Epiphone EA22 RVT Mighty Mite! on eBay

capnjuan

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Epiphone EA22 RVT Auction text Here Rare EL34 amp in early Fender/Gibson 'box' configuration and same model as owned by one of our BBers. Not the best-worded auction text but amp capable of as much as 50 watts output including transformer-coupled reverb and tremolo. Text doesn't say but looks to be 12" Jensen/Muter Special Design ceramic speaker. New filter caps but 'orange drops' are the lumpier, older style.


epiphoneEA22RVT.jpg


Power supply on separate chassis at bottom to balance weight and moderate eletronic noise; connected via umbillical cord. 'Fixed bias' amp w/ negative supply to grids; no means to adjust or balance making it dependent in matched output tubes. Schematic says inputs are 'Bright', 'Stereo', and 'Mello'. Stereo? No L and R channels... good enough pics, decent-looking condition. As of this post, about $450 with 7 days to go. cj
 

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I saw it, capn! It's only the third ever I've seen in person or on the net. Funny thing is the schematic is everywhere, but not the amp. A much better example than mine that looks very clean. They are rare, but not many know about them. Even though mine's been monkeyed with, it still still sounds great.

Have you seen this one? It's been steadily marked down. I think the seller started at something crazy like $800. After asking some questions, he filled in the blanks a little. Any chance you know which Gibby this corresponds to? I'm kinda curious, and it may be a good grab. Not as good as the Mighty Mite, though. :wink:
 

capnjuan

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jp said:
After asking some questions, he filled in the blanks a little. Any chance you know which Gibby this corresponds to? I'm kinda curious, and it may be a good grab. Not as good as the Mighty Mite, though. :wink:
Hi JP; had seen the other Epi before going round and round. The Gibbies w/ model #s most similar to the Charleston Epi are the 15RVT and 17RVT but they are 6BQ5s and 6AQ5s respectively in smaller cabs w/ 10" speakers. The 'tweener' Gibson Tweed GA16 is 2X6V6 with tremolo but no reverb. The closest, loudest, non-verb Tweed Gibbie is the GA30RV Invader; if around would look like this (GA19 in pic):

ga19.jpg


Except for 1"-2" larger to compensate for the 12" and extra 8" (10"?) speakers, same appearance. No tremolo, 2X6V6, and date to 1960-1962. The later 'Crest' model 30RVT included tremolo. The last Tweed GA30 Invader I saw on eBay ran $1,200-$1,500. GA30 Invader schematic Here The Charleston amp is ready, depending on rates, for $125-$175 in intervention; the cigar caps are old and the output cathode resistor is crumbling. Says the speaker is a Jensen. Some of the faceplate pitting can be 'chisled' off with a chopstick ... no pic of original backpanel?

This amp runs 6EU7s in the preamp. My GA19 used 6EU7s and, alongside my GA18 w/ 12AX7s, was noticeably darker. Schematic of EA15 RVT including tremolo Here indicates use of low-pass cathode caps in the preamp to bump up the bass at some expense of the highs but no negative feedback used. EA15 RVT also sold w/ 15' speaker. Good info from our BBers Kap'n, Scott, and others including Dave Hunter's "Guitar Amp Handbook" that the amp's frequency response could be improved / brightened by reducing the value of these caps; a non-intrusive, easily-reversed mod that could be done along with the rest of the service.

No, this isn't a Mighty Mite; because of the 6EU7s, it's probably closer in tone to the GA19s and GA30s; brown, crunchy, compressed, warm, round ... my experience with these amps has been with humbuckers so can't say what single coils might do but it will be closer to classic Gibson and not Fender sound. While cruising Epi schematics, I found this EA 12RVT schematic 'bad' news it's loaded up with 6EU7s too but has reverb/trem, and 7591s out w/ a GZ34 rectifier to support the higher voltage/output. The EA15 would be more attractive at the price or even a little more if the intervention had already happened; pretty good cosmetics too. cj



cj
 

jp

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Thanks for the extensive info, capn. Just getting back to the forum and this thread. Seller's listing again at a starter of $299 vs the original starter which I think was $899. Sobering up, like the real estate market.
 

capnjuan

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Just re-loaded both EA22 and EA15 auctions to the Watch List. Interesting eBay note on the EA-15 auction; under the words 'Starting Bid' and linked are the words: "PayPal account required" although down at the bottom of the page, it indicates PayPal "Accepted". I guess that if you must have a PayPal account, there can't be any issue of whether the Seller accepts PayPal.

EA15 seller has over 1,500 eBay transactions; I guess he's a 'Dealer' per Jane's thread on eBay shakeup. By contrast, the EA22 seller has less than 100 transactions and doesn't accept PayPal; personal checks and MOs only. Looks likethe two-tier system shaping up; occasional sellers v. business / Ma & Pa sellers.
 

capnjuan

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Bump:
capnjuan said:
Epiphone EA22 RVT Auction text Here Rare EL34 amp in early Fender/Gibson 'box' configuration and same model as owned by one of our BBers.
Sold 2/8/08 $586
 

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Yeah I did capn. That one went from a $899 BIN down to $499 over a period of weeks. Unfortunately it got sucked into the overpriced vortex that is Michael's Music in NY. :cry:

Look at how fast it was reposted. Not even the common decency to rewrite the ad--just copy and paste, complete with incomplete info. This place should be selling used cars, not instruments.
 

capnjuan

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No shame in plain view; in reply to a bidder's question, MikeyBoy said: "...I HAVE UPDATED THIS LISTING AND ADDED A LOT OF INFO...". but leaving out: '...by copying and pasting the other yahoo's auction text into my ad...' PS: I'd like to get twice what I paid for it. mikeyboy

:evil:
 
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