"Best amp in its class ever period…"

1961 Gibson GA-18T Explorer 'Tweed' Amplifier

This is near fine 1961 GA-18T 'Tweed' Explorer Combo which puts out a healthy 14 watts. Original tan 'Tweed' covered cabinet with original dark brown grille cloth. Gibson name in silver plastic to upper right of grill and the original Gibson plastic handle. Cabinet measurements: 20 inches wide x 16 1/4 inches high x 8 5/8 inches deep. Weight: 23 lbs.

The original speaker has been replaced with the correct ten-inch Jensen Special Design speaker stamped C10R 8 ohm  220 0707 (July 2007). The amp has been recently serviced and is near fine condition and good working order.

Top mounted chassis with five tubes: 2 x 6V6GT (output); 2 x 12AX7 (pre-amp) and 1 x 5Y3GT rectifer.

On/off switch; Pilot light; 2 amp fuse; 1 volume control; 1 tone control; 1 Tremolo 'Depth' control; & 1 Tremolo 'Frequency' control and three 'instrument' inputs. Potentiometers are stamped 134 6046; 2 x 134 6110 (volume & tone); 134 6124 (Centralab, November 1960, March and June 1961). Original remote tremolo foot-switch in clip on inside left of cabinet.

The GA-18T is somewhat of a 'Jekyll and Hyde' - it can be very sweet but it can also turn quite 'nasty' (in a very nice way) when pushed… it is a truly spectacular little combo.

"Best amp in its class ever period kicks tweed deluxe ass try it thru 16 ohm 2x12 cab with internal 8 ohm in series and you get spanky clean headroom into 4.4 ohms with minimal mismatch. Tremolo is best I've ever heard. Sweetest low volume clean sounds with p-90s volume control set higher to "m" on volume control gives perfect small stage volume, with a fulldrive 2 or other 2 channel pedal it's all the rig an experienced player needs. Jazz tones thru classic or modern rock. Likes matched, 7+ GT rated tubes and a good tech setup. Possibly one of the best kept secrets. Don't agree with the princeton comparisons, and circuit is better imho than deluxe. A perfect 10, if you have been around and know what good tone is. (Fred Duffer).

At 14 to 18 watts it is not really very loud but what a tone. With volume below about 25% it is quite clean but roll it up above 50% and it really sings. Like the Fender tweeds it is easiest to use the guitar volume to to control the degree of overdrive. It does not matter if you are using humbuckers or single coils it is a great sound. Classic tube driven overdrive with just the right degree of valve driven compression. Give it some reverb and hold on, because the tone and sustain will blow you away. In my opinion it is better than the Fender tweeds. If you need real volume, just do as Clapton and so many others do - mike it up into the mixer deck. Maybe I've just got a good one. However, I seen a few other reports and they were all good. So what are you waiting for? For have the price, or less if you are lucky, of a Fender you can have the tone and the satisfaction of being smarter than the Fender gang. I would give this amp a 5 star rating. It is not loud but it can cut through. It is clean and docile until you get above 40 / 50% volume and then it really sings. All the classic tube amp tones you could wish for. Valve compression, crunch and sustain are there to be had. (Norman Kenyon)

Great amp, I have [one from] 1961, and boy, does it break up. I've never been as pleased about what it can do. (http://www.0rigami.com/gg/amps1.html#GA-18T_Explorer_Tweed).