Rebel-20 User Manual - Egnater Amplification

Rebel: One who opposes or disobeys authority or control.Rebel-20: The guitar amp that defies authority. With a bunch of cool, useful features theRebel doesn’t just defy authority, it is the authority. Sure it’s small but it is NOT a toy. TheRebel 20 is a truly professional amp with innovative features and a sound that is anythingbut small. Inside you’ll find three GT12AX7 preamp tubes, a pair of GTEL84 power tubesand a pair of GT6V6 power tubes. Not only do you get the signature Egnater TIGHT andBRIGHT voicing switches, you also have our exclusive wide range gain control that let’syou go from really clean to really hot all within the range of the single gain knob. Dial thepower from 20 watts to 1 watt with the WATTS knob for bandstand to bedroom volume.We’ve even included a professional quality effects loop that doesn’t “suck tone” and, thecoolest feature, the TUBE MIX control. With the TUBE MIX knob counterclockwise youget the classic American sound of the 6V6 powertubes. Set the knob full clockwise to experiencethe more aggressive, British sound of the EL84 tubes. The best thing is that, for the firsttime, you can blend the two types of tubes in any proportion you wish to create a truly signaturesound.This compact, innovative little amp was a long time coming. The culmination of manymonths of designing, testing and tweaking have created a stellar amp that we at Egnater aretruly proud of. I hope you enjoy playing your Rebel 20 as much as we did creating it.3

REBEL-20IMPORTANT INFORMATIONPlease keep this instruction manual for future reference and for the duration of owningthis Egnater Rebel-20. Please carefully read and understand the instructions inside this user’smanual before attempting to operate your new amp.This instruction manual includes essential safety information regarding the use andmaintenance of the Rebel-20. Take special care to heed all warning symbols and signs insidethis manual and those printed on the amplifier itself.WARNINGTO PREVENT FIRE ORSHOCK HAZARD, DO NOTEXPOSE THE AMPLIFIER TOWATER OR MOISTURE. DONOT OPERATE NEAR ANYWATER SOURCE1) Read these instructions.2) Follow all instructions.3) Keep these instructions.4) Heed all warnings.5) DO NOT turn on the amplifier before connectingall other external devices.6) Do not use the amplifier near water. Be extracautious when moving the amplifier during rain orwhile transporting it over wet surfaces as watermight splash onto the unit.6) Clean only with dry cloth.7) Do not block any ventilation openings and operatein accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.8) Do not install near heat sources such as radiators,stoves or other devices that may produce heat.9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of thepolarization or grounding-type plug. A polarizedplug has two blades with one wider than the other.A grounding-type plug has two blades and a thirdgrounding prong. The wide blade or the thirdprong is provided for your safety. If the providedplug does not fit your outlet, consult an electricianfor replacement of the obsolete outlet.10) Protect the power cord from being walked on orpinched, particularly at the plug and the pointwhere it exits the amplifier.11) Only use attachments / accessories specified byEgnater Amps.12) Unplug the amplifier before lightning storms andwhen not in use.13) Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.Servicing may be required when the unit has beendamaged in any way such as when power-cord or4!WHAT’S THE MEANING OF THIS?The lightning flash with an arrowtriangular symbol is intended to alertthe user to the presence of noninsulated“dangerous voltage” withinthe products enclosure, and may be ofsufficient magnitude to constitute arisk of electric shockWHAT’S THE MEANING OF THIS?The exclamation point triangularsymbol is intended to alert the userto the presence of important operatingand maintenance (servicing)instructions in the user manualaccompanying this amplifierplug is damaged, liquid has been spilled into theunit, the unit has been exposed to moisture or rain,does not operate normally, or has been dropped.14) Moisture can damage the amplifier and can causecorrosion of electrical contacts.15) Keep the unit out of extended or intense direct sunlight. No containers filled with any type of liquidshould be placed on or near the amplifier.16) Do not attempt to replace tubes or bias the amplifierby yourself. Refer to authorized service center.17) Do not remove rear metal grill. No user serviceableparts inside.WARNINGHandle the power supply cordwith care. Do not damage or deform;it may cause electric shockor malfunction when used. Holdplug attachment when removingfrom wall outlet. Do not pull onthe power cord.

FOLLOW THESE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS1. Read Instructions – All the safetyand operating instructions should be readbefore this product is operated.2. Retain Instructions – The safetyand operating instructions should be retainedfor future reference.3. Heed Warnings – All warnings onthe amplifier and in the operating instructionsshould be adhered to.4. Follow Instructions – Alloperating and use instructions should befollowed.5. Water and Moisture – The amplifiershould not be used near water - forexample, a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink,laundry tub, wet basement, or near a swimmingpool, and the like.6. Carts and Stands – The amplifiershould be used only with a cart or stand thatis recommended by themanufacturer.An amplifier and cartcombination should bemoved with care. Quickstops, excessive force, anduneven surfaces may cause the amplifierand cart combination to overturn.7. Wall or Ceiling Mounting– The product should never be mounted to awall or ceiling.8. Heat – Amplifier should be situatedaway from heat sources such as radiators,heat registers, stoves, or other amplifier(including amplifiers) that produce heat.9. Power Sources – This productshould be operated only from the type ofpower source indicated on the rating label.If you are not sure of the type of powersupply to your home, consult your productdealer or local power company.10. Grounding or Polarization– This product may be equipped with a polarizedalternation-current line plug (a plughaving one blade wider than the other). Thisplug will fit into the power outlet only oneway. This is a safety feature. If you are unableto insert the plug fully into the outlet,try reversing the plug. If the plug shouldstill fail to fit, contact your electrician toreplace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeatthe safety purpose of the polarized plug.11. Power-Cord Protection– Power-supply cords should be routed sothat they are not likely to be walked on orpinched by items placed upon or againstthem, paying particular attention to the cordin correspondence of plugs, conveniencereceptacles, and the point where they exitfrom the amplifier.12. Cleaning – The amplifier shouldbe cleaned only as recommended by themanufacturer. Clean by wiping with a clothslightly damp with water. Avoid gettingwater inside the amplifier.14. Non-use Periods – The powercord of the amplifier should be unpluggedfrom the outlet when left unused for a longperiod of time.15. Object and Liquid Entry– Care should be taken so that objects donot fall and liquids are not spilled intothe enclosure through openings.16. Damage Requiring Service– The amplifier should be serviced byqualified service personnel when:A. The power-supply cord or the plughas been damaged; orB. Objects have fallen, or liquid has beenspilled into the amplifier; orC. The amplifier has been exposed torain; orD. The amplifier does not appear tooperate normally or exhibits a markedchange in performance; orE. The amplifier has been dropped, or theenclosure damaged.F. The amplifier needs tube replacementor biasing17. Servicing – The user should notattempt any service to the amplifier beyondthat described in the operating instructions.All other servicing should be referred toqualified service personnel.18. Ventilation – Slots and openingsin the cabinet are provided for ventilationand to ensure reliable operation of theproduct and to protect it from overheating,and these openings must not be blockedor covered. The openings should never beblocked by placing the product on a bed,sofa, rug, or other similar surface. Thisproduct should not be placed in a built- ininstallation such as a bookcase or rack.19. Attachments – do not use attachmentsnot recommended by the productmanufacturer as they may cause hazards.CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do notremove any cover. No user-serviceable parts inside. Referservicing to qualified service personnel only.The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within the equilateral triangle is intended to alert the use to thepresence of un-insulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficientmagnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.The exclamation point within the equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of importantoperation and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying this amplifier.CAUTIONTo prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the bladescan be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure.20. Accessories – Do not place thisproduct on an unstable cart, stand, tripod,bracket, or table. The product may fall,causing serious injury to a child or adult,and serious damage to the product. Useonly with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, ortable recommended by the manufacturer,or sold with the product.21. Lightning – For added protectionfor this product before a lightning storm,or when it is left unattended and unusedfor long periods of time, unplug it fromthe wall outlet. This will prevent damageto the product due to lightning and powerlinesurges.22. Replacement Parts – Whenreplacement parts are required, besure the service technician has usedreplacement parts specified by the manufactureror have the same characteristics asthe original part. Unauthorizedsubstitutions may result in fire, electricshock, or other hazards.23. Safety Check – Upon completionof any service or repairs to this product,ask the service technician to performsafety checks to determine that the productis in proper operating condition.24. FUSES – Always use the correct ratingand type of fuse as indicated on therear panel. Note the proper rating fuse isdetermined by the AC line voltage in thecountry this unit is being operated.25. AC SELECT SWITCH: This switchmust be set to match the AC line voltagein the country this unit is being operated.To change the setting, loosen (do notremove) the two screws above and belowthe slide switch. Temporarily move theprotective cover strip and slide the actuatorto match the voltage in your country.Place the protective cover strip back overthe switch and tighten the two screws.5

REBEL-20Specifications:Output Power:Input Impedance:Output Impedance:Effects LoopSend Impedance:Effects LoopReturn Impedance:Thd:Preamp Tubes:Output Tubes:TIGHT SWITCH:BRIGHT SWITCH:Dimensions:1 Watt To 20 Watts Variable1meg Ohm4 Ohms, 8 Ohms Or 16 Ohms100 Ohms220k Ohms5% At Rated OutputThree Selected Groovetubes TM / Egnater 12ax7a / Ecc83Matched Pair Of Selected Groovetubes/Egnater EL84Matched Pair Of Selected Groovetubes/Egnater 6v6gta-6db @ 180hz+8db @ 4khz Max14” (W) x 8” (D) x 7.5” (H)TUBES2 x EL84 Groove Tubes2 x 6V6 Groove Tubes3 x 12AX7 Groove Tubes6

QUICK START GUIDEInput: There is one instrument input onthe far right. Plug your guitar in here.Tight switch: This switch alters thevery low bass response at the input to thepreamp. The down position keeps thelow bass response intact and is idealfor a full bodied, clean sound. In the up(TIGHT) position, the low end is cut offto prevent the bass from getting loose orflubby. We suggest setting the switch to“TIGHT” when using higher levels ofgain or distortion.Bright switch: With the switch inthe UP position, the high end is boostedfor added clarity and sparkle. The downposition creates a more neutral tone. Experimentusing a combination of both theBRIGHT switch and the TREBLE knobto find just the right amount of high end.Note: Turning the BRIGHT switch on andthe TREBLE control down sounds verydifferent from turning the TREBLE knobup and the BRIGHT switch off.Gain: Controls the level of distortion.Keep this control as low as possible (withthe MASTER and WATTS knobs full up)for the cleanest tones. Be aware there isquite a bit of gain on tap here.You can easily push the Rebel-20 intoserious high gain territory for surprisinglyheavy crunch or searing solo tones just bycranking the GAIN knob up. Try it…..Treble, Middle and Bass: Theheart (and soul) of any amp can be createdor destroyed with the tone controls. Wehave equipped the Rebel with a powerfulbut very familiar set of tone controls.You will immediately hear the decidedlyBritish character with a tight low end andmidrange growl found in many famous(and much larger) classic amps.Master: A conventional master volumecontrol that simply adjusts the overallloudness of the amp and also controls theamount of guitar signal that gets sent tothe power amp. The higher you set theMASTER, the more power tube overdriveand compression you will hear.Watts: A way cool Egnater feature. Thisknob allows you to adjust the power outputfrom a maximum of 20 watts down to 1watt for low volume playing. You will findthere is a lot of interaction between theGAIN, MASTER and WATTS controls.For the most poweramp overdrive effectrun the GAIN low, the MASTER highand adjust the WATTS knob for the poweryou want. Add some preamp gain with theGAIN knob and stand back. The Rebel-20will impress you with its ability to hangwith the “big guys”.Tube Mix: This knob does a really greatthing, too. Inside the Rebel 20 are twoindependent pairs of power tubes. One pairare EL84 Groovetubes for an aggressivetone with a strong midrange growl. Theother pair is a set of 6V6 Groovetube powertubes which are a smoother sounding,less “gainey” tube for a bit more refinedtone. With the knob all the way counterclockwise,only the 6V6 tubes are active.All the way clockwise sends the signalto the EL84 tubes only. You can hear andfeel the distinctly different “vibe” of thetwo pairs of tubes. The best part is beingable to actually mix the two pairs in anyratio you like. Setting the knob straight upmixes the output from the pairs equally soyou have an equal blend of both. With thecontinuously variable knob, you can nowexperience all the subtle shades of tonethat can only be found with this exclusiveEgnater feature.Big toggle switch: Down isthe STANDBY mode. Up is the PLAYmode. When first powering the amp on,you should always have the switch in theSTANDBY position to give the tubes timeto warm up and stabilize. Wait about 30seconds before switching to PLAY. Youcan also put the amp in the STANDBYmode during breaks to keep it warmed upand ready to play.The other big toggle switch:Turns the power on and off. Up is ON.Down is the Standby mode.7

REBEL-20FINDING THE SOUND YOU WANT!Below are some suggested knob settings to get you started. Keep in mind these are merely suggestions.You are encouraged to experiment to find “your tone”.8

FINDING THE SOUND YOU WANT! con’tA TIP FOR GETTING THE MOST OUTOF YOUR REBEL-20The less gain you use, the tighter and more defined your low end will be.TUBE MIX KNOB: We did not include suggested settings for the TUBE MIXbecause it is truly up to you as to what sounds best. Experiment with differentTUBE MIX settings to find “your sweet spot”. Keep in mind turning the knobmore towards the EL84 will sound a bit more aggressive while the 6V6 setting willtend to be smoother.9

REBEL-20REAR PANELAC inlet: Your Rebel 20 hasa detachable IEC type groundedpower cord that plugs into the ACinlet connector. Always use thesame type of power cord. Below area few precautions pertaining to thisconnection.1) Always plug your amp intoa properly grounded 3 prongAC outlet.2) Never plug your amp into anungrounded outlet.3) Never remove or break off the3rd prong safety ground pinfrom the power cord.4) Never use a damaged orungrounded power cord. Alwaysuse the proper value andtype fuse according to the rearpanel markings.The AC INLET has a built in fuseholder. The drawing below showshow to remove the fuse shouldreplacement be needed. ALWAYSuse the correct type and rating asindicated on the rear panel.AC select switch: Thisrecessed slide switch must be set tomatch the line voltage in your location.An incorrect setting will damageyour amp and void the warranty.10500mA FAST BLO FUSE: Thepurpose of this fuse is a form ofprotection from the effects of ashorted power tube. In the event thata power tube does short, this fusewill open to prevent further damageto the amplifier circuits. A blownfuse here is your indication that oneor more power tubes has failed andthe amp will require servicing.Speaker outputs: Plug yourspeakers in here. Use the correctjack by simply matching the Rebeloutput to the impedance (OHMS) ofyour speakers.Effects loop: Your Rebel20 features a simple series effectsloop. Basically an insert patch point.When an external effect is patchedinto the series send and return jacks,the path is interrupted and 100%of the signal is routed throughthe effect. This puts some specialdemands on the effects unit. It mustbe essentially transparent, meaningit shouldn’t “mess” with yourtone. Adjust the effects unit levels tomatch the volume you heard beforeconnecting the return cable. You cancheck this by pulling the cable inand out while playing and verifyingthere is no substantial volume difference.This is called “unity gain”.A “techie” phrase for “you get outwhat you put in”. The loop is designedfor professional leveleffects units. Many guitar level effectspedals are not made to workin an effects loop. This is simplybecause they are made to plug a guitarinto. The typical signal level inany effects loop is higher than whatcomes out of your guitar.You will know an effect is not madeto work in the loop if, when youplug it into the loop, you notice distortionand a loss of volume whenperforming the “unity gain” checkdescribed previously.

CONNECTING YOUR SPEAKERSThe Rebel-20 to a singleRebel-112XThe Rebel-20 to aRebel-112X stackThe Rebel-20 toTourmaster-212XThe Rebel-20 toTourmaster-412A/BRebel-112X Tourmaster-212X Tourmaster-412A11

REBEL-20LIMITED WARRANTYThank you for choosing Egnater. Egnater manufacturessome of the world’s most innovative all-tube amplifier,combos and speaker cabinets. Egnater takes great pride inthoroughly testing each product prior to shipment.AMPLIFIERS, COMBOS AND SPEAKERCABINETS: Egnater offers a three (3) year warrantyto the original purchaser that an Egnater product will befree from defects in material and workmanship. A datedsales receipt will establish coverage under this warranty.This warranty does not cover service or parts to repairdamage caused by accident, neglect, abuse, normal &wear, disaster, misuse, abuse, over-powering, negligence,inadequate packing or shipping procedures and service,repair or modifications to the product which have notbeen authorized or approved by Egnater. If this productis defective in materials or workmanship as warrantedabove, your sole remedy shall be repair or replacement asprovided below.TUBES: Egnater warrants the original purchaser that thetubes used in an Egnater amplifier/combo will be freefrom defects in material and workmanship for a period of90 days from the original date of purchase. A dated salesreceipt will establish coverage under this warranty. Thiswarranty will automatically terminate 90 days after theoriginal retail sales date. This warranty is in lieu of allother expressed warranties. If tubes fail within the 90 daywarrant period your sole remedy shall be replacement oftubes as provided below.RETURN PROCEDURES: In the unlikely event that adefect should occur, follow the procedure outlined below.Defective products must be shipped, together with proofof purchase, freight pre-paid and insured to the AuthorizedEgnater Service Center or directly to Egnater. If aproduct must be returned to Egnater for warranty replacement/repair,a Return Authorization Number must beobtained from our Customer Service Department prior toshipping the product.Please contact our Customer Service Department for theAuthorized Egnater Service Center nearest you. Productsmust be shipped in their original packaging or its equivalent;in any case, the risk of loss or damage in transit isto be borne by the purchaser. The Return AuthorizationNumber must appear in large print directly below theshipping address. Always include a brief description ofthe defect, along with your correct return address andtelephone number.Egnater Custom AmplificationBoutique Amps Distribution3402 Slauson Ave., Maywood, CA 90270Phone: 323-277-4119Fax: 323-277-4110www.EgnaterAmps.comWhen calling to inquire about a returned product, alwaysrefer to the Return Authorization Number. If Egnater determinesthat the unit was defective in materials or workmanshipat any time during the warranty period, Egnaterhas the option of repairing or replacing the product at noadditional charge, except as set forth below. All replacedparts become a property of Egnater. Products replaced orrepaired under this warranty will be returned via groundshipping within the United States-freight prepaid. Egnateris not responsible for costs associated with expeditedshipping, either to Egnater or the return of the product tothe customer.INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE:In no event will Egnater be liable for any incidental orconsequential damages arising out of the use or inabilityto use of any Egnater product, even if an Egnater dealerhas been advised of the possibility of such damages, orany other claim by any other party. Some states do not allowthe exclusion or limitation of consequential damages,so the above limitation and exclusion may not apply toyou. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and youmay also have other rights which may vary from state tostate.FOR YOUR PROTECTION: Please complete and mailthe Purchase Information Card within (10) ten days of thedate of purchase so that we may contact you directly inthe event a safety notification issued in accordance withthe 1972 Consumer Product Safety Act.CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Our dedicated staff is readyto help you with any warranty or product questions youmay have. Please call 1-877-EGNATER (9:00AM to4:00PM Pacific Standard Time).