1959 Gibson GA8 Gibsonette: Rare Class A Design

Joined
Nov 17, 2023
Messages
7
Reaction score
5
Location
MS Gulf Coast
Guild Total
1
New guy here - Old musician who has found time to get to some projects that were collecting dust. (since 2004)
There was a great thread on here from 2008 that keeps coming up in my searches and I was hoping for some direction on the schematics, reassembly and perhaps tips / tricks on my late 50s Gibsonette amp.
I've stripped the cabinet and the amp housing and its set up for a rebuild.
gib1.jpggib2.jpggib3.jpggib4.jpg
 
Joined
Nov 17, 2023
Messages
7
Reaction score
5
Location
MS Gulf Coast
Guild Total
1
Could someone get me a few pictures of the face plate on the late 50s(59) Gibsonette? Straight on as possible. Im trying to am create a file for the printer helping with my restoration.
 

teleharmonium

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
448
Reaction score
147
Location
midwest
I'm still around, but not technically oriented enough to be helpful other than moral support. I still have my GA8 if you need a pic of something.
 

teleharmonium

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
448
Reaction score
147
Location
midwest
Could someone get me a few pictures of the face plate on the late 50s(59) Gibsonette? Straight on as possible. Im trying to am create a file for the printer helping with my restoration.
Is that the white one with 2 x 6v6 and no trem as pictured earlier ?
 

teleharmonium

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
448
Reaction score
147
Location
midwest
They're great as is, but very bright, so maybe a different cap on the tone knob would be advisable. It's the only vintage amp I know of where I can't go past halfway on the tone setting.
 

Neal

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
Messages
4,856
Reaction score
1,627
Location
Charlottesville, VA
I have a 1955 GA-9 that also has that dual 6V6 single-ended design, but no tone control.

It stays clean almost all the way up to pegged. Not a loud amp, and pretty bright, but fun for low volume clean tones.

FWIW, my single-ended silverface Champ blows its doors off.
 

jp

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2006
Messages
4,849
Reaction score
1,762
Location
Pacific Northwest US
Guild Total
4
Hey there, Rain. Sorry it took me so long to reply. Although I know a little, like teleharmonium, I don't think I'm techie savvy enough to help you with a repair/rebuild.

If no one else steps up here, try the Hoffman Amp forum. There are a load of experienced builders who can help you. The Amp Garage also seems to be a good one.

Good luck!
 

chazmo

Super Moderator
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
25,443
Reaction score
7,105
Location
Central Massachusetts
Hello @Rain

You will almost certainly do better posting a new thread. @Default, @Walter Broes , and @jp are the only ones from this thread that are still active (I think), and hopefully one of them can point you in the right direction.

Welcome to LTG, and good luck with your rebuild.
I think I gave poor advice to @Rain. I've merged the two threads. Long live the power of some of Cap'n's threads!
 

tonepoet

Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jun 25, 2009
Messages
612
Reaction score
928
Location
California
Guild Total
26
Nice. I have a GA-5 from that time era. (Single 6V6) The transformers have 1958 dates on them.
 
Joined
Nov 17, 2023
Messages
7
Reaction score
5
Location
MS Gulf Coast
Guild Total
1
Unable to find the original artwork anywhere online, I had a friend build me one from scratch. I printed it out and populated the faceplate. It seems chromed surfaces do not do well with laser etching, so I'm researching other methods of putting a clean face on the amp.
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20231207_072808402.MP.jpg
    PXL_20231207_072808402.MP.jpg
    215 KB · Views: 27
  • PXL_20231207_072212490.jpg
    PXL_20231207_072212490.jpg
    214.8 KB · Views: 28
  • PXL_20231207_233827521.MP.jpg
    PXL_20231207_233827521.MP.jpg
    188.8 KB · Views: 27
Top