HawkeyeKane
1988 posts
Sep 11, 2013
2:29 PM
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Just been doing some of my usual research on obscure amps. Came across this page....
The Gibson Skylark GA-5 and GA-5T
Besides the difference in speaker, anyone know if this was a Zoo 2, possibly made with slightly higher quality components?
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Hawkeye Kane
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Barley Nectar
21 posts
Sep 11, 2013
3:55 PM
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From earlier research my findings indicated that there was indeed another Gibson amp that used the same circuit as the Kalamazoo. I ran across a couple of those amps on Ebay but don't remember their name. I hoped to land one but ended up getting a nice Zoo 2 instead. The Zoo has an awsome tone but it is a one trick pony. Greg probably know all about this...BN
Last Edited by Barley Nectar on Sep 11, 2013 3:56 PM
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arnenym
201 posts
Sep 12, 2013
3:14 AM
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This model of skylark certainly looks as a kalamazoo.
I just take a fast look on the pictures and it seems to be the same amp. Same type of tubes and so on..
But it has been a several models named skylark.
The champ-copy is common in sweden. It have 6V6 powertube and 5y3 rect.
And there is a tremolo model too.
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Greg Heumann
2360 posts
Sep 12, 2013
9:05 AM
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None of the amps in the photos at the link you provide show the GA5 model that was IDENTICAL to the Kalamazoo Model 2 Brown Face amp. But I saw one, once. I don't think they made very many of them. It used the same speaker, and there was no "slightly better components". In fact there is nothing about the quality of components in a Kalamazoo that is different from any other amp of the day - same brand caps, resistors, pots, transformers... Some of them even come with "CMI" brand tubes - "Chicago Musical Instrument" company - produced both Gibson and Kalamazoo brands.
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
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chromaticblues
1464 posts
Sep 12, 2013
9:14 AM
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The amp in figure 7 could possibly the exact same amp internally.
That would be one of those amps that no one else would want and you could buy one on Ebay for $50.
It would probably make a good harp amp too.
Although it sure is ugly!
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HawkeyeKane
1990 posts
Sep 12, 2013
9:58 AM
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Only technical difference I see between the Medalist Skylark (Figure 7) and the Zoo is that the Skylark has its own dedicated power switch, rather than an integrated one with the tone knob as you find on the Zoo.
@chromaticblues
What's so ugly about it? I realize it's all in the eye of the beholder, but that's the second Medalist I've posted in a month that folks deemed ugly. I don't get it. I think they're sweet lookin'.
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Hawkeye Kane
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arnenym
203 posts
Sep 12, 2013
11:16 AM
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I forgot the link to the amp i wrote about.
Here it is.
http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/88113-gibson-ga-5-skylark-1967/
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Barley Nectar
24 posts
Sep 12, 2013
6:10 PM
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BTW, for research sake, I have a 52 Gibsonette w/ a 10" Jensen field coil. (first pic in link) I also have a schematic for this. Sweet amp and about the same money as a Zoo. There is also a Kalamazoo badged version of this in red airplane cloth with a non Jensen FC 10" and same cosmetics. These amps use a rare cathode fed self split power amp design with 2 6V6's. (No phase inverter tube or tranny) These are excellent recording/low power amps at about 8W out when freshened...BN
Last Edited by Barley Nectar on Sep 12, 2013 6:14 PM
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chromaticblues
1467 posts
Sep 13, 2013
6:43 AM
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@ Hawk Thats just my opinion. I don't mean to affend you or anyone else. I just don't like Gibson amps from the mid 60's and up.
Now that being said I would buy one for under $100 if possible because I'll bet it would be a good harp amp with a few mods here and there.
Ther are a bunch of amps that aren't popular (or good looking) that work fine and are cheap due to lack of demand.
Like you and I have discussed before The Akia DM 13.
I have two that I paid less than $50 for together!
One is NOS in the brand new box and the other is a 9 out of 10 that works perfect.
Perfect example of excellant equipment that just hasn't caught on.
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