My first tube amp - Gibson GA-15RV

[fragra]

So after noodling around on my Tech-21 TM10 for the past couple of years, I got myself my first tube amp, a used Gibson GA-15RV with the 6w/15w pentode/triode switch. What a cool amp. I'm liking the the way it sounds with my 60s Classic and es-335, and as a bonus, it's wife-approved™ for leaving it in the living room.

So far I'm enjoying playing it clean at lower volumes, which is what I do mostly, but when I cranked it open when my neighbors were away - even at 6w - man, is that thing LOUD. Here's my question; Celestion states on their website that the stock Vintage 30 is, in their words, "Seemingly twice as loud as anything else at the same power level". Could I replace the Vintage 30 with something less efficient to drop the dB's, and if so what would you recommend?

Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but I really have no experience with this. Any insight and wisdom will be most appreciated.

[JayFreddy]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Those Gibson GA's are nice amps, destined to increase in value, IMO, so the less you change, the better.

If you want an amp that sounds cranked even at a low volume, a tube amp wouldn't be my first choice.

I recommend using your amp for what it was meant for. Cranked up past 5, that amp should deliver seriously awesome blues and classic rock tones.

That amp was not designed to be a "Swiss Army Amp". It was built to do a few sounds exceptionally well, and at a volume level that's loud enough to play with a drummer, without being over-powering.

As pretty as it is, if it's not what you need in your living room, get something else for the living room, and then leave your GA15 at your drummer's place...

With tweaking and tube and speaker swapping, you might be able to lower the volume without sacrificing too much tone, but you could end up searching for an imitation of something you already have, and you can do that just as easily with a $200 digital amp and headphones...

And with tweaking, there's never any guarantee it will actually deliver the tone you're seeking.

If you're still not convinced, sure, tweak away... That's half the fun of owning a tube amp anyway!

[winny pooh]

Keep the speaker and investigate an attenuator like the Weber mass or Airbrake, they wil allow you to have more output tube drive at lower volumes. They will change the tone somewhat but not too much if used moderately.

I have always just used some overdrive pedals to get my sounds at lower volumes anyway. Thwe only amp I have an attenuator for is my 69 100 watt Marshall but you can understand why
The rest are happy with pedals.

[Joe K]

I like tube amps like yours even at low volumes. Try a pedal to add some dirt.

I'm not sure that you will be able to drop the speaker efficiency enough (with a swap) to make much of a difference in the low volume tone, but let's see what others here think.

[sevenfour]

A THD Hotplate fixes the volume problem.

[Mik]

Congrats you got a great amp for your first tube amp.

I wouldn't mess with the integration of the stock components, especially the Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, it's so good stock. The V30 has a very well-balanced sound in the GA15RV, bass, mids, treble. I wouldn't change it out to chase lower volume overdrive or break up. Perhaps an overdrive pedal is an inexpensive and effective low volume solution for you. I just plug in and turn up, the 6 watt triode mode is quite useable for lower volume grind.

Even an overdriving 6 watt Fender Champ with a modestly effecient speaker will be quite loud in the bedroom or living room, that's the way of a tube amp.

You can dial in a wide spectrum of tones from mid heavy to scooped mid on the single tone control on the GA15RV.

Its simplicity and 15 watts belie the GA15RV's potential big presence and versatility. At a session the other night, the GA15RV didn't just "hang" with the other guitarist's 100 watt SS amp and pedal arsenal, didn't just "keep up" with the drummer, the GA15RV boldly asserted its sonic character (in my biased opinion! ) Lighten the pick attack for clean, dig in for loud and grind.

It's a very responsive amp, but there's something very juicy about its responsiveness and tone, I don't mean saggy...it has a solid state rectifier and is cathode biased. Maybe the stock EL84 tubes are biased pretty hot in it.

the GA15RV is very compatible with a Tele! and every other guitar I've played through it.

Mik

[Stuco]

Overdrive Pedal

[telejake]

I tried a G12H30 in mine. It broke-up a little sooner, but not a big difference. I really want to try a Weber Blue Dog at some point. You got yourself a fine amp. I sure love mine. I keep thinking I'll take a tweed amp out next gig, but it seems the little Gibson always ends up on the stage.

[KC]

I'm using my GA-15 (1x10, no verb, no half-power) next to the TV lately with a Sparkle drive on top of it and it semi-works in this context. If the girlfriend or the kids are around, I have to keep it on a pretty short leash. A cranked overdrive box into an amp that's turned way down is not a very pleasant sound.

When I'm home alone, though, it sounds awesome through the whole range from slightly-too-loud through screamingly scare-the-cats loud. It's a pretty wide sweet spot. One of these days I'm going to invest in a Weber Mass attenuator & see if I can tame the beasty down to more realistic livingroom levels. It's a great little amp. Good luck.

[scottocaster]

Enjoy your NEW amp, I've had mine for a couple years now. I always like the sounds that it allows me to make and occsaionally it just blows me away. I wouldn't change anything on mine as long as it works properly. I use some pedals in front of it, Bixionic Expandora, OCD and a Pretty Dolly Delay. Usually I have the bright switch turned on, plugged into the bright channel, the pentode mode selected, volume about 25% and the tone just under 50%. This cuts through just about anything the rest of the band can throw at me, I really like this amp and what it does for me.

[fragra]

Wow. I didn’t know there were so many GA-15RV admirers out there. I’m happy to be a part of the Goldtone Gang too now.

There sure is a lot to like about it. I like the controls – they’re simple yet are really effective. Kinda like a Tele. Their location is a bit of a pain, but I’m not a knob-twiddler by nature anyway. I had briefly considered a Mesa 5:25 but then knobophobia set in. I rarely used all the sounds available in my Tech-21 anyway – I always gravitated to clean with a bit of verb.

What I was hoping I would get from a low-wattage tube amp; dynamics, clear bass, and sparkle, I think I got. I’m enjoying how dynamic it the Goldtone is, much more so than my Tech-21. It really is sensitive, and I think will make me play better. I sure can hear all my flubs. But I didn’t realize how much punch 6w has. I know now...

I like the sounds it makes and I don’t want to turn it into something it’s not. I’d just like to add a bit of dirt on occasion without taking the paint off the walls. A pedal or an attenuator down the road is worth considering. Right now, I’m having fun. Maybe I’m scratchin’ what’s not itchin’.

Thanks for all the insight and kind words. If anyone else cares to comment, or just wants to say what a great amp it is, I’m all ears.

[lewis]

A local mom n pop shop has had one of those sitting in their front window for a couple years now.
They know what it is so it probably wouldn't go cheap.

[johnnylaw]

Lets see... I sold the Twin, the Jubilee, both Yamahas, the Blues Jr., the Bedrock, and the Silvertone. And this leaves, you guessed it, the same Goldtone you now enjoy. My advice: don't change a thing ('ceptin the tubes on occasion as needed). I don't think I want to play the gig where this box don't cut it. That would be the one where the hacks with small **cks play monsterous rigs at volumes where lyrics, dynamics, and taste are irrelevant. Just keep the volume down at home and enjoy the lively twinkle from your every move. If you want more grind, add a dirt pedal of some sort. For the most part, I use the triode mode. I think the pentode setting has been tapped about a half-dozen times for large crowded places without sound reinforcement, and outdoor events. You landed a winner.

[abraxas]

+1 on the attenuator, if it's that important. You have a fabulous amp, enjoy regularly!

[fragra]

So I replaced the original 12AX7/EL84 tubes, which were JJ's, with a new set of JJ's. That got rid of the noticeable hum on idle. Seems to sound a bit more sparkley too, for lack of a better word. I'm also trying a pair of JAN-Philips 5751 out too, just for fun. They seem to clean it up slightly and drop the volume a bit. My wife commented that she likes the tone better. Hmmm... Thought I'd put in a plug for The Tube Store. Really fast service.

Cosmetically, there were stains splashed all over the top and side of the amp from the previous owner, which I assumed was beer. Turned out to be candle wax. Some gentle scrubbing with a non-abrasive cleaner pad eventually removed it all. I vacuumed out the dust and spider webs from the inside and gave the tolex a rubdown with some vinyl treatment (not ArmorAll). Now it sounds and looks good as new.

[marshman]

Well, to answer your question, yes, a less efficient speaker will make your amp quieter at distortion levels. The celestion Greenback is listed as being a low-powered vintage-style speaker that should be a bit quieter than the Vin30. The G12-75 seems to be the least effecient Celestion. I think most of the Jensen 12"ers are even less effecient.

That said, changing the speakers will also change your tone. Changing a speaker is not a permanent change to an amp, so it's not likely to have a permanent effect on the value of your amp, assuming you don't lose the original, so swap away.

I'm learning to set an amp so I can do all the control from the guitar. A few years ago I had (and still have) a nice channel switcher that I was able to use without touching the guitar. Since I never used the tone pots, I bypassed them. Now that I'm using a VJr for practice, it occurs to me I might wanna hook those bad boys back up one day soon.