1962 Gibson Tweed Falcon GA-19RVT Teardown, Service & Demo

In this video we will service a Tweed version of the venerable Gibson Falcon guitar amplifier. This version has a slightly different circuit than the later "Crestline" series. This example will get a new speaker and a much needed cleaning. Then we will demonstrate the tone with a Fender Telecaster.

[@jonnybeck6723]

Another great vid... And your playing is stellar! Best tremolo playing I've ever heard, really

[@chokkan7]

Great job on bringing this amp back to life, and that may be some of your most soulful pickin' to date...gotta love anything tweed with reverb AND tremolo...

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, buddy. Yeah, not too bad for a hack making stuff up on the spot, eh? :D The reverb on this is really worth the price of admission. Super nice reverb. I don't know if it's that pentode on the back end of the reverb, but this is LUSH. It's also the type of circuit where you can turn the channel volume all the way down and turn the reverb up and have total saturation. Cool effect.

[@roscoefoofoo]

Can never decide if I like the playing more than the fixing, or vice versa. Thanks for both!

[@Zelleram55]

Man that one has a really sweet tone. Nice Picken too, I enjoyed your playing. Keep up the good work.

[@Tonetwisters]

Gracious that' sounds good. Would love to have heard it with more bottom, but this is fabulous! Thanks for letting us see this one!

[@jv1969]

great tone! your articulation was stellar

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, Jimi.

[@RJ-bn5uw]

I love your channel . At a very young age , I use to ride my bicycle around town on clean-up day and rip all the speakers out of every electronic device I found . I built a wood frame and mounted all those speakers and connected them all to an old cheap guitar amp . Sounded like crap but I was proud of my invention . Wish I would have stuck with it . Keep rock'n the video's brother .

[@TheGuitologist]

Yep, this channel is your spiritual home. I go out on heavy trash days and search for stuff. Never know what you'll see.

[@Tonetwisters]

VERY articulate amplifier.

[@jorgemellooliveira9611]

Ótimo vídeo congratulações

[@skycarl]

Man that thing really carries that Tele nice... Well done on this.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks Carl. I appreciate that. A Tele through this thing would cut through a band mix, which is what you want.

[@RobertKohut]

Nice sound, easy fix, more like just some regular maintenance I suppose (except for the driver). Great video!

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, Robert. Appreciate you watching. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@gingercat777]

Superb tone.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks, Squizzy. You have to take this video with a small grain of salt. The camera I'm using is distorting even with just my voice, so I need to do something about that for future vids. There is some distortion present in the demo of the amp at the end, due to the camera. Thanks for watching!

[@gingercat777]

The Guitologist Yes I was allowing for some reduction in sound quality. It must sound magic in real life.

[@silvertoneize]

Awesome video again!! Could you please make a video on how to update an amp with a three prong cord if possible. Thanks

[@TheGuitologist]

One of these days I may make a dedicated video for that, but for now, I touch on that briefly here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3KaaYaBhLB7frMm8s

[@jlock-iv5ub]

I have a Falcon. Looks the same. Everything works. Sounds great. How do I tell what year it is.

[@timothyfarris4226]

Dude. Great job on this amp video. I have one of these that has cap problems. Want to take a swing at it?

[@waynegram8907]

How do you test the power handling of a speaker to measure sure its dissipating and getting the correct wattage. I have heard that U2 the edge and Brian May from Queen use AC30's and use 30 watt speakers but keep blowing the speakers so they both instead bought a farm full of 15 watt speakers which blow all the time. I'm not sure how you can use a 15 watt speaker but can dissipate the power handling. Most speakers magnets are made out of Alnico or Ceramic but I think the voice coil is what determines the power handling wattage, correct me if I'm wrong.

[@wellaguiar]

Hi! I've noted that de brown Astron capacitor needs to be replaced. There is a little spot coming out of its encapsulation.

[@TheGuitologist]

I see it. You're right. I can't remember whether I replaced that cap or not now. Sounded great nonetheless, but if I get it back in for service, that'll go.

[@DavidMorales008]

Awesome

[@pharmerdavid1432]

Bitchin amp Gitman - thanks for another informative video! I have a GA-20T Ranger from 1960/1, which has a stock C12R that looks exactly like that, so it was a good choice, and might be the same version of Jensen C12R it originally had. Notice how the frame looks more like an "N" frame, rather than the usual frames used on the S-R-Q-P Jensen speakers with several vemts? When I had mine re-coned, Ted Weber said the first Jensen ceramic magnet speakers used that "N" frame, before changing to the usual frame in 1962. A Celestion greenback sounds wonderful in these Old Gibson 6V6 tweed amps too (if it fits), or P12R, which is what Gibson usually used in their tweed 6V6 amps. There was such a demand for Jensen speakers by all the amp manufactures back then, that sometimes they were out of the "R" speakers, so they had to buy the "S" version with the smaller magnets instead. I have an original Ampeg Reverberocket w/6V6 that came with a P12S, which sounds week, especially the bass. Upgrading to an "R" makes a big difference, as you can tell in this Falcon. I have a Gibson GA9 Discoverer that came with a P12S too, although at about 9 watts with two 6V6 power tubes in parallel, it matches okay, but a speaker with more power - larger magnet will greatly improve the sound, so that's my plan (don't know if a Greenback will fit yet). I have most of the cool 6V6 Gibson tweed amps, but not that Falcon, so I'm gassing for one of those now - it sounds great...thanks for the video Gitman!

[@Hollis6503]

Hi Brad really enjoy your demos of the amps and your playing. A friend of mine that builds the American Kay guitars and basses Roger Fritz / Fritz Brothers Guitars, has one of the tweed Falcons and I love the sound. SOO I had to have a 64 with the redish brown grill cloth. I mostly play electric mandolins and harp thru it. Can't get the same tone as his tweed but my amp guys does a good job and it sounds great. Where can I find that red / brown grill cloth/ and what do they call that color? Thanks

[@TheGuitologist]

You won't find that exact grill cloth, but you can get close. Last time I ordered some, I had to search around and don't remember where I got it.

[@paolorossi6987]

Great video especially as I have the same 1962 amp in an all original condition. I even still have the original canvas cover for it. You have done a great job with the service and it sounds beautiful. I was wondering how you'd compare this amp with an original Fender '65 Princeton Reverb. I went to demo a '65 Princeton Reverb reissue a couple of week ago but I couldn't really hear what that could do which my original '62 Gibson GA-19RVT couldn't do. I would really welcome the opinion of others.

[@tobyk_8045]

Still have it? Interested in selling it?

[@steveharris2589]

Good video, I thought the amp and guitar sound good together. I have a sine/square wave Generator- 20Hz to 200.000 Hz I got it new in 1988 to tune my violin plates I made some violins back then. I really don't know much about it I just new how to tune violin plates with it I have had it stored away for years. Do you know if people to use them for anything or are they any interest in them anymore. Thanks))

[@TheGuitologist]

Sure, you have a signal generator. Those are used by techs to inject a signal into a piece of equipment for diagnostic purposes.

[@revelry1969]

ok bummer. I had one awhile back. loved it

[@martinwasson3088]

The discoloration is mould from the glue used to fix the cloth to the wood.

[@wrzkace1]

dig the amp thank u for sharing!! i had to retire from a illness a few years back id sure like to learn how to work on amps I'm gonna look into the community colleges

[@TheGuitologist]

Thomas, if you can read and follow instructions, try the book route first. Find you a broken amp or two and start fixin'. I don't think there are any tech schools or community colleges anymore that teach this sort of thing. We are in a throwaway society.

[@wrzkace1]

cool! yea i work on guitars re finishing doing electronics and i learned how to bias . I'm gonna look for some books and some amps that aren't working and just try . i am retired and my music keeps me busy thank you!! for getting back to me. do you go out and buy amps and repair them? i was looking on craigslist but haven't found any yet

[@TheGuitologist]

Here are the two books I suggest. They are worth the price. amzn.to/2nMC9ZC amzn.to/2p33DtZ

[@wrzkace1]

thank you for taking time out of your day to help me

[@leftoverking]

i have a similar amp, that's not a falcon. it has two speakers. an 8" and a 12". there are four jacks, but i cant read their labels. there is a reverb on it. it's tweed with black chicken head knobs. can't seem to figure out the model though. the cabinet looks almost identical to this falcon. ever seen one like that?

[@bernhardnizynski4403]

I didn't know they used ceramic magnets on speakers back in 1961?

[@revelry1969]

hi there....is this gonna be available for purchase?

[@TheGuitologist]

Sadly, no. This one belongs to a customer. I'm just giving it a service.

[@davidringo1399]

sweet...

[@davemadden7596]

So, the Paktrons tested ok? My '62 doesn't really have much bass at all.....

[@TheGuitologist]

No problems with any of the signal caps, amazingly. There are some mods one can undertake to squeeze more bass out for sure, but if I were you, I'd probably first look for bad components. Yours should sound at least this punchy with a Tele. If it doesn't, there's a problem.

[@davemadden7596]

On your advice, I checked the (original) bias resistor...it was supposed to be 270 ohm. BUT it was 321 ohm. Swapped for a 270 I had, and presto-changeo, both tubes biased at around 11 watts. MUCH better sound. Thanks!

[@TheGuitologist]

Cool. Glad it turned out to be something simple. A higher value resistor will decrease volume and headroom.

[@georgeslavin6137]

Have you ever taught guitar?

[@ThomasWBaldwin]

i have one.

[@contrabandjoe7974]

Another great video and very interesting. Uncle Doug just posted a cool rework of an Ampeg... Question on Gibson amps... I've seen them periodically over the years set in shops for months and not sell.. IYO why did Gibson amps never take off from a popularity perspective?. Obviously fender was able to master both amp and guitar market, Gibson seemed to never quite get there

[@TheGuitologist]

Good question. There were a few reasons for that, I think. First, Gibson treated their amps as second class products from a marketing perspective. They were ancillary to the guitars themselves. I don't think they made a great effort to get them into the hands of stars or capitalize effectively whenever stars did use them. Second, they changed their models too much. A GA-40 from the mid 50s is a different animal from a GA-40 of the early 60s. It's easy to say "go get a Blackface Deluxe Reverb" and be confident it'll be a good amp. Not so with Gibson. I can't say "go get a Gibson Falcon" or even "go get a Crestline Gibson Falcon" and be assured the wiring will follow any published schematic or be consistently good without some work or modification. Third, Gibson amps are more difficult to work on generally. Their layouts internally don't always lend to ease of service. Fourth, they had features which weren't capitalized upon, such as the exceptional cabinet materials (in most cases actual SOLID REDWOOD). I have not seen a single vintage piece of marketing material touting this virtue, which goes back to marketing. Fifth, Gibson seems to have designed their amps in such a way in the 1960s as to limit tube overdrive and maximize cleans, even in the face of a rock and roll mainstream which was clearly trending the opposite direction, and they made amps that were virtually useless if you already owned a guitar with single coil pickups. Gibson amps is a perfect example how a company can do so much right and yet still fail because of a few glaring mistakes.

[@contrabandjoe7974]

Point #5 about breakup was education to me. I never knew this about Gibson Amps.. given the time frame (1960's) that was probably the straw that broke the camels back.. Rock players (I guess the majority at the height of the british invasion) were all trying to get that tube breakup so if the Gibson wasn't capable, that left the Gibson amp market to whom jazz players? County pickers had settled on Fender since the 50's, so the only clean players were Jazz I guess?? My first job during my freshman year of high school was 3 hours after school at a music shop- started at age 14 in 1978. I remember back then you couldn't give Gibson Amps away.. The shop I worked at was a Sunn amp dealer.. There's another brand the failed pretty badly....

[@TheGuitologist]

Failure isn't always the fault of those who put in their best effort. Sometimes the world just isn't ready for you. In the case of Gibson, they were clearly banking on the longevity of the country, jazz, easy listening set and viewing rock and roll and the British Invasion as a flash in the pan to be weathered. Well, they didn't weather it, clearly.

[@mikeh892]

Re: lack of breakup. Maybe they were trying to sell more maestro fuzztones. lol

[@markcooper9063]

a lot of gibson cabinets were made of red wood

[@TheGuitologist]

Correct. I thought I read somewhere once that Gibson had bought a downed railroad bridge made from redwood.

[@utubehound69]

Norm at Norms Rare Guitars said that the Actor David Carridean would bring his dog into the store & the dog would pee on the Vintage amps. So that could be David Carrideans K-9 urine stain . Would up the Value? haha

[@ThomasWBaldwin]

didn't know it was a Gibson....kind a rusty. sounds good though.....

[@rayvoorhies7180]

Super glue would fix the key on the 6v6. The stain on the cabinet is probably dog pee.

[@scottmillner]

I really feel like the discoloration is dog pee. Anybody else feel the same?

[@nonameyet7162]

Just looking at the way you are pulling those tubes out, I would never bring you an amp to fix! One hand pulling the tube out? The socket is going crazy. C'mon buddy. You have very poor working maners. I'm sad for the owner of this amp. Put the damn camera on a stand and use both hands.

[@TheGuitologist]

If you get this upset because someone pulls a tube out of a socket "one-handed", I would not accept your amp for repair anyway.

[@TheGuitologist]

For the record, I get a lot of know-it-alls and trolls trying to score points in the comments of my videos, but this is the first time I've ever been berated for taking a tube out of an amp "one-handed". That's a new one on me. Very amusing.

[@PruneTracy]

John L you're obviously some kind of expert, why don't you post a video showing everyone what you think the correct method is? Don't forget to hire a cameraman though...

[@65Corvette]

Are you freakin kidding me John L...