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Thread: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

  1. #1

    Default Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    The Ray Matty built Gibson A-50 that was owned by Al Valenti has been waiting for my daughter for a couple weeks. Yesterday she arrived to her new home and quickly opened the case for a test drive.

    Shortly after I had a call from her telling me how much she loves it. How great it sounds, and raving about the strings on it... I have no idea what strings are on it but suspect it is the setup she is hearing (ivoroid saddle and bridge saddle).

    She named it immediately Lucifer, because just like Devil went Down to Georgia gets her excited about violin...

  2. #2

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    My first question is what strings should I get for the next set? Preferably compatible with the DeArmond pickup, but providing a strong sound for an A-50 acoustically.
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    You will need strings that are magnetic. The GHS pure nickel will work. It's the wound strings that are the problem, the plain are all magnetic. If you use phosphor bronze they will work, but the pickup will only see the core wire. It will sound thinner with less bass, but may be workable. I have use both with magnetic pickups and on a mandolin it seems less important. It depends as always on the sound you like and what the strings give you.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  5. #4

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Thanks, that is great input. Will drop you a PM when I get to WI in the next couple weeks about your Summit. I was worried slightly about the thin sound with the saddle and bridge setup, but to my daughter it is perfect :-) For sound desire, I think we want to create that 60s jazz vibe it was built for... vintage sound for a 12 year old!

    Quote Originally Posted by pops1 View Post
    You will need strings that are magnetic. The GHS pure nickel will work. It's the wound strings that are the problem, the plain are all magnetic. If you use phosphor bronze they will work, but the pickup will only see the core wire. It will sound thinner with less bass, but may be workable. I have use both with magnetic pickups and on a mandolin it seems less important. It depends as always on the sound you like and what the strings give you.

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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Nice!
    If you want a Jazz vibe for it, I'd pickup a set of D'addario EFW74 flatwound stainless strings. It will mellow the acoustic G&D strings a bit & it will be super sweet plugged in!
    http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDe..._Medium__11_36

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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Look forward to a Wi. visit. Agree with Al the flatwound would be a nice sound too.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  8. #7

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Thanks Al, will get a set for her to give a try! Strings are an easy thing to experiment with, so figure we will get a few sets and let her find her own sound. The instrument should have a cool sound on a vintage amp, which is the next item we are searching for.
    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_al View Post
    Nice!
    If you want a Jazz vibe for it, I'd pickup a set of D'addario EFW74 flatwound stainless strings. It will mellow the acoustic G&D strings a bit & it will be super sweet plugged in!
    http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDe..._Medium__11_36

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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Quote Originally Posted by SAfricaMandolin View Post
    Thanks Al, will get a set for her to give a try! Strings are an easy thing to experiment with, so figure we will get a few sets and let her find her own sound. The instrument should have a cool sound on a vintage amp, which is the next item we are searching for.
    If she's moving to mandolin from violin, flatwound strings will feel pretty familiar

  10. #9

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Excellent, will definitely give them a try then...

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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Quote Originally Posted by SAfricaMandolin View Post
    Thanks Al, will get a set for her to give a try! Strings are an easy thing to experiment with, so figure we will get a few sets and let her find her own sound. The instrument should have a cool sound on a vintage amp, which is the next item we are searching for.
    I wouldn't get a vintage amp for reliability, but get a tube amp for sound. No need to be big, a small tube amp can sound great and be miked or lined out.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  12. #11

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Congrats on your daughter's "new" vintage mandolin! I'm not a fan of the name, but I'm not a fan of naming instruments, in general.....

    All a matter of perspective, I guess to a 12 old year, a 60's instrument is quite vintage!

    I'm sure she will get a lot of enjoyment from it!

  13. #12

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    I am not a namer of things, but it obviously means something to her. Perhaps the "War" cutoff for being vintage has passed?
    As you say 60 year old instrument is vintage to youth.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Mando View Post
    Congrats on your daughter's "new" vintage mandolin! I'm not a fan of the name, but I'm not a fan of naming instruments, in general.....

    All a matter of perspective, I guess to a 12 old year, a 60's instrument is quite vintage!

    I'm sure she will get a lot of enjoyment from it!

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    From Pops1 - ".....but get a tube amp for sound." I agree - if you can get one for a reasonable price. Or,like me,if you like the Tube amp (Valves to us in the UK) sound,try something like a Roland ''Blues Cube'' amp.They're transistor,but built to sound like a Tube amp. - & they do !. I have a 30w Blues Cube & it can sound like anything from 'clean' to downright 'dirty' :-
    http://www.roland.co.uk/blog/roland-...nge-explained/
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    Registered User Russ Donahue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    This was one of the more intriguing subject lines I have seen on the Cafe in some time...
    Bravo!
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  16. #15

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    I have a few lines on tube amps out there... sure something will come up. I was really hoping to find an old DeArmond 5T, then I saw what the sell for when they do surface. Needless to say we won't brand match pickup with amp.

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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    I used to custom build tube amps, but haven't in a few years. Old ones need to be checked out, new ones, more dependable. Unless you rebuild the old one entirely, in which case build a new one just like it cause that is what you will end up with. I push the new ones because the line voltage has changed since the old ones were built causing them to change in sound and tube plate voltage. Used to be 110 volts from the wall, now 125 volts. The power transformer changes that by 3-4 times and you have way more volts on an old amp tube plate than was designed for or can sometimes handle. It's a fun journey looking, enjoy.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    EJ 67 is nickel plated steel wound, so will give a strong magnetic signal as it vibrates..
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  21. #18

    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    I like the idea of building our own. A future project for when I get my basement workshop established... eight years of dirty 220v has me longing for some US electric. I get back next week, but have to restock a house, start a new career (quite exciting), and keep Mama happy before I get to start re-amassing tools for the shop. Always great to do things with kids like this, electric engineering 101.
    Quote Originally Posted by pops1 View Post
    I used to custom build tube amps, but haven't in a few years. Old ones need to be checked out, new ones, more dependable. Unless you rebuild the old one entirely, in which case build a new one just like it cause that is what you will end up with. I push the new ones because the line voltage has changed since the old ones were built causing them to change in sound and tube plate voltage. Used to be 110 volts from the wall, now 125 volts. The power transformer changes that by 3-4 times and you have way more volts on an old amp tube plate than was designed for or can sometimes handle. It's a fun journey looking, enjoy.

  22. #19
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    Start with a Fender Champ, 8" speaker, add tone control and switches to change bypass caps on the preamp tube and you can have every version of the champ Fender ever made in one amp.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

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ID:	170043 A girl and her instrument...

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson A-50 Received... Lucifer is born

    You could try one of these - a 'Pignose' Tube amp. :- https://pignoseamps.com/ As you'll see,they come in various wattages. The original battery powered 'Pignose' amps,were so superb,that many rock musicians used them as a pre-amp for their power amps. They're inexpensive & portable,
    Ivan
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