$299 Gibson tube amp - Made in USA!

[Pancho]

oo

[Sevan Simonian]

Rob, is that 8A125T 20W or 30W, and how did you decide which way to go?

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Sevan Simonian

Rob, is that 8A125T 20W or 30W, and how did you decide which way to go?

20w - lower is better.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by red57strat

Is that the fit with a stock baffle or your custom baffle?

"Custom" baffle, which drops the speaker hole down 1/4".

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by specialty guitars

Hey Rob, when you ordered filter caps, did you order any 8uF?

An 8uF on the preamp makes it snappier and more responsive, and loses some of that dullness or thickness. Last night I landed 30/16/8, (no I wasn't intentionally doing a divide by 2 from left to right) which sounds sweet so far. I'm going to give it a rest though for a day or two, then come back and see what I think.

If you didn't get any 8uFs, I can send you one.

No, don't have and didn't order 8uf Atoms but I think I can get one from a local friend (wink wink hint hint, Mark!). Got 30 and 10 Atoms due to arrive Wednesday.

[Guitarslinger1]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

No, don't have and didn't order 8uf Atoms but I think I can get one from a local friend (wink wink hint hint, Mark!). Got 30 and 10 Atoms due to arrive Wednesday.

Cool. With all things the same, try a 10uF in the preamp, then an 8uF and see what you think. Seems the 10uF would be just fine, but as I told you, I was unhappy with their tone in two very different amps. I'm curious what you find.

[ben murphy]

dang! i totally missed out on that deal!

i had actually been wanting to get one of those little gibson amps but was turned off by the regular price tag. when i looked at like 10pm last night they were going for $260 w/ free shipping but i waited to long to pull out the credit card and they had sold out.

super bummed.

[Sevan Simonian]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

"Custom" baffle, which drops the speaker hole down 1/4".

Rob, per your experience, would the 8A125T fit in a stock baffle and still clear the EL84 and such?

Thanks for the continuing stream of invaluable advice!!!

[JamonHamon]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

Just got the Weber 8A125T in my hot li'l hands, pulled the 8F150 and stuck in the AlNiCo ... yeah baby, mo' bettah! Needless to say, the 8F150 is now on the Classifieds.



The Gear
Strat partscaster with Keystone bridge single coil pup, Thinline partscaster with Lawrence L298TL bridge noiseless pup. Modded GA5, trinity minus NFB, 20/16/16 Atoms, JVT couplers, 8A125T. Zoom H2 field recorder, set 12" from speaker.

For each recording the first lick is with GA5 vol at noon, 2nd and 3rd licks with vol at 11am, 11meg WAV files. Heavy Fender pick used, no picking fingers.

Strat

Thinline

Sweet sounding Rob

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Sevan Simonian

Rob, per your experience, would the 8A125T fit in a stock baffle and still clear the EL84 and such?...

Nope, won't fit using the stock baffle without tweaking something - just look at how the 8A125T fits on the new baffle that drops the speaker down a goodly 1/4" ....

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by specialty guitars

Cool. With all things the same, try a 10uF in the preamp, then an 8uF and see what you think. Seems the 10uF would be just fine, but as I told you, I was unhappy with their tone in two very different amps. I'm curious what you find.

Pulled the preamp 16uf and stuck in a 10uf (which yields all Atoms, 20/16/10) - seemed to have tightened the full spectrum of tone from low to high, lots of note bloom, great chime with Strat or Tele, punchy bass. I like this cap lineup - sounds better to me than 20/16/16 I had before.

Replaced the 10 with an 8 - with my ears and guitars, this sounded a tad shrill, *almost* on the doorstep of icepick territory, but I gave it a fair shake and played all my styles with Strat and Tele ... then went back to the 10 - ah, mo' bettah.

It's like you and I have been saying - there's a buncha uniqueness with all things amps (and guitars, etc) and to each their own - there is no right or wrong way to skin this cat.

Need to try the 30uf when I find some time later this week.

[Sevan Simonian]

Now I know it's DANGEROUS to assume, but... "ASSUMING" the Weber 8A125 & 8A125T have the same shape and size, we've got a bit of conflicting info.

Per ROB, the 8A125T won't fit in a stock baffle since it won't clear the EL84.

Per CASSADY (see quote below), a Weber 8A125 fits just fine in a stock baffle.

What to do?!?! What to do?!?! The nice folks at Weber put a HOLD on my order for a 8A150 as I've had 2nd thoughts about it not being "balanced" enough for a variety of styles & guitars. I had settled on the 8A125 as a good middle ground btwn the 8A150 & the 8A125T which I worried will be too bright in already bright amp (for my taste).

For sheer convenience, I had hoped for a "drop in" replacement.

Hmm...

Originally Posted by Cassady

My Weber 8A125 speaker arrived today and, much to my surprise, it fits with the magnet cover in place. I won't be able to change tubes without pulling the chassis, but that's not a big deal to me.

I've also removed the rear mesh screen and "chord box" and done the "trinity" mods, but think that I may undo them at some point. Also, as I've previously mentioned, I'm running a NOS RCA 12AX7 and EL84 in this amp.

I find it difficult to describe the precise changes that the new speaker made, but I like them. I think the tone, especially when driven to power tube distortion, is "smoother" for want of a better term.

I also think that I lost some volume--not a big deal for me and it actually makes it more basement friendly when there are other people in the house. I don't know if it would be thin-walled apartment friendly or not, but it certainly isn't overly loud.

I think that the new speaker, along with the other mods, make this a more humbucker friendly amp. It still sounds good with sinle coils, too.

All in all this is a terrific amp and I'm really glad that I got one.

Sorry, no pictures as I was too lazy to get out the camera after installing the speaker; besides Rob's photos are much better than mine...

Cassady

[Sevan Simonian]

Perhaps my lousy ASSUMPTION was wrong after all...

Per the Weber Site:

8A125:
3lb (1.36Kg)
8-1/8" (20.6cm) diameter, 4-1/8" (10.48cm) deep (no cover), 4-7/8" (12.38cm) deep (with cover).

8A125T:
3.5lb (1.6Kg)
8-1/8" (20.6cm) diameter, 4-1/4" (10.8cm) deep (no cover), 5" (12.7cm) deep (with cover).

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Sevan Simonian

Now I know it's DANGEROUS to assume, but... "ASSUMING" the Weber 8A125 & 8A125T have the same shape and size, we've got a bit of conflicting info.

Per ROB, the 8A125T won't fit in a stock baffle since it won't clear the EL84.

Per CASSADY (see quote below), a Weber 8A125 fits just fine in a stock baffle.

What to do?!?! What to do?!?! The nice folks at Weber put a HOLD on my order for a 8A150 as I've had 2nd thoughts about it not being "balanced" enough for a variety of styles & guitars. I had settled on the 8A125 as a good middle ground btwn the 8A150 & the 8A125T which I worried will be too bright in already bright amp (for my taste).

For sheer convenience, I had hoped for a "drop in" replacement.

Hmm...

Welp, you CAN stick in a Weber 8F150 and the big ring mag will hit the EL84 spring retainer and the front edge of the speaker will tap the chassis and you can't get the tube in or out without pulling the chassis. I'd assume the same will happen with an 8A125 (FYI, the 8A125T is the ribbed cone version of the 8A125, so the gross dimensions are the same). Also consider that there might be some differences in how the baffles were cut for each amp.

I would NOT suggest a large, robust speaker for this amp (unless you want dark, heavy bottom end saturation and yer not gonna play rock or blues with yer GA5). Been there, done that, it was a mistake.

IMO, the best GA5 Weber speakers for rock 'n' bluez might just be the Blue Pup AlNiCo or ceramic, or the CVA8, or the 8A125T.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Sevan Simonian

Perhaps my lousy ASSUMPTION was wrong after all...

Per the Weber Site:

8A125:
3lb (1.36Kg)
8-1/8" (20.6cm) diameter, 4-1/8" (10.48cm) deep (no cover), 4-7/8" (12.38cm) deep (with cover).

8A125T:
3.5lb (1.6Kg)
8-1/8" (20.6cm) diameter, 4-1/4" (10.8cm) deep (no cover), 5" (12.7cm) deep (with cover).

Those speakers are dimensioned exactly the same, just different cones. And I've had enuf of them, too ....

[big jimmy]

will it fit with out mods?

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by big jimmy

will it fit with out mods?

Yes.

[androo]

I just got this response from Ted...
"I'd go balls out and use an 8F125 for a very big, strong punch tone with big low end and an articulate high end."

I'm thinking either this one, or the ceramic Blue Pup. Without mods? I hope so!

Curious...why are ya'll heading for Alnico?

droo

[Guitarslinger1]

Originally Posted by androo

Curious...why are ya'll heading for Alnico?

droo

No me. The Kendrick I have in this one now is ceramic, and the Weber Blue Pup I have on the way is as well.

[mchet]

Originally Posted by specialty guitars

You have to keep checking the MF website every chance you get to score one of those returns.

Problem is, you're competing with Rob, I think he has 22 or 23 of these amps now, and his goal is 50.

AWWWW... MAAANNNNNNN....... With Rob still in the market I'll NEVER get one! LOL!!!!

[androo]

Originally Posted by specialty guitars

No me. The Kendrick I have in this one now is ceramic, and the Weber Blue Pup I have on the way is as well.

Well I'll be interested in hearing about the Blue Pup!

For fun, I ran a cord out of my GA5 input 2 and into the input of a solid state Fender amp. Interesting, but mostly...bleh. Might try the same thing into the input of my Delta Blues, see if I can't combine the breakup of the GA5 into the loud clean on the DB....use it kinda like a pedal! But, I'm too tired to uncover the beast ;) Nursing a cold...

droo

[Guitarslinger1]

Originally Posted by androo

Well I'll be interested in hearing about the Blue Pup!

For fun, I ran a cord out of my GA5 input 2 and into the input of a solid state Fender amp. Interesting, but mostly...bleh. Might try the same thing into the input of my Delta Blues, see if I can't combine the breakup of the GA5 into the loud clean on the DB....use it kinda like a pedal! But, I'm too tired to uncover the beast ;) Nursing a cold...

droo

You're running the speaker output of one amp into the input of another amp? That's a serious no-no.

There is a quick and dirty mod for doing a line out on an amp like this. I'll post it if you need it.

[androo]

Yikes! Thanks for the warning. What's the no-no? I read on the FDP that this was an OK method of not really slaving, but running them in parallel. Just to be clear, here's what I did...

Guitar--->input #1 of GA5
Guitar cable into GA5 input #2--->input of other amp.

I didn't access the RCA underneath.

droo