Supro 1624T Dual-Tone 112 Combo

Mine is the Penncrest badged, late '60s version of the amp. Features have been covered. No question that it's the same valco-made amp, same tube lineup, controls, & Jensen w/ the valco-supro "550" code on the speaker. Not much feature-wise by modern sissy standards, but pt-pt wired w/ an amazing tremelo, very little noise after 40+ yrs, so that's gotta be some cool features!

Might be the BEST amp I've ever played for slide. Plenty of tonal hair.

40+yo now & I've had it 10 yrs of heavy gigging. Never had a problem. Not one, ever. That sorta defines reliability.

valco is, like much that was once good about this country, gone forever.

I'll never let go of it. It's the definitive slide rig. Every hotshot blues player that's ever heard it has tried to buy it from me. 10 yrs running & I've turned down every offer & will do so in the future if the creek don't rise. fer what it does, it's perfect

For 1959 it is average with 2 volume controls one for each ch. and a single shared tone control. Then there are 2 inputs per channel. One Hi and one Low. There is a tremelo intensity knob a foot switch 1/4"jack, and an on/off tremelo speed knob. The Speaker is a Rola 12" alnico with a smooth cone. Google speaker date codes, and a site has 40 or so RMA prefix numbers as well as tons of other good info. This is a crank it and go amp. The tremelo is the single triode type.

I love this amp period as it has outperformed so many others. We got it in about 1964, and someone had made the tremelo triode into a gain stage. I fixed that and used the unused triode instead. I put in a pull pot to avoid drilling holes so it is a stock 1624, or a hot rodded one. Everything is back to stock, and I even got paper and foil caps and reformed them. No expense was spared. These break up rather late, but also always seem to have a warm fuzz in the background somewhere. The distortion is pure heaven to me. I found the RCAs were the stock tube, and like thos best. It is my favorite amp of all.

Once age related problems were addressed I would give it very high marks. My mom gigged with it for several years, and I did for a while, but the tube sockets were all cracked, and it was cutting in and out. As long as a transformer does not blow everything can be fixed easily. The Electroharmonix 6973s are a nice tube too. Once I had gone through it I figure it has another 20 years+ of abuse and heavy use left in it. The speaker cone is brittle, so it is going to a high end shop that matches weight thickness and shape of the cone etc. Everything is easy to fix.

Valco is gone now, but the popularity has made the schematics available moreso than most non Fender, Gibson, Marshall, etc amps. I find my own way to obtain info and fix it myself.

It is not for sale, and I would be more upset than the having the speaker fall apart if it were to get stolen. I may rush into a burning building to save it too. I just love it, and started buying other models of Valcos and Supros. I wish Zinkey would do some re releases of 6973 powered amps, and even start a web site of old Valco Schematics. Mine is a 1959 vintage. I save all old parts. I also am making replacement screen grills with the while Supro name on them. I wish I had every Supro Valco amp ever made, and that includes all Valco made stuff. Our old Marshall PA 100 that was modded would be nice to find again. Theft SUCKS

Based upon what was available in 1959, a 2 channel amp with a single tone control, and tremelo was a bit above average for 1959's small 1x12 combo amps. It is NOT a 4x10 amp, nor a top of the line brand name amp.

The 6973 odd Hi Fi tubes break up rather late compared to a 6BQ5 or 6V6, but when they do the sound is heaven. I have a few more amps that use the 6973, and love each and every one. Electroharmonix did a nice job with their 6973, but RCA comes in 1st place for the tone I like more, but I like them both. Try that trick with solid state. With a Strat (1974) or Tele (62), or my Les Pauls (53-77), and ES 330, 335 1961/1966 it sounds fantastic. The P-90 ES 330 is ultra nice. There is no other amp with this beautiful unique tone and timbre.

She is failing fast. For gigging I would do a complete rebuild. The tube sockets crumbled out from the heat. The speaker needs reconing, but the transformers are in great shape. I try very hard to avoid a situation that will blow a tranny. I have an extra set back just in case. The OT is most important. Since there is not a whole lot to go wrong, and I repair and build amps I may be liberal here. This amp was gigged hard by me, and before that my mother. I had the trem triode pirated as an extra gain stage, so it is hotrodded, and some caps let go back in 1962, but it worked great another for 20 years!

Horrible, as Valco was purchased by Baldwin in the 60s and closed its doors by the early 70s. Gibson bought Baldwin, but do not even waste your time asking about a Baldwin amp. Another Arizona resident bought the Supro name. You may get lucky and get some info that is usefull from him, or another person. In the past they were OK, and would repair or replace stuff in the first year or so, but that was 30 years ago. The only positive is you are not being misled, lied to, or intimidated by some customer service twit. I will not name names, but a company across town has some real idiot as reps.

I started in 72 when I was 5. I have the Supro 1624, and a newly acquired Valco model ?? with a Jensen C12Q and the Supro 6424 circuit in it. I have been playing it. I build clone/mod clones, and custom amps, but have a 77 Fender Vibrolux, a Dynacord Twen (27 watts from 2 6V6s made in Germany), and some small Silvertone class As modded, and museum nice originals. There is a JTM 30, and JTM 45 I built using Sozo caps, extra heavy PTs, etc etc. I have some neat Gretsch Valcos with more 6973s. One is a 4X10" and will stomp all over a Bassman, and its tweed too! There is a $X9" same type amp.

Hi/lo inputs for each of two channels, volume 4 each, a tone dial, and a tremelo speed/depth. Simple. Not very versatile, but neither is a trainwreck express. Made either 59 or 60. I don't care. Has plenty of power to drive my marshall 4x12. Bought it with the original tubes still in it. It was in a closet for years facing up. A cat or dog used it as a bed and crushed the screen and speaker. The output transformer has been attached to the chassis and a newer celestion installed(thinking gold celestion would be perfect). Needed a tune-up, but everything is perfect working order(not cosmetically though!)

This is a "turn it up to the dirt you want, and use the volume on the guitar to clean" amp. Lots of dirt with humbuckers, cleaner with a strat, single coil. I live in a very old house, and the voltage flustuates a lot. This really affects the tone. But when it's there-"WOW'. Makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Playing out. This thing really gets a lot of attention. Plenty of volume for anything.... It is a blues-rock amp, period. Dirty, swampy, gritty. Low headroom. 6973 tubes are the best. I'm thinking of building an amp with these. It is pretty quiet. But if your on channel one, your going to need to turn off the volume on channel two. It makes a lot of cross-noise. But then it's fine.

Gigged it, Always have a back-up. I don't have back-up 6973 tubes. Will get some soon. Only broken when I bought it. But any good tech can fix it. Super simple design. Been neglected most it's life, but works like a charm. Talk about neglected!!!! Probable last another 50 years.

Customer support is your local amp-tech. If you're not on first name basis with one, you have no business having vintage gear. And if your local tech can't fix a simple class A circuit, find one that will.

I've had many vintage bits through the years. Been trying to play well for over 20 years. Had 'em all, Vox(want another), Marshall(miss my baby), Boogie(never again), Matchless(always surprises you), Fender(when you get a good one, my god! they're good), Budda (mushy fizzbox), trainwreck(yes I had one, but needed a down-payment on a house!),Carr(just plain good stuff) etc, etc. Everyone should have something like this. Simple, tone! I bought it off of craigslist for a song, but it didn't work. I don't think they're worth the 4k plus thet're bringing on ebay. But they are worth more then I payed! I do remember what I payed, but I'm not tellin'

I got this amp in for repair. It was nasry looking as it sat in a shed for years. Some of the controls were frozen in the last position. It has four inputs with tremelo & tone options.

Using a JB Palyer with a humbucker pickup. This little 20-watt sonic jewell sings like a beautiful bird. In fact, jaw dropping performance. The vintage Rola Alnico 12" speaker adds to the character of the amp. When cranked up at full volume the distortion is great & it chimes like a bell- sweet amp with a growl.

I guess reliable, but needs a good environment like any amp.

Supro is long gone, but any tech with tube experience can service this amp.

Killer little tone box. Sweet as a practice amp with little weight for hauling around. If someone cloned this amp, it would stand out as a sweet little combo practice amp. Loud enough for small club performances that is not trying to knock the walls down.

2 tone model from 1959..4 input with tremolo. 12 inch pre-rola alnico
with about 20 watts of power. very straight forward controls plus inputs can be bi-amped with standard Y cord for more gain.

this amp sounds phenomenal...clear bell like tones with shimmering highs when used on clean settings and great overdrive when open all the way...specially when using both inputs. this amp has a lot of gain. sounds great with humbuckers or single coils.

Supro went out of business long long ago but this gem seems very reliable. it has never given me any problems. the only drawback is the tubes which are 6973s and they are hard to find and expensive.
so i gets a 9 for that.

as i said before Supro went out of business in the late 1960`s. but some of these amps have withstood the test of time so any good amp tech should have no problem if ever needed service.

this is a great recording amp,it loves microphones! you can get so many different tones from it. it loves overdrives and fuzz tones also.
most Supro amps have a certain tone that is just unique. it wouldnt suprise me if these amps become highly sought after. also,remember that this same amp was used by a very famous british guitar hero on his session days and for his band`s famous debut album.

1959. 15 watts. 2x6973 3x12ax7 1x5y3 tubes. 2 channels (normal and tremolo) 4 inputs (2 regular and 2 treble) 2 volume and 1 master tone control. footswich input. rola alnico speaker.

52 tele reissue with seymour duncan 55 antiquity pickups. classic rock and blues. the amp sounds amazing. great clean and overdriven tone. good amount of volume for studio, home or smaller gigs.

good components and simple design make this a very reliable amp. still cranking after 43 years!

supro folded in 68. I've got access to supro catalogs and I'd be happy to help anyone identify what amp they have, if they need any help.

playing since 78 and have had lots of amps (fender,marshall,line6) but I now only play supro's.(66 thunderbolt,59 spectator,48 supreme and this dual-tone.) all of them are fabulous vintage tube amps with character and affordability.