60s Ampeg sound by purchasing an Ampeg. Hammertone owns a bunch of them. He might sell you one. Ampegs really exude a wonderful, warm jazz tone from back in the day. I used to play through a Gemini II Amp. It was glorious. After that, when I took up bass, I went through a series of flip tops. They, too, are great guitar amps.

FWIW, Polytone is basically a solid-state recreation of the Ampeg combo amp--with a slightly cheesier reverb. Then, again, EVERY amplifier has a cheesier reverb section than Ampeg. Ampeg may have exceeded the mighty Fender in this area.

For home use, a Polytone Mini Brute II, or a Baby Brute is a great option that gets you into the old Ampeg sound, IMO.

**hot ford coupe** · 06-10-2016, 03:04 PM

I've got a 65 Gemini 1 but I also have some of the report Ampeg amps made in the 90s that look like old Ampegs with the blue diamond telex. If you can find one of those somewhere, most likely on evil bay, they're pretty good for making the right sound. I can check on that for you and edit my post here for you. Of course, getting an original Gemini II in great condition with all the original parts and tubes ain't too shabby either. Those are a bit (sarcasm) harder to get.

Edit: Well I checked on eBay for Ampeg amps for ones made in the 60s but the prices are fairly high, i.e. from about $500 clams to about $900 clams. I don't know what your budget is but unfortunately that's the going rate.

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

I've got a 65 Gemini 1 but I also have some of the report Ampeg amps made in the 90s that look like old Ampegs with the blue diamond telex. If you can find one of those somewhere, most likely on evil bay, they're pretty good for making the right sound. I can check on that for you and edit my post here for you. Of course, getting an original Gemini II in great condition with all the original parts and tubes ain't too shabby either. Those are a bit (sarcasm) harder to get.

Edit: Well I checked on eBay for Ampeg amps for ones made in the 60s but the prices are fairly high, i.e. from about $500 clams to about $900 clams. I don't know what your budget is but unfortunately that's the going rate.

Thanks for the help.

I got rid of that Gemini II I had 'cause I thought I could find something a little smaller and lighter. I was / may be looking to get this combo amp enclosed in a nice wood cab. I just don't see me going out and buying the same Gemini II all over again.

What do I do - - start calling the boutique guys and order one from the first guy who even knows what a Gemini is ??

Thx

**neatomic** · 06-10-2016, 04:07 PM

didn't realize you were in uk...contact kenneth of slapbacksville amps...master craftsman

Home

cheers

**hot ford coupe** · 06-10-2016, 04:10 PM

Hey Dennis. The reason I got the repro amp, the J20 was because everything else was just too dang heavy. Sounds familiar. I used to lug around 2 Fender Twins until I couldn't anymore. Those Gemini amps were really heavy too. That's why I never take the Gem I out. When I played bass, I always wanted a B-15 that is until I tried to lift one. That dang thing must have weighed 80 pounds. It seemed it was all wood. I guess the best way to find a solution is to keep checking on the net and see what's going on. On eBay I found an amp like mine new in the box but the guy wants a grand for it. I didn't pay even close to that for mine. Good luck with the search.

**Greentone** · 06-10-2016, 04:14 PM

Something like a Polytone MiniBrute IV should do the trick. Like the Gemini II it has a 15" speaker and Baxandall tone controls. That's pretty key to working up an Ampeg sound. If you get an old diamond Tolex or fuzzy felt covered MB the amp will have more or less the same CTS square magnet speaker that the Ampeg used, too.

Another amp in a small-ish package that might do it for you would be the Evans AE-100. I think archtop guitars sound great through this amp.

There are many modern small amps that archtop guitars sound outstanding through, but that doesn't mean that they sound like Ampeg. That's not bad, at all, it's just different.

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

didn't realize you were in uk...contact kenneth of slapbacksville amps...master craftsman

Home

cheers

Thanks but I'm in US.

**neatomic** · 06-10-2016, 04:28 PM

those 90's ampegs had problems with tubes being mounted directly to circuit board...if a tube blew it took out some components...was a problem for ampeg at the time

nothing sounds like the old gemini's..15" speaker and baxandall tone..thats like old standels...

cheers

ps- saw the music ground uk op link..

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

those 90's ampegs had problems with tubes being mounted directly to circuit board...if a tube blew it took out some components...was a problem for ampeg at the time

nothing sounds like the old gemini's..15" speaker and baxandall tone..thats like old standels...

cheers

ps- saw the music ground uk op link..

Oh man -- I thought all I had to do was throw enough money at a current builder and that'd be that.

Not encouraged at all......

Thanks .......

**Hammertone** · 06-10-2016, 04:53 PM

Why not just buy that amp? - that's stupidly cheap.
It will sound better than any of the other amps mentioned.
It looks like it's in great shape.
It will be dead easy to service.
It uses 6L6 power tubes - readily accessible.
Its build quality is superior to any '90's Ampeg.
It has spring reverb, which you want.
You say it will never leave the house and will be played at living room volume, so weight is not an issue.
The GV-22 (2x12" speakers) is identical to the GV-15 (1x15" speaker) so you could have a second baffle w/ a 15" and change the sound anytime.
It's the Ampeg version of a Fender Pro Reverb.

**Greentone** · 06-10-2016, 05:03 PM

HT,

I think _that_ amp _was_ Dennis'. He sold it. He is trying to get something like it in a small, more modern package.

I suggested something with a Baxandall tone stack and a warm power amp/preamp. Older Polytone in good repair.

Here's a MiniBrute II that looks to be in decent shape: https://reverb.com/item/2356974-polytone-mini-brute

Those black diamond Tolex, two knob, Baxandall stack MiniBrutes get, to my ears, a very Ampeg sound--if you don't try to hold Polytone accountable for reproducing Ampeg's immensely lush reverb.

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by Hammertone

Why not just buy that amp? - that's stupidly cheap.
It will sound better than any of the other amps mentioned.
It looks like it's in great shape.
It will be dead easy to service.
It uses 6L6 power tubes - readily accessible.
Its build quality is superior to any '90's Ampeg.
It has spring reverb, which you want.
You say it will never leave the house and will be played at living room volume, so weight is not an issue.
The GV-22 (2x12" speakers) is identical to the GV-15 (1x15" speaker) so you could have a second baffle w/ a 15" and change the sound anytime.
It's the Ampeg version of a Fender Pro Reverb.

I appreciate the help. I just would have to get past buying the same amp I just got rid of. I know it'd always stay at home but my back hurts just thinking about it !!

I know I'd have better luck finding a Fender that might work......

But thanks again.....

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

HT,

I think _that_ amp _was_ Dennis'. He sold it. He is trying to get something like it in a small, more modern package.

I suggested something with a Baxandall tone stack and a warm power amp/preamp. Older Polytone in good repair.

Here's a MiniBrute II that looks to be in decent shape: https://reverb.com/item/2356974-polytone-mini-brute

Those black diamond Tolex, two knob, Baxandall stack MiniBrutes get, to my ears, a very Ampeg sound--if you don't try to hold Polytone accountable for reproducing Ampeg's immensely lush reverb.

Yes that is pretty much the story. I bought one back in the day and wanted to pose the question here so I posted a listing of what I thought I had - -a single 15 in. Gemini. I would plug in my old 175 and do either Jim Hall or Wes -- dead nuts !

So a 15 in. something would be ok, even a 12 in.....I wonder who uses those tone stacks these days ?? Maybe that's where I start looking....

Thanks you guys sincerely !

**neatomic** · 06-10-2016, 06:06 PM

Amp Question - - How Close to this '60's Ampeg Sound Can I Get ?-f9c8310499666e85-sequelravine-frontcopy4-jpg

SeQuel RAVINE [to the Manhattan Guitar Club] - SeQuel Jazz Amplifiers

pricey but nice!...

cheers

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

SeQuel RAVINE [to the Manhattan Guitar Club] - SeQuel Jazz Amplifiers

pricey but nice!...

cheers

Is that one of those - " If ya gotta ask, ya can't afford it " ?? .....

Yup - -it's nice !

Thx.

**hot ford coupe** · 06-10-2016, 07:33 PM

Gorgeous amp. I hope it sounds as good as it looks. I wish I could afford the price but alas and alack. Such is life.

**jbucklin** · 06-10-2016, 08:02 PM

C'mon, it's only $2750!

**Dennis D** · 06-10-2016, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by jbucklin

C'mon, it's only $2750!

.....Gulp .......

**Herbie** · 06-11-2016, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by jbucklin

C'mon, it's only $2750!

Pricey? Only about half of the price of the L5. These kind of amps are instruments themselves so why not?

**jbucklin** · 06-11-2016, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by Herbie

Pricey? Only about half of the price of the L5. These kind of amps are instruments themselves so why not?

That's the same logic I use.

**Hammertone** · 06-11-2016, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by jbucklin

C'mon, it's only $2750!

That's only 8.46 Ampeg units!

**Bobby Marshall** · 06-11-2016, 11:06 PM

Why do you care about weight if you are only using at home and will not have to move the amp? If my facts are correct just buy the same make and model amp you sold. Especially id they only run 500 to 900. That is a steal. You know you can get your sound from it and won't have to carry it anywhere. Just admit you made a mistake and fix it. I believe it is the best choice. But I mostly lurk so I probably don't know of which I speak. Good luck whatever you end up deciding.

**Dennis D** · 06-11-2016, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by Bobby Marshall

Why do you care about weight if you are only using at home and will not have to move the amp? If my facts are correct just buy the same make and model amp you sold. Especially id they only run 500 to 900. That is a steal. You know you can get your sound from it and won't have to carry it anywhere. Just admit you made a mistake and fix it. I believe it is the best choice. But I mostly lurk so I probably don't know of which I speak. Good luck whatever you end up deciding.

" There you guys go, making sense again "...

Thanks !