Read the full review here.

Supro 1650RT Royal Reverb
I n t h e e a r ly 1 9 3 0 s , a m e r g e r
a new PRS McCarty, and John Page Ashburn
sound warm and full, but with firm bottom and
between Dobro and National led to the forma-
S-style, the 1650RT delivered great tones across
a clear top-end that doesn’t get raspy or unfo-
tion of Supro and Valco, with the latter building
the board. Even in low-power mode it’s still
cused at higher volume. The two 10s work won-
amplifiers that carried the Supro name. Supro
a pretty clean-sounding rig with good head-
ders here, helping to give the 1650RT a sound
amps became popular with blues players on
room and an easy transition into sweet distor-
all its own, and one that’s very complementary
the south-side Chicago scene, and by the mid
tion as the Volume is rolled up past noon. On
to humbuckers and single-coils.
’60s Jimi Hendrix was playing through a Supro
the 35-watt setting, the 5U4 rectifier makes
The 1650RT Royal Reverb is an interesting
Thunderbolt during his stints with Little Richard
the playing feel more pliable, and that holds
and inspiring amp that stakes out its own turf in
and the Isley Brothers. A few years on, Jimmy
true for the 45-watt mode as well—albeit the
the mid-power combo market. If you think you’ve
Page was getting some of his classic Led Zep-
volume is more intense when the amp is turned
heard it all, give this new Supro (or any of its sib-
pelin tones in the studio with a customized
up enough to get the power tubes cooking. The
lings) a try. You may be pleasantly surprised by
Supro 1x12 combo.
60-watt setting extends the clean headroom,
what you’ve been missing. — Art
Thompson
This review focuses on the flagship of the
and the feel also gets a little tighter owing to
modern Supro line, the 1650RT, which is an
the silicon rectification. This can be cool for
updated version of the Royal Reverb combo from
pedalboard users who don’t want a lot of color-
the mid 1960s. Re-imagined by amp designers
ation from the amp, but I like the slightly looser
Bruce Zinky and Thomas Elliot, the 1650RT is a
35-watt mode, and I also had good results using
retro-styled beauty with “Blue Rhino” Tolex cov-
an Xotic SL Drive for high-gain tones. With or
CONTACT
suprousa.com
ering and a woven silver grill that protects a pair
without effects, though, the 1650RT’s clean-to-
PRICE $1,499 street
of Eminence-made CR10 speakers. The control
overdriven envelope provides options aplenty
panel features a set of Volume, Treble, Bass, Verb,
for rhythm and lead playing, and a sweep of the
Speed, and Depth controls, along with a Recti-
guitar’s volume knob is all it takes to go from
CHANNELS One
fier selector with three settings: 35W (class A,
mean to pristine. The Bass and Treble provide
CONTROLS Volume, Treble, Bass,
tube rectifier, 35 watts), 45W (class AB, tube
for basic EQ tweaking, but this is the kind of
rectifier, 45 watts), and 60W (class AB, silicon
amp that gets its tone on easily and doesn’t
rectifier, 60 watts). The amp carries reverb with
need anything further to sound good.
MODEL
1650RT Royal Reverb
S peci f icatio n s
Verb, Speed, Depth. Rectifier selector
.
POWER 60/45/35 watts
TUBES Four 12AX7s, one 12AT7, two
tube drive and recovery, along with a tremolo
Low settings of the Verb knob add nice
circuit that modulates the output tubes (both
dimension to the sound, and the reverb can get
footswitchable). Note the symbiotic relation-
very wet without losing its enveloping charac-
ship between the Rectifier switch and trem-
ter. And since the reverb drives into the trem-
olo circuit: in 35-watt mode the effect is softer
olo circuit, the pulses take on a dimensionality
Class AB operation. Output-
and its waveshape more asymmetrical, as per
that you don’t usually hear from in-amp trem-
tube tremolo. Tube driven
the original amp’s tremolo. In the higher-power
olos. The effect also sounds noticeably denser
modes you get a deeper sounding tremolo with
and presencier in the 45-watt and 60-watt set-
a more symmetrical waveshape, and a greater
tings, which is reason enough to stick with those
degree of amplitude modulation.
modes if you’re a trem freak.
6L6 output tubes, 5U4 tube
rectifier, silicon rectifier
EXTRAS Class A and two modes of
reverb with long 6-spring pan.
SPEAKER Two 10" Supro CR10
(made by Eminence)
WEIGHT 65 lbs
BUILT Assembled in the USA
KUDOS A well-conceived, updated
Taking a look inside the chassis, we find a
Finally, kudos to the 1650RT’s speakers, the
modern-style PCB layout with board-mounted
latest in a 25-year collaboration between Zinky
pots and tube sockets. Not much to zone on
and Eminence. These U.S.-made drivers feature
version of a retro classic.
here, but this type of circuit construction defi-
ceramic magnets, custom voice coils, and stiff-
3-way Rectifier selector. Excel-
nitely helps keep the cost down. Though a com-
but-lightweight paper cones. The aim was a
pact affair at 23 5/8" wide, 16" tall, and 10 ½"
speaker that delivers vintage Jensen-type tone,
deep, the 1650RT weighs in at a chunky 65 lbs.
but with much greater power handling and effi-
Testing with a Gibson Historic ’59 Les Paul,
ciency. I think they nailed it too, as the CR10s
gpr1015_gear_Amproundup_ph2.indd 99
lent reverb and tremolo.
CONCERNS Heavy for its size.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5 / G U I TA R P L A Y E R . C O M 99
7/30/15 10:57 AM