I posted an exclusive video on Locals of this amp through a 412 cabinet. It sounds KILLER! theguitologist.locals.com/post/3478063/1964-gibson-skylark-ga-5t-heavily-modified-thru-412-cabinet
watching Brad helped me diagnose why my crate g1200h died. 4.7ohm 40w(I think) ceramic resistor died which was directly after the channel switching fet. I just bought a katana head so I have something while I source parts.
Always enjoy your content Brad, for a long time I didn't understand how amps and a few other things worked and watching your content has helped in my understanding. I am at college studying mechanical engineering and we are being taught about AC-DC principles and circuit design, I understand why and how these things are designed in the way they are as far as the circuit is concerned now. I'd just like to say thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
I have a 1968 Gibson Skylark that I bought with that same buzz that this amp had before Brad started work on it. I replaced the big brown (Astron) filter cap with, in my case 3 good caps of ruffly equal value of the original multi-cap. It cured the buzz and the amp played fine. I wouldn't call it a great sound, it is a little growler, but at least I know what the original sound is in case I ever want to replace more components to improve the sound of it. Anyway, Thank you Brad! Oh, and I forget to say that I first ran the new caps in parallel with the old caps to isolate the bad caps. That technique worked fine once I isolated the bad part of the multi-cap and only had that one running in parallel.
What a great Monday. Sleep till noon and started my day with Tim Pierce and Brad the Guitarologist ( except hes an amp tech but whatever) man I hope he puts it on the Veriac and brings it up slow.
Everyone here, appreciate the way you do your videos,seeing all the details and problems is informative (useful), we all learn something from your 'expeditions', change nothing (or whatever you would like to change)!. Watched one or two videos from Rett, learned nothing, but i'm an old guitarist. Always learn something when one of your videos is notified! Thank you Brad, for sharing.
Would love to see you rambling around an old all tubes wooden 'acoustic'.You know, the ones who had a fuss with Mesa? Mine originally was supposed to work both with Tubes and FET's, in case you blow a Tube 'in situ'. The '165'? reverb.com/item/28291384-acoustic-model-165-100w-tube-combo-1978-with-evm-12l-oak-walnut-cabinet
I love your videos. I’ve learned more in the time I’ve spent watching some of your videos than any boring ass video of someone that uses most of their time playing through the amp with tube rolling bullshit. Keep’em coming. You are making some of us smarter.
Great job mate and so tidy too. Love these amp vids! The tone ended up being awesome. Also perfect finish making notes on the schematic so any other tech that might work on it knows exactly what you did.
@@TheGuitologist I'd love to mate but I lack the abundant skills you have. I did GCSE electronics at college but it's long forgotten. I learn so much from you mate and just find it fascinating. 😊🙏👍
This is so cool this is the first amp I ever played through my father had this amp when I was a kid he also had a Gibson es 125t these amps have a great tremelo sound this brings back some great memories.
Wow ! So Lucky ! My dad went out and bought me a 1/4" to RCA Adapter at Radio Shack and said "Plug it in here (showing me the "AUX" jack in the back of my No Name Stereo) and turn this knob to AUX", and THAT was my First "amplifier" ! No. I am NOT kidding.
I’ve started a small collection of fountain pens. I have a couple in need of repair actually. Maybe a Channel 2 video sometime.
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I watched the entire video and learned many things. The coolest was Brad's Louisville Slugger t shirt in blue looks Dy-no-mite! I'm going to order one!
Thanks for stopping by, as always, Jose. I got this shirt the day I shot the Louisville Slugger factory tour. ua-cam.com/video/tiKbl-C2eZg/v-deo.html
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@@TheGuitologist i saw the video did you did at the factory when it came out. It was great! I had my Willie Mays & Johnny Bench Louisville Sluggers as a kid! Great memories!
It's just a fact that more people by far are interested in a video showing how cool something sounds as opposed to why it sounds cool. Rhett's video didn't get 500k views because of the amp, it got that many because people just want to hear anything that's cool
It's probably around 12W. You should mod in an output jack and then you can use any cab you want. Also, a simple tone control would be easy and could be installed in the second input jack spot without drilling. But yeah, these are basically a Princeton and can scream when pushed.
Any reason why my ga-5 from 66 has higher main voltage off the primary transformer than stated in the schematic? Its smoking the first resistor in the power section. No shorts to ground. Driving my nuts
I remember a guitarist I work with having one of these in the studio one night back around 1977-78. Can't remember how it sounded but he was more into a clean sustain sound most the time.
Seriously? Discerning public? The "public" do what they're told. The discerning people get flagged on Social Media for "Hate Speech" Just sayins all... Love ya Brad... Cheers 🍻
I try to capture the amps the best I can without coloring with pedals or EQ in post. They never sound as good as they do in the room, and I could make them sound way better with post processing if I wanted to. Rest assured, this amp positively rocks in person. It's inspiring as hell to play.
This one seemed like it still has a lot of life left. Sometimes they are just tired and need to go. The thing about this speaker is it's not very efficient, so when the amp is cranked, you get super juicy overdrive without blasting anyone's head off.
Hi Brad. I 100% agree with your fuse-switch wiring order. Its somewhat easier in Australia as we usually have switched wall outlets. Here's a thought about testing with 1kHz. I used to also test at this frequency ... until I looked up my Frequency vs Note table. 1Khz is just below the 20th fret on your high E string. Not so typical of what we play. I now test at 440Hz, which is the 10th fret on the B-string...my most played note! LOL! Tue, it's the Fundamental and there are many overtones at well over 1KHz, but I choose to test at a common fundamental, especially when judging capacitor performance. Just a thought. Yes, I agree that some viewers are entranced by non-technical people...even in our world. It is what it is. I'm happy to have more than 2 subscribers. I had 3 but my mother passed.
Not a bad idea. Usually with that tone, I'm just using it as a loudness reference or using it for signal tracing. In either case, the frequency isn't too important. If I was testing to find a cabinet buzz or some other fault that seemed to follow a resonant frequency, I'd either set the generator to "Sweep" or just use a guitar. How often do your outlet switches fail in Oz?
@@TheGuitologist I worded that badly, Brad. I meant that in Oz its easy to reach over and flick off 240v power when changing a fuse, instead of pulling the lead from the wall socket in the US. I reckon many people would be just too lazy to pull the lead when changing a fuse, until the 120v bites them.
My thoughts on bumble bee caps, in the a guitar's tone circuit, is that you could get the same affect by put a resistor in parallel with a new cap or maybe resistor in parallel and series at the same time. The problem with these old paper wounded caps is that over time the internal resistance keeps increasing as the paper breaks down. And the same thing with oil caps where the oil drys out.
Yo Brad I am a big fan of your channel and you do incredible work. That being said could you please turn down the volume on you signal generator. Its always surprising that you work with loud test tones, this instead of show us the wave form on a nice and quite scope, as well as giving your viewer more scope techniques. Cheers man. Thanks B
Recently was passed down a 57 gibson ga-5 from my grandfather and as far as I can tell, it's pretty much just a copy of a fender champ. Just a nice little 1 knob 8" speaker 5 watt amp. The filter cap looks like it was replaced, probably in the 80s judging from the look of the cap. But aside from that and the power amp tube it looks pretty original! Works great and sounds amazing. I should probably put a legitimate 3 prong power cable on it.
Correct. The earlier version of the GA-5 was a 5 watt single-ended job. Later they were changed to the Skylark during the Crestline era and the output was upped to probably closer to 10-12 watts.
Rhett hangs out with Beato.= more views automatically. Your modded "version" of the amp sounds pretty good , but it won't satisfy the nostalgia buffs who just want to hear it as it was built and sounded in the 60's. I would have preferred to keep the "stock" 64 sound. You do damned good work and I enjoy your adventures in amp work. Don't compare "your" view rating with Rhett's. He has a different audience. I prefer watching your stuff. :)
International electrical standard is a pretty strong argument for your case. Pulling a standard out is a pretty pro take. I'd be interested in also hearing the counter-argument, why it would be better to have the fuse after switch?
The counter argument is that idiots can take the fuse cap off and stick their fingers in the fuse holder thinking the amp is off. But they could also do that with the switch on too. The fuse caps are designed to insert the fuse into the cap and then screw it down, not to insert the fuse into the socket first.
Hey Brad,I left a comment,I think was from a video from a while ago.Just to say Im retired at last and after years of diving inside lucky peoples Voxs,Marshalls etc,I decided to treat myself to a Vox ac15c1,a Marshall DSL20hr and a PRS Standard 24 in wine red.Now I get to play all day until I die.Very happy ex tech!How about those PRS guitars,perfect straight out the case,I got a Line6 HX Stomp too,now I have to sell off around 30 pedals as the HX has got it all.Would I like to go back and start all over again?Are you kidding?I can just keep watching you!
I think the fuse-before the switch comes from larger switch-gear, usually 3-phase systems that can't be unplugged so the switch is the plug. The fuse is de energized by the open switch prior to removal. If anybody has made a 120 vac power switch that could fail to ground has long since lost their UL rating. This is one of those situations that has two solutions.
Hey Brad, how's things going. Great looking job on the amp. How come when you do a job on these amps, they always look better than a factory job. You reckon the tecks back in those days just really didn't give a shit in hell about their work? I love to watch you take an amp like that one and make it into a work of art and it really sounds good as well. ROCK ON, MAN!!
PTP wiring always comes out looking a little bit messy. That doesn't mean it IS messy. The newer components are often much smaller at the same value, therefore, after a service, the amps usually look cleaner than when I start the service.
Nice job. Modifications are interesting. Removing the Sprague pc network and recapping is usually a big improvement with what are commonly referred to as Gibson's Crestline series of tube amps (Brad mentioned the "coat of arms" which is also called a "crest," hence the Crestline designation). The filter caps will need replacing when AC line noise is present, as the amp was displaying. However, the coupling caps are the biggest variable here vis-a-vis tone. It appears that orange drops were used here, which are but one option from among a myriad of suitable replacements, but there are other choices there, too. The MPW caps from Illinois Capacitor, for example, are cheap and good sounding. Obviously, there are lots of boutique caps out there that no doubt sound great, too. Not sure of the need to modify the schematic, aside from basic stuff like clipping the *DEATHCAP!* (if that keeps you up at night) and grounding. Again, removing the Sprague pc network is a good idea, as it seems to open up the sound of this amp immensely. To my ears, there is nothing else that would warrant improvement by altering the circuit from what is printed in the schematic. Good luck in your future endeavors and keep the tubes glowing.
Did he mod the schematic or mod a copy of the schematic? I'd say leave the original schematic alone but include a modified copy inside the amp for future technicians. After years of use and a component failure down the road it might be hard to tell what your replacing. Things do burn up and the markings are gone. The new schematic would speed up a future repair.
@@tenlittleindians I meant to say "modify the circuit." I don't agree with doing radical modifications to these old amps. If there is a certain sound to be obtained, perhaps it would be easier to just find an amp that has that "sound." Your idea, though, is a good one. It will just make things easier for future service.
@@jimmyjoefine I have mixed feelings on modifying old amps and old cars. When I go to a car show it's nice to see a pristine classic that's been restored to as close to original condition as possible. It's also gratifying to see an old car that's been hot rodded to the max with internal and external changes that show off the "what this car could have been" imagination. Some of those modded cars grow in value even faster than the same car in original form such as a Batmobile or a Back to the Future Delorian. If I wanted a 1957 Chevy as a daily driver I have a friend that modified his with a modern Chevy engine, modern wheels and disc brakes and suspension, modern air conditioning and cruise control and a modern sound system. He also added power windows and power door locks. It's now as reliable as a new car off the line. It's a better car than an original 57 but it still looks like an original. The same goes for amps. Is it for sitting on a shelf or going to be played daily? I have several classic amps in original condition that are getting too valuable to continue playing daily! I should sell them to collector's and buy a modern amp as a daily driver and stick the extra money in the bank.
@@tenlittleindians I can see both ways as well. In the current market, it would be best to keep the old Fender amps in particular as near to original as possible. In the last year, the market for the blackface and tweed amps has gone insane. It makes me feel similar, that maybe I shouldn't want to even play an old amp in near-original condition. Which is kind of a sad way to exist with them. I think the solution is to get lots of them so that you can't even consider playing but a few of them ;) The good thing about the old tube amps is that you can be faithful to the original design while still making upgrades, since many modern components are superior in spec to the originals. And obviously, with something like failed electrolytics, you have to replace them if you intend to use the amp. Having said that, it's far less worrisome for me to go in and completely re-cap something like a 1960's Valco amp than to even consider doing that to an old tweed amp (Just an example, I usually don't even think about replacing all the caps, just the ones that I feel need to be replaced. In fact, the last couple amps I worked on are running their original can capacitors with no issues.) If I want to really modify something, then I look for a unit that doesn't matter. Recently I took a stereo single-ended tube amp out of an old Westinghouse stereo console. It had no power switch, fuse, inputs or outputs on the chassis. I added the switch and fuse as well as RCA inputs and binding posts for the speakers. Now I have a perfectly usable little hi-fi amp and the modifications only affect the value in a positive way. My real point here is that folks like Brad who have no formal background in circuit design should consider that maybe they are doing things that they don't really understand. Even in this video, he's just throwing stuff in there and waiting to see what happens. Adding components of similar values to a Princeton obviously did not result in an amp that sounds anything like a Princeton. These old Gibson amps can sound great just by replacing that Sprague network with a single capacitor. They don't really sound like Fender amps at all, but they do have their sound. My '65 Scout is one of the coolest amps I have ever played - and the only change was the removal of the Sprague part.
I'm not a proponent of "cap rolling" really. Most poly-based caps will sound very much the same whether they're orange drops or some corksniffer top shelf replacement. The value is what's important. But when it comes to ceramic caps, there is absolutely a difference in tone, and I like a ceramic cap between V1 and V2 stages in amps.
I am so tired of people trying to save the “mojo”. If you want to play the amp the way it was intended... just replace the caps and resistors to be safe.
I agree. I used to try to be respectful in the extreme to originality to appease the corksniffers in the trade. But now, I'm defiant. I think the focus on "mojo" over operation is bad for the amps. More will fail catastrophically as a result of this focus.
If you put grease on your drill bit when drilling the chassis the grease will hang onto the metal pieces, so you don't have to clean up the shrapnel. Just trying to be helpful. Great video, been wanting to watch this but I got to wait until the kids and wifey wont interrupt. Having to pause and play is not the same as watching straight through. Thanks!
I've always put fuses on the Phase, every electrical appliance here in Scotland has one fitted to the plug, so it's common sense to put it direct to the incoming phase wire in the chassis. Fuses aren't a substitute for a good RCD, but 100% it's still safer for you and your amp having it that way.
Hey Brad. I have a 59 Supro 1600 Supreme in need of it's first service. At least to me it looks like it's never been touched .. got it from an estate sale. For a year I played it and it is an amazing little bedroom amp but now I seem to have lost trebles. Would you be into a video on a 59 Supro that looks unserviced and worked damn well up until about a week ago. I swapped speakers a while back but it was fine for a while after that. Idk man literally everything in it looks old and original soldering.
Because ceramic is hard like glass, it tend to resonate with certain frequencies and will introduce a touch of microphonic feedback, which gives an amp more character. I’m pretty anti “mojo” when it comes to caps. Measured values are what’s important, but ceramics have a character that is different.
I've got one of these.... just serviced, unmodified. Original speaker. With no tone knob, they are SOOOOO Bright, BUT if you roll back your guitars tone knob, there's a perfect spot (with Gibson pickups anyway)
They were clearly designed with Gibson pickups in mind. But the problem is, as you say, they are VERY bright in stock form. This all but precludes someone from being able to play a Tele through it without cringing the whole time. And all that shaping extracts so many frequencies from the signal that you can't overdrive the amp as easily.
@@TheGuitologist In talking with my now retired music dealer, who carried these NEW in his store.... Distortion was undesirable in the eyes of many makers. Look up the history of Ampeg. His store carried Standel, which was the LOUDEST clean amp I can think of. Although most of us think of Rock N' Roll when thinking of that era's music......the Pop/Jazz music scene was thriving too. Ampeg, Standel & Magnatone are great examples of amps that catered to the clean tone crowd. I have a few amp maker friends.... one of them really caters to Blues tones... My amp/pedal line is all over the map.... since my Forte' is actually playing DRUMS... I usually invite friends over to test out new amp prototypes. The #1 think I can hang my hat on, is that ALL of the guys who tested my amps said that EVERY NOTE comes though.... and I guess that's something to be proud of. My original comment is NOT intended disrespectfully, but I left mine stock for the sake of historical preservation.... Even the Rickenbacker can play through it well (if you roll off the tone knob). What the customers love to hear, vs. what I love to hear are many times different.... so I try and keep my personal opinions on tone OFF my channel. Sounds weird eh? I've fixed pedals that I thought sounded like a mess.... and when the customer picked it up, they were THRILLED! I MAKE and SELL pedals that aren't my style... but I give the people what they want. And Hum Eliminators too.... Everyone loves those.
....I had one of these!!! Used to run a DOD booster pedal in front of it. Worked great as a practice amp. Roommate ripped it off of me & sold it for drugs!!!.
uF = Nanofarad mmF = Picofrad If anyone was wondering. The 6EU7 looks like a slightly better tube on paper than a 12AX7. I wonder if they’re as microphonic as 12AX7’s?
Rhett schulls channel is full of wannabe rock star kids. The intellectual elements are not there, his channel you look. Your channel you learn. in the big scheme of things anyway. love your channel Brad.
I posted an exclusive video on Locals of this amp through a 412 cabinet. It sounds KILLER!
theguitologist.locals.com/post/3478063/1964-gibson-skylark-ga-5t-heavily-modified-thru-412-cabinet
I always tell my customers, "Don't worry I learned everything watching The Guitologist".
💕 Love You Brad 💕
watching Brad helped me diagnose why my crate g1200h died. 4.7ohm 40w(I think) ceramic resistor died which was directly after the channel switching fet. I just bought a katana head so I have something while I source parts.
Uh, oh.
@@electrofrying1685 oooohhh now it makes sense
Amazing work as always, Brad
Thankful for people like you keeping old amps alive and rockin
no more buzzing. sounds amazing. Thanks Brad!
I appreciate your vids I like seeing the inside of the amps, your schematic explanations, and the repairs and mods
So what you're saying is...you don't appreciate the beard? ;)
I think your beard is rather gnarly!
The amp sounds and looks amazing. Thank you for putting your heart into it. I LOVE the external speaker jack mod!!!
Always enjoy your content Brad, for a long time I didn't understand how amps and a few other things worked and watching your content has helped in my understanding. I am at college studying mechanical engineering and we are being taught about AC-DC principles and circuit design, I understand why and how these things are designed in the way they are as far as the circuit is concerned now. I'd just like to say thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
I don't know how much knowledge I share, but thanks for coming along on the repair adventures regardless.
This amps sounds beautiful. Thanks Brad.
Good to see yoga blocks being put to good use!
Yeah, I use 'em to lift up the head so it doesn't rock back and forth on the cabinet...
I thought about signing up for a yoga class. Who doesn't want to sit in on one of those? Am I right, fellas? Buehller?
StewMac actually sells them now with a carve out for the neck!
@@TheGuitologist They just shouldn't be allowed to use terms like downward dog lol😉
awesome! always a great day when there's a new Guitologist video to watch!
I remember the "Old Daze" when they were Commercial Free !
The amp sounds like a beast. Amazing work.
I have a 1968 Gibson Skylark that I bought with that same buzz that this amp had before Brad started work on it. I replaced the big brown (Astron) filter cap with, in my case 3 good caps of ruffly equal value of the original multi-cap. It cured the buzz and the amp played fine. I wouldn't call it a great sound, it is a little growler, but at least I know what the original sound is in case I ever want to replace more components to improve the sound of it. Anyway, Thank you Brad! Oh, and I forget to say that I first ran the new caps in parallel with the old caps to isolate the bad caps. That technique worked fine once I isolated the bad part of the multi-cap and only had that one running in parallel.
A fantastic video. Can’t wait to go back and actually pay attention, that chat was fun as usual!
Always fun in the premiere chats. The discussion is usually nothing to do with the actual video though is it? :D
@@TheGuitologist absolutely not. I think the discussions vary LOL
I like the new technique you’ve discovered. I use the same idea when listening for loose frets.
Another fine job Brad!
What a great Monday. Sleep till noon and started my day with Tim Pierce and Brad the Guitarologist ( except hes an amp tech but whatever) man I hope he puts it on the Veriac and brings it up slow.
Everyone here, appreciate the way you do your videos,seeing all the details and problems is informative (useful), we all learn something from your 'expeditions', change nothing (or whatever you would like to change)!. Watched one or two videos from Rett, learned nothing, but i'm an old guitarist. Always learn something when one of your videos is notified! Thank you Brad, for sharing.
Would love to see you rambling around an old all tubes wooden 'acoustic'.You know, the ones who had a fuss with Mesa?
Mine originally was supposed to work both with Tubes and FET's, in case you blow a Tube 'in situ'. The '165'?
reverb.com/item/28291384-acoustic-model-165-100w-tube-combo-1978-with-evm-12l-oak-walnut-cabinet
I really enjoyed this. The further I dive into this journey of mine, it's videos like this that teach me a lot. Thank you!
Great video. I love the old vintage pieces that you make modifications on.
Thanks for watching, Michael. Glad you enjoyed it.
I bet that'd sound great into a well proportioned 1x12 sealed cab! Thanks for another great video, Brad!!
Yes it would. It's clear, balanced, and overdrives when juiced.
Nice mod work, Brad! That amp is ready to rock!
One of these days Brad is gonna go rogue, and dial something up Quickly on the Variac.
Tried it once. It was a tense 20 minutes.
Brad discovers new drumming sounds flicking connections. Sampled it becomes the featured sound for a new generation of hip-hop artists.
Great job man. Has a CCR vibe to it now
I love your videos. I’ve learned more in the time I’ve spent watching some of your videos than any boring ass video of someone that uses most of their time playing through the amp with tube rolling bullshit. Keep’em coming. You are making some of us smarter.
Great job mate and so tidy too. Love these amp vids! The tone ended up being awesome. Also perfect finish making notes on the schematic so any other tech that might work on it knows exactly what you did.
Thanks as always, Mike. Good to see you. Perhaps you should try your hand at an amp repair video one of these days... You could do it!
@@TheGuitologist I'd love to mate but I lack the abundant skills you have. I did GCSE electronics at college but it's long forgotten. I learn so much from you mate and just find it fascinating. 😊🙏👍
This is so cool this is the first amp I ever played through my father had this amp when I was a kid he also had a Gibson es 125t these amps have a great tremelo sound this brings back some great memories.
Wow !
So Lucky !
My dad went out and bought me a 1/4" to RCA Adapter at Radio Shack and said "Plug it in here (showing me the "AUX" jack in the back of my No Name Stereo) and turn this knob to AUX", and THAT was my First "amplifier" !
No.
I am NOT kidding.
Amazing work, Brad. Love to watch you, work the sounds/tones. Awesome, dude. Killer Channel. Keep doin', what, you do ,Man.
I never noticed the Euclid Records Sticker on your desk. I approve.
It was a gift from a viewer.
I like how you rock the fountain pen. I enjoy learning from your channel.
I’ve started a small collection of fountain pens. I have a couple in need of repair actually. Maybe a Channel 2 video sometime.
I watched the entire video and learned many things. The coolest was Brad's Louisville Slugger t shirt in blue looks Dy-no-mite! I'm going to order one!
Thanks for stopping by, as always, Jose. I got this shirt the day I shot the Louisville Slugger factory tour. ua-cam.com/video/tiKbl-C2eZg/v-deo.html
@@TheGuitologist i saw the video did you did at the factory when it came out. It was great! I had my Willie Mays & Johnny Bench Louisville Sluggers as a kid! Great memories!
Holy Crap that Zito guitar sounds amaaaaaaazing thru that amp!!!
Nice job ! 👍
GRAB YOUR CHANCE TO WIN THIS GUITAR gearshot.uk/gear/ibanez-tim-henson-thbb10-signature-in-black/
Fuse should always come first....that way even the switch itself is protected........keep doing what you are doing, its the correct way to do it.
Good video. That amp sounds great now
Interesting video. Thanks for sharing.
Another great restoration vid, Brad. Very entertaining! I love things like this. That's a really good amp. Thanks man! 😊
Yes it is. These Crestline Gibsons are fantastic after a service.
It's just a fact that more people by far are interested in a video showing how cool something sounds as opposed to why it sounds cool. Rhett's video didn't get 500k views because of the amp, it got that many because people just want to hear anything that's cool
i really like the sound of the amp wish i owned a tube amp like this
You can pick these up for less than $500 usually. They are a vintage bargain. I doubt that will continue to be the case.
@@TheGuitologist but u think its an good bargain rather i buy a blackstar amp lol
Pacino Gaming, Talk to Brad. Maybe he could build you one that would blow you away if standing in front of it. THAT would be COOL.
@@RickP654 well he would ask around 800 buks soo i will look here in europe
@P B Kinda hard cuz they are american made exclusive i believe if u buy one u need to convert it to our electricity
I have a 64 non tremolo version of this amp. I removed the tone suck network and changed the speaker. It's actually pretty loud now.
It's probably around 12W. You should mod in an output jack and then you can use any cab you want. Also, a simple tone control would be easy and could be installed in the second input jack spot without drilling. But yeah, these are basically a Princeton and can scream when pushed.
Man that thing sounds mad! Love ur vids Brad, Beard Cranking , Chicken Picking , Double Clutching awesomeness!
Thank you, Michael. Really glad you enjoy the vids.
"I'm going to do this the way I've done Skylarks in the past." YES!
Any reason why my ga-5 from 66 has higher main voltage off the primary transformer than stated in the schematic? Its smoking the first resistor in the power section. No shorts to ground. Driving my nuts
Looks and sounds great!
Great video plenty of information
I remember a guitarist I work with having one of these in the studio one night back around 1977-78. Can't remember how it sounded but he was more into a clean sustain sound most the time.
"..can we not have a more discerning public?" Surely you jest..
Seriously? Discerning public?
The "public" do what they're told.
The discerning people get flagged on Social Media for "Hate Speech"
Just sayins all...
Love ya Brad...
Cheers 🍻
I never jest, good sir!
Well, I sometimes jest.
Ok, I jest quite often, but in this case, no jest.
Brad: "Might as well quit trying 😪." -Proceeds to guitologize the sh*t out of it!😆
No one ever accused me of not being a bit moody. ;)
Ok, ok. I was acting like a little bitch. But hopefully I made up for it.
Cool video! Sounded killer at the end!!
I try to capture the amps the best I can without coloring with pedals or EQ in post. They never sound as good as they do in the room, and I could make them sound way better with post processing if I wanted to. Rest assured, this amp positively rocks in person. It's inspiring as hell to play.
Nice job!
Nice work. Sounds good.
Yep, always good to see what Truman is up to
I like these video’s. Thanks Bratt
I would have never thought about building an amp if it weren't for the guitar ologist. build my first five watt amp
As always, educational and entertaining - cheers.
Makes sense, to me, Brad. Good call. Don't let 'em f&(# with ya , man.
Wow great job ! I'm really surprised at how good that old speaker sounds. They're usually chewed up by animals and smoked by villains 😎🤟
This one seemed like it still has a lot of life left. Sometimes they are just tired and need to go. The thing about this speaker is it's not very efficient, so when the amp is cranked, you get super juicy overdrive without blasting anyone's head off.
Hi Brad. I 100% agree with your fuse-switch wiring order. Its somewhat easier in Australia as we usually have switched wall outlets.
Here's a thought about testing with 1kHz. I used to also test at this frequency ... until I looked up my Frequency vs Note table. 1Khz is just below the 20th fret on your high E string. Not so typical of what we play. I now test at 440Hz, which is the 10th fret on the B-string...my most played note! LOL! Tue, it's the Fundamental and there are many overtones at well over 1KHz, but I choose to test at a common fundamental, especially when judging capacitor performance. Just a thought.
Yes, I agree that some viewers are entranced by non-technical people...even in our world. It is what it is. I'm happy to have more than 2 subscribers. I had 3 but my mother passed.
Not a bad idea. Usually with that tone, I'm just using it as a loudness reference or using it for signal tracing. In either case, the frequency isn't too important. If I was testing to find a cabinet buzz or some other fault that seemed to follow a resonant frequency, I'd either set the generator to "Sweep" or just use a guitar. How often do your outlet switches fail in Oz?
@@TheGuitologist I worded that badly, Brad. I meant that in Oz its easy to reach over and flick off 240v power when changing a fuse, instead of pulling the lead from the wall socket in the US. I reckon many people would be just too lazy to pull the lead when changing a fuse, until the 120v bites them.
That amp with a big old tube reverb in front of it
...would be glorious. I agree.
Modded 57 years almost to the day
of Original manufacture.
Very cool video. 👍 43:08
My thoughts on bumble bee caps, in the a guitar's tone circuit, is that you could get the same affect by put a resistor in parallel with a new cap or maybe resistor in parallel and series at the same time. The problem with these old paper wounded caps is that over time the internal resistance keeps increasing as the paper breaks down. And the same thing with oil caps where the oil drys out.
Yo Brad I am a big fan of your channel and you do incredible work. That being said could you please turn down the volume on you signal generator. Its always surprising that you work with loud test tones, this instead of show us the wave form on a nice and quite scope, as well as giving your viewer more scope techniques. Cheers man. Thanks B
Recently was passed down a 57 gibson ga-5 from my grandfather and as far as I can tell, it's pretty much just a copy of a fender champ. Just a nice little 1 knob 8" speaker 5 watt amp. The filter cap looks like it was replaced, probably in the 80s judging from the look of the cap. But aside from that and the power amp tube it looks pretty original!
Works great and sounds amazing. I should probably put a legitimate 3 prong power cable on it.
Correct. The earlier version of the GA-5 was a 5 watt single-ended job. Later they were changed to the Skylark during the Crestline era and the output was upped to probably closer to 10-12 watts.
great stuff
Why not use a switching jack for the external speaker? That way you don't have to disconnect the combo's speaker.
Rhett hangs out with Beato.= more views automatically. Your modded "version" of the amp sounds pretty good , but it won't satisfy the nostalgia buffs who just want to hear it as it was built and sounded in the 60's.
I would have preferred to keep the "stock" 64 sound. You do damned good work and I enjoy your adventures in amp work. Don't compare "your" view rating with Rhett's. He has a different audience. I prefer watching your stuff. :)
Dang... That amp sounds Boxy Awesome. I want to get one now.
International electrical standard is a pretty strong argument for your case. Pulling a standard out is a pretty pro take. I'd be interested in also hearing the counter-argument, why it would be better to have the fuse after switch?
The counter argument is that idiots can take the fuse cap off and stick their fingers in the fuse holder thinking the amp is off. But they could also do that with the switch on too. The fuse caps are designed to insert the fuse into the cap and then screw it down, not to insert the fuse into the socket first.
18:42 At 48 years old, I'm part of the last batch of discerning humans............. I feel you, man.............. :(
Hey Brad,I left a comment,I think was from a video from a while ago.Just to say Im retired at last and after years of diving inside lucky peoples Voxs,Marshalls etc,I decided to treat myself to a Vox ac15c1,a Marshall DSL20hr and a PRS Standard 24 in wine red.Now I get to play all day until I die.Very happy ex tech!How about those PRS guitars,perfect straight out the case,I got a Line6 HX Stomp too,now I have to sell off around 30 pedals as the HX has got it all.Would I like to go back and start all over again?Are you kidding?I can just keep watching you!
Congratulations.
I copied what you did in one of your old videos years back to my skylark and a friend's amp as well. Thank you thank you!!!
Worked great, didn’t it?
Kudos on wiring the AC correctly. I've seen premium amp makers do this improperly.
Watching this video again years later and thought you should make a T-Shirt with the "Its going Into oscillation at the top of the range" phrase 😂
Brad, you're SMOKIN'........
shredtastic
I think the fuse-before the switch comes from larger switch-gear, usually 3-phase systems that can't be unplugged so the switch is the plug. The fuse is de energized by the open switch prior to removal. If anybody has made a 120 vac power switch that could fail to ground has long since lost their UL rating. This is one of those situations that has two solutions.
Hey Brad, how's things going. Great looking job on the amp. How come when you do a job on these amps, they always look better than a factory job. You reckon the tecks back in those days just really didn't give a shit in hell about their work? I love to watch you take an amp like that one and make it into a work of art and it really sounds good as well. ROCK ON, MAN!!
PTP wiring always comes out looking a little bit messy. That doesn't mean it IS messy. The newer components are often much smaller at the same value, therefore, after a service, the amps usually look cleaner than when I start the service.
Well done!
Nice job. Modifications are interesting. Removing the Sprague pc network and recapping is usually a big improvement with what are commonly referred to as Gibson's Crestline series of tube amps (Brad mentioned the "coat of arms" which is also called a "crest," hence the Crestline designation). The filter caps will need replacing when AC line noise is present, as the amp was displaying. However, the coupling caps are the biggest variable here vis-a-vis tone. It appears that orange drops were used here, which are but one option from among a myriad of suitable replacements, but there are other choices there, too. The MPW caps from Illinois Capacitor, for example, are cheap and good sounding. Obviously, there are lots of boutique caps out there that no doubt sound great, too. Not sure of the need to modify the schematic, aside from basic stuff like clipping the *DEATHCAP!* (if that keeps you up at night) and grounding. Again, removing the Sprague pc network is a good idea, as it seems to open up the sound of this amp immensely. To my ears, there is nothing else that would warrant improvement by altering the circuit from what is printed in the schematic. Good luck in your future endeavors and keep the tubes glowing.
Did he mod the schematic or mod a copy of the schematic? I'd say leave the original schematic alone but include a modified copy inside the amp for future technicians. After years of use and a component failure down the road it might be hard to tell what your replacing. Things do burn up and the markings are gone. The new schematic would speed up a future repair.
@@tenlittleindians I meant to say "modify the circuit." I don't agree with doing radical modifications to these old amps. If there is a certain sound to be obtained, perhaps it would be easier to just find an amp that has that "sound." Your idea, though, is a good one. It will just make things easier for future service.
@@jimmyjoefine I have mixed feelings on modifying old amps and old cars. When I go to a car show it's nice to see a pristine classic that's been restored to as close to original condition as possible.
It's also gratifying to see an old car that's been hot rodded to the max with internal and external changes that show off the "what this car could have been" imagination. Some of those modded cars grow in value even faster than the same car in original form such as a Batmobile or a Back to the Future Delorian.
If I wanted a 1957 Chevy as a daily driver I have a friend that modified his with a modern Chevy engine, modern wheels and disc brakes and suspension, modern air conditioning and cruise control and a modern sound system. He also added power windows and power door locks. It's now as reliable as a new car off the line. It's a better car than an original 57 but it still looks like an original. The same goes for amps. Is it for sitting on a shelf or going to be played daily?
I have several classic amps in original condition that are getting too valuable to continue playing daily! I should sell them to collector's and buy a modern amp as a daily driver and stick the extra money in the bank.
@@tenlittleindians I can see both ways as well. In the current market, it would be best to keep the old Fender amps in particular as near to original as possible. In the last year, the market for the blackface and tweed amps has gone insane. It makes me feel similar, that maybe I shouldn't want to even play an old amp in near-original condition. Which is kind of a sad way to exist with them. I think the solution is to get lots of them so that you can't even consider playing but a few of them ;)
The good thing about the old tube amps is that you can be faithful to the original design while still making upgrades, since many modern components are superior in spec to the originals. And obviously, with something like failed electrolytics, you have to replace them if you intend to use the amp. Having said that, it's far less worrisome for me to go in and completely re-cap something like a 1960's Valco amp than to even consider doing that to an old tweed amp (Just an example, I usually don't even think about replacing all the caps, just the ones that I feel need to be replaced. In fact, the last couple amps I worked on are running their original can capacitors with no issues.)
If I want to really modify something, then I look for a unit that doesn't matter. Recently I took a stereo single-ended tube amp out of an old Westinghouse stereo console. It had no power switch, fuse, inputs or outputs on the chassis. I added the switch and fuse as well as RCA inputs and binding posts for the speakers. Now I have a perfectly usable little hi-fi amp and the modifications only affect the value in a positive way.
My real point here is that folks like Brad who have no formal background in circuit design should consider that maybe they are doing things that they don't really understand. Even in this video, he's just throwing stuff in there and waiting to see what happens. Adding components of similar values to a Princeton obviously did not result in an amp that sounds anything like a Princeton. These old Gibson amps can sound great just by replacing that Sprague network with a single capacitor. They don't really sound like Fender amps at all, but they do have their sound. My '65 Scout is one of the coolest amps I have ever played - and the only change was the removal of the Sprague part.
I'm not a proponent of "cap rolling" really. Most poly-based caps will sound very much the same whether they're orange drops or some corksniffer top shelf replacement. The value is what's important. But when it comes to ceramic caps, there is absolutely a difference in tone, and I like a ceramic cap between V1 and V2 stages in amps.
That Meteora sounds great! Hats donned to Zio guitars.
Wasn't that guitar given to him?
@@douro20 Yep. Lucky boy.
I did all the mods you did to my ga-5t except the 1 meg pot. With the original 500k I am getting the squeal still at full volume
Looks and sounds excellent Brad.
All the best
👍✌😎
I am so tired of people trying to save the “mojo”. If you want to play the amp the way it was intended... just replace the caps and resistors to be safe.
I agree. I used to try to be respectful in the extreme to originality to appease the corksniffers in the trade. But now, I'm defiant. I think the focus on "mojo" over operation is bad for the amps. More will fail catastrophically as a result of this focus.
Pretty much. I replace all bad parts, and send them back in a bag.... so they can make the amp cooler by osmosis.
Awesome job bro 👍👍
Why the heck do I feel home everytime I watch Brad's videos is beyong me ? Lol
Because you're stoned and watching a wizard do science magic!?!
@@SuperEvilC true in my case LOL
@@graxjpg Maybe similar 😀
Because you know you're always welcome. Just don't drink all the bourbon and flush the toilet after use.
@@TheGuitologist Haha! ....lmao
Is you resistance box named "Karen?"
"I wanna talk to the power transformer"
@@joseislanio8910 I want to speak to management.
@@joseislanio8910 🤣
man, that meteora is a nice guitar. it looks like a classic car
Dude, it's become one of my favorite guitars.
@@TheGuitologist im jealous! I may need to buy one haha
Macintosh always put there fuse first from day one in the electronics
If you put grease on your drill bit when drilling the chassis the grease will hang onto the metal pieces, so you don't have to clean up the shrapnel. Just trying to be helpful.
Great video, been wanting to watch this but I got to wait until the kids and wifey wont interrupt. Having to pause and play is not the same as watching straight through. Thanks!
Rockin
I've always put fuses on the Phase, every electrical appliance here in Scotland has one fitted to the plug, so it's common sense to put it direct to the incoming phase wire in the chassis. Fuses aren't a substitute for a good RCD, but 100% it's still safer for you and your amp having it that way.
Hey Brad. I have a 59 Supro 1600 Supreme in need of it's first service. At least to me it looks like it's never been touched .. got it from an estate sale. For a year I played it and it is an amazing little bedroom amp but now I seem to have lost trebles. Would you be into a video on a 59 Supro that looks unserviced and worked damn well up until about a week ago. I swapped speakers a while back but it was fine for a while after that. Idk man literally everything in it looks old and original soldering.
You're welcome to contact me: bradlinzy at gmail
subluminally brought to you by psyche 101 St. Michaels collage Winooski VT 1970. Just back from Nam. Geeze Louise Brad!
Ceramic .01 after the first stage - what is the main difference between ceramic and poly?
Because ceramic is hard like glass, it tend to resonate with certain frequencies and will introduce a touch of microphonic feedback, which gives an amp more character. I’m pretty anti “mojo” when it comes to caps. Measured values are what’s important, but ceramics have a character that is different.
@@TheGuitologist - very interesting! Thank you!
Well it sounds awesome bud.
I've got one of these.... just serviced, unmodified. Original speaker. With no tone knob, they are SOOOOO Bright, BUT if you roll back your guitars tone knob, there's a perfect spot (with Gibson pickups anyway)
They were clearly designed with Gibson pickups in mind. But the problem is, as you say, they are VERY bright in stock form. This all but precludes someone from being able to play a Tele through it without cringing the whole time. And all that shaping extracts so many frequencies from the signal that you can't overdrive the amp as easily.
@@TheGuitologist In talking with my now retired music dealer, who carried these NEW in his store.... Distortion was undesirable in the eyes of many makers. Look up the history of Ampeg. His store carried Standel, which was the LOUDEST clean amp I can think of. Although most of us think of Rock N' Roll when thinking of that era's music......the Pop/Jazz music scene was thriving too. Ampeg, Standel & Magnatone are great examples of amps that catered to the clean tone crowd. I have a few amp maker friends.... one of them really caters to Blues tones... My amp/pedal line is all over the map.... since my Forte' is actually playing DRUMS... I usually invite friends over to test out new amp prototypes. The #1 think I can hang my hat on, is that ALL of the guys who tested my amps said that EVERY NOTE comes though.... and I guess that's something to be proud of.
My original comment is NOT intended disrespectfully, but I left mine stock for the sake of historical preservation.... Even the Rickenbacker can play through it well (if you roll off the tone knob). What the customers love to hear, vs. what I love to hear are many times different.... so I try and keep my personal opinions on tone OFF my channel. Sounds weird eh? I've fixed pedals that I thought sounded like a mess.... and when the customer picked it up, they were THRILLED! I MAKE and SELL pedals that aren't my style... but I give the people what they want. And Hum Eliminators too.... Everyone loves those.
I love it when he starts to rant. Get them gutz out!
....I had one of these!!! Used to run a DOD booster pedal in front of it. Worked great as a practice amp. Roommate ripped it off of me & sold it for drugs!!!.
I love you bro!
uF = Nanofarad
mmF = Picofrad
If anyone was wondering.
The 6EU7 looks like a slightly better tube on paper than a 12AX7. I wonder if they’re as microphonic as 12AX7’s?
Same tube except pinout and filament. Micro-microfarad and picofarad are the same. I said the former because that’s how it was notated.
The 6EU7 is essentially a lower-noise, higher-fidelity 12AX7, so it should very likely be less microphonic. Also, (from my experience) longer lasting.
1uf= 1X 10 to the minus 6 1mmf=1pf=1x10 to the minus 12
@@jseco4544 yes. I was comparing terminology for the non tube tech crowd.
@@matthewf1979 I understood you. You're cool.
Rhett schulls channel is full of wannabe rock star kids. The intellectual elements are not there, his channel you look. Your channel you learn. in the big scheme of things anyway. love your channel Brad.