Gibson GA-79 RVT Large Combo Tube Amplifier (1963)
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Gibson GA-79 RVT Model Large Combo Tube Amplifier (1963), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 162004, brown fabric covering finish.
While Gibson has produced many interesting amplifiers over the years, the GA-79 is one of the most unique and most sought after. Introduced alongside the company's new stereo guitars, the GA-79 was the world's most advanced stereo instrument amplifier at the time. Indeed, Gibson even encouraged customers to use it as a home stereo Hi-Fi amp at the time!
The legend "Multi-Stereo" is printed on the control plate to attest to that, next to an input labeled "stereo-phono". This is a later example from 1963; the initial models, designated GA-79T only had the onboard tremolo effect, and later 'RVT' models included reverb, with a tank just fitted between the two 'V-fronted' speakers.
This unusual wedge-shaped stereo amplifier was originally meant as an adjunct to Gibson's heavily promoted stereo guitars, the ES-345TD and ES-355TDSV. After all, if you're going to spring for a guitar with a stereo output, it only makes sense to have an amp to exploit that feature! Not wanting to limit sales of this new baby, Gibson also made the amp fully functional with any standard "mono" electric guitar.
The GA-79 RVT basically consists of "two amps in one" to produce a true stereo output, rather than a design that produces a stereo-esque effect like Magnatone's 260 and 280. The unit features two independent preamp channels with their own volume and tone controls, plus a single tremolo rate and depth. Each channel has two inputs, with a single stereo jack in the middle. There is a "stereo-monaural" selector on the control panel and a hard-wired outboard trem pedal provided. The amp has a true stereo power section with two output transformers and two pairs of 6BQ5 (aka EL84) tubes, yielding around 30 watts into the two Jensen C10Q speakers.
The most visually striking feature is the unusual wedge-shaped tweed-covered cabinet, soon enough copied in England as the Watkins "Dominator". This mounts two Jensen P10Q speakers at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to each other which accentuates the stereo character, but creates a bit of a sonic dead spot in the front-center of the amp until you get quite a distance away from it. The design creates typically Gibson-esque smooth-yet-articulate clean tones up to medium volume settings. Albeit relatively low-wattage per channel, it has plenty of headroom to functionally serve as a pedal platform, whilst offering sweetly textured crunch and compression when pushed hard.
Height is 18 1/2 in. (47 cm.), 25 5/8 in. (65.1 cm.) width, and 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm.) deep.
Cosmetically, this GA-79 is in truly wonderful shape for its age. The brown leatherette covering is nicely intact with only occasional signs of wear; a few minor scuffs along lower corners and edges and some staining/discoloration on the top right corner. The control panel is shiny overall, with only minor scratches and a few instances of very small corrosive pitting. Even the stenciled graphics are virtually all intact! The front of the amp still bears its 'Gibson 79 RVT' logo. Both grille cloths are beautifully clean, taut with no notable tearing or fraying. The very sleek acrylic-with-matching-brown-leatherette handle is original as well. The amp otherwise still retains its original tremolo and reverb footswitch.
Electrically, the amp is nicely original. The two ceramic 10" Jensen C10Q speakers are both original to the amp and bear the codes 220-210 and 220-205, dating them to the 10th and 5th week of 1962, respectively. Both cones are in fantastic shape and test and sound wonderfully. The original Chicago Electronic Engineering Co.-made power, choke, output and reverb transformers all bear the codes 166-237 and 166-331, dating them to the 37th week of 1962 and the 33rd week of 1963, respectively. The spring cage of the reverb tank has been neatly replaced. Otherwise the amp has seen our typical service and maintenance, including a 3-prong grounded power cord, replacement of all electrolytics, cleaning of all sockets, pots and jacks and output tubes biased to spec.
This is a fabulous sounding example of the later, fully fledged GA-79 RVT, an iconic amp of its time that is in our opinion greatly underrated today, standing strong as one of less-than-a-handful true stereo tube guitar amps ever made, even today. This is an amp that should be investigated by those with stereo pedalboards, as well as any owner of an original Gibson Stereo guitar! While perhaps not the most dramatic stereo spread this single "V-Front" unit is certainly less of a burden than hauling around two amps! Overall Excellent - Condition.
While Gibson has produced many interesting amplifiers over the years, the GA-79 is one of the most unique and most sought after. Introduced alongside the company's new stereo guitars, the GA-79 was the world's most advanced stereo instrument amplifier at the time. Indeed, Gibson even encouraged customers to use it as a home stereo Hi-Fi amp at the time!
The legend "Multi-Stereo" is printed on the control plate to attest to that, next to an input labeled "stereo-phono". This is a later example from 1963; the initial models, designated GA-79T only had the onboard tremolo effect, and later 'RVT' models included reverb, with a tank just fitted between the two 'V-fronted' speakers.
This unusual wedge-shaped stereo amplifier was originally meant as an adjunct to Gibson's heavily promoted stereo guitars, the ES-345TD and ES-355TDSV. After all, if you're going to spring for a guitar with a stereo output, it only makes sense to have an amp to exploit that feature! Not wanting to limit sales of this new baby, Gibson also made the amp fully functional with any standard "mono" electric guitar.
The GA-79 RVT basically consists of "two amps in one" to produce a true stereo output, rather than a design that produces a stereo-esque effect like Magnatone's 260 and 280. The unit features two independent preamp channels with their own volume and tone controls, plus a single tremolo rate and depth. Each channel has two inputs, with a single stereo jack in the middle. There is a "stereo-monaural" selector on the control panel and a hard-wired outboard trem pedal provided. The amp has a true stereo power section with two output transformers and two pairs of 6BQ5 (aka EL84) tubes, yielding around 30 watts into the two Jensen C10Q speakers.
The most visually striking feature is the unusual wedge-shaped tweed-covered cabinet, soon enough copied in England as the Watkins "Dominator". This mounts two Jensen P10Q speakers at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to each other which accentuates the stereo character, but creates a bit of a sonic dead spot in the front-center of the amp until you get quite a distance away from it. The design creates typically Gibson-esque smooth-yet-articulate clean tones up to medium volume settings. Albeit relatively low-wattage per channel, it has plenty of headroom to functionally serve as a pedal platform, whilst offering sweetly textured crunch and compression when pushed hard.
Height is 18 1/2 in. (47 cm.), 25 5/8 in. (65.1 cm.) width, and 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm.) deep.
Cosmetically, this GA-79 is in truly wonderful shape for its age. The brown leatherette covering is nicely intact with only occasional signs of wear; a few minor scuffs along lower corners and edges and some staining/discoloration on the top right corner. The control panel is shiny overall, with only minor scratches and a few instances of very small corrosive pitting. Even the stenciled graphics are virtually all intact! The front of the amp still bears its 'Gibson 79 RVT' logo. Both grille cloths are beautifully clean, taut with no notable tearing or fraying. The very sleek acrylic-with-matching-brown-leatherette handle is original as well. The amp otherwise still retains its original tremolo and reverb footswitch.
Electrically, the amp is nicely original. The two ceramic 10" Jensen C10Q speakers are both original to the amp and bear the codes 220-210 and 220-205, dating them to the 10th and 5th week of 1962, respectively. Both cones are in fantastic shape and test and sound wonderfully. The original Chicago Electronic Engineering Co.-made power, choke, output and reverb transformers all bear the codes 166-237 and 166-331, dating them to the 37th week of 1962 and the 33rd week of 1963, respectively. The spring cage of the reverb tank has been neatly replaced. Otherwise the amp has seen our typical service and maintenance, including a 3-prong grounded power cord, replacement of all electrolytics, cleaning of all sockets, pots and jacks and output tubes biased to spec.
This is a fabulous sounding example of the later, fully fledged GA-79 RVT, an iconic amp of its time that is in our opinion greatly underrated today, standing strong as one of less-than-a-handful true stereo tube guitar amps ever made, even today. This is an amp that should be investigated by those with stereo pedalboards, as well as any owner of an original Gibson Stereo guitar! While perhaps not the most dramatic stereo spread this single "V-Front" unit is certainly less of a burden than hauling around two amps! Overall Excellent - Condition.