1952 Gibson GA-40 Amplifier

[Structo]

A guy over at Metro posted some questions about an amp he has.
1952 Gibson GA-40.
I guess it is a Les Paul model since it has the LP on the front and his sig on the upper right of the cab.

There are some great pictures of it and it is in really good shape.
They just don't make'em like this any more.

[img:773:564]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/ ... 0front.jpg[/img]



Now this is what point to point wiring is all about.

[img:799:513]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/ ... 2GA-40.jpg[/img]

I was a bit disappointed when I saw all the orange drops.
Don't know who did that....

The rest of the photos can be seen here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34962254@N ... 9971/show/

[David Root]

Doesn't look like it's been hacked but I'm not a fan of orange drops personally, might well have been better with the originals, unless they were all gone, which is possible but you never know with something this old.

Cosmetically, if original, it is great!

[David Root]

Doesn't look like it's been hacked but I'm not a fan of orange drops personally, might well have been better with the originals, unless they were all gone, which is possible but you never know with something this old.

Cosmetically, if original, it is great!

[selloutrr]

you can track down the original blk cats and bumble bees if you really cant stand the drops. those amps are amazing on mid volume jazz guitar and a secret for layering back tracks. very smooth rounded top end.

[Richie]

nothing wrong with using orange drops in the gibson.. just not the 715s shown in the pic.. many others will work fine, 6ps 225, or any of the polyester orange drops. I've worked on many gibson amps,and almost every one,the trem didn't work or the amp had other leaky caps,and they needed changed.
Thats fine to use matched NOS Astrons or bumble bess,if thats what your after, or to make it look all orignal. But nothing wrong with using other caps,if you want the amp to work like it should. the GA40s are great sounding amps. Alot of time, people may not know how good it can sound,if it has old or leaky caps. it may still work somewhat,but it can rob the tone of the amp.

[Structo]

UPDATE:

The owner has the original signal caps and is going to restore them to the amp.
The tech is the guy that posted the pictures and info.
Isn't the 715 series orange drop the polypropylene ones?

He is going to test all of the originals for leakage and put them back in in the critical areas.

Sure is a clean amp.

[Richie]

Isn't the 715 series orange drop the polypropylene ones?

yes they are.

the later GA40s had a board, and most all the caps are on the underside of the board.