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Vintage Gibson Amplifiers!

MikeSlub

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Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,167
I love these old Gibby amps!

From left to right: GA-20T Ranger (1959), GA-18 Explorer (1960), GA-30 (1955), GA-20 (1954), Gibsonette (1959). They are all in pristine condition with original cabs, transformers, etc. They have all been serviced. Three have original speakers in them.

The GA-20T and the GA-30 are recent additions from LPF member akstrat61 (thank you, Mark!). The GA-20T roars, and the GA-30 has the creamiest rich sound, awesome breakup, grind and swirl. :hank

Many of you with experience with old Gibby amps know that they were constantly changing specs, so many of the schematics available don't match up. Fortunately, the amp tech I use is pretty resourceful and has a network of amp guys that he connects with to figure out the puzzle. :dude:

Vintage%20Gibson%20Amps%202.jpg
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,502
Cool!

I love the Gibson logo on the handles too.

So... how does a burst sound through one of those?
 

Hot_Snake

Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
197
i bought last year a 1959 GA-5 "Skylark", this little boy sounds amazing when pushed around 5/6 on 10 !
similar circuit as a Fender 5F1, but for (at least) the third of the price !

ga-5_110.jpg


ga-5_310.jpg
 

akstrat61

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
1,845
Great stash of amps Mike! :3zone That GA20T is got to be one of the better Gibby amps I have ever played! Enjoy!:dude:
 

cryptozoo

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Jun 25, 2008
Messages
2,738
I actually like the GA5 as much as a Tweed Champ, they're killer amps. Gibson tweed-coppers in general are excellent, but Jesus, things went tits-up in with their 60s models.
 

Wally

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Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
Nice amps, Mike. I have never played a Gibson amp with rear mounted controls that wasn't a good amplifier. +1 with Cryptozoo on the '61 and later circuits....soem hti, some miss.....and one amp of the same model and year might not do what another amp that looks just like it does.
I have a trio of amps from '64...double slant cabs...2 Gibson GZ35RVT's and an Epi EZ-16RVT....same amps. None of the three had a factory circuit that looked just like the schematic that is available...and none of hte 3 were like either of the other two!!1 LOL.....small differences here and there. I have one of them now making the most beautiful creamy distortion when pushed.....but it sounds like a thin and harsh SS amp when played cleaned. Go figure.....
 

Ron

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Joined
Aug 3, 2001
Messages
848
Nice! I'm keeping my eyes peeled for any of the bigger 50's Gibson amps.
 

TM1

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Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I lucked into a 1960 GA-20 Crest! Tweed, 12 watts and one 12" speaker. It had a nice blue Jensen(alnico), but I put a 12" Celestion T.1088 Vox speaker in it. I re-capped the Electrolytics and cleaned the pots, jacks and tube sockets and installed a nice set of NOS valves. Sounds simply wonderful! Probably the loudest 12 watts around...:rolleyes but then again, I'm a bit partial to it.
 

cryptozoo

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Jun 25, 2008
Messages
2,738
I've heard people rag on certain 50s Gibson amps, but with a minimal amount of work they can be excellent (if they aren't already). The overall build quality isn't as bullet-proof as Fender, but they're still easy to work on and have great potential.
 

Texas Blues

Active member
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
4,641
Many years ago in the day of the caveman and white buffalo I had one of them Gibby Skylarks. All original and with the old 2 pronger. I thought it was too muddy sounding and got rid of it. I've regretted that decision ever since. I reckon it was my ears that were full of mud and not the amp.
 

Mitchell

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Feb 20, 2002
Messages
3,012
Lookin good as usual Mike... :salude


Many years ago in the day of the caveman and white buffalo I had one of them Gibby Skylarks. All original and with the old 2 pronger. I thought it was too muddy sounding and got rid of it. I've regretted that decision ever since. I reckon it was my ears that were full of mud and not the amp.
Today 08:34 AM

Probally not,, as they usually need a tune up, caps and a resistor here or there.
Swappin the speaker out or changing the input cap value can make great strides, depending on whether your a humbucker or sc type.
Follow the "white buffalo" and you will find the truth.. :dude:
 

585960

Active member
Joined
Apr 5, 2002
Messages
1,987
My favorite of all the Gibson amps, and I have had them all.....this what mine sounds like.....beware....this is a demo and its rough....the bass is real HOT and way in the red on this mix...vocal also is a scratch, the solo lines (not the theme lines are the GA 2RVT, and with Blewsbreakers 57 Goldtop before he bought it)
http://snd.sc/150pcsZ
 
Last edited:

Texas Blues

Active member
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
4,641
My favorite of all the Gibson amps, and I have had them all.....this what mine sounds like.....beware....this is a demo and its rough....the bass is real HOT and way in the red on this mix...vocal also is a scratch, the solo lines (not the theme lines are the GA 2RVT, and with Blewsbreakers 57 Goldtop before he bought it)
http://snd.sc/ZqbVax

Sounds damn good to me. In the pic I see the 2 mics but what's that white and black dildoey robot looking chingaderra dry humping the cab over the speaker? I must be having a brain fart as I can't comprehend what it is. A different mic?
 

RAB

Active member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Messages
2,122
I've owned a bunch of 1950's-early 1960's tweed and blonde Gibson amps over the years including GA-40T Les Paul, tweed GA-5 Skylarks, GA-18T Explorer, GA-20T Ranger and GA-45T Maestro (with the 4X8" speakers) models. My current fav Gibson amp is a blonde, 1962 GA-8 Discoverer, about 8-10 watts and a single 12" speaker. Tube complement is a 5Y3GT rectifier, pair of 6V6GT power and single 12AX7 preamp. (Note this amp is not the same as a tremolo equipped GA-8T which has different power tubes(6BM6?)). I swapped out the anemic Alnico Jensen (has a very small magnet structure) for a beefier mid-1960's Jensen Alnico P12Q. The amp sounds like a wall full of Marshalls!
 
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