Vintage Gibson Amplifiers

The ones from the 50's to early 60's were very similar to their Fender competition. I've heard some say they even prefer them to the Fender's of the time.

 

Vintage Gibsons used a lot of different tubes and circuits, whereas Fender settled on a few circuits and tubes. Also, Fender switched from true point-to-point to eyelet boards. It is extremely rare to find an old P2P Fender.

Gibson amps offer a lot of variety and usually have a unique sound, which some musicians prefer.

 

I have a tweed 1961 GA77RV 1-15 and it is 25 watts but it is a very sweet tone and pretty loud 25 watts,you can gig with it,and with my 335 it is wonderful,you can drive it like a tweed deluxe but more headroom,but turned up it can get Marshally.
Gibson seemed to be ahead of their time as far as amp models they had a large selection,and they where ahead of their time for the way they desgined amps,in the 1950,s they had reverb when fender only was offering tremolo,also they even had a model that had tape echo!I know some use not your everyday tubes mine uses 3-6EU7 and a 12At7.
But there is still a large supply of these tubes and NOS tubes are cheaper.

 

The late 50's GA20 is Ry Cooder's secret weapon.

Here's a cool link:

http://hem.passagen.se/ekabjan/Amps/Post-WWII_2nd.htm

 

Gibson's first amps with reverb debuted in 1961, AFAIK.

The amp with built-in echo (the Vanguard GA-77RET) actually had a Tel-Rey licensed oil can delay in it - not tape.

Gibson was way more innovative than Fender when it came to amp designs back then...

 

Gibson's first amps with reverb debuted in 1961, AFAIK.

Yes your correct,I should have known better as My GA77RV was the only 77 with reverb only,cause then they came out with Reverb and tremolo

 

Very good, in some aspect I think better depending on the model. They also had some of the most "out there" innovations.

http://hem.passagen.se/ekabjan/GibsonAmps.htm

 

I have a 61 GA-79RVT that's a really sweet amp. Very warm sounding with a great swampy tremolo.

 

It's hard to generalize about several models at once. The 50's up til 60 or so could be considered tweed-like. Some actually had tweed. Some incredible amps in this time ... with their own sound, not a whole lot like Fenders of that day. The GA40 is my favorite, has a hot, dark tone. Beautiful. There are gems in the later Gibsons too. Heard on VR like model, 2X10, with the sweetest sounds.

 

This page gives a general cross reference with specific comments about several Gibson/Fender amps:

http://www.rru.com/~meo/Guitar/Amps/Gibson/gfmap.html

 

I had a little tube Epiphone (USA Gibson) amp from the 60's, the swampiest tremolo ever. 1X10 in there, pretty dark sounding, almost Ampeg-like. Funky EL84 in there with a 12AX7 pre. Fun but ultimately I never did find just the right groove with it since it was such an unusual tone. Plus it wasn't exactly built like a tank (Fender).

 

I got a '64/'65 Falcon on the way, I love the youtube clips of the Falcon, so I had a friend sell me one of his. He has like 3 more, lol.

 

what a beeyootiful amp and worth a second look...someone please clone this baby!

 

It's in the works.

http://www.buffaloamps.com/BA79RVT.html

 

old gibson amps suck.

 

I've really enjoyed the Gibson amps I've owned in the last couple years. I've had a number of early-mid 60s Crestlines. Unlike their predecessors, most these amps are mainly about great cleans, IMO. Some take pedals better than others.

I do absolutely love the cleans and find them to be quite unique. The EQ and feel of these amps is just different...not Fender-like, not Ampeg-like, not Marshally or Voxy either. In the models I've had with reverb, I've found it to be excellent--subtle--and much prefered to boingy Fender reverb (which is just my personal predilection). I've also really enjoyed the tremolo in every Gibson amp I've had. The best was the GA19-RVT--just spectacular! But it's also really great in my other Gibsons (Mercury II, GA30RVT Invader and GA-5T) and again, I prefer it to what I've heard from Fenders for the most part.

 

I know you're just sayin'

(BTW has anyone checked the new issue Gibson amps against their older siblings? I read somewhere that the good folks at THD had an assist in the design...)

 

similar sentiment with my Univox U42 (i think) combo....one 12 inch Jensen alnico, a really light cabinet and a clean that has a unique sonic fundamental...not Fender like which seems to be a standard....my Univox has a very forceful clean that sounds very balanced and comes on until is starts to break up- which it doesn't really break up or grind. more like it starts to compress and rumble...

 

I now have three Gibson tweeds: two Falcons and an Explorer (whose circuit is VERY Deluxe-like, but with a laughingly-small OT and 1o-inch jensen). I have a white tolex Gibsonette as well...BIG overdrive sound from a small box.

This past weekend I gave somebody a "deal" a pretty-nice Crestline Falcon...I just never liked the sound of it and needed to thin the herd anyway.

Those with reverb are really nice, and the tremolo, using varying output-bias, is superb.