Gibson Falcon: GA19RVT early 1960s

jp

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I might as well post some pics of my Falcon, while we're talking about them.

1965 Gibson Falcon GA-19 RVT. A brilliant example that spent most of it's life in a studio. It could benefit from a speaker upgrade--came with the stock CTS. Earlier Crestlines had a Special Jensen I think. I checked transformer and speaker codes on Ted Weber's excellent reference website. Nice and simple control panel for when I just want to plug in and get a little surfalicious!

1965GibsonFalconGA-19RVT-a.jpg
1965GibsonFalconGA-19RVT-b.jpg
















Might as well show this one too. The mighty 1965 Ampeg Portaflex B-18-X. This is my bass rig. Very rare, especially in this shape. I have the little plexi plate with the Ampeg logo that lights up when the tubes glow, but it's just not mounted.

ampegportaflexb-18x-1.jpg

ampegportaflexb-18x-2.jpg
 

capnjuan

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Whoa Cheeseman!!! Ya been holding out on us!

Mighty Ampeg indeed! What a rig!

You are gonna replace the Falcon speaker, no? Don't know what was 'stock' in it; I had a GA5 'Crest'/2X6AQ5 w/ a 10" Gibson Ultrasonic. That speaker was just about DOA; cone had softened to paper towel consistency. Not enough speaker or amp to justify recone; especially when there are so many good new speakers around.

"Surfalicious!" Yeah Baby!

Great looking gear JP!

John
 

jp

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Thanks capn!

The Ampeg used to belong to my guitar teacher, who sold it to my brother, who sold it to a friend. Maybe about 10 years afterwards, while playing a gig in my hometown, I ran into my brother's friend and bought it from him for $400! Still has the original cover.

ampegportaflexb-18x-3.jpg
















I also have a Mesa Boogie DC-5, my workhorse from the working years, a 1976 Fender Deluxe Reverb, and the 1963 Epiphone you were helping me demystify one time.

Still pondering on the replacement for the CTS. There are so many choices nowadays, I'm not sure which direction to go with it. Any suggestions? As you know this amp doesn't break up so easily.
 

capnjuan

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Dang Cheeseman...yeah...we were messing w/ 6EU6s v. 6EU7s.... with you acting like you were lost in the (tube) woods...pulling on my mouse ya were...shame on you! Speaker: Weber 12A125, 20 watts, low $100s shipped.

I look at what the pud-pulling, hitch-'em-up-tight crowd buys.....and then go the other way. I honor my prejudices; nothing with menacing names; 'Ballbuster', 'Swamp Fart', 'Infected Fang' and so on.

Weber is committed to the 60s Jensen design; short of the Celestion Blue, I think they are as good as can be had for reasonable money. I tried the cheap Jensen ceramic RIs.....in the GA5....shiny, forward, brittle....

I like phat, round, chimey, woody...this is what I go after anyway. I get it from my GA19 and it's got a Weber 12A125. I believe your amp has the 6C4 reverb operator....do you get a little zzz at idle?

J
 

jp

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Well capn,

I really wasn't intentionally yanking your chain. I have a lot of nice gear, but I'm truthfully more of a player and still an acolyte when it comes to the nuts and bolts of amps.

In between exhausting and numerous play sessions with my little boys, I'm just starting to learn about how they work, since I've always had a tech do my service. The recently acquired Falcon and Epiphone are gonna be my guinea pigs for cap upgrades and mods.

Thanks for the speaker suggestions! I was leaning towards a Weber.
 

dklsplace

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re: speakers. Used/ebay is the only way you'll find one now, but keep an eye open for the Reverend Alltone speakers. I have 2 1250's that I'll never part with, & they ultimately end up in what ever amp I'm using live.
 

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jp said:
[IMG:421:408]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o261/elgatorisueno/Ampeg%20Portaflex%20B-18X/ampegportaflexb-18x-1.jpg[/img]

hey jp,
yeah, what a babe!

all the best
michael
 

capnjuan

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dklsplace said:
re: speakers. Used/ebay is the only way you'll find one now....Reverend Alltone speakers...

No longer in production DKL?
 

dklsplace

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capnjuan said:
dklsplace said:
re: speakers. ....Reverend Alltone speakers...

No longer in production DKL?

Nope. These were all Joe Naylor as he was starting up the "Reverend" line of guitars & gear. For awhile, he went to selling the speakers direct instead of working through dealer networks. Talk about bang for the buck! Production stopped several years ago. I do the occasional ebay search but you just don't see them for sale.

Joe, if you're out there, please bring back the raw Alltones!!!!!!!
 

capnjuan

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Suggesting that those who own them aren't going to let them loose anytime soon because they like them as much as you a/k/a strong endorsement.

j
 

jp

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Thanks for the tips guys. Great reviews on the All-tone in Harmony-Central. I'll add that to my watch list on eBay.
 

capnjuan

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Hi JP: You might want to have a look at this one: Re-coned 12" CTS believed to have been done at Orange County....note new paint. Probably sound like a Jensen...at considerably less than a Jensen not to mention that this one is good for another 100,000 miles; $35-$60?????

CTS 12 Alnico
 

capnjuan

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Hey Cheeseman: wuddya going to do with the Epiphone EA22(?) ?
 

jp

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Well capn,
As mentioned in that previous discussion we had, I was gonna try to test my restoration skills on it. I remember you had thought it might be the corresponding Epiphone that was an update of the Gibson-Maestro GA2. I wonder.

I called the shop with one of the only other examples I'd seen and asked the seller about it. He said his was dead original, plugged it in, and his review was less than sparkling. He described it as a standard 60s Gibson amp that was clean, but when pushed didn't really get that smooth tubey breakup. However, I'm still gonna stick with it, since I've always wanted to be able to do my own amp servicing. I'm without free time, though, due to little boys climbing all over me half the time. Amps can wait but little boys can't. :)
 

capnjuan

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dklsplace said:
jp said:
Amps can wait but little boys can't. :)
Amen to that!!!

Depending on age, don't forget to offer to take them with you. Some my best moments w/ one of mine was re-freshing a pair of tired AR2X bookshelf speakers; sand/refinish, fresh speakers, and new cross-over components. He tied them to his Marantz 2270 receiver and turned it up for his friends ... he went on to 5 year USN electronics / fire control program.

Sometimes you can never tell what sparks them; IMO, so long as there's a spark, any spark will do.
 

capnjuan

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JP's Epiphone EA22 (pic dumped from photobucket; cj)

Larger version at:
http://www.schematicheaven.com/gibsonamps/ea_22rvt.pdf
If this is the amp (before being 'Frankensteined' as JP called it), originally EL34 outputs; depending on transformers, capable of 25-40 watts, solid state rectifier. Oddly labled 6EU6 pre-amp tubes, since there is no history or details of a 6EU6 anywhere - good ol' Gibbie - probably a draftsman's error. Drawn indicating a separate chassis for the power supply; T1/ rectifier/choke/filter cap connected to primary amp chassis by power cable into a socket.
 

jp

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It's supposed to put out quite a lot for it's size. The cabinet is just barely larger than a Fender Princeton. You're intrigued by this one, huh capn?
 

capnjuan

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Well...some; provided it has EL34s, more so than before. I had a pair of Dynaco ST70s; in strapped mono, good for 70 wpc. Many young tubistas are scratch-building Marshall-style amps with EL34s; a rugged and good-sounding tube. The EA22 is referred to as the 'Mighty Mite' - in recognition of its power to size 'ratio'.

Having myself stepped squarely into some 'project amp' doo-doo, I can relate. If yours has been messed with, it adds another element of uncertainty. OTOH; if as you say, it's been 'modded' and therefore might be a little short on market value, the worst that can happen is that you - and your helpers - blow up something that you (and probably others) weren't crazy about anyway. If you get lucky, you might get something that surpasses the GA19.

cj
 
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