Gibson EH-150 Tube Amplifier (1939)
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Item # 8637
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Gibson EH-150 Model Tube Amplifier (1939), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 13177, tweed fabric covering finish.
This is a very fine example of the world's first great guitar amplifier, Gibson's EH-150. This is the ca. 1939 variant, built into a larger slightly arched cabinet with distinctive rounded off upper corners. The gold/brown tweed cabinet cover has orange and black vertical stripes in the center, with a black script Gibson logo in the lower right hand corner. The square lower cabinet edges have leather corners and round hard rubber feet. The front speaker aperture is covered by a black metal grill.
The removable latched back reveals the deco-styled control panel which lays out left-right with an on/off switch, fuse, microphone volume, instruments volume, 1 mic and 2 instrument inputs, and a tone control switch (bass and normal). A push-pull dual-6L6/5881 circuit yields approximately 15 watts into a 12" field-coil speaker. This was the premier professional amplifier of its day, used notably by Charlie Christian and a host of other 1940s greats, and is still a wonderful and unique-sounding amp today.
Height is 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) width, and 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm.) deep.
This old pre-war Gibson amp has taken its licks but is still ticking! This is a fairly well-preserved example with some restoration work done to the cabinet; the upper-right edge corner has seen some repair to ensure structural integrity, neatly patched up on the inside edge with light leatherette covering. Other than this, both the internal and external cabinet covering is still original, down to the leather corners and the leather-covered handle, which is in great shape for its age. The exterior shows some slight darkening and light-to-moderate wear, though remains free of cigarette burns or any other major blemishes. Overall very nicely preserved for being over 80 years old!
Electrically, the amplifier itself is in good order and remains as original as is practical for modern use of this radio-age chassis. It has been recently serviced with adding a 3-prong grounded cord, replaced electrolytic caps and all sockets, jacks and pots cleaned. The power tubes are a pair of vintage Tung-Sol 5881s, the rest likely original or at least period RCA's and a GM 6F5 tube in the V1 slot. The original detachable back panel and Gibson-branded "High Fidelity Ultrasonic Producer" field coil speaker are still intact; the speaker has been professionally reconed and sounds great.
This EH-150 is super cool and vibey, and still sounds great with the classic pre-war Gibson jazzy tone and progressive whisper-to-roar response the EH-150 is famous for! Excellent - Condition.
This is a very fine example of the world's first great guitar amplifier, Gibson's EH-150. This is the ca. 1939 variant, built into a larger slightly arched cabinet with distinctive rounded off upper corners. The gold/brown tweed cabinet cover has orange and black vertical stripes in the center, with a black script Gibson logo in the lower right hand corner. The square lower cabinet edges have leather corners and round hard rubber feet. The front speaker aperture is covered by a black metal grill.
The removable latched back reveals the deco-styled control panel which lays out left-right with an on/off switch, fuse, microphone volume, instruments volume, 1 mic and 2 instrument inputs, and a tone control switch (bass and normal). A push-pull dual-6L6/5881 circuit yields approximately 15 watts into a 12" field-coil speaker. This was the premier professional amplifier of its day, used notably by Charlie Christian and a host of other 1940s greats, and is still a wonderful and unique-sounding amp today.
Height is 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) width, and 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm.) deep.
This old pre-war Gibson amp has taken its licks but is still ticking! This is a fairly well-preserved example with some restoration work done to the cabinet; the upper-right edge corner has seen some repair to ensure structural integrity, neatly patched up on the inside edge with light leatherette covering. Other than this, both the internal and external cabinet covering is still original, down to the leather corners and the leather-covered handle, which is in great shape for its age. The exterior shows some slight darkening and light-to-moderate wear, though remains free of cigarette burns or any other major blemishes. Overall very nicely preserved for being over 80 years old!
Electrically, the amplifier itself is in good order and remains as original as is practical for modern use of this radio-age chassis. It has been recently serviced with adding a 3-prong grounded cord, replaced electrolytic caps and all sockets, jacks and pots cleaned. The power tubes are a pair of vintage Tung-Sol 5881s, the rest likely original or at least period RCA's and a GM 6F5 tube in the V1 slot. The original detachable back panel and Gibson-branded "High Fidelity Ultrasonic Producer" field coil speaker are still intact; the speaker has been professionally reconed and sounds great.
This EH-150 is super cool and vibey, and still sounds great with the classic pre-war Gibson jazzy tone and progressive whisper-to-roar response the EH-150 is famous for! Excellent - Condition.