$299 Gibson tube amp - Made in USA! - Page 15

Joe K · March 17th, 2008, 02:46 PM

I just looked at the hit count for this thread, and it is almost 15,000.

Can you believe this many Tele players are keen on learning about and sharing info on this little small-run Gibson amp? Quite a surprise to me!

Mine is due in tomorrow's mail, right when I leave town for a week. As soon as I get back, I look forward to trying some of these great tips.

Rob DiStefano · March 17th, 2008, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe K

To me this means you are using the heck out of your new amp. Thanks for torture testing the amp for us Rob; hope you had a blast knocking the cone out of that little 8" speaker!

Didn't take much to damage the Sig 8, but then again that speaker is a mini mouse compared to a quality 8" driver. I should have the 8F150 arrive and installed tomorrow - that should be the ticket to handle the horsepower this li'l amp dishes out (with the mods, of course).

boris bubbanov · March 17th, 2008, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe K

I just looked at the hit count for this thread, and it is almost 15,000.

It is not just about this one amp; it is about an excellent environment for those of us (like me) that have been around these things but never learned what was really going on inside, and have discovered some we'd like to know more.

bdjr1 · March 17th, 2008, 04:33 PM

If you can't get your hands on this amp, What would be a good second choice??? Thanks

Rob DiStefano · March 17th, 2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdjr1

If you can't get your hands on this amp, What would be a good second choice??? Thanks

The GA-5 was (or maybe still is) a fantastic value for the dollar - I dunno of any stock amp coming close.

Sidney Vicious · March 18th, 2008, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdjr1

If you can't get your hands on this amp, What would be a good second choice??? Thanks

I checked with Music123 and they still have - or maybe as I write this HAD? - the GA-5 NIB for 299.99 shipped in the USA.

andrenighthound · March 18th, 2008, 07:27 AM

i hope my uncle rob gets me one! got my fingers crossed! why can't i by it myself? cause i'm broke!

androo · March 18th, 2008, 09:50 AM

Gigged again last night with the GA5....very impressed. Hung in there no problem, it was a medium sized St. Paddy's Day restaurant gig, around 200 people or so. I mic'ed it through the PA, worked great. Put a SM57 on it.

As for stage volume, it was no problem hearing during solos, but funky rhythm parts were harder to hear as clearly as my Delta Blues, of course. I solved this problem by raising it up high on the amp stand, got it about waist level. After that, I could hear it all, and the band commented on how nice it worked!

For those of you who think this little bugger won't be appropriate for a gig, I'd try it out. I probably won't be using it at festivals this summer, as it obviously won't fill a large stage with sound....but for casuals and clubs where it's a tight stage, boy this thing just smokes! Put a mic on it, and all is well :)

I hope ya'll are enjoying yours too :)
droo

Rob DiStefano · March 18th, 2008, 09:54 AM

The Weber 8F150 just arrived and I pulled the farty Sig 8 and dropped in the big boy. As you can see by the images, the chassis fully clears the 8F ... the EL84 spring retainer ever so slightly touches the big ring magnet, but that could easily be tweaked/bent out of the way (or just removed). Of course, I'll build a totally new baffle board and cane grille it.

KC · March 18th, 2008, 09:56 AM

music 123 shows them on their website & will let you order them -- but it shows up in the cart as a special order / not in stock item . . .

Wouldn't surprise me to hear that a pile of 'em turned up somewhere, most likely at MF (music 123 is just MF in a wig). I bet you'll hear it here first, though not til Rob D has ordered #3, #4, #5 and #6. Keep your eyes peeled. Pretty likable little amp, better as time goes on & the speaker breaks in.

Rob DiStefano · March 18th, 2008, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC

music 123 shows them on their website & will let you order them -- but it shows up in the cart as a special order / not in stock item . . .

Wouldn't surprise me to hear that a pile of 'em turned up somewhere, most likely at MF (music 123 is just MF in a wig). I bet you'll hear it here first, though not til Rob D has ordered #3, #4, #5 and #6. Keep your eyes peeled. Pretty likable little amp, better as time goes on & the speaker breaks in.

I want, no - I NEED - just two more.

Jaybird · March 18th, 2008, 10:45 AM

They are one Music 123 for $299 right now.

Guitarslinger1 · March 18th, 2008, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

The Weber 8F150 just arrived and I pulled the farty Sig 8 and dropped in the big boy. As you can see by the images, the chassis fully clears the 8F ... the EL84 spring retainer ever so slightly touches the big ring magnet, but that could easily be tweaked/bent out of the way (or just removed). Of course, I'll build a totally new baffle board and cane grille it.

Rob, just move the speaker down some on your new baffle and it'll be right on. Matter of fact, I think the things would easily hold 10" speakers if the speaker were mounted lower on the baffle.

Rob DiStefano · March 18th, 2008, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specialty guitars

Rob, just move the speaker down some on your new baffle and it'll be right on. Matter of fact, I think the things would easily hold 10" speakers if the speaker were mounted lower on the baffle.

Yep, easy stuff - umm, I've made LOTS of cabs.

As I described in an earlier post on this thread, it'll take some speaker and/or chassis tweaking to fit in a 10".

Anyhoo, the new baffle has been sprayed and is drying. I lowered the speaker hole by 1/4", right down to the lip edge of the TV front. The speaker screws are recessed thanx to a Forstner bit, then CYA'd 'em in. After the paint dries I'll staple on the cane grille and that's about it.

Guitarslinger1 · March 18th, 2008, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

Yep, easy stuff - umm, I've made LOTS of cabs.

I wasn't questioning your experience.

One thing where I keep going wrong, is looking from behind, I forget that it is not a narrow panel tweed cab, and that the speaker actually can't really be moved very much, as you mentioned.

Rob DiStefano · March 18th, 2008, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specialty guitars

I wasn't questioning your experience.

One thing where I keep going wrong, is looking from behind, I forget that it is not a narrow panel tweed cab, and that the speaker actually can't really be moved very much, as you mentioned.

The cab spex and design pretty much dictate sticking with 8". Even after tweaking to fit in a 10", nearly 2" of the speaker bottom will get covered by the TV front lower panel. I've got my share of 10", 12" and even 15" single ended amps, so I kinda like having a few 8" versions around.

boris bubbanov · March 18th, 2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaybird

They are one Music 123 for $299 right now.

I just gave it the ole college try. My order (back-order) would not process.

BTW, I think whether you call MF or Music 123, you get the same switchboard.

Total conjecture, but I think somebody high up at MF/123 decided it would be cool to pull these out of the supply chain, and use them as bait at some point in the future when other sales have flagged. Hey, if you can I can buy something and wait for the price to go up, why can't they? And so begins the urban myth of the 'missing 200'.

squeezebox · March 18th, 2008, 01:13 PM

Is the GA5 fixed bias, self bias, cathode bias???

And do I need to "rebias" when installing a new EL84? (and if so, how?)

Blues Hurler · March 18th, 2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

The Weber 8F150 just arrived and I pulled the farty Sig 8 and dropped in the big boy. As you can see by the images, the chassis fully clears the 8F ... the EL84 spring retainer ever so slightly touches the big ring magnet, but that could easily be tweaked/bent out of the way (or just removed). Of course, I'll build a totally new baffle board and cane grille it.

Lookin' forward to your review of the new speaker Rob.

Rob DiStefano · March 18th, 2008, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squeezebox

Is the GA5 fixed bias, self bias, cathode bias???

And do I need to "rebias" when installing a new EL84? (and if so, how?)

Cathode "self biased" - plug 'n' play.

kidA · March 18th, 2008, 03:18 PM

So i've been lurking around this thread and poking around and playing with my GA 5. A couple of questions have arisen:

1. i know it was mentioned somewhere but there is a resistor between the pin and the wire on one of my tubes that has kept me hesitant from doing the NFB mod. The wire runs under the board from the volume pot and comes up through a drilled hole and there's a resistor between it and the pin. What is this resistor doing, what purpose does it serve, and more importantly can i still do the NFB?

2. I clipped the 1st stage 25uf cap and i plan to add a switch to allow me to bring back the nasty should i want it.

3. I jumpered the 1m resistor and 22pf cap tone stack and indeed the tone was beefier but i would also like to put this on a switch. I was actually wondering if it would be possible to have this on a pot so i could adjust how hefty the tone gets. Even with my tele its a bit too thick for my taste, at least with the stock speaker so a pot would be an ideal situation, if i could fit it. if not, then a switch would do just fine.

4. I have not added a standby switch, but I was wondering if it's necessary to purchase the switch that rob used or whether I could just use a normal on/off/on toggle.

5. Also, the grounding on the volume pot. I understand what I need to clip, but where would i run the wire to?

6. Thanks again for the amazing help this thread has been not only in tipping me off to this lovely amp but in giving me a guide to opening it up and messing with it.

Rob DiStefano · March 18th, 2008, 05:37 PM

Baffled?!

Stapled, cut, drying drum tight ...

Nice fit ...

8F150 locked 'n' loaded ...

Lotsa air vents ...

Rob DiStefano · March 18th, 2008, 05:38 PM

Plenty of room to co-exist with the chassis ...

EL84 retainer clears the mag ring ...

Warming up ...

Ah, mo' bettah!

March 18th, 2008, 07:27 AM	#567 (permalink)
andrenighthound Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bronx NY Age: 32 Posts: 208	i hope my uncle rob gets me one! got my fingers crossed! why can't i by it myself? cause i'm broke! __________________ "Blues in a doggy bag, is what I got to eat!" www.andreandthenighthounds.com

March 18th, 2008, 09:56 AM	#570 (permalink)
KC Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Missoula, Montana Posts: 1,213 15 Photos	gone, gone, gone music 123 shows them on their website & will let you order them -- but it shows up in the cart as a special order / not in stock item . . . Wouldn't surprise me to hear that a pile of 'em turned up somewhere, most likely at MF (music 123 is just MF in a wig). I bet you'll hear it here first, though not til Rob D has ordered #3, #4, #5 and #6. Keep your eyes peeled. Pretty likable little amp, better as time goes on & the speaker breaks in.

March 18th, 2008, 10:45 AM	#572 (permalink)
Jaybird Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: California Posts: 181 9 Photos	They are one Music 123 for $299 right now. __________________ Blaaaa blaaaaa, waaaaa waaaaa, razzle dazzle, do dah, zzzzzzzzzz.

March 18th, 2008, 03:18 PM	#581 (permalink)
kidA Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NYC, Dallas Posts: 154	So i've been lurking around this thread and poking around and playing with my GA 5. A couple of questions have arisen: 1. i know it was mentioned somewhere but there is a resistor between the pin and the wire on one of my tubes that has kept me hesitant from doing the NFB mod. The wire runs under the board from the volume pot and comes up through a drilled hole and there's a resistor between it and the pin. What is this resistor doing, what purpose does it serve, and more importantly can i still do the NFB? 2. I clipped the 1st stage 25uf cap and i plan to add a switch to allow me to bring back the nasty should i want it. 3. I jumpered the 1m resistor and 22pf cap tone stack and indeed the tone was beefier but i would also like to put this on a switch. I was actually wondering if it would be possible to have this on a pot so i could adjust how hefty the tone gets. Even with my tele its a bit too thick for my taste, at least with the stock speaker so a pot would be an ideal situation, if i could fit it. if not, then a switch would do just fine. 4. I have not added a standby switch, but I was wondering if it's necessary to purchase the switch that rob used or whether I could just use a normal on/off/on toggle. 5. Also, the grounding on the volume pot. I understand what I need to clip, but where would i run the wire to? 6. Thanks again for the amazing help this thread has been not only in tipping me off to this lovely amp but in giving me a guide to opening it up and messing with it. __________________ Don't you dare tell me "you get what you pay for."

March 17th, 2008, 02:46 PM	#561 (permalink)
Joe K Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bethesda, Maryland Posts: 570 6 Photos	I just looked at the hit count for this thread, and it is almost 15,000. Can you believe this many Tele players are keen on learning about and sharing info on this little small-run Gibson amp? Quite a surprise to me! Mine is due in tomorrow's mail, right when I leave town for a week. As soon as I get back, I look forward to trying some of these great tips.

March 17th, 2008, 04:33 PM	#564 (permalink)
bdjr1 TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northeastern, Pa. Age: 38 Posts: 18	If you can't get your hands on this amp, What would be a good second choice??? Thanks

March 18th, 2008, 09:50 AM	#568 (permalink)
androo TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 85	Gigged again last night with the GA5....very impressed. Hung in there no problem, it was a medium sized St. Paddy's Day restaurant gig, around 200 people or so. I mic'ed it through the PA, worked great. Put a SM57 on it. As for stage volume, it was no problem hearing during solos, but funky rhythm parts were harder to hear as clearly as my Delta Blues, of course. I solved this problem by raising it up high on the amp stand, got it about waist level. After that, I could hear it all, and the band commented on how nice it worked! For those of you who think this little bugger won't be appropriate for a gig, I'd try it out. I probably won't be using it at festivals this summer, as it obviously won't fill a large stage with sound....but for casuals and clubs where it's a tight stage, boy this thing just smokes! Put a mic on it, and all is well :) I hope ya'll are enjoying yours too :) droo

March 18th, 2008, 09:54 AM	#569 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,577	The Weber 8F150 just arrived and I pulled the farty Sig 8 and dropped in the big boy. As you can see by the images, the chassis fully clears the 8F ... the EL84 spring retainer ever so slightly touches the big ring magnet, but that could easily be tweaked/bent out of the way (or just removed). Of course, I'll build a totally new baffle board and cane grille it.

March 18th, 2008, 01:13 PM	#578 (permalink)
squeezebox TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Carolina Posts: 51	Is the GA5 fixed bias, self bias, cathode bias??? And do I need to "rebias" when installing a new EL84? (and if so, how?)

March 18th, 2008, 05:37 PM	#582 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,577	Baffled?! Stapled, cut, drying drum tight ... Nice fit ... 8F150 locked 'n' loaded ... Lotsa air vents ...

March 18th, 2008, 05:38 PM	#583 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,577	Plenty of room to co-exist with the chassis ... EL84 retainer clears the mag ring ... Warming up ... Ah, mo' bettah!