Rickenbacker TR-25 112 Combo

I believe the amp was made in 1979 as most research i had initially done had indicated. The amp does what i need it to do.. and that is amplify clean guitar. Has 2 channels, but the distortion is less than impressive. With my style, when i want fuzz I usually turn to a pedal like a tubescreamer where i can put some drive in it but still maintain the same volume. This amp handles that pretty well. Headphone jack right on the front above the on/off switch. I could easily play out with this amp at smaller venues without being mic'd if need be.

Simple explanation here.. Clean channel is above average for a solid state combo. Distortion is considerably less than desired. I'd compare the distortion to the first crummy distortion pedal you got when you spent your allowance at the pawn shop when you were 13. I use a 1978 Gibson SG as my main guitar and i am very satisfied with the clean that comes out of it. It falls a little short of tube warmth (like i get from my '69 Twin Reverb) -- but its easier to achieve and is very consistant. As for noise, i haven't heard even a hum. If im not playing through it you'd question if it was even on.

Dependable. Consistant. I would be more than confident in this thing to go to a show or go on the road and not have to worry about needing a backup amp. Its not too bulky, not to heavy, and its solid state -- so no tubes to ruin if you drop it. Granted, that doesnt mean i toss this thing in my trunk and abuse it.

I'd imagine if you called Rickenbacker about this amp they'd prob have little information for you on this thing. They haven't made these things since before i was born.. But i really dont see a situation where i'd need help with this amp at all.

Look, I got this at a used guitar store for $150. You really wouldnt expect it to be much more than a practice amp but i wanted it just because of how rare it is, and the fact its older than me which i enjoy. But the fact is that i would gladly play this amp out at even an unmic'd show at a bar in the city. As far as recording with it -- i'm already doing a few demos and using it more than i thought i would. This amp rivals the best of musical purchases i've made in a long time. Would i buy another if i found it? For 150 -- yes. If anything i'd love to run it as an extension cab to the first one.. or have it for my analog symph organ.

I'm not sure when it was made, bought it new in 1981 though. Fairly standard single channel solid-state combo amp with reverb and tremolo.
Front Panel Layout: Input(x2), Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Speed, Depth, Reverb, Distortion, Headphone Jack, Power Switch. A footswitch jack for Reverb and Distortion is provded on the rear panel, as is an extension speaker jack. It drives it's 12" Eminence speaker with 25 watts of power, however Rickenbacker's special "bounce-back" power supply makes the volume louder than a typical 25 watt amp. As this is a solid-state amp it does what it should - provide a tight clean sound with little or no maintanence.

Short Version: Clean sound = Great | Distortion = weak at best | Tremolo = usable and fun | Reverb = Great, nice character.
This amp was part of my rig from 1981 until 1987 when I sold it. I played in several bands playing Top40 and hard rock mainly using a Carvin guitar. I used an elaborate pedal board to get most of my sounds so I would set the amp up for a nice clean sound and use the effects for everything else. I should also point out that I almost always used the TR-25 in conjunction with an Ampeg GU-12 tube amp as one channel of a stereo setup. The combination of solid-state (left) and tube (right) in a stereo guitar setup creates a nice stereo image. The TR-25's clean sound is unlike most solid-state amps of the time period in that it has a smooth solid clean tone that doesn't sound thin or brittle. If I were giong to compare it to another amp I would say "it sound like a Roland JC series amp only a little 'rounder'".

This amp took six years of road abuse and practicing 5-8 hours a day without fail. The only problems I experienced were from my own stupidity - I changed several input jacks a result of tripping over my guitar cord during performance, other than that - Rock Solid!

No Idea, never contacted them, never needed to.

This amp served me very well during the time I owned it. Would I buy another one? Probably not - only because I (A) have way too much gear already, and (B) Have found a combination that I am currently happy with (Roland JC-50 & GC-408). Would I recommend it? Yes, however only to someone who is not afraid to embrace solid-state technology. Stick a compressor and a chorus pedal in front of it and you can get some great modern clean tones. Grab your favorite distortion pedal and rock out.

The amp was probably made in the late 1970s. Rickenbacker themselves seem to be kind of vague about when their amps were made. I would personally guess this one came into the world about 1979 or so. The TR-25 is a one channel, 40-watt, solid state amp with two inputs and the standard control layout of volume, treble, bass, and middle. It also has reverb and tremolo; reverb has one knob and the tremolo has two, for speed and intensity. It does have jacks for a footswitch (for the reverb and tremolo) and an extension speaker. The effects consist of reverb, tremolo, and a combination knob and on/off switch that reads "master." This is not a master volume, but the control for what is more or less an onboard fuzztone! It's not a great fuzztone, but it works. I don't use it much, primarily because (a) there is no footswitch for it, and (b) there is a drop in volume when you turn it on. The reason for adding this fuzztone escapes me, but in certain limited applications it can be a cool (if rather cheesy) effect.

I use the amp primarily in the studio, but I have used it live with no problems. It certainly gets loud enough for any application I've put it to, but bear in mind I play at a generally lower volume than most guitarists. It can get loud enough to hurt your ears if that's what you're after.

I use the reverb and tremolo a good deal. I like tremolo as an effect, and the tremolo on this amp sounds very good. The reverb is not a Fender-style reverb, so it doesn't have the "surf" sounds, but it's a good-sounding reverb. Both effects sound much better than the effects on both solid-state amps I've tried from this era.

I play my own music, classic rock, fake jazz, and generally whatever I think is cool, from polka to experimental and back again. The TR-25 can handle everything I throw at it, easily. I wouldn't think this amp would be good for heavy metal, thrash, or detuned stuff, but everything else (especially music that requires a clean sound) sounds good through this amp.

I use this amp with all my guitars, including a Rick 330, Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster, and a Danelectro 12-string. It sounds good with all of them. It definitely suits my musical style, although I couldn't say it's the only amp I use. I still like tubes for some things. The TR-25 is not particularly noisy, though there is a barely audible hum that can easily be ignored. Considering that the amp is 20 years old and that it was made long before digital technology was readily available, that's pretty good.

The TR-25 is interesting in that it really doesn't color the sound a lot; what you bring to it is largely what you get out of it. It is very, very clean-sounding. With a Strat or Tele it can be very unforgiving, although I have had good results by messing with the tone controls.

You wouldn't want the TR-25 if you want to sound like Stevie Ray Vaughan or Metallica; those are the facts. This *is* a solid-state amp, and it sounds like one. However, it is a GOOD solid state amp, with a warmth and presence that other solid state amps of its era definitely did not have. It reproduces what you play very accurately. If you are not a good player, it's painful. If you are a good player it will sound good for you. For me it tends to make me refine my technique and be more accurate in what I play. It's capable of rockin', no question, and it's particularly good if you push it with effects. If you want a Velvet Underground/Jesus and Mary Chain/Black Rebel Motorcycle Club sound, this and a fuzztone can give it to you. Played clean, without effects, it can be very jazzy and clear without much of the squeakiness or sterility that solid state amps can have.

The amp is from the late 1970's and the person I got it from had more or less abandoned it, stuck it in a corner and let it get dusty. I cleaned it off and fired it up, and it worked. Dealing with solid state amps from the 1970s is always a crapshoot, and most of them in my experience died horribly and permanently long ago. The Rick TR-25 seems to be the exception to this rule. It not only continues to work, it continues to sound really good. This is a dependable amp in my experience. I have used it on a gig without a backup, and I would again. I think this amp is good for many more years of use. Granted, I haven't taken this out on the road and dogged it to death by playing every night at really loud volumes, and if that's what someone is looking for they might not want to find a TR-25. But for my purposes it's been very reliable.

I love Rickenbacker as a company, and they are helpful. I have never had to deal with them concerning this amp, but the schematics for it are available on their website. Rickenbacker quit making amps long ago, and this amp is 20 years old, so the warranty is probably shot and I daresay there aren't any authorized service centers for this amp left anywhere!

I've been playing for over 20 years, and I own and have owned a lot of gear. If this were stolen, I would go find another one, because I think it sounds very cool. It offers the best qualities of an older solid-state amp, without the problems of unreliability and sterile sound that plagued a lot of the solid-state amps of the 1970s. It has character, in other words. That character may not fit your personality; if you need a tube sound it's not here. But if you want a clean sounding solid state amp that doesn't sound like a plastic box, and you're into reverb and tremolo as a lifestyle, this may be exactly what you want. I use it as one of three amps for different tone colors. I have run it simultaneously with a tube amp, using a splitter box to put signal to both of them, and that made a pretty swell sound. I should add here that it handles effects well and that it records like a dream. For my purposes, it is great, and I have a special affection for my TR-25.

I bought this in 1989.It is from 1975,I still have original owners manual.It is 25 Watts.It has a nice Reverb and a bad Distortion option.It has headphone jack and input jack.It is solid state,so,it's not a tube amp.Not a bad clean sound.Controls in the front are nice.

I use a Les Paul and it sounds O.K.This was my first amp.It is not a noisy amp.I like the reverb sound.I dont get the volume past 4.The distortion is crappy sounding.

I have had this amp for 14 years and i had to recone my speaker in 2003.It is a tough amp.It will run now another 20 years.

Never have needed them ,because my local guy will deal with problems

I have been playing for 14 years and this was my first amp.I was clueless.I own a Mesa-Boogise Studio .22 and a Fender Blues Junior.I use this with my key board and drum machine for loud sound.I would miss it if it got stolen(first amp).But i use my tube amps now for guitar.