Selmer Zodiac Twin 50 212 Combo

This a circa 1964 all-valve combo, and is well featured for an amp of this age. I've marked it down to 7 because it has no reverb unit. (If reverb is that important, try to find a Thunderbird 50, which is the same as this otherwise.)Also it does not have separate pre-amp/power amp volume controls, which limit it a bit. Otherwise the amp is very versatile. It has 2 channels, one straight-through, and the other through an integral fx stage which includes a switchable push-button tone selector and a switchable vibrato. No external fx loop, no headphone jack-- this is 1964! There is an output for a second speaker cab.

I have used this amp, and other Selmers on stage, in the studio, and at home. It has plenty of power, enough to make the drummer sweat, believe me!

I have quite a few guitars.I play a range of music through R&B, blues, to Jazz through it. The amp is very well suited to these styles.

It's not particularly noisy compared to other amps of similar vintage-- up against a new amp, you'd hear some noise. But the s/n ratio is high, so it doesn't intrude at all live, though you'd probably want to use a noise gate on the studio/p.a. mike.

To the biz. Well, this amp only does 3 things, but it does them all brilliantly.

1 It jangles. Remember all those '60's things? Using the fx channel with the selector-tone device, the sound is beautiful-- everything from a really thin high treble to a thuundering bass, but always with really bright, clearly defined highs. I never tried running a 12-string through it, but I think it would be lovely. This sound is great for blues, Celtic folk, C&W etc. This channel won't give you heavy distortion, more like jangly crunch when you push it. Tasty. Very nice with single coil pups. This sound has a really dreamy quality about it (and is where I would most like to have a reverb.)

2 Clean. There are 2 ways to get a nice clean sound, one is to use the fx channel with the selector-tone switched out-- rich and mellow, plenty middle. Nice for rhythm. Otherwise go to the straight channel, where, below about 5, you'll get a really fat clean tone, great for Jazz. It'll clip a bit as you go up, but that can be nice too. You might have to back off the guitar vol to keep it clean if you have hot pups though. Otherwise *very* warm and mellow.

3 Very Dirty. Great for hot 'buckers. This is not EVH mega-noise, and this is not a thrash-metal amp; but use the straight channel, and wind it up to 8 or more and it really lets rip. Just in that last bit on the volume, some sort of demon gets out. It has no bother keeping up with the likes of Marshalls! Only prob is, because there's no separate master vol, this is now one *very* loud baby. Is the distortion brutal?-- Oh yess! Yess! But not like heavy fuzz, more like absolutely monster crunch. R&B? Love it to death.

In conclusion I'd say it's a great amp at what it does. It doesn't do everything, not by a long way, but I can't see how it could do what it does do better, so it gets 10/10.

Eh? This is 2 years younger than my wife........ but really, Selmers were very well built kit, and this is as good as any old valve amp on this heading.

I have used it on gigs without backup, and it has never let me down. Had to have the speakers re-coned once, and the power supply got noisy so needed some work-- mostly age-related stuff. The vibrato switch seems to be on the fritz just now, but I never use it anyway. As far as amps are concerned, I operate a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy. Seems to have worked.

Selmer is defunct so this question is n/a. I seem to recall they were pretty good when they were going, but the best idea for anyone with old kit like this is to get a good amp doctor.

I've been playing since 1967. I have a few guitars, and in that time have owned many; I have used or owned many amps, from other Selmers, Marxhalls, to Fender Twins, h&h, Orange, etc etc. Lets just say that I sold my first Selmer combo, a T'bird 50, to buy a Marshall stack, and then spent over 12 years looking for another Selmer combo...

If it were lost or stolen, I'd look for another one. I love the way it sounds. I do hate the fact that I can't just go down to a dealer if anything goes wrong, but that's hardly the amp's fault. It is a bit limited-- if you're a bedroom player who wants huge overdrive, it's not for you; similarly if the rest of your band use Marshall stacks, it's going to be drowned out. But it is a useful, versatile amp that is worth thinking about.

Good value? Oh yes! I got mine cheap 20 years ago but they're still a fraction of the price of AC30's or Marshalls, or Fenders for that matter.

This amp was made in 1964 (datestamp on speaker gaskets) I purchased in mid 1965 as it offered 50 watts rather than the 30 watts of its predecessor (or a VOX AC30). I wanted to have a bit more power to hand. It is now in semi retirement (like me) but still does the occasional gig.

The dirtiest sound comes from the straignt thru channel. The effects channel (tone selector and tremelo) seems to cut the power down a bit and give a cleaner sound, but is still really great.

Completely reliable. Never broken down on gig. Often used as backup to other hred or borrowed amps such as Marshall or VOX.
Speakers (Goodmans) have been re-coned a few times!

Only ever contacted Selmer's once - for a circuit diagram which they supplied FOC!

This really seemed an expensive buy in 1964. Overall it has more than proved its worth. I have always wished that it was not so heavy!

I am also willing to sell for the right price - any offers?