Ampeg SJ-12R Super Jet

1996 model - EL34's. Norm/Acc inputs, volume, bass, mid, treble, reverb. Channel boost feature via footswitch - without footswitch this feature is always on. Likewise with the reverb on same footswitch.

Good tone is in the ears of the beholder - and my ears love it. I will say the tone varies more widely with the guitar/pickups/pedal used than most other tube amps I've used or tried. But i'm always able to dial in a good sound with whatever I've used. And it is LOUD. I can't speak for the stock speaker since somebody already changed out the one I have. I did replace the preamp tube with a 12AU7 so I can use this as a practice amp - and it does quiet it a lot. It also softens the overall tone a bit, but nothing too drastic. RE: 12AU7. I personally feel this is a great (and a much cheaper) way to own a gigging amp and still get great tone while practicing. Just swap V1 tubes as needed. A 12AT7 would be split the difference if necessary.

I would have given it a 10 but I've swore off using that (overused) 'A' word. :)

I've not had it long enough to judge the reliability.

It's so cool (and surprising) to get a real technician on the phone. My amp had a bad midrange pot when I bought it and he searched the schematics to make sure he was giving me the correct specs on the pot so I can find a suitable replacement.

I have several tube amps; a couple old Gibson Minuteman's, an original BF Pro Reverb, a couple Crates and Epiphones. Each have their own characteristics and this Super Jet fits right in between all of those.

The EQ's on the this amp sound great and are quite versitle.
I play everything from indie-pop to classic rock, and I can get crisp cleans and some nice growl out of it. But the growl only comes w/ at loader volumes (up over 5), which is rare for me it get up to in most gigs or rehearsals. I do not use the distotion channel, instead I use a pedal (Sansamp California), as the distortion is kinda thin for my tates. Plenty of power at the size and wieght of this amp.

The sound quality on this amp w/ the original speaker was an 7-8 for me (still great at the price). But after I put in a Jensen C12N speaker and Svetlana EL34 Matched Duet power tubes, the one on this amp became handds down amazing!!! The ampeg speaker that is stock in these amps, really don't do it justice, it simply way to think and trebely, w/ my Les Paul double cut away w/ P90's I had to roll off all the treble. Now w. the new Jensen speaker i can shape my highs.

SO far so good, owned it for bout 4 months, it's a rockin' w./ no problems. The previous owner had no known issues either.

N/A
Never had tpo contact them

Love this amp, w/ speaker replacement and the right tubes, you can't beat how great this amp sounds for the price, actually if it were 2 X the price I I would still be lovin' the tone.
Ampegs are great, I've played ampeg gear in my bass rigs in the past, and their Gtr. amps are awesome.

This amp plays through americana stylse, low volume jazz, and real vintage rock sound.
One channel. Footswitch to add the reverb ad trem.
Lots of power at 50 watts. I use this at home in a studio. It's lound and would be nice in a full band. There is enough headroom.

1960 Jazzmaster
1964 Gibson SG
I run a handful of good pedals with good cords and it is quite (no hums).
Amp breaks up around 7 and gets warm and thick as you dial it up.

might be the best built object I own

Seems good. Although I emailed and called Ampeg about a different issue with another and they decided to neot get back to me. So they get 5 for giving me a warranty card (hope that means something)

Love it. Strong, dependable. Classic sounds.

2001 SJ12R. Two-switch foot pedal which switches normal/lead and reverb on/off. 2 input, one unattenuated and one padded at 15db. Simple controls, Volume, bass mids, treble and reverb. Stock 12" vintage Ampeg Speaker. Originally came with Groove tubes 6l6b's, and 12ax7's, but i have since swapped for a duet of GTKT66HP, and a pair of GT12ax7m (*update now sovtek ECC83's in preamp).

IMHO, i give this a 9. It has everything i need to sound the way i want to. I feel that the more circuits you add to an amp, the more effected your tone is. I understand this amp is a circuit board based tube amp, not a P-T-P hand wired.... but the tone i get out of this puppy is nothing short of amazing. I wouldnt trade this amp for anything. Seriously.

I have only one guitar, i have very many pedals, but only use one pedal with this amp, if EVER. My guitar is a 1989 Eric Clapton Stratocaster. The pedal is a Re-Issue TS808 MODDED by Analogman, with the Silver Mod (original TS808 JRC chip and special high end caps and resistors for more hi-fi audio output, etc.) Playing the guitar straight through the amp is like steping into some kind of tube amp bliss. SO FAT, round, woody, and dynamic. If you use a Clapton, you know all about the versitility of this guitar.....thats for another review, but for those who still dont have one, rolling on the controls yield MANY desired AUTHENTIC blues and rock tones. No pedal necessary. We all know how big this 50 watts can get. I dont care if you believe me or not, but there are SRV moments in this set up, ESPECIALLY with fatter strings. Dont believe me? FTW. I hear wood tones riding on glass bells. YOu know the sound im talking about.

Kicking in the reverb gives you a nice reverb. Surreal, and spacy. I like it. Just enough. Another thing i like about this amp is it is quiet. Ive had it for 5 years, and never a crack, pop, or hum out of her. Nice blues distortion happens at volume number 2. LOL. I know. Its so aweosme. This is partly due to the GT66HP duets i chose. They are rated at GT rating #2, which breaks up VERY early. Scale is 1-10, one bieng very early breakup, 10 bieng VERY-VERY-VERY high headroom. So quick summary, this guitar and amp combo of mine sounds like a dream. My search for my blues sound is happily over. There is nothing i want more than to get home from work, and play through this amp.

*update* Looking back, i didnt say my peace about the Analogman ts-808 silver mod through this amp. There are few words than can discribe the absolute tonal bliss you can achieve with this set up. If you like blues rock, this is the Grail. Ive had several friends dismiss all their lifes effort in achiving "their" sound to convert to my setup, mine. HOw many of you can say that? :) Listen to some Trey Anastassio from Phish to hear what im talking about. You dont need a pedal to over drive this amp, but with one, you can get a more controlled overdrive (before the amp). I dont recommend cranking the pedal and then cranking the amp. if your gonna crank the amp, there is no need for pedal.

Cranking this baby up, anywhere past two gives you honest-to-God blues overdrive (with these GT rating "2" tubes).

IMHO im giving this a 10, in stock trim i would give it an 8, it sounded AWESOME back with the 6l6b's dont get me wrong, but with the KT66's .......you couldnt pay me to give it a 9.

Amp doesnt go ANYWHERE. It stays home. But still, ive never had a reliability issue.

Ive contacted SLM Several times for schematics and biasing information when i did my tube swap. They ansewred me on the spot when i called, and got instant emails of schematics when i asked for it. AWESOME service for me. And i live in Hawaii, so its MUCH appreciated. Bieng that ive never had to get a repair, or any hting like that, i cant really give this too high a number...so ......i think 7 is a fair shake.

Ive been playing for 11 years. Ive had very amny amps and have only kept two. A 1973 Fender VIBRO-Champ, and this Ampeg. If it were stolen i would snatch up another one ASAP and do the same mods to it. We are very fortunate to have these available to us for around 400$ brand new. The sound far exceeds the price tag. Im usually very reserved about giving prduct reviews, but i sincerely encourage all blues and some rock players out there to give this amp a try. You can thank me later........IMHO i give My overall rating as a 9. Because nothing in this life is perfect, there is always room for improvement (i.e. my tube choices). But other than that, this box is such an awesome value.

In addition to the great tube tone, the simplicity of this amp was one of the reasons why it interested me. I bought it used for $300 from a friend of my cousin's who is still depressed because he sold it and got disappointed when he bought one of those Cybertwins. The guy I purchased it from replaced the 6L6's with EL34's and gigged with the amp regularly. He told me the tubes were balanced and he had just had the amp re-biased prior to selling it to me. I use it to jam with friends and play backyard parties and such. The tone is awesome and it has enough power to cut through the mix.
I checked out quite a few tube amps including the Fender Blues Jr, Hot Rod Deluxe,Peavey 30, some low end Mesa's and Marshalls. All of these amps had more features and channels that I probably wouldn't use, so they would be wasted. I got only what I needed in the Ampeg. If you want something super fancy with footswitches and XLR output, and multiple channels, you may want to get something else.

I play mostly blues and jazzy stuff and usually don't use very many effects. I have one of those Boss ME-50's, but usually just plug the damn guitar in and start playing. I usually play rhythm and with minimal effort I can get great clean tones for blues, jazzy rhythm or scratchy funk. I play an Ibanez SZ520QM with the Duncan JH2/JH4 pups, but I also have a stock Ibanez AR250 and both of these axes sound spectacular when played through the Ampeg.
In most settings, I don't need to turn it up past 3, but it starts to break up nicely around 4-5 if you start spanking the axe. Never tried the gain boost. If I want specific effects or lots of overdrive or distortion, I use the ME-50. This amp is a great platform if you have an effects processor.

Had the amp for 2 years and no problems.

I've been playing guitar on and off for about 25 years. Never professionally, but in many a garage jam session or backyard party. I've owned a Fender Princeton chorus which had insufficient volume, upgraded to a Stage 100, which was loud, but lacked tonal character. I love this amp because of it's simplicity and ease of use. No effects loops, no multiple channels, Just great tone. It's so easy to sound good. I frequently go to the music stores and check out the Mesa's, and the Marshalls, and the Fender tube amps, which all have more features, but no more tone. I couldn't pass it up for the $300 price tag.

1996 SJ12R W/ EH tubes. Pretty straight ahead amp.I looked around alot before buying this amp, but the price was right and the tone was great.

I use it with my Hamer(2 HB Duncans), Peavy Strat, and soon w/my new Eric Brown thinline.A Toneworks AX1000G lives between the guitars and the SJ. I play anything from Jazz to blues/Rock to childrens tunes and this amp does the job without a fuss.

Only had it a couple of months but all seems well.

HAvent needed it yet.

As I mentioned before I try to play a little of all generes and have always loved tube tone. Ampeg is underrated in the 6 string world. Before I found this amp I tried a bunch of the new fender Dynatouch amps and the roland cube 60. No match for the Superjet.Price,tubes and portability AND it stands out from the sea of fenders,marshalls and peavy tube amps everyone else up here plays.
I'm not waiting for it to get stolen,I'm looking for more right now:). It's only a matter of time before the price of these little blue beasts starts going up.

Update of an older review... Updated the Amp. Made a big difference.

After owning this amp for a while, I began to find the sound a bit too trebbly... a bit too thin. Found I was using some of my other amps and not this one. Eventually at a jam session while using this amp, the amp cut out on me. I went to my local Ampeg dealer, and after some trouble shooting, it was determined that the speaker had an intermittent short in it. So the tech sent off to SLM for new one. They were very good, and the replacement speaker came quickly. However, in the meantime, the tech gave me a good deal on an Emmenance Delta 400 watt model. this is a really big and heavy speaker, and barely fit in the amp, but it radically changed the sound. The amp now was bold and fat, and did not break up nearly as early in the range of the volumne knob. But, that was not the sound I was looking for. So I purchased as Vintage Reissue Jensen C12N 50 watt speaker. This did the trick. Now the amp sounded fatter and bolder, and now I got my early breakup back, but with much better tone and definition than the stock speaker. A very good upgrade... Next I tried a variety of new tubes in both the preamp and power amp. my unit came stock with EL-34s. After trying several sets of tubes (svetlana, winged C, Grove Tube) I finally tried a complete set of Electro Harmonix Tubes in box the 12ax7 and the EL34. Awesome sound. Now i have a totally killer tube amp, that sounds like a million bucks. My advice is to take a small amount of the money you saved by buying this very inexpensive awesome value amp, and try some experimentation with tubes and speakers. it will be worth the effort... :-)

This amp rocks... Mine is about 10 years old. the stock speaker will let you down. Mine did.

Excellent. When my amp started having problems, it was a tough to find intermittent speaker short. The authorized dealer did great service. Then SLM send out replacment parts very quickly with no questions asked. 5 year warantee is also good.

Killer value, awesome potential with some easy part swapping... can sound like a boutique amp with some simple experimenting.

Im an admited ampeg addict-I have an older gemini 2 and needed a more portable amp,so I thought it be great to have a new ampeg due to the reliable fact that it was built a couple years ago as opposed to the sixties-a decent amp,however the reverb is a total let down and sounds like modern fender reverb(yuk!)-its got nice bass n mid n treble dials for tweaking,and a cool 15db boost,but the reverb sucks

This isnt a bad amp,it has a great bass presense considering its a 12 inch speaker-and its really cool that this amp puts out 50 watts-but the speaker is kinda of thin sounding,the reverb is terrible and it lacks the old ampeg sound-It breaks up at about 5 and the overdrive isnt very pleasent for me(blues rock jazz)-sounds almost like a bad overdrive pedal-Ampeg is now owned by the same company that owns crate amps,and it shows-Id look elsewhere if you have to have a reissue tube amp

dont know,didnt gig with it

Theres better out there,its not terrible but a fender delux sounds better than this amp and generally I really dislike new fender amps-my favorite are older ampegs,and this one doesnt come close at all-I must stress again how bad the reverb is-old ampegs reverb leave off notes sounding harmonic,this amp leaves them off sounding dissonant,like any other bad reverb in an amp-THe break up overdrive sounds almost 80's metalish sounding,and thats really not my thing

Built in 2000. Very versatile amp, but of course you need effects (good ones!). One great clean channel. Has all of the features I need (3 band EQ and reverb). I use this amp for rehearsal, live playing. It's 50 watts, class AB, etc. amp. Oh yeah, 1X12" speaker - more on this below...

I use this with a Les Paul Standard and a Tube Screamer. Let's discuss the speaker. I've alway loved the sound of this amp at low to medium volumes (1-3 on vlume knob), but there was a slightly nagging problem with the tone at higher volumes - a bit of a shrill treble sound. I've always had to put the treble at about 3 to avoid this. Also, the speaker would get a bit flubby on the bass end in live situations (bass was typically EQ'd at 4 or 5). These problems were solved with a speaker replacement. The original speaker in this amp is an Eminence Legend 125 (75Watts, 1.5" voice coil, 34 oz magnet). The speaker is voiced for vintage rock and roll tone with an emphasis on the top end (see their web site for complete specs). Because I wanted a fuller tone with more headroom, I went with the Eminence Legend 121 (150 Watts, 2" voice coil, 38oz magnet). The tone change floored me. The new speaker doesn't get flubby at high volumes and I've lost the ice pick trebles. Now it has a warm, clear sound that stands up to the amps power (which is considerable). I now set the treble EQ at about 5 or 6 and the high end is very smooth and pleasant sounding. The added warmth makes this sound like a 2X12" cabinet. Also, the new speaker has increased the volume a bit - not bad. Other folks' reviews have slammed the stock speaker in this amp as crappy, but its really in the design intent of the speaker and what you want from it. This is something to consider when choosing this amp. As far as distortion goes, I didn't want this early in the volume range from the speaker, because I use a Tube Screamer for that. The net - I'm very pleased with this amp's performance and have learned a lesson on how much the speaker impacts the tone of an amp. By the way, avoid the gain boost on this amp - not very musical to my ears anyway - maybe this worked when this amp used to come with EL-34 tubes...with the 6L6's - it sounds harsh.

The foot switch for this amp developed problems (Crackling with sudden volume drops). This is important since you need the footswitch hooked in to NOT have the gain boost on. If you unplug the footswitch, its on all of the time! Kind of the reverse of what you'd expect. No problem, I just use the footswitch from my crate and it works fine. This happened after the five year warranty period so I eventually have to buy another one. The amp itself has done countless playing sessions without a problem.

Awesome. Had an issue with my Crate (Ampeg and Crate both are SLM Electronic and have same warranty) and it was serviced promptly under warranty.

I've been playing 25 years and have been through many amps (some very good). I think this amps strikes a great balance of power, portability and tone. I don't want any other effects on board this amp since I like having that stuff separate from the amp (less complexity and stuff to break). Generally speaking, SLM Electronics provides a good product and stands behind it for a reasonable price.

My Ampeg was made in 2000. The amp is versatile enough for playing different styles of music, mainly blues, classic rock, country, jazz. If you want to rock out, get a distortion pedal. It has two channels- clean and overdrive with a footswitch. This is a tube amp, how many features do you need or expect? It does have a nice reverb, which is footswitchable. Bass, middle, and treble as well. I use this amp for jamming at home and jamming with the guys. It certainly has the tone and volume to play a pretty big gig at 50 watts. But if you are a stadium player you better mic it up and run it through a P.A. system.

I play a Fender MIM Standard Strat and a Les Paul Studio. They both sound awesome through this amp! They both have the stock pickups in them. This amp suits my music styles very well. It has great clean, round tube tone. When I want distortion I don't use the overdrive channel because it just dosen't have enough distortion for me. So I use stompboxes. They do great! I play everything from Willie Nelson to the Deftones. Great for all styles of music. It is not very noisy. There is some noise, but no more than any other tube amp. If you are concerned about that, go buy a solidstate!!They just hum a little, depending on where you are standing. When you turn the volume to 4 it really starts to break up and get distorted. But again, if I want distortion I plug in my Metal Zone and I can adjust the distortion level from nothing to brutal assult.

I used to own an Ampeg Reverberocket 212r. I had it for three or four years and never had a problem with it. I suspect this Ampeg SuperJet will be just as reliable. I certainly would use this for a live gig, no hesitation. Very reliable!!

I have not had to deal with Ampeg or St. Louis Music Co., but a friend of mine has. Something was wrong with his Crate tube amp and St. Louis Music services both Ampeg and Crate. He had no problems with them and his amp came back in tip-top shape.

I love my SuperJet 12R. I got rid of the Reverberocket because it was too big and heavy for what I do. Plus I got the flavor for a Marshall. I bought a Marshall VS230r and was rather unimpressed--no real "tube sound". So I sold it and went back to all tube and I could not be happier. Once you go tube, you can't go back! I have been playing for about 20 years. I own an Alvarez RD20S acoustic guitar, a Les Paul Studio, a MIM Fender Strat, a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone, DOD chorus pedal, and a small solidstate Jordan amp. I love the tube sound this little amp produces. Every Ampeg I have ever heard has sounded great. If it were stolen I would put a claim in to my insurance company and have it replaced. I did compare it to other tube amps. I tested a Fender Blues Junior, a V Series V1512, and an Epiphone Galaxy 25. If I did not have a good friend who owns a music store, allowing me to get this Ampeg at a BELOW cost price, I would have gone out and bought the Epiphone Galaxy 25. It was not-as-much as the Fender or the V Series and it sounded better plus had more wattage. So if you want a nice tube amp and cannot afford the $600.00 price on this Ampeg, I say go for the Epiphone Galaxy 25 at $350.00. But truely the Ampeg is supreme!

1998. Versatile enough with effects in front. One channel. Feature desired - ext. cabinet jack and line out. More than enough power - I use it for gigs at parties, weddings, etc. We cover rock, jazz and blues stuff. Typical EQ (low mid high) and reverb.

Use with LP Standard, Strat Deluxe and Super 400. This amp is simple but its tone is incredible. I use the much maligned Roland GT-3 pedal through it and get essentially any sound I want. Very quiet. Covers all the bases (with effects). Clean channel starts to clip at about 5 -6 with a nice added punch with the Gain boost on the pedal. Distortion definitely not brutal, more classic.

So far - no problems. I do keep spare tubes in case. Same type so no rebiasing needed.

St. Louis Music Parent Company for SLM which makes Crate and Ampeg generally very friendly and helpful when you call.

I need to get another one of these amps for a backup (as a matter of policy when gigging - not because I don't trust this amp in particular). I ran it side by side with my Fender Custom Shop Dual Pro - The Ampeg comes out on top with tone complexity and tube spank. 100watts from the DP is just too aggressive even at low volumes. Been playing 25 years and would definitely replace if lost or stolen. What do I love about it - the tone, portability and volume. What do I hate? That I love it so much! Seriously - this amp is a no brainer - just hop on the Chord network and purchase it even if you've never heard it - you can't lose.

An AMPEG that I bought in Northern Virginia about May of 2002. As some have already offered, it's a versatile, simple one channel setup, with a really interesting reverb and a 15DB gain. This amp was equipped with the cage surrounding 2 GT 6L6s, and a stock 50watt speaker.

You have to remember to keep the 2-button footswitch connected or else you'll always be operating the amp with gain/ reverb ON.

Around my local area, 50watts and a light carrying weight works for me. If I'm gonna play Shea Stadium, I'll pack my old Twin. I like the small frame and weight, 50watts of power.

When I first played it in the music store, I was test driving a Gibson ES-336, which is noted for a sweet rhythm pickup sound. I had to tinker with it for awhile, including the footswitch connection issue listed above.

The reverb is very different than I've heard in a typical combo. It's like there's only 'half of a reverb' - that is - a pronounced trailing end of the reverb. I like it, but it takes a little getting used to. It's a dreamy type of reverb, not Surf City, which I recall my old Gemini-6 used to have years ago. Keep the footswitch connected or else the Reverb is on all the time.

Now, with the stock speaker (I believe it's a custom Eminence job), the amp comes alive right away at the Volume setting on 2/3. If you like the early breakup, then raise the volume up. Watch the Bass setting! I have 2 sound configs: 1) front-ending the amp with Boss pedal unit for Rock/ Blues, etc; and 2) straight into the amp from humbuckers for jazz. The first config worked pretty well in small clubs where I play. The amp does cut through, alright; it is impressive. But, for real clean jazzy sounds, I become quickly disappointed. The amp's Bass control makes for a real nice clean jazz headroom - until you bring the Volume up to 10o'clock. The stock speaker starts 'flubbing and farting,' especially when your laying into the top 3 (bass) strings. Like other reviewers, I eventually replaced the speaker (mine - with a Celestion Vintage-30 @ 60watts). The amp certainly sounds different now. The only issue I deal with now is humming, especially with Volume at '0' and Mid/ Bass turned up. The Celestion is big, and the end of the 2" magnet comes very close to the 6L6 cage. Basically, it's got twice the amount of hum compared to the stock speaker. And the new speaker has different sonic characteristic that warrant more Treble, a little more Mid, etc. The clean jazz sound is much improved, no matter which humbucker guitar I use. I haven't really broke the Celestion in yet; I'm trying to do that slowly.

My amp tech resolved a problem in the 1st week of ownership: the amp really hummed a lot - right out of the store. He found a bad Preamp tube, and found that someone made a radical Bias adjustment. He put a Russian Preamp in, adjusted the Bias, and the amp quieted up but had a little hum, especially with Volume at '0'. I believe that one enhancement that Ampeg can make to this amp is simply wire in a Standby switch. Otherwise, you're faced with either turning the Volume to '0' or powering off during breaks. I choose the first approach and with the new speaker and Tone settings - I get the humming that I described above, twice as loud compared to the stock speaker. When you turn the Volume up and plugged-in, a good part of the hum drops, but I do not find this amp to be truly quiet, even with the old speaker.

I have just had the speaker replaced, so I can't say what its effect might be on expected tube life, etc. When it comes time to replace the valves, I'll probably put Russian power tubes in.

i'm about ready to go gigging big time with this amp. I hope it holds up.

Between my amp tech and the owner of the music store, I let them deal with the issue of the faulty Preamp tube and re-bias. Other than that, I have not had any correspondence with SLM.

I think that the amp has a lot of value: mostly for it's Volume, simplicity of setup and weight.

1) Ampeg should wire in a Standby switch.

2) I think that for the caged 6L6s, these tubes should be moved away from the middle of the amp's rear. they're probably picking up the inductions from the huge Celestion magnet.

I think that for the money + custom speaker price, the SuperJet-R is still a good buy, considering what you'd pay nowadays for a Mark-1 Boogie or Fender Hod-Rod-x.

Basic simple amp, reverb, no master volume, one channel... read the other reviews for the details.

I wanted a fat, tube tone amp in a small package, and this was the best thing at any price, until you get to the boutique amps. Nothing Fender, Marshall or any other production amp comes close. I originally wanted a Reverbrocket 1x12 combo. I have a Reverbrocket RB-50H 50 watt head, but got tired of carrying around a seperate head and speaker cab. So I was going for the same amp in a combo unit. When I saw the SuperJet sitting next to the reverbrocket, I tried it out because it was smaller and lighter. The big surprise was that the tone was much tighter, and the distortion from the single channel, one volume knob whas much more natural and cool sounding than the reverbrocket with its master volume, two channel setup. It was just a much better, tighter tone. I have the EL-84 version with Svetlana bottles, and it breaks up nicely at around volume level 4, with killer blues romp at level 5+, Exactly what I was looking for! I am still blown away by the tone this thing gets... it is amazing. and all at a very loud, gigging volume... A monster of an amp at any price!

Have not had any problems with any of my Ampeg gear. First rate stuff. I have been using Ampeg amps for more than 20 years. Had an old sixties Ampeg Gemini when I was a kid...

Never needed it... but they have a good website.

Great amp. Huge Monster Tube Tone!! Just dont get this amp if you are looking for a clean sound at loud volumes (I dont). This amp instantly goes into a full blown Blues power overdrive at any volume setting over 4, which is what I want. I dont even use a pedal most times. If I do, it is a Visual Sound Route 66 pedal, which is a combo tube screamer type overdrive combined with a high quality compressor sustainer, a bass booster, and a signal cleaner (a really great pedal). It tightens up the blues overdrive tone even more than if going direct... but only needed on rare occaisons. Overall a truely amazing amp for an incredibly low price. A good buy. I would buy another one again, even if I still had this one....

This on was brought from NAMM Nashville, (2) Groove Tube 6L6s, and two 12AX7s. I've been searching for a LOUD CLEAN amp to go with my new wendler electrocoustic guitar ( www.electrocoustic.com )with a passive piezo and 2 Kent Armstrong Thinbuckers and this amp does the trick...and I've tried a BUNCH of 'em out !( including a POLYTONE, which was great for the piezo, but thin on the electric side, a Deluxe Reverb ( worked well, cost HUNDREDS of dollars more than the Ampeg)and several others. It has ALL the Features I need ! NONE ! I have a pedalcase full of effects, ALL I need an amp to do is sound good, and the Ampeg is GREAT !

This Superjet is NOT noisy at all, and is VERY VERY loud for such a small amp ! Its good on my 49 year old back too !

I keep spare tubes as a rule, not out of fear of this amp breaking down. I always have a backup of EVERYTHING when i gig, including guitar and pedals.

the only time i called them, they answered my question immediately ! REALLY nice lady too..

I've been playing 37 years, I have a Showman, A Blackface Super,and a few old other nonames, THIS IS THE BEST AMP I"VE EVER HAD ! My effects trail is Volume pedal> Dunlop 95Q Wah>DOD 250 Preamp Overdrive>Boss DS-1 Overdrive> Jacques Fuseblower II> '73 Maestro Stage Phaser>Marshall Chorus>Boss BF2 Flanger>Danelectro Analog Delat>Guyatone MD-3 Digital Delay...i use a Powerall Adaptor to power all this with no problems...

This is the second one of these I've had. Nothing wrong with the first, but I stupidly traded it away for some heat-of-the-moment passion I no longer even remember.
The first one I had used EL-34 power tubes, which I love. Early breakup and a nice soft fluffy Blues edge, but a bit shy on clean headroom. Fine for 95% of my uses though.
This second one is 6L6 powered, with a cage around the (Groove Tube) power tubes.
More usable power; snappier bass; treblier; and still great for Blues, with more clean headroom first. A better (louder) club amp by a quite a bit of margin.
Turn your guitar down, it cleans up. Turn your guitar up, and it goes into the Blues zone at just the right volume.
No features to speak of, except reverb, but it has a great sound for 100% of my uses now.
I loved the older version.
This one is even better.

Well behaved (no "zzzzzts," pops, undue hum, or rattles). Has good tone controls for some versatility.
I think it best for Blues edge and Country, though it can do quiet Jazz too.
Not as warm as the Reverb Rocket (2X12), nor as primitive sounding as the J-12T, etc., though it can cover early R&B primitive sounds well (but the J-12's can't seem to be more sophisticated. This can).
Good middle range classic rock tone. More overdriven sounding than distortion, though hot humbuckers may get it more there for distortion.
I use tele and strat type guitars (single coils).

No trouble with my SuperJets, though I did have a problem with a J-12R once. My J-12T never presented any troubles.

Saint Louis Music seems VERY responsive and willing to do what it takes in backup support for their customers. I can't say enough good about their responses when I had trouble with a new J-12R that failed on me in infancy.
I think a bad tube (new, but hey it happens) took out an internal fuse and after a local authorized fix, it failed to turn on the second time at bat (at practice one week later).
THEY REPLACED the original INSTANTLY then, and offered a loaner until it arrived (not needed, as I have other amps).

Couldn't be happier with SLM, or its authorized regional network. Fast and painless, very understanding and helpful.

5 year warranty, 90 days on speaker, six months on tubes.

See above for testimonial.
Can't say enough good about SLM (Crate; Ampeg; etc).

Ampeg has a name and reputation, though they've been owned by several firms over the years. Even a French connection for a while (those black ones).
Through it all they've stayed in the hunt, introducing new products that try to keep up with the times, but I think their Retro-look line is great.
I've had several blue diamond Tolex versions of various configurations and they all pleased me. They're not re-issues (it would be too expensive to duplicate old Ampegs).
But they are valid designs with enough models to find something in the line that competes with the new crowd of manufacturers.
I've had lots of different Ampegs from different eras and parent companys.
Still have a Linden NJ, V-4 and 4 X 12 cabinet. Still works as designed, perfectly, after thirty years on the road with the Doobie Bros., etc.
I'd like to find another EL-34 powered version to go with this one, and another J-12T (it was a gas).
I also have Tech 21 and Fender amps, and have had Marshalls and everything (almost) else.
I've played guitar since 1961.

simple & beautiful!!!!!!! vol, treb,mid,bass,reverb 50 watts class ab small & light, i use a dod vgs50 processor in front of the amp SUPER LARGE CLEAN HEADROOM &EXCELLENT HARMONIC RESPONSE!!!

i use ywo different guitars with this combo,BOTH with humbuckers(same pickups in each) this amp is so sensitive that you REALLY can hear the sonic differences in each guitar. I lovingly call this amp "My soul" because its so sensitive which translates into DYNAMIC when it comes to tone!!!!!!!! I've taken this thing to open jams and guys come in with well you name it,,marshalls,boogie dual rectifiers, fenders,randalls,the whole gambit &THEY ALL CRY ME A RIVER CAUSE THEY'RE JONESIN FOR TONE AS GOOD AS MINE!!!!!!!!!! I put a mojotone alnico 30 watt with a capton voice coil for better low end thump(the stock speaker i dont know bout cause i already had the mojo & already had a love affair with it. i DONT KNOW ABOUT ANYONE THAT SAYS THIS LITTLE "GEORGE PATTON" OF THE AMP WORLD IS TOO QUIET, NO ONE IN MY BAND WILL LET ME TURN THIS PUPPY PAST 3 & ON MOST NIGHS I DONT MIC THE AMP!!!!!

I gig 3-4 nights a week,keep an exta set of 6l6 's (just cause im not dumb! not cause i dont trust this amp!!! blew the shitty groove tubes in 9 months so this little monster is built like a brickhouse!!!!!!

SLM IS SIMPLY THE MOST DOWN TO EARTH "REAL PEOPLE" IVE RAN ACROSS IN THIS BIZ,UNRELATED TO CUSTOMER SUPPORT I HEARD PETER FRAMP-TONE SAY THIS IS HIS VERY FAVE AMP IN THE WORLD!!

LIKE I SAID I USE MY VGS50 SO I WAS LOOKING FOR ONE CHANNEL,TRTEB,MID,BASS,& REVERB ANYONE WHO HEARS THIS AMP & STILL THINKS A FENDER,MARSHALL,BOOGIE,EVEN 2000 DOLLAR BOUTIQE AMPS, ARE BETTER,,,,WELL I THINK A TRIP TO BELLTONE FOR A HEARING AID IS IN ORDER

This is one of the simplest amps that you can buy- its got volume, lo, mid, hi, and reverb controls. only one channel (you have to shell out another couple hundred for that) but it breaks up real nice at lowish volumes. an effects loop, or even just a headphones out would be nice as well. oh, yeah, it has two inputs and a footswitch that mutes either or both.

I use a les paul with this, and it is the fattest sound i've ever heard, but seriously, anything sounds good through this amp. i'm not exaggerating at all. i mean, a nice guitar does sound better, but you can plug in a danelectro or something and be golden. again, drive channel would have been nice, but it breaks up nicely on the clean channel, and pedals also sound pretty good through it (i use a big muff- thats a great sound). it is wicked loud for its fifty watts and is great for blues and rock

i havent really gotten the chance to play out with it much, I don't usually play real loud, and i treat my gear pretty well, so i don't really expect it to give me any trouble. it seems pretty solid, but i can't really say how it would stand up to abuse.

ive never had any problems with the amp, so i've never dealt with the company

This is the greatest sounding amp i've ever played, at a pretty good price. it is missing some features that would be nice, like distortion and an effects loop, but you get what you pay for, and i could have gotten those if i had a couple hundred extra dollars to shell out on an amp (i'm saving for a parker). The only reason not to buy this amp is if you can buy a reverborocket!

Very Basic. Treble, Bass, Gain and Reverb (spring) Single input. Footswitch which switches reverb and overdrive. I like this amp especially for its simple setup. I use a line-6 POD for signal processing/modeling and I set the amp to a fairly neutral setting with a touch of reverb. If I play the guitar strait through with no pre-procesing I tend to add a little treble boost and retard the bass a little, and increase the reverb a little. If I crank the amp a little I can get some real nice feedback. I would like an effects loop and the ability to add a second speaker.

I play a Parker Fly classic and Gibson Howard Roberts Jazz Fusion. The Fly has piezo as well as magnetic pickups which can be set up as humbuckers or as a single coil. The amp is pure tone and very quiet. Presently I have slovtek EL-34's in the amp. It has true reproduction up to about 5 on the gain control then it starts getting beautiful harmonic content into the mix. The reverb is excellent, clean and as deep as you like, from just a wiff to almost too much to handle. I changed the speaker to a Celestion GK12-85, which I think is a cleaner sounding, fuller bodied speaker than the stock model. The amp just sounds great. I want to try Svetlana tubes at some point, but so far I am not disapointed with the Slovtek tubes. There are no buzzes or microphonics in my amp. I had to modify the chassis slightly to accomidate the bigger speaker (read that drill 4 holes to move the chassis out a bit). No changes to the outward appearence. I don't use the overdrive at all. It sounds OK but I would perfer a little less drive

The amp has not broken down, and seems very reliable. It's built quite well. It uses circuit board construction. I'm not sure I would use a tube amp without some kind of backup or at least a change of tubes. Tube filaments by their nature burn out. The tubes are easy to change, all you need is a phillips head screwdriver. The amp I have has 5 screws on the back, and a metal bracket that holds the power tubes in place. Earlier versions had 4 screws and no bracket. Get the model with the bracket

Never used them

50 W combo that doesn't break your back and takes up little space. Pure tube tone for 200 bux. I've been playing for 35 years, the gambit from rock to country to jazz, both acoustic and electric. The longer I play the more I appreciate amps that are designed to drive the speaker cleanly, with harmonic purity and without the mud, the blood, the beer, sag and drag some amps call "personality". The POD mixed with the different guitars I play allows me to get a panoply of sounds. The ampeg just sits there and does its job of pumping out the tone. As tone pumps go, this sucker is a little fire hose. If some dude tried to steal it, he would pull back a bloody stump. Can't say that about some of the transistor amps I have. If they were stolen, I would rather collect the insurance. It is very easy to play around with components in this amp. The tubes are readily accessible and the speaker change is about 30 minutes skin to skin. At some point I may try a WeberVST Chicago series in this little guy. With 50 watts it has enough power to give a good account of itself.

One channel. Vol., bass,middle,treble,reverb. Tubes are EL34. Very Basic amp. 50 watts of power.
Amp has lots of power. It rocks,
I play Rock and Blues

I use a Strat with EMGs. It has a very warm sound. Crank the volumne and it overdrive and sounds like a plexi Marshall. You will have to change the speaker because it is Crap!! I use a Mojo V30 in mine. Ther is so much better sound with a good speaker.
The amp breaks up good at 11 oclock with pick attack. at about 2 oclock it really rocks. I had a Carr Rambler on lay away and I took this amp in a AB them. The ampeg was cleaner,Fatter and bigger sounding with alot more head room. That thing about point to point wiring being better, I could not tell it. I have had them all Marshall, Fender, Peavey, Mesa Boogie, Crate, Gibson Gold tones, Line6, Johnson, Dr.Z., Hughes Kettner. This is the best I have come across in a long time. Before you buy your new amp take the old one in and do the AB test. You will susprize yourself.

So far so good I did blow a Tube once.

Never called them. I got this one used.

I have been playing 30 years. I am looking for another for back up. Like I said I have had them all. It would be cool to have a effect loop. This is a reissue amp built in the 90's.

50 watt all tube combo amp, retro blue tolex finish, spring reverb
no master volume (thats not a bad thing,btw)

Used with the standard Strat single coils the amp is very clean at low volumes, even a little "glassy" (which is not a bad thing, imho). That glassyness is like that of fender..a good clean tone, no doubt about it. As you bring the volume up beyong 5 some overdrive can be noticed. Tasteful and very useable for a mild crunch. With a HB (like PAF type) the amp gets the mids which it otherwise wouldnt have. It never becomes Marshally, imho, but it definetly sits well in mix. Cranking this amp up witha humbucker is Cruch city. Veryu Loud, very punchy. One reviewer said this amp isnt Loud...that guy should get his ears checked. I have worked against drummers who EASILY broke cymbals..and this amp kept up with them just fine. But again, I do use two of these in stereo, so thats a factor.
If the SuperJet is used along with footpedals for distortion, compression etc..I think its totally killer. In fact thats how I use mine. I can appreciatte the purists who dig just an amp and an axe..but I get bored with that. I like more extremes..and with various pedals I get all I could ask for.
Trevor Rabin (session player, Ex-Yes guitarist) recomends this kind of set-up and I totally agree. The ampeg can be used to simple amplify you pedal sound and make it big enough for the band, if you know what I mean. Some amps dont do that well...the SuperJet just sounds so great doing that. And for $400? You cant do better..I know, I have looked.
Sorry to be so long winded but I really love these amps..in fact I'd easily do an endorsement with Ampeg on the SuperJets. Any questions, just email me.

I have dragged these around for 5 hard years. They have seen fair use and long hours. No failures yet. None.
I would give them a 10 but I havent personally abused them (yet).

I have called Ampeg a few times and after the usual 5 minutes on hold always got a human on the line. I can't say that for Roland/Boss, Yamaha, etc. In fact I got to be friends with one guy there (forgot his name) he is/was a guitarist and play gigs all the time. He gave me some tips that he had learned by talking to various guys who use SuperJets. Nice guy, good advice.
At one point I had a problem, and Ampeg even applied pressure to one of my local dealers to help make things right. Long story (email me for details, if interested. But the point is Ampeg didnt have to do that, but they did. Very helpful.

I own 4 SuperJets. I had 5 at one point. I've opened them up, played em', gigged em, you name it. I am VERY pleased..and I am a tone nut. I could have spent alot more money and not have gotten anywhere near as good an amp. Some repair maven bitch about the PC board construction. But in my experience its NEVER been an issue. Some people have said that there have been issue regarding unwanted vibrations in the chasis. I dont know their individual gripes, but I contacted Ampeg about one of my amps which did this on one or two low notes. They promptly (overnight fedEx) sent me a tube fastening kit (basically two metal straps and etc.) and after 30mins I never had the problem again. I was told they now do this to all their SuperJets BEFORE they leave the factory.
Any questions, feel free to email me. I recomend these amps highly and have come to believe that AMPEG doesnt get the credit they deserve.

The Jet Reissue was made in '97 or '98. Like many vintage amps, or reproductions, versatility wasn't the main factor when they designed it. But as an extra amp for srereo setups, or as a single amp with pedals, it's fine for low volume gigs, with one modification...the speaker it came with was kinda lame...

I'm playing oldies, classic rock and some country in a trio with a Les Paul Special (with P-90s in place of the stock P-100s). Boss pedalboard feeds the Jet and Vox AC-15. The reverb in the Jet is more dramatic, and The AC-15 tremelo is foot-switchable, so even with the chorus off I can get pseudo-stereo with dry/reverb or reverb/tremelo.
The Jet sounds good, not noisy (that would be the P-90s). The stock speaker blew up not long after I bought it used, so I replaced it with an Eminence. Sounds great, and the Eminence can take the power.

Other than the crappy speaker, the amp has been reliable. No contact with manufacturer since I bought it used.

The Jet is an excellent value in a recording or practice amp, as part of a low volume stereo rig, or for real low volume gigs on its own.
The bang for the buck is very good. The tremelo sounds good, but isn't footswitchable. The reverb is quite nice for this price range.
Along with my AC-15, and my Fender Deluxe, it's one of my favorite amps. Highly recommended, other than the stock speaker. Even with the cost of a better speaker, his amp is a sweet deal.

1996 combo, 12" Ampeg ceramic spkr, spring reverb

Very clean and sparkly, lots of headroom, no distortion detected on the oscope until volume at about 6

Major problems with chassis construction. The power tubes are very close to the speaker magnet, essentially vibrating the hell out of the tubes and consequently the entire chassis. This major design mistake by St Louis Music causes expensive EL-34 pairs to be shaken beyond usability after about 30 hours. I replaced the tubes twice, but they only lasted a couple of weeks. At $35 a matched pair, that's expensive. The warranty doesn't help, because the three qualified Ampeg servicemen in Los Angeles couldn't figure out how to get rid of the low frequency crumbling which makes the amp unusable. Phone calls to Jay Lee only amount to : "Try new tubes." My servicemen recommended chopping off the chassis from the speaker and building a new separate speaker cabinet. He had four exact same SuperJets in his shop, all with the exact same problem. St Louis Music has no real remedy, and are probably flooded with calls from individuals like me.

They have a problem with this model, and can't admit it.

1996 50 Watts, All tube( 2 6L6 ), single 12" Ampeg Paper Cone Speaker, reverb, no effects loops or channels, footswitch for reverb and 15db boost, 35 pounds. This amp has everything I wanted except tremelo. Ampeg makes a similar model SJ12T with tremelo, but seemingly much less power. This amp is ggod for home(volume 1 - 2), band practice (volume 4), small clubs (5) or studio (2 - 8). I tried several in the store and blew one out at volume 10. Careful with quality issues, the Tolex can get marred or ripped. I don't know anything about the Ampeg speaker, maybe I'll replace it for fun.

I am using it with a single coil guitar to play basic rock. Would be very good for blues also. I can replace the 6L6s with EL-34 tubes to get the more British Marshall and Hiwatt sound. There was some trouble with vibration in the cabinet that was fixed easily. The 15 db footswitch is handy for taking solos live, although I wish the gain was more like 6 db. The gain is done with a transistor/op-amp config.

Parts are accessible, no service calls yet... I would suggest spending at least two hours in the store playing, leaning, moving, and inspecting the amp. The quality of soldering, drilling, stapling, etc. is all very noticeable... Watch the Tolex cover.

No calls yet. 5 year warranty with original receipt.

Great combo amp for the price. I liked it better than some $1000 Marshalls I tried, and it is much better than anything Fender has put out recently. 50 watts is good enough for stage and studio, so I chose this amp on that fact alone. The reverb is short pan and good enough to notice. Some electronic components are probably cheap, but should not ever fail... but the important thing is to have a 50 watt all-tube amp for under $400.

I bouight this amp strongly onthe reviews here in Harmony Central. This amp DOES kickass for the money. I paid $400 even and you just can't beat it. The 50watts, the size, the looks, all tube...too much! The 15db boost works as a sweet, creamy overdrive on a 57 reissue Strat that I don't need a distortion pedal or a channel switching feature. We play mainly smaller clubs in downtown Chicago and play rock/country/no depression type of music. No problem with this amp keeping up the rest of the band. I can carry this amp with one hand, but Ithinkit weighs more than the 35-40 lbs. that Ampeg claims it weighs. I wish it came with an amp cover. I love the simple set up of threetone knobs, volume and reverb. Thats it. No presence, push-pull, overdrive, gain...pure and simple.

I use a '57 reissue Fender Strat and get a great clean tone and a good creamy distortion with the boost. I doubt this would be good for metal, but any rock/country music, or even r&b would be served by this amp. I have had the volume at 6/7 which is pretty loud. The amp starts to break up pretty easily at this level, but in a pleasing way. No extra/outside noise problems. I know the purists will groan when I say this, but this amp reminds me of a pre-CBS Fender Princeton with a little more juice. I must note,howver, that this is after some tube replacement which I will explain below.

This is the only amp I take to a gig and the thing is built like a tank. The cabinet is thick plywood of some kind with about a million screws holding it together. It feels very sturdy. An amp guru told me that the printed circuit board is pretty flimsy as far as circuit boards go, but as long as you don't go poking around inside the amp it should not be a problem.

Mixed feelings on the service. Contacting St. Louis Music is very easy via e-mail and the phone. I got replies the next day on e-mail and have spoken with J. Hayes on the phone 4 times. Only once did I sit on hold for a long time. Otherwise, answers were fast and friendly. The warranty is for 5 years and is transferable. I had a very bad time finding a service rep near by. Ampeg did give me a list of authorized repairs but the closest went out of business and the rest were farther away than I like to drive. I would mix my ranking only because of this. Excellent from the company. Very difficult from local standpoint.

This is the second SJ12R I have had this year. The first was a sweet sounding Svetlana EL-34 equipped dream. The problem was an annoying buzz in the chassis/cabinet which could not be pin pointed. I called Ampeg and they recommended switching the EL-34s to 6L6s.They said that there was a buzzing problem with the EL-34s and that they were switching to 6L6s. I made the switch but nothing improved. I tried to find an authorized repair guy, but had no luck. I took it back to the place I bought it and told them to fix it, get me a new one or give me my money back. After yanking me around for two weeks, they admitted that it was bad and ordered a new one. The new came with Groove Tube 6L6s which were just tone dogs. The sound was flat, no response and the boost pedal gave no hint of the distortion which was so nice on the first one. I contacted amp wizzard Mark Baier, who makes top notch (but out of my price range) Victoria Amps in my home town. He re-tubed it with some Svetlana EL-34s and a Yugoslavian 12AX7 called an Ei and the thing sings like you wouldn't believe. Even the drummer and bass player in my band (who could care less about my tone) noticed how sweet the amp sounded. If you buy one of these amps, rip out the 6L6s and get those Svetlanas in there. I believet that Ampeg switched to Groove Tubes for economic reasons, not technical reasons. I would buy this amp again, but do the same modifications. I might add a Celestion Green Back, but I just love Celestion. For the money, you can't beat this amp. I love it (now). I have been rating this amp very high. These are sincere and honest opinions.

This is an all tube 50 watt amp. This thing sounds great!!! And looks great too! It even has an accordian input like the old Ampegs =) It has a foot switch for turning the reverb on/off and adding a 15 db. boost. I absolutly love the blue tolex and the chrome. The cabinet construction is also awesome. It feels very sturdy. This amp can play Blues through Metal and everything in between!

I'm Using a Strat copy. And it makes it sing!! The amp sounds very clean when it isn't plugged in with anything. But when it is plugged with other stuff it is somewhat noisy. the clean channel does not break up when turned up. In fact I prefer to Put it up because it really sings man! Their is no is dtortion on it but you can just get a pedal for that. I use the Danelectro Fab Tone for distortion.

I'm pretty sure I can depend on this amp. Altough I haven't had it for more than a week.

Haven't had it long enough.

I would definitly buy this amp again for it's price and features and don't forget, TUBE-TONE at a killer price. Everyone get this Fantastic amp.

This 50 Watt tube amp has none of the fancy features of some of its' competitors but it had every thing I wanted. Tone! After a short while and a couple of loud gigs the speaker "bloomed" and I am supprized at how much I like this amp (Eminence speakers are known to be buzzy prior to break in). I paid roughly $400.00 for a 50 w tube combo that I can carry to the gig, beat that.This amp uses one 12AX7A tube for the preamp stage, and one as a Phase splitter for the power tubes. Very simple setup (Read: less to go wrong). The amp id powered by two EL-34's made by Svetlana, good tubes by all acounts. The amp sound great with an old pre-amp pedal stuck in front of it at low volumes, just like a channel switching. ya know. From 6 on it wails. The reverb sound very cool, but this is not a feature I dwell on. This amp also sports a "Boost" stage (not why I bought it), it sounds a little shrill. I found out why. The boost comes from op-amp transistors, gets really loud though. The main reason, besides the sound, I bought the amp was for the Treb-Mid-Bass tone controls, very versitile. Looking for good "chunck", in a Marshally way, in a reasonably priced amp? Get a SuperJet.

I use a Fender Strat-Plus (Gold Lace Sensors) and a Gibson SG (P-94 neck/custom Humbucker Bridge)in blues and country bands, this amp covers My needs. After 6 or so on the volume the amp starts to get a very punchy, and aggresive distortion. Not a "whistle/chirp/squeel" agression but