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I haven't seen these amps mentioned here, but they might be worth consideration by some forum members:
Shop Electric Guitar Amps | Gibson
“The Gibson Dual Falcon 20’s sound, simplicity, and cabinet were all inspired by the cult-classic Gibson Falcon amps from the early 1960s. However, while it might look like a vintage piece of gear, the Falcon is a fresh design from the founder of MESA/Boogie®, Randall Smith, in partnership with the MESA/Boogie Design Team. Gibson Amplifiers are handcrafted in Petaluma, California, and set the bar for low-wattage tone with modern features for today’s players.”
Last edited by Rob MacKillop; 04-16-2026 at 01:45 AM.
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04-14-2026 11:39 AM
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$1,800 for the 1x12. I'm hard pressed to see why I should spend 3x the cost for a Fender Blues Jr copy.
I'm just a ray of freaking sunshine today....
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.... who is not a collecter.
Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Yes, I’ve noticed a lot of negativity around here these days. Sign of the times? We can do better.
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So let me see...Reissued Gibson amps designed/built by Mesa Boogie...priced in the area of boutique amps.
My first impression is kind of meh...The retro cabs do not look very robust, especially the handles. Maybe seeing one in person would contradict that.
Also, most of the demos seem to be showcasing the rig's edge-of-breakup over-driven tones. How about the clean tones? The Falcon 20 might be the more gig-worthy amp, especially if miked. Again, I can't tell from the demos if it has much headroom, especially with humbucker guitars.
Gibson Amplifiers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8-DlL5Ux7A
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Can we? Have you seen the state of things? Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Dare I say : Yes, we can !
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We most certainly can be more civil, otherwise ‘they’ have won.
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No incivility on this thread! Maybe speaking truths, but not uncivil.
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C'mon, man - look at the specs. It's a far cry from a Blues Jr copy. First of all, it's a class A amp and BJ is an AB. It can run 6V6s or 6L6s, it can run single ended or push-pull, and it has switchable power output (1, 5, and 12W with 6V6s, 2, 7 & 15 with 6L6s). Each of the many configurations has a different sound quality. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
Yes, it's a PCB amp with the preamp tubes mounted to the board. I've had experience with one PCB Boogie - the original Walkabout head. It was not very well made. The jacks, which were board mounted, started to get loose within a few months. Mesa knew about the problem and sent me traditional panel mounted jacks with instructions on how to install them instead of the original ones. But stuff kept getting loose and it was just not Boogie quality. I took it back to the dealer and traded it in.
I have no idea if the Falcon is better made than that. But I think it deserves a careful evaluation because Mesa doesn't make the same mistake twice. Gibson may own Mesa now, but Randall Smith is still involved. I think he'd leave them before putting his name on a marginal product.
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These amps have been out quite a while, the guitar playing blonde in leather video is 2 years old. Haven't seen any jazzers using 'em and they've received some less than positive reviews.
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2k for a 12 watt amp, lol.
I don't think so buddy.
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Reviews say they don’t have much clean head room. But running class A, they probably have a bit of that “octal fuzz” character that’s in demand right now. The Vox Night Train I had for a few years had that vibe in 5W triode class A. Think Jr Barnyard pedal. Originally Posted by Mick-7
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Thats worth a little extra! Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
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Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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All but the rarest and most sought after models in the vintage Gibson amp line can be had for 2k or less, and often substantially less, never mind the 90's gold tone series which are stout, great sounding work horses. With that in mind I wouldn't pay half of what they are asking and I have the feeling neither will many others.
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Most of the negative reviews comment on the build decisions, not on the sound. Horizontally-mounted small signal tubes have been a configuration used in hifi, analytics gear and guitar amps for many decades. A 12ax7 has no problem whatsoever operating from a horizontal position. Moreover, the heat rises away from the base, the tube socket and from the circuit board. There is no heat dissipation problem with the in-chassis preamp tubes in these Falcon amps. The top vents don't get hot, just warm.
People don't understand distribution economics. The cost out the door for Gibson for an amp that is sold through distribution to retail has to be only about 20% of the retail price, which means that a $1499 Falcon Five has to have a build and ship cost, all in, about $300. The Falcon Twenty has to have same cost out the door at Gibson/Mesa of about $360.
The cabs are Mesa-solid. Marine grade ply. The F20 has the classic Mesa Boogie emulation to run simul-class tube configurations including single-ended. IF THESE AMPS WERE POINT-TO-POINT handwired and configured like the construction-complainers want, they would cost over $3000 at retail. Like it or not, collective distribution layers make more money than the manufacturer does. I had a Mesa Mark IV for 34 years. It was partially circuit-boarded. Zero problems over that span. Same with a Calibre .22+. A Blue Angel in operation for 30 years, never a malfunction. Subway Blues for 20 years -- a rock. Mark V for 15 years, flawless. So, I don't really worry about these Gibson Falcons. They aren't strictly reissues -- they are Randall Smith imagined versions of what two modern Gibson amps would sound like.
I have an independent dealer nearby here in SoCal. I've played both amps. Can't fault them for what they intend to be. Both sound toneful and great. Throw in some NOS tubes from the golden days of production and make them better. I was aiming for a Falcon Five, but chose to go in a more obscure, boutiquey direction with a Wavelength head and 10" cab. Otherwise, I would have been happy with a Falcon Five for low-wattage needs and accessible edge-of-breakup tone without a pedal to fake it.
PhilLast edited by 213Cobra; 04-16-2026 at 02:49 PM.
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They do better than 20 percent.
Guitar Center generally takes 40 percent but large companies can work out better deals
GC gets the most favorable rate of any shop because they are huge and they advertize the hell out of your products
Its not hard in other shops to offer a 30-35 percent discount
If they dont sell direct and use a distributor those rates are typically 10 percent plus a few fees.
I know this becuase I have dealt with both. It is a chunk of chage but its still managable. Especially when dealing with high profit items.
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Possibly. But I've run an M.I manufacturer and have first hand knowledge of the economics. Same with consumer hifi. 20% cost against retail is a good guidepost. Companies that sell consumer direct have different economics entirely. The other matter is whether retail (or in this industry "MAP" price) includes 2 or 3 tier distribution. In any case, as channel products, these Falcon amps aren't absurdly priced. They reflect the economics of modern manufacturing, distribution, sales and marketing. Originally Posted by Sigmund451
Electronics aren't high profit items compared to accessories, like cables. Cable economics prop up the more conservative economics of electronics and instrument.
Phil
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Maybe I misunderstood. Are you saying 20 percent is their costs or that they only get 20 percent OF retail total.
Perhaps I misunderstood what you said.
I was talking total input of cash against retail, not their total cost of materials plus labor.
I have no idea as to the actual costs but they should be getting between 50-60 percent of retail after their down the line costs. Then subtract the actual cost of production and there are those that would know that much better than me. Im clueless when it comes to electronics cost. Of course they have a ton of overhead as well.
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Typically, a maker of consumer goods sold via distribution, must set retail list prices at 4X - 5X cost of goods sold (materials, labor, packaging, etc -- final cost out the door. Some go for 6X. This varies by industry. Fashion & cosmetics are much different from guitars and amps. The maker will then sell into the distribution for a price that includes maybe 100% markup. So, a $300 cost item will get sold into the channel for ~$600 or more, the difference from cost being the maker's gross profit. If there is just one tier of distribution above the maker (e.g. Gibson sells directly to Guitar Center) the economics for both may improve. But if the pricing scheme must accommodate one or more additional tiers of distribution (e.g. Gibson sells to a regional distributor who in turn services and sells to independent retailers who sell to the consumer) the retail list (or in the US the MAP) price must accommodate. And in international cases where a Gibson might sell to a country distributor who must stock goods to sell to either larger retailers or local distributors who sell to independent retailers, price must reflect that. Originally Posted by Sigmund451
Two or three tiers of distribution contribute price effects. And in cases where the maker sells directly to the retailer, the maker might take a higher margin for itself. But you can see that even if Gibson sells directly to a retail dealer that demands 40%- 60% gross margin after selling to the consumer, a $1499 MAP price quickly materializes. Now, as for what consumers pay -- Gibson could run a sale that reduces its profit margin when selling to the retailer, who in turn reduces the price to the public. The retailer or any intermediate distribution could reduce margin to cut the selling price. All these things can happen. But list prices reflect the intended full economics to cover everything from raw materials and labor to packaging and pushing product to consumers who can buy. If Gibson sold only direct to consumer, it could lower list prices to, say 3X out-the-door cost, and in fact you can order an amp direct from Gibson.com but not at reduced price because they have to respect their own MAP or list price to prevent conflict with their own channel.
Phil
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Wow, I looked up Wavelength amps - they look stunning, but the price is incredible! Not something you’ll find at your local guitar store. Which version do you have, Phil, and how does it sound?I have an independent dealer nearby here in SoCal. I've played both amps. Can't fault them for what they intend to be. Both sound toneful and great. Throw in some NOS tubes from the golden days of production and make them better. I was aiming for a Falcon Five, but chose to go in a more obscure, boutiquey direction with a Wavelength head and 10" cab. Otherwise, I would have been happy with a Falcon Five for low-wattage needs and accessible edge-of-breakup tone without a pedal to fake it.
Phil
Wavelength Audio, ltd. Product Page
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That new falcon is a VERY nice amp. Mesa cleans are fantastic (to my ear.). Most people don't know that because they look for the gain knob and turn it all the way up. The shop where I work had a Falcon for over a year and we finally had a giveaway. Nobody seemed interested, maybe because it said Gibson on the front. (... or maybe the Carr, Mesa, Fender, Soldano amps in the shop). I think the price is/was an issue for that new Falcon as well, but I would guess it could be had, used, for a good price.
We just got a mid-60's Falcon in, and it sounds wonderful, but those amps are just not very loud.
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My guess is they are aiming for the Tweed Champ,Harvard,etc crowd with these amps. So they are looking for an overdriven sound from the power tubes.
That said Mesa Boogie has made some really great amps over the years and some that are just cheaply made as well.
But overall they were always a good company to deal with.
Now Gibson runs it,I have no experience with them.
I fall on the side of passing on these,especially at that high of an asking price. I would look to a smaller boutique builder,and especially in the used market.
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Rob, Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
That link leads to Gordon Rankin's hi-fi electronics including preamps, power amps and DACs. Yes, his prices are rich. I have high-end audio, tube based hifi gear, just not Gordon's Wavelength items. He sells his guitar-related products under Guitar Engines ( Wavelength Audio, ltd. Product Page ), where his prices are much more moderate but in the realm of boutique guitar electronics. $400 pedals, $1000 - $2000 guitar amps, or more. But Wavelength / Guitar Engines is really a custom shop. As you will see in the products listed now on the Guitar Engines page, he has product baselines but will modify to anything you want, priced accordingly.
In Wavelength for guitar, instead of a Gibson/Mesa Falcon Five, I got from Gordon his Twenty Four Guitar Amplifier (head) and a 10" speaker hardwood cab. The head amp was $999. The hardwood cab with Celestion Gold Alnico speaker was $800. So, guitar boutique range, and since Gordon only sells direct, he doesn't have to have multi-layer distribution economics in his pricing. BTW, the Twenty Four is a single-ended pentode 6V6, 4-5W head, branded Twenty Four because it uses three octal socket tubes for 24 pins.
Gordon has the Twenty Four on Reverb right now:
Just a moment...
Then, since my wife's situation makes it prudent to play electric guitar via headphones more often and I therefore wanted a tube amp alternative to using the headphone output of the solid state Henriksen Bud, I also got from Gordon his Guitar Noggin tube headphone amp, which I usually put a UA Enigmatic '82 in front of, for its room ambience function and speaker sims.
All of Rankin's electronics are stuffed with top quality parts, and all are hand-built. For example both the Twenty Four and Guitar Noggin include liberal use of Black Gate capacitors. In his hi-fi electronics, you get into price-blooming silver-wound transformers and other more exotic content where the fidelity objectives are much more stringent and ambitious than for limited-bandwidth electric guitar, where wideband linearity takes a back seat to tone and voicing.
The Twenty Four head sounds jumpy, chimey, ringing, transparent and rich. Even at only 4-5W, without separate gain and master volume, it's too loud through the Celestion Gold in open back cabinet to play into significant distortion, though when it's cranked it does lovely edge-of-breakup and pushed harder you get into singing fizz. You can darken the sound with the tone control and any tone controls on a guitar become interactive with the amp. It just sounds great clean. The Guitar Noggin headphone amp is different. Gordon initially designed it for NAMM show exhibitors, where the ambient noise conditions are way too loud for critical listening demos. Unlike in narrower-bandwidth guitar amps, this headphone amp is more like a wideband hifi amp but with a guitar input. As such, it can sound too extended on both ends with many pickups, though it is excellent for analyzing and hearing the fine differences between pickups and guitars. Putting a preamp pedal in front of the Noggin feeds it a guitar contour. A simple example is using my Xotic Effects BB preamp between the guitar and the Noggin. A richer example is using the UA Enigmatic for more variables and for the room sim. Gordon told me he probably should have, in retrospect, built the Noggin specifically for guitar bandwidth and voicing, but the way it came out lets it transparently convey whatever you put in front of it -- any instrument or effect that outputs through a 1/4" cable. The Noggin has a switch for high or low impedance headphones. The Sennheiser HD300 Pro is a good, fairly cheap match to the low Z setting. The Noggin has the same touch response and jumpiness that the Twenty Four has.
Phil
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