The Woodson Speak Column 2 (featuring dual 12-inch speakers and a high-frequency horn) is a fascinating piece of vintage Americana audio gear from the 1970s solid-state boom. Woodson gear is deeply intertwined with the history of another iconic brand, Kustom Electronics, and represents a very specific era of regional live sound production.

The History of Woodson Electronics

• The Kustom Connection: Woodson Electronics, Inc. was founded in the early 1970s by Mike Woodson in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, before quickly relocating manufacturing to Bolivar, Missouri. Mike Woodson was the brother-in-law of Bud Ross, the legendary creator of Kustom Electronics (famous for their "tuck-and-roll" vinyl-padded amplifiers).
• The Shift in the Market: Around 1972, Bud Ross sold Kustom. Seizing the opportunity, Mike Woodson started his own independent brand. He even hired several ex-Kustom employees and engineers who moved to Bolivar to build the new line of Woodson gear.
• A Brief but Respected Run: Woodson only manufactured gear for about six to eight years before dissolving around 1980. They were known for producing incredibly loud, highly reliable, and budget-friendly solid-state PA heads, guitar/bass amplifiers, and speaker cabinets.

Today, surviving Woodson columns are highly prized by collectors of "Mojo" gear for their distinct retro look, robust build, and raw 1970s garage-rock character.