Gibson GA-50T

[David B]

A few more shots from the workbench on Friday. As the rectifier tube was arcing, the electronics needed a check (not straightforward for a lay person, given the rat's nest of wiring!). The electronics turned out to be sound, with just the rectifier tube needing changing. Someone had already been in there and replaced some of the old caps (essential for a 60+ year old amp), but there's still plenty of original components in there.



Checking out the wiring.


New speakers in.


You can see how much is packed into the cabinet.

[David B]

Wow, great find, David. I'm sure you won't part with it for a long time. Have fun together. What guitar will you be playing through it?

Hi Rob. I have a Moffa Maryan (carved archtop with floating humbucker) and a Gretsch 6120 with Dynasonic pickups.

[Jgicking]

For the record, Jim Hall had at least two GA-50s (not a 50T, not that it matters, I think the circuitry is identical but for the tremolo feature). I have what was once his GA-50 “parts amp”, a battered amp, with electrical tape on the corners, which I like to think was the one he used with Art Farmer, Sonny Rollins, Paul Desmond. It is a uniquely warm sounding amplifier. Alnico Jenson 12” and 8” speakers, with the output transformer mounted on the back of the 12”. Jim liked the sound, but the amps were a bit fragile, even though equipped with WWII era metal preamp tubes. And as others have noted, he wasn’t into gear, and the Polytone served him well enough traveling. The ES175 he played had a kind of humbucking pickup installed (replacing the original P90 I’ve seen pictured) that I recall reading that guitarist Atilla Zoller had wound for him. I spent some time with Jim, but don’t ever remember talking to him about that. When I knew him, in the mid to late 1970s, he at first only had that ES175 guitar, though at some point Jimmy D’Aquisto made an archtop for him (no pickup). He used it on his second A&M Horizon record, a duet he recorded with himself. It’s a great record, but I don’t believe it has been released on CD. The first recording on A&M, with his trusty ES175 was a live recording, Jim playing in a trio in Toronto at George’s Spaghetti House with Terry Clarke and Don Thompson. Don ran a tape recorder. We’re all grateful that he did so. Although I’ve read comments to the contrary here, I don’t believe he thought either the ES175 or the Gibson amp were “too precious” to travel with. It just became impractical to do so.

[neatomic]

that was my "too precious"

and fear of losing his gear was a huge factor!!

jims daughter recently posted here about how jims gear was lost for a while on his trip to germany in the early 70's


interviews with him, back that same worry about his beloved "vintage" gear not withstanding the road

he brought his es 175 to jimmy d'aquisto for repairs and upkeep...when he realized jimmy's own guitar could accomplish similar and be new and replaceable, he went with it

his 175 had a guild (larger than a humbucker) pickup that jimmy d'aquisto used frequently..and also a zoller..which was a creation of zoller and the great bill lawrence

same with the move from gibby to polytones


ive never heard that he had 2 gibson amps!..but believable!..he loved that amp!!

cheers

[Easy2grasp]

Congrats on scoring a great amp! I also have a Gibson GA50-T. Mine is from 1950. I bought it for $35 in 1978 and it only worked for a little while and only through the microphone jack. I put it in a closet and hauled it around as I moved from place to place for over 35 years. I finally had Randy Atkins of Vintage Amp Repair restore the interior electronics a couple years ago. He said he was having difficulty finding the original schematics. Luckily, at some point over the decades, I ran across the schematics on the internet. He did a great job, it now sounds great, and I hope you find this helpful. Ted

[Max405]

Congrats on scoring a great amp! I also have a Gibson GA50-T. Mine is from 1950. I bought it for $35 in 1978 and it only worked for a little while and only through the microphone jack. I put it in a closet and hauled it around as I moved from place to place for over 35 years. I finally had Randy Atkins of Vintage Amp Repair restore the interior electronics a couple years ago. He said he was having difficulty finding the original schematics. Luckily, at some point over the decades, I ran across the schematics on the internet. He did a great job, it now sounds great, and I hope you find this helpful. Ted

Easy, this is the essence of what made this place great. That was a great post.
I've always loved the look of that amp. I've never played through one. I wonder how it sounds.
I love my Princeton Reverb and would never part with it. For what I do, its the best amp ive ever had. But if one of these pranced into my life, I'd be pretty happy.

Awesome. Joe D

[electroman]

For the record, Jim Hall had at least two GA-50s (not a 50T, not that it matters, I think the circuitry is identical but for the tremolo feature). I have what was once his GA-50 “parts amp”, a battered amp, with electrical tape on the corners, which I like to think was the one he used with Art Farmer, Sonny Rollins, Paul Desmond. It is a uniquely warm sounding amplifier. Alnico Jenson 12” and 8” speakers, with the voice coil mounted on the back of the 12”. Jim liked the sound, but the amps were a bit fragile, even though equipped with WWII era metal preamp tubes. And as others have noted, he wasn’t into gear, and the Polytone served him well enough traveling. The ES175 he played had a kind of humbucking pickup installed (replacing the original P90 I’ve seen pictured) that I recall reading that guitarist Atilla Zoller had wound for him. I spent some time with Jim, but don’t ever remember talking to him about that. When I knew him, in the mid to late 1970s, he at first only had that ES175 guitar, though at some point Jimmy D’Aquisto made an archtop for him (no pickup). He used it on his second A&M Horizon record, a duet he recorded with himself. It’s a great record, but I don’t believe it has been released on CD. The first recording on A&M, with his trusty ES175 was a live recording, Jim playing in a trio in Toronto at George’s Spaghetti House with Terry Clarke and Don Thompson. Don ran a tape recorder. We’re all grateful that he did so. Although I’ve read comments to the contrary here, I don’t believe he thought either the ES175 or the Gibson amp were “too precious” to travel with. It just became impractical to do so.

Thanks for the info; I always assumed that Jim used the D'Aquisto pictured on the album cover of the live trio record; didn't know he was still using his ES175 then. That record was recorded at George's Bourbon St., BTW. George's Spaghetti House was owned by the same people, but local bands played George's Spaghetti House and the American band leaders played George's Bourbon St. with local side men. When those rooms closed it really left a hole in the Toronto scene. I did get to see Jim there with Don and Terry, but later than when they recorded Jim Hall Live. I miss him a lot.