What tubes does the Airline Wards GDR-8502A - Normal use?

The Airline Wards GDR-8502A - Normal uses 12AX7 preamp tubes and 6V6 power tubes.

When was the Airline Wards GDR-8502A - Normal produced?

The Airline Wards GDR-8502A - Normal was produced 1958–1965.

Airline Wards GDR-8502A - Normal preset

Verified · 90/100 confidence. Complete schematic. All component values readable. Parameters derived directly from the circuit.

The Wards GDR-8502A is an early Valco-manufactured reverb combo from the Wards/Airline brand's late 1950s and early 1960s catalog, featuring spring reverb in a compact budget instrument. As one of the earlier GDR models, it predates many of the more familiar Airline combos and represents the formative period of Valco's production for Montgomery Ward. The warm 6V6 tube tone and basic reverb circuit make it a foundational example of early American department-store amplification.

Years produced: 1958–1965
Made in: USA
Channels: 2
Preamp tubes: 12AX7
Power tubes: 6V6

Tags: american, vintage.

Schematic-derived preset files for 16 Fractal and Line 6 modelers: Axe-Fx II/XL/XL+, Axe-Fx III, FM3, FM9, and the full Helix family (Floor, LT, Rack, HX Stomp, HX Stomp XL, Native).

Gridleak extracts amp parameters from original circuit schematics using AI vision — component values, gain staging, tone stack topology, tube types — then generates native preset files for every supported modeler. Every extraction is scored 0–100 and the score is published.