Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

[Lewguitar]

Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Bruce rebuilt both of them for me and boy do they sound amazing.

Everybody raves about the the Tweed Deluxe but I like these just as much. Maybe better.

The cleans and semi cleans sound richer and when I goose the GA-20’s with my Klon my leads just soar!

Each still has the original Jensen P12R speaker.

The one on the right is a ‘55. It has a very slightly smaller output tranny but sounds just as good as the more worn ‘56 on the left.

The other one is a ‘54. It uses octal tubes instead of 12ax7 and isn’t as gainy. That one is Bruce’s.

He builds harmonica amps based on the mic input and preamp in my ‘56 GA-20.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Here’s Bruce and his latest creation, the Soulkicker 20.

I’ve been waiting for this one for over a decade.

Single channel with hot and normal inputs. Spring Reverb. Dual 6v6 tubes. Puts out about 20 watts into a Custom Weber 12” Alnico.

When I plug into it I feel like I’m playing through some wonderful British dream amp from the 60’s that I’ve never heard of or played through before.

Takes pedals beautifully. I think this could be his breakthrough amp. The Denver blues guys are loving it. He’s building four more and one is going to be mine.

 

[YeRedHouseOverYonder]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Those are some nice amps. Underrated for sure. I had a octal version (GA 6), but I decided to let it go. It was a bit too clean. Hope to pickup a two 12ax7 version one day. What is the soulkicker 20 based off?

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Those are some nice amps. Underrated for sure. I had a octal version (GA 6), but I decided to let it go. It was a bit too clean. Hope to pickup a two 12ax7 version one day. What is the soulkicker 20 based off?

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

I have an original blackface Princeton Reverb in really trashed condition and Bruce rebuilt it to HIS specs and with a 12” Celestion Alnico speaker. He made it into a different amp with more of a British voicing and I’ve been bugging him to do his own, Mission Amps version.

He finally did. And it’s different from my Princeton. Solid State rectifier for one thing...gives more output and a tighter tone to the bass especially.

It’s louder than my Princeton, not quite as raw, but just as round and plucky.

It’s about as loud as a Deluxe Reverb but only one channel...like a Princeton Reverb.

But the voicing is more “1960’s British” and I can only compare it to my AC30. It’s not as trebley as my Vox, and it’s smoother and warmer...but it reminds me of my AC30 and it gets those soaring Brian May or Tom Scholz or Eric Johnson violin like lead tones when I goose it with a Klon or Tubescreamer.

Extremely vocal and organic sounding. Big sound for a 20 watt amp!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

the soulkicker sounds like a great amp

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

the soulkicker sounds like a great amp

It sure does, but it's hard for me to wrap my mind around a British voicing with 6V6s! I'm really a fan of the single channel hot-rodded Princeton based 1-12 combos and look forward to hearing some demos of Bruce's creation.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

that part is pretty easy for me. the 6v6 in the right circuit sounds more el34 like than el84's to me. ive heard some tw express clones that run 6v6 and it has a lot of similarities to the same amp with el34's.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Yes. I hear many EL84 amps as having a grainy quality. Had a Matchless SC30 like that.

My 6V6 amps are smoother and not so grainy sounding.

Amps with a big bright cap across the volume pot can also get that grainy sizzle, especially when overdriven with some pedals.

Bruce asked me if the Soulkicker 20 should be brighter and I advised against adding a bright cap.

It takes pedals beautifully.

 

[justFred]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

does he do any SE KT66 amps?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

does he do any SE KT66 amps?

He had a two KT66 amp at the Dallas guitar Show.

It was nice and had reverb.

Buddy Whittington liked it.

Bruce builds amps for blues players. That’s his thing.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

His amps sound like something I’d dig. Hope to get to try one.

 

[justFred]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Went to Mission amps web site. Looked like harp amps...didn't see any KT66 amps...ya got a link?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

Re: Got my ‘55 and ‘56 Gibson GA-20’s back from Mission Amps

i don’t think he makes the KT66 as a regular model. Contact him. Bruce loves to talk. Facebook is as good a way to message him as any. https://www.facebook.com/bruce.collins.35