- Rick-Tone
Rick-Tone is a
US company that manufacturedguitar amplifier s in the late 1980s and early 1990s.History
In 1984, amateur musician and electronic hobbyist Rick Campbell began servicing amplifiers for patrons of the now defunct "Belmont 8" recording studio in
Portland, Oregon . The servicing of old amplifiers quickly evolved to the construction of new amplifiers, and Mr. Campbell eventually went on to produce an estimated four- to five-hundredRick-Tone amplifiers between the years of 1984 and 1992. Most of these amplifiers were custom built for musicians in thePacific Northwest region of theUnited States , who were often referred to Mr. Campbell throughword of mouth reputation or through small advertisements posted in local musical instrument shops.Rick-Tone amplifiers were usually intended for the amplification ofelectric guitar , though a few were constructed for other uses such as electric bass ormandolin .Unlike most contemporary amplifiers of the 1980s, all
Rick-Tone amplifiers utilized glassvacuum tubes instead of moderntransistor s andintegrated circuit s, and the method of construction was entirely point-to-point hand wiring instead of modernprinted circuit board s. Amplifiers of this type were considered obsolete by many musicians of the 1980s, and theRick-Tone brand did not fare well financially. Production ofRick-Tone amplifiers ceased in 1992.With the resurgence of interest in vacuum tube guitar amplifiers in recent years, it is not uncommon to see well kept
Rick-Tone amplifiers selling for far more than their original sales prices.Related
Some
Rick-Tone amplifier circuits were inspired by 1950s era amplifiers from the "Valco " company.External links
* [http://www.ricktone.com/ Rick-Tone] - official homepage
* [http://www.schematicheaven.com/post70s.htm Schematic Heaven - Post 70s Amps Page] - electrical schematics for many guitar amplifiers including someRick-Tone modelsReferences
* [http://www.ricktone.com/ Rick-Tone] - official homepage
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.