Gibson GA-5... A re-issue of a classic? Or a counterfeit?

It's a real Gibson product.. not a knock off, but is it a faithful reproduction of a GA-5 from the 50's as it appears on the outside? Let's open it up and see!

[@jeffbenson6102]

I've got one of these and I find it to be a great sounding little amp, very loud for its size. Very well made for the money, a true value. And it's cute, also it weighs almost nothing.

[@DeadKoby]

I like mine too, but I wish there was a little more brightness. Seems a little dark with PAFs

[@randoman81]

Ive got a '54 Les Paul Jr. Just replaced the electrolytic caps and now I'm looking for tubes. I still have the original working tubes, and they sound so beautiful. I also did the 3 way plug upgrade, as the original power cable's insulation had completely deteriorated. Any recommendations for replacement tubes that will keep with the original sound?

[@DeadKoby]

Amplified parts has a good selection, including New Old Stock. That's where I get my stuff

[@gusdupree9076]

trace elliot ,got bought out by gibson , late 98,'99' uk made handwired, Goldtone series, they had 45 ,30 15 watts and a 5watt but used el84 instead of 6v6google it

[@haytguugle8656]

There were so many different iterations of the "GA5" between the late 50's to the late 60's with a huge variety of tube configurations (including the 6A and 6BQ5's - yes, they did use them) and some with 8", some with 10" speakers, that it is impossible to say one version is a true/correct GA5 vs. another. Some years even had two versions (the Skylark days) that were radically different from each other. Here, the PC board is a certain give away this item is not a 'true' re-issue. More recent info re: Mojotone; They now offer a DIY TRUE point-to-point wired version kit of the GA-5 that actually sounds pretty amazing. (assuming YOU built it right!) :-)

[@DeadKoby]

I got this one already made from a Gibson dealer. It got lost in inventory, and was discovered NOS.

[@haytguugle8656]

@@DeadKoby Cool. Sometimes the story that goes with the thing makes the thing more interesting. Sometimes the story is more interesting than the thing itself. By 'not a true re-issue', I was referring to the likelihood that it was a 'true to the original' re-do. No matter. I check out the vids for the story as much as possible new info. And even Fender is doing re-issues that are not true to the original in every way. As for my mojo comment; I don't know what they were doing (good or not) in their completed or kit amps back when this video was posted. But I can attest that what they are doing in recent years is pretty good product and service. Have a great one.

[@DeadKoby]

This particular amp is a quality piece and sounds just fine... The circuit is nothing like the LP Jr. Amp that the cabinet represents.

[@chuckvincent5691]

My 1960s ga-5 skylark crestline has 6bq5/el84 tubes, so this “reissue” is kind of a mashup rather than a counterfeit.

[@DeadKoby]

GA-5 has been used on a mess of amps.. I have a GA-5T from '63, and that's 6AQ5's. This one is supposed to be the 50's LP Jr. Amp, and 6BQ5 wasn't found in that early of a Gibson.

[@PadraicPlaugher]

nice job man.

[@DeadKoby]

Thank you.... It's a great amp... but NOT an authentic reproduction.

[@nickdevriese]

Didn’t MojoTone shadow produce these for Gibson? Also, I believe it’s very close to an original Dr. Z Mini Z

[@DeadKoby]

I believe so, considering that all the transformers have Mojotone part numbers.

[@benjaminwisecarver1038]

I spoke with Mojotone years ago, and they confirmed this. I was building my own and actually bought a screen printed production chassis, transformers, and various other parts from them.

[@victorbarnes6898]

Gibson always changed designs and it's impossible to document them all, so, this is a new design with an old name, so it's an "authentic" Gibson amp. I have a 1959 Les Paul Jr. amp with a Skylark circuit but a mystery transformer. Gibson! Learn to love the not knowing or get a Fender.

[@DeadKoby]

I just find it kind of annoying when a "reissue" isn't really even close to what the original was. I can understand there would be some changes due to part availability, but this one is nothing past a "look alike". If they called it the 2005 LP Jr. Amp, without the "reissue" badge, I wouldn't beef about anything. It IS a well made little amp though.

[@victorbarnes6898]

@@DeadKoby I agree. That's all marketing.....but marketing works. And it always will. It's an essential job.

[@guitarocd9984]

You're correct amp was built by Mojo the speaker is a Weber. I had the amp modified twice and it still sounds like crap.

[@DeadKoby]

I don't find the sound to be bad.... but it is a bit on the dark side. An 8" speaker rarely sounds like magic. The RTL-1 (My custom) has a fuller more open sound, but hums a little due to being transformerless on the power rail.

[@guitarocd9984]

Yeah I guess my criticism was a little harsh. I got mine when they were blowing them out on Musician's Friends a while ago. $299. I keep messing with it I still have it LOL. I put it in a 112 cabinet. I sent it to have it modified. I wanted to get it to work with no effects just plug in and play. Now I have a Weber attenuator and I use the amp on 10 with a overdrive pedal. I'm not giving up. It's very easily modified. But I'm getting there. LOL

[@DeadKoby]

I have little idea what kind of sound you're shooting for, so I can't really give you any advice on it.

[@guitarocd9984]

Well I knew something was up getting a American-made hand-wired amp for $299 I guess they couldn't sell them. They wanted 700 originally. I just thought it would be great to have a one knob amp. That you turn on 10 and get a musical distortion. But this distortion wasn't that Musical LOL. But after the mod it got a little better like I said I will get it there eventually.

[@DeadKoby]

Guitar Center sucks... home of factory seconds.

[@russellesimonetta3835]

I was gonna say mojotone! They should do a ga 15 or ga20! Rumor has it that VOX directly copied one or the other of those to make the famous ac 15!! Just like Marshall almost exactly copied the tweed bassman for their first amp!

[@DeadKoby]

Problem is, Gibson recycled names. I have another GA-5T that is NOTHING like an LP Jr. Amp. Model means very little in Gibson amps.

[@victorbarnes6898]

Marshall copied Fender and Fender copied RCA. Get a 1930s RCA amp guide and you will have found the motherload of all classic amps.

[@scootertrasher1369]

That's pretty much the same circuit save tube values, and possibly cap values, basically the same circuit as a champ, 5watt se , 1 preamp tube , 6v6 tubes are or were hard to source, almost all 5watts use el84 tubes now.

[@DeadKoby]

6v6 is really easy to get... an amp this simple uses almost the same schematic regardless of the maker.

[@scootertrasher1369]

Here's the story from the amp forum , for awhile quality 6v6 weren't really available, for years the only one was the Sovtek , the JJs were just small bottled 6L6s, and the el84s took over.

[@DeadKoby]

That's very possible. Thank goodness we have some competition now, with 3 manufacturers. Most of the current production tubes are acceptable, with only one model I can think of that is not up to spec. Generally, JJ, Shuguang, and Reflektor are making decent tubes. There's certainly been improvements in the tubes since 2000.

[@greg4673]

I take the phrase "Re-Issue" to mean that a manufacturer is 'issuing again' the amplifier type or model number, NOT making an exact duplicate, and certainly not making a true 'vintage-correct copy'. I think most of this amp is honest. I don't think you can hold a basic $100 amp offering to be an exact duplicate of anything. Much less the gibby GA5. Doesn't about everybody realize that the Fender Deluxe Reverb Re-Issue, for instance, isn't going to be an exact duplicate of 1965? For one thing, the RCA tubes involved in the original haven't been made since 1976. Furthermore don't people realize that most of the components, if not entire sub-assemblies, are made in China now, with Chinese specs. I mean hell, even Celestions lion share of speaker offerings are now made in China. Virtually nothing in this amp is the same as 1965. Parts or labor. So, I think your video is interesting but probably moot, yes? Thanks for showing us the guts of this 'amp' anyway. Appreciate it.

[@DeadKoby]

This amp's original price was 900$. Its not Chinese made. It is hand wired, very well may I add. Its unlike any ga-5 circuit Gibson ever made.

[@strangequark420]

@@DeadKoby Musician's Friend sold these back in '06 perhaps at $599 (if memory serves). I bought one for $299 when production stopped and MF was offloading their stock. I got it as my first (and only so far) hand wired amp. I think it needs service, due to always on hum (maybe a filter cap?), but I love it for what it is ... not what Gibson may have produced back in the day.

[@howardrose8481]

No tube rectifier? Blasphemy.

[@DeadKoby]

This amp is really a re-designed 5w SE model. It's a good amp, but if you're selling it as a re-issue GA-5, that's "counterfeiting" your own product.

[@gusdupree9076]

trace elliot, out of England made the amps for gibson in the mid nineties, handwired, gibson tried selling them for a grand ,didn't move many until they dropped the price

[@DeadKoby]

Gibson had some good amps... but it just didn't become their niche. This is a good amp, and I'm pretty sure it's a MojoTone made.

[@stringlocker]

That's correct the ga5 was made by Mojo. But Trace Elliot did make the bigger ones.

[@williamkaylor1191]

Hope this guy has learned a few things after making this. Just an FYI all these years later: Mojotone MADE this amp FOR Gibson. And they still sell the kit so you can make one, or buy it premade. Good bye.

[@DeadKoby]

The title was a bit click-bait like....... however I wanted to make it known that it's a good amp... just not a reproduction of the one that it resembles from the past.

[@kosmicwizard]

This is not a counterfeit product!

[@DeadKoby]

I am aware.....but it's made my MojoTone, and nothing in common with the other schematics bearing the GA-5 name.