Ampeg Gemini VI

**Burr** · 02-22-2017, 12:33 PM

So lately I have been looking for a bigger amp (than a 5w blackface champ ha). There are two vintage ampegs near me, one being a Gemini VI and a Reverberocket II. The later is more expensive than the Gemini and seems to be more like a rock amp. Anyone here have experience with either amp? The 15" of the Gemini intrigues me.

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**wzpgsr** · 02-22-2017, 01:30 PM

I have a 1966 Gemini II. I'm not 100% sure, but I think the main difference between the II and the VI is that the II has 2 channels and the VI has 1 channel. Really great amp for jazz, if a little large for frequent travel. I replaced the 1970s era ceramic square magnet speaker mine came with with an alnico Altec 418b. Although it's big and bulky, I keep mine on an amp stand to keep the bass from being too loud in my small practice room.

My other amp is a tweed Princeton clone (basically a tweed champ with a tone control). Between that and the Gemini I can get just about any classic jazz sound that I might want. The Gemini is not terribly loud even at 30 watts, but definitely louder than the Princeton clone.

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**Burr** · 02-22-2017, 01:53 PM

Is that a 15" in the II as well? I don't need a ton of volume just a bit more than the champ. I find my self propping the champ against a wall to try and squeeze out a little more "bass". Although that may be my guitar being a hair on the bright side.

**JGinNJ** · 02-22-2017, 02:15 PM

I had a Gemini I for many years- too many, really. Like the previous poster said, dual channel and 12" speaker.
It was enormous, heavy, noisy, rattly, and very distorted if you turned it up at all. Great if you're playing nasty blues, but doesn't have a clean jazz sound.
I'm guessing the VI, with a bigger speaker, single channel, was a bass or keyboard amp.

**wzpgsr** · 02-22-2017, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Burr

Is that a 15" in the II as well? I don't need a ton of volume just a bit more than the champ. I find my self propping the champ against a wall to try and squeeze out a little more "bass". Although that may be my guitar being a hair on the bright side.

Yes, it's a 15" as well. Not sure what was wrong with the other responders Gemini II. Mine has a tremendous jazz tone and 15" is standard for the model.

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**mad dog** · 02-22-2017, 02:49 PM

I had a Gemini II for years. In stock form, they're not a loud 30 watts. But such pretty cleans. Mine was changed. Bigger PT and 6L6s, which was a somewhat common mod. A tube rectifier in place of the SS rectifier. Not a common mod. One of the best amps ever. Too heavy, but sounded ridiculously good turned up.

MD

**Hammertone** · 02-22-2017, 03:27 PM

All Ampeg Gemini and Rocket series amps from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s are good for jazz, IMO.
The G-series amps were generally more deluxe with more features, while the R-series were a bit stripped out.
Some are louder/heavier than others.
I've been using my '69 Reverb-o-Jet for awhile for my quiet Sunday night guitar duo gig.
Haven't had any stadium gigs recently, so I haven't taken my V-4 stack out in awhile.

**Greentone** · 02-22-2017, 04:16 PM

I think the Gemini amps are excellent. From '69 to '72 I used a Gemini II on and off. Honestly, it was at least as good as any Fender amp that I had--and during that period I had a blackface Deluxe Reverb, a Silverface Deluxe Reverb, a small cabinet Bassman piggyback, and a Pro Reverb. The Gemini II was about as loud as the DRs. It was better sounding, though, IMO.

I have played through several Gemini VI amps. I believe that Ampeg made them for accordions, FWIW. That said, they are outstanding guitar amps. They are big cabinet, single-channel Gemini II amps. The circuit is basically the same, just the cab is larger on the VI--more bass honk on the accordion, after all. Same speaker.

**Cavalier** · 02-22-2017, 04:27 PM

I have a 65 Gemini 1, great clean sound with good headroom and a nice wound up sound too. If you don't get the cleans something is wrong. Mine came with the stock blue dot Jenson but I put ina JBL E120 for more volume, great combo.

The Gemini cabs are big because they are separated from the head by a baffle and sized to the correct enclosure math. Great looks too for the old ones.

**maggles55** · 02-22-2017, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Hammertone

All Ampeg Gemini and Rocket series amps from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s are good for jazz, IMO.
Some are louder/heavier than others.
.

Yes, I agree....any would be fine for jazz, but all are pretty heavy. I have a Reverberocket II which gets an amazing jazz tone but is pretty large and heavy for an amp that probably makes less than 20 watts. The Gemini was a more expensive model.

RRs usually use 7591 power tubes and are cathode biased. That is the same configuration seen in Gemini Is. Gemini IIs and higher switch to fixed bias and are therefore a bit more powerful (probably get up near 22-25 watts). Ampeg produced a few of these with 6L6s and these are even more powerful. Be careful, however, many people converted their 7591 Gemini's to use 6L6 and the quality of these will depend on the competence of the amp tech (some are real butcher jobs).

Later 1970s models (G20, GV-15, GV-22) dropped the "Gemini" designation (I think), but are still great amps. These are rarer, but tend to be cheaper. They are all 6L6 amps, but they are also not point-to-point wired, so a bit harder to work on (but still high quality).

One more thing, all the Gemini versions (including the 1970s versions) use a 7199 preamp tube that is no longer manufactured. There are acceptable subs, but all require the tube socket to be rewired. Or, you can pay an outrageous price for a used 7199.

**Burr** · 02-22-2017, 06:13 PM

Thanks for all the great info everyone. I think I'm gonna see if I can make a deal on the VI. Use the VI at home and my champ at my dorm. Or haul the VI back and forth to get in better shape

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**Bebop Tom** · 02-22-2017, 07:40 PM

I have a Gemini II with a JBL D130. Great hi-fi jazz tone that is very different than a Fender. Terrific reverb and tremolo. The amp is 60 lbs, so it stays at home. Grant Green and Barney Kessel used Ampegs. So did this guy apparently:

The Ultimate Jazz Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

**Matt Cushman** · 02-22-2017, 07:57 PM

Here is a gemini VI this one has been used and abused aplenty. It is currently on the disabled list. I think it needs a filter cap maybe? I played through this strictly at home due to the large size of this amp. I always liked the tone from this amp, I guess I will have to fix it or have it fixed if I can't figure out what it needs.

**Hammertone** · 02-22-2017, 08:09 PM

Time for this, yet again:

**Hammertone** · 02-22-2017, 08:12 PM

Here's a helmethead RR-II next to a similarly-featured GU-12 - both 20 watt amps. The size of the cab really affects the perceived volume.

**Hammertone** · 02-22-2017, 08:21 PM

Here's a clue as to Ampeg's strategy regarding the difference between G-series and R-series amps, at least once they moved to the helmethead platform. Same size boxes, same power - G-12 on the left, RRII on the right:

**maggles55** · 02-22-2017, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Hammertone

Here's a helmethead RR-II next to a similarly-featured GU-12 - both 20 watt amps. The size of the cab really affects the perceived volume.

My RR-II looks exactly like this one. I love it (except for its size and weight). Unlike most of my other amps, this one sounds great no matter which archtop I plug into it. A quick fiddle with the Bass/Treble and I can always find a great tone. I am sure the large size helps.

I did replace all the caps a few years back. This is to be expected with the old Ampegs.