Rickenbacker Professional Model Tube Amplifier (1936)
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Rickenbacker Professional Model Model Tube Amplifier (1936), made in Los Angeles, serial # 12089, black textured fabric finish.
This very early Rickenbacker "Professional Model" amp was the company's largest and best all-around unit in the mid/late 1930s, which means it was one of the best instrument amplifiers available. Instead of continuously upgrading their top-of-the-line models as most of the competition did, Rickenbacker instead added the first of two new models in 1936/37, which would become the Professional, this amp known as "Style 1". These larger amps signaled that the electric guitar was more than just a passing fad, and the professional market for amplified instruments would be far larger than many sceptics predicted.
The "Professional" used a larger cabinet housing a Lansing 12" field-coil speaker, the best available at the time. More modern 6.3V heater tubes were used compared to its 2.5V predecessors: a pair of 6L6G tubes for power, a twin triode 6N7 for preamp/phase inverter, and an 83 tube as the rectifier. Like previous amps, Black Keratol over wood and the gold grillecloth were still used for the box, but the tips of the half-moon outside speaker cutouts were rounded. Following the Standard model, the amps that followed had the aluminum name tag mounted on the top of the cabinet. The control panel is simple, with two instrument inputs, a single volume knob and a dedicated on/off switch. The amp puts out around 10-12 watts of power. This example shows some wear but still sings with a sweet and chiming sound, not an overdrive monster but with a lot of tonal color.
Height is 14 in. (35.6 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) width, and 7 1/2 in. (19 cm.) deep.
Cosmetically, the amp has seen its fair share of wear. The rather frail and thin black Keratol covering has some general wear at the edges of the cabinet as well as the leather corners. The gold-colored grille cloth fabric shows significant tearing towards the center. The handle has been replaced, as well as some of the mounting hardware for the handle and speaker. The chassis is shows moderate wear and significant corrosion on the power transformer, but is otherwise fairly clean for its age.
Electrically, the amp is nicely original including the 12" Lansing field-coil speaker, which has been professionally reconed and sounds fantastic. All transformers appear original and the amp has seen our typical maintenance and servicing, including replacement of electrolytic capacitors, cleaning of all sockets, pots and jacks, a grounded 3-prong power cord and biased to spec.
A very playable and historic amp; a good example of the best of the very early units that started the electric revolution. Very Good + Condition.
This very early Rickenbacker "Professional Model" amp was the company's largest and best all-around unit in the mid/late 1930s, which means it was one of the best instrument amplifiers available. Instead of continuously upgrading their top-of-the-line models as most of the competition did, Rickenbacker instead added the first of two new models in 1936/37, which would become the Professional, this amp known as "Style 1". These larger amps signaled that the electric guitar was more than just a passing fad, and the professional market for amplified instruments would be far larger than many sceptics predicted.
The "Professional" used a larger cabinet housing a Lansing 12" field-coil speaker, the best available at the time. More modern 6.3V heater tubes were used compared to its 2.5V predecessors: a pair of 6L6G tubes for power, a twin triode 6N7 for preamp/phase inverter, and an 83 tube as the rectifier. Like previous amps, Black Keratol over wood and the gold grillecloth were still used for the box, but the tips of the half-moon outside speaker cutouts were rounded. Following the Standard model, the amps that followed had the aluminum name tag mounted on the top of the cabinet. The control panel is simple, with two instrument inputs, a single volume knob and a dedicated on/off switch. The amp puts out around 10-12 watts of power. This example shows some wear but still sings with a sweet and chiming sound, not an overdrive monster but with a lot of tonal color.
Height is 14 in. (35.6 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) width, and 7 1/2 in. (19 cm.) deep.
Cosmetically, the amp has seen its fair share of wear. The rather frail and thin black Keratol covering has some general wear at the edges of the cabinet as well as the leather corners. The gold-colored grille cloth fabric shows significant tearing towards the center. The handle has been replaced, as well as some of the mounting hardware for the handle and speaker. The chassis is shows moderate wear and significant corrosion on the power transformer, but is otherwise fairly clean for its age.
Electrically, the amp is nicely original including the 12" Lansing field-coil speaker, which has been professionally reconed and sounds fantastic. All transformers appear original and the amp has seen our typical maintenance and servicing, including replacement of electrolytic capacitors, cleaning of all sockets, pots and jacks, a grounded 3-prong power cord and biased to spec.
A very playable and historic amp; a good example of the best of the very early units that started the electric revolution. Very Good + Condition.