PA System Rental NYC | Brothers Guitar Shop

We rent PA systems out of our shop on East 84th Street. Not boxed packages — each system is put together for the event it is going to, then handed over curbside or delivered curbside anywhere in the New York City area.

What we mean by a PA system

A PA — public address — system is whatever it takes to make sound loud enough and clear enough for the room it is in. In practice that is some combination of speakers, a mixer, microphones, stands, and the cabling to tie it together. What that combination should be depends almost entirely on three things: how big the space is, how many people are in it, and what has to be heard.

That is why we do not publish a list of numbered packages. A rooftop birthday with a playlist and a toast needs something different from a four-piece band in a basement bar, and both need something different from a panel discussion where every word has to land at the back of the room. We would rather ask you a few questions and send the right thing.

Pick the page that matches your event

Each of these goes into what that kind of event actually needs, so you know what to ask for before you inquire.

What to have ready when you inquire

You do not need to know any of this in technical terms. Plain description is fine.

• The date, and what time you would want the gear in hand.
• The space — indoors or out, roughly how big, hard surfaces or soft, and whether there is power near where the speakers go.
• The headcount, even roughly. Fifty people and two hundred people are different systems.
• What has to be heard — speech, live instruments, recorded music, or a mix, and how many people will be on microphones at once.
• Curbside pickup or curbside delivery, and if delivery, the address.
• Who is running it. If nobody in your group has done this before, tell us — it changes what we would send.

Why rent from a guitar shop

We have been fixing, setting up, and selling instruments and amplifiers on the Upper East Side since 2017, which means we spend most of our week listening to gear and working out why something sounds wrong. That is the same skill a PA rental needs. It also means that if your event involves instruments, we are already in the business of making those sound right, and that there is a person on East 84th Street you can actually call back.

How the rental works

Questions we get asked

Where do I pick the system up, and can you deliver it?

Pickup and delivery are both curbside. You can collect the system curbside at Brothers Guitar Shop, 316 East 84th Street, New York, NY 10028, or we can bring it curbside to your address in the New York City area. Tell us where you are in your inquiry and we will confirm delivery before you book.

What does a rental cost?

We quote per event rather than publishing a rate card, because each system is put together for the specific room, headcount, and program. Send us those details through the contact form and we will come back with a price.

Which speakers and mixer will I get?

Our systems are unique rather than fixed packages, so we confirm the exact gear when we quote your event. Inquire for details and we will tell you what we would send for your situation.

Will you set it up and run sound at my event?

No. Pickup and delivery are curbside, and operating the system during the event is not part of the rental. Mention it in your inquiry if you need an operator and we will tell you plainly whether we can help.

Do you rent PA systems outside Manhattan?

Curbside delivery is available in the New York City area. Give us the address in your inquiry and we will confirm whether we can reach it for your date.

How far ahead should I ask?

As early as you can. We confirm availability per date when we quote, so the honest answer is that it depends on what else is out that weekend — asking early costs you nothing.

Where to find us