jimmarchi1's Amp Rig

This amp is similar to a tweed tremolux or brownface deluxe... and yet very different.

I have the diamond tolex, 7591 version with octal 6sl7 preamps and it has more headroom and a bolder tone than the 6v6 version or the later version with noval 12ax7 preamp tubes and 7591 power tubes. The 2 channels are truly independent unlike a 5e3. The second channel is voiced for accordion. It has mire gain and us prettyflat into the low bass, the tone control is more of midrange gain boost on the accordion channel. Very grungey. The tremelo is power tube bias vary with a wider range of speed and depth than fender trem. It uses 2 full triodes as the oscillator and it's the lushest trem you've ever heard.

The stock CTS alnuco 12" is a little underrated for the 7591s and breaks up before the power amp. It's a cool sound when the speaker gives up the cowboy crunch but the amp might sound better overall with a celestion gold alnico or h30 ceramic. The amp takes fx pedals really well. The 7591 power amp has a hint of el34s tone to it and just a hint of rectifier sag from the 5y3... a 5v4 would probably make the tone even firmer if you needed it. The feel sits squarely between practice amps and stage amps. The ampeg jet j20 reissue is closer to this amp than it is to a vintage jet... but the mercury takes it to school.

This is the best tele amp I've ever heard. It has the authority of an ac30 or tweed pro/super and the edge of breakup tone of a 5e3. Not your typically jazzy ampeg. At about 20 watts its loud enough to stay pretty clean at modern stage levels but it can still give up the dirt at home studio levels.