Amp of the day: Germino Masonette

[Dave L]

Hi guys, I was in a strat mood today and that often means I hook up my Germino. I´ve had this one for probably going on ten years now, and it´s really cool. It is fairly obviously a plexi-style amp, I think Germino calls it a "1968 lead low voltage" preamp section, but it is scaled back to about 35W when cranked. Tube rectification and 5881 tubes is a bit unusual too, it has a really bouncy feel that feels amazing to play.

Anyhoo, it´s apparently voiced a bit brighter since it doesn´t have a bright cap, and this approach is heaven for singlecoils. From what Greg told me it mainly is stuff like a bigger 500pF bypass cap for the mixer resistor, but whatever it is it sure works. No ice-pick, lower gain tones don´t get thin and you can run singlecoils straight in with the tone all the way up without shredding your ears. Just clipping the bright cap out of a typical 1959/1987 never worked for me, but if you tweak the amp without it I guess it´s a whole different story.

Maybe not the most aggressive plexi-type out there, but I have other stuff for that. Anyone else a fan of Germinos?

 

[stephen sawall]

Excellent amps.

 

[Anje]

Nice amp!
Germino has been one of the top references for Vintage Marshall "continuation", doesn't get much better than that for this kind of amps IMHO.

 

[Dave L]

Nice amp!
Germino has been one of the top references for Vintage Marshall "continuation", doesn't get much better than that for this kind of amps IMHO.

Yeah, Germino seems to have been maybe the top name in vintage-style Marshall circuits maybe fifteen years ago, you don´t see him mentioned as much these days. But it is a monster amp, always brings a smile to my face.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Yeah, doesn't matter whether it's 15 yrs ago or 15 days ago. If you're after an early Marshall sound in a non-vintage amp Germino and Metropolous are still 1a and 1b for choices when price is no object.

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Hell yeah. That amp and an Aiken Intruder occupy rarified tone air

 

[Dave L]

Aiken is also a bit of a blast from the past, but I´ve always heard great things about them.

 

[Dave L]

Yeah, doesn't matter whether it's 15 yrs ago or 15 days ago. If you're after an early Marshall sound in a non-vintage amp Germino and Metropolous are still 1a and 1b for choices when price is no object.

Would definitely like to get my hands on a Metro one day.

 

[Anje]

Yes, fact is a good old classic Marshall has never really been out of style and still is very very hard to "beat".

 

[mentoneman]

i had the good fortune of cranking the masonette loaded/reamped with the old Ho attenuator at the OG tone merchants. super nice tones!

 

[gritstogroats]

Yeah, Germino seems to have been maybe the top name in vintage-style Marshall circuits maybe fifteen years ago, you don´t see him mentioned as much these days. But it is a monster amp, always brings a smile to my face.

Probably cause fools like me thought it was geronimo until...this year.

 

[squealie]

Awesome amp. Stunning fucking pull-your-pants-down-and-laugh-at-your-tiny-balls huge titty-fucking amp.

 

[DanTravis62]

Masonettes are fuckin killer man, nice.

 

[Corey James]

Post a clip!

 

[VonBonfire]

Probably cause fools like me thought it was geronimo until...this year.

I remember that thread. It's cooler to just keep calling them Geronimos. That's what I would do if I were you cause there is more soul to it.