Amps like the Gibson GA (vintage voiced and with Jensen alnico)

[GiantSteps]

Hello!

I would be in the market for any kind of vintage voiced amp but especially the Gibson GA models. I am looking for something with a Jensen alnico speaker. The wattage can be from 5 watts to 20 or so. Is there any amp like that new or used or vintage in Europe under 600-700 eur? A couple of years ago there was the Harmony 8418 so I am looking for something in that direction.

Thank you !

[marcwhy]

For that price? No.
If you're lucky, you may find a used Vintage 47 amp, or just keep saving and buy a new one.

Good luck!

[6v6ster]

Great old amps are still out there for that price. 60’s ampeg jets still are. Those sound super cool. Some big names used those back
in the day. Gibsons do tend to go for a little more but there are a lot of old American amps with Jensens that really have a similar American sound.

[AllanAllen]

Best suggestion at that price is to get a Jr Barnyard pedal and put it through a used tube amp.

[marcwhy]

Best suggestion at that price is to get a Jr Barnyard pedal and put it through a used tube amp.

Yeah, I like this!

Or the Combs JJ-150!

[DawgBone]

There are a bunch of GA models. Some are Maestro branded. There may be another branding yet for a similar Gibson/Seth Lover designed circuit but I forget the name. Might be able to save a few bucks especially if a seller isn't aware of the connection between those brands.

You ain't getting anything Gibson branded turnkey for 700 euros. Gibson amps are made pretty light duty. As a GA-2rvt owner I can't say it's a very roadworthy layout compared to a Fender. An unbelievably great sounding amp but IMO best suited for studio use. It needs work. I know guys that tote them to gigs but I wouldn't count on a GA the way I would a deluxe or twin for making money.

[Zhahn]

An old German made Dynacord Jazz from early 60’s.
2 EL84’s, 2 inputs with just volume and tone. 10” alnico.
Should be easier to find them in Europe within your budget.
Great clean tones.



sorry about the sideway pics.

[GiantSteps]

Great old amps are still out there for that price. 60’s ampeg jets still are. Those sound super cool. Some big names used those back
in the day. Gibsons do tend to go for a little more but there are a lot of old American amps with Jensens that really have a similar American sound.

Thank you very much for your answer! Do any of those american amp brands come to mind? I am kind of a noob about amps, espcially vintage ones. Also Ill look into the Ampegs.

[GiantSteps]

For that price? No.
If you're lucky, you may find a used Vintage 47 amp, or just keep saving and buy a new one.

Good luck!

It can be a little more, I would gladly spend 1k for a nice condition GA-5 or Ga-8 but the prices for vintage Gibsons in europe are a joke, for example 1.8k for a ga-8. Thats why I was asking about newer amps that are vintage voiced and also affordable like the limited run Harmony 8418.

[powerwagonjohn]

It took a while but I found a 1962 Ampeg Reverberocket on my local C/L. The best $600.00 I have spent in a long time. Octal 6SN7 and 6SJ7 preamp tubes with 6V6 output tubes. Jensen 12" speaker, tremolo and the famous lush Ampeg reverb. It had already been through Savage Audio so it needed nothing. You could say it was waiting for me! Fantastic amp and a real keeper. Including the cool handmade handle.
Thanks John

[6v6ster]

As far as other brands, Harmony (make sure it has a power transformer so you don’t kill your self), valcos and supros have gone up in price but might might find one on the cheaper side. Premier, airline are great too. Epiphone amps too. There’s a bunch!

ampeg mercuries are superb jazz amps! I got one for $350 just a few years ago.

[golem]

I have a vintage GA-35RVT. Word on the internet is that it's based on a Deluxe Reverb so when I went to try it out and it sounded like absolute a$$ I knew that it was worth paying an amp tech to fix up. He changed it to mostly DR specs and put vintage Pyle speakers in there. Yup, the same ones Derek Trucks made famous that cost practically nothing but sound amazing.

I have maybe $250 in the amp (not sure what that would be adjust for inflation but I've had it about 6 or 7 years) and I would not trade it for any blackface Fender for good warm clean tones.

[st.bede]

What has more impact on tone: octal tubes, or class a power?

To my knowledge (and from memory) gib, in the late 90s made some great sounding amps. If I remember right they were class A. I would assume they were not octal. Also Matchless had some great class A amps.

[redwater]

I recently bought a Blackstar Studio 10 6L6 used for 300€. I changed the Tubes to TAD Ecc83 7025 and Sovtek 6l6wxt+, put in a Jensen C12q. Final costs were about 420€. Nice american sounding, single ended, vintagey tube sounds....