ADA A20R Rocket

The ADA Rocket A20R is a 20 watt Class A/EL-34 powered combo amp. It uses 12AX7A tubes in the preamp. Has one 12" 35-watt 8 ohm speaker in the cabinet. Treble, mid, bass, volume, and reverb controls are located on top of the amp. Also has Bright, gain boost, and power amp thrust switches on the control knob panel. One power on/off switch, no standby switch. No channel switching features. The amp has tube spring reverb. Open back cabinet with an 8/16 ohm speaker extension jack. Dried blood red tolex with tweed grill cloth. Leather handle. The story I got is someone at ADA found this amp in a garage sale, and since one of the switches was labeled "thruster" they decided to call thier reverse engineered amp the rocket. If this is true or not I can't tell. The cabinet, funky way of mounting the amp, and spartin controls make me tend to believe the story. Definately a cool retro look. I've found that it is not enough power to play a gig with on it's own, but I've overcome that by finding the right sound, and mic the amp to provide a little reinforcement through the PA. I've used it for 5 years gigging, and it's been a work horse and a joy. Blues and classic rock are what I use it for

There is a sweet spot that you can dial in where you get excellent sustain, just the right amount of distortion on the fringe, and warmth of tone. (I play an 88 usa strat with texas special pictups.) For a poor man's channel switch, I use the Danelectro. Between the two, I'm happy with the sound. Distortion with the Danelectro, and clean and warm going straight through. That's all I need or want. I don't use the reverb, and my previous amps didn't have it either. I'm not real fond of reverb on anything but vocals.

I've used this to gig with for 5 years. No backup. I've had to retube twice, but that's expected on any amp you don't pull punches on. The leather handle is starting to fall apart after lugging around, but it hasn't broke yet.

I work on it myself when I need to... They are out of business, so I'd have to say CS is zip! zilch! Nuthin'

I've played through a Pre-CBS bassman w/2-12s for 15 years until I went to a Marshal half stack. I did that for about 10 years until I decided I needed to be in spec. My rocket has been very good to me so far...

This is just and update of the last post, I put new tubes in and the hum's gone. I've since learned that I may be able to change the voltage on the 12at7 tube which does the reverb to change the sound. I may try that.

20 watts class A, Reverb. power amp "thrust," bright and one other switch that supposed to make it overdrive sooner. If anything this amp as I know and use it has too many options. I find the little toggle switches anoying. just a volume tone and reverb would do on this.

This amp sounds really good. to me it makes electric guitars sound how there supposed to sound. That's all I can say. Rich full yet clean sounds at reasonable volumes and a balanced sound. I usually play a Raven RP-450 (a prs macarty imitation) with schaller classic 50 humbucks. I play through it with a tacocaster also and it sounds great with that too. That said, the reverb is pretty shallow and weak espescially as the volume increases. Also I'm not crazy about the distortion, It's thin and a little nasaly and it kicks in pretty heavily and pretty quickly with humbuckers. That's ok because I use a pedal for most OD sounds, boost etc. However being only 20 watts this amp doesn't really have enough power to keep up with a normal band though I try to make it. Also it's noisy. But I'm pretty sure I need to look this over with my amp techy friend to see about possible repairs for that. Also he said I may be able to use a 6L6 or 6v6 power tube to try and get a little more headroom clearance so I'll try that. Also I'll try the Fender type reverb mod if I can. So theres a lot of issues but in it's element I haven't heard a better amp. It's just this one sound.... it makes me melt. I bought it even though I didn't need it. and couldn't afford it.

I've notice the noise as I turn it up more lately. I wish that didn't happen. I don't know if I'll be able to get it fixed. But overall it does a lot for me. I've had it for 6 months now bought used.

NA

For me....This is a good amp that has that one sound thats incredible enough to work with it. Hopefully I'll be able to make some modifications and adjustments without changing that soudn and it will just be a great overall amp. Then I can stop appologising for it. But until then I will continue to do so.

Vintage type controls, volume/bass/treble/reverb with switches for bright, gain and power tube edge. Single ceramic 12" speaker (Emminence?), short pan reverb. Cosmetics are kinda Magnatone with two color tolex and a large name patch on the grill. Single EL34 output tube (probably could use a 6V6 and possibly a 6L6 there as well). Not complex but all you need for classic tones.

An interesting combination of strengths and weaknesses. No master volume, so gain is entirely the classic power tube sort, but the dip switches allow quite a bit of flexibility in the amp's response. It'll do hard rock (sounds kinda marshally with the EL34), country and blues but not metal or alternative. What sounds are there are great-played it with a PRS, a Hamer archtop, my modded Parker Nitefly, an Expandora, a Klon, a couple of delays (including a Delayla)-lots of sounds available. I loved it, my son, into nu metal, didn't think there was a good sound in the box.

I really don't know, doesn't seem all that well built (tube sockets and pots mounted directly to a LONG PCB), obviously MDF cabinet, thin tolex. I wouldn't plan on using it as my only amp, but it's really intended as studio piece anyway.

Here's the interesting part. ADA went out of business about 5 years ago with no warning. They stopped answering their phones, kept any repair work that was outstanding and just dropped out of site. Somehow Joe Nady (yes, that NADY) managed to snag a bunch of the stuff and is now selling at reasonable prices. He's a great guy, although there's no warranty available so I'd have to split between his 10 and ADAs 0.

Cool vintage style studio amp. Grab one if you can, I think I'll keep it until I sell the studio when I get old...

I don't know what year this amp was made in. I bought it as second handed one. Please advise if anybody knows! This amp is quite versatile. You can get to any kind of blues and blues rock with this amp. it's got only one channel, one volume, no effects loop, no headphone jack. That's why this amp is quite suitable for the emotional music in guiter nuance,I believe. I think 20W tube power is quite enough for these days. Even this is a guiter amp, try blues harp with a microphone. Then you may become Little Walter. The only thing I can't be satisfied is poor effect of the reverberation.I put Reissue '63 Fender Reverb for the supplement.

I use Fender strat with G&L single coils and ESP custumized 1piece rosewood neck strat with duncun little hums. Both make great sound with this amp. Once again, this amp is great for blues kind of music. Don't expect the distortion of Marshall and other similar rock amps.

When I bought this one, the explanatory note of circuit had gone. ADA is no longer exist. I'am very much appreciated if anybody could send me it by e-mail.

Please send me the explanatory note of circuit if anybody of ex-ADA emloyee see this message.

If I loose this, I will buy Fender Vibro King. I believe It's a perfect amp ever seen.

This is an update to my other post. All tube combo amp feature a 12AX7 based preamp and an EL-34 class A output section. Bass, Mid, Treb, vol, reverb, bright, thrust (gain boost)controls are on the top panel, and there is a jack for an extention speaker on the back. The amp is rated at 20 watts and has 1 12" speaker which is housed in a nice boutique style cabinet. These amps look and sound very cool.
I sent the amp in for repair to Nothing Shocking in Winston-Salem NC. The repair work I had done was performed quickly, and was top quality While they had the amp they modified the Reverb circuit to use a long "Fender" type reverb tank What a great improvement.

This amp doesn't try to be a lot of different amps, it does one thing well. It has very sweet tone that can sound agressive as you increase the volume. It can go from a very nice sound, to a rude bark. I mostly use this amp for blues type guitar.

I had problems with this amp originally. I bought it from a dealer and was told that it was the factory reps demo model. Aparently it had been damaged, and whoever worked on it did a bad job. They replaced several tone pots with wrong value pots, etc. I located the guy who bought out all of ADA's Rocket Amp parts when they closed down a year or so ago. He did a great job repairing my amp, and he modified the reverb circuit to be more "fender" like. I think he did a very good job, and would recommend him to others for amp repair. He can be found at:
http://www.clever.net/lifeingeneral/tubes
I had ripped on ADA in my first posting for bad circuit board design, but I now believe the circuit board is just fine, my amp just happend to have had be a bad repair job that I was unaware of before I bought it.

ADA is out of buisiness.....
This guy can help if you need repairs http://www.clever.net/lifeingeneral/tubes I can't give ADA a custormer support rating, but I'd give Nothing Shocking a 10

I've played for about 14 years, I currently use a silverface Fender Deluxe reverb. I also use Rockman gear, and have owned a reissue bassman, and various other amps as well. This amp has great tone and a really cool vibe to it. The amp design is very cool too, it looks like something from the 40's or 50's. The vinyl covering scuffs a little too easy, but other than that, it is a good design.

All tube combo amp feature a 12AX7 based preamp and an EL-34 class A output section. Bass, Mid, Treb, vol, reverb, bright, thrust (gain boost)controls are on the top panel, and there is a jack for an extention speaker on the back. The amp is rated at 20 watts and has 1 12" speaker which is housed in a nice boutique style cabinet. These amps look and sound very cool.

This amp doesn't try to be a lot of different amps, it does one thing well. It has very sweet tone that can sound agressive as you increase the volume. It can go from a very nice sound, to a rude bark. I mostly use this amp for blues type guitar.

Ok... Here's where we rag on ADA. The PCB in this amp is crap. The reliability of the board is not good, and if you try to fix it The traces and plated through holes fall apart. ADA has gone out of business, and I can't find a schematic of this Pig to fix it. If I find a schematic, I will had wire a new board for it, becase the circuit is really nice, just poor board design / manufacturing.
If you can help me with a schematic, I'd apreciate it a lot.

ADA is out of buisiness, and I've not been able to round up a schematic for this amp.... HELP!!!!

I've played for about 14 years, I currently use a silverface Fender Deluxe reverb. I also use Rockman gear, and have owned various other amps as well. This amp had a very cool tone to it, until it died, and when and if I find the schematic for it, I'll hand wire a new board for it to bring it back to life. The amp design is very cool too, it looks like something from the 40's or 50's. The vinyl covering scuffs a little too easy, but other than that, it is a good design. If I could get this fixed it would be a 10.

The ADA Rocket A20R is a 20 watt Class A/EL-34 powered combo amp. It uses 12AX7A tubes in the preamp. Has one 12" 35-watt 8 ohm speaker in the cabinet. Treble, mid, bass, volume, and reverb controls are located on top of the amp. Also has Bright, gain boost, and power amp thrust switches on the control knob panel. One power on/off switch, no standby switch. No channel switching features. The amp has tube spring reverb. Open back cabinet with an 8/16 ohm speaker extension jack. One channel, if it had channel switching I would give it a 10.

This amp is very clean and even sounding. Think Vox/Matchless with a hi-fi delivery, definitely not Fender or Marshall sounding. Complex cords retain all of their detail. The tube spring reverb sounds almost digital, dos'nt go as deep as Fender reverb. With a single coil equipped guitar the amp will achieve a little overdrive but, with a powerfull humbucker, the volume knob all the way up, and the gain switches on a great overdriven sound is achieved. A good stompbox is a must if you want to switch between clean and overdriven sounds. This amp has it's own sound going, the more I play through it the more I like it. You'll feel like you're playing through a handmade botique amp-sounds like a 30-watt amp-sounds like two speakers not one.

I've had mine four months. Very dependable so far.

One year warranty.

This is an amazing amp, I would definitely buy it again.