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AMPEG
chevron_right ELECTRIC TUBE AMPS: UNIVERSAL SERIES (JET, MERCURY, & ROCKET MODELS)

ELECTRIC TUBE AMPS: UNIVERSAL SERIES (JET, MERCURY, & ROCKET MODELS)

The Universal Series was the first official organized series of amplifiers released by Ampeg, and they referred to them as Universal because they could be used for guitar, accordion, and microphones. The first two amps from the Universal Series appeared in 1957: the R-12 Rocket and M-12 Mercury. The Universal Series expanded slowly throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s with the introduction of the J-12 Jet in 1958, the M-15 "Big M" in 1959, the R-12R Reverberocket in 1961, and the R-15R Superbreverb in 1963. In 1964, Ampeg began updating and improving the electronics of various Universal Series amps and these new variations often had a suffix letter of "A" or "B" attached to the model number to denote these changes. In 1965, the Universal Series was discontinued, but the J-12 Jet was offered intermittently through 1970.

Models (17)

J-12 JET (FIRST VERSION)

- 12W, 1-12 in. speaker, five tube chassis, preamp: 2 X 6SN7, power: 2 X 6V6GT, rectifier: 5Y3, one channel, tremolo top black control panel, two inputs, three black knobs (v, tone, tremolo), power switch, available in cream or yellow bookbinding covering with red or watermelon colored grilles (1957-mid-1958), Navy Random Flair with a gray grille with white swirls (mid-1958-1962), or Blue Check with a gray grille (1962-63, 1967-1970) mfg. 1958-1963, 1967-1970.

In 1958, the Jet changed to the Navy Random Flair covering like all Ampeg amps at that time. In 1962, the Blue Check covering was introduced. There were a few models made in 1959 and 1960 with the Tin logos.

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J-12A Jet

- similar to the J-12 Jet, except has 7591A power tubes, mfg. 1964 only.

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J-12T Jet

- similar to the J-12A, except has 2 X 6BK11 preamp tubes, mfg. 1965 only.

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J-12D Jet

- similar to the J-12T Jet, except has a solid-state rectifier instead of a 5Y3GT, mfg. 1965-66.

This model was changed back to the J-12 Jet in 1966 until it was discontinued in 1967. Some J-12D´s had 7868 preamp tubes. For the J-12R Reverbojet see the Golden Glo series in the Ampeg tube section along with the Jet II.

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J-12 JET (SECOND VERSION)

- 18W, 1-12 in. speaker, four-tube chassis, preamp: 2 X 12AX7, power: 2 X 7591, solid-state rectifier, single channel, tremolo, top chrome control panel, two inputs (bright, normal), three black knobs (v, tone, tremolo), power switch, single button footswitch, available in black vinyl covering with a silver grille and large "a" ampeg logo badge, mfg. 1967-1970.

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J-12R Jet

- similar to the J-12 Jet (Second Version) except has reverb with an additional 6U10 preamp tube and a reverb control, mfg. 1968-1970.

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M-12 MERCURY

- 15W, 1-12 in. speaker, six tube chassis, preamp: 3 X 6SL7, power: 2 X 6V6GT, rectifier: 5Y3, two channels, tremolo, top black control panel, four inputs (two instruments, two accordions), six black knobs (Ch. 1: v, tone, Ch. 2: v, tone, Both: s, i), power switch, available in cream or yellow bookbinding covering with red or watermelon colored grilles (1957-mid-1958), Navy Random Flair with a gray grille with a white swirl (mid-1958-1962), or Blue Check covering with a gray grille (1962-63), mfg. 1957-1963.

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M-12A Mercury

- similar to the M-12 Mercury except has an updated chassis, mfg. 1964-65.

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M-15 BIG M

- 20W (early models) or 25W (later models), 1-15 in. Jensen speaker, guitar combo, six tube chassis, preamp: 3 X 6SL7, power: 2 X 6L6 outputs, rectifier: 5U4, two channels, top control channel, six inputs (three for instruments, three for accordions), six black knobs (Ch. 1: v, tone, Ch. 2: v, tone, s, i), power switch, available in Navy Random Flair covering with a gray grille cloth with white swirls (1959-1962) or Blue Check covering with a gray grille (1962-65), mfg. 1959-1965.

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R-12 ROCKET

- 12W, 1-12 in. speaker combo, guitar or accordion application, five tube chassis, preamp 2 X 6SL7, power: 2 X 6V6GT, rectifier: 5Y3, single channel, tremolo, top black control panel, three inputs (guitar, accordion, mic), four black knobs (v, tone, s, i), power switch, available in cream or yellow bookbinding covering with red or watermelon colored grilles (1957-mid-1958), Navy Random Flair covering with a gray grille with white swirls (mid-1958-1962), or Blue Check covering with a gray grille (1962-63), mfg. 1957-1963.

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R-12A Rocket

- similar to the R-12 Rocket, except has an updated chassis, mfg. 1964-65.

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R-12R REVERBEROCKET

- 15W, 1-12 in. speaker, guitar or accordion combo, seven tube chassis, preamp 2 X 6SL7, 2 X 6SN7, power: 2 X 6V6GT, rectifier: 5Y3, single channel, tremolo, echo dimension (reverb), top black control panel, three inputs (guitar, accordion, mic), five black knobs (v, tone, echo dimension, s, i), power switch, two-button footswitch, available in Navy Random Flair covering with a gray grille with white swirls (1961-62), or Blue Check covering with a gray grille (1962-63), mfg. 1961-63.

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R-12R-B Reverberocket

- similar to the R-12R Reverberocket, except has 7591A power tubes, mfg. 1964 only.

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R-12R-T Reverberocket

- similar to the R-12R Reverberocket, except has a revised chassis with either 7591A or 7868 power tubes, mfg. 1965 only.

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R-15R SUPEREVERB/SUPERBREVERB

- 25W, 1-15 in. speaker, guitar or accordion combo, six tube chassis, preamp 2 X 6SL7, 1 X 6SN7, 1 X 7025, power: 2 X 6V6GT (1963 only) or 2 X 7591A (late 1963-64), solid-state rectifier, single channel, tremolo, echo dimension (reverb) top black control panel, three inputs (guitar, accordion, mic), five black knobs (v, tone, echo dimension, s, i), power switch, two-button footswitch, available in Blue Check covering with a gray grille, mfg. 1963-64.

The R-15R was initially called the Supereverb, but due to the similarity in the name to Fender's Super Reverb, Ampeg changed the name to Superbreverb shortly after production started.

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GS-12 ROCKET 2

- 12W, 1-12 in. speaker, guitar combo, four-tube chassis: preamp: 2 X 12AX7, power: 2 X 7591A, solid-state rectifier, single channel, tremolo, front control panel, two inputs, five black knobs (v, t, b, s, i), available in Blue Check covering with a gray grille, mfg. 1965-67.

This amp replaced the R-12 Rocket and it featured Ampeg's new Repeat Percussion effect. Ampeg also offered a model identical to this one with four inputs instead of two called the Gemini IV.

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GS-12R REVERBEROCKET 2

- 18W, 1-12 in. speaker, guitar combo, five-tube chassis, preamp: 1 X 12AX7, 1 X 6U10, 1 X 7199, power: 2 X 7591A, solid-state rectifier, single channel, reverb, tremolo, front chrome control panel, two inputs, six black knobs (v, t, b, r, s, i), two-button footswitch, available in Blue Check covering with a gray grille (1965-67) or black vinyl covering with a gray grille (1967-1970), mfg. 1965-1970.

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