Advice on a Gibson EH-150 amp, value, usability.

Jim Myers · From: Washington, USA

I'm wondering if the value and usability is worth buying one or would it be better to spend the same amount on a newer amp? Can the newer amps give you the same or sound? I know the new amps can give you a wider variety of sounds. This would be just for casual playing. Asking price is $1300.
I currently have a Peavey Classic 30. Tia, Jim
_________________
D8 Hollow neck acoustic.
Raised nut on a Gene Autry Melody Ranch.
ShoBud D10 The Professional.
56 D8 Stringmaster.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

When I got my 1st electric guitar it was a Gibson and I also got a Gibson amp to go along with it. I liked the guitar but always thought the amp had a rather "muddy" sound to it.
In my opinion, I think for $1,300 you should be able to get a much better sounding amp than the Gibson. If you are into collecting old stuff, then it's another story.

Mark Fowler · From: Minnesota, USA

There are at least two different EH150 Gibson amp versions maybe three.

I built the latest version which uses 6SQ7 (3) 6N7 phase inverter, 6L6GC power tubes and 5U4 rectifier tube.

The first versions used very different tubes. Most of these old amps would require restoration. They also used a field coil speaker arrangement.

Joseph Napolitano · From: New Jersey, USA

I'd put that amount of money into a vintage fender amp

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

$1300 is right in the middle of the retail range for one in excellent, original condition. It should be very, very clean and totally stock except for possibly a 3-prong power cord, filter caps, and whatever other (small) things needed to make it sound right, to be worth that kind of money - my opinion. Any significant mods like changed speaker, transformers, messed up covering, holes - anything significant - and I would negotiate a significantly lower price or pass. And that's retail price, even a real clean one will probably not be real easy to sell it without taking a hit if you don't like it.

I owned a matching circa 1938 ES-150/EH-150 Charlie Christian pickup guitar + amp setup for quite some time, and I've had a couple of other really early (pre-war) Gibson amps. I loved the sound of that amp but it was kind of a one-trick pony, as were they all. There was at least one change in the late 30s, but I've played several, they all sounded similar. Nice for really old-school jazz or blues guitar, slide guitar, or lap steel, but I ultimately was afraid to use it much for fear of blowing the field-coil speaker, which would be a royal PITA to replace, not to mention the hit on value it would take.

What works for you depends entirely on what kind of music you are playing, what kind of sounds you like, how loud you want/need to be, and so on. These amps have a pretty clear voicing for such a crude design, but distort pretty early and not in a way that most people these days want. I would strongly suggest playing before buying.

For this kind of money, there are an enormous number of options available, both vintage and modern. Again, it all depends on what you want the amp to do and what you like, tonally. I strongly recommend that you go play a bunch and see what you like. This EH-150 might just be magic for you, or maybe something else would be better.

Jim Myers · From: Washington, USA

Thanks for the replies and information. It helped get the "I wanna own one of those" urges out of my system. Jim
_________________
D8 Hollow neck acoustic.
Raised nut on a Gene Autry Melody Ranch.
ShoBud D10 The Professional.
56 D8 Stringmaster.

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