Ampeg Reverberocket 2 GS-12R

Ampeg Reverberocket 2, circa 1965. Mine since 2005.

I am pretty green. I don't like waste. It's one thing to recycle water bottles, but how about not using them at all? Refill a good sports bottle and use it for the rest of your life.

What really gets to me is when people waste the stuff I really love: GEAR. I always scan the curbs on Bulky-waste-day here in my suburban hamlet. That is when people are allowed to put out their larger trash for pickup. Perhaps I'd spy an old drum set, or guitar amp that I could fix up and use for the rest of my life.

Well you've guessed it, and now you will become green — with envy that is — because this vintage 1965 Ampeg tube amp was found at curbside, headed for the landfill.

You cannot imagine how fast I scooped this up, took it home and plugged it in. That little red glowing light told me the thing worked. I knew that had found a treasure. I did some research and found that these sold in the $500-$800 range.

It was in really good cosmetic shape, and played well. I discovered the reverb was out, and that it tended to produce noise and hum.

After a few years of sitting around, plugging in now and then, I decided to take it to a repair place. They cleaned the pots, replaced a tube or two, got the reverb to work, and replaced the missing handle. About $150. Not bad for a vintage all-tube amp.

When it comes down to it though, I'm a songwriter, singer, keyboardist, drummer and guitarist, in that order. So something this sweet is sort of a waste on me. And I don't like waste, as I've mentioned.

Profit is O.K., though, so this is up on ebay. Buy it now for $650.