Ampeg Gemini I G-12 112 Combo

I just wanted to update my previous submission. After a little more tuning up this amp suddenly came alive. The clean sound is now big, fat, warm and beautiful. With an old Gretsch plugged in it sounds magic. The tremolo is among the best and now the reverb is very good although not particularly deep.
My apologies for slamming this amp before. It's amazing what just going over the old solder joints and new tubes did for this old girl. I previously agreed to sell this to a friend but now I'm feeling like I want to keep it.

This is a 1965 Ampeg Guitar / Accordian amp with 2 channels, reverb which they call echo, and tremolo. It has a 12" speaker, mine has been replaced with a vintage Celestion Greenback.

I have tried a Fender Strat with 2 stock 80's single coils and a Duncan Distortion, a PRS CE24 with Duncan Jazz and Distortion and a Yamaha Image with stock pickups. I play mostly Classic Rock, Blues, late 50's to 80's Pop. Frankly I find that this amp produces an OK clean sound and a muddy distortion when cranked. It can do a pretty good crunch rhythm with the volume on 7 or so but nothing to write home about. The amp has that same lackluster quality as a non reverb vintage blackface fender. you get the feeling that it could be great but there's just something missing. I own a lot of vintage amps but this one just doesn't measure up to its competition. Play one next to a BF Deluxe, Vibrolux reverb, Super reverb, Vibroverb etc and you'll see what I mean. Please don't think that I just hate Ampegs. I have owned an SVT, 2 V-4's, a V-4b, and a VT40.
Now having said all that, I'll tell you the positive. I think it's an excellent platform for mods. A good amp tech could do a lot with this amp. With not too much work, it could compete with the best. It's easy to work on and there's plenty of room in the chassis. It's loud enough for a small club and it's light. There's plenty of potential here. It could be made into a 10 but stock it's just a 5. Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings.

It should be as reliable as a mid sixties Fender. I think those ceramic wirewound plate resistors are subject to failure with age but everything else looks OK in there. I don't like the way they drive the reverb but I guess it works. The board is better than the ones used in vintage Fenders. The bent sheetmetal chassis is crap but it shouldn't affect the reliability. The amp should be good once gone thru by a good tech.

Is the original Ampeg company still around?

I've been playing since this amp was 6 years old. I own way too much gear and shouldn't have bought this but for $50 at a yard sale I couldn't say no. I restored it with the intention of just selling it. I would buy another for the same price but I wouldn't look for another if it were lost or stolen.
This is also one of the ugliest amps I have ever owned. The sheetmetal chassis front/faceplate is just plain cheesy. The tolex looks like something from the seats of a 1960's diner. The logo is the one really nice cosmetic feature.

1965 Ampeg Gemini I. 22 tube watts. Tubes - uses two 7591's, one 7199, one 6CG7, and three 12AX7's (mine has all the original Ampeg tubes except one of the 12AX7's is a Mullard and the 6CG7 is unmarked). Amp has one 12" speaker (mine has the original Chicago Jensen C12Q). Two channels, and each channel has two inputs (guitar and accordion). Each channel has independant controls for Volume, Treble and Bass (Chan 1 treble control can be turned all the way up until it "clicks" for Super Bright mode). Has tremolo and reverb (Channel 1 only), and both are turned on/off using the hardwired footswitch. Chan 1 also has controls for Tremolo Speed, Tremolo Intensity, and Reverb. Tremolo Intensity knob can be turned all the way up (until it "clicks") to access Repeat Percussion mode. Has old-school two-prong power cord. Mine also came with the original Ampeg cart (wheeled cart that mounts to the bottom). Amp has classic blue diamond tolex. One great feature that EVERYONE who owns this amp should be aware of is Channel Jumpering- plug your guitar into Channel 1 Accordion input, then plug a short patch cable into Channel 1 Guitar input and Channel 2 Accordion input. Now you can use both channels at the same time for some really cool tones. You can even adjust each channel (Volume/Treble/Bass) seperately to "blend" tones.

*UPDATE 12/10/2008*
This is an update to a review I recently submitted- I forgot to mention one important thing. The volume of Channel 1 decreases the more you turn up the Tremolo Intensity knob (even if Tremolo is switched off). This is normal, as I've spoken to others on the WWW who experience the same thing. In short, for maximum Channel 1 volume- turn the Tremolo Intensity knob all the way down. This is especially important for maximizing your clean headroom.

I use a MIM Telecaster with a GFS Dream-90 P90 in the neck pos and a Dimarzio Fast Track T in the bridge pos, and this amp sounds amazing! Warm, glorious, vintage rock tones when turned up, but can also do great warm cleans- perfect for jazz/blues. Most incredible reverb I have EVER heard! The tremolo is great too, and the repeat percussion feature is very cool/trippy. I've also used a cheapy 80's Harmony H-802 with P90's and this amp STILL sounds unbelievable. Get yourself a clean boost pedal if you want loud cleans though, because once you get past half-way on the volume you start to break-up (but it is THE sweetest overdrive ever!) I play blues-rock/drone-rock and this amp is perfect for that authentic 60's garage rock sound. If you want to hear this amp in action, listen to The Black Keys first album titled "The Big Come Up" and experience the glorious reverb and amazing tones that this amp can produce (you'll also hear the tremolo/repeat-percussion in action). If you want warm vintage goodness, this amp will give it to ya. Best amp I've ever owned.

Reliable, you ask? Let's see... made in 1965 (in New Jersey, USA) and it is STILL rocking. 43+ years old and it still sounds amazing. I think that says it all right there. I will probably have the filter caps replaced since it seems to be all original, but other than that: this is a point-to-point amp that should not have any major problems if taken care of properly. Treat it good and it will treat you good. I wouldn't gig/tour with it, but that's only so it won't get stolen or abused.

Not going to get any support with an amp this old. Luckily it isn't needed since the amp is so well-built. The Ampeg brand is now owned by Crate from what I've heard, fyi.

Been playing for about 10 years. I love everything about this amp. Oozing with vintage charm. I got lucky and found an all-original 1965 model. Original tubes and original C12Q speaker, everything looks and sounds great. The hardwired footswitch is original and works perfectly. Tolex has only a couple TINY signs of wear. It seems to have been barely used, and after I wiped the tolex good with some Armor-All wipes, it looks incredible! It's my most favorite possesion.

1967 Gemini I with dual channels, reverb, tremolo, foot switch, ceramic 12 inches speaker, guitar and accordion inputs.
The speaker is non original, 50 watts power.

This amp is really ideal for the kind of music i play : sixties rock n roll, some dark jazz and swampish blues. It was designed and primarily used by jazz players, but can do a lot more diverse things, it is full of vibe and rich sounds.

It delivers 20/25 watt of real tube power, that means it is full suitable for rehearsal and club in the trio i am playing in.
The features i wish it had are :
- a standby mode
- an effect loop
- a 220V european transformer
- a modern plug with mass
The last twos are the most desirable since i live in europe and since i dont want to die on stage !
The tubes are 3 x 12AX7, 1 x 7199, 1 x 6CG7 in the preamp, 2 x 7591A in the power. 7591 and 7199 are not very common but have been reissued by sovtek and EH.

I give it still a 9, because it has such great spring reverb and unbeatable tremolo, effective 2 bands EQ. It is a real cool vintage rare combo. I dont need, and now dislike, the kind of crunch channel you find on later amps, the amp breaks up naturally with a most natural crunch in it.

This one goes on very well with both my 330 Rickenbacker and Eastwood Supro Coronado. With those guitars it starts to break up round 4. It breaks up later with my Hofner 58 jazz axe and my 66 Gretsch Clipper. You really have to try the mariage with your specific guitar. All my axes are single coil, never tried with humbuckers.
Once again, it is perfect for my need : sixties vintage sounds.
The tremolo is unbeatable, really effective and clean. You can easily get swampish tone, crampish heavy trem or just a slight trem coloring your sound (which i prefer).
The reverb is a killer too, from light to deep hollow surf.
It really likes my two pedals : Proco rat, EH English Muff'in (tubes)
Beside those settings and styles, i cant tell. I think you get the picture.
To give you more details, the EQ is just 2 bands (bass, treble). I usually lower the bass (otherwise it gets REALLY bassy), and increase the high between 8 and 10. Think maybe the treble Eq would need some tech to be wider, but it is ok.
One huge precision : i mainly use the Accordion input, turned out (after a few rehearsals) that my whole sound is more bright using it.
And last : the current speaker is something common, but it sounds just gorgeous. Maybe someday i'll try a vintage Jensen C12 in it..

It is a 40 years old amp with vintage tubes and electronics so even if it is well built, solid woods, strong tolex, i must say i prefer using my Jet II reissue the common days and reserve it for concerts and recording sessions. I try not to move it and drive it too much.
But, still, it came to me in France across the ocean in a freat plane, i was anxious and arrived well.
So i give a 8 because : looks and fells strong but still and old machine !

It has been reviewed by a tech guy in New Jersey (Ampeg's home) before i bought it. They did the usual tubes and caps check and replace. It might be an issue to have it repaired here in Europe, because it is a very rare amp in here (compared to Fender, Vox), so you just rely on the capapility of the electronic tech guy, not on his specific ampeg experience..
It is the reason i take extra care of it.

Been playing for 15+ years. Owns a Jet II reissue which does the everyday job quite nicely, but cant be compared to this elder one !
I like the ceramic speaker, think alnico is rather muddy most often.
If stolen, i would definitely try to get another one, maybe the Gemini II for its 15inches speaker.
This amp has been an achievement for me in finding the true sound. Not sure i would prefer a fender twin or ac30.
For the money, this amp is unbelievable. I am so happy i took the risk to have it shipped across the atlantic !

This amp made in 1966. This amp can do any vintage type music excellent!! ...and more! I play Blues mostly, but also some old school country, roots stuff as well as toy with ambient type stuff ala' Terje Rypdal. Theres two channels. One with the reverb. The "normal" channel does have some judicious reverb bleed though. I'm a reverb nut so the 'verb on the Gem 1 is ultimate! The trem was beautiful when it was working. Disabled now. The drawback is when the speed or depth are turned up the volume drops on the amp. I use this amp for smaller clubs. It's about 20 watts depending on your speaker choice I think. You would be hard pressed to realize there's a solid state rectifier in this amp. I think the cathode bias balances this out. The accordian output is hotter gain, plus you can bridge the two channels via patch cord for thicker tones.

I'm using it with a Les Paul with neck pup out of phase for the "Peter Green " tone. A strat with Duncan bridge pup, Lite ash tele, two Jagmasters (one Vista Japan series, and newer one set up for open E slide). Not very noisy at all, but single coils can be noisier of course. The sounds on this amp are unbelievable! Equal to Fender cleans, better breakup than Fender. Lush as hell reverb, the best onboard 'verb ever! This amp sounds like a true mix of Fender, Vox, Marshall in my opinion. All the boutique makers say this, but it was truly done here in 1966 by Ampeg! This is one of the best 5 amps ever made in my opinion and prbably the most versatile, given if you don't need channel switching. I replaced the original Jensen C12Q speaker with a Weber Blue Dog ceramic 50 watt and that was the perfect match (and, no it does not sound "too British")

It uses 7591 power tubes, and my tech told me these tubes may outlive me! I bought a NOS set though as a precaution. It came with the original Ampeg tubes, which still sound brand new! I always bring my Vox Pathfinder Reverb/trem amp as a backup, to go into the PA (great $115 dollar amp!)
The trem only worked about 1 hr. when I got it, but I didn't care because of the volume drop it caused. I've heard these are an easy fix though. It's built like a tank and I do depend on it.

I heard you can still talk to the guys who designed and made these amps, namely Jess Oliver in New Jersey. They have since sold the original company.

I've been playing for 30 yrs. My other great amp is a '66 Bandmaster in a 4x10 cab with reverb, no trem and gz34 rectifier tube. It also has an Allen master volume on the back. I use THD yellowjackets in that a lot also, and it sounds ...well like the Gemini a lot when in that mode with 4x10's. I love the spaceship oven look of the Gemini 1, not many people have them, it sounds unbelievable, they are not expensive (a guarded secret...not now) It also sounds almost exactly like a Victoria Victorilux which I also reviewed here. I would choose this over a Deluxe reverb because it seems more touch sensitive, goes to Marshall territory as well as Jazz, ad hey Magic Sam used one! Sean Costello used one also (RIP), but I find it has all the sounds in a 1x12 amp I have searched for!

My dad gave me this amp when I started playing guitar. He played his ENTIRE band through it. The mics, guitars, and the "squeeze box". I've been using it for 10 years now, and love the great sound quality of the amp. Just clean awesome nature sound from this 1961 Ampeg G12. This amp is great for what I play. I gig it alot at my church and at coffee houses and local stages with my band. The amp has 2 channels; 2 guitar inputs--2 "squeeze box" (accordion) inputs. With an foot-switch (reverb and echo). My amp puts out 80 watts which is plenty for what I do. Everything on the amp is original (except handle because it snapped on me, so I had to replace it) including tubes. All 7 tubes. This tank is 28 years older than me and just keeps rockin. Ampeg did some awesome work on this one!

My unique set up is that I play lots of different styles of music from the guitar...from christian rock, to Rock and Roll, to 30's and 40's music (where guitar was just coming out), to jazz, to acoustic. I play a 07' Epiphone Les Paul; 93 Fender Strat; 03' Epiphone Sheraton II (with Gibson 490R & 498T Humbuckers); 03' Martin D-35 acoustic; and 68' Sigma D-28 acoustic. All of the guitars (even the acoustics) get such a natural amazing sound from the amp. For distortion and all other effects I play my guitars through a Digitech RP 200. From effects to just plain natural, this amp blows me away! When I am not playing and the amp is just on...the amp is as quiet as a whistle.

This thing will never die. All original parts except the handle (cause it broke on me). Like I said, I got it as a gift from my father...what an amazing gift!

Like others said, the thing is old....much older than me...and so, take it to your local (trusted) tech and let him do what he needs to do. Back then things were simple...nowadays, life is nonstop and extremely complicated. I've never had any issues from the amp to take it to a tech. So, I have no opinion.

This is my first and my only amp. Don't want anything else. Ampeg is the best! This thing is a tank...and its like the energizer bunny...it just keeps going!

I belive mine is a '66, based on the speaker code. It is totally original, right down to the two-prong electrocution-style plug. If you're reading this, you know the details...2 channels, 1 clean, 1 w/trem. and reverb. 2 inputs each channel. Bass and treble controls for each channel w/a "bright" switch (for lack of a better term) when the treble control is dimed.
Some of these came w/a hard wired footswitch for the reverb and trem. Sadly, mine did not. There is a 1/4" jack on the back panel...not sure if it's for an extension speaker or footswitch input.
This is plenty big enough for my needs...I'm not gigging in huge clubs. Not sure about the wattage on this, maybe 20 or 22 watts. Pleanty loud, with plenty of headroom (which I like.
Very simple and straightforward. I don't need alot of gadgets on my amp. That's the kind of guy I am. As a matter of fact, I think simpler is better.

I have 2 main guitars...both single-coil A '75 Strat w/CS Fat 50's pups and and old Guild hollowbody ce-100d. I have had this amp for about a month and in that time have played the Guild through it much more than the Fender. The Gemini has a dark tone which goes very well w/my hollowbody...a great jazz amp. Mine is pretty noisy. It needs to be gone through by a tech. I imagine it needs to have a cap job as well as getting the cord replaced.
Reverb and trem are very subtle...very classy. The bright switch is pretty outrageous...it makes the guitar sound like it's coming through the telephone! And the old Jensen speaker is sweet.

This thing is over 40 years old. I wouldn't gig it w/o having it serviced by a tech. I don't think this thing has been "maintained" in any way. It still has the original tubes, I think.

Hahahaha!!!

Very versatile amp, for what I need an amp for. I've had a master volume Twin from the mid 70's that was awesome, but it was more amp than I needed and it weighed as much as a truck! I also have an old Ampeg Jet that is a perfect practice amp. I like clean tones, and the Gemini is clean, while not being as bright or sparkly as a Fender. I would use words like "dark" and "moody" to describe it's sound. Gorgeous.
Where I live these things don't pop up for sale that often, so when I saw one for sale locally I jumped on it. I knew it by reputation and it totally lives up to it. These are really great amps for jazz or country. I don't understand why they are so inexpensive!
If lost or stolen I would do all I could to find another, but, like I said, they are not that easy to find in rural New England!

I picked this amp up at Guitar Center in Queens for only $450 w tax and everything and then spent another $75 or so to have a tech look it over and swap out a microphonic tube that was making one of the channels make a weird howling noise (my bandmates and I called it the "Haunted Channel" until I got it fixed). I was really happy to come across such a weird and forgotten piece of quality vintage gear and to get it for such a good price.

I've used it for about a year and a half now. To demonstrate it's versatility - I was in two completely different bands and this amp worked for both of them.

My current band plays heavy, industrial music - it's a mix of electronica with progressive metal - and with a few petals to help overdrive it, this amp works for me. I have been thinking lately about making the move to a higher gain amp, but I think it shows how versatile this amp is that I have been getting a very sweet, heavy distorted tone (and lots of cool, weird feedback noises) out of it for the past year and a half.

I was also using this amp for about a year in a quieter band that had slower tempo, pretty songs that required nice clean sounds or sounds with a soft breakup and occasionally a heavier distortion for more dramatic moments. I played harmonica in that band too, and this amp is great for harmonica - it will give a nice warm tone with a little bit of breakup and the reverb is awesome.

At home I play a lot of blues on guitar and harmonica which this amp is perfect for. I also like to do weird experimental stuff where I am playing with all my effects and getting strange but gorgeous noises. The tremolo on this amp is useful for that, and since the amp produces a good tone on its own, it's useful for just about anything.

The questions ask about channel switching which is really funny because this is an old vintage amp - you get what you get. But yes, channel switching would be a neat feature since I am a lead player, but I found that getting a treble booster set up the way I want it works fine if I need to switch from heavily distorted rhythm to a slightly louder (and smoother - I like really raunchy rhythm tones) lead sound that can cut through. To go from clean to lead an overdrive or distortion pedal works fine.

The amp has two channels, each with accordion and guitar inputs. I started out using the accordion inputs because I read online that they give you more gain, but lately I've been using the guitar inputs and just getting gain from both my pedals and from the volume at which I set the amp. The accordion inputs are good for harmonica. I just put all my effects straight in and because I use old vintage effects I got on ebay, they sound awesome through this amp - everything is just so nice and warm. I did use to use a Boss GT-8 through this amp and it worked fine too. The tubes in the amp could warm up the sound of the GT-8. Gradually I saved up money and replaced the GT-8 with pedals, but I could get stunning tones from either set-up.

This amp is quite powerful. The rhythm guitarist in my industrial/ metal band uses a Peavey VTM 60 watt head cranked through a Marshall 4X12 and often complains that my little 1 speaker combo is too loud. I often play in clubs unmiked and I have to keep the volume below 12 O' clock to keep from pissing people off (too much past 12 will also drive this amp into distortion).

This amp has a pair of 7591s, a 7199, three 12ax7s and a 6cg7. It has an old Jensen 12" ceramic speaker. I think the amp's tone is unique. It's kind of dark sounding. I attribute that to the 7591s. I'd like to hear what this amp sounds like with a speaker that would break up more - like a Celestion alnico blue, greenback or vintage 30 - but I think I would be a fool to replace the original classic Jensen speaker in a great piece of vintage gear like this. If I could get this amp's sound in stereo that would be freakin awesome.

Using distortion, overdrive and effects pedals, eq and such, you can get all kinds of sounds out this amp. On its own it has a beautiful clean sound (thanks to the Jensen speaker I think), nice sounds with a little bit of breakup, and cranked can get these really outrageous bassy, farty sort of Ampeg Scrambler sounding super fuzz tones. The tone knobs are just bass and treble for each channel. I've fucked with them in a variety of ways. I jumper the channels together most of the time, and sometimes I'll make one channel the bassier and the other the treblier and then mix using the volume knobs and other times I'll have them both set at the same volume and mix the tone knobs on each channel as my ear sees fit at the time. The amps has a wealth of tones available, but everything about it is very warm.

My current set-up is a Schecter C-1 Blackjack set neck with Duncan JB bridge and 59 neck. I almost always use the bridge pickup. Then Ernie Ball volume -> old Italian JEM crybaby wah -> Boss OS-2 -> Marshall Shredmaster -> Deucetone Rat on dirt Rat and Turbo Rat settings -> vintage MXR flanger -> an old small stone (or sometimes a vintage MXR Phase 100) -> vintage MXR mini-chorus -> Arion analog delay -> a ghetto-ass homemade treble booster made by some guy in Williamsburg that is called a Screaming Zebra. I get a wide variety of distorted and overdriven tones out of this setup and have access to most of the effects I like to have, and can easily switch from rhythm to lead. The Ampeg works great with all these tones.

I used to use a Boss GT-8 through it, sometimes paired with the OS-2 and the Deucetone Rat. I would of course turn off the speaker emulator on the GT-8 when runing through the Ampeg, but also turn off the preamp emulators. I did use the distortions on it until I could afford to get the Rat and then the OS-2. Gradually I was able to build up a collection of analog pedals and replace the GT-8. If you like raw, distorted tones, the Rat or Turbo Rat are great with this Ampeg. This is not a warm distortion but raw and edgy and on the brink of getting fuzzed out. My Shredmaster comes before the Rat in my chain and even with the Rat off it colors the sound of my Shredmaster so that I miss the Rat when I take it out of the chain, somehow it just beefs up the other distortion pedal and really combines well with this weird, old amp. I used the Turbo Rat into the Gemini in my friends bathroom with the door closed to record my band's demo - so you can hear what this amp sounds like doing heavy music on myspace.com/daredtheknot. I used delay from the GT-8 for one of the songs. There is another guitarist, we occasionally play the same parts but usually my part is the leadier rhythm part (all the solos, feedback and also the clean guitar parts are mine) but even when we're both playing power chords, he used a Schecter doubled with a Tele into a Pod recorded direct or something like that, so you can tell which is the Ampeg.

I recorded 2 demos in the studio with my old band using this amp. On myspace.com/bellow you can hear one live recording of a Mexican strat -> OS-2 -> Rat -> GT-8 -> the Gemini (and I think used the amp's reverb on this track as well). A volume pedal or good control of your volume knob allows you to get nice controlled feedback from this amp. One track has my harmonica going through this amp using its reverb. The last track, I used an old SG -> Turbo Rat -> the Gemini. The SG has an original PAF in the neck which produced a gorgeous clean tone from the Ampeg that you can hear in the left (the other clean guitar is an Epiphone into a solid state amp so you can totally hear the difference - the Ampeg is just so much warmer).

This amp really is amazingly versatile.

It is dependable. I've had it for a year and a half and not had to do anything to it except replace a preamp tube that was making microphonic noise when I first got it. It's a tube amp so it needs work from time to time, but it is a quality, well-built piece of gear.

N/A - vintage you know.

I blew up every amp I had and was down to the 65 Gemini I, which I had gotten via a long story. It is totally mint and bone-stock down to the Ampeg tubes. I had not really tried the thing when I got it but when I did...I was amazed!! What cool tone! Somewhere between a Marshall (which I had blown up) and a Fender (which I had blown up) The guys in the band were stunned as well. I noticed an earlier post which made a passing reference to 'jumpering the inputs for some magic' What is that about? I actually prefer the guitar input (using single coil pu's in a Tele) but I am always interested in trying things for tone (all hail the mighty TONE). With any kind of push on the input (compressor or distortion/overdrive)of this amp it screams in such a sweet, warm way. It is a true bargain but I see now they are starting to go up in price...time to hoard!!

Awesome

It seems like it will run forever. I think these things never need tubes.

haven't dealt with them

I have been playing for 30 years. I will hunt down the vermin and throttle them with my own two hands and then take my amp home.

Tremelo, intensity, volume, treble, 2 inputs for each channel, 1 for guitar and 1 for accordian, 4 inputs total, plug into the accordian for more gain or jumper them babies for some magic... Volume, treble, treble, bass and Echo, 2 channels, no effects loops or new age rubbish, 2 buttons on the footswitch to activate the tremelo and echo, I would rather have channel switchin but thats just me..

I've had alot of gear, ol 59 ampeg jet I sold that bout put tears to my eyes.... These ampegs are great.. not a marshall, not a fender... but very crisp cleans and tone thats so natural you'll wonder how their not up there w/ the big names... Jazz musicians love the cleans and when you crank these puppies up, you get a very thick grind that they can't reproduce w/ transistors..... Very awesome.. can't wait to get the rangemaster built to send this thing over the edge!

Tube amps are very touchy... Its an old amp, have it serviced and there should be no probs... The one I have is a 66', do the math, its older than me and built like a tank...

Ampegs around, but I doubt they'll warranty this ;) Take it to ur tech and show em' the schematic inside, should be no probz fixing whatever, its all point to point wired.. All companies stand by their product, they know that you'll stick with them if they are helpfull, its the only honest thing to do...

I've been playing for bout 7 years, should be pro but its a hobby, I've had more gear that someone who has been playing for 50.. I buy, sell and trade everything in search of the holy grail.. I don't think I'll ever let this one go, its got that sound with good features and very nice lower watts (22 tube watts).. It won't kill ur neighborz, if you find one, get it, it will not dissapoint!!!

66 ampeg gemini I.
its another great sleeper.
awesome reverb and killer tremolo.
sounds cool on bass when turned very low.
has the ever useful accordian input.
the 7591A's are both the strength in that they're kinda hi fi and
perhaps the only drawback in that the're not the easiest to come by.
haven't heard new ones bt i know that i don't like how 6L6's sound in these.
its plenty loud at about 22w's and it has a nice crunch to it.

it sounds real good with P90's.
it can be clean and sparklie or squashy and distorted.
a really nice classic gtr sound.

the 7591A's seem to last forever.
i have two of these amps and played them a ton and they are stout.
i do keep it in good service.
the amp is 40 years old.

yeah right

its great amp period.
if you are looking for big bang for the buck and
classic amp features like reverb and tremolo look no further.
the tremolo is better than any fender and you can't argue with the reverb.
it sounds good clean or cranked.
as long as you're not expecting gainy nonsense this is a real find.

I have a 66 I got for $200 at a local guitar store, a price I now consider a steal. It does get incredibly loud for its low wattage. I have a few other Ampegs, and this is much louder than my brand new ReverbRocket. It's ridiclous.

I play a early 90's Strat with Duncans in it. The neck pickup is a Nashville Pro single coil. This is great for twang and really snappy blues. I love this pickup. The bridge is a Duncan Little 57, and it absolutely cranks. I use the Semyor Duncan pickup booster for almost all of my overdriven sounds, and nothing sounds better than a tube driven so hard that the room shakes. I kick on the booster and switch down to the humbucker and get the perfect Billy Gibbons tone. This amp is incredible. I highly reccomend the pickup booster for anyone who has this amp. It will open a whole new world for you. The pinch harmonics I can squeeze out of this amp never cease to amaze me. We play a lot of ZZ Top stuff, and I need to hit that harmonic, and this amp always comes through, unlike my newer Ampeg amps. They're not bad, but they can't compare to this jewel.

For being as old as it is, it has been absolutely flawless. Of course, cosmetically it has the absolute crap beat out of it, but hey, it's character.

Haven't had to bother, after 40 years.

Fantastic amp. If you can get one, do it now! This amp isn't meant for everyone though. It excels at the blues, jazz, and fusion, it can also handle some good old time rock and roll, but anything much heavier you may want to look elsewhere. BUT, if you're playing that kinda crap you should get this amp anyway and learn to play real music!!

Mfg'd in 1967, I understand that this amp was an upgrade from the Reverberocket. 2 Channels with Echo(reverb) and Tremelo, which are only on channel 1. Tremendous reverb! My tremelo works, but with weak intensity. This could be a tube issue, but most likely is the unusual optical device that is utilized. Has two 7591A Sylvania power tubes, a Sylvania 7199, a 6CG7, and three 12AX7's. Puts out 22 watts RMS, but sounds more like 30w. Original speaker was an 8 ohm 12" Jensen C12Q Special Design. My speaker has been replaced with one with no name, but it sounds great. Everything else on the amp appears to be all original. Has guitar and accordian inputs on both channels. Has the cool, large pointer style knobs. Cosmetically the amp is old and beat up(just like me). The checkered tolex is in terrible shape with black electrical tape holding it on. However, the grillcloth is in pretty good shape. Amp sits on casters. Don't know if this was original or added later. The only feature I wish it had is a standby switch.

I was in a hurry the day I bought this amp and didn't have much time to check it out. I more or less bought it on a whim.(Had just gotten rid of a crappy sounding Hot Rod Deluxe) I just thought it looked really cool. I got it home and plugged in my Fernandes Tele and couldn't believe my ears! These old Ampegs have got to be the best kept secret in vintage tube amps! I've played through HRD's, Devilles, vintage Princetons, Peavys and a variety of solid state amps and this Gemini G-12 brings a whole new tonal dynamics to my guitar. Awesome clean sound! By playing with the treble and bass I can get an unusual array of tones. The only way to describe it is it has "natural" presence. Clean sound starts breaking up slightly at about 2 o'clock. I play mostly old R&B and soul so this suits me fine. You could probably put a pedal in front and really sing.(I'm not into all of that) The "Echo" is the thing! It's totally awesome. Makes me want to start playing surf music. The only compaint I have with the reverb is that the tank is mounted right under the amp directly above the speaker as opposed to being in the bottom of the cabinet. Sometimes at higher volumes I think I can detect I slight harmonic, but I doubt if anyone would notice. I don't know if the tremelo is as good as people are saying. I hope to fix it soon. This amp is amazingly quiet for a tube amp. I had the 2 prong "shocker" chord changed to a grounded one and it really reduced the hum. Nearly all of the vintage tube amps have a little. This amp is plenty loud! I've played medium size clubs and there's no need to mike.

I almost hate rating reliability on an almost 40 yr old amp. The fact that a hard gigged amp like this one still works at all is a testament to it's reliability. As with any vintage tube amp I would not gig without a backup. I'll get a cheap solid state amp for backup and carry some spare tubes and change them out during break time.

Little or no support from Ampeg on thes old amps. They were bought by another company. Their website does, however, have excellent links to sites that are of great help. I found a place to get new tremelo modules, Vintage-Amp Restoration of St. Louis. The only issue I have with this amp is the availability of tubes, particularly the 7591A's and the 7199. Electro-Harmonixs and JJ/Tesla both have new 7591A's and 7199's but they are Russian made. Sovtec has the power tubes and I hear Svetlana may have. These are all Russian too (Don't know if Russian tubes are all that bad. When the Soviet Union fell apart they were still using tube technology in their MIG fighters). You can still get some NOS tubes if you're willing to pay the price. You can also mod the circuit to use 6L6 power tubes, but an amp guru told me that would definitely alter the tone dynamics. I don't want to do that. Hey, if you want it to sound like a Fender or Marshall buy one!!

If this amp was lost or stolen, I'd go into a depression. Fantastic vintage amp!!

This is a ?66 with 12? Jensen. Two channels, each with two inputs, one marked guitar and the other accordion. The accordion inputs have a tad more gain & seems to have a bit more compression, too. Each channel has volume, Baxandall circuit treble and bass controls (these don?t affect the mids)?they actually give provide a lot of tonal flexibility.
The treble knob on both channels acts as a bright switch by maxing it to a ?click? past 10. You better like boosted treble if you do that, because it is really intense, even at moderate volumes. Really intense. I can?t imagine what it?d be like at high volumes.
This unit is cathode biased and pumps about 22 very loud watts. So power tubes can be changed without having to f*&( with the bias. Nice feature. The volume is probably due to the Jensen and the 7591A power tubes. All point-point handwired well-made tone-machine.

At house volumes, I?ve used semi-acoustic bass in one channel and a guitar in the other, simultaneously & it sounded awesome. Cool feature, though it probably wouldn?t work at higher volumes. The ol? Jensen is fantastic and the amp?s got beautifully focused, tight bass galore, like most ol? Ampegs.

Tremelo and ?verb (respectively ?vibrato? and ?echo? in Ampeg-ese) are only on one channel, both have depth controls, and the trem? has a frequency setting. Tremelo has an extra depth setting that Ampeg called ?repeat percussion.? Both ?verb and tremelo and can be toggled via the classic hardwired Ampeg footswitch that has its own little rest in the cabinet.
Almost forty years old and all off these controls work flawlessly/quietly. Great work.
Beautiful Ampeg blue check tolex, these ol? Ampegs are about the best looking vintage amps there are. Came with a cool screw-on trolley in the same matching tolex. This one even has the chrome in fairly good shape (one mistake that Ampeg made in the 60s is that the chrome didn?t weather well).
Extremely well constructed, sturdily jointed pine cabinet. You could probably hit it hard with a heavy hammer and do little. The openings in the back actually work as ports.
It?s got its schematic and tube chart right on the cabinet walls. They don?t make ?em this nice and this sturdy anymore...I really don?t understand why these vintage Ampegs are still so cheap compared to other vintage and boutique stuff. To put it mildly, they are extreme bargains by today standards of price vs. features & sound.
No modern amp sissy stuff like headphone jacks, effects loop, channel switching, or other onboard effects.

The ?verb on these things is suitably famous. Extraordinary, earthy and splendid. Very hypnotic, responsive trem. Really sweet sweep on all controls. Amazing range of tones that complements a wide range of music
Clean tone is incredibly warm and the bottom end on it is fantastic. Sensational amp for rockabilly, C&W, jazz, blues, surf, and vintage clean rock.
The 22 watts is amazingly loud. Louder than most vintage 30 watt amps I?ve heard.
Lots of headroom, though this one does breakup sweetly at about 1-2 pm. Hotter it gets the better it sounds, but it won?t really grind even maxed and hot. Just not that kind of amp.
Idles almost silently in most settings. In a few others, it will hum a bit, but that could probably be alleviated by swapping out the ol? Ampeg two-prong plug of death (haven?t been able to bring myself to mod it?its got the Ampeg logo on the plug).
I mainly use it at home. It?s a great amp for playing out, but it?s in such great shape and I can?t stand the thought of it getting beat up or having drinks spilled on it.

What greater testimony is there than it is still kicking flawlessly after 39 years, probably due to a combination of Ampeg?s great work & the excellent treatment by the guy I bought it from, who had for about 30 yrs. These things are rock rocks. I?ve got two other Ampegs of similar vintage and they are built to march without fail.

SLM now owns the Ampeg name & is a company with very good support, but since this units predates their ownership we?re on our own.

I?ve got 5 other point-point vintage amps, and a couple of other good sounding modern boxes, but this amp is definitely in at the top of the mix. Especially at its price.
After 30 yrs of playing and a lot of gigging/recording the past 10 years, this Gemini has become an essential part of my sonic arsenal. I like its sound most, its integrity of construction next best, and its looks & vibe. An awesome amp. Even at twice the price that I won?t part with it soon, if I can help it. I?d buy another in a second. Especially over its overpriced vintage counterparts.

update to the review I just posted... a little more research corrects some of my statements... probably a mid '60s (66?67?) model. Cathode biased, about 20W output (fooled by the 7591 tubes). Also had a chance to try out the bright switch on the treble control (run it full up then, click) - wow, that's a heckuva bright switch. I was playing some stuff off jeff beck's Who Else using my gnx3 in front and the bright switch on - WOAH! Stand back!!

This amp kicks butt. period. I also have a $boutique amp and although the G12 is lower power, in its own way it's got just as great a sound. The fact that it coexists amazingly well with the GNX3 is a total bonus on top of the terrific straight-thru sound. Go get one of these if you can find one! And don't be fooled by the 20W, this is definitely fine for medium size clubs without a mic.

Don't be afraid of ampeg's unusual tube chart - you can get decent 7591 tubes now. Finding good 7199 tubes may take some work, some folks don't like the new sovtek's and NOS are somewhat rare, but they're out there and not terribly expensive. The 6CG7 is pretty easy to come by. I expect that the 7591 power tubes will last pretty well on the G12 because they're only running at about half their rated power.

I believe this is an early 60's (61-2?) model. The amp has two channels with lo and hi sensitivity inputs (guitar, accordian). Channel 1 has tremolo and reverb, channel 2 is dry. Has two speaker outputs and a hardwired footswitch in a 1x12 dovetail jointed wood cabinet. No loops, no headphones, nothing modern. I've played this in my home studio and at medium size gigs, no need for a mic :-) . Two 7591 output tubes means this is probably a 30-40W output. That figures, it sounds a hair louder than a deluxe reverb I owned and has no problems keeping up with drummers. If you're into blues, old rock or surf this is an excellent choice, it's got what you need and nothing you don't. Be sure to do the grounded power cord mod unless you like risking nasty shocks.

COWABUNGA! GROOVY! Yeah, it's OLDschool for sure, in a great way. I'm in an eclectic surf band (surf, blues, danny gatton, etc) and this thing ROCKS THE HOUSE. People always come up and ask me WHAT IS THAT AMP?! It's got some low end balls and a nice shiny top, not as shimmery/sparkly as a Fender but very warm with a crisp bite. When you crank it, it's got GROWL in a big way... fantastic tone for hard blues or oldschool rock. The original Jensen speaker is a great match... if you can get one with the original speaker you're in for a treat. A very fun amp to just plug into and go. Sounds great with Strats and HB guitars, I use mostly a Strat with BL pickups and a 335 with BL pickups - both are out there with this amp. The accordian input is sensitive so you can drive this even with relatively low output single coil pickups. The tremolo is cool, although if you crank up the intensity the amp's volume seems to drop some, but given the amp's age this might be a maintenance issue rather than a design problem. The reverb is WICKED (60's for SICK). You couldn't find a better surf reverb anywhere, just one guy's opinion ;-) Oh, it's pretty quiet too, even cranked. Nice. If you really need nasty/brutal disortion, put a pedal in front. A tubescreamer sounds good with this. I also have tried a digitech gnx3 with good results, just depends how you set the gnx up. Ampeg used fairly thin wood for the cab (helps keep weight down, not all bad) so you need to make sure all screws are tight, etc.

Haven't had it too long, but seems FINE. Interesting points in some of the earlier reviews about reliability issues. Hey, it's OLD, okay, like me, except it seems to have held up better! Don't expect miracles. Carry some spare tubes (at least you can easily get good 7591 output tubes now!) just in case. Don't gig without backup. Etc.

Well, there IS an Ampeg company today but I doubt there's much in common with the Ampeg folks from 1960. It was a great name then. I always wanted an Ampeg when I was a kid, now that I have one I wish I hadn't waited so long to get one!

I still can't believe you can get this much amp for this money. It's just unbelievable! The sound is great straight in and for a 1x12, it moves some air. I have a much more expensive boutique amp that is a sonic miracle, and more versatile, but when I go out with the surf band, this Ampeg is all I need.

My Gemini 1 was made in '67 I believe.It came with all original tubes which unfortunately didn't last very long once the amp started getting used again. I had originally bought it to use as a low watt practice amp & was shocked by how cool it sounded once it got hot!

It doesn't really matter what guitar I use, I have a Les Paul Classic with Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pick-ups (with 500K pots), a USA Strat with Alinico pro IIs as well as an assortment of "orphan" (read cheap) guitars & they all sound great strait in!
I always use the accordian input & changed the two prong shocker with a grounded plug (highly recommended)

I don.t gig, but once I retubed it, i've had no worries. I tried to get NOS 7591 tubes from some antique amp shop in the US but I got burned. Svetlana now makes a replacement so I didn't have to go the 6V6 mod route.

Jeff LaRoque from DSR Amplification from Sarnia, Ontario Canada was a tremendous help in sourcing some of the trickier to find tubes.

Sounds smooth, warm & has a lot of soul. I'm so happy I found it. The only thing that comes close is a "69 Vibrolux with Oxford speakers. Mine still has the original Jensen "Blue Alnico".

Amp is a '66 model with the original jensen 12". Has two channels with guitar and a hotter accordion input on each. Both channels have bass, trebble and volume knobs. Ch 1 has tremolo and reverb but mine is missing a tremolo knob and due to a bad tube the reverb dont work. Has plenty of power for practice or small indoor gigs.

I am using a '94 strat with hot rails and a digitech rp300a multi-effects pedal. Amp sounds great clean. Plug in direct and amp starts to sound distorted with the volume at 12 o'clock. Higher volume settings produce a much grungier distortion.

Reliability is good except for the bad reverb tube. It used to have a two prong plug that caused the unit to shock the shit out of me if I plugged it in the wrong way. I replaced it with a grounded three prong plug and I no longer get electrified.

I've had no dealings with ampeg customer support - I don't know what to expect as far as support goes on a 38 year old product.

I've been playing guitar for 23 years and drums for considerably less time. I've also got an ampeg vt-40 so if it were stolen I've still got another ampeg. I like the gemini because it's light and portable and I'd have to get another amp to fit the bill. You've got to have at least one ampeg and the gemini is not a bad choice.

This amp was made in Febuary of 67. Thanks to those with the dating scematic. 2 channels although each has a guitar and a accordian input. All tube all the time.......

This amp has the sickest tone of anything I've ever heard. Reverb is spring loaded for your pleasure and the tremelo is sweet enough to put a baby to sleep to......

Tubes, what do you expect?

Not unless a time machine is invented, customer support is not the best. The ampeg website does have some good links though......

I love this amp for everything its worth. Thankfully it was given to me by ex-girlfriends mom so it was basically free (if you don't count tube replacements)......

This amp is not going to keep up with a modern amp in terms of features. It has no effects loop, no mid eq adjustment and no gain control. However, it has two features NO MODERN AMP can reproduce, an absolutely amazing vintage spring reverb, and a ridiculously good sounding tremolo effect. It has two channels each with a guitar input and an accordian input. I've found that the accordian input produces slightly cruchier tones and the amp is overdriven slightly sooner when plugged in to this input. the two channels seem pretty much the same to me but i don't use channel 2 very often because I use an A/B switch between this amp and a Marshall JCM 900 which I use for overdrive tones. The 20 or so watts this thing puts out is plenty loud for what I use it for. I play in a metal band but I use the Ampeg for all my clean sounds. i know this thing was made in the 60's so for it's time I'd say it was a pretty advanced amp feature wise.

I've been playing a gibson SG through this amp with the original 490 pickups. The clean sound of this guitar through the Gemini I can only be described as perfect. It is hands down everything I ever wanted in a clean tone. The warmth of the tone is incredible. It just sounds so three dimensional compared to most amps I've heard other than this one. I'd say the distortion on this amp is weak, but well suited to blues or rockabilly. It starts to distort with the volume at about 11'o clock and increases from there to a distortion just short of adequate for hard rock power chord riffs. It hums a bit but it's nothing that detracts from the tone.

This amp is a tank. it has lasted between 30 and 40 years without any major failures, just retubes and some minor cometic damage (there's a tiny square cut out of the dark navy blue viny). I have never had any problems with this amp.

Customer support? on an amp from the 60's?! HA! good one! but parts are easily available and it's not a very complex amp to fix if something were to break on it.

I've been playing for four years playing through almost exclusively Marshall amps. This amp is the only one I on that isn't a marshall but it is the only amp I am not willing to part with for a price. If this amp were lost or stolen I would definately buy another if given a chance.

This is a 1966 Ampeg Gemini I, 20 Watt Combo. I play country, rockabilly, classic rock, and any roots rock from Elvis to Guns N Roses. It has two channels, Reverb and Tremelo, with two imputs per channel for a Guitar and an Accordian(?). It has treble and bass controls per channel, too. I use this amp in my apartment and it has plenty of power. It is ALL TUBE!!! Don't be fooled by the price. This is one rockin amp, under anyone's book. In mint condition, thse go for around $3-400. Mine has a broken tremelo.

I use this amp with a Gibson Les Paul Special with Lindy Fralin P-90s and a Gibson Les Paul Studio which will soon have Jim Wagner Fillmore humbuckers in it. Both sound Awesome through this amp. I'm not too crazy about the stock 490 buckers, so right now I primarily play the Special, and it rocks. At lower volumes (around 8:00 to 11:00) or when I turn the amp volume to about 3:00 and turn the guitar volume down, It stays clean and plays awesome. Perfectly balanced, smooth, melodic. I love playing rockabilly/country and southern rock clean with the bridge. When I crank the volume, OH, the overdrive! Smooth, yet VERY raunchy (Hey, they're P-90s!). It's got the chainsaw grind that P-90s are known for (not quite Pete Townshend- you need a dimed stack of 100 watt Hiwatts for that). I also use a Robert Keeley modified TS-9 for overdrive at lower volumes when I need to keep it down. The Studio still retains the humbucker sound too (although a crappy sound- that's why I'm changing buckers). Any guitar you plug in, the amp translates everything- the good, the bad, and the ugly. That's why I have good equipment. Total Sonic Nirvana. The best kept secret in Music. I haven't gigged with it, because I've only been playing for 5 months, but It would be perfect for blues/RnR in a bar or a small club. It has AWESOME reverb. The tremelo is broken on mine, so I can't tell you about the tremelo (but I got the amp for a much better price!). I might get that fixed sometime. I've heard that it is very unique- in a good way.

If I gigged, I would definitely bring spare tubes, but as for reliability, it's been around for 37 years and is still kickin. Need I say more?

I doubt ampeg would still cover this amp seeing how old it is. They're website does give good links for vintage ampeg sites. Good thinking. I still won't rate this, though, because of the age. I do applaud Ampeg for their effort to suppport their vintage amps.

This is one awesome amp. I don't EVER see myself selling it. I might get a Carr Mercury and put some EL 84s in it after I get out of College So I can crank the amp and turn the Power Attenuator down to acceptable levels (especially useful for when I will start having kids many moons from now), but I've played a Fender DRRI and Hot Rod Deville and a Peavey Classic 30 and like the Ampeg better than 'em all.

This amp was made when the guitar amp market wasn't totally feature crazy. There's basically Tremolo, Reverb, and a Treble boost all the way to the right on the treble knob. The reverb is the best I've ever heard from a combo amp.

At low volumes the amp can be noisy...60 cycle hum, RF (when the tubes are old), etc. But the tone is clean, very transparent. But this baby really comes into its own at higher volumes when the tubes get pushed. With humbuckers you can push the sound to shredder's paradise. At upper mid-volumes, the Gemini I starts to display warm and fat blues/rock tones. A Telecaster played through it with reverb gets this monster rockabilly thing going....overall, superb vintage tube sound.

I've owned this amp for nearly 30 years and have probably had it in the shop once or twice. It's in now getting totally restored and should be good for another 30 years.

It's never really broken on me, so I never really had to use Ampeg support.

This has been the only guitar amp I've ever owned. I am just now taking a look at some other amps, but I will never lose the Ampeg. If it were lost or stolen, I would probably cry myself to sleep for a few nights.

This is a two channel amp, one for accordion, one for guitar. If there's a difference between the two, I haven't been able to detect it. Great tremelo and even better reverb. I think the reverb on this amp is the best I've ever heard, very warm. Otherwise this is straightforward piece of equipment. I think it's about 20 watts, though it's not that loud. Fine for a small club though.

These are great amps for surf, but they're also versatile enough to use for other styles. For sure you can get a great rockabilly sound out of this amp because of the amazing reverb. But you can also drive these a bit and get a decent, sweet overdriven sound. With a pedal you can really expand to tone a lot. You'll never get metal on this without a pedal. Ampegs weren't made to distort. But the clean sound is excellent so it's a great amp for fast pickers who want defnition in their sound.

I had this serviced five years ago and it's been good to me since. Before that I don't think it was ever serviced. This amp is probably from the mid-60's so it's a trouper.

Great amp for the money, no question about it.

I picked up a couple of these amps for $50.00 apiece at Guitar Center. They needed new fuses and nothing else! Of the two, I prefer the one with the original Jensen (the other was replaced with something generic). Excellent for recording, a bit too low-power for gigs.

I play a Gibson SG through this amp for recording and as a second amp onstage (I use a Y-cable and split the signal to a Fender Superchamp). This amp distorts very nicely yet remains warm, the way a better Marshall does. The reverb and Tremelo units are totally over the top; the best I've ever heard. If you need a louder amp or a clean-sounding amp this probably isn't the set-up for you, but for playing at home, 4-tracking or studio work, this amp is amazing.

It has a wierd hum and apparently the tubes are difficult to track down, but it really has given me no problems. The voice of my conscience reminds me that the other Gemini remains in the garage, unused due to numerous problems....

When you buy a 30 year old amp for $50.00, you really can't expect much help from the company, but then again I've never tried to contact them.

I heartily endorse this amp.

This, I believe, a 1964 Gemini I. It's a great amp if you are looking for a warm tube sound. It has two channels - one for guitar and the other for accordian(!). This amp is about 20 watts and not nearly as loud as a Fender of this same wattage - it's probably about as loud as a Princeton.

Tonewise, I'd say this amp lies some point between a Fender Princeton and a Marshall. It's richer and less twangy than a Fender, but not as full-roar sounding as a Marshall. It sounds 'old' in the best sense of the word. You can get some crunch at this at the end. WIth a pedal it can scream. It has terrific reverb and tremelo as well. The tremelo is particularly excellent - the best I've ever heard.

As long as you've got a good tube tech and don't abuse it, you can keep them reliable as any good tube amp.

I've got a few amps, this is one of my favorites. I'm seeing them at stores for $400 and that seems like a fair price for such a good amp, especially one you can gig with in small clubs.