So a few weeks back I posted somewhere in a thread here on LTG what I was looking for in my "next" amp. Capt. Juan read it and offers me his GA18 Gibby for my consideration. (Thanks again Cap :wink: ) This amp was threaded here during its restoration, Cap called it almost museum quality in appearance, and I agree. So of course I jumped and the GA18 made the trek from FLA to NY, arriving safe and sound, no doubt helped by the Caps quality packaging.
As an admitted lifelong "Fender" type amp guy, this is my first experience with a Gibby amp. I have to tip my hat, this baby has got THAT great tube sound. The two 6V6's serve her well. From zero to about five on the volume, she is crystal clean, to the point where I was like "Is this thing on?!" Possibly the quietest tube amp I have ever heard at the lower volume. From around 5 or 6 on up, she gets crunchy to extra crunchy, if you know what I mean. Outstanding tube overdrive, TRUE tube overdrive, not pedal induced. Don't get me wrong, I love my Keeley modded Blues Driver, T9's, and 808's but nothing puts a charge in my playing like REAL tube overdrive. Very nice. The mids are crunchy, bass has a good rumble to it, and nice shimmering highs. Vintage tone. Although it may be a similar tube layout as a Princeton, it certainly is "different", but in a good way. I still love me a good Princeton or Vibroverb or Twin, but this Gibby has sumthin', hard to describe, just a nice ballsy, bluesy, little amp. The tremolo is probably one of the better ones I have heard but I'm not a tremolo type guy, would trade for reverb. However, left the depth and frequency both at "2" and I was digging it.
I spent the good part of yesterday at home, last night at my friends studio, and this morning back home putting her through the "paces". I started out with my Gibby BluesHawk with the Blues90 pups (p-90-ish with the hum canceling dummy coils). Ran it through all 6 positions of the Varitone switch which will kinda give you everything from a strat to a tele to an LP type tones. Very Clapton like tone and sound. Loved it. Moved on to a MIM strat with the Tex Mex Jimmy Vaughan single coils. Sounded like a strat. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that if you heard it you would say "Yup, Fender Strat, no doubt". (And yes, some may argue that the MIM's aren't real strats anyway....whatever!) Then moved on to my Gibby L6-S with the original Bill Lawrence buckers. Very hot! Amp volume around 7, git volume & tone dimed, extra crunchy mids. I like it alot. Very similar when I plugged in my LP with the Burstbucker Pros, very hot, even more so than the Lawrence pups. Saved the best for last. Plugged in the Guildilicious Blues 90 with the P-90's. Unbelievable tone!!! This amp was made for the P-90's. Typical P-90 smokiness, an acquired taste I think, but I was lovin' it.
Overall, each and every different type of pup just smoked through this amp. My Blues Jr. may be relegated to back up duty to the GA18.
Thanks again Cap! And look! The foot pedal (a piece of art work in itself) is on top of the amp just how you like!!! :wink:
As an admitted lifelong "Fender" type amp guy, this is my first experience with a Gibby amp. I have to tip my hat, this baby has got THAT great tube sound. The two 6V6's serve her well. From zero to about five on the volume, she is crystal clean, to the point where I was like "Is this thing on?!" Possibly the quietest tube amp I have ever heard at the lower volume. From around 5 or 6 on up, she gets crunchy to extra crunchy, if you know what I mean. Outstanding tube overdrive, TRUE tube overdrive, not pedal induced. Don't get me wrong, I love my Keeley modded Blues Driver, T9's, and 808's but nothing puts a charge in my playing like REAL tube overdrive. Very nice. The mids are crunchy, bass has a good rumble to it, and nice shimmering highs. Vintage tone. Although it may be a similar tube layout as a Princeton, it certainly is "different", but in a good way. I still love me a good Princeton or Vibroverb or Twin, but this Gibby has sumthin', hard to describe, just a nice ballsy, bluesy, little amp. The tremolo is probably one of the better ones I have heard but I'm not a tremolo type guy, would trade for reverb. However, left the depth and frequency both at "2" and I was digging it.
I spent the good part of yesterday at home, last night at my friends studio, and this morning back home putting her through the "paces". I started out with my Gibby BluesHawk with the Blues90 pups (p-90-ish with the hum canceling dummy coils). Ran it through all 6 positions of the Varitone switch which will kinda give you everything from a strat to a tele to an LP type tones. Very Clapton like tone and sound. Loved it. Moved on to a MIM strat with the Tex Mex Jimmy Vaughan single coils. Sounded like a strat. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that if you heard it you would say "Yup, Fender Strat, no doubt". (And yes, some may argue that the MIM's aren't real strats anyway....whatever!) Then moved on to my Gibby L6-S with the original Bill Lawrence buckers. Very hot! Amp volume around 7, git volume & tone dimed, extra crunchy mids. I like it alot. Very similar when I plugged in my LP with the Burstbucker Pros, very hot, even more so than the Lawrence pups. Saved the best for last. Plugged in the Guildilicious Blues 90 with the P-90's. Unbelievable tone!!! This amp was made for the P-90's. Typical P-90 smokiness, an acquired taste I think, but I was lovin' it.
Overall, each and every different type of pup just smoked through this amp. My Blues Jr. may be relegated to back up duty to the GA18.
Thanks again Cap! And look! The foot pedal (a piece of art work in itself) is on top of the amp just how you like!!! :wink:
:wink: ... besides, "None are so blind as those who do not see very well."