Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: john_t on November 10, 2010, 01:35:36 pm

Title: GA5 vs ga clone vs 5f1
Post by: john_t on November 10, 2010, 01:35:36 pm

Ok, I now three similar amps and I think I prefer the sound of the 6v6 amps. I have a 1961 Gibson GA-05 Skylark. A GA-5 clone build with a El84, and a 5f1 clone circuit with a 6v6 power tube. The clone GA-05 runs nice and quite has great overdrive but to me seems to lack the bottom end the 6v6 seems to deliver. Iam considering swapping out the el84 for a 6v6. The original ga-05 lacks the headroom the two clones have and the 5f1 while quite is not as silent as the ga clone. Any thoughts on this would be appropriated

Title: Re: GA5 vs ga clone vs 5f1
Post by: phsyconoodler on November 10, 2010, 03:13:05 pm

appropriated? You thief! Like all of us here. :wink:

Output transformer.Size and type.

Title: Re: GA5 vs ga clone vs 5f1
Post by: jjasilli on November 10, 2010, 03:50:57 pm

The appropriations committee further notes other differences in the amps: input resistors; cathode bypass cap Stage1; preamp plate & cathode resistor values.  The brand of tubes alone might make a difference. You can get more lows with larger coupling caps; and/or a larger bypass cap for the power tube. 

Still I think I too might prefer 6V6's to el84's.  But it's hard to make a fair comparison.

Title: Re: GA5 vs ga clone vs 5f1
Post by: john_t on November 10, 2010, 07:55:47 pm

Note to self. when you use spell check, check the correct word. I (appreciate) the help.

Title: Re: GA5 vs ga clone vs 5f1
Post by: rafe on November 10, 2010, 08:34:47 pm

 :laugh:
Ga-5t with a 6bm8 should be compared too.....I LIKE IT :tongue9:......

Title: Re: GA5 vs ga clone vs 5f1
Post by: billcreller on November 10, 2010, 08:58:18 pm

I plugged one of my steel guitars into a GA-5T at Elderly's music shop in Lansing Mi a few years back, and the tone of that old amp was really something. A friend from Hawaii was with me, and we looked at each other, and wondered how that cheapie amp could sound that good!  They were too proud of it though, and wanted over 800 bucks for it.
  Was there more than one Ga-5T type/circuit/model? 

Title: Re: GA5 vs ga clone vs 5f1
Post by: Fresh_Start on November 10, 2010, 09:10:03 pm

Quote from: billcreller on November 10, 2010, 08:58:18 pm

I plugged one of my steel guitars into a GA-5T at Elderly's music shop in Lansing Mi a few years back, and the tone of that old amp was really something. A friend from Hawaii was with me, and we looked at each other, and wondered how that cheapie amp could sound that good!  They were too proud of it though, and wanted over 800 bucks for it.
  Was there more than one Ga-5T type/circuit/model? 

There are three different versions in Doug's schematic library:
http://www.el34world.com/charts/Schematics2.php

2 single-ended
1 push-pull

Take your pick!

Chip