Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: LazyNinja on April 19, 2007, 09:43:06 AM
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http://www.thomann.de/gb/news_msg_tube_power_harley_benton_ga5.html
cheaper copy of an already cheap amp! Actually it could be better since Epi wasn't all that great and this one already has a tone control. I might be interested if they had a head version. :)
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Put it this way, it can't be any worse than the Epiphone version so go for it.
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the Epi VJ is great fun for the cash, IMO, as long as you don't expect too much out of it (i.e. too much of a range of tones) and it's easily moddable if you're that way inclined.
I hear the Thomann one is a similar (if not identical, bar the tone control) circuit to the VJ... 'tis a shame they don't have a head version.
Plus, IMO the tolex clashes with the cream faceplate, but that doesn't matter.
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Looks nice! I like the way they made their model number (GA5) look a lot like GAS!!!
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^ or exactly like the gibson GA5, lol.
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^ One for the copyright infringement lawyers to get their teeth into?
As we know, Gibson ain't shy when it comes to sueing other companies, whether they have a winnable case or not. :wink:
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^ One for the copyright infringement lawyers to get their teeth into?
As we know, Gibson ain't shy when it comes to sueing other companies, whether they have a winnable case or not. :wink:
what i don't get is why they sue PRS, but not Tokai...
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^ One for the copyright infringement lawyers to get their teeth into?
As we know, Gibson ain't shy when it comes to sueing other companies, whether they have a winnable case or not. :wink:
what i don't get is why they sue PRS, but not Tokai...
They've allready done it with Tokai a looooong time ago. (i belive)
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^ I hear ya Indy, and for once, I think I have an answer!
As I understand it, Gibson can't sue Tokai because they wouldn't be able to bring the case in a US court, as Tokai is a Japanese owned and based company, and therefore not 'sueable' (not sure if that's a real word, but bear with me) under US copyright or trademark infringement law.
Also, I believe Gibson no longer see Tokai's guitars as direct competitors to their own product.
PRS on the other hand, are an American owned and based firm, and in direct price range competition, so Gibson were free to sue the cr@p out of them.
That's my understanding of why. Hopefully it's not too far wide of the mark.
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correct me if im wrong, but isnt Tokai licensed to make gibson copies?
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correct me if im wrong, but isnt Tokai licensed to make gibson copies?
I honestly don't know. Although given that Gibson owns Epiphone, I'd doubt it.
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As far as I know, the only officially licensed Gibson copies were Orville (in the 80s/90s) and now Epiphone. Even then, it's only the ones made for the domestic Japanese market that have the correct Gibson headstock shape.
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Modded version already...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOT-ROD-ALL-VALVE-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-AMPLIFIER-AMP-COMBO_W0QQitemZ140113232505QQihZ004QQcategoryZ10171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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That modded one looks quite cool - £196 including postage is steep for a £66 amp, but it has all the bells and whistles.
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the harley benton and the epi amps are made int he same factory by the same people. The epi sounds a little bit rougher though due to a slight change in the amp layout.
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The epi sounds a little bit rougher though due to a slight change in the amp layout.
Rougher as in "raunchier" or rougher as in "worse"?
The Harley Benton is starting to look like a crazy bargain. Although it maybe has one control too many. :wink:
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^ +1... i like the raunchiness of the VJ... but sometimes (volume above about 2 o'clock) it can get a little too uncontrolled for its own good...
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all you really need to mod one of these amps (VJ or GA5) is some nice NOS valves and a good quality alnico speaker. I have a couple of different 5w valve amps (one i made my self and one old 60's one). I brought a selection of pre and power amps and experimented till i liked it - no need to worry about re-biasing on these simple little circuits
You gotta wonder why the guy apparently stripping down and "completely rebuilding from the ground up" puts the old logo back on - surely that severly limits what he can charge for what he is claiming is practically a boutique amp
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The epi sounds a little bit rougher though due to a slight change in the amp layout.
Rougher as in "raunchier" or rougher as in "worse"?
The Harley Benton is starting to look like a crazy bargain. Although it maybe has one control too many. :wink:
as in raunchier.....