Aims Dual Twelve

This amp was purchased new in 1974. I am the third owner of this tube amp. It has great features considering the time period in which it was made. Two channels, 4 inputs (2 per channel), Reverb, Tremolo, Footswitch Jack, a Bright Switch for each channel, External Speaker jack (4 ohm 120W RMS), Pre-Amp Output (for monitoring, recording direct into a recording system, or routing the signal to another amp). The Trem has controls for speed and intensity. Reverb has a switch and a single pot. Each channel has pots for Volume, Treble, Mid and Bass. There is also a Master Volume, as well as standby and ground switches. 8 tubes total. As the name suggests, it has two 12" speakers. An effects loop would be nice, but with all that is here, I can deal with it.

I read that the AIMS company was founded by some former Fender designers and techs. It definitely has that Vintage Fender sound to it. A lot like the Fender Twin, but with some personality of its own. The design and layout is also very fender inspired. I use a Les Paul Gold Top a 335 and Yamaha strat copy. I play mostly classic rock, some folk, and a little blues. When it is set clean, it is incredibly clean. The instructions deescribe how to get "Controlled Amplifier Distortion" out of this unit. It does have some distortion but not a lot. If you are looking for a bunch, you will need an effects pedal. The tone pots work great and you can really dial in a lot of different textures and sounds. Very warm and it can get nice and creamy.

This thing is VERY solidly built. Most tanks are not made this well, or this heavy. It is a monster to lift. Nearly indestructible. And the "Rattle Proof Casters" live up to their name. It cracks and pops a little at times. I'm sure it could use some new tubes, but I have not yet gotten around to that. The lettering on the front is fairly ugly.

Comes with a "Lifetime Warrany". Unfortunately, the company's life was a lot shorter than the life of this amp. They are gone, so you are on your own! Fortunately, these were built with typical "off the shelf" parts of the period. Repairing and replacing damaged components is a snap for any knowledgeable guitar tech.

I was fortunate enough to get all the original paperwork with this unit. It came with schematic, instructions and bill of sale. It originally cost $595.00 in 1974. Quite a chunk of change for that era! Overall, this is a great old tube amp with a lot to offer. It should last for many more years. With this kind of sound, feature set and price, who needs those expensive boutique amps? With the popularity of vintage tube amps, I think these will only become more coveted with time.

I bought mine new, back in the mid 1970s. Wife made a nice, heavy imitation leather cover for it that has protected it since and it still looks darned good on stage.

Yeah, it's a lot similar to the twin, but built heavier and with, I think anyway, more overall whumph.

Traded in a Delux Reverb that I wish I hadn't since this monster is HEAVY. Luckily it has wheels, but getting it up and down stairs even when I was 30 years younger was a bear. The DV also had separate channels I used in the same way, BTW - but it had a lot less whumph that I thought I needed for country saloon work. I was wrong and power hungry rather than sensible.

Nowadays since I have a multi effects box and a Boss Leslie emulator, frankly I'm reversing the way I plug in.

It hums when you turn it on, but if you're smart, you let it warm up on standby for a while. And it does take a while for the trem tube to get going.

It's got so much whumph that frankly I've never had it wide open. Kinda like an old Ferarri that'd go 170, but... you worry a bit.

You've gotta figure this is functionally a "vintage" amp. There's a bright switch on the "effects" side, pedal to turn on and off reverb and trem, high, mid and bass knobs on each side. You can plug in two 1/4 inch plugs either side so in ways, you could run a bass and a guitar and two mikes through it no sweat.

Don't expect modern frewfraws. This is pre computer and is in ways simply a Fender Twin on steroids. You can add speakers to "widen" the sound, but forget the modern stuff for headphones, etc.

This will be more than enough for most outdoor and indoor gigs up to maybe 1,000 people and still hurt folks ears if they're close enough.

It just doesn't have today's fancy stuff on it - but it's a super platform for adding stomp boxes or whatever.

I've played it with a Guild SG copy and an Ibanez ES175 copy from the same era ever since - along with a lot of other guitars that have come my way. Ovation nylon and steel string guitars also from the same era.

It was purchased for solo work in small to medium settings. I miked the clean channel and ran the guitar through the reverb-trem side. Worked like a champ with all the above guitars. Never ran Fender single poles through it.

You've got to figure, again, that this is a '70s tube amp with about everything they could put on it - but that's almost nothing compared to modern digital types.

But it was perfect for me in '75 and frankly it's perfect for me now. It's warm, but you can make it really bite with the brite switch for a country or rock lead.

As I said, I've never pushed it to distortion. That doesn't fit what I did then or do now. Besides, nowadays the effects boxes do that quite well if you want.

It's a 10 for power, clean and versatile by 70s or 2000s criteria.

I will admit, though, I'm a lot more cowardly now with tubes than I was in the 60s and 70s. I do get a bit scared about temperature variations. That means babying it when going from -30F to +70F in a saloon...

It's old, but... Never had a problem. I'd take it to a gig without backup except... I worry about 35-y-o tubes... So I'll give it a 7. But remember this, it's never let me down but I haven't beaten it up, either.

Warranty? The company went under apparently soon after I bought it.

But it's simple enough that any tube repairman should be able to fix it.

I've played guitar since 1963 in all kinds of styles.

I've got a half dozen guitars that all play through an amp - either electric or e-a. I've also got a little Kustom acoustic amp that's kinda a miniature version of the Aims that I use most of the time in more modern venues.

It's great for pretty much everything I do, and that ranges from folkie-cowboy to blues and classic rock. It's also great in that it's a one-amp solution for solo gigs in a venue too big for the little amp setup.

Again, it's a perfect concept for its era, and with various external electronics, it works very well. It seemed a better buy than the twin - which I was looking for, more or less - and was a bit sexier for the era. A bit more bottom, I think, if you want it.

My fear is only for those old tubes...

And the weight... Wow. If you're over 60, it's way too much. Heck, it was way too much when I was 30. The wheels help.

Seriously, I think for the era, it was one of the best available, and for what I do, it remains nearly perfect except for the weight and the potential weaknesses of glass in any tube amp.

Add my multi-effects machine and the Leslie emulator and you're good to go whether you're folking, Joe Pass jazzing or gigging country or classic rock.

I'm only giving it a 7 since it does quite well but... kinda like me, I've kept the bod looking good, but at our age, one hasta wonder.

'73 Dual Twelve, 50 watt, dual 12" Eminence Alnico magnet speakers, two channels, no channel switching, no FX loop but an 8-ohm speaker out and preamp out, 200 watt AC power socket on back. Vibrato & reverb controls right channel; footswitch control for both. EQ sections includes treble, middle and bass controls. It would be desireable to have an FX loop and channel switching, but this is a near-vintage amp.

I wanted vintage Blackface Fender sound at a non-vintage price; this amp delivers. It is very similar in tone to a Fender Twin, but has a little more balls and bass response. I play surf, so I was looking for clean tone ? this has so much clean tone, it is difficult to distort. I use a TS-9 tubescreamer to punch up mild distortion. It is reasonably quiet, but has developed a little rattle. Perhaps a bad tube? I hope to retube it soon. This amp is very loud, suitable for small to medium clubs without a mic.

This amp was built like a brick outhouse. Way over-engineered. It looks like a very reliable amp.

Aims went out of business; they were distributed by Randall. But like any vintage amp, there's no support (despite the "lifetime warranty" sticker still on the top of the amp)!

I've been playing for two-and-a-half -years. I went through several amps before I settled on this one: a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, several vintage Premier amps, and a Fender Custom Shop amp based on a Blues Jr. This amp has tons of volume, but was warmer and had more bass response than the Fender. It was also built a whole lot better, with excellent case carpentry and really clean and heavy wiring. It still works and sounds great for its age.

for how long i have had my vintige aims amp, I am not impressed with the overall sound that the amp gives. the amp ever since i got it has been poping in the background and also a spitting cracking sound whitch concernd me with its performance. it also does not have an all that great sound with a heavy distorted sound, but it does have a impresing acoustic warmth to it.

This multi tubed amp i got that my father used way back in the 70s works great with its orignal tubs, has reverb tremolo bright trebel mid and bass. With a distorter hocked to it it has the range to sound like Diamond Head or the mid range Blitzkrieg, even the clean Hero Of The Day/One Metallica.

With my P-90s playing speed metal/NWOBHM it sounds graet, i dont have the guts to turn the master past 4 ecouse of its power.

Gets crakes and pops in background, somtimes you have to use the ground switch, probly becouse i am using the orignal tubes (GE and Amperx).

Company is long gone...what a shame

Compared to all my other amps new and old this is the best i have or have ever seen, if it were stolen i would get another, used it at gigs where we were making live recordings. Built in distorter is the only think keeping this form being the perfect amp, but i consider it a God like amp.

I was real lukcy to find a vintage tube amplifier of any kind in this
much of a Good condition. I purchased it from an older gentleman (must be at least 70 years of age) for a total of $100. He even guaranteed it. Told me to bring it back for a refund if it did not
work.

Well, it did work, like new as a matter of fact. It sounds as good
as a Fender dual twin Reverb.

This Aims has two channels with reverb and Tremelo too. All the knobs
are there and it cleaned up to cherry look and feel. I play blues
and rock and this unit gives my American Fender Stratocaster the sound
that it deserves as good as or maybe even a tad better than my Fender
Deluxe Reverb. This is probably due to the fact that the Fender Amp
is less powerful...

What a good find this was to add to my "Working Collection"!

No distortion...loud and CLEAR. I use several different Effects Units
and it all comes through real clean..

Have not had it long, but would take it to a gig right now without a
backup....got a gig next week...

Company long gone...

Sounds Great and I wish that Company was still in Business...I have
three Fender Strats, a Fender Deluxe and a Peavey Kt 100, Digitec
RP-6 and assorted pedals, octavia, Klon Centaur, rotosphere, etc.

AIMS personalized guitar systems. This is a two channel amp running with 2 6550 power tubes (@50 watts). Master volume, reverb and tremelo (tremelo doesn't work at it's optimum). Two twelve's ( I replaced the blown speakers with Sheffields). These amps were made in the mid to late 60's by the Arizona Music Company (Phoenix). The company was out of business by the mid 70's. The schematics are similar to Fender. The tech's that I have had working on it say it is a solid well built amp. Speakers were usually cheap Eminence or whatever. I bought it for $20.00. Put $120.00 of tubes in it.Replaced blown speakers and have had @ $80.00 of repair work. In all honesty it is a very ugly looking amp but it sounds great! Knobs are on the front above the speaker grill. The lettering is not the most pleasing to the eye. A very wam (and heavy) tube amp. I use it for acoustic rock gigs (playing a Fender Palamino with a Claricon pick-up) and for Rockabilly (Fender Telecaster with a Dan-Echo for slap back). It gives me a wonderful smooth tube sound and also has bite when I drive it. It's very well suited for small club work.

This amp is perfect for the music I play. In an acoustice setting it provides a warm sound. In a Rockabilly setting it provides all the tones I need (doing either classic, Setzer, Heat material). for acoustic I run the Master at 7 and channel one at 5.

I have used it without back-up. It is still being tweaked as it had set for years before I bought it. Still needs some minor tech work. Still blows an occasional fuse. Still trouble shooting.

Since the company has been out of business since the 70's, you're on your own! Idid find a gentlemen in Arizona who remembered the company when they were still in business and owns a couple of them. He was very helpful. As for the rest of the U.S., No one seemed to know diddley!!!

I've been playing for over 20 years. I have had Fender, Marshall, Peavey, Vox. I love this amp! Overall sound, it's just a good as an old Fender!