# Granada D15TR



## Granada1234 (Jan 23, 2021)

I recently paid $240 for this weird old amp from a guy I trade gear with semi regularly. It’s an old Granada, likely from the ‘70s, that’s been pretty well modified and has a rather interesting story in a binder to go with it. I thought I’d share the cool factor and see if anybody has any other information to add as there’s little floating around online about it.








First off, the only reason I have any sort of inclination to it being a D15TR is because that’s what a previous owner that fixed and modified calls it in his write up. The original name plate with the model and size and everything looks like it’s been smashed with a hammer. These amps were built by Garnet amplifiers, although little seems to be known about them as they were branded under any number of names including Sears and Eaton, and some had the names of the music schools they were sold to on them. A previous owner’s write up states he got in the amp in 1990 (before I was even born) in a trade and forgot about the broken and non functioning amp in a closet until 2015 when he decided to fix and modify it. 

















The amp has been gone through and has had a three prong cord installed so nobody electrocutes themselves. It’s also had a Mercury Magnetics output transformer installed, however the write up makes no mention of it and the receipt included shows that the transformer was installed in 2016 with a different name on the invoice, so I think this was the next owner that did this. The tubes were gone through, and some resistors, etc were replaced. The original reverb was intermittent and had a very metallic tone when it did work, partially due to the very short reverb tank. It was replaced with an Accutronics 4AB3C1B, which almost looks a large in this little amp to me but it provides huge and crystal clear reverb, at setting 2 it sounds like you’re in the middle of a giant cathedral. It currently has a Fender Eminence 12” speaker in it. There is little mention of the original speaker in the write up except that the Canadian made speakers in these amps weren’t known for quality, so it’s hard to say if it was replaced because it sounded bad, or if it just didn’t work. There is an external speaker jack added as well to connect it to a cabinet instead of the built in speaker. There is a switch added to the back with 5600ohm resistor to turn the negative feedback loop on and off although I haven’t touched it much to confirm if it works or not.























This amp sounds absolutely incredible, and has one of the glassiest clean tones I’ve ever heard, and even at high volume remains crystal clear. It’s become my favourite clean amp and the Fender Frontman 212R it replaced has been sitting in a corner unused since the first time I plugged this amp in. I pair with a Traynor tube combo that I use for my distortion tone and the combination sounds great.

This is the final page of the write up that came with the amp, if Mr. Kohut were on this forum by chance I would love for him to be able to see this and see that this amp is still working and sounds incredible after all his work.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Loks like a Garnet Stencil, from the construction, grill, overall look & name (Granada is one off the names they branded amps with.
Very similar look, although not identical, to my Granada bass amp --which is a Garnet Stencil.

Some info at this site


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## Granada1234 (Jan 23, 2021)

zontar said:


> Loks like a Garnet Stencil, from the construction, grill, overall look & name (Granada is one off the names they branded amps with.
> Very similar look, although not identical, to my Granada bass amp --which is a Garnet Stencil.
> 
> Some info at this site


Yeah, it’s a Garnet Stencil, I was able to find that much out. Seems like there’s little known about the Granada branded ones as well as a lot of the other names they went under aside from Garnet. I’d love to know the exact year but the destroyed nameplate makes it hard. I found one on Reverb going for $800 so I’m very happy with my well modified vintage amp for $240, it’s hard to get into vintage gear that isn’t junk without spending thousands. I doubt I’ll ever get rid of it now


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

From that site:


> *If you find an amp bearing any one of the following names the odds are very good that you've found a Garnet! The best way to know for sure is to look for the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) label. If the code "LR24510" appears beneath it then it is indeed a Garnet. This is a manufacturer's reference code and will appear on any amp made by Garnet regardless of the brand it may have been sold under.*


and


> *Incidentally, if you've got an amp with the CSA number of "LR19952" then you'll want to check out this page, Pepco Tube Amps, lots of great info here about another prolific Canadian stencil amp manufacturer, Pine Electronics, later known as Pepco, that was based in Montreal.*


Although it looks like the number may not be visible anymore.
But I'd still say it almost certainly a Garent Stencil that's been modded.

Here's a Granada from that site


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Okay I posted that last one while you were responding.

Most likely with the name Granada it was one made for a music school.

Several different music schools in the 70s Sold Garnet Stencils either under the Garnet name or with their school name (Such as the United ones)
I'm not sure if you'll get much more info than what little is on that site, unless you fins someone with the same one.

I'm not even sure what years mine are from--I got them used.

I don't think they're worth $800--but who knows, if someone wants it bad enough.

But I'd say $240 was a good price.
If I sell mine I would probably ask a little less for the bass one, and less ofr the guitar one.


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## Granada1234 (Jan 23, 2021)

zontar said:


> From that site:
> 
> and
> 
> ...


I’ve heard about the Pepco manufactured ones too, I’m reasonably certain this one is a Garnet. It’s the same cabinet as pictured on the website, just with heavily faded grill. Any and all identifying tags and nameplates are either removed or destroyed (as pictured), making it impossible to get the CSA number or any sort of model number off it


zontar said:


> Okay I posted that last one while you were responding.
> 
> Most likely with the name Granada it was one made for a music school.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I laughed a little when I saw the $800 price tag...could almost get into vintage VOX or Fender territory for that price. I’m happy with it for what I paid for it, there was over $250 of work into it in 2016 alone. It’s too bad there wasn’t more attention paid to these amps in their day for there to be more information on them, they’re kind of enigmatic now. There’s not much info on anything other than Garnet branded ones. Even those can be questionable


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

This is a Garnet Amp.
Can you post a picture of the the control face plate. The csa number should be on it.

they’re is a Facebook group for Garnet amps if you want more info on your amp. I currently have two 15tr and can tell you that it’s a great amp.

as for mr. Larry Kohut. He is the owner and tech of Red Rock amps in Winnipeg. An expert on Garnet amps.He is also part of the Facebook group.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

It would be nice to have more info for sure.
And my first thought was Garnet, not Pepco--but there is some overlap--so I mentioned it.

They can be under-rated amps.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Frenchy99 said:


> This is a Garnet Amp.
> Can you post a picture of the the control face plate. The csa number should be on it.
> 
> they’re is a Facebook group for Garnet amps if you want more info on your amp. I currently have two 15tr and can tell you that it’s a great amp.
> ...


I'm not on Facebook, so I've never seen that--maybe I need to check it out some other way.


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## Granada1234 (Jan 23, 2021)

Frenchy99 said:


> This is a Garnet Amp.
> Can you post a picture of the the control face plate. The csa number should be on it.
> 
> they’re is a Facebook group for Garnet amps if you want more info on your amp. I currently have two 15tr and can tell you that it’s a great amp.
> ...


The CSA number is LR24510, making this a Garnet amp. I was never able to find this number before as all identification has been scratched off or destroyed, but when I looked super close with a flashlight I could see it under some very dark permanent marker, which I rubbed off and it’s now clear as day. I’ll check the Facebook page, haven’t used my account in years but I’ll go on just for this. I was curious as to who this Larry Kohut was, this was exactly the info I was looking for


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Granada1234 said:


> The CSA number is LR24510, making this a Garnet amp. I was never able to find this number before as all identification has been scratched off or destroyed, but when I looked super close with a flashlight I could see it under some very dark permanent marker, which I rubbed off and it’s now clear as day. I’ll check the Facebook page, haven’t used my account in years but I’ll go on just for this. I was curious as to who this Larry Kohut was, this was exactly the info I was looking for


If you take the amp out of the cabinet, the power transformer will have dates on it , so will the large can capacitor to help date your amp.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

I had that "Granada" and an identical one branded "United".


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## ga20t (Jul 22, 2010)

Garnet Gnome is the 1x6v6 _G_15T, the _G_15TR would have been the designation for the quite rare Gnome reverb (I've seen _one_). Seems to be a stencil (D) _G_15TR in an oversized cab and with the Granada aesthetics/appointments. Sorry if that's all been covered. I'd also like to see the controls. Have a recording?

I use the Marsland 12" alnico pulled from my YGM-3 in my Gnome (yep, there's room) and run a 6g15 into the front end and sometimes with the Gnome's tremolo. Great little around the house amp but would be perfect for certain coffee shop/library gigs as well.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

KapnKrunch said:


> I had that "Granada" and an identical one branded "United".


They possibly came from the same place.
My Stencils are also branded United, but identical to Granada-same with the guitars/basses from United Conservatory, etc,


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

Granada that is cool!

nice to have some docs with a writeup of work that was done on the amp, too


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