PA systems of the Seventies

Gibson GPA-100 PA system circa ’73

Seems like ‘100 watts’ was the likely answer to all yr PA system needs in the seventies. I can’t imagine how folks were using SVTs and Twin Reverbs side-by-side with 100 watts for vocal reinforcement but i guess you use whatcha got! Old guitars amps, keyboards, pedals, guitars… they all seem to become ‘collectible’ or ‘vintage’ eventually. Old PA systems… not so much.

Shure Vocal Master. Goddamn they made a lot of these things. Some are still in use.

Ovation IC One Hundred PA System

Randall RPA-6 PA system.

The Yamaha Ensemble Mixing system. Model is EM-90 I believe. I bought one of these for $100 at a guitar shop in Hollywood about a decade ago. It’s a powered mixer/PA head with a built-in analog beatbox and a great-sounding reverb tank. The high-impedance instrument inputs also distort pretty nicely. AKA the-KILLS-in-a-box.

chris

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View Comments

Zach Martin says:

10/02/2012 at 12:56 am

What about the Sunn Mixers? Is there any info that you can post on this thread? I recently picked one up and I am pretty sure its a special order but I am unfamiliar with it. It's an P.A. Twelve with Stereo sound, Second Generation. Some feedback would be nice. Thanks guys and gals
- trevor mellings says:
  
  02/01/2023 at 3:21 pm
  
  had afender sunn p a amp in the 90s 200 watts great unit.
Melissa Clark says:

03/03/2013 at 9:24 am

I have a Gibson P.A. from 1973, everything is in good working order, and am curious as to the value of the unit, today. Those were the days, because the Shure SM-58 mic, purchased at the same time, is still my gigging mic, all these years later! I also have a Hofner semi-hollow body electric, looks a lot like the Gibson "Lucille" that B.B. King used, from the same time frame as the P.A. System.
- Colin says:
  
  09/10/2018 at 10:15 pm
  
  I have a 70s Gibson PA system still works and have a Gibson foot pedal still functions
Joey D'Kaye says:

01/20/2014 at 3:14 pm

I had the Fender PA columns in my band back in the early 70s, and let's not forget the Vox Churchhill (with the Vox guitar amp-style tilting frames holding the columns) and the Kustom tuck-and-roll series AND Marshall made a column speaker PA too!

http://fender-freak.seesaa.net/category/787208-1.html

http://www.voxshowroom.com/us/amp/churchead.html

http://gwillson7.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/pa-speakers1.jpg

http://tinyurl.com/n2uwpm6
Richard S says:

07/28/2016 at 2:03 pm

Just came across this site looking for P.A. gear on the Internet. Yep, in 1993, me and my bassist @ the time bought, in dwntwn Spokane @ a pawn shop, a used Gibson P.A. system, just like shown above. 100 wts, 4chnls, 2 tall rectangular spkr cabs. Didn't include the free mic; had to buy a couple of cheapos to get thru!! Had to buy accessories! But remember it was a good system to use in our quasi-alternative(wasn't everyone playing that music @ the time?) of OG's and covers. Our band: Singer, Bassist, Guitarist, Alesis HR16 drum machine. 2 channels for vox, one for drum mach, last for occassional keys (cheap Yamaha keybd used). Played parties/for practices. Great lil' system. Plenty loud/sufficient volume. Dials were scratchy, but some spray took care of that. Anyway, just wanted to share. When the band split up, in 96, bassist took the Gibby P.A. He bought me out on my 1/2. I went on to other gear. But remember fondly that Gibson system. Thanks for letting me share!!
merlin little thunder says:

01/20/2020 at 4:27 pm

Bring back the powerful PA Systems, Today's PA Systems are weak and don't have any drive or true sound. in essence you can't hear the voice features.
Frank Koletar says:

01/21/2022 at 1:20 pm

What speakers were in these columns?