Goodsell Custom 33 2x12 Combo

This 2X12 combo is a single channel no B.S. combo. No channel switching, no effects loop, no buttons to push in to change the tone, no push pull pots, no large pedal boards switchers. It is a simple single channel amp that delivers.

This amp is a point to point amp, now let me say that this is not a sudo ptp amp. It is a real ptp. only strips here. no boards. For further info on this go here. http://www.guitaramplifierblueprinting.com/pastinfo.html.

So features... this amp has simply gain, tone, volume, reverb and trem controlled by depth and rate. simple. but not lacking.

The input on this amp is very sensitive. Not in a bad way either. Put the gain at noon and play, softer attacks will leave you with a gentle clean, a little more push in your playing will respond with a nice spanky drive. Drive your volume all the way and listen to it drive like one of the sweetest JMP's you've ever heard. A healthy use of the volume knob on your guitar or good quality volume pedal will leave you with a myriad of tones worthy of a collection of amps.

The tone knob on this amp amaze's me. It's no a "varitone" style like a bad cat or the like. It has a truly functional sweep. I have a nice collection of guitars to play trough this amp, Gibson Custom shop 335, G&L semi-Hollowbody Asat, Trussart Tele, Gibson Les Paul, 80's Japan Strat with Fralins and various others. This tone knob is all thats needed to perfectly change from guitar to the next. If I change from 335 to Tele I just roll back the tone a little on the amp and its perfect. if I go from the Asat to Les paul, again just roll up the knob and it fits. I havent played a guitar through this amp that it didnt like yet. And I've played quite a few to test it out...

The reverb has a smooth glass like sound. not really deep dwell like a blackface but more of a Plate tone, even though its a spring. at max is not surfy, but just kinda sits the guitar nicely in the back of the room.

The Trem..oh God the trem...It was inspired by the old Hi-Fi Gibsons amps of the 60's. This amp has one of the thicked throbs I have ever heard come out of any amp. It honestly hands down beats any blackface or AC30 I've ever heard. And thats saying alot. I love trem. I've owned various JMI's and Blackfaces over the years and this Trem is the best I've heard...

1/2 power switch. nuff said.
Ohm, switch, a rather common switch to find on amps nowadays. This truly gives you the ability to change speakers and change series/parallel to fit how you play.

Speakers. Goodsell speakers are sold here: http://warehousespeakers.com/proddetail.php?prod=Goodsell_RGM
now I cant honestly tell if these are "warehouse" speakers or Celestions. They have a sticker on the side of the magnet that say's G12H 16. I would assume this is a Celestion but...you never know. They have a nice even tone that really gets alive with more volume. play this amp in your living room and it will sound good, turn it up and have the low end develop to the point of rattling the floor with out ever getting muddy. This large of a sound out of a 2X12 open back combo is astonishing.

Cabinet construction - This is built with an eye to detail. its a really nice tweed that is built with every stitch lining up, every seam being true. the box is perfectly constructed and fits together perfectly. If your paying this much for an amp you have the right to demand this kind of construction. I'm honestly tired of seeing cabinet construction dwindling down the drain for the sake of profits.
I remember when If you bought an older Mesa head the cabinet was thick and beefy. you look at them now and the wood is thinner than hell. Sad, very sad. I don't want to buy an amp that sounds great but wont psychically hold up.

I'm giving it a 9 in rating for you guy's who demand a effects loop and more channels.
Personally I think its a 10.

But I am honestly trying to be subjective on this review.

Musical styling...What I play doesn't really relate to the tone. I've heard guys who play JCM800 play metal, shoe gazer, blues, rock, and Country. Hell, I've seen them in church's...
Style doesn't matter to me on an amp really. I think people should be able to various tones and playing styles out any amp, for it to be good. One of the guy's that I play with has such a drastically different tone from his hands and playing style that its real easy to hear who played what.
The basic tone of this amp is basically a crossing of a older Marshall and a AC30. Its a EL84/5U4 tube rectified output. So there's a healthy amount of sag and it really does the Classic rock thing well. I think if your into modern country or older classical rock stylings it'll sound great. If your into the blues, it responds perfectly to the push and pull. I personally don't play country or classic rock. I plays blues and a rather modern amalgam of Brit pop and shoe gazer, think Radiohead meets My bloody valentine. On that note this amp loves pedals. It eats them up. I've played many many amps lately and have found that some amps are really meant to be just simply plugged into. Thats fine. just not for me. I've put everything from an older space echo (tape) to Zvex and other boutique pedals.

Have you've ever had a chance to talk to the designer of your amp? Ask him why this and why that? Ever had him offer to mod or upgrade your amp for free because he's proud of the fact that you love what he made? If not, buy one of these and call up Richard Goodsell. One of the nicest guy's on the planet. The passion for what he does is infectious. If I ever have a problem with amp I have the faith in him to take care of it. Period... Never have I had this kind of faith in a product.
On the side, I'm a professional audio engineer. I do this for a living, not at a bar on friday night. I have had first hand experience with many manufacturers. and I'd have to say 90% suck. Bad...
Richard is a Pro.

See Reliability

How long have you been playing? 18 years or so.

What other gear do you own? Alot, mostly snobby high end stuff. not going to bother to list. Again, I do this for a living so this is where my money goes.

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? In a heart beat...