Supro Thunderbolt 115 Combo

50 watt all tube amp with vol/tone/2 inputs/nice gold label jensen 15"/very attractive gray tolex cover/amp chassis mounted in back-bottom of cabinet

when i bought this amp, i needed a cheap amp fast...in my earlier years, when i was between bands, i'd sell off my gear and buy other stuff...i was in the air force in arkansas, and a chance came up to get a band going, so i went to the pawn shop and bought this amp, and then to the local music shop and picked up a gibson s-1 that had a dimarzio super distortion on it...total investment was $200...the dimarzio drove this amp quite nicely, and it sounded great...no fx, no anything....i did eventually get s small clone chorus, but only used it with the s-1's single coils on rhythm stuff..

i played this amp a lot for about 5 years...it still had the original tubes when i bought, and when i retired it...never quit

i doubt there's any such thing

i later found out that these amps were collectible, and that jimi had used one for a while, and the thing was worth $$$...too bad mine had been thru too many changes to retain any of that value...still, i enjoyed it

(1)1964 (2)1965

I use a 1964 Melody maker, mostly blues & rock. The amps are quiet and stable. Nice tone that follows your fingers, clean to crunchy just by altering your touch. Nice rich even harmonics when distorting. I use two amps in stereo on stage.

In 20 years of use I only had one amp fail at a gig when the stage power was snapping on and off and killed the rectifier diodes. We were on the road and it only required a trip to Radio Shack and 10 minutes to fix.

I do my own repairs when neccessary.

The main drawback was not enough gain. They have 1/2 of the pre 12ax7 tube left unused so I cascaded the two sections. WOW - they really kicked ass. I love these amps. They give me a sound like no one else and it cuts. I use these things in the studio and they sound just as good there.

My T Bolt is a 1966 model with 2-6L6' and 2-12ax7's. 1 15" Gold Label Jensen. 1 Volume 1 Tone On-Off switch. Hand wired, point to point. No cheap circuit board in this baby. I replaced the Tubes with J&J's as they are a little brighter than groove tubes.

I play a 1988 PRS Standard with sweet switch- HFS p/u's and a Line 6 Pod usually set in the pre amp setting to retain that Classic Supro sound but giving me a bit more control over the volume and EQ. This amp is stunning. Superb organic overdrive/ distortion at about 8. Major bottom end with incredible sonic capability. Sound is not overly versatile but superb rock / blues amp. Cleans up nicely when volume on guitar turned down to about 4. Has incredible growl on the 5th and 6th strings. Major air movement. Sounds like it has a much larger cabinet.

Still working since '66. Was serviced by Andy Marshall of THD amps who used this amp for his review in Tonequest. Haven't had it that long or gigged with it.

Out of business.

Been playing since I was 14 - 35 years. I have an early 80's JV Strat.
A Marc Benetau acoustic cutaway, Line 6 Pod with floor board. Lost or stolen. Oh my God. Can't bear to think of it. Yes I would replace it if I could find one. No other combo amp comes close. A boutique amp like this would cost about $2000.00 to $3,000. If your a blues /rock player and can get a hold of one of these you won't be disappointed. If you want a nice clean sounding amp forget it. This is one snarly dog.

My Supro Thunderbolt was built in 1965. I was looking for a replacement for my '73 JMP combo, which I like the sound of but it weighs a ton and is loud as hell. My outfit plays fairly heavy power-pop and this holds it's own against our other guitar players 50 watt amp. I played a Thunderbolt at a shop in Seattle that was priced at $800 and loved the tone, but the price was stupid. Found one on eBay and was the high bidder at about $600 still too much, but if that?s what they are selling for...

These do the rock thing better than any amp I've ever played.

The Thunderbolt is a simple amp with one volume, one tone control and is loud at 25 watts, but not deafening. It sounds unreal with my '64 Fender Jaguar. Nice clear highs, and very chunky low-mids. The 6L6 15? Jensen sound is huge and well defined. No reverb, no tremolo, few fiddly knobs to mess with. Roll the guitar?s volume control down a bit and the tone cleans up nicely. This amp begs to be played dynamically. I recorded with it (http://www.shamusdaily.com/music/) the day after I bought it.

I put fresh Groove Tubes in the day after I got the amp and it has sounded great since.

Customer service? This thing is so simple that any amp tech should be able to work on it.

These kick ass

This is actually the second Supro Thunderbolt I've owned. The current one is a 1964, a year older than the one I bought new in 19 . . .uh, well, never mind. Thunderbolt number one was used exclusively as a bass guitar amp--how it was marketed and sold. In the years since number one went away, I had always wondered how it would have worked as a guitar amp. When I got the chance to snag another one, I did.

Thunderbolt number two has the same features as those listed: single channel, 1x15 Jensen, 2 6L6s, 2 12AX7s, and a 5U4 rectifier, tone and volume knob. I also had this amp recapped and tweaked to break up a bit earlier than stock. Tubes and speaker are all old devils from the 60s. While on the bench, Thunderbolt #2 rocked out at close to 25 watts.

I play blues guitar in the genre of classic Chess recordings from the 50s and 60s, so I do not use pedals or other gizmos. This amp doesn't even have reverb. For what I play, I don't require a lot of versatility and this amp is perfect for me. For small clubs it's plenty loud enough.

Because of it's low wattage, heavy-in-the-mid range speaker, and single tone knob, the chime of a Strat or violin quality of a Les Paul are lost on this amp; but it sounds WAY authentic with a hollowbodied guitar with P90 pickups. Cranked, it gives good authentic distortion--better than any pedal--allowing a guitar to sound like a guitar.

Even without the benefit of a grounding prong, this amp is no noisier than more modern tube amps.

For an idea of how this amp sounds, listen to Hollywood Fats or Kid Ramos.

As one who has experienced the terror of setting up for a gig miles from home, only to discover that my amp isn't working, I don't take chances. With an amp that is now 38 years old, I only gig with it close to home or with a similar (Victoria) amp as backup.

Used sparingly and lovingly for close to four years now, I have not had any trouble with this amp. (See above disclaimer.)

Pretty basic amp, that I assume most repairmen could fix. As a joke, the guy I bought it from included a WAY out-of-date warrenty card (Valco, Chicago).

I have been playing guitar for almost 30 years. In that time it was mostly Fender through Fender. I switched soley to blues just in time to have SRV kill the Strat thing for me. The alternative was a quieter, gentler amp and badassed jazz guitar. My back up amps are both single channel Victorias. Current guitars are a managable compliment of Gibsons and Epiphones.

If the Thunderbolt were stolen, I'd just live with the Victorias. Supros are getting very hard to find.

Even in competition with two very well made "boutique" amps, the Supro never fails to impress me. Amazing what came out of Chicago in the 60s with some wood cabnetry, rolled aluminum, tubes, and a Jensen!
There's a reason there's a dearth of Supro amps for sale--anyone who has one ain't parting with it!

I'm unsure of the date this head was manufactured. I use if for blues rock, and play through a 2 x 10" cabinet with celestion speakers. The head has two inputs, one volume and one tone knob. It also has one speaker output. It has 2-12ax7's as a pre-amp and two 6L6's. I believe it is rated at 40 watts, and it is pure tone when it's turned up all the way. I use it in combination with a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and both amps run out of my boss effects pedal, (line a and line b).

I play through Stratocaster guitars, one is a 1975 with Seymour Duncan pickups, and my other strats are stock. The tone is unmatched by my Fenders. If you play a Fender without a comparison you may not notice the subtle differences, however if you get an opportunity to compare, there is a real difference in tone. It distorts cleanly and without cracking or sounding like "solid state" distortion. I can control the volume quite easily from my guitar, and if I use my ts808, it overdrives to the point where you recognize the distortion as the real deal. It has been played very little, and is clean and quiet on low volumes, and distorts nicely without compromising sound. When it distorts, you can add volume without any dropping out.

It is fragile, and this particular model needs a cover rack so it doesn't get smashed in transport. I am getting a case made especially for it because I play constantly and don't want to mess it up. It is straight forward wiring, point to point with very little in the way of being complicated, most technicians like this set up. I use it in clubs as well as outside venues with no complaints. Its this tone...

It is my understanding that Matchless bought the rights to Supro, and are not doing much with it. Fortunately I have people who can service it if need be.

I have played for 36 years and have not had the tone monster like this one. I have played in every kind of venue and arrangement that a guitar will fit into, and have not had the tone like this. I would be devastated if something happened to this amp. I don't like the fact that the top of the amp is not covered or protected and can be exposed to damage. I don't move any hot amps and am very protective about this one. I've played through a variety of amps in the past and nothing compares to the tone on this one.

I am not sure what year this amp was made but from what I can find out it is a early 60's amp with one volume and one tone control, a power switch and that does it all on this thing. It is powered by two 12AX7's, Two 6L6's and a Tube Recitifier. There is one input and no loops or any of that other stuff I never use. The speaker is an original gold lable Jensen 15" speaker.
I play Blues Harmonica and have been looking for an amp to give me the tone I have been searching for without spending $2,000 on a custom amp or a 59 bassman and I have found the amp I have been searching for. I pulled the chassy and checked it out and this is a true point to point wired amp with none of the cheap pc boards to make life miserable should anything ever happen to this baby. When I got it it had some old Realistic Brand 6L6's and 12AX7's in it and a bad tone flab I call it when really played hard so I put some new 6L6's and a pair of 12AT7 in it and man did this thing come to life. The 15" speaker made me nevious due to the overwhelming prefrence for 10's by most harp players, but I am in love with this 15" tone I get and can not believe the tightness I get with it. Versitility is a hard thing for me to judge becau8se I do not want an amp to change to so many diffrent sounds to fit any kind of music. I play Blues harp and that is all I want it for so I will give it a 10 on my scale but guitar players may find that they need pedals to get what they want.
I have the amp at the shop to get the original paper wraped caps replaced and boy if the this gets any better sounding or punchier and responsive I think I will start building these things for harp players myself.

I play through an Astatic JT-30 Mic and an old Turner desk mic head and getsome great responce on this amp like never before. This Thunderbolt suits my style and tone perfectly if you could not tell by now. I just got done recording a Blues CD with a buddy of mine and used this Supro and found that the lower volumes were clean and clear but when you turn the volume up past about half way the fat breakup comes at you like a truck without breaks comming down a mountain. Fat and full without loosing the note clairity so common with newer amps.

Well due to the fact that the amp was still cranking with 30 year old caps in it and sence I always have an extra set of tubes with me I will gig with this thing solo unless it lets me down witch I can not see happening. No PC boards to break and no electronics to fry so I will take a chance.

Well they are out of buisness so no comment on this one but my amp tech Mike is first class if that helps.

Concidering I was looking at spending $2000 for an amp before I stumbled on this one, WOW, what a savings and hey it has no controls on top or front of the cabnet so I can put my harp case on it and still have a spot for my beer or Captain Morgans.

If anyone has one of these amps and wants to get rid of it e-mail me.

Mine is a 1964 model. One 15 inch Gold label special design Jensen, two 6L6s, two 12AX7 and a 5U4 rectifier. 2 inputs, on switch and reverse ground on switch. One Tone knob and two volume knobs(mine is special I think). I play blues/rock ala Led Zeppelin, Cream and British blues. I bought this amp because it was Jimmy Pages main studio amp and the secret to his tone.

I use a older Yamaha SBG200 (sg clone) with humbuckers, I use a custom modded telecaster with Fralin pickups. This amp sounds exactly like what it is supposed to sound like (Led Zeppelin), It sounds dead on right one the money Led Zeppelin. This amp was my dream amp that I always dreamed of having I love Jimmy Pages style and sound. Jimmy Page is my guitar hero and my guitar God. The distortion this thing produces is, well go listen to your Led Zeppelin CDs and that is what it sounds like. Deep farty and crunchy and mean very dark sounding like it is the personal amp of Satan himself. I never dreamed a amp could sound so good. I am going to be buried with this amp when I die.

It is solid as a rock and in great condition. Pretty heavy though. I wish I had another one just because.

Supro went out of business in 69 or 68 I think. The matchless guys bought the name but haven't done anything with it! This amp kicks any Matchless amp butt big time. Yes I have played and heard Matchless amps and they are way overpriced and only a idiot would pay that much dough for one.

First I'd like to say it really pisses me off that no one has done a review on this historic amp. Everyone knows from Guitar World 92 that this was one of Jimmi Hendrixs main amps and this is the amp that Jimmy Page used to change the rock world. The amp is the best sounding amp ever for overdrive blues/rock. I played a 59 tremolux the other day and it had a 15 Jensen in it and I'll tell you the Supro wupped it's butt. I've tried everything and teh Thunderbolt still comes out on top for overdriven amp. Nothing else sounds like it. Jimmy Page and Jimmi Hendrix new what they were doin man when they chose this amp. Thank you Supro for giving Jimmy Page the tool he needed to change my life and the rock world for the better.