VINTAGE TUBE AMPS!

[therealmingus]

Originally Posted by mannish

I've got an awesome little '57-59 (I forget exactly) Gibson GA-5T Skylark.

I passed this up for 100 bucks, still there if I want it actually could have been the later models I decided I don't need it

My "fish that got away" was a `54 two-tone Gibson GA-40 Les Paul amp. This was one of the originals that had a pair of 6V6's for the power amp, and another 6V6 for the tremolo oscillator. It was in awful condition, and had the original metal tubes in it, but, man, what a beautiful sounding little amp! The tone control on it was like nothing I'd ever heard. It had a focus to it, and an openness so that as you turned it down, it got darker without getting muddy. As you turned it up, it got bright without getting shrill or thin. It was a great amp, even with an archtop (which is a very rare quality). When played with a solidbody and a bit of crunch, it had a smooth, almost violin-like distortion.

Maybe I'll pick another up someday. They go for a grand+ on eBay when they're in good shape. Or (since I am an EE), I'll get off my tail and get those tube amp projects going that I've been accumulating parts for over the past 15 years!