Gibson GA-79 RV Large Combo Tube Amplifier (1961), ser. #160676.

Gibson GA-79 RV Model Large Combo Tube Amplifier (1961), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 160676, tweed fabric covering finish.

While Gibson has produced many interesting amplifiers over the years, the GA-79 is one of the more 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 RCA inputs labeled "stereo-phono" attest to just that!

This is one of the earlier models, designated GA-79 RV, featuring the onboard reverb effect, with the tank just nestled in 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 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 P10Q speakers.

The most visually striking feature is the unusual wedge-shaped tweed-covered cabinet, soon enough copied in England as the celebrated 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 wonderful shape for its age. The tweed covering is nicely intact with only occasional signs of wear; a few minor scuffs along lower corners and edges. The control panel still bears most of its stenciled graphics but shows significant corrosive pitting; which gives it a sort of mottled look. This is the only major cosmetic flaw on the amp. The front still bears its somewhat fragile 'Gibson 79 RVT' logo, often lost over time. Both grille cloths are nicely clean, showing only minor staining here and there, but with no notable tearing or fraying. The very sleek acrylic-with-matching-tweed-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 10" Jensen P10Q speakers are both original to the amp and both bear the code 220-050, dating them to the 50th week of 1960. Both cones are in fantastic shape and test and sound wonderfully. The original Chicago Electronic Engineering Co.-made power, choke and output transformers all bear the codes 166-114, 166-112 and 166-046, dating them to the 14th and 12th week of 1961 and the 46th week of 1960, respectively. 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 earlier wonderful stereo reverb GA-79, 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! Very Good Condition.