Ampeg R-50H

Made in the 90s in St. Louis, MO, this amp isn't a feature packed beast, but it's got all the basics. Two channels, clean and dirty; a three band eq that's not particularly powerful but gets the job done; an effects loop, reverb, all that jazz. It runs on 2EL34s and I have 3 12AX7s in the preamp as well.

This is loud! More power than most people will ever need.

I use this with an SPG Telstar with humbuckers for Hardcore and it sounds great. It's range of sound is very limited, but in that range it sounds amazing. Not brutal by any stretch, but it's a bright, mid-heaving sound that can be pretty heavy, and run through my Traynor 4x12 with v30s it cuts through the mix very well (my drummer almost likes it more than I do because it made our mix sound a lot better).

The clear channel starts to clip at around 12 o'clock, but it sounds sweet until then, and its still plenty loud at that volume.

This thing is a tank, simple but tough. I'd probably gig without a backup.

Haven't dealt with them, but I've heard good things about Ampeg.

I've been playing for a couple of years, I run an SPG Telstar through a few pedals into this into a Traynor 4x12 with v30s. I'd probably try and get a new one if I could, but these things are starting to get a little rare.

I love the sound, but I wish it had a little more versatility. I'd compare this to a Marshall JCM 800, except this has 2 channels and costs about $400 less. In my search for an amp, I played all the <$1000 Peaveys, Marshalls around and this really blew them out of the water.

this is the 50 watt guitar amp head, i see a lot of reviews under this category that look like they aren't for the head...

2 channels, reverb

line in/out/fx loop

sounds beautiful, clean is very clear, and overdrive channel is smooth and unique

never had a problem, i think power tubes are self biasing

never used it

beautiful soulful sounds out of this amp, nice unique vintage look

50 tubed watts, 2 channels, shared EQ, SIMPLE.

This Head produces a limited number of tones, but what it does it does really f***in well. It has a very defined standout tube tone when cranked. I hate to compare it to a Marshall because I think Marshall's have a warmer tone with relaxed mids in comparison to this head. The Gain Channel produces searing highs and mids with a very tight punchy bass responce (an amazing chrunch). I run through a Marshall 1960 cab loaded with 2 V30s and 2 H30's, and a Sonic Maximizer (get one) through the effect loop. I play Hardcore/Posthardcore/Metal (whatever), people saying to look else where for a heavy amp, must not have it dialed correctly. It has a rocker crunch that will please anyone if you take the time to figure this head out. That said if you havn't yet grown out of tuning down as low as C,B er A this amp isn't for you, go get a 5150. Oh yeah at low volumes the gain channel sounds hella muddy (it's a tube amp) but a good mod if you don't use the reverb like myself is to go in and comletely unhook it from inside the amp. Now when playin quietly through the gain channel try having the reverb on and turn it up. The more you crank it the more definition and crispness you can get when playing quietly.

No problems, and it's been hauled around a whole lot. Somethings seem kinda chinsy (The plastic power plug-in for instance).

If the tone I described is your bag then it is worth buying anywhere you can find one. Besides the typical used price for this gem is way to good to pass up. For the price i'd give it a 12, ha ha.

this amp has two channels, clean and drive. made in '98-99, the features are subtle on this amp. 2 channels..an effects loop, footswitch. 3 12ax7 tubes and 2 el34 power tubes this combination gives this amp a real marshall jcm sound especially on the distortion. combined with the matching 4x12 it achieves great tones. this amp even though 50 watt..seems to have more then enough power for small venues. ( the gain channel is the strong point as you dont have to crank this amp to achieve serious overdriven sounds) which is great for home use. the real spring reverb is lush and tastey.

all the reviews seem to give the great cleans but not many marks on the drive channel....which I beg to differ,,,, this is the AC/DC marshall distortion. now some of the dark metal guys may not initially like it,,, but theres enough bottom end to build on ..I think you could play metal. I play in a modern rock band...( nickleback,puddle of mud kinda stufff)...and this amp is great..the clean is not too shiny,,,and the gain is articulate. it also has a cool vintage look ( I think it looks like an old juke box..haha) very stylish and bandmates are just floored by this amps tones.the only weak point is the EQ ...the range on all eq dials seems subtle,,but I guess this is common on tube amps..compared to solid state.

like a rock!!!.. I got this amp from a friend that plays in a punk band for about 8 years ..tons of gigs...the only one problem that has developed...is the plug in socket on the chassis has gotten loose,, which I will replace. but after that many years of gigging..something is gonna happen!

no dealings on the ampeg site, I was able to get the manual for this amp though.

Ive been playing for about 23 years...have owned lots of gear,etc. this is obviously not a hand wired boutique amp,,but for a solid half stack all tube 50 watt head with low maintanence and beautiful tone...this amp is great. in comparison...this really stacks up to the marshall 900 as far as sound. if this amp was stolen,,I would try to find another..(they are out of production,)

Mid 90's? Very versatile. Two channels, etc., as below.

Killer distortion, glassy clean tone. Sounds great with single coils and humbuckers. Not a modern Metal distortion, but really nails, 80's Judas Priest, Whitesnake, tones. Very responsive to guitar volume and picking nuances. High gain, but not over the top. EQ only has slight effect, so I use a graphic EQ in the effects loop. I now can dial in anything I need. Massive low end and screaming highs with the EQ in. Decent on it's own but this amp really comes alive with some EQ help. I also have a Marshall DSL 50 head which I love. This amp compliments it and has its own vibe. Again, try it in the FX loop. I play Les Pauls, Vs, SGs, Strats, Steinbergers and Ibanez RG 7 stringers. This amp loves pedals too! Sometimes I use a Vox Bulldog Distortion or Radial Tonebone Hot British for different tones. Great amp for recording. Very quiet even at high gain and absolutely the best reverb I've ever heard! I give it an 8 as its really great, but not quite as complex or interesting as a Marshall.

Very reliable. Ampeg is legendary in this regard.

TBD

Been playing 31 years. If stolen, I'd probably try something different as there is too much gear, so little time. Great tone, killer reverb, quiet and dependable. I like the front panel fx loop and footswitch jacks. Convenient!

the ampeg r-50h as far as i know was made in the mid to late 90's. it's a pretty straight forward all tube amp with 3 12AX7's and 2 EL34's. it'a 50w head that has two channels one clean and one dirty, effects loop, and high/low gain inputs. the EQ is shared by both channels. i was looking for a single channel tube amp and came across this after i had purchased the ampeg R12R(which is much warmer and i dare say louder!) i'm not a pedal freak i only use one of two (tube screamer or MXR distortion+) the cabinet is loaded with 4 12's which as far as i know are the stock ampeg 12's. i bought it used and upon inspection i noticed it had most likely had the 12's replaced and put back in at trade in.

the R-50H has a varitey of tones, all of which depend on what guitar i'm playing through it. i play either a gibson explorer(new), a gibson les paul(with P-90's), a "thrown-together" fender strat with david gilmore emg set up (very clean with this one!) or an early 80's charvel(dimarzio tone zone HB). through playing i discovered that the clean channel can break up really early with any of my guitars it all depeneds on the pick attack. the tone has a very vintage sound the best desciption is a mix between british and american from the 60's. in comparison to my ampeg R-12R combo, the combo it much warmer and like i said before possibly louder. however the R-50H with cab is a real attention getter in the looks department-super cool! in all honesty it has a sound all it's own. it was an impulse buy at the price i couldn't walk away and being essentially the same amp as my combo i figured it would be the same only louder. i play in a band with a female singer and all original tunes the amp really fits with the style music we play not to over the top. so, if you wanna play metal you may want to look elsewere.

as with any ampeg/crate st. louis music product it's very reliable. i've worked in a music store for the last 6 years and seen many amps come and go through the repair dept and they were usually marshalls. i've delt with the people at SLM many times and they are always awesome. there is really only one guy you have to talk to so, there is never any confusion. my ampeg combo has been very realiable and so has the head/cab amp. as long as you respect the fact it's a tube amp and treat it as such there will be no problems. once i got the R-50h home and played it i almost cried the volume was not what i expected but, once re-tubed it came back to life. so, a periodic retubing will keep it in top running order.

The people at ampeg or SLM for that matter are top notch. working in a music store and sending items to them for repair was always a breeze! they usually had about a week turn-around time. i've never had to send any of my gear to them. which goes to show if you treat your stuff well it will treat you well in service.

i've been playing for a little over 20 years. i own several different amps in addition to the ampeg R-50H are: an ampeg R12-R, crate blue-vodoo 6212 (which i blew up in a recording session-totally my fault), and a peavey classic 20 (this thing is a little monster!). the R-50H was definately a nice addition to the collection and it serves it's niche quite well in the live application. as far as recording goes i lean toward the classic 20 or the R-12R for portability reasons and great tone at lower volumes. if it were stolen it would be replaced, you can't beat the look of the amp. if i were to change anything about it i would load the cab with celestion V30's or greenbacks to hopefully give it more bass which i feel it lacks. i'm not disappionted by any means with the purchase, i do feel they shouldn't have discontinued the amp. however, they must not have sold well when they were realeased which i guess lead them to d/c the amp. this in turn could make them collectable later on???

1998?
if you like simplicity and clean cool class, this is the amp for you. 50w of TUBE power capable of easliy handling blues to classic rock to punk (stooges/NYdolls) this amp is versitile. two channels give you awesomely crystal clean (better than fender easily) to dirty overdrive (good but if your looking for hard rock either use a pedal or get a marshall). The effects loop is a great addition to this amp and with a clean channel like this it goes a long way. headphone jack for late night jamming. footswitch jack works the channel and reverb(on/off). finally the reverb is unearthly and is the best reverb i have ever heard, if you a reverb-junky this amp is for you. this amp has all the basic features and should satisfy most your needs as long as you are not in need of an amp with built-in digital effects. this amp will easily suit most who play out in auditoriums, bars, outdoors, and etc;as long as your cab(s) can handle it. the Ampeg reverberocket is definitely the amp for those who like it different and original.

using a hot rodded Thiline Tele (seymour-duncan hotrail bridge and 1/4lbs neck) the R50H screams. I play lead/rythym and this amp is my go to amp for our punk band but I do use a distortion pedal as the distortion channel is just short of what I want now ( I am planning on trying different tubes to change that). clean amp, no hissing or any background noise (unless your like my band and practice next to a radio transmitter tower then you'll be listening to that no matter what tube amp you get). the amp is basic you want clean you get the cleanest all the way to 11. if you want distortion you'll get some but if your trying to crunch get a pedal. the amp can blues with the them best mids are full, bass is there, treble is bright and cutting. this amp can surf too speaking of surf the reverb is phenomonal, echoing and haunting, it holds on in a tight but ambient way. it's all in what you want.

the most realiable. after buying online used I had it setup and never had any problems since. I heard that tube amps are delecate and fickle but as long as this thing is plugged into a grounded circuit your ready to rock, no questions asked. rugged, tough and heavy, it'll take the beating and see you through.

no warrenty bought it used but it was a breeze for the service guy to "tune" it up. plays awesome ever since!

I have always had reverberockets and when I got the head it was no different then the combos. everything thats good about the combos is in the R50H also. I have played fenders for blues and they a good but this is right there with em' and in some cases past em'. for rock the marshall will get it done and you'll get a little more room to persue the heaviness, but if your looking for a clean start to build good solid distortion from you have one of the best here. If this amp were lost I would definitely buy another no question. I love it's look, sound and simplicity. the only down side a as said before is the distortion. more marshall would be great but I can live with it and have made some distortions I find are deeper with this amp and a few select pedals. this amp will not disapoint you.

Late 90's Ampeg Reverberocket R-50H, two channels, all tube (except solid state reverb circuit). Came with footswitch and matching slant cab. Basically, a takeoff of a 50 watt Marshall head. Plenty loud and does what it does well.

I own an SG, Les Paul, Strat, and a Carvin Bolt. I like this amp best with single coils and lower output HB's; the Duncan Custom in the LP seems a bit hot for my "ride the volume knob" style. With the Strat's stock pickups and the Fender Custom Shop '69's in the Carvin, the control of the clean channel with the amp's volume pot all the way up is superb; more clean, back off the guitar's pot; more drive, crank it. Beautiful singing sustain and sweetness without being shrill. The high gain channel is more limited for my tastes; the midrange shift on this channel is not in a great band, but the distortion is ok for lead tones, not great for rhythm work. Once again, it does its best tones best; not really a wide range of variety. Reverb is just ok, but I don't use it a lot.

After fixing a bad solder connection on the main input jack (the right hand one of the two, both are unlabeled, the left is padded 6dB) I was a little disturbed by the mounting of the front panel jacks and pots on the circuit board; not the sturdiest build, nor the highest quality parts (especially compared to a late 80's JCM 800 I foolishly sold). But aside from that, the amp has performed well, both at home and on the road. Being a tube amp, I wouldn't gig it without at least a spare set of tubes. And after touching up some of the soldering, I feel it is fairly dependable (with periodic re-tubing).

Bought used so no warranty. I spoke with someone at Ampeg and parts are available (not surprising that many are used in Crate amps) as well as schematics for about $20. They weren't made for long; the person I spoke with said it was just bad market timing, not any problems or defects. No major repairs yet, just some cleaning and tweaks.

I've been playing for 20+ years and have owned many amps and a few select guitars. I've always felt that a guitar is a more set item in my tone, while a good amp will sound good with almost any guitar, and a mediocre amp will not be improved by switching guitars. And try as I would, I couldn't find a solid state amp with the feel of a good tube amp. This amp is very toneful in it's sweet spots and it sings like a good tube amp should (oh yes, there ARE bad tube amps...). But a good tube amp deserves good tubes, and I experimented a lot before settling on the Mullards and Groove Tubes I'm using in it now. This amp doesn't do everything well with all my guitars (much like my Deluxe Reverb), but what it does do makes it a keeper.

50 watt,all tube,2 channel amplifier head. 2 EL34's and 3 12AX7's. The rest has been covered below. A perfect simple set-up!

I play American Fender strats,loaded with single-coil and humbuckers. This amp is perfect for Punk,hard-core,and heavy style music! The reverb is fantastic! The clean channel is excellent,and pushed,it is blues all the way! The footswitch works perfectly.(channel switching and reverb on/off.) This is not noisy,,some hiss at high volumes,but thats normal.
You want power tube distortion? This is the amp! Set the master at about 6,set the gain between 4 and 5,set the EQ the way you like,and just Jam!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's the trick to this amp,as with alot of amps. Put in some better tubes. EH,Svat's,work great in this head.

Built like a tank! But I always bring a backup amp,it's the smart thing to do when using tube amplifiers. Changing your tubes twice a year helps too. If your a bedroom player,once a year will be fine.LOL

Great support,very helpful on infomation about this amp.

Playing about 6 years now. Have an 80's Marshall JCM 800 2203,this Ampeg kills that Marshall. I love this amp,and you will too.

This amp is 50 watts through two EL34's and three 12AX7A's with a solid state rectifier and spring reverb. It has plenty of features to do what I wanted. It is a two channel amp and it is a simple setup with two inputs which are unlabeled. The right input is at 0db level and the left input is a padded 6db to compensate for higher output sources. It has a channel select switch, footswitch jack which will control channels and reverb, line in, line out, reverb, master, bass, mid, treble, volume, gain. On the back panel you have a 16 or 8 ohm selector switch. A main speaker jack and a Ext speaker jack. I play blues and some metal. It does both of these well. This amp also has plenty of power. Enough to get you put in jail if you live in an apartment.

I use a American Lone Star Strat and an American Fat Telecaster plugged into the 6db left input and they sound great through this amp in all positions. This amp is very quiet and would even do well recording if you had to. The clean channel is outstanding. A nice warm sound. The distortion channel will rip your head off if that is what you want but it is not a metal shred type amp. Turn the gain down to about two or three and it gets a great overdriven blues sound when you dig in. On the clean channel at high volumes, you get a natural distortion at about seven or eight, and good natural breakup of the speakers that I use. I am using the 4x12TA Ampeg cab that I will reveiw also. Check it out.

I have had no problems at all. I would gig without a backup.

Customer support is a area I can't say anything about because I have not had to contact them.

I have been playing for 26 years and this amp is a keeper. I also own Fender,Peavey, and Mesa amps. It will hold up to any of these amps. It is a very good product. If it were stolen I would buy another. I have read a lot of reveiws here at Harmony Central and I believe that there is some junk out there on the market. People also buy things on the spur of the moment and dont check it out first. When they get it home they find that it will not do what they want it to do. This is their fault not the manufacturer. I do a lot of research before I buy any high ticket item like an amp. The first place I look for info is right here at Harmony Central and then you need to be aware of the people that I just described above.

Amp is straight forward, simple with no frills. You cannot get a bad sound from this head.

I mainly play a Japanese Squier Strat and a Carvin DC-135 into a Boss ME-10 to the front panel of the R50H.
Amp is quiet with an intoxicating tone full of unbelievable reverb. EQ has minimal effect on overall sound, but it
doesn't matter since the tone is wonderful regardless of the settings.

I play classic rock and country. I have approximately 10 years of club experience over a period of 35 years. I have
a vintage Strat, Tele, Carvin and Westone guitars. I would not hesitate to replace amp. I love the sheer beauty and
tone of this amp. I might add separate EQ for distortion channel and tremelo though.

I have only contacted Ampeg regarding administrative matters and they were polite and helpful.

I play classic rock and country. I have approximately 10 years of club experience over a period of 35 years. I have
a vintage Strat, Tele, Carvin and Westone guitars. I would not hesitate to replace amp. I love the sheer beauty and
tone of this amp. I might add separate EQ for distortion channel and tremelo though.

I bought this amp in 1999 in Hungary. I didn't know this amp before I saw it in the store. It is a 50W full-tube halfstack (3x 12AX7 and 2x 6L6) with a clean and a lead channel. They have Individual volume controls but common reverb and EQ. The reverb is great, vintage style, but I'm missing the individual EQ very much... if it's good for clean, it used to sound plain with distortion.

The clean sound is out of earth... something brilliant... Shiny, crystal clear at low volume levels, but if you rock it up beyond 6-7, it get's such an overdrive, you wouldn't guess it is the clean channel.. perfect for blues (although too loud for practice ;-)).
The lead channel is too simple, (although it has a magical sustain with a compressor in the effects loop. Perfect for Santana's Europa) it is nothing more than vintage, so don't hope to get a high-gain monster... But for vintage rock and blues, it is perfect. In spite of knowing, that it's a vintage amp, I give it 9 for it's clean channel.

I only gigged it once, but without any problems. Except one. We asked the man at the store to show us the amp. He plugged it in and turned the power on, but nothing happened. The I noticed, that the cabinet wasn't connected to the head... ;-) He connected it and then it worked. I bought it, but after a month it gave up... Yeah, right, the tubes had to be replaced because of the operating without impedance (cabinet). ;-)

Well, I bought it in a guitar store in Hungary. It isn't a main Ampeg-dealer. The man at the store sucked, he blowed the tubes... They replaced them under warranty, but i took almost 6 weeks... and instead of the Groove Tubes, they gave me two nameless chinese Tubes... ;-)

It is a true vintage jazz/blues/vintage-rock amp. Nothing more. It sounds great for these styles. The only thing I'm missing is an individual EQ for each channel, and more gain on the lead channel.

Good Features

Somes Perfect for Punk Rock. But its distortion sucks. You should buy a pedal for that. The Clean channel is great.

Never broke yet.

Never needed it.

I like this one better than my mesa/boogie triple rectifier.

Made in 2000, very versatile for vintage sounds, not suited for modern heavy metal, dual channels (drive and clean switched)effects loop. Has plenty of power, for the really big venues you go thru the board anyway. Tube driven amp 12AX7's and 6L6's.

I play a Gibson Tennessean and a 68 Fender Strat thru this amp. This head excells for vintage rock and blues. Very quiet as far as hum goes. This amp is good for playing loud on stage and gives those sounds from the 60's ranging from clean to warm blues overdrive.

I have used this amp without a backup many times now. It has never broken down on me and seems to be of superior quality in it's manufacturing. I have NEVER had this amp serviced or done anything to it besides clean the beautiful blue diamond covering.

If you're looking for a vintage 60's sound, no matter what style, you can't go wrong with this amp! It's got the sounds, it's got the looks, and it's got the durability.

This is a late 90's all-tube 50W head. I bought it with the matching 412 cab. It features two channels, clean and distortion, switchable with a footswitch or a toggleswitch on the amp. Has heavenly reverb, which can also be turned off and on from the footswitch. Has two imputs, one for guitar and one for an accordian. Never tried it with an accordian.

for the money this amps clean channel is the best you can get. I never use the distortion, which is weak. I play through a boss blues driver to get distortion sounds. If you're looking for a tube amp with a great clean base to build from, this amp is worth checking out.

never had a problem with it, but only owned it for a couple months. I know the store I bought it from would honor the generous 5 year warranty.

if it was lost I would definitely get it again. I love the clean sound it makes. it's perfect to build from with pedals. there is nothing I hate about it. Of course it could be packed with features such as tremelo but for the price it's incredible.

High and low gain channels, 3 channel EQ, clean channel A and distortion channel B. It's a real meat and potatoes type of amp, nothing fancy but it gets the job done. The effects loop has been pretty useless to me so far.

I traded a guitar for this head (got it new)with the intention of using it just for clean tones. Once I started playing it on a daily basis I came to love this amp. I use a '61 reissue SG and the amp really compliments it well. The clean channel is one of the best I've ever heard, and when coupled with an external EQ (I use the Boss eq) it gets even better. The distortion is not for scooped-out metal, but if you're going for that classic rock sound then I'd reccommend it. Individual notes ring out very well through the distortion but the tone is very raw and grindy. For something heavier I'd just use a stomp box distortion pedal on the clean channel.

No problems so far, it can take a beating and still keep going.

Haven't dealt with the company yet, but I assume that they'd stand by their work.

I've been playing for almost 7 years and this is my first tube amp. I had been using a Marshall Valvestate but once I dedicated myself to the Ampeg I haven't regretted it. Although it lacks a big bottom-end type of sound, it suits my style very well. If it was stolen I'd probably get another one. This amp's a real workhorse and I'm sure I'll continue to use it.

I bought this amp and cab new around june 98. I'm not in a pro band or any thing I just like to jam out with buddies. So therefore I don't know to much about road wear on this amp. I play any thing from sabbath to the dead. As stated above you're probbally not going to use an amp like this for "crazy hard metal". Most features are listed in the previous submissions. 50 watts all tube w/ 2 channels and a foot switch, effects loop. It has two imputs at different dB ratings, but not evident upon seeing (I learned this from manual w/ 0dB and like -6dB or something). Plenty of power (they say I'm too loud). I' was shopping for a tube amp and was leaning towards a jcm2000. But for the price of the marshall head I could own the ampeg head and cab. It does have styling like no other.

This amp sounds great with a strat. Ialso have an gibson sg and an epi es335. They all sound good but single coils wail. Noisy on dist channel but I can live with it. With gain at 10 and a roto vibe or such nice amounts a "Hendrix/ Trower" could occur. Though when it gets hot the clean gets alittle distorted which I don't like. This amp is loud and when jamming with a "heavy drummer" I don't need to go past 4 on vols. I would rate the dist at about 5.

I feel its very reliable but on the other hand I don't play out to much so wear and taer would be a lot less than some. Just for kicks I switched the preamp tube (the volume was dropped dramaticaly) but I changed it back to stock. It does have stock Groove Tubes which I beliave are deceant.

Never dealt with the company but I'm glad this baby is American made and it comes with a 5 year warranty.

I've been playing for about 5 years. Before this I owned and still do a pignose studio 60r, which is a solid state head from the 70's I think and died last christmas. I also own an early 70's peavy musician w/ tons of crappy built-in effects. Both don't compare to this. A great bargin for the buck ,but not quite sure if I would replace it with another. I wish dist had a bit more "balls" to it.Don't take anybody's word as law find one and check it out the also come in combos. Please drop a note and share some tips.

The setup is quite simple. It features reverb, master, bass, mid, treble, volume (which effects the clean setting volume), and gain controls. The EQ controls don't really effect the structure of the sound, aside from loosening the bass response. If you play with several different sounds (especially modern thrash), this amp is not for you because it will only produce essentially one sound. Although that one sound is excellent.
I can't go without mentioning the aesthetics. It has the vintage blue diamond vinyl covering with silver mesh over the front. White vinyl striping lines the grill, as well. It sports a 50's space-age Ampeg logo and has a blue pilot light. Not only will it sound original, but it will stand out from the masses of boring-looking amps. Get the matching cab for the full effect (which, by the way, gives it great definition and comes on removable casters).

Here's where the fun begins. The distortion is quite potent. it's a grindy tube tone that sounds more classic than modern, but still fits extremely well into modern musical stylings. The focus in designing this was obviously to emphasize the tubiness rather than to create some high-gain monster like many manufacturers these days. I prefer to use a lower gain setting that makes it even more responsive to the intensity at which I play the guitar (around 4 or 5 on the dial, and i have my tubes biased low to bring the gain down as well). At this setting, the amp really shines through. It will be your best friend when you need to cut through a loud mix, live or in the studio.
Paired with a Les Paul, this amp really "purrs". The distortion is very warm and harmonic, with a good blend of bite to it. I have also used a 60's ES-335 through it with the coil tap engaged. This way, the amp is characteristic of a Matchless. In fact, i do equate this amp with the big names like Matchless and Bogner in terms of its distinctive, midrange crunch. Tele lovers will not be disappointed, as i pair a Fender and a G&L ASAT through it regularly, and am greeted by great responses. The R-50H is very sparkly without sounding too biting, and retains all the snappiness of a Tele in its distortion setting.
The clean channel is very tube-like, too. Not quite a Fender, but still an applausibly well-rounded clean tone. The headroom is decent enough, but sometimes will distort slighty when being played hard. Part of that is just the nature of tubes in general. If you use mostly clean tones, like in funk or jazz, you should probably stay away from this amp. Though, if you do a lot of switching between crunch and clean, the clean tone will get the job done nicely.
This amp has more reverb than any amp i've ever heard, and might be a little bit superfluous, as it will completely drown out the original sound when turned all the way up. However, in moderation, it is a very surfy, resonant reverb.
As a note, I play in a very guitar-driven rock band, and this amp has been a workhorse for me. The 50 watts project well, and the tones are stupefying. Rockers of the same genre with a predilection for a classic yet modern crunch should check this one out.

This amp is very low-maintenance. It only implements five tubes, which means less things to break on you during use or on the road. The tubes are mounted by the base and housed fairly well, no clamps around the actual tubes like you might find on a Mesa/Boogie or something. Thumbs up for good design work.

The local Ampeg repairperson's phone number was given to me upon purchase, so I assume there would be no trouble getting this amp serviced quickly. However, I have not had any trouble with it (notice the outstanding reliability rating), and have not dealt directly with Ampeg.

The verdict? This amplifier is simply beautiful. It produces only one sound, but that sound is amazing for those who seek the ultimate tube grind. It is aesthetically pleasing, and best of all, the whole halfstack goes for just under $1000 dollars. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a distinctive amp, even among pools of amps costing as much as $3000 dollars. Congratulations to Ampeg for creating a fine piece of work. Don't close the deal without giving the R-50H a fair chance. This amp is worth spending some extra time seeking out.

This is the Reverberocket blue diamond series. It's a basic 50 watt all tube head. 3 12ax7's, 2 EL34's. 1 clean channel, 1 distorted. They share a common EQ and reverb. Effects loop via line out and in on front panel. 8/16 ohm impedance selector. Controls are 2 volumes (1 for each sound), 1 gain, bass, middle, treble, reverb. Footswitch to control channel select and reverb on/off. A foot switchable lead boost would have made it a better amp for me. For a 50 watt head, It is plenty loud. You won't have any problem cuttting through.

I checked it out with a vintage strat and the tone was very nice. The best clean sound I've ever heard out of a 4x12 cabinet (I tried it out with the matching blue diamond 4x12). Shimmering highs without being shrill. Just enough bass to be there, but not at all boomy. The gain channel had that cool vintage vibe. It still had great warm sustain even with my strat. It was a little noisy though, even with the guitar turned down. Easily remedied by switching to the clean channel between songs. Not a good amp for heavy metal. Great for classic rock though. Only other niggle was that it seemed once you got the volume over about 3 when in gain mode, the amp lost a little of it's character.

Seemed very basic. I can't imagine what would break other than tubes getting replaced.

Don't know.

I've been playing for 20 years. I currently own a Peavy Ultra Plus head as well. It beats the Peavey in the classic rock crunch mode and ion clean as well, but the Peavy is much more versitle and has a larger overall sonic pallette to choose from. I personally wouldn't have it as my only amp, but for classic tones it's perfect. Sure which it had a foot switchable boost. Anyone playing retro rock should definitely give this one a listen. Not real versitile, but what it does it does very well.