I have 2 Gibson GA-20 amps, I love the tone for harp. A local wants to trade me a Gibson GA-6 for one of them, haven't played through it yet. I've been reading good things about the GA-6, including Ricks' comparison to a Fender tweed deluxe. Anybody playing through one?
I just traded one off on the forum. They are amazing harp amps. I have had a 56 gibson ga20t also. To me they sound the same but the 20 has trem and another tone control. The Ga6 got a little more nasty for harp. It is def worth trading and checking out but the ga20 is worth more so might wanna get more on his end.Ga6 is a badas* amp though for sure.
I purchased Bigtone's GA-6 and plugged it in for less than a minute tonight (I was busy watching my daughter in the premier of ABC's new show "Red Widow") just to make sure it turns on. My initial 10 second revue is "wow". I'll gladly elaborate tomorrow if it will help you decide rbeetsme.....I have Premiers, Magnatones, and a Soulful but always wanted a Gibson. d ---------- Facebook
I think that is what Bruce Collins is after with his new smaller harp amp: The circuit similar to 1950's Gibsons. THAT tone. I know I was blown away by the GA-6 when we did that comparison with the tweed Deluxe three years ago.
One other amp you oughta consider keeping an eye out for if you like Tweed Deluxes and GA-6's is a Lectrolab R500. Essentially the same circuitry, but usually found with 12AY7 preamp and inversion tubes for a less gainy approach. I still have to do a review on my bandleader's. ----------
Hey jimr, (and other GA6 lovers) when you say you like GA6 best for lowish volume gigs, is that stock or modded some for harp? (I have an early-mid '40s National that is too trebly and thin by itself for harp, but sounds great with the LW Harp Tone+ pedal in front.)
Last Edited by TetonJohn on Mar 05, 2013 8:37 AM
Ronnie Shellist had a LectroLab amp that I played and liked very much. It had a Celestion Tube 10 speaker installed, which was really not bad for a cheapo speaker. I was impressed.
Teton John's post reminded me.... Last week I played through a vintage National amp that had two 6 x 9 speakers. I don't know the year or model name (I have a photo and I will dig it out and post it). It sounded good but a bit reedy. But the amp itself was a freaking time capsule relic. Perfect shape. The speakers were two new Webers. I would have liked to play it with vintage speakers, but it was cool anyway.
My GA6 that sounds great is stock spec circuit and original transformers, pretty much new caps and resistors, and a vintage Jensen C12R speaker. This speakers sounds better to me than the original Jensen P12R. I use a Lone Wolf delay for chromatic, otherwise no effects. Jim
Guy who was wanting to trade was trying to low ball me, then sold the GA6 before I even saw it. One of my Ga20's is gig ready, nice amp, I like it a lot. The other was supposed to be in great shape, (bought it online from a friend of a friend, '59) doesn't work. My plan was to keep the one I liked best. I'll have to get it up to par first. If it is similar in tone to my '54, I may want to run them both.
Last Edited by rbeetsme on Mar 05, 2013 4:03 PM
