The smallest model in the GVT
series, the GVT5-110 is a 5-watt
1x10 combo with a simple complement
of Volume, Treble, and Bass
controls. The amp is heavy for its
size and power, which is primarily
a result of solid construction and a
10" speaker. For reference, my 5-watt
Fender Vibro-Champ weighs about
nine pounds less.
The GVT5 doesn’t have much
front-end gain, so getting grind tones
from it requires that you crank it up
to get the 6V6 cooking. The maximum
volume at the five-watt setting
is on par with most small tube
combos of similar power, but if you need to wail with even less aural impact,
the half-power setting cuts the loudness
significantly.
 |
The GVT112EW cabinet features Ampeg’s
Portaflex double baffle design. |
Finding the right EQ setting for different
guitars requires a bit of experimentation, as
the GVT5 doesn’t respond quite like a classic
five-watt tube amp. Part of this may be due
to there being no flat setting with a Baxandall
EQ. No matter where you set the controls,
there’s some tone-shaping going on.
Still, it’s not difficult to get happening sounds
in the clean to mildly overdriven ranges by
adjusting the Bass and Treble controls until
the balance is right for a particular guitar.
 |
| The GVT112E is a more compact, non-Portaflex cabinet. |
For pure distortion, my preference was
to back off the volume enough to get a relatively
clean sound that could be propelled
nicely into the grind realm with the Fuzz Face.
The response was also noticeably smoother
when the GVT5 was driving the GVT112EW
cabinet, which isn’t surprising considering the difference between a single 10" in an
open-back combo and a 12" Celestion Vintage
30 in a double-baffled closed-back cab.
The deep, clear response of GVT112EW is
impressive, and the GVT5 definitely sounded
louder and badder through it.
Bringing the Ampeg mojo into the pintsized
domain, the GVT5-110 has a nice
affinity for pedals, and would be a great
choice for studio work or for low volume
rehearsals and practice.
More from this Roundup:
Ampeg GVT5-110, GVT15H, and GVT52-112
GVT15H
GVT52-112