I'm in the same boat with the AC10. I'm not spending money on anything labeled hand-wired until I can see the guts and understand what I'm buying into at a high price which it will surely be set at. I've been burned before, but now I have a proper hand-wired Princeton clone from Headstrong amps (Lil King) and he's building me a Deluxe clone. Would love for this Vox to be the one to finish up my collection, but we shall see.
You were starting up a good point about Gibson pricing. People don't understand that a USA manufacturing plant like Gibson has many more costs than shops overseas. They have to abide by labour, health and safety, accounting laws etc. Workers need to be paid a certain wage, have vacation, benefits, pension. Proper safety precautions and PPE. This stuff all just costs more and you pay a bit for the name on top of that. It's cool you have options to either support this made in America product with the premium cost because of that or any other company you want if you think the value makes more sense to you.
You're right. But, also, if someone buys an amp that we will call the "Epiphone falcon" then Gibson is profiting off of Chinese indentured servitude. Either way you wanna call it...they're in the wrong one way or another. I'm 100% in on a company in America making their money. But, the way they rolled this out was deceptive at best. There are other American companies with big names that still make you pay for the name, but tell you what You're getting & give you "Made in USA" quality.
The other part is that this is made in Petaluma, CA. I live just a few miles north of Petaluma, and the cost of living in Sonoma County is extremely high, so everybody building these amps are being paid wages that allow them to live in this area, which also plays into the price of the amp. When the average rent for a 1 bedroom apartment is over $2,000/month, gas prices are almost $6/gallon, and homes run from $500,000 for a fixer upper and up from there, the wages necessary to keep people employed are going to drastically affect the bottom line.
The way its built isnt the issue, its the fact that the price is overly high. Your opinion that they "need to pay their employees" isnt valid. They can charge much less and still pay their employees. They are just banking on nostalgia and brand name.
In your opinion, how much should it cost? And why isn't my opinion valid? Where do you find out if they can charge less? If you have a source where I could better educate myself on the matter, I would greatly appreciate it.
@Lucas_Arredondo you can just Google how much gibson makes a year. They can charge reasonable prices AND pay their employees more every year. Your opinion IS valid, I should have said it wasn't a good point imo. Sorry about that. Gibson just came out with modern studio les Paul's. They are 2k.... A studio was my first Gibson guitar, it was attainable while working a part time job, now it's completely out of the hands of a regular working man's budget. It's time for a change honestly. I own 2 LP customs and a 61 sg standard right now, so I can afford these guitars but even I know they are completely overpriced.
@@Lucas_Arredondo I work in a position where I can see manufacturer costs, Gibson markup over production cost is MUCH higher than most brands. For example, music stores will buy an SG standard from Gibson for about 900$. It’s then sold for 17-1800 In contrast, cost on fender is much closer to msrp
I own both tube amps and modeling amps, as well as the most traditional speaker cabinets with Celestion Vintage 30s inside. However, I must say that this whole debate is completely irrelevant because modeling and solid-state technology are the future. Modeling or solid-state amps, even the inventor of Dumble himself (a bit before his death), when asked if transistor amps would ever be as good as tube amps, responded that the question wasn't if it would happen but when. He emphasized that one day someone would make a transistor amp that sounds exactly like a tube amp, and given the way the market is evolving, I believe we are not far from that point. Even without considering that, basic modeling today is already excellent. Take anyone and blindfold them, and no one can tell the difference. Unfortunately, musicians often rely too much on their eyes instead of their ears. ( Most by the way jackoff way to much on gear all the time ( wether it’s new or vintage it’s the same ) instead of really playing guitar but that another debate) In any case, for guitar, the trend is to build things that are always lighter, better, more practical, simpler, and more intuitive. Even the country of origin hardly matters anymore because you can find quality in Europe, Asia, and even China, which wasn't known for quality products, is now able to copy or even surpass some American brands. We must recognize that American quality has significantly degraded, while Japanese quality remains stable at a high level. So, things are changing for the better.
Well said re price. Let’s not keep trying to drive guitar and amp prices down when Private Equity owners will take any reduction out of the pockets of workers. I worked in PE and know exactly who suffers first, last, and always when costs and prices have to be reduced…
If I buy my amp from Sweetwater , Guitar Center or Musicians Friend (Big Retailers) . I want it to come in the original shipping box unopened . They tried to send me Marshall Studio Vintage 20w and cab that was a floor model . The cab was scuff and scratch and had a little tear in it . The head has dust on it and had scuffs . That IMO is a used amp . I was nervous the first time I bought a guitar online . Sweetwater has been the better out of the group . But they did try and sell me a $3k Mesa Fillmore custom 25w that was a Demo model . Taking an amp home and taking it apart and playing it a month and returning it should void the amp of being new . The return policies are too good IMO . Guitar Center is trying to make up for it and selling those returned items as "new" . Customers are receiving items without the proper paperwork . Some have complained about animal hair covering the item . In my opinion , if you buy something and the reason you are returning it is because "it wasn't what you thought" . You should have to take a loss so they can pass it on to the next buyer . Some say , who cares about these giant stores . I get it but when it happens to you , you will understand . Shipping charges are almost hard to get back . And dealing with shipping the item sucks . This is why I try to research the item thoroughly before I pull the trigger .
I'm loving my Falcon 20, don't care what people are saying. I put a Tone King Ironman II on it so I can crank it at apartment level. and about the Duel Falcon, there is a two channel on it's way.
@@Lucas_Arredondo the Tone King Ironman II mini is what you need for 30 watt & under amps. I can have my Falcon 20 cranked at 3 in the morning and it's no louder than my tv. When the two channel Falcon comes out I may trade mine in, or keep it and a/b them.
Here’s the thing, I’ve been on the factory floor at Mesa, they are hardwiring these amps, but handwired doesn’t automatically mean turret board or point to point construction. These are handwired PCB amps. People claiming that something on a PCB isn’t handwired are people who simply don’t understand electronics construction.
I am aware of that. My opinion is still more or less the same. I love the amp, but after really spending time with it, I realized I can't get the most out of it for my situation and I'm not the type to just let gear sit without being used. It could be THE ONE for someone and that was the purpose of doing a full review of it.
@@Lucas_ArredondoI know, but I have a 'this is the one' amp too. I have had it for 20 years, and I won't sell it until I can't play anymore. It just seems sometimes youtubers exaggerate somewhat for clicks. That's like telling your parents you've found the person of your dreams, 'the one', then calling them a week later to say well, nah. I appreciated the initial review of the amp very much. It's all good, man!
@@cantyouhearmeknocking1961 Haha! Those are very good points! And to be clear, I do tend to get hype for music gear and it can show in my videos. But thats just cause I DO really like them! Even if I don't necessarily keep them for the long run. I tend to see music gear as "tools for the job" so I don't have much of an attachment except for maybe a select few...Thanks for your input though, much appreciated! 🙏
@@Lucas_Arredondo I have done the same thing for decades. I buy items, use them for a while, then sell/trade them. I have an 80's Mesa Boogie Studio Caliber combo amp, and the first thing I did when I bought it was install a small fan in it. I have never had any issues with it. I imagine the Falcon will last too if it isn't taken on a long road tour.
I’m agnostic on the Falc20- I know nothing about it except some demos on YT and website descriptions. For those who think it’s a ripoff my question is ok, exactly what other amp is so much better at the same or lower price?
It's about the way it is constructed, for such an expensive piece of kit, the construction is way below par and it will not be reliable in the long term.
@@amphibious4463 What makes it worth the price? It looks good and it sounds good (of course both of those are subjective opinions which will vary by person), it’s priced similarly to other American made amps with some of the same features (Fender ‘65 Princeton Reverb Reissue and Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue), and it’s a few hundred dollars less expensive than the lowest priced Mesa Boogie combo amp. That being said, I understand the issues people have with the circuit design of this amp. Obviously, it goes without saying that the Fender amps I just mentioned have proven themselves to be reliable, and for anyone who wants to spend less money they will have a multitude of other options from all over the world from companies big and small some of which will definitely be better made than the Gibson (and perhaps as good as or better than the Fenders).
A hand-wired 15/20 watt amp can be made by a reputable small scale builder and it will p all over these " Nostalgia" poster-boy products. Just do some digging around NY.
@@amphibious4463when you walk into a store and there’s not another amp clearly better at the price of a Falc20. That’s not be all end all, but it is an indication. Once again, I have no brief for it.
I don't have an issue with the price.... it's made by Boogie and in line with other US made amps. The issue is I think it sounds kind of meh. I'm not hearing anything I haven't heard before or done better.
@@davidstorm4015 Your interpretation of what it should cost to construct has nothing to do with my point, which was it sounds meh. American labor isn't cheap. Which $500 American made amps are you comparing it to? I wasn't aware of any.
@@Darth.Shredder I meant it is constructed like a $500 amp made in China, there ain't a whole lot of USA labour that has gone into that thing, most of it will be automated. The circuit design and quality is appalling and these things will fail in their thousands.
Fenders have more bass? First time I've ever heard that. They are known for their high pitch treble. Basically all of them. The easiest mod is to clip the bright cap, or the resistor soldered across the volume potentiometer. Because Fenders known to be "Trebley". It's a 6V6 amp, 12/15 watts. No wonder its comparable to a Princeton. I'm still interested in this amp. Very.
It could just be the old Jensen in my Princeton, but it had something in the low end that I just liked more. The Gibson Falcon is still a great amp though! Hope you get to give it a go soon!
Well, I was wrong. Before I watched this, I figured you were going to tell us you were returning the Falcon 20 and buying a Falcon 5, because the 20 is too loud for your apartment. 🙂 I'm personally planning to buy the 20, myself. Eventually. I don't even own an electric guitar yet, because I just started learning the guitar a year ago, and I haven't graduated from an acoustic yet. Once my playing is actually *worth* spending some serious money on, I plan to buy a Gibson Les Paul Special and a Falcon 20 amp. But I don't live in an apartment... 😂 And people keep ignoring the fact that there's a 5-year warranty on this amp. If those PCBs or solder joints are going to crack because of the heat/weight of the tubes, it's definitely going to happen sooner rather than later.
I understand your point about forming your own opinion, however we are not amp techs (well im not at least). One cannot truly form an opinion on topics that one doesnt understand. Guitaroligist and Uncle Doug are THE amp tech youtubers. They show step by step repairs of old amps, new amps, sought after amps, absolute avoid amps, PCB amps, and help you understand the ins and outs of why these products are good, or bad or in between. Its insanely useful for plebs who do not know what these companies are selling us.. If they both have a hard dislike, and a strong recomendation that people do not spend hard earned money on these amps (when the originals, which I own, fetch a lower price and are fantastic) ... Im going to believe them over people that do not understand how amps work. Also they are $5000 aud in australia, not joking. 5 grand. Its actually sickening and it makes me so angry just thinking about all the poor blues guys that will walk in and buy one off the shelf at the dismay of their wives without knowing what theyre purchasing.... Its daylight robbery... no matter how good they sound, nobody can guarantee it will last past 3 years with this shitty modern build quality...
When you say 'hand wired' do you mean 'point to point'? Hand wired in this situation is valid from a particular POV, BUT it is definitely NOT point to point like my 56 Pro or 67 Dual Showman. My son had a solid state Marshall combo amp that sounded very good for a SS amp so one can find a good sounding amp that's not point to point. It takes some research and trying stuff out for yourself with your guitar.
@@retroman541 Thanks for your reply - it's well said. I'm guessing it is as I suspected - hand wired equals point to point (eyelets with component soldered into those as opposed into a PCB). I agree it's inappropriate to call this a hand wired amp when it most definitely is not. Stew-Mac's version of the Deluxe would be a tempting buy for me if I didn't already have the Pro as it would be point to point, but it is out of my price range @ $1499 (last I checked).
The guys at Mesa are hand-wiring these amps though. You can go out on the floor and see them soldering the components on to the boards. I’ve popped in there multiple times and have seen just that. PCB doesn’t automatically rule out hand wiring, it just isn’t as common to see. The problem comes from people misunderstanding what handwired means, and thinking that that can only mean point to point or turret board construction.
“The fact that it’s Gibson is probably adding to the price.” I’m sorry, but no. Gib$on hasn’t made amps for ages, so it’s difficult to say they have any sort of reputation.They should have tried to build that back on something more than just their name, or come out with an absolutely solid product. Time will tell.
I bought the Falcon 5. I'm a big Gibson fan. It's not a good amp. It's a one trick pony. Volume at 9 o'clock for Rock. I wanted it to be good. It's not versatile. Lackluster clean tone. I played to 20 at the store. It was better, but still. It's not a good, clean tone. I play clean as much as dirty. Hope this was helpful.
Appreciate your input! I found that I do like the Falcon 20 by itself, but when recording it for a song that needed a clean tone to fit in a mix, it sounded a little off to me. This was one of the things that stuck out to me.
I don't buy an amp because of the name on it... buy an amp based on how it is built and what it can do. I wouldn't buy any of the Gibson Falcon series, they are cheaply made and I wouldn't waste any amount of money on a purchase. That being said, I am a Gibson fan... guitars. I own around 35 Gibson guitars +/-, I love them. I have no interest, in any of their amps, not the Gibson's, nor the Mesa Boogie amplifiers...just not my cup of tea. I own Marshall's, Peavey's, Crate, Bugera's, Sovtek's, Blackheart's, and my personal favorites, my hand-wired Ceriatone Marshall Clones. Too many of these legacy companies are surviving on their past reputation, rather than what they are doing now, which is mostly cheap crap, with a big price tag. Just my 2 cents worth.
@@Panic42000 ... and you know this how? I mentioned Brands, not specific models. Which of my vintage Marshall, Sovtek, Peavey, Crate, Blackheart amps (which is a set of 4 class A, amps ranging from .25-watt to 100-Watts.) are you referring to? Or, were you referring to my hand-wired, Ceriatone amps?... Or, was it, as I suspect; my Bugera TriRec Infinium, the amp which was basically a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier... only cleaner, more articulate and had 3 modes of Rectification, as well as Infinium technology. The amp that Mesa sent a cease-and-desist order and threatened to sue them, to make them stop building it? Was it that amp that you are referring to? I gigged with that amp for 6 years straight, before COVID... still do from time to time. Never any issues. I stand by my comment, "I don't buy an amp because of the name on it... buy an amp based on how it is built and what it can do." as well as... " Too many of these legacy companies are surviving on their past reputation, rather than what they are doing now, which is mostly cheap crap, with a big price tag." Most of it is quite simply, disposable garbage. It seems to me that you are assuming things, rather than knowing things.
Mass production brings DOWN the price. only companies like Gibson think they can charge boutique prices for mass produced shit. I say this as I wait for my overpriced Les Paul to arrive.
@@Les537 not me buddy first off your Gibson Les Paul solid body guitar wouldn't even exist today with out epiphone and Les Paul..two epiphone was restored back to high end brand by JC Curliegh in 2019.. epiphone is bringing back the good o'l days when they stomped Gibson into the dirt..most now want our headstocks to say Epiphone not Gibson.. Gibson died when they got caught lying during their lawsuit failures...
The way its built IS THE PROBLEM HERE.THEN THERES THE RIDICULOUS PRICE.ALMOST AS RIDICULOUS AS MESA...THERE ARE SOO MANY GREAT BUILDER'S TODAY WHY GIVE THESE CORPORATIONS YOUR MONEY FOR MEDIOCRITY. your paying for a name.
As you stated in your previous video on the falcon 20 you are not an amp tech so why would you disagree with the fact this amp is build like a 300 bucks chinese amplifier!?! If you doesn't have the knowledge how can you disagree with something you don't know?! The build quality is pure shit, pcb with tube sockets mounted on it, wtf?!? At that price and for a simple amp like that it must have been a point to point construction, c'mon... For an amp tech point of view this amp is a joke, period. And honestly the tone is not amazing, which is obvious when you see the components quality and the construction!😮
I'm in the same boat with the AC10. I'm not spending money on anything labeled hand-wired until I can see the guts and understand what I'm buying into at a high price which it will surely be set at. I've been burned before, but now I have a proper hand-wired Princeton clone from Headstrong amps (Lil King) and he's building me a Deluxe clone. Would love for this Vox to be the one to finish up my collection, but we shall see.
You were starting up a good point about Gibson pricing. People don't understand that a USA manufacturing plant like Gibson has many more costs than shops overseas. They have to abide by labour, health and safety, accounting laws etc. Workers need to be paid a certain wage, have vacation, benefits, pension. Proper safety precautions and PPE. This stuff all just costs more and you pay a bit for the name on top of that. It's cool you have options to either support this made in America product with the premium cost because of that or any other company you want if you think the value makes more sense to you.
You're right. But, also, if someone buys an amp that we will call the "Epiphone falcon" then Gibson is profiting off of Chinese indentured servitude. Either way you wanna call it...they're in the wrong one way or another.
I'm 100% in on a company in America making their money. But, the way they rolled this out was deceptive at best. There are other American companies with big names that still make you pay for the name, but tell you what You're getting & give you "Made in USA" quality.
The other part is that this is made in Petaluma, CA. I live just a few miles north of Petaluma, and the cost of living in Sonoma County is extremely high, so everybody building these amps are being paid wages that allow them to live in this area, which also plays into the price of the amp. When the average rent for a 1 bedroom apartment is over $2,000/month, gas prices are almost $6/gallon, and homes run from $500,000 for a fixer upper and up from there, the wages necessary to keep people employed are going to drastically affect the bottom line.
1. Buy product.
2. Make video.
3. Return amp for refund.
4. Profit.
Yep, winds me up about RUclipsrs. Not saying this dude does that but so many do.
The way its built isnt the issue, its the fact that the price is overly high. Your opinion that they "need to pay their employees" isnt valid. They can charge much less and still pay their employees. They are just banking on nostalgia and brand name.
In your opinion, how much should it cost? And why isn't my opinion valid? Where do you find out if they can charge less? If you have a source where I could better educate myself on the matter, I would greatly appreciate it.
@Lucas_Arredondo you can just Google how much gibson makes a year. They can charge reasonable prices AND pay their employees more every year. Your opinion IS valid, I should have said it wasn't a good point imo. Sorry about that. Gibson just came out with modern studio les Paul's. They are 2k.... A studio was my first Gibson guitar, it was attainable while working a part time job, now it's completely out of the hands of a regular working man's budget. It's time for a change honestly. I own 2 LP customs and a 61 sg standard right now, so I can afford these guitars but even I know they are completely overpriced.
There's plenty of cheep china crap for those who worry about money.
Guitologist is right… Tubes and ICs together on a PCB is garbage.
@@Lucas_Arredondo I work in a position where I can see manufacturer costs, Gibson markup over production cost is MUCH higher than most brands.
For example, music stores will buy an SG standard from Gibson for about 900$. It’s then sold for 17-1800
In contrast, cost on fender is much closer to msrp
I own both tube amps and modeling amps, as well as the most traditional speaker cabinets with Celestion Vintage 30s inside. However, I must say that this whole debate is completely irrelevant because modeling and solid-state technology are the future.
Modeling or solid-state amps, even the inventor of Dumble himself (a bit before his death), when asked if transistor amps would ever be as good as tube amps, responded that the question wasn't if it would happen but when. He emphasized that one day someone would make a transistor amp that sounds exactly like a tube amp, and given the way the market is evolving, I believe we are not far from that point.
Even without considering that, basic modeling today is already excellent. Take anyone and blindfold them, and no one can tell the difference. Unfortunately, musicians often rely too much on their eyes instead of their ears. ( Most by the way jackoff way to much on gear all the time ( wether it’s new or vintage it’s the same ) instead of really playing guitar but that another debate)
In any case, for guitar, the trend is to build things that are always lighter, better, more practical, simpler, and more intuitive.
Even the country of origin hardly matters anymore because you can find quality in Europe, Asia, and even China, which wasn't known for quality products, is now able to copy or even surpass some American brands. We must recognize that American quality has significantly degraded, while Japanese quality remains stable at a high level.
So, things are changing for the better.
Well said re price. Let’s not keep trying to drive guitar and amp prices down when Private Equity owners will take any reduction out of the pockets of workers. I worked in PE and know exactly who suffers first, last, and always when costs and prices have to be reduced…
If I buy my amp from Sweetwater , Guitar Center or Musicians Friend (Big Retailers) . I want it to come in the original shipping box unopened . They tried to send me Marshall Studio Vintage 20w and cab that was a floor model . The cab was scuff and scratch and had a little tear in it . The head has dust on it and had scuffs . That IMO is a used amp . I was nervous the first time I bought a guitar online . Sweetwater has been the better out of the group . But they did try and sell me a $3k Mesa Fillmore custom 25w that was a Demo model . Taking an amp home and taking it apart and playing it a month and returning it should void the amp of being new . The return policies are too good IMO . Guitar Center is trying to make up for it and selling those returned items as "new" . Customers are receiving items without the proper paperwork . Some have complained about animal hair covering the item . In my opinion , if you buy something and the reason you are returning it is because "it wasn't what you thought" . You should have to take a loss so they can pass it on to the next buyer . Some say , who cares about these giant stores . I get it but when it happens to you , you will understand . Shipping charges are almost hard to get back . And dealing with shipping the item sucks . This is why I try to research the item thoroughly before I pull the trigger .
I'm loving my Falcon 20, don't care what people are saying. I put a Tone King Ironman II on it so I can crank it at apartment level. and about the Duel Falcon, there is a two channel on it's way.
I really should invest in an attenuator. A two channel falcon would be awesome!
@@Lucas_Arredondo the Tone King Ironman II mini is what you need for 30 watt & under amps. I can have my Falcon 20 cranked at 3 in the morning and it's no louder than my tv. When the two channel Falcon comes out I may trade mine in, or keep it and a/b them.
It's also made in the USA by Gibson owned Mesa Boogie. That adds a little to the price too..
Here’s the thing, I’ve been on the factory floor at Mesa, they are hardwiring these amps, but handwired doesn’t automatically mean turret board or point to point construction. These are handwired PCB amps. People claiming that something on a PCB isn’t handwired are people who simply don’t understand electronics construction.
But you had on your thumbnail in the last video about it that said "This Is The One"..
I am aware of that. My opinion is still more or less the same. I love the amp, but after really spending time with it, I realized I can't get the most out of it for my situation and I'm not the type to just let gear sit without being used. It could be THE ONE for someone and that was the purpose of doing a full review of it.
@@Lucas_ArredondoI know, but I have a 'this is the one' amp too. I have had it for 20 years, and I won't sell it until I can't play anymore. It just seems sometimes youtubers exaggerate somewhat for clicks. That's like telling your parents you've found the person of your dreams, 'the one', then calling them a week later to say well, nah. I appreciated the initial review of the amp very much. It's all good, man!
@@cantyouhearmeknocking1961 Haha! Those are very good points! And to be clear, I do tend to get hype for music gear and it can show in my videos. But thats just cause I DO really like them! Even if I don't necessarily keep them for the long run. I tend to see music gear as "tools for the job" so I don't have much of an attachment except for maybe a select few...Thanks for your input though, much appreciated! 🙏
@@Lucas_Arredondo I have done the same thing for decades. I buy items, use them for a while, then sell/trade them. I have an 80's Mesa Boogie Studio Caliber combo amp, and the first thing I did when I bought it was install a small fan in it. I have never had any issues with it. I imagine the Falcon will last too if it isn't taken on a long road tour.
I’m agnostic on the Falc20- I know nothing about it except some demos on YT and website descriptions. For those who think it’s a ripoff my question is ok, exactly what other amp is so much better at the same or lower price?
It's about the way it is constructed, for such an expensive piece of kit, the construction is way below par and it will not be reliable in the long term.
and with the same logic, what makes this worth what they're charging?
@@amphibious4463
What makes it worth the price?
It looks good and it sounds good (of course both of those are subjective opinions which will vary by person), it’s priced similarly to other American made amps with some of the same features (Fender ‘65 Princeton Reverb Reissue and Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue), and it’s a few hundred dollars less expensive than the lowest priced Mesa Boogie combo amp.
That being said, I understand the issues people have with the circuit design of this amp. Obviously, it goes without saying that the Fender amps I just mentioned have proven themselves to be reliable, and for anyone who wants to spend less money they will have a multitude of other options from all over the world from companies big and small some of which will definitely be better made than the Gibson (and perhaps as good as or better than the Fenders).
A hand-wired 15/20 watt amp can be made by a reputable small scale builder and it will p all over these " Nostalgia" poster-boy products. Just do some digging around NY.
@@amphibious4463when you walk into a store and there’s not another amp clearly better at the price of a Falc20. That’s not be all end all, but it is an indication. Once again, I have no brief for it.
VOX AC-4 and a Princeton, all you need is a curly lead and a pic.you have everything a Guitar player needs!
I don't have an issue with the price.... it's made by Boogie and in line with other US made amps. The issue is I think it sounds kind of meh. I'm not hearing anything I haven't heard before or done better.
I can understand that! Love your profile picture btw haha
@@Lucas_Arredondo Thank you, sir! :)
but the construction does not merit the price. It's constructed like a $500 amp.
@@davidstorm4015 Your interpretation of what it should cost to construct has nothing to do with my point, which was it sounds meh. American labor isn't cheap. Which $500 American made amps are you comparing it to? I wasn't aware of any.
@@Darth.Shredder I meant it is constructed like a $500 amp made in China, there ain't a whole lot of USA labour that has gone into that thing, most of it will be automated. The circuit design and quality is appalling and these things will fail in their thousands.
Fenders have more bass? First time I've ever heard that. They are known for their high pitch treble. Basically all of them. The easiest mod is to clip the bright cap, or the resistor soldered across the volume potentiometer. Because Fenders known to be "Trebley". It's a 6V6 amp, 12/15 watts. No wonder its comparable to a Princeton. I'm still interested in this amp. Very.
It could just be the old Jensen in my Princeton, but it had something in the low end that I just liked more. The Gibson Falcon is still a great amp though! Hope you get to give it a go soon!
Well, I was wrong. Before I watched this, I figured you were going to tell us you were returning the Falcon 20 and buying a Falcon 5, because the 20 is too loud for your apartment. 🙂
I'm personally planning to buy the 20, myself. Eventually. I don't even own an electric guitar yet, because I just started learning the guitar a year ago, and I haven't graduated from an acoustic yet. Once my playing is actually *worth* spending some serious money on, I plan to buy a Gibson Les Paul Special and a Falcon 20 amp.
But I don't live in an apartment... 😂
And people keep ignoring the fact that there's a 5-year warranty on this amp. If those PCBs or solder joints are going to crack because of the heat/weight of the tubes, it's definitely going to happen sooner rather than later.
Try a 5 watt Swart amp
I have one and they are fantastic.
Only a speaker costs $150 (V30)
Every Amp that costs 300-500 is made in China. I just checked the actual speaker which costs $196 here in Sweden.
Comments got em
I understand your point about forming your own opinion, however we are not amp techs (well im not at least). One cannot truly form an opinion on topics that one doesnt understand. Guitaroligist and Uncle Doug are THE amp tech youtubers. They show step by step repairs of old amps, new amps, sought after amps, absolute avoid amps, PCB amps, and help you understand the ins and outs of why these products are good, or bad or in between. Its insanely useful for plebs who do not know what these companies are selling us.. If they both have a hard dislike, and a strong recomendation that people do not spend hard earned money on these amps (when the originals, which I own, fetch a lower price and are fantastic) ... Im going to believe them over people that do not understand how amps work. Also they are $5000 aud in australia, not joking. 5 grand. Its actually sickening and it makes me so angry just thinking about all the poor blues guys that will walk in and buy one off the shelf at the dismay of their wives without knowing what theyre purchasing.... Its daylight robbery... no matter how good they sound, nobody can guarantee it will last past 3 years with this shitty modern build quality...
I don't disagree! You make a very good point. Also wow! 5K for this amp is definitely insane!
LOL HOPPING FROM ONE HYPE TRAIN TO ANOTHER.
When you say 'hand wired' do you mean 'point to point'? Hand wired in this situation is valid from a particular POV, BUT it is definitely NOT point to point like my 56 Pro or 67 Dual Showman. My son had a solid state Marshall combo amp that sounded very good for a SS amp so one can find a good sounding amp that's not point to point. It takes some research and trying stuff out for yourself with your guitar.
@@retroman541 Thanks for your reply - it's well said. I'm guessing it is as I suspected - hand wired equals point to point (eyelets with component soldered into those as opposed into a PCB). I agree it's inappropriate to call this a hand wired amp when it most definitely is not. Stew-Mac's version of the Deluxe would be a tempting buy for me if I didn't already have the Pro as it would be point to point, but it is out of my price range @ $1499 (last I checked).
The guys at Mesa are hand-wiring these amps though. You can go out on the floor and see them soldering the components on to the boards. I’ve popped in there multiple times and have seen just that. PCB doesn’t automatically rule out hand wiring, it just isn’t as common to see. The problem comes from people misunderstanding what handwired means, and thinking that that can only mean point to point or turret board construction.
“The fact that it’s Gibson is probably adding to the price.”
I’m sorry, but no. Gib$on hasn’t made amps for ages, so it’s difficult to say they have any sort of reputation.They should have tried to build that back on something more than just their name, or come out with an absolutely solid product. Time will tell.
I bought the Falcon 5. I'm a big Gibson fan. It's not a good amp. It's a one trick pony. Volume at 9 o'clock for Rock. I wanted it to be good. It's not versatile. Lackluster clean tone. I played to 20 at the store. It was better, but still. It's not a good, clean tone. I play clean as much as dirty. Hope this was helpful.
Appreciate your input! I found that I do like the Falcon 20 by itself, but when recording it for a song that needed a clean tone to fit in a mix, it sounded a little off to me. This was one of the things that stuck out to me.
I don't buy an amp because of the name on it... buy an amp based on how it is built and what it can do. I wouldn't buy any of the Gibson Falcon series, they are cheaply made and I wouldn't waste any amount of money on a purchase. That being said, I am a Gibson fan... guitars. I own around 35 Gibson guitars +/-, I love them. I have no interest, in any of their amps, not the Gibson's, nor the Mesa Boogie amplifiers...just not my cup of tea. I own Marshall's, Peavey's, Crate, Bugera's, Sovtek's, Blackheart's, and my personal favorites, my hand-wired Ceriatone Marshall Clones. Too many of these legacy companies are surviving on their past reputation, rather than what they are doing now, which is mostly cheap crap, with a big price tag. Just my 2 cents worth.
You do know some of those amps you mentioned are also cheaply made?
@@Panic42000 ... and you know this how? I mentioned Brands, not specific models. Which of my vintage Marshall, Sovtek, Peavey, Crate, Blackheart amps (which is a set of 4 class A, amps ranging from .25-watt to 100-Watts.) are you referring to? Or, were you referring to my hand-wired, Ceriatone amps?... Or, was it, as I suspect; my Bugera TriRec Infinium, the amp which was basically a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier... only cleaner, more articulate and had 3 modes of Rectification, as well as Infinium technology. The amp that Mesa sent a cease-and-desist order and threatened to sue them, to make them stop building it? Was it that amp that you are referring to? I gigged with that amp for 6 years straight, before COVID... still do from time to time. Never any issues. I stand by my comment, "I don't buy an amp because of the name on it... buy an amp based on how it is built and what it can do." as well as... " Too many of these legacy companies are surviving on their past reputation, rather than what they are doing now, which is mostly cheap crap, with a big price tag." Most of it is quite simply, disposable garbage. It seems to me that you are assuming things, rather than knowing things.
Save up your money and buy a Carr. You'll thank me later.
Mass production brings DOWN the price. only companies like Gibson think they can charge boutique prices for mass produced shit. I say this as I wait for my overpriced Les Paul to arrive.
Never anything Gibson im a loyal Epiphone and Fender man
I would never purchase an Epiphone or a 1400 dollar guitar featuring a bolt on neck.
To be fair, Epiphone has been killing it lately. Their quality control has improved.
I've got a bunch of both. But the reality is I would trade a room full of epis for one gibson.
@@Les537 not me buddy first off your Gibson Les Paul solid body guitar wouldn't even exist today with out epiphone and Les Paul..two epiphone was restored back to high end brand by JC Curliegh in 2019.. epiphone is bringing back the good o'l days when they stomped Gibson into the dirt..most now want our headstocks to say Epiphone not Gibson.. Gibson died when they got caught lying during their lawsuit failures...
@@Les537epiphone and Les Paul are the only reasons why a Gibson Les Paul even exists
The way its built IS THE PROBLEM HERE.THEN THERES THE RIDICULOUS PRICE.ALMOST AS RIDICULOUS AS MESA...THERE ARE SOO MANY GREAT BUILDER'S TODAY WHY GIVE THESE CORPORATIONS YOUR MONEY FOR MEDIOCRITY. your paying for a name.
As you stated in your previous video on the falcon 20 you are not an amp tech so why would you disagree with the fact this amp is build like a 300 bucks chinese amplifier!?! If you doesn't have the knowledge how can you disagree with something you don't know?! The build quality is pure shit, pcb with tube sockets mounted on it, wtf?!? At that price and for a simple amp like that it must have been a point to point construction, c'mon... For an amp tech point of view this amp is a joke, period. And honestly the tone is not amazing, which is obvious when you see the components quality and the construction!😮