You do a great job of reviewing and showing off these amps. Knowledgeable without being stuffy or pedantic. Also, you kept the playing straightforward and simple so the character of the amps came through. Enjoyable and educational. Thanks! I hope to see more of your reviews.
Fun demo! Probably the best that I've seen so far. I like the description of how the attenuation works on the amps. That said, it makes me realize that most new amp demos would be really helpful to have a room mic test where a full drum kit is playing along with the amp to get context if it can get loud enough to play with a drummer without the assistance of a PA or slaving to a larger amp.
Guitar-related stuff aside - this is such a nice video to watch and listen to thanks to Justin who seems like a nice and enthusiastic dude. And the audio-video quality is top-notch. Subscribed 👍
Very cool amp, Implode is some of the best fuzz I’ve ever heard. I have one of the original Falcons from the 60’s and love it and can’t wait to try one of these out.
Awesome demo and first impressions commentary. I’ve been waiting for these two Gibson offerings and they don’t disappoint. Leaning towards the Falcon 20 with the added features and headroom versus the Falcon 5. I think I would most likely go with the 6L6 option. I’ll have to check them both out at my local L&M. Thanks
of course with Gibson there 's a catch : the handwired part is a lie : it's all PCB , with tubes mounted on the PCB like on the cheap chinese crappy amps : although it's written "handwired in Petaluma CA " on the back of the amp : what a bunch of clowns !
@@DOPEDOGTOPDOG Beyond overpriced and misleading, thanks again "Gibson" for screwing the guitar player and thinking people are so stupid, which they seem to be right about.
except they didn't tell you the amp is not handwired at all ! Gibson made up this handwired in California lie so that they can sell those amps 4 times what they are worth . pathetic
@@DOPEDOGTOPDOG I've heard quite a bit about the amps being overpriced, typical Gibson. But I was referring to the presenter doing a good job on how amps work in general, dynamics etc.
Nice demo of the amps and definitely going to be grabbing the 12” 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻 to me with more headroom and just options for tone just seems a no brainer and just sounds better! Again great demo and can’t wait to get mine. Welcome to the start of getting more gear in 2024 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻
LMAO, $1799 for a PCB construction combo. You'd be better off buying an original and getting it serviced. The new one fries a board, nobody will touch it
Hola soy Fernando Palerm tengo 77 años, llevo desde los 14 años simpatizando como guitarrista del monton nunca habia escuchado un amplificador de guitarra como el Gipson ya que siempre estuve vinculado con Fender, Vox, Roland, y Pevi he quedado sorprendido de escuchar la gama de sonidos de este fenomenal ampli. Gracias por tu demostración gran guitarrista.
Both sound so creamy. Your tutorial through this demo was exceptional. One of the best demos I've seen in a long time. Thank you for sharing. Have a blessed day.
I tried out some old gibson falcons and similar models. They had THE best reverb out of anything I have heard. They were just noisy amps. Other than that, they produced glorious sounds
The reverb was glorious on both of them, a bit more lush on the Falcon 5 than the 20. The fan noise on the Falcon 20 was a bit of an issue, so the Falcon 5 also runs quieter than the 20.
These are incredible amps, so vintage with just enough modern features. And refreshing in their simplicity. Enjoyed the review, nice job! That's some awesome fuzz on the Implode setting. I think remember those earlier Gibson amps, was it the 90s? 2000? LP knobs, combos and stacks covered in brown leather? The 10" & 12" speakers had round metal grills on them... Were they made by Trace Elliot? I think Gibson owned them at the time.
Always have been a fan of Mesa and both amps sound awesome...thinking the 12" sounds more my preference though. Has similarities to my old subway rocket but instead of having a gain knob this has reverb and tremelo both of which i use.
Damn im very disappointed you didn't show us how to open the box. Im completely confused how to get mine opened. O well im going to return it to the store maybe they can help me..
I fell in love with it as soon as I tried it, but after seeing videos of technicians demonstrating major flaws in its design making it very difficult to repair. The fact that the tubes are mounted directly on the board horizontally also leaves me in doubt for an amp of this price.
We have the "Stage Right" as "Harley Benton" in Europe. The same amps and they are a kick up the backside for the entire market of over-priced little vintage amps for the nostalgic. They are very much the "real deal" - bread-and-butter in every respect. Handsome, well made, well specced and everyone can have the "realness" of a tube amp that's loud enough. Play on the "break up", "crunch" or full-fat feedback mayhem with separate gain and master controls, excellent reverb, send-return for stomp boxes, attenuation to annoy the neighbours a bit less. It's in fact a Laney design from the 70s, it needs no hot-rodding and it's not going to conk out on you. Small gigs, audition, practice, record - fully capable. In common with all the releases that return to the vanished Jet-Age of the fifties it's "no faff". You can just take it to your friend's house, plonk it down and good-to-go. No "log on", no devices, apps and it won't destroy your back - or your bank account. "Credit not required" for this baby. I just can't see the Falcons breaking into it at those insane prices. The sound of driven tubes isn't exactly a USP unless it's a Plexi, AC30, JM45 etc and the Falcons are far from delivering delivering that. You can get all that going with a Boss pedal for a couple-of-hundred anyway - through whatever amp you have. The Stage Right is a massacre at that money because it gives absolutely nothing away, it's not a compromise.
@@lorenshoffos7620 I have the Gibson, so now time will tell. I'm still planning on getting a Magnatone. Just waiting to hear more of the up coming 12 watt M-80 before I choose.
I'm pretty sure my 74-76 traynor YRM 50 was made in your Toronto store, I visited there one time and got a sweet 60s zildjian cymbal when I was younger lol like a little kid I still have it too. Great demo on the Gibson amps, definitely dig them
Nice playing, great riffs, very good explanations. Very nice sounding guitar. What brand and grade stains are you using? Really appreciated. By the way, great sounding amps. I will check them out im Longueuil soon.
Sometimes, it happens to me when I don't read myself before sending the message. I am sorry. I mean what size of strings are you using. Thanks for asking. I just want to make sure I put the best sounding string on my R0 to make it sound as good as your Gibson.@@longandmcquade
Thanks for the compliment! I use DR DDT strings in 11-54 gauge on all my guitars. They’re pretty thick! However I tune to Eb standard, which is standard tuning but tuned down 1/2 a step. This helps alleviate some of the extra tension from those thick strings. Hope this helps!
That was really a great review. After looking at prices, I think I would just go for the 20 just because it’s only 400 bucks more ,but it’s all what you’re looking for.
Falcon 5 sounds nice to me.👍 The sound is warm and somehow "Twed delta brown sounding". I will probably go for Falcon 5, but the price is ridiculous. In Europe the price will be over 2000 dollars for a litle and simple 5W combo amp. I think it is stubid, Thanks for video.
I enjoyed the demo... Gibson branded Mesa amps will gain some interest. The 20 sounded kinda muddy & fuzzy. I liked the snarl of the 5 maxed out, but sort of a one trick amp & the reverb seemed disconnected from the tone somehow. At $1500 price there's a lot of competition, for example the Tone King Gremlin which seems to have a wider, more usable tone spectrum for a little less money.
Thanks for saving me some time. I was wondering, 'Is this a Mesa in Gibson clothes'. Not sure what my reaction is to this. Since Gibson bought Mesa, they have pretty much just been at a stand still, I know I DO NOT like that, so I was expecting Gibson to try to get back in to the amp business using Mesa know how. Still gotta think about it.
Im just curious how you can sit that close with the volume up so high. I have a Marshall Class 5 i cant hardly play past 2 without going deaf and my dog running into the far end of the house. Are you wearing ear plugs? I seriously wonder if people who review amps wear ear plugs sotting right next to them with the volume on more than 1.
I have a few 60s Gibson and Epiphone amps, and I love them all for different reasons. If you play one, expecting it to be a Princeton, Deluxe, Tweed, of the same era, you will probably be let down. They used designs and components that weren't as commonly used by the more popular brands. Sometimes, for better and sometimes not so much. I played hundreds of gigs with my 1967 GA 35 rvt and it never let me down. I hope these reissues use some of the oddball circuit designs and tube compliments that made the old ones so interesting.
Pretty sure we all knew this was coming when Gibson bought Mesa Boogie 🤷 It's the only thing that made sense. They didn't buy it just to keep building Mesas. They had this planned from the beginning. Who wouldn't? Especially with Cesar in charge. He's a guitar player and enthusiast first, I think.
Found a Gibson head very old in a pawnshop years back and it caught on fire at practice. lol Was super scary but the amp looked ancient and who knows what might have been done to it internally. Lots of great amps coming out this year it seems !
I started my electric guitar journey with a Gibson Skylark GA-5 (it did not have reverb) and an ES-125, moved up to, and gigged with, a GA-19 RVT Falcon in mid-late 60's (at that time still using just an ES-125). The GA-19 Falcon has the same controls (sans half/low power switch) as this newer Falcon. The GA-19 Falcon is really only a 15-watt amp, I still have one in near-mint condition (I got one about 20 years ago for old-time's sake and it still is a GREAT amp). If they essentially copied most of the old RVT circuit (and they just might have) - try turning the reverb all the way up and volume all the way down, you (might) get 100% reverb with zero dry signal - like on the older Falcon, ghostly sounding. BTW I liked the review and demo. However, Gibson are you nuts, those prices (even down-shifted from Canadian$ to US$) are absurd.
I totally forgot to try the 100% wet reverb trick during this demo!! I have an old 1966 Kalamazoo amp which does this, and I hope that feature made it into these new amps.
A really nice production, no question. Especially where the guitarist was walking in the door "blind" to what he was going to review. A few observations, unsolicited and dumb though they be... I don't like where the Shure SM57 (?) is in front of that speaker. Try 4" (with a 10" speaker - 5" with the 12") away from the dust cap and pointed toward it, an inch off the mesh. In my experience, that's where the tone is sweetest and most mic-friendly. Also, the dude plays with his guitar knobs a lot and doesn't always say what he's adjusting or why. We never know when the guitar is at all-pots-maxed, so we never really know when at full output. As for the Falcon 5, I think the big crunch tone clips a lot and is too muddy, though it does have some serious metal tone (too bad no mid knob to drop down). That clipping could also be the recording filters, too, so I can't really defend my read on that. The Falcon 20 also has some clip at max cheese. Both of these amps sound best when the drive is at about 75%. No clipping, just kill. If I were to invest here, I'd go with the 20. With 12 watts, it's just enough headroom, and it has more features, more control, just better all around. These amps are for fuzz junkies, and that's not a bad thing. Just not my thing. This was a good post, despite my criticisms of the gear. Nice video and audio presentation.
@@richieluckenbill1590 I asked the question at the time of the presentation of these amps, at the time everything was a bit unknown. Yes, today I know about it. Grazie
Great review, great video quality. Not really sure who this amp is for. Are people buying amps like they're buying guitars? For different tones? I think I'd go ahead and get a Boogie Fillmore 25 over the Falcon 20. You get 2 channels, and a lot more EQ control, plus clean/drive/hi-drive switches for each channel. Also 23W v Gibson's 12W. Same Boogie engineering. Boogie comes with 5 x 12AX7s versus 4 of them on the Falcon 20. Sure, if you want the tremolo built-in, fine,. But put a trem pedal in the effects loop of the Boogie and you're golden. I dunno. I could buy other gear for the amount this is going for.
Thanks for the compliments, Jesse! This amp is for someone who wants that 60s tone and feel, super saggy and into gnarly fuzz when pushed hard. This amp's gain characteristic is totally different than that of a Mesa Fillmore or similar. These Gibson amps are totally vintage-flavoured and typical Mesa amps are much more modern sounding. It may not be for everybody, but as you said, it's for people who want different tones. Guitarists have collected amps for different tones for as long as they've collected guitars. In fact, one could argue that a different amp will give you a different tone moreso than a different guitar. That's why some guitarists have a wide variety of amps in their collection... Fender, Vox, Marshall, Mesa... they'll all sound different and you can't get that Fendery clean tone out of a Marshall, just like you can't get a Marshall drive tone out of a Fender. No other amp will sound like these Falcons when pushed to 10 to get that fuzzed-out "imploding" tone that sounds like it's on the brink of destruction. The Mesa Fillmore is a great amp and it sounds like it might be better suited for you. But some others might not want double the channels, double the knobs and switches, double the power, at a $400 premium over the Gibson Falcon 20. They might prefer features the Falcon 20 has, like the simpler control layout, the tube-driven bias tremolo and the power attenuation switch that takes it down to 2 watts.
The valves plug right into the PCB board in the amp. It's overpriced and over hyped. I'm a big Les Paul guy, but these amps are a hard pass. I'll stick with my Vox.
got to love my good Gibson of Honor especially when is BLACK SG/LES PAUL CUSTOM Beasts good for my Doom Metal synergy i also i think i see my Black LP custom beauty by Epiphone hanging there? i know that underrated beauty very well
I hear that Gibson’s cheapened out and the tube sockets are soldered to a circuit board? Is this true???? If so, Gibson’s learned nothing and will be going down once more. If you want to be the best, do it right! Before you call me a Gibson hater, I own an original Tweed GA19 RVT and love it. I have many Les Pauls and other Gibson models.
These sound ok and a good demo. Reminds me of a fender Vapourizer i had once. Although that was only £300. When you can get a Suhr Hombre amp for less or a Silverface 68 Fender Princeton for about half the price I think that even with the Gibson name tax these are at least 30% overpriced.
The Vaporizer is better built than these Falcon : they are not handwired at all they have the tubes on PCB , on the fender too but they are still mounted to the chassis :those Gibson amps are made like the cheapest chinese amps , what a joke .
There is a speaker… and on/off switch…. And a reverb… and a handle…. And a tone knob. And two inputs. Or i could buy the thr30…. Thr10 …. Thr5 and the acoustic one. And that pocket amp from spark. Or i could just steal one. Its 2024. Does guitar center stop shop lifters? I guess its over 900… i don’t know. Maybe im not in the target demographic. Great review though. Thank you. Thumbs up. Subscribed.
As a clean guy, I really wish they made a 40+ watt model. Seems like these can’t do clean at all, I understand they’re meant for more of a driven sound
That's probably a fair assessment based on what we demoed here. But notice that Justin didn't really realize that there were 2 inputs on the amps til about 27:57 in after he saw that the Drenched Clean setting called for plugging into input 2. He also knocked down the power level after the initial demo of each to save his/our ears, which would also bring down the headroom and cause the amp to breakup sooner. Perhaps a different guitar like single-coils, or perhaps plugging into input 2, and turning the volume knob down but not using any attenuation would make the amp clean up much more than it sounds here. That's one of the drawbacks of this kind of blind "first impressions" video - we might not get everything right the first time. The amps stayed in our studio for a few more days as we created more content with them, and put them through their paces, and we can confirm that they do clean up well. Not as much as a 40+ watt model would, of course, but certainly clean enough. And you could also swap the 6V6 tube(s) for 6L6. Lots of options to get these hairy beasts to clean up nicely. 🤩
Respectfully- that’s five watts my brother. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about it tearing your head off. But then again, I’m 25 and play a 100 watt JMP with tinnitus already. Maybe I need to stop having fun with that extra cab that came with it 🤔🤔🤔😂
You do a great job of reviewing and showing off these amps. Knowledgeable without being stuffy or pedantic. Also, you kept the playing straightforward and simple so the character of the amps came through. Enjoyable and educational. Thanks! I hope to see more of your reviews.
Fun demo! Probably the best that I've seen so far. I like the description of how the attenuation works on the amps.
That said, it makes me realize that most new amp demos would be really helpful to have a room mic test where a full drum kit is playing along with the amp to get context if it can get loud enough to play with a drummer without the assistance of a PA or slaving to a larger amp.
Guitar-related stuff aside - this is such a nice video to watch and listen to thanks to Justin who seems like a nice and enthusiastic dude. And the audio-video quality is top-notch. Subscribed 👍
Thanks a ton, Robert!
Thanks for letting us hang out with you guys and learn about the new Gibson amps ;)
Our pleasure, thanks for hanging! ☺
Letting you hang with them? LMAO 😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@jamiemorgan4146affirmative
Sounds like it was made in the 60s it’s an Awesome sounding Amp!
Very cool amp, Implode is some of the best fuzz I’ve ever heard. I have one of the original Falcons from the 60’s and love it and can’t wait to try one of these out.
Awesome demo and first impressions commentary. I’ve been waiting for these two Gibson offerings and they don’t disappoint. Leaning towards the Falcon 20 with the added features and headroom versus the Falcon 5. I think I would most likely go with the 6L6 option. I’ll have to check them both out at my local L&M. Thanks
You're very welcome!!
of course with Gibson there 's a catch : the handwired part is a lie : it's all PCB , with tubes mounted on the PCB like on the cheap chinese crappy amps : although it's written "handwired in Petaluma CA " on the back of the amp : what a bunch of clowns !
@@DOPEDOGTOPDOG Beyond overpriced and misleading, thanks again "Gibson" for screwing the guitar player and thinking people are so stupid, which they seem to be right about.
I learned so much about amps in this single demo vid. Thx so much.
That's our goal! Not only promote a new product, but educate on the entire product category.
except they didn't tell you the amp is not handwired at all ! Gibson made up this handwired in California lie so that they can sell those amps 4 times what they are worth . pathetic
@@DOPEDOGTOPDOG I've heard quite a bit about the amps being overpriced, typical Gibson. But I was referring to the presenter doing a good job on how amps work in general, dynamics etc.
This is the most wholesome amp review I’ve ever seen.
Aww shucks! 😊
Canadian...
@@guitarandmore69 Exactly.
Not really , he failed to mention the workmanship and design on the inside is rubbish
@@Abs-sr9lxI’ll say!! They’re absolute rubbish!
Nice demo of the amps and definitely going to be grabbing the 12” 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻 to me with more headroom and just options for tone just seems a no brainer and just sounds better! Again great demo and can’t wait to get mine. Welcome to the start of getting more gear in 2024 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻
The Falcon 20 would be a great choice for your new amp of 2024! 🤘🏻
LMAO, $1799 for a PCB construction combo.
You'd be better off buying an original and getting it serviced.
The new one fries a board, nobody will touch it
@@derekperez1418 Thanks for your expertise & logic👍 Already own it & enjoying it.
@@TheSoundofForgetting Do you use it as a pedal platform for your reissue Maestro pedals LMAO
No you don’t @@TheSoundofForgetting
Hola soy Fernando Palerm tengo 77 años, llevo desde los 14 años simpatizando como guitarrista del monton nunca habia escuchado un amplificador de guitarra como el Gipson ya que siempre estuve vinculado con Fender, Vox, Roland, y Pevi he quedado sorprendido de escuchar la gama de sonidos de este fenomenal ampli. Gracias por tu demostración gran guitarrista.
Fantastic demo! I've been a L&M customer for 30 years. Don't know why I didn’t discover this channel before today.
Thanks very much Russ, hopefully you've subscribed! 😁
@longandmcquade
I certainly am! My main stores are Langley, Abbotsford and Terminal.
Well done thorough demo. Thanks for posting.
Our pleasure, we had a lot of fun doing this video!
The Falcon 5 with volume at 2 o'clock is the sweet spot for me!
checking the comments for someone with same likes as me, awesome amp.
Both sound so creamy. Your tutorial through this demo was exceptional. One of the best demos I've seen in a long time. Thank you for sharing. Have a blessed day.
Thanks very much Calvin!
Hello Toronto from Vegas ❤great demo thanks brother!
Thanks for such an informative first-look and demo. Great stuff! 😎
Thanks for watching!
I tried out some old gibson falcons and similar models. They had THE best reverb out of anything I have heard. They were just noisy amps. Other than that, they produced glorious sounds
The reverb was glorious on both of them, a bit more lush on the Falcon 5 than the 20. The fan noise on the Falcon 20 was a bit of an issue, so the Falcon 5 also runs quieter than the 20.
Nice amps. I can't justify another amp buy at the moment, but they are on my wish list now. Rock on, bro.
Great Demo! Can you get them to start breaking up at bedroom level with the attenuators? Or they would be too loud even attenuated for an apartment?
These are incredible amps, so vintage with just enough modern features. And refreshing in their simplicity. Enjoyed the review, nice job! That's some awesome fuzz on the Implode setting.
I think remember those earlier Gibson amps, was it the 90s? 2000? LP knobs, combos and stacks covered in brown leather? The 10" & 12" speakers had round metal grills on them... Were they made by Trace Elliot? I think Gibson owned them at the time.
Yes you're exactly right, Trace Elliot made the 90s Gibson amps.
Great demo of this amp, nice job! We are still waiting on the falcon 5 & 20 here in Australia 😓
The LP with double creams got my attention❤
amp sounds great
Always have been a fan of Mesa and both amps sound awesome...thinking the 12" sounds more my preference though. Has similarities to my old subway rocket but instead of having a gain knob this has reverb and tremelo both of which i use.
Damn im very disappointed you didn't show us how to open the box. Im completely confused how to get mine opened. O well im going to return it to the store maybe they can help me..
Not the amp for me but the demo was very good. Thank you!
Thanks Danny, we appreciate it!
Great demo guys!
Thanks!
How does it sound with a Strat?
Long and mcquades has been very good to me for over 15 years. I started at Steve's music store as a kid and now am thankful for L&McQ.
I fell in love with it as soon as I tried it, but after seeing videos of technicians demonstrating major flaws in its design making it very difficult to repair. The fact that the tubes are mounted directly on the board horizontally also leaves me in doubt for an amp of this price.
About 6 weeks ago I purchased a Stage Right 20, I would really be interested in how they compare because I really love my Stage Right
I think the 5 and 15 watt Stage Right amps sound awesome. I like the combo amp cabinet tone. I haven't heard the 20.
We have the "Stage Right" as "Harley Benton" in Europe. The same amps and they are a kick up the backside for the entire market of over-priced little vintage amps for the nostalgic. They are very much the "real deal" - bread-and-butter in every respect. Handsome, well made, well specced and everyone can have the "realness" of a tube amp that's loud enough. Play on the "break up", "crunch" or full-fat feedback mayhem with separate gain and master controls, excellent reverb, send-return for stomp boxes, attenuation to annoy the neighbours a bit less. It's in fact a Laney design from the 70s, it needs no hot-rodding and it's not going to conk out on you.
Small gigs, audition, practice, record - fully capable. In common with all the releases that return to the vanished Jet-Age of the fifties it's "no faff". You can just take it to your friend's house, plonk it down and good-to-go. No "log on", no devices, apps and it won't destroy your back - or your bank account. "Credit not required" for this baby.
I just can't see the Falcons breaking into it at those insane prices. The sound of driven tubes isn't exactly a USP unless it's a Plexi, AC30, JM45 etc and the Falcons are far from delivering delivering that. You can get all that going with a Boss pedal for a couple-of-hundred anyway - through whatever amp you have. The Stage Right is a massacre at that money because it gives absolutely nothing away, it's not a compromise.
I was planning to buy a Magnatone, this demo may have just changed my mind.
Me too! I probably will get a Magnatone though. I don’t have a 5W amp so I’m gonna get that .. Starlite is it? Either way I’d love one of these too!
@@deanmccaskill5495 I ordered a Falcon 20, it arrives in two weeks.
Best take a look at the back and check the board. You may want to go with Magnatone.
@@lorenshoffos7620 I have the Gibson, so now time will tell. I'm still planning on getting a Magnatone. Just waiting to hear more of the up coming 12 watt M-80 before I choose.
Great demo, very enjoyable
I'm pretty sure my 74-76 traynor YRM 50 was made in your Toronto store, I visited there one time and got a sweet 60s zildjian cymbal when I was younger lol like a little kid I still have it too. Great demo on the Gibson amps, definitely dig them
Nice playing, great riffs, very good explanations. Very nice sounding guitar. What brand and grade stains are you using? Really appreciated. By the way, great sounding amps. I will check them out im Longueuil soon.
Thanks very much Pierre! What do you mean by "grade stains"?
Sometimes, it happens to me when I don't read myself before sending the message. I am sorry. I mean what size of strings are you using. Thanks for asking. I just want to make sure I put the best sounding string on my R0 to make it sound as good as your Gibson.@@longandmcquade
Thanks for the compliment! I use DR DDT strings in 11-54 gauge on all my guitars. They’re pretty thick! However I tune to Eb standard, which is standard tuning but tuned down 1/2 a step. This helps alleviate some of the extra tension from those thick strings. Hope this helps!
Nice new Gibson amps.
That was really a great review. After looking at prices, I think I would just go for the 20 just because it’s only 400 bucks more ,but it’s all what you’re looking for.
I’m going to get one It’s. A great sounding amp. Just like my Bonamassa. Amp
Falcon 5 sounds nice to me.👍 The sound is warm and somehow "Twed delta brown sounding". I will probably go for Falcon 5, but the price is ridiculous. In Europe the price will be over 2000 dollars for a litle and simple 5W combo amp. I think it is stubid, Thanks for video.
Take the back cover off and check out the rubb8sh inside .
Hmmmm, very cool amps and a great video. Now to decide which of my current amp trio to part with? (Ac15, Princeton, MB markV/25)....
I enjoyed the demo... Gibson branded Mesa amps will gain some interest. The 20 sounded kinda muddy & fuzzy. I liked the snarl of the 5 maxed out, but sort of a one trick amp & the reverb seemed disconnected from the tone somehow. At $1500 price there's a lot of competition, for example the Tone King Gremlin which seems to have a wider, more usable tone spectrum for a little less money.
Thanks for saving me some time. I was wondering, 'Is this a Mesa in Gibson clothes'. Not sure what my reaction is to this. Since Gibson bought Mesa, they have pretty much just been at a stand still, I know I DO NOT like that, so I was expecting Gibson to try to get back in to the amp business using Mesa know how. Still gotta think about it.
Im just curious how you can sit that close with the volume up so high. I have a Marshall Class 5 i cant hardly play past 2 without going deaf and my dog running into the far end of the house. Are you wearing ear plugs? I seriously wonder if people who review amps wear ear plugs sotting right next to them with the volume on more than 1.
Those Class 5s are outrageously loud for 5 watts. Had one while living in an apartment . Had to get rid of it. Got an old Gibson Skylark.
kind of a dream come true that Mesa would build a much simpler amp! Very cool.
SAG CITY! Love it!
Well done!
Awesome AMP, just curious about how it compares to a supro delta king 10 given the price difference
Really dig the implode!! Love the Furry to🎉🎉
I have a few 60s Gibson and Epiphone amps, and I love them all for different reasons. If you play one, expecting it to be a Princeton, Deluxe, Tweed, of the same era, you will probably be let down. They used designs and components that weren't as commonly used by the more popular brands. Sometimes, for better and sometimes not so much. I played hundreds of gigs with my 1967 GA 35 rvt and it never let me down. I hope these reissues use some of the oddball circuit designs and tube compliments that made the old ones so interesting.
No better Gibson Falcon review out there! Thank You! Plus with the Les Paul tone and volume combination we hardly need any expression pedals.
Thanks very much! 🙏
These are really cool amps! If I weren’t already invested in my 5e3 clone, I would be looking hard at the 12” speaker one.
Pretty sure we all knew this was coming when Gibson bought Mesa Boogie 🤷 It's the only thing that made sense. They didn't buy it just to keep building Mesas. They had this planned from the beginning. Who wouldn't? Especially with Cesar in charge. He's a guitar player and enthusiast first, I think.
Th real news here is that Ned Flanders needs a haircut :)
Big shout out to Mesa/Boogie! (On January 6, 2021, it was announced that Gibson had acquired Mesa/Boogie.)
Wow. I like all of those 5 watt tones but IMPLODE, baby, yeah!!!
If it using the same construction techniques as typical modern Mesa boogie amps, it could be a pain in the ass to service/repair.
It's pcb. Not handwired as advertised.
This dude definitely looks like an L&M floor sales guy! Good demo video!
Jensen Jet 10" Blackbird 40 in the 5w amp, so I am guessing that the 20w amp has the same speaker on 12" variant.
Gibson's back baby!
Back? Don't you mean back with overpriced and badly designed PCB amps?
@@richieluckenbill1590 Yes... sadly. XD
cool pcb insides! slapped out mass production goodness!
dont need a new amp but that was so fun to watch !
That's a great compliment! We try to make it entertaining as well as informative.
I don't need a new guitar but I ordered one anyway.🎸☺️
how is the strat sound...
Tune it?
Found a Gibson head very old in a pawnshop years back and it caught on fire at practice. lol
Was super scary but the amp looked ancient and who knows what might have been done to it internally. Lots of great amps coming out this year it seems !
None with the Gibson name on it.
Sick. I still regret selling my Gibson Goldtone head.
Would have liked to see the inside of the amp. Maybe next time?
Well I guess we know how that turned out… 😂
Very nice for Studio 51 Calabogie Canada
Does it have a fan?
We heard a fan on the Falcon 20, not the 5.
I started my electric guitar journey with a Gibson Skylark GA-5 (it did not have reverb) and an ES-125, moved up to, and gigged with, a GA-19 RVT Falcon in mid-late 60's (at that time still using just an ES-125). The GA-19 Falcon has the same controls (sans half/low power switch) as this newer Falcon. The GA-19 Falcon is really only a 15-watt amp, I still have one in near-mint condition (I got one about 20 years ago for old-time's sake and it still is a GREAT amp). If they essentially copied most of the old RVT circuit (and they just might have) - try turning the reverb all the way up and volume all the way down, you (might) get 100% reverb with zero dry signal - like on the older Falcon, ghostly sounding. BTW I liked the review and demo. However, Gibson are you nuts, those prices (even down-shifted from Canadian$ to US$) are absurd.
I totally forgot to try the 100% wet reverb trick during this demo!!
I have an old 1966 Kalamazoo amp which does this, and I hope that feature made it into these new amps.
Got some sweet tone. Me likey.
A very nice little amp, sounds amazing, I love the 6V6 tube. However, I think the price point puts it out of the reach of the average player
How much are they?
@@giulioluzzardi7632 $1499 and $1799 respectively
That 5 watt is badass
A really nice production, no question. Especially where the guitarist was walking in the door "blind" to what he was going to review. A few observations, unsolicited and dumb though they be... I don't like where the Shure SM57 (?) is in front of that speaker. Try 4" (with a 10" speaker - 5" with the 12") away from the dust cap and pointed toward it, an inch off the mesh. In my experience, that's where the tone is sweetest and most mic-friendly. Also, the dude plays with his guitar knobs a lot and doesn't always say what he's adjusting or why. We never know when the guitar is at all-pots-maxed, so we never really know when at full output. As for the Falcon 5, I think the big crunch tone clips a lot and is too muddy, though it does have some serious metal tone (too bad no mid knob to drop down). That clipping could also be the recording filters, too, so I can't really defend my read on that. The Falcon 20 also has some clip at max cheese. Both of these amps sound best when the drive is at about 75%. No clipping, just kill. If I were to invest here, I'd go with the 20. With 12 watts, it's just enough headroom, and it has more features, more control, just better all around. These amps are for fuzz junkies, and that's not a bad thing. Just not my thing. This was a good post, despite my criticisms of the gear. Nice video and audio presentation.
Hand Wired it means point to point circuit?
These are PCB, not handwired.
@@richieluckenbill1590 I asked the question at the time of the presentation of these amps, at the time everything was a bit unknown. Yes, today I know about it. Grazie
Great video!!!!!
Thanks very much Felipe!
Great review, great video quality. Not really sure who this amp is for. Are people buying amps like they're buying guitars? For different tones? I think I'd go ahead and get a Boogie Fillmore 25 over the Falcon 20. You get 2 channels, and a lot more EQ control, plus clean/drive/hi-drive switches for each channel. Also 23W v Gibson's 12W. Same Boogie engineering. Boogie comes with 5 x 12AX7s versus 4 of them on the Falcon 20. Sure, if you want the tremolo built-in, fine,. But put a trem pedal in the effects loop of the Boogie and you're golden.
I dunno. I could buy other gear for the amount this is going for.
Thanks for the compliments, Jesse! This amp is for someone who wants that 60s tone and feel, super saggy and into gnarly fuzz when pushed hard. This amp's gain characteristic is totally different than that of a Mesa Fillmore or similar. These Gibson amps are totally vintage-flavoured and typical Mesa amps are much more modern sounding. It may not be for everybody, but as you said, it's for people who want different tones.
Guitarists have collected amps for different tones for as long as they've collected guitars. In fact, one could argue that a different amp will give you a different tone moreso than a different guitar. That's why some guitarists have a wide variety of amps in their collection... Fender, Vox, Marshall, Mesa... they'll all sound different and you can't get that Fendery clean tone out of a Marshall, just like you can't get a Marshall drive tone out of a Fender. No other amp will sound like these Falcons when pushed to 10 to get that fuzzed-out "imploding" tone that sounds like it's on the brink of destruction.
The Mesa Fillmore is a great amp and it sounds like it might be better suited for you. But some others might not want double the channels, double the knobs and switches, double the power, at a $400 premium over the Gibson Falcon 20. They might prefer features the Falcon 20 has, like the simpler control layout, the tube-driven bias tremolo and the power attenuation switch that takes it down to 2 watts.
Can ya gig ( open mic like) with this 5 watt?
Sure can!
The valves plug right into the PCB board in the amp. It's overpriced and over hyped. I'm a big Les Paul guy, but these amps are a hard pass. I'll stick with my Vox.
Ok, I'll try one some day.
got to love my good Gibson of Honor
especially when is BLACK SG/LES PAUL CUSTOM Beasts
good for my Doom Metal synergy
i also i think i see my Black LP custom beauty by Epiphone hanging there?
i know that underrated beauty very well
Choose a Peavey amplifier , a Vox , a Randall. Better than This one.
Nearly every review maker uses only humbucker guitars testing the Falcons. That's a choice and maybe suggests Falcon doesen't exceed with single coils
It's primarily because most reviewers pair the Gibson amp demo with a Gibson guitar, most of which have humbuckers.
jensen, great, they were the best speakers in the fender amps
L&M rules. Jus rules too!
I hear that Gibson’s cheapened out and the tube sockets are
soldered to a circuit board? Is this true????
If so, Gibson’s learned nothing and will be going down once more.
If you want to be the best, do it right!
Before you call me a Gibson hater,
I own an original Tweed GA19 RVT and love it.
I have many Les Pauls and other Gibson models.
Yup!
As I canadian i approve thanks
Gets that Neil Young sluggy sound 💯😎👍🏻🔥
Sure does!!
the tubes are inside the chassis and the amp has a built-in cooling fan
2k for a 5 watt amp, with tubes mounted directly to a pcb boars, has to be one of the biggest rip off models ever produced.
If you could just buy one, Falcon 5 or 20?
These sound ok and a good demo. Reminds me of a fender Vapourizer i had once. Although that was only £300. When you can get a Suhr Hombre amp for less or a Silverface 68 Fender Princeton for about half the price I think that even with the Gibson name tax these are at least 30% overpriced.
The Vaporizer is better built than these Falcon : they are not handwired at all they have the tubes on PCB , on the fender too but they are still mounted to the chassis :those Gibson amps are made like the cheapest chinese amps , what a joke .
Think the 20 would be a great sound for a 70s fuzz/shoegaze style band.
Very good presentation, nice playing and really good amps.
Love the sound, but not the price. 👍
There is a speaker… and on/off switch…. And a reverb… and a handle…. And a tone knob. And two inputs. Or i could buy the thr30…. Thr10 …. Thr5 and the acoustic one. And that pocket amp from spark. Or i could just steal one. Its 2024. Does guitar center stop shop lifters? I guess its over 900… i don’t know. Maybe im not in the target demographic. Great review though. Thank you. Thumbs up. Subscribed.
As a clean guy, I really wish they made a 40+ watt model. Seems like these can’t do clean at all, I understand they’re meant for more of a driven sound
That's probably a fair assessment based on what we demoed here. But notice that Justin didn't really realize that there were 2 inputs on the amps til about 27:57 in after he saw that the Drenched Clean setting called for plugging into input 2. He also knocked down the power level after the initial demo of each to save his/our ears, which would also bring down the headroom and cause the amp to breakup sooner. Perhaps a different guitar like single-coils, or perhaps plugging into input 2, and turning the volume knob down but not using any attenuation would make the amp clean up much more than it sounds here. That's one of the drawbacks of this kind of blind "first impressions" video - we might not get everything right the first time. The amps stayed in our studio for a few more days as we created more content with them, and put them through their paces, and we can confirm that they do clean up well. Not as much as a 40+ watt model would, of course, but certainly clean enough. And you could also swap the 6V6 tube(s) for 6L6. Lots of options to get these hairy beasts to clean up nicely. 🤩
This amps PCB architecture is a nod to modern unserviceable crap. Have to jam your hand deep inside to replace preamp tube mounted on the PCB.
super cool, lots of competition though. they will sell to a select few.
Jensen speakers are under rated, esp the jet series! I think thats a blackbird alnico
Respectfully- that’s five watts my brother. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about it tearing your head off. But then again, I’m 25 and play a 100 watt JMP with tinnitus already. Maybe I need to stop having fun with that extra cab that came with it 🤔🤔🤔😂
Surprised Mesa/Gibson resisted putting mini toggles all over the amp
See the Guitoligist for a real review of these things