Month: July 2013

This 18-watt head is based on Trace Elliott’s GA-15, which, despite appearances and the explicit moniker, “Goldtone,” bears no resemblence to Gibson’s vintage GA-15. My version is called Element 79, the atomic number for gold. It features a Fender style tone stack and blackface sound.

Master volume added to rear panel, making great crunch and medium gain sounds available at any volume.

Dimensions: 20.5w x 10.5h x 10d inches, 22 pounds

• 1992 Fender American Telecaster > Monkeymatic Element 79 > Shure SM57 > MOTU 828mk3 > no effects, no compression > MP3 at 192kbps

First section, until 2:20, recorded with master volume down near zero–overall volume level is a bit louder than normal conversation. Second section, after 2:20, recorded with master at about 3, which is loud enough to rattle windows.

A tribute to 1970s Marshall superiority! “Plexi” style “1987” circuit with vintage 100 watt Drake power transformer. Puts out up to 45 watts of clean power, and just gets louder from there as you crank up the gain on the Bright and Normal channels (internally jumpered for easy mixing).

Dimensions: 26w x 9.75h x 8.25d inches, 32.5 pounds

2004 Gibson ’61 SG reissue > Monkeymatic Fiddy V3 > Shure SM57 > MOTU 828mk3 > no effects, no compression > MP3 at 192kbps