Gibson introduced the Gibson Amplifiers line of amplifiers, developed with the direct participation of Randall Smith and MESA/Boogie engineers. The series will include two models – Gibson Falcon 5 and Gibson Falcon 20.
Information about Gibson’s plans to return to the guitar amplifier market became known back in 2021, but any specifics on this issue appeared only in January of this year. On the eve of the announcement, the manufacturer launched a promotional page on the official website, where he promised to provide more details in the near future.
The new line of amplifiers was introduced on January 16, 2024. The series will include two models of guitar amplifiers – the Gibson Falcon 5 and the Gibson Falcon 20. It is noted that the devices are compact tube combo amplifiers inspired by “classic designs from the 1960s.”
The creation of the devices was carried out at the MESA/Boogie research center, and the development was led by Randall Smith. According to Gibson, engineers studied the circuits of the company’s original amplifiers produced in the 1960s, and then redesigned them and adapted them to modern realities. The manufacturer promises a “harmonically rich American tone and compact size.”
The Gibson Falcon 5 is a compact 7-watt combo amp with a 10-inch Jensen Blackbird 40 speaker. Guitarists can dial the unit down to 3 watts. The older model is larger and more powerful: the device promises 12 W of power and is equipped with a 12-inch Jensen Blackbird 40 speaker. The Falcon 20 also received a Multi-Watt function that allows you to reduce the amplifier power to 5 W or 1 W. Both models have separate DI output and 4 and 8 ohm outputs on the rear side.
Despite the fact that the main source of inspiration for the development of the Falcon was the Gibson Skylark models produced in the 1950s and 1960s, the manufacturer clarifies that the circuits for both devices were developed from scratch. Both units are equipped with a tube spring reverb, while the Falcon 20 also has a built-in tremolo effect. It is noted that the effects can be activated both from the amplifier body and through the footswitch that is included in the kit.
The body of the amps is made of Baltic birch and covered with a layer of cream-colored vinyl. The speakers of the devices are covered with dark brown grilles. The control panel is made of polished steel.
To control the sound, the Falcon 20 offers volume and tone knobs, a control for the amount of reverb, as well as tremolo frequency and intensity. The control panel also houses a three-position switch for the Multi-Watt function, which selects one of three power levels – Full (12 W), Half (5 W), Low (1 W). Next to them are the power on and standby knobs, as well as the operating status indicator.
MESA/Boogie engineers noted that Multi-Watt is not an ordinary attenuator that weakens the signal, but a complete engineering solution. Specifically, the amplifier uses three different amplification circuits, one for each operating mode. The Falcon 5, on the other hand, uses two amplification circuits, allowing you to choose between 5W and 3W options.
The models are based on 6V6 amplification tubes, and guitarists can replace the tube with a 6L6 to slightly increase the power of the devices: for example, a Falcon 20 with a 6L6 tube will provide 15 W of power instead of the base 12 W. The preamp section is built on 12AX7 tubes.
Falcon 5 weighs 11.79 kg, Falcon 20 – 14 kg. Models are manufactured at the Gibson factory in Petaluma, California, USA. The Falcon 5 costs $1,499, the Falcon 20 costs $1,799. You can get more details about the amps on the official Gibson website.
