$750 · Ampeg Reverberocket II, 1960s

This has been one of my main personal amps for years. The Ampeg Rockets of this era are almost certainly the most undervalued vintage amplifiers on the planet and represent incredible value -- indeed, once you hear it, you will shake your head that such tone can be had for so few clams. Big fat bass response, lots of headroom, glorious overdrive when driven hard, and probably the finest onboard reverb you will ever hear -- it really has it all. When you can own this amp for under 1000 bucks, why would you ever buy a modern reissue? The amp has been utterly reliable for me, zero issues. Was just completely gone through, has brand new power tubes and is ready to go. Speaker is well-broken-in mojotone ceramic, and the reverb tank has been replaced with the correct unit. Also, this combo has been modded so that the head can be run to an extension cabinet if you so desire -- this is a big bonus, not just for the versatility of speaker options, but also because it can now easily accommodate an attenuator. Rated at 20 watts, the amp does break up nicely at less than ear-shattering volume, but with an attenuator it can be put into the kind of crunch heaven is made of. You don't NEED to do this, but if you try it you will find that this amp becomes one of the most versatile and useful in your arsenal. Tough to say goodbye to this one!