Music Man RD 112 50 amp

[Ian Hooper]

Hey guys


I just picked up a music man RD 112 amp and I was wondering if anybody else has had any experience with them. I know Chris Cain gets some killer tones out of his MM RD 112 but right now the amp sounds a little sterile to me. All opinions are welcome.

thanks in advance!


Ian

[Cam]

but if you haven't, check out this site:
mmamps

[Durtdog]

I don't have an answer either, sorry.

I've owned 3 MM amps over the years (when they were still being made) and found every one of them to have that sterile quality you're talking about. Back then, lots of big name players were using them...Clapton, Little Feat, etc. I was never quite satisfied with the tone of mine.

[telewacked]

I bought one of these in 1984 - picked it over a new Peavey with a lot of bells and whistles. I think they have a real nice clean tone if clean is truly what you want (it's still the best sounding amp for doing that Sultans of Swing tone that I've ever had). The clean channel does not break up in the sweetest of ways if driven too hard though it can get pretty loud before breakup starts. The 'limiter' channel always sounded dark to me with some guitars, but with others, it's useable. I gigged mine for many years and almost exclusively used the clean channel with pedals. When I started my hobby/passion/obsession with Fender tube amps, the MM has sat in the corner for the most part - I think the semi-clean tube breakup of the BF and SF Fenders is sweeter. That said, the MM11250 is still nice - it's portable, loud and versatile for most styles except perhaps metal. I used to plug mine into a 2-12 or 4-12 cabinet and that was always a HUGE improvement over the stock MM speaker.

[Tim Armstrong]

Of course, the preamps are solid-state, so pushing the preamp into distortion won't tend to sound good. Good strong tubes in the power amp section can have a lot to do with the overall sound.

When I had my Music Man amp, I used pedals for anything other than loud and clean!

Cheers, Tim

[BB]

As telewhacked said, I too bought one in the early 80's when they were first introduced. The store I worked at was a MM dealer, so I got a great deal on it. Replaced the stock speaker with an old P12 Jensen salvaged out of a broken Fender Rhodes someone left behind my moms tavern. Great little amp. Light weight, portable and good tones. Nice power to size ratio. Sold it after a few months though as I needed something a bit larger for the gigs I was doing at the time. Sold another to the guitar player in a semi-famous act. He loved it and used it for years.

[trdlasvegas]

MM are great clean amps built like a tank... just be careful inside as the 700+ plate voltages are deadly.

-Tony

[tom grossheider]

Just acquired an RP 112 from Skull Island amp emporium. Pretty cool tones from this thing, plenty of power too. Still searching for a better speaker, might try a Weber 12F150 - 50 watt.

[T-Money]

It was a 50 watt one 12. It sounded clean and loud. It was not very versatile. I gigged with it for a couple of years, but had all kinds of other stuff (pedals, other preamps) running into it to get the sounds I wanted. I sold it and haven't really missed it. It went for pretty good money though. Changing the speaker would be a good idea. I never did, but mine had some funky characteristics - wierd noises etc.

I think a Deluxe or a Twin has a lot better sound.

[jkats]

I bought a MM 112 RD 50 in 1981 and used it for a few years. It was a good, loud, portable amp. It also was pretty heavy for its size, even taking into account the JBK E-120 I installed in place of the stock speaker. I replaced the stock 6L6s with Mesa/Sylvania STR 6L6s and it sounded pretty decent, but it was lacking something in the midrange, especially when compared with a BF Fender. I should have tried it with a graphic EQ to see if it would have corrected the midrange problem. Funny thing is that when I bought it, I paid $250 and at the same store, could have bought a BF Deluxe Reverb in great condition for the same price, but I wanted something with more headroom. (Kick, kick, kick.) Enjoy the Music Man - it's a good, solid amp.

[Scotty Lonesome]

Holy Solid State pre-amp Batman -
I have an old 112 RD 50 combo I pulled out today. I googled for the manual, and one of the hits was here...sure enough, I went to the site posted above (www.musicmanamps.com), and found that manual. COOL. I love the TDPRI.
It has an old Celestion in it that keeps the weight down. It's cool. I think I want to put an effects loop in it.
Thanks,
Scotty

[studio1087]

I had the 50 watt combo and the head in the early 80's. I loved them clean or dirty. Post some pictures!

John

[Scotty Lonesome]

Hi All -
Ok, here's a couple shots of my RD 50. It's got a kinda cool sharkskin/snakeskin tolex.
Scotty.
:-)

[studio1087]

Very cool!

[strat a various]

That's my go-to amp for traveling light. With an efficient speaker ... LOUD AS HELL. The clean tone is NOT sterile, but the stock speaker sucks. Put in a warm speaker like say a hemp cone type, you'll notice that it's as warm sounding as an all tube Fender. I'm on my second one.

[Scotty Lonesome]

Cool -
So, any thoughts on my post about maybe putting an effects loop in? I won't do the work, but I was thinking I could have it done? (not sure who I would take it to). But, then I could grab and go with it, and also use it at home for a practice amp (effects loop lets me record backing loop - clean, then solo over it with some dirt/delay, etc...)
Any thoughts?
Scotty.

[getbent]

I've got my nephew on the road with one an rp112... he uses and extension cabinet.

I own a couple of others that are out with folks right now.. I think they are underappreciated which is fine by me because I pick them up cheap.

I wouldn't bother with the effects loop.

[strat a various]

The guru of MusicMan amps is Terry Loose of Clyde, Ohio; but I kinda doubt he'd install an effects loop ... he seems to be a stock-version type to me. Ed Goforth (I think that's his name), might be able to do the surgery, he posts over on the MusicMan forum, I believe the link is above in this thread.
I can't imagine why you'd need a loop in this type of amp.

[stratohiker]

I had the cream colored one with the stock EV 12 in it, back about 82. Got it from Rhythm City but, it arrived in a Peavey box with tubes rattling around in the bottom, etc......called 'em up, said hey you sold me a floor unit. They said, naw, it's new. I said no, it's not, it's a demo. Plus, it's broke (put the tubes back in place powered it up,and, poof, BTW). I said send me a new one. They said nope, it is new. I said my lawyer will be in touch (my uncle is/was a lawyer). Many months later, uncle calls, says drive to Atlanta for trial. I go. He dovetailed his visit up there with another case and another lawyer. I end up with 2 lawyers representing me in court, before a jury over a 405 dollar amp . Nope, I ain't kiddin'. Trial happens, I win (with treble damages and attorney's fees all paid by Rhythm City) . The amps sittin' there afterward. I ask my uncle hey, what about the amp he says take it. I took it, got it fixed for less than a hundred bucks. Used it for many years after. Sold it for 300 bucks I think. BTW, the cream ones had a 12AX7 in the preamp for the limiter side. So, distortion on those was tolerable for gigs with the right geetar. Cute story huh?

[victoramp]

Can someone please e-mail me a schematic for a MM RD-112?