GDS buys Guytron

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Graydon
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GDS buys Guytron

Post by Graydon »

On July 1st, I purchased the assets of Guytron Guitar Amplifiers in Troy, Michigan. I have spent the last couple weeks moving, organizing, counting chassis, transformers and other parts and ordering parts to fill gaps in the inventory.

I am hustling to setup production at my facility. I hope to have the GT100 FV and the GT20 Combo in production very soon. We also have prototypes of the GT20 head and the new GT40 head and combo almost ready to go.

As some of you know, the Guytron designs are very much influenced by the Marshall 18watt amplifier. Guy Hedrick is a huge fan of Marshall and Vox amplifiers and it shows in the tones that his amp designs produce.

We now have a fresh shipment of Guytron Bigtone speakers in stock and they sound amazing with an 18W. These are very similar to the original Celestion Greenback and G12H30. The reissues have too much midrange honk. The Bigtones are just perfect, like the original Celestions.

Email me if you have any questions. I'm here to help.

Thanks,
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Sincerely,
Graydon Stuckey
www.gdsamps.com
www.guytron.com

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Post by radstringz »

Congratulations Graydon! Big move in an uncertain economy. I hope all works well for you!

JR
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Post by Wicksy »

Congrats on your new aquisition 8)
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Post by echuta13 »

First Fender buys Groove Tubes, and now this?!? :lol:


Congrats Graydon! :)
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Post by klingo »

congrats!

i'm curious about the bigtone speakers, is the 55w close to G12H30 and 35w close to greenback?efficiency? are they available in 8/16 ohms?
it will be an open-back 1x12" first.
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Post by Graydon »

Thanks guys. Your well wishes mean a lot to me.
klingo wrote:congrats!

i'm curious about the bigtone speakers, is the 55w close to G12H30 and 35w close to greenback?efficiency? are they available in 8/16 ohms?
it will be an open-back 1x12" first.
That is correct but you will find that they are more hi-fi sounding than the Celestion Reissues. The RIs have a midrange hump that isn't too bad but it is not authentic to the original. It is like the RIs are caricatures of the originals with the traits of the originals exagerated. The RIs are still quite good speakers in their own right. I use them alot. But, the Bigtones truly sound more like the originals. Previously, I had been a big fan of the McGourty speakers which are some of the best clones I have ever heard. The Bigtones do an equally good job at a much lower price. I am so happy to now have this source of great speakers for my own playing enjoyment and now I can offer these to you guys as well.

I mounted up a Bigtone 35 into a 1-12 extension cabinet that I often use for testing with my 18W heads and it rocked. It had a fantastic, huge but tight bottom end and a smooth top end. The midrange growled like I would expect a real old Greenback to growl. I can't wait to get a new Guytron 4-12 cab and try a quad of these.
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Graydon Stuckey
www.gdsamps.com
www.guytron.com

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Post by redmax61 »

Very cool, Graydon! Congratulations!!!

I have a friend in Ypsilanti who is has a Guytron that he absolutely raves about. I'm curious to see what new and cool things roll out of the factory now.
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Post by BBQLS1 »

8)
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Post by Dana-L »

Congratulations, Graydon!

Best wishes for success in expanding your boutique amplification empire!

-Dana
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Post by loverocker »

Crikey - I go offline for a brief moment, and the first thing I see on my return is that my favourite amp maker has been taken over by an old forum buddy!

Congrats Graydon! :) My GT100 is a keeper. Diezels and other high-end amps have come and gone, but the GT100 has earned its keep. Never get to see many of them over here, though - a real shame. Hope it's all going well.
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Post by zaphod_phil »

Hey Barry, great to see you back!!!This is even more good news on top of Graydon buying Guytron. :D

And I well remember when you gave me the tour of your own GT100. :)
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Post by loverocker »

Hi Phil :) Blimey - seems you've relocated while I was offline, too? Hope it all went smoothly.
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Post by loyjdockery »

Congratulations! Obviously, people still have the money to spend on amplifiers whether it's a good economy or not ;)
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Post by Graydon »

Thanks guys.

It has been a blast these last couple months putting Guytron back together again in my shop. I have actually built a few Guytrons already. They go together very nicely once you know how. My boys are helping out with subassemblies and I have an ad campaign starting in Premier Guitar in Nov if all goes well.

Guy Hedrick has been a big help teaching me the ins and outs of the GT100 F/V circuitry and showing me what it can do. That GT100 F/V is a tremendously powerful and flexible amp. It can go from a Marshally tone to a Vox tone to a pretty good Fender tone all at the flick of a couple switches. I think that is why Dean Parks loves it so much for studio work.

It has also been really cool working with Jon Herington (Steely Dan) and Dean Parks (big LA studio player) who both are big endorsers of Guytron. We're working on a couple other big name endorsers as well. More than anything, it affirms to me that the Guytron amp is really a great amp if the top level pros like it.

Barry what is your GT100's serial number? Is it an F/V?
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Sincerely,
Graydon Stuckey
www.gdsamps.com
www.guytron.com

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Post by loverocker »

Graydon wrote: Barry what is your GT100's serial number? Is it an F/V?
OK... the amp currently has a stack of stuff atop it :oops: but squinting sideways around the back it looks like "405." Not an F/V model.

And no, you can't have it back! Not for all the tea in China, nor all the pinstripe grille cloth in Leeds! ;)
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Post by zaphod_phil »

And in case, anyone's wondering about the connection between Guytron amps and 18watt.com, Guytron amps actually have the best part of a Marshall 18W inside - actually the PI and power amp of the 18W. The signal from the OT is then used to drive the final power stage. So what you hear is basically a re-amped Marshall 18W tone. It has a different preamp though, with dual channels, and more gain in one of them.
loverocker wrote:Hi Phil :) Blimey - seems you've relocated while I was offline, too? Hope it all went smoothly.
Yes, thanks, it went smoothly. I've hooked up with another amp builder over here, and also found some guys to jam with. Now I'm just looking for a day job. :)
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