Hi Michael; the amp in the 1st vid .... well ... the whole tape/clip whatever had to have been vertically compressed; I don't think there were any tweed amps, save the GA1RT, that were that squat and that amp wasn't a GA1RT anyway. She could have been out there with a beater ... players like her can sound good through a table radio! J
Sister Rosetta Tharpe and her tweed Gibson amp ....
- Thread starter capnjuan
- Start date
jp
Senior Member
Hi Walter,Walter Broes said:
I don't know why, but my tea leaves see you with one of these in the future -- the Ampeg B-12X (the baby bro to my B-18X). A stereo setup onstage with your Super Reverb on one side and this on the other. It looks fast just standing still! :mrgreen:
I think the classic blue diamond vinyl looks better, but I'm a little biased (no pun intended). Here are some good resources.
Some background from ggjaguar.
Some interesting notes about 7027As.
Jess Oliver's email address -- oliversoundco@aol.com
Hey Capn: The GA40 and maybe the GA20 too were full tweed in the last year or so, probably 1960, before the whole line changed. Really narrow panel look in that year ... more like just an edge on the front part of the top bottom and side pieces rather than actual front panels. Been a while since I saw one like that, think I'm remembering correctly.
The handle looks just like mine. I'm guessing it is a '60 GA40.
The handle looks just like mine. I'm guessing it is a '60 GA40.
A sweet-looking Gemini 12 popped up on eBay here. Auction text doesn't say but likely 7591s. Cathode-biased, no cathode bypass caps in the preamp, and large-value .1uf coupling caps at the phase inverter output.
Text does say:
"There is a control on the back panel that controls the Tone of the reverb. This might seem unusual and it is. However, looking inside it is apparent that it is original to the amp and was put in when the amp was built."
It probably was original ... although the public domain Gem I schematic doesn't show it. This is a composite comparision among, in the upper left a Gibson GA19 with one reverb control that controls the signal going into the reverb can, in the lower left the Ampeg Gem I schematic but with only one reverb control shown that controls signal strength coming out of the reverb can, and my Univox U305R that has the extra reverb control awkwardly located on the bottom of the chassis in the back:
Not sure but it and the primary control on the faceplate must act together like a channel's volume switch and a Master volume; can turn the output of the reverb can way up then damp it with the knob on the control panel ... maybe.
Text does say:
"There is a control on the back panel that controls the Tone of the reverb. This might seem unusual and it is. However, looking inside it is apparent that it is original to the amp and was put in when the amp was built."
It probably was original ... although the public domain Gem I schematic doesn't show it. This is a composite comparision among, in the upper left a Gibson GA19 with one reverb control that controls the signal going into the reverb can, in the lower left the Ampeg Gem I schematic but with only one reverb control shown that controls signal strength coming out of the reverb can, and my Univox U305R that has the extra reverb control awkwardly located on the bottom of the chassis in the back:
Not sure but it and the primary control on the faceplate must act together like a channel's volume switch and a Master volume; can turn the output of the reverb can way up then damp it with the knob on the control panel ... maybe.
Hi Michael; here's a schoolboy band c. 1961 with knee-high amps knocking out 'Wild Weekend'; looks to be a GA40 'two tone' in the lower left center (a Dano in the foreground, a White Falcon in the middle, and a Dano 6-string bass in the back .... early pic of Jack Bruce?):mad dog said:
... and another peek at Sister Rosetta's GA-whatever it is:
Part of the 'squat' illusion is because it's sitting down one riser from the gents behind ... it still looks a little compressed top-to-bottom if only because of proportional height of the badge to the total height. Thank you; did not know that the GA40 had been issued in full tweed. Rob's auction says he had Kendrick re-cover it but don't doubt it was tweed originally. Had also to have been in the taller cabinet like the GA30; 4" higher, 2" wider, and 1" deeper that it's little buddy GA14/16/18/19's cabinets ... I struggled to get a 12" speaker in a GA19 although the issue was mostly bell cover clearance with the tubes and lower back panel but a 15", even with a flatter ceramic magnet, never would have fit.
Side by each ... GA30 and GA18:
The GA30 is still a mystery; seller said he'd daisy-chained the channels but also said he'd put it back to original before shipping - said the mod gave it tons of gain. Fine ... except at idle, this thing sounds like the speaker is ready to propel itself through the grill cloth and channel 2 where the reverb lives is comparatively faint - it could be the channel 2 preamp tube but, because of what the seller said, can't help but suspect he didn't bother with the putback or just did it wrong :roll:
CJ
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
Thanks for the links JP, but this is not helping my GAS any!!jp said:Hi Walter,
I don't know why, but my tea leaves see you with one of these in the future -- the Ampeg B-12X (the baby bro to my B-18X). A stereo setup onstage with your Super Reverb on one side and this on the other. It looks fast just standing still! :mrgreen:
I think the classic blue diamond vinyl looks better, but I'm a little biased (no pun intended). Here are some good resources.
Some background from ggjaguar.
Some interesting notes about 7027As.
Jess Oliver's email address -- oliversoundco@aol.com
Very cool looking amp!I'm off the Super Reverb for now btw, I'm soooo happy with my new rig, the Headstrong 5E7 clone, and my Mergili reverb/tremolo unit. Amp seems to love all my guitars equally, the Guilds with the Franz pickups work great, as does my tele and my danos. Still have the Super Reverb, and probably holding on to it, but haven't played it in a couple of months.
hmmm...I can't tell a cathode from an anode, but that's a Hagstrom solid, a Gretsch double Anniversary, and a Dano six-bass indeed. :wink:Cap'n said:
jp
Senior Member
That's right. I remember seeing your new rig in your thread. Very nice.Walter Broes said:Thanks for the links JP, but this is not helping my GAS any!!
I'm off the Super Reverb for now btw, I'm soooo happy with my new rig, the Headstrong 5E7 clone, and my Mergili reverb/tremolo unit.
capn/maddog,
Call me crazy, but I'm willing to bet Sister Tharpe is cranking through a Maestro--MA1-RVT? MA2-RVT? MA216-RVT?
Check out the shape of the logo.capnjuan said:
Bob Seger said:
Hi JP; not saying it isn't but I don't think it's an MA216-RVT - the only one of those I've seen was on eBay and it was covered in Epiphone grey tolex and is a variant of the GA19RVT. Floating in the ether is a schematic usually tagged GA19RVT that's internally labeled M-216RVT. It's the schematic for the GA19RVT 'Crest' Falcon - like yours and Guildzilla's - and probably for the 'Maestro' version I saw that was dressed up like an Epiphone. The tweed and 'Crest' versions of the GA19 take the larger, medium-sized Gibson cabinets.jp said:
In the pic below, that's default's GA1RT in the top two panels; shown for badge orientation and it's cab size and shape; 'low-rise' like an LP Jr / Skylark. Even though it carries a 'Maestro badge', it also has a 'GA' ID#. On the bottom, two of the later Maestro versions; both with 4 X 8" speakers ... though to be the descendents of the two-tone '50s GA 45 Maestro amps popular with harp players.
But I think you're on to something with the MA1-RVT but make it a GA1RVT at Schematic Heaven This is the same circuit as the GA1RT including a single 6BM8 except a 6EU7 substituted for the 12AX7 and an added 7199. The GA1RT couldn't reverb its own signal; it was designed and sold as a remote 'echo' effects amp; like the Guild RC 20.
With the 7199, it could drive and recover its own reverb signal without having to have a larger cabinet. The GA1RT had a long-spring unit; that is, the cab was wide enough and there's plenty of space on the GA1RT chassis for another tube socket. The MA2RVT or GA2RVT, assuming that the cabinet in the vid is as low as it looks, I don't think would fit; it's a two-channel, 5-tube preamp model ... which strikes me as alot of electronics for a shorty cab.
Anyway, while this is all speculation, I think you're probably right about the M or GA 1RVT ID but in a later, squared-off, low-rise cabinet with a Gibson badge; the fact is that default's GA1 with its 6BM8 puts out a terrific signal and it shouldn't surprise that Sister Rosetta mighta thought the same thing ... but she wanted reverb too! CJ
jp
Senior Member
Hey capn,
Your detective work is flawless, as usual. You're probably right about it being a GA1/MA1-RVT. I was just going from the logo appearance and a deep set memory that I had possibly seen a MA-216rvt of similar dimensions.
In my very quick Google image search for the venerable Gibbies and Maestros, I pulled up this page at University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (a town famous for its great diners, BTW). Howsabout this for a college education?
http://online.physics.uiuc.edu/courses/phys498pom/498emi.html
Some great vintage amp pics. I bet they have fun homework too.
Your detective work is flawless, as usual. You're probably right about it being a GA1/MA1-RVT. I was just going from the logo appearance and a deep set memory that I had possibly seen a MA-216rvt of similar dimensions.
In my very quick Google image search for the venerable Gibbies and Maestros, I pulled up this page at University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (a town famous for its great diners, BTW). Howsabout this for a college education?
http://online.physics.uiuc.edu/courses/phys498pom/498emi.html
Some great vintage amp pics. I bet they have fun homework too.
Thanks for the link! I should probably email them these pics of a GA1RVT from eBay - I don't think I've seen another one in the last two years. Shows a shorty cabinet and smallish reverb can ... but the same externally as the GA1RT except the extra reverb control knob.
Do not know if this one, like the GA1RT/Guild RC 20, was sold with cables and alligators clips or not. This seems like a lot of trouble to go through to get a reverb amp and then only supply an 8" speaker but then maybe that's how come Fender ran away with the market ... duh ...
Also don't know if Sister Rosetta got any benefit of Gibson marketing; there's nothing to say that the amp in the pic isn't something they laid on her just to try out or to showcase around. If it really is as short as it looks, it could have been something that never went into production but would explain the Gibson badge. When I get my Ouija Board fixed, I'll check with Sister Rosetta ... J
Do not know if this one, like the GA1RT/Guild RC 20, was sold with cables and alligators clips or not. This seems like a lot of trouble to go through to get a reverb amp and then only supply an 8" speaker but then maybe that's how come Fender ran away with the market ... duh ...
Also don't know if Sister Rosetta got any benefit of Gibson marketing; there's nothing to say that the amp in the pic isn't something they laid on her just to try out or to showcase around. If it really is as short as it looks, it could have been something that never went into production but would explain the Gibson badge. When I get my Ouija Board fixed, I'll check with Sister Rosetta ... J
Bump ..... ing around and not getting anywhere. I have calls into Sergeant Friday, Charlie Chan, and Boston Blackie ... we may have to go up on Blueberry Hill to find out what model amp she's playing. Giving up on the GA2RVT speculation; This One is on eBay ... and it's a beauty ... but I don't think it's the same as the one in the vid.
Schematic Here 4 X 6EU7, 1 X 12AU7, 6V6s, 5Y3. Two-channel, footswitched reverb and tremolo (no FS in vid of Ms. Tharpe). Functionally similar to the tweed Gibson GA19RVT which looks to be a little cheaper version of the GA2RVT; simpler reverb controls, single-channel, and subbing a 7199 to save a tube. Cool amp; monitor out, early Jensen C12Q(?), realistic BIN ... 9 months ago ... but not Rosetta's :lol: Oh well. CJ
Schematic Here 4 X 6EU7, 1 X 12AU7, 6V6s, 5Y3. Two-channel, footswitched reverb and tremolo (no FS in vid of Ms. Tharpe). Functionally similar to the tweed Gibson GA19RVT which looks to be a little cheaper version of the GA2RVT; simpler reverb controls, single-channel, and subbing a 7199 to save a tube. Cool amp; monitor out, early Jensen C12Q(?), realistic BIN ... 9 months ago ... but not Rosetta's
:lol: Oh well. CJ
jp
Senior Member
Yup, hard to tell capn. The perspective in the video is kinda funky, making it difficult to see how tall it is. Same with the GA2 in the auction. :? Still good enough to make me drool over my keyboard, though.
Hi JP; still have not heard back from Ms. Sharpe ... or her roadies ... but any excuse to post up Gibbies will do. The only way the GA2RVT moves at the price asked will be a collector looking to own a rare, but not necessarily well-regarded, Gibson amp. GA40 Les Pauls - those with the tone so eloquently described by Mad Dog - can be had for the same or slightly less money. Cheers! CJjp said:
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
Oooo...that Ebay Maestro looks nice!
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
Speaking of tubes, I was at my tech's yesterday, and tried all of my "pulls" (those italian RCA's,...) in his tube tester, most of them tested good as new!
I should have never gotten that Weber kit 5F4 though - it's at my tech's yet again - and really to get some inferior parts replaced, mostly. rattles, oscillation, etc....
Next time I'm getting something vintage again - and it probably won't be a Fender! :mrgreen:
I should have never gotten that Weber kit 5F4 though - it's at my tech's yet again - and really to get some inferior parts replaced, mostly. rattles, oscillation, etc....
Next time I'm getting something vintage again - and it probably won't be a Fender! :mrgreen:
As with houses, sometimes the first offer on an amp is the best offer ...
This Gibson Maestro GA2RVT Sold last fall
Another one - a little nasty - showed up on eBay in early February.
Bids got to $810 but didn't meet the Seller's Reserve. Soooo ... the seller listed it Again. This time, he set the Minimum bid at $799, just about where it had gotten to at the end of the first auction - how could he go wrong?
Butt ... he got no bids at all ... Hasn't been re-re-listed yet ... <smirk>
This Gibson Maestro GA2RVT Sold last fall
Another one - a little nasty - showed up on eBay in early February.
Bids got to $810 but didn't meet the Seller's Reserve. Soooo ... the seller listed it Again. This time, he set the Minimum bid at $799, just about where it had gotten to at the end of the first auction - how could he go wrong?
Butt ... he got no bids at all ... Hasn't been re-re-listed yet ... <smirk>