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Author
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Topic: Gibson Goldtone GA-30RVS
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basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 27 September 2003 06:00 AM
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I just bought one.... amazing.... see......
http://www.guitarworld.com/gearreviews/gear/1999/9912_heartgold.html
Baz
www.waikiki-islanders.com ------------------
quote:
Steel players do it without fretting
http://www.waikiki-islanders.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk |
Dennis Olearchik
Member From: Newtown, PA
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posted 28 September 2003 04:40 AM
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Baz,What other amps did you compare it against before you bought it? I noticed the "list price" is pretty high - and that was back in '99! Thanks. Dennis
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basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 28 September 2003 06:07 AM
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Well Dennis...I'm glad you asked that question, because, I tried the amp out side by side with Fender, Peavey and Mesa Boogie VALVE amps... the ONLY one close to It was a Mesa Boogie - NOMAD 100 2x12 and although tha Mesa uses 4x 6L6GC tubes it was audibly NO LOUDER than the gibson.Tonewise the Gibson was "Warmer" and when driven HARD broke up in a "Sweet" way rather than in a hard brittle sense.
The Gibson is a "Class A" valve amp AND STEREO.... this is a definite plus...I hve been comparing the available valve amps for the past couple of weeks and tried the complete range of both Fender and Peavey,
the ONLY Mesa I took home to further evaluate was the NOMAD... the others ones available HERE didn't cut it side by side. The steels I used to test the amp were....
1970 Emmons D-10 with stock pick-ups...1970 Emmons D-10 with 5 position George L's...1964 Fender 1000.....1957 Gibson Multiharp.....1939 Gibson EH-185....1938 Dickerson....1948 Rickenbacher BD-16...1935 "Frypan" ....1948 "Leilani" ... 1958 Fender deluxe-8 .....1957 Stringmaster D-8......1998 Bennett D-10......1999 Bennett keyless S-12..... and then... Pat and I tried out the amp with some of our regular guitars including Pat's New Hofner "Jazzica" http://www.waikiki-islanders.com/html/press.htm Up 'till now my "Road" gear consisted of a DPC-750 and Profex-11 plus 2 EV stage 200's OR the 15" Black Widow cabs....this gear is now redundant... I AM DI'd through the PA so I realy don't need so much power.. just suficient level to get a reaction between the amp and guitar and be able to hear myself above the rest of the band...
Baz
www.waikiki-islanders.com [This message was edited by basilh on 28 September 2003 at 06:09 AM.] |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 30 September 2003 02:06 AM
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This could do with a few more viewings !!! |
Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 30 September 2003 08:49 AM
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These amps are an updated version of the Trace Elliott Velocette series. There's the 15 watt version with one ten inch speaker and the 30 watt version with two tens.
I always wanted to have one of these, but I have too many amps now as it is.
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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
Bobby Lee
Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA
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posted 30 September 2003 10:16 AM
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I know that you're not a loud player, Baz, but I really wonder how 15 watts per channel holds up in a dance band. The amp has most of the features I need (it lacks a distortion preamp channel). I'm just nervous about that low power rating, and the price.------------------
 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 30 September 2003 11:01 AM
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Well b0b...... 15 watts per channel is more than adequate for the average gig... If the amp is used as a monitor and di'd through the P.A. it is ideal...
15 Watts stereo from a "Class A" amplifier is quite loud, IF, the speaker efficiency etc is sufficient.as for the extra pre-amp gain stage... it HAS one by a pull switch on the vol control... It switches in an extra gain stage...
(Check out the review at http://www.guitarworld.com/gearreviews/gear/1999/9912_heartgold.html ) Brad... the GA-30RVS has two 12" Celestion "Vintage" series speakers. You should realy try one out somehow....they can be got at quite a lot less than the advertised price. I got this one "Brand New" with full guarantee etc. for £400 (Approx $600)
Baz |
Bobby Lee
Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA
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posted 30 September 2003 04:10 PM
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Gain boost isn't the same thing as a distortion channel. I usually set my volume the same in both preamp channels. I don't want the distorted tone to be louder than the clean sound - I just want it to be different.------------------
Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 30 September 2003 04:44 PM
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No b0b.. it doesn't do that ... unfortunately.
I see your point about the same volume for clean and overload sounds....
Baz |
Dennis Olearchik
Member From: Newtown, PA
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posted 30 September 2003 05:20 PM
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Baz,Thanks for the reply. As a fyi, I recently tried a Fender Custom Shop "Bassbreaker" and thought it sounded great with single-coil pick-up guitars. A neat little trick that made a huge difference was using a jumper cable between the 1st and 2nd channels. Btw, how's things at the Reddicap Tavern  All the best, Dennis |
basilh
Member From: United Kingdom
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posted 10 October 2003 02:55 AM
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Never got chance to get back to you about the "Reddicap" Dennis.......
how do you know where I spend my leisure time ?Here is a link to some pics http://groups.msn.com/TheBritishSteeliesSociety/basilhenriques.msnw?Page=4 Baz[This message was edited by basilh on 10 October 2003 at 03:04 AM.] |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 14 October 2003 09:39 AM
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I notice that Gibson now has a GA-30RV Super Goldtone Combo. Has anyone tried this model? It is more money, and are you ready for this, it weights in at 82 lbs! 
My back hurts already! |
Donny Hinson
Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A.
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posted 14 October 2003 06:35 PM
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Bobby, "adequate power" depends on what kind of tone you like. If you want fat, heavy bass sounds (a la Chalker), you've gotta have a lot of power. If you play all highs (like Mooney) 30 watts might be plenty. If you play somewhere in between, then your power requirements would be somewhere in between, as well. I've played through well over a hundred different tube amps, and have never been able to "get by" in a live setting (on pedal steel) with less than 60 watts. (Lap steel might be a different story.) Back when I started playing, tube amps were all we had! |
Bobby Lee
Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA
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posted 15 October 2003 12:23 PM
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I'm using a 40 watt Mesa/Boogie for small gigs. I wouldn't want to try performing with less power than that, unless the amp was miked. |
Michael Brebes
Member From: Northridge CA
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posted 16 October 2003 07:39 AM
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Even though the review says it was a Trace
Elliot design, it is a modified recreation of the old GA-30 amps that were made in the 50's and 60's. One tone control and they used 6V6 tubes instead of EL84's in the new one. |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 16 October 2003 09:18 AM
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There is a Trace Elliot for sale on e-bay and they advertise it as the same as the Goldtone GA-30RVS except for 10" speakers instead of the 12" ones in the Goldtone. According to the pictures it looks identical.
I understand Gibson bought Trace Elliot so why would they modify the old GA-30?
I just bought a new GA-30RVS over e-bay. It is brown in color and advertised as one of the last ones built in the UK.
Erv |
Lefty
Member From: Grayson, Ga.
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posted 25 September 2005 06:02 AM
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I just picked up a GA-30RVS (tan, UK made). Curious to hear any new feedback on these. So far I have just tried it out with six strings (G&L tele and Fender strat, Gibson Les Paul deluxe) and get a good sound ala Brad Paisley type tone.
I am pretty much a Fender twin man, so I am still undecided on whether I made the right decision. The reverb is really good, and at lower volume with the tele I get a good Cropper (Booker T) tone.
I would also apreciate feedback on which EL84 tubes users find best.
Thank you,
Lefty |
Chris Bauer
Member From: Nashville, TN USA
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posted 25 September 2005 06:51 AM
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I have no clue if/how they compare to the Velocettes but if they're pretty close, I can imagine they'd be great, at least for certain uses. I have one of the 15 watt Velocettes and love it for recording lap steel, especially for rock stuff. To my ears, the only oddness is that it's pretty bright even without the bright switch on. Throw on the bright switch and you can peel paint (or, perhaps, clean out somebody's ear wax) from a pretty good distance.On the other hand, I've never played it live without miking it. I can't imagine it being of much use on the bandstand otherwise. |
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