RedBear N 602 Head

[TomCarlos]

Ok... mystery solve....and my thanks to the guys on the RedBear Facebook Group page.

What we have here is a Novik N 602.

I'll see if I can dig up the correct schematic for this amp (and will post here).

[DrGonz78]

Your cousin JD here. I still have that amp too! I actually got it out and put it through it's paces with the kids. Needs some deoxit, but the sounds is just so full!

I don't know much about this model, but it looks like it was made for a different distribution channel.

Welcome to the place! I betcha that amp works keeps working for many many years. Glad it is the hands of someone who will preserve it for the history books.

The history page was pretty interesting read through.

https://translate.google.com/transla...iya-novik.html

[J M Fahey]

You have EXCELLENT tubes there, 6N2P is Military/Industrial "super 12AX7" with 6.3V filaments, takes some current because it´s somewhat "more powerful"; and power tubes are 6P3S written in Cyrillic , again excellent tubes:
https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/588...s-e-russia/sov.

I would use them any day of the week over dubious heritage NOS tubes where the good ones have already been culled out and rejects have been thrown back into the barrel.

Series/parallel (path) means exactly that in the effects loop.

IF amp works properly I would not mess with it, but use/sell as-is.
Not even need for an exact schematic unless repairing it, and even so .....

$1000 looks somewhat unlikely to me, unless it was used by some Guitar God or at least somebody "known" such as the White Stripes guy who put Silvertone back in the map, average Guitar players are hevily influenced by "celebrities".
Think what would a mint Sovtek would bring in the market, same design and origin.

[TomCarlos]

Dr. Gonz.... thanks for the translated page!! I found one in Russian earlier, maybe the same page, and was going to translate 1 paragraph at at time.

JMF- The power tubes checked out fine on my Sencore Might Mite checker. But of course, I have no way of checking the smaller 6N2P tubes. Thanks for the feedback.

I also have received lots of comments today from the Facebook group. So it is looking like $800 is a target price.

[TomCarlos]

By the way.... I took a closer look at the preamp tubes - 6H2P-EB tubes...

[Jazz P Bass]

http://store.triodestore.com/6h2n6n2p.html

[DrGonz78]

Here is example of an asking price for a similar amp.

https://reverb.com/item/2528188-rare...-red-bear-mk60

[TomCarlos]

Thank you JPB and Dr !!

This amp seems a bit more complex when compared to the MK 60. Both channels work but the output is a tad weak. So it will need a look over and maybe some minor work. Taking JMF's advice, I will sell it "as-is" and let the next owner decide what fixes or mods to make.

It certainly was an interesting learning experience on this amp!

[TomCarlos]

A quick update....

I have exchanged emails with Sergey Novikov (Russian Federation) and he told me "Novik sold these models only in Europe. We brought several pieces to the exhibition in the states in 1998." So somehow, my friend managed to get one and with the Red Plate plate on the front. The amp was a Novik N 602 amp - not to be confused with the 602 that does not have the "N" designation.

For schematic collectors, here are the schematics Sergey sent to me. Keep in mind I have the N 602 - so just two 5881 output tubes.

I am hoping to get this amp back on my bench in the next month to take a closer look. If I didn't mention it before, the amp is working but I just don't hear what I would consider to be a clean 50 watts. Sergey offered to help remotely via email. So we'll see what becomes of this amp!!