G-Craft: From Napkin Sketches to Sonic Mastery
Remember those stories about groundbreaking ideas scribbled on a restaurant napkin? Well, that's exactly how this one started — in the year 2000, over lunch in Thousand Oaks, California. Brian Thompson was sitting with Joe Walsh, sharing their mutual passion for vintage electronics and the pursuit of new sound. The conversation drifted to a fundamental question: Was this it for amplifier design? Were they doomed to repeat the same old schematics from 60 years ago, with only minor tweaks here and there?
Joe’s curiosity was contagious, and it came at just the right time. Brian had been experimenting with the TUBE-TECH SMC2A — a three-band optical compressor that offered a whole new range of possibilities. Joe had also been experimenting with one and was excited by its possibilities. Over lunch, fueled by inspiration and curiosity, a rough “block diagram” was sketched onto that napkin. They were imagining something entirely new, an amplifier concept no one had ever attempted.
They wanted the input stage to be something special, a fresh approach to input impedance matching. And why not integrate the three-band optical compressor directly into the signal path? Ideas that had been simmering in Brian’s mind began to surface. A high-impedance speaker, a powerful output stage with multiple tubes in series, regulated bias and screen voltage — it was bold, maybe even a little crazy. But Joe was intrigued, especially by the high-impedance speaker idea. He said, “I don’t know if it can be done, but I’d like to experiment with a 15-inch.”
With excitement brewing, they knew this was bigger than just the two of them. The next step was reaching out to John G. Petersen, the mastermind behind TUBE-TECH, to see if he might be interested in joining their experiment. Brian still recalls the look on John’s face as he explained their vision. John was silent for what felt like an eternity, then his eyes lit up. “It’s impossible,” he said, “but it’s doable… Let me think about it.”
The team next reached out to Ted Weber from WEBERVST and proposed something audacious: a 15-inch, 70-ohm wide-range speaker that could handle around 60 watts. Ted’s first reaction was blunt: “Impossible. The wire’s too thin, too much voltage. It’s crazy; forget it.” But after some persuasion, Ted’s curiosity got the better of him. “Let me think about it,” he said. “I’d like to try to do it for Joe.”
Over the following months, the project began to take shape. John developed a prototype preamp and compressor, inspired by the SMC2A but with an entirely unique input stage. Ted, against all odds, manufactured a batch of 15-inch, 70-ohm speakers, while Brian built the output stage.
The first test run was unforgettable. The sound was distinctly different. That high-impedance speaker produced a much wider frequency spectrum than any regular 15-inch speaker. The “speed” and “attack” of the amplifier were exhilarating, something entirely new. The integrated compressor allowed them to dial in the exact feel they wanted. Joe was captivated by the “crystal clear” quality right away. The triode tubes, used exclusively in the preamp and driver stages, along with the absence of a de-phasing stage, created stunning even harmonics.
From there, Joe and Brian dove into a series of tests, fine-tuning the compressor’s “attack” and “release” until, one day, Joe turned and declared, “That’s it. Don’t touch it anymore.”
Even the design of the amplifier got its own creative twist. The team added a window so users could see the glow of the output tubes and crafted a double front panel design, allowing the front to be swapped in seconds for a different color or look.
Playing one of these amplifiers is a completely unique experience. It’s more than just an amplifier; it’s a tool for sonic exploration. Paired with reverb units, effects pedals, or simply played as is, it opens up creative possibilities that are unlike anything else out there.
The GC-1 Amplifier Returns
Now, more than two decades after its initial conception, G-Craft is thrilled to announce the re-release of the GC-1 amplifier to the public for the first time. After years of meticulous refinement and testing, this legendary amplifier is now available to a new generation of sound enthusiasts, musicians, and recording engineers who demand the best in audio fidelity and craftsmanship.
The GC-1 Amplifier elevates your tone with a fully analog design, preserving signal integrity through advanced voltage control and premium tube technology. With tailored 3-band dynamic EQ and optical compression, an extensive frequency range, and a powerful output stage featuring 3 KT88 tubes in parallel delivering unmatched clarity and warmth to a custom high impedance 15-inch speaker — capturing every detail with precision.
This re-release is not just about bringing back a classic; it’s about offering an amplifier that defies the impossible. The few who have played it say it’s like a spiritual experience. Now, it’s your turn to find out for yourself.
For those who seek the pinnacle of audio engineering, the GC-1 awaits.