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Played through a Gibson GA40RVT


barrymclark

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Posted

HOLY CRAP that thing is loud. haha. My Cube 80x is loud, but this thing I could barely crack open the volume knob sitting a few feet away without it really thumping my ears. I think it blinded one of my eyes when I cracked it up to what would be maybe 3 on the volume knob. haha.

 

I have played through one before but that was about 10 years ago. I had just forgotten how loud these things get.

 

Dude. It really pains me they didn't get more business for their amp division. Their guitars are good to great depending. Their amps... just silly good sounding.

 

I LOVE that it had no gain knob. All the barking was coming from the power tubes.

Posted

HOLY CRAP that thing is loud. haha. My Cube 80x is loud, but this thing I could barely crack open the volume knob sitting a few feet away without it really thumping my ears. I think it blinded one of my eyes when I cracked it up to what would be maybe 3 on the volume knob. haha.

 

I have played through one before but that was about 10 years ago. I had just forgotten how loud these things get.

 

Dude. It really pains me they didn't get more business for their amp division. Their guitars are good to great depending. Their amps... just silly good sounding.

 

I LOVE that it had no gain knob. All the barking was coming from the power tubes.

+1 on the old gibson amps..mine is just a GA-8 but it sounds bootiful!!

Guest HRB853370
Posted

The ONLY thing I would say didn't just WOW me about the amp was the reverb. That's Fender's fault. They ruinded me good on reverb.

 

You are correct in that Barry, I dont know whats going on with the reverb on that amp. You have to turn the reverb knob up to 9 just to "start" hearing the reverb effect. It is almost like 1-8 is useless. The trem is a different story, it works magnificently. Good luck on that purchase, I love mine, especially with an archtop, it sounds lovely.

Posted

 

You are correct in that Barry, I dont know whats going on with the reverb on that amp. You have to turn the reverb knob up to 9 just to "start" hearing the reverb effect. It is almost like 1-8 is useless. The trem is a different story, it works magnificently. Good luck on that purchase, I love mine, especially with an archtop, it sounds lovely.

Yeah... I noticed that too. haha. I kept turning the knob... and turning... and turning... and FINALLY. haha.

 

Well, as I sat and thought about it, I decided to keep saving for the Starlite. The reason being is the Starlite is built like the old Gibson's so it will have that tone with with some changes. It will have a bypassable gain stage a-la Vox AC30 (the early, EARLY days), BMT eq section and a Fender-esque reverb so it will have the lush reverb that the Fender has and the Gibson lacks.

 

I got blinded by just HOW good that amps sounds forgetting that I had one like it in the works with the changes that I wanted to see.

 

Won't cost a helluva lot more than the used Gibson either!

Guest HRB853370
Posted

I was going to ask you..if you were going to still get the Starlite AND the GA40 both! I bet the Gibson is much heavier than that Starlite too.

Posted

I was going to ask you..if you were going to still get the Starlite AND the GA40 both! I bet the Gibson is much heavier than that Starlite too.

Yeah. I came to my senses.

 

It did, however, give me some ideas. It made me really rethink the speakers I had planned for the Starlite. Working towards making this single 12 keep up with Marshall half stacks. ;)

Posted

Ever since I first heard of these Gibson amps here on the HOC Ive kept looking out for one locally. No joy. Guess the just didnt make it over here back then.

Posted

Ever since I first heard of these Gibson amps here on the HOC Ive kept looking out for one locally. No joy. Guess the just didnt make it over here back then.

They also only do short runs of them every now and again. :(

 

Just a real shame. Such a great sounding amp.

Guest HRB853370
Posted

They also only do short runs of them every now and again. :(

 

Just a real shame. Such a great sounding amp.

 

Not anymore Barry. Gibson discontinued the Gibson Laboratories which was their amp division.

Posted

 

Not anymore Barry. Gibson discontinued the Gibson Laboratories which was their amp division.

Didnt BB King use Gibson Lab amps back in the day, or am I Hallucinating? :happy10:

Posted

Didnt BB King use Gibson Lab amps back in the day, or am I Hallucinating? :happy10:

 

He still does. Had one with him a week-or-so ago, when he "played " here in town.

Posted

We talk about how Heritage does not update their website. Well, I believe these amps have been out of production since 2008.

 

http://www.gibson.co...20Audio/Gibson/

I think that's from the old site. Not uncommon that you can find things like this on sites. I don't think you can get to that page from the home page though. At least, I couldn't.

Guest HRB853370
Posted

I think that's from the old site. Not uncommon that you can find things like this on sites. I don't think you can get to that page from the home page though. At least, I couldn't.

 

Go to the home page, scroll to the bottom and you will see a section for "amps and gear". Click on the word Gibson, and you are there.

Posted

 

Go to the home page, scroll to the bottom and you will see a section for "amps and gear". Click on the word Gibson, and you are there.

They may still make amps in the future then.. Just not with where or who they were before.

Posted

It still just pains me these amps don't get more attention. I suppose in the age of mo-gain-mo-betta, I can see it. Still just amazing. I suppose that their inconsistent offerings doesn't help. I guess it does help because it drives their used value down for folks like me.... but still. If I had a choice between one of these and a classic Fender Bassman of the perfect year for resale... I'd get the Bassman, sell it, buy the Gibson and pocket the rest. haha.

 

Just man what a tone.

Posted

I saw a used Gibson GA15RV amp on GC's website in Allen Park, $449. Haven't played it yet, but may go there tomorrow for something else I want to look at.

 

Here's the description:

"Goldtone” GA-15RV

Two ECC83/12AX7’s and two EL84/6BQ5’s run in Class A.

15 Watts

Dual inputs

Bright switch

Accutronics 3-spring reverb tray

Switchable pentode/triode mode

 

106816720_lg.jpg

Posted

I saw a used Gibson GA15RV amp on GC's website in Allen Park, $449. Haven't played it yet, but may go there tomorrow for something else I want to look at.

 

Here's the description:

"Goldtone” GA-15RV

Two ECC83/12AX7’s and two EL84/6BQ5’s run in Class A.

15 Watts

Dual inputs

Bright switch

Accutronics 3-spring reverb tray

Switchable pentode/triode mode

 

106816720_lg.jpg

 

 

I've read good reviews on that amp!

 

Do an Ebay sold and Google search for prices so you can negotiate the best deal at GC.

Guest HRB853370
Posted

I was playing throught my GA42 yesterday, with a Heritage 150 with the SL's, and the low end on that amp is incredible. The tone is incredible too. That amp might be the best value out there if you can find them used. I was fortunate to get great deals on mine.

Posted

I was playing throught my GA42 yesterday, with a Heritage 150 with the SL's, and the low end on that amp is incredible. The tone is incredible too. That amp might be the best value out there if you can find them used. I was fortunate to get great deals on mine.

Yep. Just amazing amps. Maybe one day I will be in a position to take advantage of a good deal. :)

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