This Tiny Amp Is a Total Sleeper

I bought ANOTHER Vintage Gibson GA5-t Skylark Amp, I love these little amps and they continue to prove to me the value of small guitar amps. A 5 watt 1x8 combo amp like this is super versatile and makes a great recording amp.
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[@RhettShull]

Whats your favorite small, low wattage amp?

[@millmoormichael6630]

I have 57’ GA-5, prettier than that one 😁 Recommend going all NOS with the tubes

[@rodriguezelfeliz4623]

Mine, the only one I have ever played because getting an amp where I live is like searching for big foot

[@moptop5253]

If 20 is low enough then I love my Fender Champions 20 and the Orange 20RT sound as well.

[@analognoir7398]

BROWN 6G2 PRINCETON AMP!!

[@Robert_Charles]

Currently have a bugera g5 infinium

[@RJRonquillo]

Damn, sounds huge!

[@sowiloi]

@R.J. Ronquillo ...and super nasty, aggressive with whole lotta clarity and punch. Great for early Zep, Kossoff, Cream era Clapton stuff...and also nearly every 70s Brit hard rock riff... To put it in a nutshell...it sounds better than the Plexi clone I‘ve been jonesing for for a few months...

[@ROOKTABULA]

I'd why Page and many others recorded and gigged with annoys closer to this size vs stacks.

[@ChristopherDowning]

@@ROOKTABULA I think turning up at a studio in the 70s with a stack would have raised a few eyebrows!! I think you would have wiped out the mics in those days.

[@RC32Smiths01]

The fact that their quality is still so amazing 6 decades later is a truly wonderful thing. Just shows that they are true relics of guitar history.

[@wilkstheguitarman3103]

Meow

[@moufuzz2759]

Bork

[@mikkywhalan]

@@moufuzz2759 tweet

[@stevecastle8523]

Uh...Rhett... “you can’t use it for gigging.” 1973, I was touring and playing in clubs getting tired of lugging a Super Reverb with a Sun bass cab. We had a good PA system and I started using my 73 Fender Champ mic’d through the PA. Not only is it do-able, a small amp like the Skylark or the Champ can sound great, and it’s easier to lug than a big rig. Nice work and good info. Thanks Rhett!

[@nickcarpenter1196]

I have been using an amp I found from a friend of mine that I bought for a $150- virtually brand-new. It is a Fender Mustang Mark III V.2 - from Studio to Stage it is indispensable. The emulations are spot-on including the reverbs. All Digital emulations but the Reverb sounds so real it seems like you should be able to pick it up and drop it and you're waiting for the splash from the Springs but it doesn't happen...!! I took this amp and I put it on a Princeton reverb mid 60s era setting and did a take, then plugged into a real Princeton and I'll be darned if you couldn't tell the difference---- you just could not tell the difference between the two. One single 12 celestion silverback being pushed by a hundred Watts with a plethora of modulation delay and stomp box pedals built-in. If you're looking for a Workhorse of a little lamp or would just like to check out its capabilities just search Mustang III V.2 demo .... I guarantee you you will be very surprised! All of y'all hang tough, stay safe, and don't sweat the of the small shit. Peace, out.

[@_-_Michael_-_]

Wow in ‘73, thats cool, you were ahead of that time, in really like 20-25 years at least. I’m impressed. Keep well and greetings from Slovakia. Cheers

[@lueysixty-six7300]

@@_-_Michael_-_ huh??

[@TraneFrancks]

@@lueysixty-six7300 Michael was noting that Steve using a small amp mic'd through a PA in 1973 was not a common thing for guitarists.

[@ChristopherDowning]

Yep - the first band I heard of using mic'd up amps through PAs were the Tremeloes, a west London band. That was 1967/68 - certainly the only band at that time routing everything through the PA - so it was doable - just that we liked our stacks and we thought they were a bunch of softies for doing it!! (Softies is publishable - you can guess we had stronger terms than that!!)

[@christopherb.2658]

That is one sweet sounding amp and YES Gibson needs to reissue these amps! 🤘🏻

[@steampunkerjoe]

I have two of these I bought about ten years ago. Dimed out and close mic’d, they sound ten feet tall. Have a Ranger and a couple of other vintage Gibson amps. Vintage Fender too much $$$, Gibson vintage sounds great. Had a couple made stage ready up in Athens. I enjoy your channel Rhett. Keep up the good work.

[@SupraphonicsSurfCombo]

They are super special. Love my 60's 5-watt Supro Tremo-Verb. No pedals. Just plug right in a go.

[@DGThomas04]

Thank you so much for what you do! I have applied so many things I have learned from you! Also, you are the reason I didn’t miss the chance to see Songbirds in Chattanooga, I had just moved to town the weekend they were closing, and not for your video I would not have known I needed to go immediately and was there the final day, that was a priceless experience for a guitarist, and I will always be grateful to you for that!!!!

[@leftovernoise]

Just a week ago I found out my grandma is passing down my grandpa's 57 ga-5 to me. Should be here in a week or two. So stoked! It's gonna need a bit of work but it's going to sound amazing

[@simonk2001]

Did you get the amp? Is it working?

[@danboylan2449]

I actually own a 20 year old Gibson GA-15 RV. It is arguably my favorite amp of all time. Great video!

[@DeSoulHCR]

i could listen to you play guitar all day man. Your riffs are always so beautiful. Thanks for the content. BTW that amp is awesome.

[@rjb10101]

Nice. Here in England I bought a 1953 radio amp. It has radio, and an aux imput for mic. It looks like it was installed in a factory for the radio and PA for the workers. It has the original handwired components and valves. It is the best sounding amp I have.

[@CNCTEMATIC]

Nice. I like the way the tremolo gets overpowered when the power valves saturate, then it comes back in. Classic tone! My favourite small amp is not quite in the same category, its a hybrid: the Fender Superchamp X2. Very versatile. It's models of small Fender amps are awesome. More convincing than anything digital I've heard.

[@waynead754]

I have a 1960 GA-79 (stereo- two 15 watt channels) that I've owned since the mis '60s. I still play it every day.

[@jakesmith4506]

great channel. I love the fact that you show how something works in the context of a real song.

[@MrSandieman666]

My favorite at the time is a pretty cheap 15 w Laney cub 212r, it screams and has great wide bass response, opens up and blooms like crazy when pushed.

[@GregoryHillSr]

You made an awesome purchase! small amps always have great sound and for a long time were underrated from lack of knowledge. Have Fun!!!

[@berndalmstedt5060]

I hear you! I am in love with the small amps for 10+ years, starting with a Laney LC-15R combo, then a Princeton 65 Reissue Reverb, then further down with a Vox Lil' NightTrain 2 Watts amp to finally land with a rather modern Marschall DSL-1HR with 2 channels, 1Watt, effects loop, and man, this tiny thing nails it! I can combine it with various boxes with 1x8", 1x10", two different 1x12" (one old Vox open Cab with a Celestion Greenback) or a 2x12" cab, depending on recording requirements and I am even using the 0.1 Watt attentuator sometimes!!!

[@cheycasters]

I still own the 1970 Super Lead amp I bought when I was 17 in 76, I just found a 1946 "Les Paul" Junior amp that is a GA 5 that has a oval speaker in it for a whopping $20 at a storage unit side of the raod stand. It fired right up and only has a newer two pronged cord installed looks like in the 60's.....I just had Ben Fargen service my old Marshall as it has not seen electricity for 35 years......I also got two 4x12 cabs with 25w. Greenbacks with it. I got the whole full stack in 76 for another whopping $500..... I have owned it for 46 years... Im a young 63 now.. ;)-~

[@therainrunner]

Oh Man congrats! Skylark - my dream amp, recording beast, sounding massive! And this one mint condition... All the bests!

[@ejmarti]

Love small amps! Champs, Skylarks, Valco, Silvertone, so many good ones to choose from.

[@michaelbast8250]

I have been using my Swart Space Tone Jr. (5 W 8 inch speaker) with glorious reverb tank Live at church in a full band. Miced of course. There is something to driving your amp to the edge that is magical.

[@manuelmesa3910]

Your videos every time get better and better! Very nice.

[@MirageLinne]

Worked at a studio for a few years that had a 1963 (I believe) Gibson Skylark that I loved! It sounded so much bigger than it's size.

[@timothyjohnson9739]

Love it, Rhett! I've got a '63 G-5, and It's awesome! You're absolutely right urging Gibson to re-issue! Rock on, bro!

[@jimherleva4541]

Just bought a 1967 GA5-t - bit apprehensive as I've never had anything so small in output. This video has put my mind at ease a little bit.

[@chrisdrake447]

Loving this new ‘What is the ??? Sound’ series. Nice and simple demystification of the gear being looked at, especially when there are so many variables that affect a sound. Pretty tasty playing too.

[@robertbrown9767]

That little amp is tone for days ! Great buy and in your hands you take it to another level!

[@bigtuna6463]

That tremolo /vibrato sounds really nice. Thanks for posting

[@benwake7625]

Yep, that sounds lovely.

[@Prepvolleyballdad]

I've had a obscure early 60s Lectrolab R500C for 40 years that is the favorite amp of mine. The best little recording amp ever. Have had to put a bit of money into it over the years but it's hanging in there.

[@brentnoury7626]

Nice!! Thanks Rhett.

[@davidwilson7042]

They're great. At one point, I was the custodian of a '58 GA-5 and '59 or '60 GA-40. Glad to see you enjoying this one. And the fact that it's pretty is just frosting on the cake.

[@Glicksman1]

Yes, yes, yes, yes! Absolutely one of my favorite amps of all time. I have the same one (1960) as in your demo. I've probably owned thirty amps over the years and still have ten. It's not only great for overdriven sounds but is super when set clean with pedals for OD. Single-ended amps have a very specific feel and touch and my guitars come alive through my Skylark. Easily as good or better than an AC-4 and a lot less expensive. You're right, it kills the Fender Champ. Miked up, I have gigged very well with my GA-5-t Skylark. I put a NOS Mullard12AX7 in V1 and it made the amp sound even better and bigger. An Amperex Bugle Boy, Sylvania, or a Black-Plate RCA is nice too. A NOS Sylvania JAN 5751 is very good for a cleaner, more detailed sound. It's a bit quieter, too. Another fave amp is a1950 Gibson GA-50, the brown one that looks like an old radio with one 12" and one 8" speaker. While it's not single-ended and has a more complicated circuit, it also provides amazing feel and touch. Never got a better sound than when in either of these two amps. Look, we know that Gibson amps are great, maybe the best of all, but hey, but as Drew said, let's keep it a secret so that they remain inexpensive, alright? Shuuuush.

[@BrianGay57]

I love small, low watt tube amps! I use a 2 watt Fender Greta constantly for practice and living room jams with accoustic guitar and cajon.

[@larsvanaken7833]

That one looks and sounds so good! I own a 1965 Lark that has been all over Western Europe. Enjoy!

[@holmes1978]

Excellent purchase !

[@lazlomattachine8334]

I’ve played my 60s Gibson discoverer tremolo for years live and in the studio. It totally rocks and was cheap as dirt.

[@8MinuteAxe]

I remember borrowing my friends 59 strat and 59 bassman for a gig. Wasnt grounded properly. When I stepped to the mic to sing the first line of Hallelujah (I couldnt make this up) ZAP!! I was out cold. Got some nice vintage burns on my lip too! Excellent video Rhett. -Mark

[@lueysixty-six7300]

Dang, that was original? That "quick track" you just "put together" was smooth man...I'll pay that! Good job. 😎

[@thebean7920]

probably the best guitar tone i've heard in any gear demo

[@guitronaut1]

I used to have a non-tremolo version that was just like this one. I only paid $8 for it. Of corse, that was 50 years ago. It sounded fabulous but, as you said, it was no where near loud enough to gig with. I still lament its loss. What a treasure.

[@paulthebeardedonedowning6820]

love it man the condition of it is unbelievable for its age sounds like theres tons of head room to really push it.

[@mikesemie5028]

Unbelievable tone.

[@jefflappin]

I just got a 58 Gibson GA-8 Gibsonette. It's the best sounding amp I've ever had. Love it!

[@albertgutnick6979]

I’m in the process of buying a 63 Skylark I’m so excited you have inspired this

[@JeremyCarlstedt]

Beautiful amp, but also playing! Thank you for the video!

[@TheDotyboy]

Skylarks are fantastic! Great find! I just picked up a Gibson Discoverer Tremolo. Mind blowing!

[@Sooby007]

Not a gear collector but gear is tending to collect over there. That thing's rad - love it!

[@halames1956]

Sounds amazing! In the early '60s our band used to rent Gibson Falcons for gigs, but I've never seen one on Utube. I also had a '57 Fender Tremolux that sounded deadly. Cheers Rhett.

[@TheAlpineProject]

Hey I've got one of those. Thanks for upping the value with this video.

[@gezor20]

thanks for the Skylark video back then, I am still loving the one I bought soon after

[@williamlee6358]

Thanks Rhett

[@cartooncatfishproductions558]

These old gibson amps where great, one thing i have read about them is that they where designed with more headroom than most fenders had and where made for playing clean but once you make them overdrive they sound amazing and i love the tremolo on them, its great for playing a lot of chris stapleton stuff, and i just love it with a paf type pickup played with some reverb just barely overdriven.

[@telecastersRthebest]

Sounds amazing with that blue and white T-style guitar!

[@gabrielamaro6156]

It sounds amazing!!

[@billclarke9269]

Knocked it out of the park. I LOVE small amps. I love "secret weapon" gear.

[@iamaraindog385]

I had one of those for several years that I had modded with a speaker out to drive a cab. Ended up selling it with some other stuff to fund my Collings, but a nice memory!

[@pierheadjump]

Thanks Rhett ⚓️

[@hydro5168]

Another thing: If you can’t afford either a Champ or GA5 kits for them are quite affordable and really easy to build

[@lonnyhandwork422]

I have this exact amp as well. Great little beauty!

[@TJRatfink]

it sounds amazing!

[@craiger2399]

Awesome tones Rhett! I have a new Jensen P8R in my vintage Champ, and it sounds fantastic.

[@prateekpoddar1890]

Also: any chance you could do a video on mic'ing low wattage amps and mixing them appropriately?

[@andrewthomas7573]

Same, I'd love to hear his thoughts on this. I usually use a large diaphragm condenser paired with a 57 for lower wattage amps, but you can also use a ribbon and a dynamic mic (like the 57) paired on almost any amp and it'll sound good. Honestly, it just takes experimenting. Also, the closer you go to the center of the speaker, the brighter your tone, and vice versa. So, with that in mind, you can get a good estimate of where to start (I usually start with my 57 pointed to where the dust cap mets the speaker cone). After that just experiment with different mic combos and different placements and see what you like.

[@callmedeno]

And are the two signals usually panned? or do you use mono but just like a double?

[@andrewthomas7573]

@@callmedeno I usually pan them hard left and right. It really depends on where it needs to sit in the mix

[@pinkrocko5040]

Sounds pretty epic.. love the subtitles

[@15thwardadrian]

Greetings from North Georgia. Congrats on your purchase!

[@Jstall7543]

Sounds really cool!

[@analognoir7398]

I found one of these on craigslist about two months ago. 1964 model, not tweed. Tried it and it was pretty unremarkable. I know a lot of times the amps need work to sound their best but this amp had a clean bill and was recently serviced by a local shop that specializes in vintage amps. In any case, get an old Fender and never look back!

[@Otis-Isom]

Maybe you just got a bad one

[@user-tz2zz5ij1s]

@@Otis-Isom or maybe he doesn’t buy into the hype of a piece of equipment because it’s vintage?

[@annother3350]

@@user-tz2zz5ij1s Well, I thought it sounded good in the video

[@Otis-Isom]

@@user-tz2zz5ij1s im not saying that the amp is good because its vintage, I’m saying that those older amps had a tendency to be inconsistent so he might have gotten a bad one.

[@sirmadrigal6427]

@@user-tz2zz5ij1s I think it is just because these old Gibson amps are a little inconsistent. When you get a good one, they’re monsters, but if they are not, they’re nothing special.

[@ozmassb2594]

I watched your first video on the original Skylark; which led me to buy a late 50s Silvertone 1391. Absolute tone machine, and have been using it to record tracks and I love it. I bought it for like $250 with a new speaker and 3 prong cord. TLDR y’all need to snatch these up

[@andyhelmboldt2339]

I have one of these. It is every bit as awesome as you present here. The touch sensitivity is phenomenal. And it is loud. Sometimes I play it together with a Fender Rumble 40 watt bass amp (hey, it’s an odd marriage that works) and the Rumble has trouble keeping up. I’ve used it for church gigs unmic’ed. And, my tremolo circuit is also unreliable - I guess it’s a feature :)

[@kthomasaus]

My first electric, bought as a senior in high school, was a 59 Les Paul Jr. that came with a 59 GA-5 amp. Not quite the same as yours, no tremolo and a 6V6, but still an awesome sounding amp - and yeah, awesome for recording.

[@scotthenderson7286]

Sounds great!

[@Guitar5986]

Love vintage Gibsons! I own a '57 GA-45T, '58 GA-5, '62 GA-8T, & a '63 M216RVT.

[@KleyDeJong]

Awesome amp Rhett! Love those old low wattage combos.

[@derekbatty4734]

Mr. Shull -- killer tone at 0:50! Me and my buddy are big fans of your videos and playing. Two summers ago I was itching to build another tube amp and had done the Tweed thing and 18 watt build. I told my buddy I was wanting to do a single-ended amp running an EL84 that could get semi-Plexi tones. A few days later he says, "Let's build Gibson Skylarks!" I ordered material and he build two boards for us. In short, mine is in a Carvin Tweed (a former Vintage 16) cab running a Weber Sig 12F and Hammond transformers. My buddy brought into the circuit the tone stack from an amp called "Checkmate 17," which I believe was made by Teisco. We wired the amp to use the 6X4 recto tube but had issues and settled on diodes. My buddy rolled me an aluminum chassis and printed some amazing water decals for the gold front. I love this amp and it can roar when pushed! I pulled it out yesterday and started messing around with it and a Tele with P90s -- perfect combo! Anyway, wanted to give you a shout out and let you know there are other Skylark fans out here. Maybe I will post some pics to KZbin. If so, I will let you know! Respectfully, Derek

[@tyshred9251]

I have a 1958 gibson les paul amp, it came with some jrs on release. Also got the 58 junior. They're both incredibly badass. I'm very lucky to have inherited them.

[@muskymike1885]

I'm still favorable to my 1955 Fender tweed delux thats been in the family since new

[@nolanr7679]

Dang that us and them (or time whichever you prefer) rendition was so sick!!!

[@MatthewScottmusic]

Killer Rhett! I have a 1959 Gibson GA18T! Gibsons are great for the money..

[@nathanmclauchlan5148]

Sounds huge. Love it

[@stuartbrough]

Rhett, I have a 1958 Skylark GA-5 which had an 8" Jensen Special Design speaker. I was able to find the identical speaker, made in Italy just like the original and yes, it sounds great!

[@dougjack7912]

Awesome amps. I'd love an old one, but i have 3 of the 1990's re-issue GA-5. They're my favourites.I put a Jensen P8R in one of them & it's divine. One is a see-through, made out of plexiglass limited edition.

[@lightsjohnson8253]

good amp great choice , I had a old gibson amp like that, for about ten years, loved it. I was jammin' with some guys and they yell your amps on fire, your amps on fire, turned around and was burning , a sacrifice to Great Jammers in the Sky. What a hoot ! Gibson should remake little amps again , 5- up 20 watts wood be great.

[@victorvanderwant3955]

I want one so bad, But Rhett keeps stelling 'em!!! No worries, great video!

[@soundknight]

They are phenomenal sounding amps.

[@johnc.8298]

I got an original chassis of this amp about 20 years ago free from a friend who owned a music store. The power transformer was shot and the owner didn't want to spend the big bucks at that time to repair it. No cabinet. I pulled the circuitry and rewired it into a "tweed" champ with an old pre-CBS (blackface) champ output transformer I had with a 6V6. I built a cab out of cedar with two 10's and it's the main amp I use. There are times a separate treb/bass rather than tone would be nice.

[@oodatp999]

I've got a 1969 champ-amp that is immaculate. It even had the original tubes, though one was replaced with a NOS RCA. Sounds great, but the lack of reverb is a real killer for me. I actually have it for sale right now, but after watching this I might just keep it. I bought it last year.. for $20, no joke!

[@mrkite89]

Really nice amp, good early RnR tone!

[@erichamilton2870]

Great tones, great riffs.

[@josephcole9340]

I saw this on the podcast and I knew it was going to go!

[@matthewtorossi616]

im with you brother. I've got the early 60's skylark and early 70's fender super reverb in your video with rick.thanks for your videos

[@casasdenunez]

Tracked on this at Matt Goldman's studio. I kinda chuckled when he suggested it out of all the amps he had at the studio. The tone haunts me to this day (in the best way)!

[@GregoryHillSr]

I use a California Set 5 5 Watt Tube Amp - Speaker/Tube changed out of it and now its my workhorse, way lighter than lugging a HRDIII around!!!!

[@uptopmikep7065]

Gat a Weber speaker. They are killer! I’m sure Dave would agree. I just put one into my custom kit built Princeton Reverb and it is Amazing!

[@gdasilva]

You did. Old Gibson amps are so cool. I am partial to the white panel years myself. If you take a 1965/66 GA-20RVT and slap an Eminence Cannabis Rex in it... boy oh boy.

[@greatwhite3676]

just got a 73 vibro champ for really cheap they are out there. Can't stop playing it. Does not take fuzz too well but just rips when cranked. Add a little klon and its really killer

[@michaelbutler2312]

i think it sounded great. i have a 63 skylark ga5t with a weber alnico. killer amp. also love playing thru my 59 princeton that has a weber alnico. small amps rule!! thanks for your video.

[@russellmedeiros7927]

My little AC4TV mini has been a great amp for me. I have it running through a Marshall Origin vertical 2x12. There is something great about just a volume and tone.

[@dep1001]

Great sounding little amp, Rhett! And totally agree... Gibson, start making amps again! There's definitely a market for those amps!

[@Davidthestratman7]

Your wish just came true

[@dep1001]

@@Davidthestratman7 Hey! Wow you're right... time to check out some reviews :)

[@moptop5253]

That sounds really good. I wonder what it would sound like with a The Depths 2 fuzz and a Gibson SG plugged in.