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Guy at work brings ina GibsonBR9 amp, and says he has the matching lap steel w/case. ALL in VERY good condition. It seems to be one of the later ones, not the trapezoidal ones with the red plastic cover over the speaker. It's just like this, but in MUCH better condition: Google Image Result for http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p81/dynasonic/Music%20Gear/GibsonBR-9Amplifier015.jpg
I actually have one of those BR-9 lap steels that my Dad gave me years ago. Just no amp. I'd love to have this set, but have other things I must do.
Jensen field coil speaker code 220321, which I assume would be 21st week of 1953. The speaker looks like new.
As far as I can tell, EVERYTHING is original in this thing, down to the metal can 6SJ7 tube. All the tubes tested ~80%+ on my little Mercury tester, with one 6V6 testing a couple % lower than the other.
I believe this is one of the later ones that are labeled "BR-9", but the circuitry is actually a "GA-9", because the BR-9 specifies a 6SN7 tube, and the GA-9 a 6SJ7, even though the chassis layout is exactly like the BR-9.
I couldn't find a definite output wattage rating, but this is apparently a parallel single-ended amp with two 6V6's, and I'm guessing about 10W?
Anyway, he was concerned that it didn't have much volume...which it doesn't. It IS surprisingly quiet as far as self-noise (hiss and hum) even turned all the way up. I told him I figured it was the nature of the very inefficient design, maybe coupled with the field-coil speaker and likely weakened 60-year-old caps that were all probably contributing to that. I told him that they just tried to design them "clean" back then, and lower-powered...not imagining the joys of over-driving the thing. I said not to expect MUCH more, even if someone was to go completely through it, but he could probably squeeze a little more juice out of it if he did, and installed even stronger new tubes.
I couldn't get it to break up one bit, full-volume with my Tele w/Texas Specials. It was low volume, clean. My Les Paul managed to put a tiny bit of hair on it, but it was still fairly low-volume, and relatively clean. It sounds "good", nice and round...just not very loud.
He wanted it cleaned up and looked at to sell the package. He wondered if it would be better to try to tweak it, or leave it. I told him if he was going to sell it, definitely leave it alone and he can claim "all original", with the buyer sure to be aware of the characteristics of buying a 60-year-old amp with all original parts. I told him he may fetch a bit more like that. I'm in the process of just carefully cleaning it up, and the ONE minor problem it has is the volume pot is slightly scratchy at a couple points.
Is that all a fair analysis of this thing for him? Are these things normally that low-volume? This thing's top volume is about like one of my VibroChamps between "3 and 4".
Lastly, being fairly confident that it is 100% original, and in remarkably good condition...any ideas what the package may be worth? Off the top of my head, I just said "PROBABLY...around $700? Maybe more, to the right buyer". He said it had sat in his grandpa's closet for nobody-knows how long...probably 40 years or more.
Thanks for any input.
Brad1
I actually have one of those BR-9 lap steels that my Dad gave me years ago. Just no amp. I'd love to have this set, but have other things I must do.
Jensen field coil speaker code 220321, which I assume would be 21st week of 1953. The speaker looks like new.
As far as I can tell, EVERYTHING is original in this thing, down to the metal can 6SJ7 tube. All the tubes tested ~80%+ on my little Mercury tester, with one 6V6 testing a couple % lower than the other.
I believe this is one of the later ones that are labeled "BR-9", but the circuitry is actually a "GA-9", because the BR-9 specifies a 6SN7 tube, and the GA-9 a 6SJ7, even though the chassis layout is exactly like the BR-9.
I couldn't find a definite output wattage rating, but this is apparently a parallel single-ended amp with two 6V6's, and I'm guessing about 10W?
Anyway, he was concerned that it didn't have much volume...which it doesn't. It IS surprisingly quiet as far as self-noise (hiss and hum) even turned all the way up. I told him I figured it was the nature of the very inefficient design, maybe coupled with the field-coil speaker and likely weakened 60-year-old caps that were all probably contributing to that. I told him that they just tried to design them "clean" back then, and lower-powered...not imagining the joys of over-driving the thing. I said not to expect MUCH more, even if someone was to go completely through it, but he could probably squeeze a little more juice out of it if he did, and installed even stronger new tubes.
I couldn't get it to break up one bit, full-volume with my Tele w/Texas Specials. It was low volume, clean. My Les Paul managed to put a tiny bit of hair on it, but it was still fairly low-volume, and relatively clean. It sounds "good", nice and round...just not very loud.
He wanted it cleaned up and looked at to sell the package. He wondered if it would be better to try to tweak it, or leave it. I told him if he was going to sell it, definitely leave it alone and he can claim "all original", with the buyer sure to be aware of the characteristics of buying a 60-year-old amp with all original parts. I told him he may fetch a bit more like that. I'm in the process of just carefully cleaning it up, and the ONE minor problem it has is the volume pot is slightly scratchy at a couple points.
Is that all a fair analysis of this thing for him? Are these things normally that low-volume? This thing's top volume is about like one of my VibroChamps between "3 and 4".
Lastly, being fairly confident that it is 100% original, and in remarkably good condition...any ideas what the package may be worth? Off the top of my head, I just said "PROBABLY...around $700? Maybe more, to the right buyer". He said it had sat in his grandpa's closet for nobody-knows how long...probably 40 years or more.
Thanks for any input.
Brad1
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