the ever-expanding exhaustive vintage guitar amp list
ace tone
ACOUSTIC CONTROL CORPORATION
Acoustic Control Corporation was a manufacturer of instrument amplifiers, founded by Steve Marks (with the help of his father) and based in Van Nuys, California. Its original location was a shack on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.
Most of the amplifiers produced by ACC were solid-state, but a few models later in production were valve amps. The company is remembered in particular for its Acoustic 361 bass stack, consisting of an Acoustic 360 bass pre-amplifier and one or two Acoustic 361 W-bins, each featuring a built-in 200-watt RMS power amplifier and a rear-facing 18" Cerwin-Vega loudspeaker. Acoustic also produced the "Black Widow" electric guitar and electric bass 1972 - 1975. The guitars and basses were based on designs used by Paul Barth for his Bartell guitars and basses. The majority of the guitars were built in Japan although Semi Moseley (of Mosrite fame) claims of building the last 200 guitars made. One prolific user associated with this guitar was jazz guitarist Larry Coryell who had an endorsement deal. Jimmy Nolen of James Brown's band was also a "Black Widow" user.
Robby Krieger, guitarist of The Doors was the most high-profile early user of the Acoustic 260 head and 261 cabinet—the first models ever produced by ACC. Krieger's Acoustic amps were a major public-relations boost for the fledgling company. Albert King and Chuck Berry also used the 260 and 261. Canadian guitar virtuoso Frank Marino used the 270 model amplifier as did Frank Zappa Pete Townsnsendand Ernie Isley. Pat Metheny used the Acoustic 134 model combo guitar amplifier. Bassist Jaco Pastorius was probably the most famous user of Acoustic bass amplifiers, using two 360/361 units onstage. Gary Thain from Uriah Heep, Larry Graham (Sly and the Family Stone) and (Graham Central Station), Jimmie Randall (musician)Jo Jo Gunne, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Carl Radle (Derek & the Dominoes), Ric Grech (Blind Faith), John McVie (Fleetwood Mac), Tony Stevens (Savoy Brown and Foghat), Peter "Overend" Watts of Mott the Hoople, Danny Sheridan (Eli Radish Band / David Alan Coe), Rod Ellicott (Cold Blood), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), John Deacon (Queen), and Kirk Powers (American Tears), the last two using an Acoustic 371 (combination of the 370 amp & 301 bass cabinet). The Mahavishnu Orchestra members (bass, keyboards, violin excluding John McLaughlin (gtr)) used Acoustic amplifiers. Verden Allen, organist with Mott the Hoople used a 260 head amp. In the early 70s the Dutch band Focus used the 271 and 371 models while on the tour following the release of their Focus II (Moving Waves) LP.
Acoustic Control Corporation went out of business in the 1980s, then returned under the name True Tone Audio as a manufacturer of P.A. amplifiers.
Latter-day employee and designer Steve Rabe went on to establish specialist bass amplifier manufacturer SWR (now owned by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation) in 1984, then Raven Labs in 1998.
Most of the amplifiers produced by ACC were solid-state, but a few models later in production were valve amps. The company is remembered in particular for its Acoustic 361 bass stack, consisting of an Acoustic 360 bass pre-amplifier and one or two Acoustic 361 W-bins, each featuring a built-in 200-watt RMS power amplifier and a rear-facing 18" Cerwin-Vega loudspeaker. Acoustic also produced the "Black Widow" electric guitar and electric bass 1972 - 1975. The guitars and basses were based on designs used by Paul Barth for his Bartell guitars and basses. The majority of the guitars were built in Japan although Semi Moseley (of Mosrite fame) claims of building the last 200 guitars made. One prolific user associated with this guitar was jazz guitarist Larry Coryell who had an endorsement deal. Jimmy Nolen of James Brown's band was also a "Black Widow" user.
Robby Krieger, guitarist of The Doors was the most high-profile early user of the Acoustic 260 head and 261 cabinet—the first models ever produced by ACC. Krieger's Acoustic amps were a major public-relations boost for the fledgling company. Albert King and Chuck Berry also used the 260 and 261. Canadian guitar virtuoso Frank Marino used the 270 model amplifier as did Frank Zappa Pete Townsnsendand Ernie Isley. Pat Metheny used the Acoustic 134 model combo guitar amplifier. Bassist Jaco Pastorius was probably the most famous user of Acoustic bass amplifiers, using two 360/361 units onstage. Gary Thain from Uriah Heep, Larry Graham (Sly and the Family Stone) and (Graham Central Station), Jimmie Randall (musician)Jo Jo Gunne, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Carl Radle (Derek & the Dominoes), Ric Grech (Blind Faith), John McVie (Fleetwood Mac), Tony Stevens (Savoy Brown and Foghat), Peter "Overend" Watts of Mott the Hoople, Danny Sheridan (Eli Radish Band / David Alan Coe), Rod Ellicott (Cold Blood), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), John Deacon (Queen), and Kirk Powers (American Tears), the last two using an Acoustic 371 (combination of the 370 amp & 301 bass cabinet). The Mahavishnu Orchestra members (bass, keyboards, violin excluding John McLaughlin (gtr)) used Acoustic amplifiers. Verden Allen, organist with Mott the Hoople used a 260 head amp. In the early 70s the Dutch band Focus used the 271 and 371 models while on the tour following the release of their Focus II (Moving Waves) LP.
Acoustic Control Corporation went out of business in the 1980s, then returned under the name True Tone Audio as a manufacturer of P.A. amplifiers.
Latter-day employee and designer Steve Rabe went on to establish specialist bass amplifier manufacturer SWR (now owned by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation) in 1984, then Raven Labs in 1998.
Reader's Submission -
"Here are some shots of my ACC Model 220 head and cab. I'm not sure if the cab was the one originally intended to be paired with the head; I know the speaker itself is not original. Not sure of an exact date of manufacture - some time in the mid to late '70s. LOUD amp, shakes the house even at low volumes. Clear, bold tone and warms up nicely." - Jake S.
ahed
Ahed was a Canadian company that produced guitar amplifiers, as well as guitars. Its main product line was the GBX amplifier, which could reach 180 watts with 4x10", 4x12" or 2x15" speakers. The GBX amplifier had a pre-amplifier that could change the gain, brilliance, depth, contour and response of the output.
Ahed Music Corporation, Ltd., established in 1969, changed its name in 1978 to Ahed Corporation, then became Eco Corporation.[1]
In 1979, The Vannelli Brothers were using a GBX amplifier to mix their keyboards.[2] Ahed Music Corporation also had their GBX amplification products endorsed by the popular 70's rock/jazz fusion group Lighthouse. A poster advertising GBX that was distributed in 1973-74 read: "LIGHTHOUSE, A super group for many years. Their equipment requirements: versatility, reliability, portability and serviceability - they found all of these in GBX. The equipment that takes over when other amps quit. GBX"
GBX Amplifier
The GBX series was a concept created by Guy Beresford, (now with Yorkville Sound) the domed-headed madman who inhabited the basement of Kalua Music on Kingston Road in Scarborough. His family owned the store and he worked at the rental and repair shop in the basement. Legend has it he designed the circuitry based on the idea that the head should be the pre-amp and the cabinet should carry the secondary amp and the power. The idea is you could scale up your power according to need since the cabinets would stack, driven by the four outputs of 0.5 watts from the head. Thus you could have four 140 watt cabinets pushing a total 560 watts.
GBX is said to stand for Guy Beresford Experimental.
The detailed history behind the GBX guitar amplifier began in 1968 and is in reality the original thought of musician Jim Garrett and engineer Adrian Ball. The objective was to make a solid state amplifier sound like the warm tube sound of Fender and Marshall amplifiers. The secret behind the GBX sound was a coupling transformer separating the front end from the output transistors. Guy Beresford did not get involved until 1971
The guitar series offered different configurations.
The Reverb Bug was a 1x12" Solid State combo offering 2 channels (Clean, Effect). It featured the same gain and tone controls as the GBX Driver which will be discussed further below. The Celestion logo on the front of the grill meant that this amp featured one 25 watt Celestion G12M speaker, also known as a "green back", one of the most highly sought after guitar speakers from the late 60's early 70's. These speakers were best known for their use in Marshall 4 X 12 100 watt cabinets.
The Super Bug was a 2x12" Solid State Amplifier, much like the Reverb Bug but more powerful and heavier to transport.
Later on GBX produced the Custom Bug which was a 60 watt solid state combo with 4 x 10" speakers. Like the other amplifiers it had two inputs, normal and effects, and gain, brilliance, depth. contour and reverb controls.
GBX also built 4x10" and 4x12" cabinets for guitars with the rear mounted power amplifiers. The power amplifiers did not have volume or tone controls. They were meant for use with the matching GBX Driver preamp. In cases were the 4 x 12 cabinet had a Celestion logo on the grill the cabs contained Celestion G12M "green backs". Having the driver separate from the powered speaker cabinet gave the opportunity to add a volume pedal, or mixer pedal, or any other loop effect in between the two. Normally turning up the driver gain would result in decibel levels too high for some situations, but with a volume pedal the high gain tones of the amp could be enjoyed at lower levels.
The GBX Driver was a preamp or head that had an effect input, a normal input, a gain control, 3 tone controls labelled brilliance, depth and presence, and a 5 position response dial with dramatic contrasts between the A, B, C, D and E pre-set tone positions. The effect channel produced more overdrive and the normal channel produced cleaner tones. The driver had 4 outputs which made it possible to drive 4 GBX powered speaker enclosures at once. GBX also produced drivers for guitar that in addition to all the usual gain and tone controls had reverb. These were slightly taller to accommodate the reverb tank.
Bass series were known as the 'Bass Bug' with a single 15 inch speaker. They also made 4x10", 8x10" and 2x15" enclosures for bass as well as a matching driver. There may have been other series but it's not clear since most of the history has been lost in time.
In the back of each cabinet was a power amp which was interchangeable with a unit that ranged from 90 to 140 watts (and probably some lower wattages). The head, a small, black and blue unit with a variety of channels for sounds, a single input and an effect input, was either designated for guitar or bass. It had four outputs on the back which fed the secondary, power amplifiers. It made the cabinets very heavy but the heads, conversely were incredibly light.
The GBX line of solid state amplifiers contained quality components which included Hammond transformers, USA made accutronics long reverb tanks and in some cases Celestion speakers. Though they are now somewhat rare, many of these amplifiers are still in use today (2014).
The following is a fairly complete list of model numbers found on GBX power amps, combos and drivers: GBX 2153BS Powered Speaker (2 x 15 inch speakers for bass), GBX 4103BS Powered Speaker (4 X 10 inch speakers for bass), GBX 4103GS Powered Speaker (4 X 10 inch speakers for guitar), GBX 4123GS Powered Speaker (4 X 12 inch speakers for guitar), GBX BD1 Bass Driver Preamp, GBX GD1 Guitar Driver Preamp, GBX GD2 Reverb Guitar Driver Preamp, GBX 112GSC Reverb Bug Guitar Combo (1 X 12 inch speaker), GBX Bass Bug Amplifier (1 X 15 inch speaker), GBX Custom Bug Amplifier (60watt) (4 X 10 inch speakers for guitar,) GBX Floor Bass Bass Pedals
Taurus Bass HeadAnother model designed by Ahed was the Taurus Bass amp head. This model had an orange/neon face plate with volume, treble, presence and bass controls. It had two equal impedance inputs and produced 70 watts, enabling it to power external speaker cabinets. The Taurus head came with matching cabinet, although specifics are currently unknown.
The head allowed the user to virtually exclude either extreme highs or lows through its controls, and produced its best tone in the low-mids.
Another model designed by Ahed was the Darius Guitar amp head. This model had a lime/neon green faceplate with volume, tone, tremolo depth, tremolo rate and reverb controls. It had two equal impedance inputs and produced 30 watts to power an external speaker cabinet. The tone "breaks up" as the volume is increased. The reverb is very "wet" at maximum setting. These amplifiers used Hammond transformers.
Ahed Music Corporation, Ltd., established in 1969, changed its name in 1978 to Ahed Corporation, then became Eco Corporation.[1]
In 1979, The Vannelli Brothers were using a GBX amplifier to mix their keyboards.[2] Ahed Music Corporation also had their GBX amplification products endorsed by the popular 70's rock/jazz fusion group Lighthouse. A poster advertising GBX that was distributed in 1973-74 read: "LIGHTHOUSE, A super group for many years. Their equipment requirements: versatility, reliability, portability and serviceability - they found all of these in GBX. The equipment that takes over when other amps quit. GBX"
GBX Amplifier
The GBX series was a concept created by Guy Beresford, (now with Yorkville Sound) the domed-headed madman who inhabited the basement of Kalua Music on Kingston Road in Scarborough. His family owned the store and he worked at the rental and repair shop in the basement. Legend has it he designed the circuitry based on the idea that the head should be the pre-amp and the cabinet should carry the secondary amp and the power. The idea is you could scale up your power according to need since the cabinets would stack, driven by the four outputs of 0.5 watts from the head. Thus you could have four 140 watt cabinets pushing a total 560 watts.
GBX is said to stand for Guy Beresford Experimental.
The detailed history behind the GBX guitar amplifier began in 1968 and is in reality the original thought of musician Jim Garrett and engineer Adrian Ball. The objective was to make a solid state amplifier sound like the warm tube sound of Fender and Marshall amplifiers. The secret behind the GBX sound was a coupling transformer separating the front end from the output transistors. Guy Beresford did not get involved until 1971
The guitar series offered different configurations.
The Reverb Bug was a 1x12" Solid State combo offering 2 channels (Clean, Effect). It featured the same gain and tone controls as the GBX Driver which will be discussed further below. The Celestion logo on the front of the grill meant that this amp featured one 25 watt Celestion G12M speaker, also known as a "green back", one of the most highly sought after guitar speakers from the late 60's early 70's. These speakers were best known for their use in Marshall 4 X 12 100 watt cabinets.
The Super Bug was a 2x12" Solid State Amplifier, much like the Reverb Bug but more powerful and heavier to transport.
Later on GBX produced the Custom Bug which was a 60 watt solid state combo with 4 x 10" speakers. Like the other amplifiers it had two inputs, normal and effects, and gain, brilliance, depth. contour and reverb controls.
GBX also built 4x10" and 4x12" cabinets for guitars with the rear mounted power amplifiers. The power amplifiers did not have volume or tone controls. They were meant for use with the matching GBX Driver preamp. In cases were the 4 x 12 cabinet had a Celestion logo on the grill the cabs contained Celestion G12M "green backs". Having the driver separate from the powered speaker cabinet gave the opportunity to add a volume pedal, or mixer pedal, or any other loop effect in between the two. Normally turning up the driver gain would result in decibel levels too high for some situations, but with a volume pedal the high gain tones of the amp could be enjoyed at lower levels.
The GBX Driver was a preamp or head that had an effect input, a normal input, a gain control, 3 tone controls labelled brilliance, depth and presence, and a 5 position response dial with dramatic contrasts between the A, B, C, D and E pre-set tone positions. The effect channel produced more overdrive and the normal channel produced cleaner tones. The driver had 4 outputs which made it possible to drive 4 GBX powered speaker enclosures at once. GBX also produced drivers for guitar that in addition to all the usual gain and tone controls had reverb. These were slightly taller to accommodate the reverb tank.
Bass series were known as the 'Bass Bug' with a single 15 inch speaker. They also made 4x10", 8x10" and 2x15" enclosures for bass as well as a matching driver. There may have been other series but it's not clear since most of the history has been lost in time.
In the back of each cabinet was a power amp which was interchangeable with a unit that ranged from 90 to 140 watts (and probably some lower wattages). The head, a small, black and blue unit with a variety of channels for sounds, a single input and an effect input, was either designated for guitar or bass. It had four outputs on the back which fed the secondary, power amplifiers. It made the cabinets very heavy but the heads, conversely were incredibly light.
The GBX line of solid state amplifiers contained quality components which included Hammond transformers, USA made accutronics long reverb tanks and in some cases Celestion speakers. Though they are now somewhat rare, many of these amplifiers are still in use today (2014).
The following is a fairly complete list of model numbers found on GBX power amps, combos and drivers: GBX 2153BS Powered Speaker (2 x 15 inch speakers for bass), GBX 4103BS Powered Speaker (4 X 10 inch speakers for bass), GBX 4103GS Powered Speaker (4 X 10 inch speakers for guitar), GBX 4123GS Powered Speaker (4 X 12 inch speakers for guitar), GBX BD1 Bass Driver Preamp, GBX GD1 Guitar Driver Preamp, GBX GD2 Reverb Guitar Driver Preamp, GBX 112GSC Reverb Bug Guitar Combo (1 X 12 inch speaker), GBX Bass Bug Amplifier (1 X 15 inch speaker), GBX Custom Bug Amplifier (60watt) (4 X 10 inch speakers for guitar,) GBX Floor Bass Bass Pedals
Taurus Bass HeadAnother model designed by Ahed was the Taurus Bass amp head. This model had an orange/neon face plate with volume, treble, presence and bass controls. It had two equal impedance inputs and produced 70 watts, enabling it to power external speaker cabinets. The Taurus head came with matching cabinet, although specifics are currently unknown.
The head allowed the user to virtually exclude either extreme highs or lows through its controls, and produced its best tone in the low-mids.
Another model designed by Ahed was the Darius Guitar amp head. This model had a lime/neon green faceplate with volume, tone, tremolo depth, tremolo rate and reverb controls. It had two equal impedance inputs and produced 30 watts to power an external speaker cabinet. The tone "breaks up" as the volume is increased. The reverb is very "wet" at maximum setting. These amplifiers used Hammond transformers.
airline
alamo
ampeg
Ampeg is a manufacturer of musical instruments, especially the musical instrument amplifier, established by Everett Hull and Stanley Michaels in 1946 , and now headquartered in Woodinville, Washington. Although the company specializes in the production of bass amplifiers (for bass guitars and double basses), they also manufacture guitar amplifiers. In the past, Ampeg also manufactured several instruments including pickups, double basses, bass guitars, and electric guitars.
HistoryEverett Hull, a pianist and bassist, and Stanley Michaels, an electrical engineer and amp technician, established Michaels-Hull Electronic Labs in Newark, New Jersey in 1946. Their first products were a pickup designed by Hull for upright bass, and instrument amplifiers that had minimal output distortion, which jazz musicians favored. The pickup was called the "Amplified Peg," which became "Ampeg." Michaels left the company in 1948, leaving it to Hull, who relocated to 42nd Street in Manhattan the following year and renamed it "The Ampeg Bassamp Company."
In 1956, Ampeg's name was simplified to "The Ampeg Company" which became "The Ampeg Company, Inc." when the company incorporated in 1959. In 1962, Ampeg relocated to Linden, New Jersey, and became a publicly-owned company after an initial public stock offering the following year.
In September, 1967 Ampeg became a subsidiary of Unimusic, Inc. when the newly-formed investor group acquired a majority share of Ampeg stock. Unimusic consisted of investors interested in capitalizing on opportunities in the highly-fragmented music equipment manufacturing market of the time, not unlike CBS which owned Fender and Rhodes, or the later Norlin which at times owned various music instrument brands, including Gibson Guitars, Lowrey and Moog Music. Everett Hull was wrongly under the impression that the new owners would act more as a partnership; instead, his role within the company was reduced. He tendered his resignation in October, 1968.
In 1971, Ampeg was acquired by Magnavox, which also owned Selmer, the Band Instrument manufacturer, but was better known for televisions, radios and Hi-Fi systems.
In 1980, Ampeg was acquired by Music Technology, Inc. (MTI). MTI declared bankruptcy a few years later, and St. Louis Music (SLM) acquired the assets of Ampeg in 1986. SLM was subsequently bought by LOUD Technologies in 2005.
Innovations and characteristicsAmpeg holds six U.S. patents under the Ampeg brand name.
In the late-1950s Jess Oliver invented a combo amplifier with a chassis that could be inverted and tucked inside the speaker enclosure to protect the vacuum tubes. This combo bass amp was introduced in 1960 as the Portaflex, and remained a popular choice through the 1960s.
A particular characteristic of Ampeg amplifiers in the 1960s is that they were designed to be used for jazz and other types of music where distortion was not sought after — as Everett Hull had a major contempt for rock and roll music, and his hope that it being merely a "passing fancy" never materializing, had merely manifested his dismissive attitude towards the genre. Not only did he loathe the presence of rock musicians visiting the (then) New Jersey-based facility, but also his narrow-minded bias served as something of a corporate liability, in his apparent unwillingness to market Ampeg amps to rock musicians; as Ampeg didn't go out of its way to seek endorsements from pop/rock bands and musicians, despite plenty of them using Ampeg products at one time or another. The closest they came to a rock'n roll endorser at one point, was by way of Joe Long, a left-handed bass player of the Four Seasons, who played the company's Horizontal Bass. This was further compounded by the one chief competitor Hull disliked the most; Fender, as they continually bested Ampeg in overall sales.[4]
Hull also naively believed that the accordion was just as popular as ever, and denoted "accordion" jacks on certain amp models. Hull would grudgingly acknowledge rock'n roll music, via advertising copy for Ampeg's "Supercombo" bass amp, introduced in 1959.
The Reverberocket would become another exception to that rule, as an amplifier with 6V6 tubes which sounded "Fendery" and did break up in a way that rock and roll players could use.
In 1961, Ampeg became the first company to incorporate reverberation (reverb) in an amplifier with its Reverberocket, which preceded Fender's Vibroverb amp by nearly two years.
Dan Armstrong
After Ampeg was sold to Unimusic in 1968, Dan Armstrong would be brought on board, and along with the opening of regional offices in places like Nashville, and the West Coast, the company's previously stodgy image would be dealt with, once and for all, especially with the creation of the all-new SVT amp, which would be "field-tested" by the Rolling Stones during their 1969 concert tour. Additionally, Keith Richards would be playing (at least part-time) Dan Armstrong's newly designed see-through body guitar.
Super Valve Technology
Ampeg SVT VR "Vintage Reissue"During the 1960s Ampeg only produced fairly low wattage combo amplifiers. Rock concerts were becoming increasingly large affairs and bigger amplifiers were needed. In 1969, Ampeg's Chief Engineer Bill Hughes designed the Super Valve Technology circuitry for the amplifier of the same name. At 85 lb (39 kg), the Ampeg SVT provided 300 watts of RMS power, considerably more than most other bass amplifiers of the era. The high power rating made the SVT a candidate for use in larger venues. The SVT saw widespread use by rock acts in the 1970s and is still considered by many to be the world standard reference bass amp. The SVT-VR (Vintage Reissue) is almost identical in design and construction and the closest thing to any of the original SVT models produced by Ampeg.
Compared to the major brands Fender and Marshall, the collectability and playability of the guitar amps is a mixed affair. While vintage Fender amps always command high prices, Ampeg guitar amps such as the Reverberocket can often be found for a decent price.[5] In general, Ampeg guitar amps until 1964 are not very much wanted as they have a dark, moody sound and remain very clean, even when pushed hard. With the introduction of the Galaxy line (Gemini, Mercury, Reverbrocket) in 1964, treble boost circuits and spring reverbs were added, and higher wattage models (such as the 30 watt Gemini II) were made available. Many of these models are underrated, take pedals well, and are the best buys for guitar amps from that time period. Original SVT bass amps are very much sought-after for their fat, clear, punchy sound. V series guitar amps (V2 and V4 heads along with the VT-40 and VT-22 combos) are sought after for the classic 70s crunchy but clean sound. The V4-B is another sought after bass amp head; being it has the SVT pre-amp section mated to a 100 Watt power amp section.
HistoryEverett Hull, a pianist and bassist, and Stanley Michaels, an electrical engineer and amp technician, established Michaels-Hull Electronic Labs in Newark, New Jersey in 1946. Their first products were a pickup designed by Hull for upright bass, and instrument amplifiers that had minimal output distortion, which jazz musicians favored. The pickup was called the "Amplified Peg," which became "Ampeg." Michaels left the company in 1948, leaving it to Hull, who relocated to 42nd Street in Manhattan the following year and renamed it "The Ampeg Bassamp Company."
In 1956, Ampeg's name was simplified to "The Ampeg Company" which became "The Ampeg Company, Inc." when the company incorporated in 1959. In 1962, Ampeg relocated to Linden, New Jersey, and became a publicly-owned company after an initial public stock offering the following year.
In September, 1967 Ampeg became a subsidiary of Unimusic, Inc. when the newly-formed investor group acquired a majority share of Ampeg stock. Unimusic consisted of investors interested in capitalizing on opportunities in the highly-fragmented music equipment manufacturing market of the time, not unlike CBS which owned Fender and Rhodes, or the later Norlin which at times owned various music instrument brands, including Gibson Guitars, Lowrey and Moog Music. Everett Hull was wrongly under the impression that the new owners would act more as a partnership; instead, his role within the company was reduced. He tendered his resignation in October, 1968.
In 1971, Ampeg was acquired by Magnavox, which also owned Selmer, the Band Instrument manufacturer, but was better known for televisions, radios and Hi-Fi systems.
In 1980, Ampeg was acquired by Music Technology, Inc. (MTI). MTI declared bankruptcy a few years later, and St. Louis Music (SLM) acquired the assets of Ampeg in 1986. SLM was subsequently bought by LOUD Technologies in 2005.
Innovations and characteristicsAmpeg holds six U.S. patents under the Ampeg brand name.
In the late-1950s Jess Oliver invented a combo amplifier with a chassis that could be inverted and tucked inside the speaker enclosure to protect the vacuum tubes. This combo bass amp was introduced in 1960 as the Portaflex, and remained a popular choice through the 1960s.
A particular characteristic of Ampeg amplifiers in the 1960s is that they were designed to be used for jazz and other types of music where distortion was not sought after — as Everett Hull had a major contempt for rock and roll music, and his hope that it being merely a "passing fancy" never materializing, had merely manifested his dismissive attitude towards the genre. Not only did he loathe the presence of rock musicians visiting the (then) New Jersey-based facility, but also his narrow-minded bias served as something of a corporate liability, in his apparent unwillingness to market Ampeg amps to rock musicians; as Ampeg didn't go out of its way to seek endorsements from pop/rock bands and musicians, despite plenty of them using Ampeg products at one time or another. The closest they came to a rock'n roll endorser at one point, was by way of Joe Long, a left-handed bass player of the Four Seasons, who played the company's Horizontal Bass. This was further compounded by the one chief competitor Hull disliked the most; Fender, as they continually bested Ampeg in overall sales.[4]
Hull also naively believed that the accordion was just as popular as ever, and denoted "accordion" jacks on certain amp models. Hull would grudgingly acknowledge rock'n roll music, via advertising copy for Ampeg's "Supercombo" bass amp, introduced in 1959.
The Reverberocket would become another exception to that rule, as an amplifier with 6V6 tubes which sounded "Fendery" and did break up in a way that rock and roll players could use.
In 1961, Ampeg became the first company to incorporate reverberation (reverb) in an amplifier with its Reverberocket, which preceded Fender's Vibroverb amp by nearly two years.
Dan Armstrong
After Ampeg was sold to Unimusic in 1968, Dan Armstrong would be brought on board, and along with the opening of regional offices in places like Nashville, and the West Coast, the company's previously stodgy image would be dealt with, once and for all, especially with the creation of the all-new SVT amp, which would be "field-tested" by the Rolling Stones during their 1969 concert tour. Additionally, Keith Richards would be playing (at least part-time) Dan Armstrong's newly designed see-through body guitar.
Super Valve Technology
Ampeg SVT VR "Vintage Reissue"During the 1960s Ampeg only produced fairly low wattage combo amplifiers. Rock concerts were becoming increasingly large affairs and bigger amplifiers were needed. In 1969, Ampeg's Chief Engineer Bill Hughes designed the Super Valve Technology circuitry for the amplifier of the same name. At 85 lb (39 kg), the Ampeg SVT provided 300 watts of RMS power, considerably more than most other bass amplifiers of the era. The high power rating made the SVT a candidate for use in larger venues. The SVT saw widespread use by rock acts in the 1970s and is still considered by many to be the world standard reference bass amp. The SVT-VR (Vintage Reissue) is almost identical in design and construction and the closest thing to any of the original SVT models produced by Ampeg.
Compared to the major brands Fender and Marshall, the collectability and playability of the guitar amps is a mixed affair. While vintage Fender amps always command high prices, Ampeg guitar amps such as the Reverberocket can often be found for a decent price.[5] In general, Ampeg guitar amps until 1964 are not very much wanted as they have a dark, moody sound and remain very clean, even when pushed hard. With the introduction of the Galaxy line (Gemini, Mercury, Reverbrocket) in 1964, treble boost circuits and spring reverbs were added, and higher wattage models (such as the 30 watt Gemini II) were made available. Many of these models are underrated, take pedals well, and are the best buys for guitar amps from that time period. Original SVT bass amps are very much sought-after for their fat, clear, punchy sound. V series guitar amps (V2 and V4 heads along with the VT-40 and VT-22 combos) are sought after for the classic 70s crunchy but clean sound. The V4-B is another sought after bass amp head; being it has the SVT pre-amp section mated to a 100 Watt power amp section.
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andre
apollo
asm
audio guild
"By 1961 or 1962 Don Bonham had ended his relationship with Magnatone other than a licensing agreement for his vibrato.
Bonham incorporated the Audio Guild Corporation (AGC) in 1966.
In addition to amps branded "Audio Guild", AGC made OEM amps for other retailers including the aforementioned Versatone, Universal, and Panaramic & Titano. Ernest Deffner, a partner in Pancordion Accordion Co., bought Titano Accordion Co. in 1965. Following the acquisition, both Titano and Pancordion switch OEM sourcing from Estey to AGC.
AGC also manufactured amplifiers for Versatone.
There were several circuits made by AGC, all of them well engineered. Most, if not all, centered around 7591A power tubes. Reverb and vibrato effects were used on guitar amps. Some models had stereo output transformers with four 7591A power tubes, although unlike some of the Magnatone stereo amps, the AGC's were engineered to send different parts of the signal to one amp, and other parts to the other (high frequencies to a 10" speaker in an open back chamber of the cabinet, and low frequencies to a 12" speaker in a closed back chamber).
The cabinet designs were unique. AGC obviously wasn't in the business of cloning Fenders, Magnatone or Ampeg designs. Some cabinets had had three chambers, one for the amp, one for one speaker in an "open back" design, and one speaker in a sealed back chamber. Single speaker AGC combo's were made as sealed chambered cabinets. All of the AGC's I've seen used Utah ceramic speakers, but other speakers might have been used as well." -MagantoneAmps.com
Bonham incorporated the Audio Guild Corporation (AGC) in 1966.
In addition to amps branded "Audio Guild", AGC made OEM amps for other retailers including the aforementioned Versatone, Universal, and Panaramic & Titano. Ernest Deffner, a partner in Pancordion Accordion Co., bought Titano Accordion Co. in 1965. Following the acquisition, both Titano and Pancordion switch OEM sourcing from Estey to AGC.
AGC also manufactured amplifiers for Versatone.
There were several circuits made by AGC, all of them well engineered. Most, if not all, centered around 7591A power tubes. Reverb and vibrato effects were used on guitar amps. Some models had stereo output transformers with four 7591A power tubes, although unlike some of the Magnatone stereo amps, the AGC's were engineered to send different parts of the signal to one amp, and other parts to the other (high frequencies to a 10" speaker in an open back chamber of the cabinet, and low frequencies to a 12" speaker in a closed back chamber).
The cabinet designs were unique. AGC obviously wasn't in the business of cloning Fenders, Magnatone or Ampeg designs. Some cabinets had had three chambers, one for the amp, one for one speaker in an "open back" design, and one speaker in a sealed back chamber. Single speaker AGC combo's were made as sealed chambered cabinets. All of the AGC's I've seen used Utah ceramic speakers, but other speakers might have been used as well." -MagantoneAmps.com
axess electronics ltd.
Axess Electronics Ltd, or Session, were an electronics manufacture based in Basingstoke, Hampshire during the 1980s, specializing in guitar amplification. The products sold were of high quality and they received great recognition in the guitar world. Mick Jagger, being one of the huge names, reported to use session branded amplification equipment in the 1980s. The company was founded by Stewart Ward in 1979 after originally opening a hairdressing salon with his now ex-wife. He subsequently teamed up with his sales manager to create further success with Session products.
Stewart's new company Award-Session.com made new and improved Session amp models from 1997 to the end of 2007. Other products still in production include the Jerry Donahue JD10 direct recording pre-amp, The Gordon Giltrap GG10(now AP10)acoustic guitar preamp, SoloBooster - a Master Volume pedal for FX Loop use which allows soloing underneath a vocal line and lastly, the ClearTone YellowTAB Cables service which is growing and now produces the company's major earnings.
Stewart's new company Award-Session.com made new and improved Session amp models from 1997 to the end of 2007. Other products still in production include the Jerry Donahue JD10 direct recording pre-amp, The Gordon Giltrap GG10(now AP10)acoustic guitar preamp, SoloBooster - a Master Volume pedal for FX Loop use which allows soloing underneath a vocal line and lastly, the ClearTone YellowTAB Cables service which is growing and now produces the company's major earnings.
aztec
An Aztec Aerco 350
beag
Bell
A very early Gibson GA78RV with factory installed tremolo....produced for the Bell accordion company in NY.
belov
benson
berelson
binson
Binson (Milan - Italy) was an early manufacturer of echo machines. Unlike most other analog echo machines, they used an analog magnetic drum recorder instead of a tape loop. Their most famous product was the Binson Echorec.
After using Meazzi Echomatic machines successfully to establish his signature sound, Hank Marvin of The Shadows began using Binson echoes. He used various Binson units on record and stage for much of the mid-to-late 1960s, in conjunction with Vox AC30amplifiers and Burns London guitars. Marvin continued to use Binsons until c.1979/1980, when he began using the Roland RE-201 echo.
Binson units were used to great effect by Pink Floyd's original frontman Syd Barrett and guitarist David Gilmour. The classic Binson delay effect can be heard on songs such as "Interstellar Overdrive", "Astronomy Domine", "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and "Time".[1] Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin also used a Binson echo unit which was used on the drums in "When the Levee Breaks." Binson echo units were also used by Hawkwind, and more recently by Tarantula Hawk. Jon Courtney of British Nu-Prog band Pure Reason Revolution is also a frequent user of the Binson units.
In Pink Floyd's 23-minute long song "Echoes", Roger Waters used a Binson Echorec to create the eerie underwater wind noise heard during the first interlude (10:40-15:02 on studio recordings, underneath the screaming whale song produced by Gilmour); he vibrated the strings of his bass guitar with a steel slide and fed the sound through the Echorec. Waters reproduced this sound during live performances. The Binson Echorec was a major part of the early Pink Floyd sound, until they started to use the VCS3Synthesizer in 1972. [2]
After using Meazzi Echomatic machines successfully to establish his signature sound, Hank Marvin of The Shadows began using Binson echoes. He used various Binson units on record and stage for much of the mid-to-late 1960s, in conjunction with Vox AC30amplifiers and Burns London guitars. Marvin continued to use Binsons until c.1979/1980, when he began using the Roland RE-201 echo.
Binson units were used to great effect by Pink Floyd's original frontman Syd Barrett and guitarist David Gilmour. The classic Binson delay effect can be heard on songs such as "Interstellar Overdrive", "Astronomy Domine", "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and "Time".[1] Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin also used a Binson echo unit which was used on the drums in "When the Levee Breaks." Binson echo units were also used by Hawkwind, and more recently by Tarantula Hawk. Jon Courtney of British Nu-Prog band Pure Reason Revolution is also a frequent user of the Binson units.
In Pink Floyd's 23-minute long song "Echoes", Roger Waters used a Binson Echorec to create the eerie underwater wind noise heard during the first interlude (10:40-15:02 on studio recordings, underneath the screaming whale song produced by Gilmour); he vibrated the strings of his bass guitar with a steel slide and fed the sound through the Echorec. Waters reproduced this sound during live performances. The Binson Echorec was a major part of the early Pink Floyd sound, until they started to use the VCS3Synthesizer in 1972. [2]
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bird
"Sydney Bird was an entrepreneur who initially set up his general manufacturing business in Enfield Middlesex between the two World Wars. He is thought to have had some sort of connection with John Logie Baird, who was the inventor of television and who subsequently founded the Baird Television Company. Bird's own company produced walkie-talkie radios, and general electrical components.
During the 1930's, Bird also became involved in toy manufacture under the Cyldon trade name, after taking over the Prestico construction kit and Morthan "junior" sewing machine companies. Also produced in this domestic themed toy line were toy cookers and washing machines! Cyldon model steam engines seem to be very collectable these days!
After WW2, Bird's electronics division developed a product which allowed the old BBC single channel televisions to be converted to receive the new commercial channels. Demand for this, as well as the increased success of the toys, led to Bird out-growing his Enfield factory. This resulted in the company moving during 1953 to Poole in Dorset on the South Coast of England where larger premises were available.
After a few years, Sydney Poole became the largest employer in the town, with around 1,000 workers on the books. Further products were developed, including door chimes which were sold under the Morphy-Richards "Cyldon" trade name, cine reels, TV-tuners, and..........electronic organs. The organs became extremely popular in the UK, presumably because they were were considerably cheaper than those imported into the country from places like the US and Italy. Sydney Bird was not a man to miss an opportunity, so when the "Beat Group Craze" began in earnest in the early 1960's, he broadened the scope of his electrical music department to produce the guitar and bass amplifiers which form the subject of this website.
Around about 1962, Bird's companies were merged under one holding company called Astaron-Bird, which was a public company. This encompassed the Sydney Bird Company, Astaron Electronics, and Morthan Ltd. The general electronics side of the business was producing increasingly sophisticated products, such as echo-sounders, radar, and marine communications systems. In 1966, Astaron-Bird commenced making car radios, which were sold under the Radiomobile and Motorola trade names. Around that same time, the musical amplification (and probably the organs) was dropped from the product range - perhaps because of the severe competition from the many other amplification companies such as Selmer, JMI, Watkins, and Marshall.
With such success, the company must have attracted the interest of predators, and in the early 1970's, Astaron-Bird was taken over by the Brocks Group. Things continued to go fairly well for the Poole factory during the 1970's, but by the end of the decade the bubble had burst, and large-scale redundancies were taking place at the Poole factory. The receivers were called in during March 1981, and that seems to have been the end of Sydney Bird's multi-product manufacturing empire." - vintagehofner.co.uk
During the 1930's, Bird also became involved in toy manufacture under the Cyldon trade name, after taking over the Prestico construction kit and Morthan "junior" sewing machine companies. Also produced in this domestic themed toy line were toy cookers and washing machines! Cyldon model steam engines seem to be very collectable these days!
After WW2, Bird's electronics division developed a product which allowed the old BBC single channel televisions to be converted to receive the new commercial channels. Demand for this, as well as the increased success of the toys, led to Bird out-growing his Enfield factory. This resulted in the company moving during 1953 to Poole in Dorset on the South Coast of England where larger premises were available.
After a few years, Sydney Poole became the largest employer in the town, with around 1,000 workers on the books. Further products were developed, including door chimes which were sold under the Morphy-Richards "Cyldon" trade name, cine reels, TV-tuners, and..........electronic organs. The organs became extremely popular in the UK, presumably because they were were considerably cheaper than those imported into the country from places like the US and Italy. Sydney Bird was not a man to miss an opportunity, so when the "Beat Group Craze" began in earnest in the early 1960's, he broadened the scope of his electrical music department to produce the guitar and bass amplifiers which form the subject of this website.
Around about 1962, Bird's companies were merged under one holding company called Astaron-Bird, which was a public company. This encompassed the Sydney Bird Company, Astaron Electronics, and Morthan Ltd. The general electronics side of the business was producing increasingly sophisticated products, such as echo-sounders, radar, and marine communications systems. In 1966, Astaron-Bird commenced making car radios, which were sold under the Radiomobile and Motorola trade names. Around that same time, the musical amplification (and probably the organs) was dropped from the product range - perhaps because of the severe competition from the many other amplification companies such as Selmer, JMI, Watkins, and Marshall.
With such success, the company must have attracted the interest of predators, and in the early 1970's, Astaron-Bird was taken over by the Brocks Group. Things continued to go fairly well for the Poole factory during the 1970's, but by the end of the decade the bubble had burst, and large-scale redundancies were taking place at the Poole factory. The receivers were called in during March 1981, and that seems to have been the end of Sydney Bird's multi-product manufacturing empire." - vintagehofner.co.uk
birdie
bluetone
BOX
Box reminds me of the Crate amps of old...thanks Nick for bringing this one to my attention!
Bronson
"Bronson was a music publishing house founded by the same family that founded Oahu. Most of their pre-War line was sourced from the same manufacturers as Oahu, though they did sell a re-branded version of the Supro cast-aluminum electric lap steel. Their post-War steel line was a mix of Valco and Rickenbacker products. Like Oahu, the company does not appear to have survived the 1960s."
bruce
Burman
Capitol
carlsbro
Carlsbro is a UK-based supplier of musical instrument amplification and speaker systems, originally founded by Stuart and Sheila Mercer in Nottingham, England in 1960. Their equipment has been used by artists such as The Beatles, Mick Jagger and Oasis.
The company entered administration in 2009, but has since been relaunched.
The company entered administration in 2009, but has since been relaunched.
carvin
Carvin Corporation is an American guitar, bass guitar, and audio equipment manufacturer in San Diego, California. It is one of only a few remaining family-owned companies in the industry.
Lowell Kiesel founded Carvin in San Diego, California in 1946 as the L. C. Kiesel Company to manufacture guitar pickups. By 1947, the company manufactured steel guitars in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Around 1948, it returned to Southern California—and, in 1949, moved to Baldwin Park, California, where the company name changed to Carvin, after Kiesel's two eldest sons, Carson and Gavin. The company's current production facility occupies 82,000 square feet.
Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, Carvin manufactured guitars and bass guitars, largely from bodies and necks made by Höfner. During this period, they also manufactured amplifiers and steel guitars, and were authorized resellers of other gear, including Fender and Martin guitars, DeArmond pickups, and Sonola accordions.
In the late 1970s, Carvin began to produce all their own instrument components, and expanded their product lines to include professional audio gear, recording equipment, lighting, and other stage and studio equipment. Later, Carvin switched to manufacturing through-neck guitars, attracting metal players such as Jason Becker.
Starting in the 1970s, Carvin developed a niche in the musical instrument world by only selling directly to the public via mail order, In the 1980s they began to offer guitars and basses built to a customer's specifications, based on available body shapes, woods, colors, electronics, and other features.
Lowell Kiesel founded Carvin in San Diego, California in 1946 as the L. C. Kiesel Company to manufacture guitar pickups. By 1947, the company manufactured steel guitars in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Around 1948, it returned to Southern California—and, in 1949, moved to Baldwin Park, California, where the company name changed to Carvin, after Kiesel's two eldest sons, Carson and Gavin. The company's current production facility occupies 82,000 square feet.
Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, Carvin manufactured guitars and bass guitars, largely from bodies and necks made by Höfner. During this period, they also manufactured amplifiers and steel guitars, and were authorized resellers of other gear, including Fender and Martin guitars, DeArmond pickups, and Sonola accordions.
In the late 1970s, Carvin began to produce all their own instrument components, and expanded their product lines to include professional audio gear, recording equipment, lighting, and other stage and studio equipment. Later, Carvin switched to manufacturing through-neck guitars, attracting metal players such as Jason Becker.
Starting in the 1970s, Carvin developed a niche in the musical instrument world by only selling directly to the public via mail order, In the 1980s they began to offer guitars and basses built to a customer's specifications, based on available body shapes, woods, colors, electronics, and other features.
cdk
chandler
cmg
companion
If anyone has any information on this amplifier, please reach out to me. I know that Shin-ei produced the "companion" psychedelic machine, but the logos are totally different.
Contessa
cooper
cortez
cre'er
Not a lot is known about Cre'er except that they are associated with Matsushita in Japan (also known for Teisco). Most of these amps will have Matsushita tubes and speakers.
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The Cre'er Vowin. What a great looking amp!
Thanks Glenn T. for the submission!
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crown
custom kraft
1964
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dallas
dan armstrong
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danelectro / silvertone
Danelectro was founded by Nathan "Nat" Daniel in 1947. Throughout the late 1940s, the company produced amplifiers for Sears, Roebuck and Company and Montgomery Ward. In 1954, Danelectro started producing the Danelectro lines of solidbody electric guitars and amplifiers. The company was also contracted to make guitars and amplifiers that were branded not with the Danelectro name, but with the names of various store brands, such as Silvertone (Sears) and Airline (Montgomery Ward). Later Danelectro manufactured hollow-bodied guitars, which were constructed out of Masonite and plywood to save costs and increase production speed, and which were distinguished by Silvertone's maroon vinyl covering, and Danelectro's light tweed covering. The concentric stacked tone/volume knobs were used on the two-pickup models of both series, as well as the "lipstick-tube" pickups, which placed the entire pick-up mechanism into spare lipstick tubes. All the while Danelectro's goal was to produce no-frills guitars of reasonably good tone at low cost. In 1956, Danelectro introduced the six-string Baritone guitar. The baritone guitar never proved especially popular but found an enduring niche in Nashville as the instrument of choice for "Tic-tac" bass lines. In 1966, Danelectro was sold to MCA. A year later, the Coral line, known for its hollow-bodies and electric sitars, was introduced. In 1969, the Danelectro plant was closed, due to MCA's attempt to market Danelectros to small guitar shops rather than large department stores.
Here's a reader's submission from Lyle at Lone Wolf Tube Amps:
davoli
dbs electronic
dickerson
"Dickerson Musical Instrument Company established a production line of steel guitars and amplifiers in the late 1930's. The sales strategy of the time was to steel guitars and amplifiers as a pair, but both were also available individually. The first production models appeared in 1938. Most of these early models were covered in plastic Processed Pearl Lumarith finish, although some were available for a short time in a rayon flock fabric covering.
A Dickerson brand logo was silk screened on the front bottom right of the amplifier. Dickerson also served as an OEM (orginal design manufacturer) for other music instrument companies. Instead of the Dickerson label, an "Oahu", or a "Bronson" emblem was installed in the lower right.
The Deluxe Professional Model 12 was the top of the line amplifier and guitar in the Dickerson line up in 1939. It was a 20 watt amp with a 12" curved cone speaker. Five metal jacketed tubes were used including, two beam power pentodes (probably 6L6's). There were two sets of inputs, one for two instruments and one for a microphone. The mic input had a single volume control and the instrument input had volume and tone controls.
The next amplifier was the Model 8, a 4 tube, 10 watt amp with an 8" speaker. Although the amp came with two instrument jacks, the volume and tone controls came on the guitar, and there no control knobs on the amp itself. Besides a rectifer tube (a 83V, 5Y3, or a 5V4 type), the Model 8 came with 2 6V6s, and a single preamp tube. I'm not sure if there were push-pull or single ended circuits). These were introduced in 1939.
Output was bumped to 12 watts by 1941 or so. This model was probably the same model offered through Oahu as the No.385KMelody Master.
The smallest and lowest price amplifier was the S6. The 3 tube circuit produced 3 watts and drove a 6" speaker. A few different preamp tubes were used in these including a 6SF5 and a 6C5. The power tube was a 6F6 and the rectifier was a full wave rectifier tube, like an 83V, 5V4, or a 5Y3. On some early models, a small battery bias cell was used to apply a negative bias to the preamp. The S8 was a larger, 4 tube amplifier that delivered 8 watts to an 8" speaker.
The S6 was available in the 1940s through Oahu as the No.345K and the S8 was available as the No.250K.
I believe that this S6 is an early 1938 model, and that by 1940, the cabinet was squared off a bit.
A precursor to the Danelectro case amplifiers of the 1950s and 1960s was the Dickerson 1939 SP8 and SD6 case amplifiers. Dickerson applied for a patent for this design March 20, 1939 and added these two models to the catalog sometime that same year. The SP8 was the Model 8 circuit with an 8" speaker, and the SD6 was Student 6 circuit. The patent for this was awarded Dec 31 1940 and assigned patent No. 2,226,900.
One of these two amplifiers (and matching guitar) was available through the Oahu catalog in 1941 as a Oahu 369K. Although these are not common today, Dickerson did make them for at least three years, if not longer.
Dickerson amps evolved in the 1940s to have volume and tone controls as seen above. The amp cabinet design, with the slanted front face would continue in production into the Magna years. The blue pearloid Dickerson was built in 1948 after the switch from Fators to Magna. It is a three tube model that would later evolve into the Varsity model Magnatones." - magnatoneamps.com
A Dickerson brand logo was silk screened on the front bottom right of the amplifier. Dickerson also served as an OEM (orginal design manufacturer) for other music instrument companies. Instead of the Dickerson label, an "Oahu", or a "Bronson" emblem was installed in the lower right.
The Deluxe Professional Model 12 was the top of the line amplifier and guitar in the Dickerson line up in 1939. It was a 20 watt amp with a 12" curved cone speaker. Five metal jacketed tubes were used including, two beam power pentodes (probably 6L6's). There were two sets of inputs, one for two instruments and one for a microphone. The mic input had a single volume control and the instrument input had volume and tone controls.
The next amplifier was the Model 8, a 4 tube, 10 watt amp with an 8" speaker. Although the amp came with two instrument jacks, the volume and tone controls came on the guitar, and there no control knobs on the amp itself. Besides a rectifer tube (a 83V, 5Y3, or a 5V4 type), the Model 8 came with 2 6V6s, and a single preamp tube. I'm not sure if there were push-pull or single ended circuits). These were introduced in 1939.
Output was bumped to 12 watts by 1941 or so. This model was probably the same model offered through Oahu as the No.385KMelody Master.
The smallest and lowest price amplifier was the S6. The 3 tube circuit produced 3 watts and drove a 6" speaker. A few different preamp tubes were used in these including a 6SF5 and a 6C5. The power tube was a 6F6 and the rectifier was a full wave rectifier tube, like an 83V, 5V4, or a 5Y3. On some early models, a small battery bias cell was used to apply a negative bias to the preamp. The S8 was a larger, 4 tube amplifier that delivered 8 watts to an 8" speaker.
The S6 was available in the 1940s through Oahu as the No.345K and the S8 was available as the No.250K.
I believe that this S6 is an early 1938 model, and that by 1940, the cabinet was squared off a bit.
A precursor to the Danelectro case amplifiers of the 1950s and 1960s was the Dickerson 1939 SP8 and SD6 case amplifiers. Dickerson applied for a patent for this design March 20, 1939 and added these two models to the catalog sometime that same year. The SP8 was the Model 8 circuit with an 8" speaker, and the SD6 was Student 6 circuit. The patent for this was awarded Dec 31 1940 and assigned patent No. 2,226,900.
One of these two amplifiers (and matching guitar) was available through the Oahu catalog in 1941 as a Oahu 369K. Although these are not common today, Dickerson did make them for at least three years, if not longer.
Dickerson amps evolved in the 1940s to have volume and tone controls as seen above. The amp cabinet design, with the slanted front face would continue in production into the Magna years. The blue pearloid Dickerson was built in 1948 after the switch from Fators to Magna. It is a three tube model that would later evolve into the Varsity model Magnatones." - magnatoneamps.com
domino
dover
dumble amplifiers
Dumble musical instrument amplifiers are custom manufactured in very limited numbers by Alexander "Howard" Dumble of Los Angeles, California. Dumble amplifiers are among the most sought-after and expensive boutique amplifiers on the market; they were one of the originators of the modern boutique amp trend. The Dumble Overdrive Special was assessed as the most valuable guitar amplifier on the market, fetching on average between $28,000 and $35,000 a piece.
Alexander "Howard" Dumble began modifying Fender tweed and blackface amplifiers in 1963 in Santa Cruz. By the late 1960s he was modifying and building high-gain amps in the way that Mesa Boogie and others did, but unlike them, Dumble was not really interested in the business of selling amplifiers in greater numbers, and became a "reclusive amp tech to the stars'".
Much of the company's PR is word of mouth, and Dumble builds his amps on special order. Carlos Santana, for instance, heard of Dumble in reference to Stevie Ray Vaughan and was lent one (it wasn't for sale); he "was hooked for life." After contacting Dumble himself, he was able to buy one, and then three more.
Dumble's German importer in the 1980s made a clone called the Kitty Hawk Standard. Since the 1980s, Dumble has covered the preamp circuitry of his amps with a thick layer of usually opaque epoxy, protecting his schematic's exact design.
Alexander "Howard" Dumble began modifying Fender tweed and blackface amplifiers in 1963 in Santa Cruz. By the late 1960s he was modifying and building high-gain amps in the way that Mesa Boogie and others did, but unlike them, Dumble was not really interested in the business of selling amplifiers in greater numbers, and became a "reclusive amp tech to the stars'".
Much of the company's PR is word of mouth, and Dumble builds his amps on special order. Carlos Santana, for instance, heard of Dumble in reference to Stevie Ray Vaughan and was lent one (it wasn't for sale); he "was hooked for life." After contacting Dumble himself, he was able to buy one, and then three more.
Dumble's German importer in the 1980s made a clone called the Kitty Hawk Standard. Since the 1980s, Dumble has covered the preamp circuitry of his amps with a thick layer of usually opaque epoxy, protecting his schematic's exact design.
dynacord
earth sound research
Earth Sound Research was a musical amplification firm based in Farmingdale, New York that made bass and guitar amplifiers in the 1970s.[1] They also made PA mixers/power amps, keyboards and stand alone reverb units (solidstate).
In addition they manufactured ESR distortion pedals, and volume pedals. The two owners were Marc Neumann and Dave Garrett.
In addition they manufactured ESR distortion pedals, and volume pedals. The two owners were Marc Neumann and Dave Garrett.
eastern amplifier
echolette
Echolette was German manufacturer of electronic amplifiers and effects units. The company was founded in the 1930s by Arthur Klemt. The business was sold to the Dynacord company in the 1980s.
The original amplifier had so called DIN plugs (1958) as inputs, after 1960 they changed to jacks. The Beatles used this amp, rated at only 40W. Maybe they brought it with them when playing in Germany on the Reeperbahn?
Sounds much like an old Fender, just not as sought after. According to some it was based on the same reference amplifier (found in a tube manufacturers handbook) as a Fender that was sold 2 years later.
The M40 uses 2 x EZ81 (eq 6CA4) rectifier tubes, 5 x ECC83 (eq 12AX7) tubes in the preamp section and 4 x EL84 (6BQ5) tubes for amplification.
Specs: Output 40W (Sinus 32W) Speaker output (selectable) 100v (310 ohm), 6 ohm, 15 ohm input sensitivity 5mV - 0.5V
Was often accompanied by a tape echo called Echolette NG51-S.
The original amplifier had so called DIN plugs (1958) as inputs, after 1960 they changed to jacks. The Beatles used this amp, rated at only 40W. Maybe they brought it with them when playing in Germany on the Reeperbahn?
Sounds much like an old Fender, just not as sought after. According to some it was based on the same reference amplifier (found in a tube manufacturers handbook) as a Fender that was sold 2 years later.
The M40 uses 2 x EZ81 (eq 6CA4) rectifier tubes, 5 x ECC83 (eq 12AX7) tubes in the preamp section and 4 x EL84 (6BQ5) tubes for amplification.
Specs: Output 40W (Sinus 32W) Speaker output (selectable) 100v (310 ohm), 6 ohm, 15 ohm input sensitivity 5mV - 0.5V
Was often accompanied by a tape echo called Echolette NG51-S.
elfa
Elgen
ELIPCO
elk
emc
epiphone
Epiphone is an American musical instrument manufacturer founded by Anastasios Stathopoulos, currently based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Epiphone is owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market prior to its acquisition in 1957.[2] Their professional archtops, including the Emperor, Deluxe, Broadway and Triumph, rivaled those of Gibson.[citation needed] Aside from guitars, Epiphone also made upright basses, banjos, and other stringed instruments. However, the company's weakness in the aftermath of World War II allowed Gibson to absorb it.[3]
The name "Epiphone" is a combination of proprietor Epaminondas Stathopoulos' nickname "Epi" and "phone" (from Greek phon-, "sound"/"voice").[4]
Epiphone began in 1873, in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire (now İzmir, Turkey), where Greek founder Anastasios Stathopoulos made his own fiddles and lutes (oud, laouto). Stathopoulo moved to the United States in 1903 and continued to make his original instruments, as well as mandolins, from Long Island City in Queens, New York. Anastasios died in 1915, and his son, Epaminondas ("Epi"), took over. After two years, the company became known as The House Of Stathopoulo.[5] Just after the end of World War I, the company started to make banjos. The company produced its recording line of banjos in 1924 and, four years later, took on the name of the Epiphone Banjo Company. It produced its first guitars in 1928. After Epi died in 1943, control of the company went to his brothers, Orphie and Frixo. In 1951, a four-month-long strike forced a relocation of Epiphone from New York to Philadelphia. The company was acquired by its main rival, Gibson, in 1957.[6]Epiphone began producing amplifiers in 1935 with the Electar Hawaiian Lap Steel Guitar Outfit. This outfit was an amplifier, case and lap steel guitar stand all rolled into one unit[8] and was supplied by a suitcase manufacturer of the time.
Gibson produced Epiphone amplifiers in the 1960s. These were basically copies or variations of Gibson and Fender amplifiers[citation needed]. They used a tube design, and some had reverb and tremolo.
Epiphone is owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market prior to its acquisition in 1957.[2] Their professional archtops, including the Emperor, Deluxe, Broadway and Triumph, rivaled those of Gibson.[citation needed] Aside from guitars, Epiphone also made upright basses, banjos, and other stringed instruments. However, the company's weakness in the aftermath of World War II allowed Gibson to absorb it.[3]
The name "Epiphone" is a combination of proprietor Epaminondas Stathopoulos' nickname "Epi" and "phone" (from Greek phon-, "sound"/"voice").[4]
Epiphone began in 1873, in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire (now İzmir, Turkey), where Greek founder Anastasios Stathopoulos made his own fiddles and lutes (oud, laouto). Stathopoulo moved to the United States in 1903 and continued to make his original instruments, as well as mandolins, from Long Island City in Queens, New York. Anastasios died in 1915, and his son, Epaminondas ("Epi"), took over. After two years, the company became known as The House Of Stathopoulo.[5] Just after the end of World War I, the company started to make banjos. The company produced its recording line of banjos in 1924 and, four years later, took on the name of the Epiphone Banjo Company. It produced its first guitars in 1928. After Epi died in 1943, control of the company went to his brothers, Orphie and Frixo. In 1951, a four-month-long strike forced a relocation of Epiphone from New York to Philadelphia. The company was acquired by its main rival, Gibson, in 1957.[6]Epiphone began producing amplifiers in 1935 with the Electar Hawaiian Lap Steel Guitar Outfit. This outfit was an amplifier, case and lap steel guitar stand all rolled into one unit[8] and was supplied by a suitcase manufacturer of the time.
Gibson produced Epiphone amplifiers in the 1960s. These were basically copies or variations of Gibson and Fender amplifiers[citation needed]. They used a tube design, and some had reverb and tremolo.
eston
Evan
I love when I get submissions from readers who own amps I've never heard of before. This one is from Xavier C. from France -
Xavier writes: "Here's a vintage amp for you. It's an "EVAN 20", all tube guitar combo amp from Italy, 1967. I own this one.
Controls : Tremolo (speed, depth), volume, treble and bass, input for tremolo footswitch.
Very simply built, two ECL82's and one ECC83.
Sounds awesome & really vintage feeling. Rare!"
fal
faylon
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fbt
fender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), commonly referred to simply as Fender, is an American manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers. It is known for its solid-body electric guitars and bass guitars, such as the Stratocaster (also known as the "Strat"), Telecaster (also known as the "Tele"), Precision Bass, and the Jazz Bass. Its headquarters are in Scottsdale, Arizona. The company, previously named the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, was founded in Fullerton, California, by Clarence Leonidas "Leo" Fender in 1946.
In 1951, Fender offered the first mass-produced solid-body Spanish-style electric guitar, the Telecaster (originally named the 'Broadcaster'; 'Esquire' is a single pickup version), and the first mass-produced electric bass, the Precision Bass (P-Bass). In 1954, Fender mass-produced the popular Stratocaster (Strat) guitar.
While Fender was not the first to manufacture electric guitars, as other companies and luthiers had produced electric guitars since the late 1920s, none was as commercially successful as Fender's. Furthermore, while nearly all other electric guitars then were either hollow-body guitars or more specialized instruments such as Rickenbacker's solid-body Hawaiian guitars, Fender had created versatile solid-body electric guitars. These guitars were and still are popular for musicians in a variety of genres.
The company began as Fender's Radio Service in late 1938 in Fullerton, California. It got its name from the surname of its founder Leo Fender. As a qualified electronics technician, Leo Fender had been asked to repair not only radios, but phonograph players, home audio amplifiers, public address systems and musical instrument amplifiers. (At the time, most of these were just variations on a few simple vacuum-tube circuits.) All designs were based on research developed and released to the public domain by Western Electric in the 1930s and used vacuum tubes for amplification. The business also sidelined in carrying records for sale and the rental of self-designed PA systems. Leo became intrigued by design flaws in contemporary musical instrument amplifiers and began building amplifiers based on his own designs or modifications to designs.
By the early 1940s he had partnered with local electronics enthusiast Clayton Orr "Doc" Kauffman and together they formed the company K & F Manufacturing Corp to design, manufacture, and market electric instruments and amplifiers. Production began in 1945 with Hawaiian lap steel guitars (incorporating a patented pickup) and amplifiers sold as sets. By the end of the year Fender became convinced that manufacturing was more profitable than repair and he decided to concentrate on that business instead. Kauffman however remained unconvinced and he and Fender amicably parted ways by early 1946. At that point Leo renamed the company the Fender Electric Instrument Company. The service shop remained open until 1951, although Leo Fender did not personally supervise it after 1947.
Fender owed its early success not only to its founder and talented associates such as musician/product engineer Freddie Tavares but also to the efforts of sales chief, senior partner and marketing genius Don Randall. According to The Stratocaster Chronicles (a book by Tom Wheeler; Hal Leonard Pub., Milwaukee, WI; 2004, p. 108), Randall assembled what Fender's original partner Doc Kauffman called "a sales distributorship like nobody had ever seen in the world." Randall worked closely with the immensely talented photographer/designer, Bob Perine. Their catalogs and ads were innovative - such as the "You Won't Part With Yours Either" campaign, which portrayed people surfing, skiing, skydiving, and climbing into jet planes, all while holding Jazzmasters and Stratocasters.
In Fender guitar literatures of the 1960s, attractive, guitar-toting teenagers were posed with surfboards and Perine's classic Thunderbird convertible at local beachside settings, firmly integrating Fender into the surfin’/hot rod/sports car culture of Southern California celebrated by the Beach Boys, beach movies, and surf music. (The Stratocaster Chronicles, by Tom Wheeler; Hal Leonard Pub., Milwaukee, WI; 2004, p. 108). This early success is dramatically illustrated by the growth of Fender's manufacturing capacity through the 1950s and 1960s.
In early 1965, Leo Fender sold his companies to the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) for $13 million.[10][11] This was almost two million more than they had paid for The New York Yankees a year before. CBS entered the musical instruments field by acquiring the Fender companies (Fender Sales, Inc., Fender Electric Instrument Company, Inc., Fender Acoustic Instrument Company, Inc., Fender-Rhodes, Inc., Terrafen, Inc., Clef-Tronix, Inc., Randall Publishing Co., Inc., and V.C. Squier Company), as well as Electro-Music Inc. (Leslie speakers), Rogers drums, Steinway pianos, Gemeinhardt flutes, Lyon & Healy harps, Rodgers (institutional) organs, and Gulbransen home organs.
This had far-reaching implications. The sale was taken as a positive development, considering CBS's ability to bring in money and personnel who acquired a large inventory of Fender parts and unassembled guitars that were assembled and put to market. However, the sale also led to a reduction of the quality of Fender's guitars while under the management of "cost-cutting" CBS. Several cosmetic changes occurred after 1965/1966, such as a larger headstock shape on certain guitars. Bound necks with block shaped position markers were introduced in 1966. A bolder black headstock logo, as well as a brushed aluminum face plate with blue or red labels (depending the model) for the guitar and bass amplifiers became standard features, starting in 1968.
These cosmetic changes were followed by a new "tailless" Fender amp decal and a sparkling orange grillcloth on certain amplifiers in the mid-1970s. Regarding guitars, in mid-1971 the usual four-bolt neck joint was changed to one using only three bolts, and a second string tree for the two middle (G and D) strings was added in late 1972. These changes were said to have been made to save money: while it suited the new 'improved' micro-tilt adjustment of the neck (previously requiring neck removal and shimming), the "Bullet" truss rod system, and a 5-way pickup selector on most models, it also resulted in a greater propensity toward mechanical failure of the guitars.
During the CBS era, the company did introduce some new instrument and amplifier designs. The Fender Starcaster was particularly unusual because of its shallow, yet completely hollow body design that still retained the traditional Fender bolt-on neck, albeit with a completely different headstock. The Starcaster also incorporated a new Humbucking pickup designed by Seth Lover. This pickup also gave rise to 3 new incarnations of the classic Telecaster. Though more recent use by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead has raised the Starcaster's profile, CBS-era instruments are generally much less coveted or collectable than the "pre-CBS" models created by Leo Fender prior to selling the Fender companies to CBS in 1965.
The culmination of the CBS "cost-cutting" may have occurred in 1983, when the Fender Stratocaster received a short-lived redesign lacking a second tone control and a bare-bones output jack, as well as redesigned single-coil pickups, active electronics, and three push-push buttons for pickup selection (Elite Series). Additionally, previous models such as the Swinger (also known as Musiclander) and Custom (also known as Maverick) were perceived by some musicians as little more than attempts to squeeze profits out of factory stock. The so-called "pre-CBS cult" refers to the popularity of Fenders made before the sale.
After selling the Fender company, Leo Fender founded Music Man in 1975, and later founded the G&L Musical Instruments company, which manufactures electric guitars and basses based on his later designs.
After the early models released in 1946 (called "woodies" for their uncovered wooden cabinets), the first big series of amplifiers were built in 1948. These were known as Tweed amps because they were covered in the same kind of cloth used for luggage at the time. At first the cabinets had relatively small round-cornered speaker apertures, known as "TV fronts;" they were replaced in 1953 by top and bottom "wide-panels" and those in 1955 by the "narrow-panels." The original tweed amp lineup comprised the Champion/Champ, Princeton, Deluxe, Professional/Pro and Super. The Fifties saw the addition of the Bassman (1952), Bandmaster and Twin (1953), Tremolux and Harvard (1955) and Vibrolux (1956).
The Champ had the lowest power output and simplest circuit of all Fender tube amps. The Champ had only one power tube. Fender marketed it as a student and practice amp, but its three or four watts and the simple, good-sounding circuit made the Champ popular in recording studios. At the other end of the range, the Twin came to use four 6L6 or 5881 power tubes to produce 50, and later a huge (for the time) 75 watts.
This was an innovative period. Leo Fender made a Tweed Princeton in 1948 for his short-lived Professional 8-string lap steel, which amounted to a Champ with a tone knob. By 1960, the Princeton was a push–pull class-AB amplifier. In this era Fender experimented with different amplifier designs—cathode vs. fixed bias, paraphase vs. cathodyne vs. long-tailed pair phase inverters, octal vs. 9-pin preamp tubes, feedback loops and filter chokes. The tweed era also saw Fender's first amps with tremolo, the Vibrolux and Tremolux—and the advent of hi-lo and "bright" inputs.
The Bassman was a bass amplifier introduced by Fender in 1952 to accompany the new Precision Bass. Although it was originally intended for amplifying bass guitars, the Bassman was also used for non-bass electric guitar & pedal steel guitar amplification. During 1952, the Bassman was introduced as a combo amp with one fifteen inch speaker (1x15), but in 1955 acquired its classic 4x10" speaker configuration.
In 1959-60 Fender moved to Tolex coverings for the new "brownface" amps, so called for their brown, front-mounted control panels. They produced blonde and brown amplifiers between 1960 and 1964, with a comprehensive redesign of circuitry, cabinets and control layouts. During this era, Fender introduced the Concert, Vibrasonic, Showman, and Vibroverb—and a completely new Princeton.
The blonde amps included all the new head-and-cab piggyback Fender amps (the Tremolux, Bassman, Showman, and Bandmaster)—and a few combo amps, including the top-of-the-line Vibrasonic Most combos were brown, except for later Twins, which Fender changed from brown to blonde in 1961, and the Champ, which kept its tweed until 1964. They featured two colors of grill cloths—oxblood and wheat. The brownface generation included tremolo circuits on most models, and introduced spring reverb as a separate unit and in the Vibroverb. Fender also began using Oxford, Utah, and CTS speakers interchangeably with the Jensens. Jensens and Oxfords remained the most common during this period. Generally, they used the speaker they could get most economically.
By late 1963, some Fender amplifiers moved to blackface cosmetics. Other 1963 model amps—particularly the Vibroverb (the first Fender amp featuring internal reverb)—remained brown. The amps still spanned the spectrum from 4 watts to 85, but the difference in volume was larger, due to the improved, clean tone of the 85w Twin.
Fender produced the Blackface Fender amplifiers between 1964 and 1967. They had a black Tolex covering, silver grille cloth, and black control panel. The first piggyback blackface amps (as well as the Princeton) had white knobs. After 1964 the amps had skirted black knobs.
In 1951, Fender offered the first mass-produced solid-body Spanish-style electric guitar, the Telecaster (originally named the 'Broadcaster'; 'Esquire' is a single pickup version), and the first mass-produced electric bass, the Precision Bass (P-Bass). In 1954, Fender mass-produced the popular Stratocaster (Strat) guitar.
While Fender was not the first to manufacture electric guitars, as other companies and luthiers had produced electric guitars since the late 1920s, none was as commercially successful as Fender's. Furthermore, while nearly all other electric guitars then were either hollow-body guitars or more specialized instruments such as Rickenbacker's solid-body Hawaiian guitars, Fender had created versatile solid-body electric guitars. These guitars were and still are popular for musicians in a variety of genres.
The company began as Fender's Radio Service in late 1938 in Fullerton, California. It got its name from the surname of its founder Leo Fender. As a qualified electronics technician, Leo Fender had been asked to repair not only radios, but phonograph players, home audio amplifiers, public address systems and musical instrument amplifiers. (At the time, most of these were just variations on a few simple vacuum-tube circuits.) All designs were based on research developed and released to the public domain by Western Electric in the 1930s and used vacuum tubes for amplification. The business also sidelined in carrying records for sale and the rental of self-designed PA systems. Leo became intrigued by design flaws in contemporary musical instrument amplifiers and began building amplifiers based on his own designs or modifications to designs.
By the early 1940s he had partnered with local electronics enthusiast Clayton Orr "Doc" Kauffman and together they formed the company K & F Manufacturing Corp to design, manufacture, and market electric instruments and amplifiers. Production began in 1945 with Hawaiian lap steel guitars (incorporating a patented pickup) and amplifiers sold as sets. By the end of the year Fender became convinced that manufacturing was more profitable than repair and he decided to concentrate on that business instead. Kauffman however remained unconvinced and he and Fender amicably parted ways by early 1946. At that point Leo renamed the company the Fender Electric Instrument Company. The service shop remained open until 1951, although Leo Fender did not personally supervise it after 1947.
Fender owed its early success not only to its founder and talented associates such as musician/product engineer Freddie Tavares but also to the efforts of sales chief, senior partner and marketing genius Don Randall. According to The Stratocaster Chronicles (a book by Tom Wheeler; Hal Leonard Pub., Milwaukee, WI; 2004, p. 108), Randall assembled what Fender's original partner Doc Kauffman called "a sales distributorship like nobody had ever seen in the world." Randall worked closely with the immensely talented photographer/designer, Bob Perine. Their catalogs and ads were innovative - such as the "You Won't Part With Yours Either" campaign, which portrayed people surfing, skiing, skydiving, and climbing into jet planes, all while holding Jazzmasters and Stratocasters.
In Fender guitar literatures of the 1960s, attractive, guitar-toting teenagers were posed with surfboards and Perine's classic Thunderbird convertible at local beachside settings, firmly integrating Fender into the surfin’/hot rod/sports car culture of Southern California celebrated by the Beach Boys, beach movies, and surf music. (The Stratocaster Chronicles, by Tom Wheeler; Hal Leonard Pub., Milwaukee, WI; 2004, p. 108). This early success is dramatically illustrated by the growth of Fender's manufacturing capacity through the 1950s and 1960s.
In early 1965, Leo Fender sold his companies to the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) for $13 million.[10][11] This was almost two million more than they had paid for The New York Yankees a year before. CBS entered the musical instruments field by acquiring the Fender companies (Fender Sales, Inc., Fender Electric Instrument Company, Inc., Fender Acoustic Instrument Company, Inc., Fender-Rhodes, Inc., Terrafen, Inc., Clef-Tronix, Inc., Randall Publishing Co., Inc., and V.C. Squier Company), as well as Electro-Music Inc. (Leslie speakers), Rogers drums, Steinway pianos, Gemeinhardt flutes, Lyon & Healy harps, Rodgers (institutional) organs, and Gulbransen home organs.
This had far-reaching implications. The sale was taken as a positive development, considering CBS's ability to bring in money and personnel who acquired a large inventory of Fender parts and unassembled guitars that were assembled and put to market. However, the sale also led to a reduction of the quality of Fender's guitars while under the management of "cost-cutting" CBS. Several cosmetic changes occurred after 1965/1966, such as a larger headstock shape on certain guitars. Bound necks with block shaped position markers were introduced in 1966. A bolder black headstock logo, as well as a brushed aluminum face plate with blue or red labels (depending the model) for the guitar and bass amplifiers became standard features, starting in 1968.
These cosmetic changes were followed by a new "tailless" Fender amp decal and a sparkling orange grillcloth on certain amplifiers in the mid-1970s. Regarding guitars, in mid-1971 the usual four-bolt neck joint was changed to one using only three bolts, and a second string tree for the two middle (G and D) strings was added in late 1972. These changes were said to have been made to save money: while it suited the new 'improved' micro-tilt adjustment of the neck (previously requiring neck removal and shimming), the "Bullet" truss rod system, and a 5-way pickup selector on most models, it also resulted in a greater propensity toward mechanical failure of the guitars.
During the CBS era, the company did introduce some new instrument and amplifier designs. The Fender Starcaster was particularly unusual because of its shallow, yet completely hollow body design that still retained the traditional Fender bolt-on neck, albeit with a completely different headstock. The Starcaster also incorporated a new Humbucking pickup designed by Seth Lover. This pickup also gave rise to 3 new incarnations of the classic Telecaster. Though more recent use by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead has raised the Starcaster's profile, CBS-era instruments are generally much less coveted or collectable than the "pre-CBS" models created by Leo Fender prior to selling the Fender companies to CBS in 1965.
The culmination of the CBS "cost-cutting" may have occurred in 1983, when the Fender Stratocaster received a short-lived redesign lacking a second tone control and a bare-bones output jack, as well as redesigned single-coil pickups, active electronics, and three push-push buttons for pickup selection (Elite Series). Additionally, previous models such as the Swinger (also known as Musiclander) and Custom (also known as Maverick) were perceived by some musicians as little more than attempts to squeeze profits out of factory stock. The so-called "pre-CBS cult" refers to the popularity of Fenders made before the sale.
After selling the Fender company, Leo Fender founded Music Man in 1975, and later founded the G&L Musical Instruments company, which manufactures electric guitars and basses based on his later designs.
After the early models released in 1946 (called "woodies" for their uncovered wooden cabinets), the first big series of amplifiers were built in 1948. These were known as Tweed amps because they were covered in the same kind of cloth used for luggage at the time. At first the cabinets had relatively small round-cornered speaker apertures, known as "TV fronts;" they were replaced in 1953 by top and bottom "wide-panels" and those in 1955 by the "narrow-panels." The original tweed amp lineup comprised the Champion/Champ, Princeton, Deluxe, Professional/Pro and Super. The Fifties saw the addition of the Bassman (1952), Bandmaster and Twin (1953), Tremolux and Harvard (1955) and Vibrolux (1956).
The Champ had the lowest power output and simplest circuit of all Fender tube amps. The Champ had only one power tube. Fender marketed it as a student and practice amp, but its three or four watts and the simple, good-sounding circuit made the Champ popular in recording studios. At the other end of the range, the Twin came to use four 6L6 or 5881 power tubes to produce 50, and later a huge (for the time) 75 watts.
This was an innovative period. Leo Fender made a Tweed Princeton in 1948 for his short-lived Professional 8-string lap steel, which amounted to a Champ with a tone knob. By 1960, the Princeton was a push–pull class-AB amplifier. In this era Fender experimented with different amplifier designs—cathode vs. fixed bias, paraphase vs. cathodyne vs. long-tailed pair phase inverters, octal vs. 9-pin preamp tubes, feedback loops and filter chokes. The tweed era also saw Fender's first amps with tremolo, the Vibrolux and Tremolux—and the advent of hi-lo and "bright" inputs.
The Bassman was a bass amplifier introduced by Fender in 1952 to accompany the new Precision Bass. Although it was originally intended for amplifying bass guitars, the Bassman was also used for non-bass electric guitar & pedal steel guitar amplification. During 1952, the Bassman was introduced as a combo amp with one fifteen inch speaker (1x15), but in 1955 acquired its classic 4x10" speaker configuration.
In 1959-60 Fender moved to Tolex coverings for the new "brownface" amps, so called for their brown, front-mounted control panels. They produced blonde and brown amplifiers between 1960 and 1964, with a comprehensive redesign of circuitry, cabinets and control layouts. During this era, Fender introduced the Concert, Vibrasonic, Showman, and Vibroverb—and a completely new Princeton.
The blonde amps included all the new head-and-cab piggyback Fender amps (the Tremolux, Bassman, Showman, and Bandmaster)—and a few combo amps, including the top-of-the-line Vibrasonic Most combos were brown, except for later Twins, which Fender changed from brown to blonde in 1961, and the Champ, which kept its tweed until 1964. They featured two colors of grill cloths—oxblood and wheat. The brownface generation included tremolo circuits on most models, and introduced spring reverb as a separate unit and in the Vibroverb. Fender also began using Oxford, Utah, and CTS speakers interchangeably with the Jensens. Jensens and Oxfords remained the most common during this period. Generally, they used the speaker they could get most economically.
By late 1963, some Fender amplifiers moved to blackface cosmetics. Other 1963 model amps—particularly the Vibroverb (the first Fender amp featuring internal reverb)—remained brown. The amps still spanned the spectrum from 4 watts to 85, but the difference in volume was larger, due to the improved, clean tone of the 85w Twin.
Fender produced the Blackface Fender amplifiers between 1964 and 1967. They had a black Tolex covering, silver grille cloth, and black control panel. The first piggyback blackface amps (as well as the Princeton) had white knobs. After 1964 the amps had skirted black knobs.
The Very Rare Fender Deco
By 1964, Fender changed the tremolo from the complex "harmonic vibrato" to a simpler and less expensive circuit based on an optical coupler, which required only half of one 12AX7 twin triode tube. Also in the blackface era, they added internal-reverb versions of several popular amps—including the Princeton Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, Super Reverb, Pro Reverb, Twin Reverb, and Showman Reverb. Fender discontinued the blackface cosmetics in late 1967. They brought them back for a brief period in 1981, and discontinued them again the following year. Recently, Randall Smith of Mesa/Boogie Amplifiers noted that Blackface amps were "cleaner sounding" than previous versions, which inspired him to make "dirtier sounding" amps.
Also in 1964, Fender issued a black Tolex "tweed" Champ in black tolex in small numbers, along with the newer true blackface model with the slant front panel and controls. The stacked cabinet boxes Leo Fender used often went uninventoried. In late 1963, Leo Fender also found a couple of hundred unused Tweed Champ chassis; he had had them chromed and printed in 1958. Being frugal, he built them in black tolex with a chrome and black Champ nameplate, as he had money tied up in them already.
Blackface cosmetics do not necessarily mean "pre-CBS" since the CBS company takeover took place, in a legal sense, on January 4, 1965—and the company made amps with blackface cosmetics up to 1967. After the buyout, Fender changed the front panels from Fender Electric Instrument Co. to Fender Musical Instruments. They made few substantial changes to the amps until the Silverface amps of 1968, where certain circuit changes made them less desirable than the blackface amps.
Nevertheless, amplifier repair technicians have observed a general slip in production quality of amps produced in the 1966-68 era—particularly in chassis lead dress and other subtle electronic details. The silverface redesigns affected some models more than others. For example, the Twin Reverb and Super Reverb combos, along with the Dual Showman Reverb and Bandmaster Reverb "piggyback" heads were equipped with a master volume control. Other models, such as the Deluxe Reverb, were not altered except for the cosmetic changes.
Also in 1964, Fender issued a black Tolex "tweed" Champ in black tolex in small numbers, along with the newer true blackface model with the slant front panel and controls. The stacked cabinet boxes Leo Fender used often went uninventoried. In late 1963, Leo Fender also found a couple of hundred unused Tweed Champ chassis; he had had them chromed and printed in 1958. Being frugal, he built them in black tolex with a chrome and black Champ nameplate, as he had money tied up in them already.
Blackface cosmetics do not necessarily mean "pre-CBS" since the CBS company takeover took place, in a legal sense, on January 4, 1965—and the company made amps with blackface cosmetics up to 1967. After the buyout, Fender changed the front panels from Fender Electric Instrument Co. to Fender Musical Instruments. They made few substantial changes to the amps until the Silverface amps of 1968, where certain circuit changes made them less desirable than the blackface amps.
Nevertheless, amplifier repair technicians have observed a general slip in production quality of amps produced in the 1966-68 era—particularly in chassis lead dress and other subtle electronic details. The silverface redesigns affected some models more than others. For example, the Twin Reverb and Super Reverb combos, along with the Dual Showman Reverb and Bandmaster Reverb "piggyback" heads were equipped with a master volume control. Other models, such as the Deluxe Reverb, were not altered except for the cosmetic changes.
first man
flotatone
funkshun
garnet
Thomas Garnet Gillies or "Gar" Gillies, as he was better known, was the founder of the Garnet Amplifier Company.
"Gar" Gillies was in the music and electronic business his entire working life. In his early years he made his living at radio repairs, but even then, his heart was in the audio end of the radio business. Many of the local night clubs in which Gar played trombone, were equipped by him with their first P.A. systems (it was later figured out that he did this because he wanted to sing, and amplify his muted trombone). Some of the local jazz guitar players were also amplified for the first time. Years passed, and along came Rock & Roll. In the mid '60's, after working with and studying the needs of these new young artists, the Garnet Amplifier Company evolved out of the T.V. and radio repair business. The three partners were Gar himself, and his two sons, Russell and Garnet.
The first amplifiers and P.A. system that the company built were for a popular Winnipeg group then called "Chad Allen & the Expressions" (soon to change their name to "The Guess Who?"). At that time, Russell was the manager and "roadie" of this struggling group. Many of the other local and Western Canadian groups liked the new sounds and the power of the amps, and followed suit by ordering amplifiers and P.A. equipment.
By the early '70's, Garnet Amplifiers was firmly established in most Canadian markets and had made strong inroads into America. All of the Garnet tube amps were designed by Gar Sr. Some of the more popular models were the PRO, REBEL, and BTO (Big Time Operator) series. These three series all had two guitar heads and a suitably powered P.A. system. To follow the success of these lines, the popular PRO 200, PRO 400, and PRO 600 all tube heads were introduced followed by three DEPUTY models, produced as combo amps and heads. One piece combo amps would include the BANSHEE, GNOME, L'il ROCK, MACH 5, REVOLUTIONS I, II, and III, ENFORCER, and SESSIONMAN. The Herzog, H-zog, and two stand alone reverb units were all tube effects devices designed by Gar in the late '60's and early '70's.
In 1989, due to financial reasons caused largely by a too rapid expansion, the Garnet Amplifier Company Ltd., closed its doors. In the years that followed Gar did what he liked doing best, working one on one with musicians, repairing, upgrading and designing custom amps, and always working towards that special sound. - Written by Russell Gillies, son of Thomas Garnet Gillies
"Gar" Gillies was in the music and electronic business his entire working life. In his early years he made his living at radio repairs, but even then, his heart was in the audio end of the radio business. Many of the local night clubs in which Gar played trombone, were equipped by him with their first P.A. systems (it was later figured out that he did this because he wanted to sing, and amplify his muted trombone). Some of the local jazz guitar players were also amplified for the first time. Years passed, and along came Rock & Roll. In the mid '60's, after working with and studying the needs of these new young artists, the Garnet Amplifier Company evolved out of the T.V. and radio repair business. The three partners were Gar himself, and his two sons, Russell and Garnet.
The first amplifiers and P.A. system that the company built were for a popular Winnipeg group then called "Chad Allen & the Expressions" (soon to change their name to "The Guess Who?"). At that time, Russell was the manager and "roadie" of this struggling group. Many of the other local and Western Canadian groups liked the new sounds and the power of the amps, and followed suit by ordering amplifiers and P.A. equipment.
By the early '70's, Garnet Amplifiers was firmly established in most Canadian markets and had made strong inroads into America. All of the Garnet tube amps were designed by Gar Sr. Some of the more popular models were the PRO, REBEL, and BTO (Big Time Operator) series. These three series all had two guitar heads and a suitably powered P.A. system. To follow the success of these lines, the popular PRO 200, PRO 400, and PRO 600 all tube heads were introduced followed by three DEPUTY models, produced as combo amps and heads. One piece combo amps would include the BANSHEE, GNOME, L'il ROCK, MACH 5, REVOLUTIONS I, II, and III, ENFORCER, and SESSIONMAN. The Herzog, H-zog, and two stand alone reverb units were all tube effects devices designed by Gar in the late '60's and early '70's.
In 1989, due to financial reasons caused largely by a too rapid expansion, the Garnet Amplifier Company Ltd., closed its doors. In the years that followed Gar did what he liked doing best, working one on one with musicians, repairing, upgrading and designing custom amps, and always working towards that special sound. - Written by Russell Gillies, son of Thomas Garnet Gillies
giannini
Giannini Amplifiers were previously produced in Brazil between circa the 1960s and the 1980s.
In 1890 Tranquillo Giannini left Italy and migrated to San Paulo, Brazil where he began manufacturing guitars. The company eventually became one of the largest manufacturers of guitars in Brazil. In the 1960s, Giannini released a line of tube amplifiers that were basically copies of many Fender designs including models Tremendao (copy of Twin Reverb), Thunder Sound Bass (copy of Bassman), and the Jet Sound (copy of Tremolux). In the early 1970s, Giannini was distributed in the U.S. by Giannini Guitars at 75 Frost Street, Westbury (New York 11590).
If that address seems somewhat familiar, that may be because it was shared by Westbury Guitars, the Merson company, and currently Korg USA (Marshall, Parker, Korg, and Vox). Giannini also produced a line of solid-state amps in the 1970s and/or 1980s but very little information is known about them.
In 1890 Tranquillo Giannini left Italy and migrated to San Paulo, Brazil where he began manufacturing guitars. The company eventually became one of the largest manufacturers of guitars in Brazil. In the 1960s, Giannini released a line of tube amplifiers that were basically copies of many Fender designs including models Tremendao (copy of Twin Reverb), Thunder Sound Bass (copy of Bassman), and the Jet Sound (copy of Tremolux). In the early 1970s, Giannini was distributed in the U.S. by Giannini Guitars at 75 Frost Street, Westbury (New York 11590).
If that address seems somewhat familiar, that may be because it was shared by Westbury Guitars, the Merson company, and currently Korg USA (Marshall, Parker, Korg, and Vox). Giannini also produced a line of solid-state amps in the 1970s and/or 1980s but very little information is known about them.
giulietti
gibson
Gibson Brands, Inc. (formerly Gibson Guitar Corp.) is an American manufacturer of guitars and other instruments, now based in Nashville, Tennessee. The company was formerly known as Gibson Guitar Corp. and renamed Gibson Brands, Inc. on June 11, 2013.
Orville Gibson founded the company in 1902 as The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd. in Kalamazoo, Michigan to make mandolin-family instruments.[1] Gibson invented archtop guitars by constructing the same type of carved, arched tops used on violins. By the 1930s, the company was also making flattop acoustic guitars, as well as one of the first commercially available hollow-body electric guitars, used and popularized by Charlie Christian. It was bought by Chicago Musical Instruments in 1944, which was then acquired by the E.C.L. conglomerate that changed its name to Norlin Inc. Many observers see this as the beginning of an era of mismanagement.[citation needed]
Gibson sells guitars under a variety of brand names and builds one of the world's most iconic guitars, the Gibson Les Paul. Many Gibson instruments are highly collectible. Gibson was at the forefront of innovation in acoustic guitars, especially in the big band era of the 1930s; the Gibson Super 400 was widely imitated. In 1952, Gibson introduced its first solid-body electric guitar, the Les Paul which became its most popular guitar to date— designed by Ted McCarty and Les Paul.
Gibson was owned by the Norlin corporation from 1969 to 1986. In 1986, the company was acquired by its present owners. Gibson is a privately held corporation owned by its chief executive officer Henry Juszkiewicz and its president David H. Berryman. In addition to guitars, Gibson offers consumer audio equipment devices through its subsidiaries Onkyo Corporation, Cerwin Vega and Stanton,[6] as well as professional audio equipment from KRK Systems also pianos from their wholly owned subsidiary Baldwin Piano and music software from Cakewalk.
Orville Gibson (born 1856) patented a single-piece mandolin design in 1898 that was more durable than other mandolins and could be manufactured in volume. Orville Gibson began to sell his instruments in 1894 out of a one-room workshop in Kalamazoo Michigan. In 1902 Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co, Ltd. was incorporated to market the instruments. Initially, the company produced only Orville Gibson's original designs. Orville died in 1918 of endocarditis (inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and valves).
The following year the company hired designer Lloyd Loar to create newer instruments.[8] Loar designed the flagship L-5 archtop guitar and the Gibson F5 mandolin that was introduced in 1922, before leaving the company in 1924.[9] In 1936 Gibson introduced their first "Electric Spanish" model, the ES-150 followed by other electric instruments like steel guitars, banjos and mandolins.
During World War II, instrument manufacturing at Gibson slowed due to shortages of wood and metal, and Gibson began manufacturing wood and metal parts for the military. Between 1942-1945, Gibson employed women to manufacture guitars. "Women produced nearly 25,000 guitars during World War II yet Gibson denied ever building instruments over this period," according to a 2013 history of the company. Gibson folklore has also claimed its guitars were made by "seasoned craftsmen" who were "too old for war."
In 1944 Gibson was purchased by Chicago Musical Instruments. The ES-175 was introduced in 1949. Gibson hired Ted McCarty in 1948, who became President in 1950. He led an expansion of the guitar line with new guitars such as the "Les Paul" guitar introduced in 1952 and designed by Les Paul, a popular musician in the 1950s and also a pioneer in music technology. The Les Paul was offered in Custom, Standard, Special, and Junior models.[12] In the mid-50s, the Thinline series was produced, which included a line of thinner guitars like the Byrdland. The first Byrdlands were slim, custom built, L-5 models for guitarists Billy Byrd and Hank Garland. Later, a shorter neck was added. Other models such as the ES-350T and the ES-225T were introduced as less costly alternatives.[13] In 1958, Gibson introduced the ES-335T model. Similar in size to the hollow-body Thinlines, the ES-335 family had a solid center, giving the string tone a longer sustain.
In the 1950s, Gibson also produced the Tune-o-matic bridge system and its version of the humbucking pickup, the PAF ("Patent Applied For"), first released in 1957 and still sought after for its sound.[citation needed] In 1958, Gibson produced two new designs: the eccentrically shaped Explorer and Flying V. These "modernistic" guitars did not sell initially. It was only in the late 1960s and early 70s when the two guitars were reintroduced to the market that they sold well. The Firebird, in the early 60s, was a reprise of the modernistic idea, though less extreme.
With Modernization In the late 50s, McCarty knew that Gibson was seen as a traditional company and began an effort to create more modern guitars. In 1961 the body design of the Les Paul was changed due to the demand for a double-cutaway body design.[14] The new body design then became known as the SG (for "solid guitar"), due to disapproval from Les Paul himself. The Les Paul returned to the Gibson catalog in 1968.
On December 22, 1969, the Gibson parent company Chicago Musical Instruments was taken over by the South American brewing conglomerate ECL. Gibson remained under the control of CMI until 1974 when it became a subsidiary of Norlin Musical Instruments. Norlin Musical Instruments was a member of Norlin Industries which was named for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Arnold Berlin. This began an era characterized by corporate mismanagement and decreasing product quality.
Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was shifted from Kalamazoo to Nashville, Tennessee. The Kalamazoo plant kept going for a few years as a custom-instrument shop, but was closed in 1984; several Gibson employees led by plant manager Jim Duerloo established Heritage Guitars in the old factory, building versions of classic Gibson designs.
The company (Gibson) was within three months of going out of business before it was bought by Henry E. Juszkiewicz, David H. Berryman, and Gary A. Zebrowski in January 1986. New production plants were opened in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as Bozeman, Montana. The Memphis facility is used for semi-hollow and custom shop instruments, while the Bozeman facility is dedicated to acoustic instruments.
In 1977 Gibson sued Hoshino/Elger for copying the Gibson Les Paul. In 2000, Gibson sued Fernandes Guitars in a Tokyo court for allegedly copying Gibson designs. Gibson did not prevail.[18] Gibson also sued PRS Guitars in 2005, to stop them from making their Singlecut model. The lawsuit against PRS was initially successful.[19] However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed the lower court decision and ordered the dismissal of Gibson's suit against PRS.
Orville Gibson founded the company in 1902 as The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd. in Kalamazoo, Michigan to make mandolin-family instruments.[1] Gibson invented archtop guitars by constructing the same type of carved, arched tops used on violins. By the 1930s, the company was also making flattop acoustic guitars, as well as one of the first commercially available hollow-body electric guitars, used and popularized by Charlie Christian. It was bought by Chicago Musical Instruments in 1944, which was then acquired by the E.C.L. conglomerate that changed its name to Norlin Inc. Many observers see this as the beginning of an era of mismanagement.[citation needed]
Gibson sells guitars under a variety of brand names and builds one of the world's most iconic guitars, the Gibson Les Paul. Many Gibson instruments are highly collectible. Gibson was at the forefront of innovation in acoustic guitars, especially in the big band era of the 1930s; the Gibson Super 400 was widely imitated. In 1952, Gibson introduced its first solid-body electric guitar, the Les Paul which became its most popular guitar to date— designed by Ted McCarty and Les Paul.
Gibson was owned by the Norlin corporation from 1969 to 1986. In 1986, the company was acquired by its present owners. Gibson is a privately held corporation owned by its chief executive officer Henry Juszkiewicz and its president David H. Berryman. In addition to guitars, Gibson offers consumer audio equipment devices through its subsidiaries Onkyo Corporation, Cerwin Vega and Stanton,[6] as well as professional audio equipment from KRK Systems also pianos from their wholly owned subsidiary Baldwin Piano and music software from Cakewalk.
Orville Gibson (born 1856) patented a single-piece mandolin design in 1898 that was more durable than other mandolins and could be manufactured in volume. Orville Gibson began to sell his instruments in 1894 out of a one-room workshop in Kalamazoo Michigan. In 1902 Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co, Ltd. was incorporated to market the instruments. Initially, the company produced only Orville Gibson's original designs. Orville died in 1918 of endocarditis (inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and valves).
The following year the company hired designer Lloyd Loar to create newer instruments.[8] Loar designed the flagship L-5 archtop guitar and the Gibson F5 mandolin that was introduced in 1922, before leaving the company in 1924.[9] In 1936 Gibson introduced their first "Electric Spanish" model, the ES-150 followed by other electric instruments like steel guitars, banjos and mandolins.
During World War II, instrument manufacturing at Gibson slowed due to shortages of wood and metal, and Gibson began manufacturing wood and metal parts for the military. Between 1942-1945, Gibson employed women to manufacture guitars. "Women produced nearly 25,000 guitars during World War II yet Gibson denied ever building instruments over this period," according to a 2013 history of the company. Gibson folklore has also claimed its guitars were made by "seasoned craftsmen" who were "too old for war."
In 1944 Gibson was purchased by Chicago Musical Instruments. The ES-175 was introduced in 1949. Gibson hired Ted McCarty in 1948, who became President in 1950. He led an expansion of the guitar line with new guitars such as the "Les Paul" guitar introduced in 1952 and designed by Les Paul, a popular musician in the 1950s and also a pioneer in music technology. The Les Paul was offered in Custom, Standard, Special, and Junior models.[12] In the mid-50s, the Thinline series was produced, which included a line of thinner guitars like the Byrdland. The first Byrdlands were slim, custom built, L-5 models for guitarists Billy Byrd and Hank Garland. Later, a shorter neck was added. Other models such as the ES-350T and the ES-225T were introduced as less costly alternatives.[13] In 1958, Gibson introduced the ES-335T model. Similar in size to the hollow-body Thinlines, the ES-335 family had a solid center, giving the string tone a longer sustain.
In the 1950s, Gibson also produced the Tune-o-matic bridge system and its version of the humbucking pickup, the PAF ("Patent Applied For"), first released in 1957 and still sought after for its sound.[citation needed] In 1958, Gibson produced two new designs: the eccentrically shaped Explorer and Flying V. These "modernistic" guitars did not sell initially. It was only in the late 1960s and early 70s when the two guitars were reintroduced to the market that they sold well. The Firebird, in the early 60s, was a reprise of the modernistic idea, though less extreme.
With Modernization In the late 50s, McCarty knew that Gibson was seen as a traditional company and began an effort to create more modern guitars. In 1961 the body design of the Les Paul was changed due to the demand for a double-cutaway body design.[14] The new body design then became known as the SG (for "solid guitar"), due to disapproval from Les Paul himself. The Les Paul returned to the Gibson catalog in 1968.
On December 22, 1969, the Gibson parent company Chicago Musical Instruments was taken over by the South American brewing conglomerate ECL. Gibson remained under the control of CMI until 1974 when it became a subsidiary of Norlin Musical Instruments. Norlin Musical Instruments was a member of Norlin Industries which was named for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Arnold Berlin. This began an era characterized by corporate mismanagement and decreasing product quality.
Between 1974 and 1984 production of Gibson guitars was shifted from Kalamazoo to Nashville, Tennessee. The Kalamazoo plant kept going for a few years as a custom-instrument shop, but was closed in 1984; several Gibson employees led by plant manager Jim Duerloo established Heritage Guitars in the old factory, building versions of classic Gibson designs.
The company (Gibson) was within three months of going out of business before it was bought by Henry E. Juszkiewicz, David H. Berryman, and Gary A. Zebrowski in January 1986. New production plants were opened in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as Bozeman, Montana. The Memphis facility is used for semi-hollow and custom shop instruments, while the Bozeman facility is dedicated to acoustic instruments.
In 1977 Gibson sued Hoshino/Elger for copying the Gibson Les Paul. In 2000, Gibson sued Fernandes Guitars in a Tokyo court for allegedly copying Gibson designs. Gibson did not prevail.[18] Gibson also sued PRS Guitars in 2005, to stop them from making their Singlecut model. The lawsuit against PRS was initially successful.[19] However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed the lower court decision and ordered the dismissal of Gibson's suit against PRS.
gretsch
Gretsch is an American company that manufactures guitars, basses and drums. The company was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a 27-year-old German immigrant, shortly after his arrival to the United States. Friedrich Gretsch manufactured banjos, tambourines, and drums until his death in 1895. In 1916, his son, Friedrich Jr. moved operations to Brooklyn, New York where Gretsch went on to become one of the most prominent manufacturers of American musical instruments.
Most modern-era Gretsch guitars are manufactured in the Far East, though American-made "Custom Shop" models are available. In 2003, Gretsch entered a business agreement with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC). Under the terms of that agreement Fred Gretsch III would retain ownership while FMIC would handle most of the development, distribution and sales.
Gretsch was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a young German immigrant. His Brooklyn shop was designed for the manufacture of banjos, tambourines, and drums. In 1895, Gretsch died at the age of 39, and the then successful company was taken over by his son Fred Jr. By 1916, Fred had moved the company into a larger 10-story building in the Williamsburg district, becoming one of the most prominent American musical instrument makers.By the mid-1950s, after Fred's son Fred Jr. had taken the reins, the company introduced several distinctive models, including the 6120 "Nashville," and the Duo Jet chambered "solid body", which was played by Bo Diddley. Chuck Berry also played the Duo Jet when he recorded his first major hit, Maybellene and is pictured on his LP After School Session. Two other models were introduced - the Country Club, and the White Falcon.
Guitar production by the Gretsch Company began in the early 1930s, and Gretsch guitars became highly sought after, most notably in the 1950s and 1960s. They lost favor with players during the 1970s and 1980s for various reasons, including a problematic relationship with the Baldwin Piano Company. Gretsch eventually went bankrupt, then was revived in 1989 by Fred W. Gretsch, a great-great-grandson of Friedrich Gretsch. Sometimes referred to as Fred Gretsch III, he remains president of the company to this day.
During this time, Chet Atkins became an endorser of Gretsch. Atkins was one of the pre-eminent guitarists of his day, and his endorsement gave Gretsch greater visibility in competition with Gibson and Fender. Gretsch ultimately sold thousands of guitars with Chet's name on the pickguard, most notably the 6120 Chet Atkins model, one of which was purchased in 1957 by a young guitar player named Duane Eddy.[citation needed] The worldwide success of Eddy's "twangy" instrumental records, television appearances, and extensive touring, helped expose the Gretsch guitar to the teenage rock and roll market. George Harrison, years later, would refer to this model as "the Eddie Cochran/Duane Eddy guitar". Other Chet Atkins models were the Country Gentleman (named after an Atkins instrumental hit) and the Tennessean, a lower cost version of the Country Gentleman.
Many rockabilly players had followed in the footsteps of Eddie Cochran, who also wielded a 6120 (though modified with a Gibson P-90 pickup in the neck position) and Gene Vincent's guitarist Cliff Gallup, who played a Duo Jet.
Elvis Presley himself later owned a Gretsch Country Gentleman—(recently[when?] manufactured as "Gretsch Country Classic" but now renamed Chet Atkins Country Gentleman), playing it briefly both on stage and in the studio. Gretsch quickly became a legitimate competitor to both Gibson and its main rivals, Fender and Rickenbacker.
Gretsch fortunes rose yet again in the early sixties when George Harrison played a Gretsch Country Gentleman on The Ed Sullivan Show. Despite popular belief, he acquired two Country Gentleman guitars; his first was destroyed when it fell out of the trunk of a car on the roadway. He would later switch to a Gretsch Tennessean and his Country Gentleman made its last appearance in the music video of "You're Going to Lose That Girl" in the movie Help! The Ed Sullivan Country Gent was given to Ringo Starr by Harrison's wife, Olivia. Alf Bicknell, chauffeur for The Beatles, strapped the Country Gentleman (George Harrison's second) to the back of the car. The guitar did not fall out of the trunk/boot.
The British Invasion brought further popularity to Gretsch models. In addition to the Beatles, Brian O'Hara of The Fourmost used a Country Gentleman; it has been suggested that George Harrison gave him this guitar after acquiring the Tennessean.
Fred Gretsch never found a suitable successor, and in 1967 Gretsch was sold to Baldwin Pianos, becoming a subsidiary of that firm.
During the "Baldwin era", new models were introduced throughout the seventies and old favorites continued to be produced. As solidbody guitars rose to prominence in rock, with the harder styles of the era favoring Fender Stratocasters and Gibson Les Pauls, use of hollowbodies fell in popularity. In 1979, after Fred Jr's death, Chet Atkins withdrew his endorsement in response to quality problems and Gretsch's unwillingness to pursue his vision of a nylon-stringed electric guitar. Factory fires in the early 1970s caused serious problems, and production was finally halted by Baldwin in 1981.
In 1989, another Fred Gretsch, nephew of Fred Jr., and his wife Dinah, acquired their namesake company. The first new model they introduced was the Traveling Wilburys model - an Asian import - which looked much like a Danelectro. While this guitar model did little to bolster Gretsch's reputation for producing classic guitars, it served notice that Gretsch was back.
After numerous failed attempts to acquire facilities or contract production in the United States, Fred Gretsch and long-time Gretsch employee Duke Kramer, who advised Gretsch, turned to Terada of Japan, and production began there. A range of reissues appeared throughout the nineties to mixed reviews. They were of generally high quality, but with notable non-vintage details and features. Occasional US-built "Custom Shop" models were offered at significantly higher prices.
Most modern-era Gretsch guitars are manufactured in the Far East, though American-made "Custom Shop" models are available. In 2003, Gretsch entered a business agreement with Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC). Under the terms of that agreement Fred Gretsch III would retain ownership while FMIC would handle most of the development, distribution and sales.
Gretsch was founded in 1883 by Friedrich Gretsch, a young German immigrant. His Brooklyn shop was designed for the manufacture of banjos, tambourines, and drums. In 1895, Gretsch died at the age of 39, and the then successful company was taken over by his son Fred Jr. By 1916, Fred had moved the company into a larger 10-story building in the Williamsburg district, becoming one of the most prominent American musical instrument makers.By the mid-1950s, after Fred's son Fred Jr. had taken the reins, the company introduced several distinctive models, including the 6120 "Nashville," and the Duo Jet chambered "solid body", which was played by Bo Diddley. Chuck Berry also played the Duo Jet when he recorded his first major hit, Maybellene and is pictured on his LP After School Session. Two other models were introduced - the Country Club, and the White Falcon.
Guitar production by the Gretsch Company began in the early 1930s, and Gretsch guitars became highly sought after, most notably in the 1950s and 1960s. They lost favor with players during the 1970s and 1980s for various reasons, including a problematic relationship with the Baldwin Piano Company. Gretsch eventually went bankrupt, then was revived in 1989 by Fred W. Gretsch, a great-great-grandson of Friedrich Gretsch. Sometimes referred to as Fred Gretsch III, he remains president of the company to this day.
During this time, Chet Atkins became an endorser of Gretsch. Atkins was one of the pre-eminent guitarists of his day, and his endorsement gave Gretsch greater visibility in competition with Gibson and Fender. Gretsch ultimately sold thousands of guitars with Chet's name on the pickguard, most notably the 6120 Chet Atkins model, one of which was purchased in 1957 by a young guitar player named Duane Eddy.[citation needed] The worldwide success of Eddy's "twangy" instrumental records, television appearances, and extensive touring, helped expose the Gretsch guitar to the teenage rock and roll market. George Harrison, years later, would refer to this model as "the Eddie Cochran/Duane Eddy guitar". Other Chet Atkins models were the Country Gentleman (named after an Atkins instrumental hit) and the Tennessean, a lower cost version of the Country Gentleman.
Many rockabilly players had followed in the footsteps of Eddie Cochran, who also wielded a 6120 (though modified with a Gibson P-90 pickup in the neck position) and Gene Vincent's guitarist Cliff Gallup, who played a Duo Jet.
Elvis Presley himself later owned a Gretsch Country Gentleman—(recently[when?] manufactured as "Gretsch Country Classic" but now renamed Chet Atkins Country Gentleman), playing it briefly both on stage and in the studio. Gretsch quickly became a legitimate competitor to both Gibson and its main rivals, Fender and Rickenbacker.
Gretsch fortunes rose yet again in the early sixties when George Harrison played a Gretsch Country Gentleman on The Ed Sullivan Show. Despite popular belief, he acquired two Country Gentleman guitars; his first was destroyed when it fell out of the trunk of a car on the roadway. He would later switch to a Gretsch Tennessean and his Country Gentleman made its last appearance in the music video of "You're Going to Lose That Girl" in the movie Help! The Ed Sullivan Country Gent was given to Ringo Starr by Harrison's wife, Olivia. Alf Bicknell, chauffeur for The Beatles, strapped the Country Gentleman (George Harrison's second) to the back of the car. The guitar did not fall out of the trunk/boot.
The British Invasion brought further popularity to Gretsch models. In addition to the Beatles, Brian O'Hara of The Fourmost used a Country Gentleman; it has been suggested that George Harrison gave him this guitar after acquiring the Tennessean.
Fred Gretsch never found a suitable successor, and in 1967 Gretsch was sold to Baldwin Pianos, becoming a subsidiary of that firm.
During the "Baldwin era", new models were introduced throughout the seventies and old favorites continued to be produced. As solidbody guitars rose to prominence in rock, with the harder styles of the era favoring Fender Stratocasters and Gibson Les Pauls, use of hollowbodies fell in popularity. In 1979, after Fred Jr's death, Chet Atkins withdrew his endorsement in response to quality problems and Gretsch's unwillingness to pursue his vision of a nylon-stringed electric guitar. Factory fires in the early 1970s caused serious problems, and production was finally halted by Baldwin in 1981.
In 1989, another Fred Gretsch, nephew of Fred Jr., and his wife Dinah, acquired their namesake company. The first new model they introduced was the Traveling Wilburys model - an Asian import - which looked much like a Danelectro. While this guitar model did little to bolster Gretsch's reputation for producing classic guitars, it served notice that Gretsch was back.
After numerous failed attempts to acquire facilities or contract production in the United States, Fred Gretsch and long-time Gretsch employee Duke Kramer, who advised Gretsch, turned to Terada of Japan, and production began there. A range of reissues appeared throughout the nineties to mixed reviews. They were of generally high quality, but with notable non-vintage details and features. Occasional US-built "Custom Shop" models were offered at significantly higher prices.
guyatone
hagstrom
harmony
heraton
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hh electronics
HH Electronics is a British amplifier manufacturer, that was founded in 1968 by Mike Harrison, Malcolm Green and Graham Lowes in Harston near Cambridge, England, where its first solid state TPA and MA range of studio quality amplifiers were designed and manufactured. These amplifiers were used by many recording and broadcasting studios, including the BBC.
The company later moved to larger premises at Milton, Cambridgeshire, named the 'Dust Bowl' producing the first of the IC range of music amplifiers. The I/C100 Organ/Musical Instrument Amplifier, which gave a massive 100-watt RMS of undistorted power and featured a unique green electro-luminecent lit front panel which was to become one of HH's unique selling points, was produced with musicians [especially the semi-pro] and the retail music equipment market in mind. The separate 412BL [4 x 12"speaker] Bass/Lead Cabinet was also produced for the I/C100. The I/C100 was also put in a cabinet [called a Combo] with 2 x 12" Celestion Speakers.
Following a move to Bar Hill, Cambridge in the late 70's, HH extended its range of sound reinforcement equipment to include models such as the MA100 Mixer Amplifier, a 100 watt, 5 channel PA amplifier 'head' with a switchable spring reverb. The IC100L, V-S Bass and the V-S Musician, a two-channel 100-watt guitar amplifier head with a spring reverb, separate gain and master volume controls and a built in switchable solid state distortion circuit. This circuit was designed to emulate valve amplifier distortion [hence V-S for valve sound] but with controllable master volume, the V-S circuit was encased in a block of resin to prevent copying by competitors. All the amplifiers were housed in smart slim carryable heads and 2 x 12 or 1 x 15 combo enclosures. Many new PA speaker cabinets were designed and put into production, such as the 212 & 412 Dual Concentric, 212BL, 215BL, 412BL, 115PA Radial Horns and Bass Bin + Piezo plus the Concert Series of pro PA systems. A large range of studio and live mixing consoles, from an 8:2 to a 24:8:2, was designed and manufactured in the early '80's, plus an HH electric piano and a range of tape echo machines and effects pedals.
Loudspeakers were also designed and manufactured in-house with cast aluminium frames under the supervision of HH Acoustics [led by acoustic guru Ed Forme], in order to match the quality of the amplifiers and speaker cabinets.
Continuing designs brought along another of the first 19-inch rack mountable studio quality power amplifiers, the S500D, a favourite with the big pro touring and hire companies. Producing nothing less than 500 watts RMS of power per channel, these amplifiers were ideal for the big touring supergroups in the '80's. Also there was the V-series of amplifiers, including the V100, V200, V500 and V800 MOSFET.
HH moved premises again around 1985 to Clifton Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and began to develop new amplification products, such as the VX Range of 19" Rack Amplifiers, MXA and Invader series speakers.
The company later moved to larger premises at Milton, Cambridgeshire, named the 'Dust Bowl' producing the first of the IC range of music amplifiers. The I/C100 Organ/Musical Instrument Amplifier, which gave a massive 100-watt RMS of undistorted power and featured a unique green electro-luminecent lit front panel which was to become one of HH's unique selling points, was produced with musicians [especially the semi-pro] and the retail music equipment market in mind. The separate 412BL [4 x 12"speaker] Bass/Lead Cabinet was also produced for the I/C100. The I/C100 was also put in a cabinet [called a Combo] with 2 x 12" Celestion Speakers.
Following a move to Bar Hill, Cambridge in the late 70's, HH extended its range of sound reinforcement equipment to include models such as the MA100 Mixer Amplifier, a 100 watt, 5 channel PA amplifier 'head' with a switchable spring reverb. The IC100L, V-S Bass and the V-S Musician, a two-channel 100-watt guitar amplifier head with a spring reverb, separate gain and master volume controls and a built in switchable solid state distortion circuit. This circuit was designed to emulate valve amplifier distortion [hence V-S for valve sound] but with controllable master volume, the V-S circuit was encased in a block of resin to prevent copying by competitors. All the amplifiers were housed in smart slim carryable heads and 2 x 12 or 1 x 15 combo enclosures. Many new PA speaker cabinets were designed and put into production, such as the 212 & 412 Dual Concentric, 212BL, 215BL, 412BL, 115PA Radial Horns and Bass Bin + Piezo plus the Concert Series of pro PA systems. A large range of studio and live mixing consoles, from an 8:2 to a 24:8:2, was designed and manufactured in the early '80's, plus an HH electric piano and a range of tape echo machines and effects pedals.
Loudspeakers were also designed and manufactured in-house with cast aluminium frames under the supervision of HH Acoustics [led by acoustic guru Ed Forme], in order to match the quality of the amplifiers and speaker cabinets.
Continuing designs brought along another of the first 19-inch rack mountable studio quality power amplifiers, the S500D, a favourite with the big pro touring and hire companies. Producing nothing less than 500 watts RMS of power per channel, these amplifiers were ideal for the big touring supergroups in the '80's. Also there was the V-series of amplifiers, including the V100, V200, V500 and V800 MOSFET.
HH moved premises again around 1985 to Clifton Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and began to develop new amplification products, such as the VX Range of 19" Rack Amplifiers, MXA and Invader series speakers.
hilgen
Hilgen is a defunct American amplifier manufacturer.
The company was started in the 1960s in Hillside, NJ. The name "Hilgen" is a combination of "Hillside" and "Gentul." Jack Gentul (1920–2000) was the founding innovator behind the Hilgen products.
The company made both guitar and bass models, with a T indicating a guitar model and a B indicating a bass model.
T1506 Troubador 12" combo amp. Featured 12AX7 and 12AU7 preamp tubes, 2 EL84 power tubes, and a 6Y3 rectifier.
T2511 Meteor 12" combo amp. There is mention on the Univox website that the Hilgen Meteor may have been a different brand name used by Univox to sell their U-45B 10W 12" combo amp with similar circuitry and slightly different cosmetics.
R2523 Champion. Introduced in 1965, featured 7591A tubes, reverb and tremolo.
There was a model called the "Swing Away", which was a semi-combo 2x12. Its unique feature was that the amp was hinged, allowing it to be tucked away in the speaker cabinet when not in use; it could then swing into position when needed.
R2522 Victor - Similar in appearance to other Hilgen combo amps though this model has a crest in the lower right corner. single 12" speaker. tubes: 5AR4 rectifier, 7199 for reverb recovery, 2x12AX7's for preamp and reverb send, 12AU7 phase inverter. 25 to 30 watt output.
R2521 Pacesetter - similar in appearance to other Hilgen combo amps. swirling paint design on grill cloth similar to those found on Sano amps. 12" speaker powered by 7591 power tubes
Bass Amplifiers
B2501 Basso, a 1x15 combo amp. Came with 2 7591A, 1 5AR4(GZ34) rectifier, and 2 12AX7As one for the preamp and one for the phase inverter for about 20-25 watts although I have heard of some having 3 12AX7's. But by today's wattage ratings is actually closer to 40 watts. Info and schematics at http://www.hilgenamplifiers.net/
B2502 Basso Profundo, a 1x15 combo amp
B2503 Basso Grande, an amp head designed to piggyback on top of a speaker cabinet. Came with 2 12AX7 preamp tubes, 2 7591A power tubes, and a 5AR4(GZ34) rectifier. It came with a closed-back 2-12 speaker cabinet that had a unique, slightly angled profile. The head attached to the top of the speaker cabinet with a pair of latches.
B2234 HM-B, a 1x15 combo amp, also with 2 12ax7 preamp tubes, 2 7591 power tubes, and a 5AR4(GZ34) rectifier.
The company was started in the 1960s in Hillside, NJ. The name "Hilgen" is a combination of "Hillside" and "Gentul." Jack Gentul (1920–2000) was the founding innovator behind the Hilgen products.
The company made both guitar and bass models, with a T indicating a guitar model and a B indicating a bass model.
T1506 Troubador 12" combo amp. Featured 12AX7 and 12AU7 preamp tubes, 2 EL84 power tubes, and a 6Y3 rectifier.
T2511 Meteor 12" combo amp. There is mention on the Univox website that the Hilgen Meteor may have been a different brand name used by Univox to sell their U-45B 10W 12" combo amp with similar circuitry and slightly different cosmetics.
R2523 Champion. Introduced in 1965, featured 7591A tubes, reverb and tremolo.
There was a model called the "Swing Away", which was a semi-combo 2x12. Its unique feature was that the amp was hinged, allowing it to be tucked away in the speaker cabinet when not in use; it could then swing into position when needed.
R2522 Victor - Similar in appearance to other Hilgen combo amps though this model has a crest in the lower right corner. single 12" speaker. tubes: 5AR4 rectifier, 7199 for reverb recovery, 2x12AX7's for preamp and reverb send, 12AU7 phase inverter. 25 to 30 watt output.
R2521 Pacesetter - similar in appearance to other Hilgen combo amps. swirling paint design on grill cloth similar to those found on Sano amps. 12" speaker powered by 7591 power tubes
Bass Amplifiers
B2501 Basso, a 1x15 combo amp. Came with 2 7591A, 1 5AR4(GZ34) rectifier, and 2 12AX7As one for the preamp and one for the phase inverter for about 20-25 watts although I have heard of some having 3 12AX7's. But by today's wattage ratings is actually closer to 40 watts. Info and schematics at http://www.hilgenamplifiers.net/
B2502 Basso Profundo, a 1x15 combo amp
B2503 Basso Grande, an amp head designed to piggyback on top of a speaker cabinet. Came with 2 12AX7 preamp tubes, 2 7591A power tubes, and a 5AR4(GZ34) rectifier. It came with a closed-back 2-12 speaker cabinet that had a unique, slightly angled profile. The head attached to the top of the speaker cabinet with a pair of latches.
B2234 HM-B, a 1x15 combo amp, also with 2 12ax7 preamp tubes, 2 7591 power tubes, and a 5AR4(GZ34) rectifier.
hirtel
hiwatt
Hiwatt is a British company who manufacture amplifiers for electric guitars and electric basses. Starting in the late 1960s, together with Marshall and Vox, Hiwatt contributed to the sonic image popularly termed "British sound".
Dave Reeves started Hiwatt and Hylight Electronics in 1966. In order to raise capital for his young company, Reeves accepted a contract to build a line of amplifiers for Ivor Arbiter's store Sound City. By mid-1968 and the contract with Sound City fulfilled, Reeves focused on his own brand, Hiwatt.
By 1969, The Who and Pink Floyd were the most well known users of Hiwatt. Later that year, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) had a Hiwatt custom made for him. Jethro Tull and Manfred Mann were other famous users at that time.
By 1970, Hiwatt produced PA amps as well as 50-watt (DR504), 100-watt (DR103), and 200-watt (DR201) all-purpose amplifiers. Until that time, Reeves had been building all of the amps in his garage with the help of his wife Daphne and Doug Fentiman. In early 1970, Reeves accepted that he could not keep up with demand and began looking for well qualified electrical technicians to be contracted.
Harry Joyce Electronics was selected and by mid-1970 was wiring chassis that were then sent to Reeves for final assembly and testing. This arrangement lasted until Reeves's death in 1981 and Harry Joyce Electronics continued to wire chassis for the short lived Biacrown Electronics (1981–1984)
Between 1984 and 2013 there have been various owners of the Hiwatt Trademark, namely Richard Harrison and Fernandez who owned the trademark for North America and Japan. In 2013 Hiwatt was brought back under full British control.
Hiwatt continue to produce amplifiers by hand in the UK. Hiwatt also continue to use British FANE speakers which are custom built to Hiwatt's exacting specifications.
Dave Reeves started Hiwatt and Hylight Electronics in 1966. In order to raise capital for his young company, Reeves accepted a contract to build a line of amplifiers for Ivor Arbiter's store Sound City. By mid-1968 and the contract with Sound City fulfilled, Reeves focused on his own brand, Hiwatt.
By 1969, The Who and Pink Floyd were the most well known users of Hiwatt. Later that year, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) had a Hiwatt custom made for him. Jethro Tull and Manfred Mann were other famous users at that time.
By 1970, Hiwatt produced PA amps as well as 50-watt (DR504), 100-watt (DR103), and 200-watt (DR201) all-purpose amplifiers. Until that time, Reeves had been building all of the amps in his garage with the help of his wife Daphne and Doug Fentiman. In early 1970, Reeves accepted that he could not keep up with demand and began looking for well qualified electrical technicians to be contracted.
Harry Joyce Electronics was selected and by mid-1970 was wiring chassis that were then sent to Reeves for final assembly and testing. This arrangement lasted until Reeves's death in 1981 and Harry Joyce Electronics continued to wire chassis for the short lived Biacrown Electronics (1981–1984)
Between 1984 and 2013 there have been various owners of the Hiwatt Trademark, namely Richard Harrison and Fernandez who owned the trademark for North America and Japan. In 2013 Hiwatt was brought back under full British control.
Hiwatt continue to produce amplifiers by hand in the UK. Hiwatt also continue to use British FANE speakers which are custom built to Hiwatt's exacting specifications.
horugel
HOWARD/MURPHY MUSIC INDUSTRIES
The Howard amp was built by Tom "Howard" McCormick at his electronics company in Phoenix, AZ. They were marketed under both Howard brand and Murph brand. The last brand was via Murphy Music Industries, which produced guitars in 1966 to 1967.
This is the Howard amplifiers as sold under the Murph brand:
# Model 101 - "Splattertone", Vibrolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 102 - Vibrolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 103 - "Splattertone", Tremolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 104 - Tremolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 105 - Tremolo, Echo, two 10" speakers
# Model 106 - ( Bass amplifier ) "Splattertone", one 15" speaker
# Model 107 - ( Bass amplifier ) one 15" speaker
# Model 108 - ( Bass amplifier ) four 10" speakers
# Model 109 - Tremolo, Echo, two 10" speakers
And here is a reader's submission from Lyle with Lone Wolf Tube Amps:
This is the Howard amplifiers as sold under the Murph brand:
# Model 101 - "Splattertone", Vibrolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 102 - Vibrolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 103 - "Splattertone", Tremolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 104 - Tremolo, Echo, two 12" speakers
# Model 105 - Tremolo, Echo, two 10" speakers
# Model 106 - ( Bass amplifier ) "Splattertone", one 15" speaker
# Model 107 - ( Bass amplifier ) one 15" speaker
# Model 108 - ( Bass amplifier ) four 10" speakers
# Model 109 - Tremolo, Echo, two 10" speakers
And here is a reader's submission from Lyle with Lone Wolf Tube Amps:
What Howard McCormick is most famous for, is building this guitar for Duane Eddy -
hylo
impact
jansen
jason
jennings
Jennings Musical Instruments is a manufacturer of musical instruments, and the original owner of the Vox brand. The company was founded by Thomas Walter Jennings.
The Jennings Organ Company was founded by Thomas Walter Jennings in Dartford Kent, England after World War II. Jennings' first successful product was the Univox, an early mains powered electronic keyboard with built-in valve amplifier and loudspeaker, similar to the Clavioline. There is some debate over whether the Clavioline or Univox was used in the song Telstar, but many think that it was the latter.
In 1956 Jennings was shown a prototype guitar amplifier made by Dick Denney, a big band guitarist and workmate from WWII. Dick was going deaf and invented the Vox so that he could still hear himself play, Richard Mann, a friend of Dick's drew up the first blueprints which were presented to Jennings of Bexleyheath, Dick Denney received very little for his invention and continued to design from a workshop built in the garden of his council house in Erith, Kent. The company was renamed Jennings Musical Industries or JMI, and in 1958 the 15-watt Vox AC15 amplifier was launched, and was popularized by The Shadows and other British rock 'n' roll musicians. Its more famous product, AC30 is launched in 1959.
In 1964 Tom Jennings, in order to raise capital for JMI's expansion, sold a controlling interest in JMI to the Royston Group, a British holding company, and sold American rights to the California-based Thomas Organ Company. Displeased with the direction his old company was taking, he left the company in 1967, roughly the same time that Marshall overtook Vox as the dominant force in the British guitar amplifier market. While Royston's Vox Sound Equipment division set up new operations in the Kent town of Erith, Tom Jennings set up a new company in his old Dartford location, joined later by Dick Denney. Jennings Electronic Industries operated for several years, making an updated and rebadged version of the AC30 along with other amplifiers, as well as a new range of organs.
The Tom Jennings-led JMI Company folded in 1968 and the brand lay dormant for almost 30 years.
The Jennings Organ Company was founded by Thomas Walter Jennings in Dartford Kent, England after World War II. Jennings' first successful product was the Univox, an early mains powered electronic keyboard with built-in valve amplifier and loudspeaker, similar to the Clavioline. There is some debate over whether the Clavioline or Univox was used in the song Telstar, but many think that it was the latter.
In 1956 Jennings was shown a prototype guitar amplifier made by Dick Denney, a big band guitarist and workmate from WWII. Dick was going deaf and invented the Vox so that he could still hear himself play, Richard Mann, a friend of Dick's drew up the first blueprints which were presented to Jennings of Bexleyheath, Dick Denney received very little for his invention and continued to design from a workshop built in the garden of his council house in Erith, Kent. The company was renamed Jennings Musical Industries or JMI, and in 1958 the 15-watt Vox AC15 amplifier was launched, and was popularized by The Shadows and other British rock 'n' roll musicians. Its more famous product, AC30 is launched in 1959.
In 1964 Tom Jennings, in order to raise capital for JMI's expansion, sold a controlling interest in JMI to the Royston Group, a British holding company, and sold American rights to the California-based Thomas Organ Company. Displeased with the direction his old company was taking, he left the company in 1967, roughly the same time that Marshall overtook Vox as the dominant force in the British guitar amplifier market. While Royston's Vox Sound Equipment division set up new operations in the Kent town of Erith, Tom Jennings set up a new company in his old Dartford location, joined later by Dick Denney. Jennings Electronic Industries operated for several years, making an updated and rebadged version of the AC30 along with other amplifiers, as well as a new range of organs.
The Tom Jennings-led JMI Company folded in 1968 and the brand lay dormant for almost 30 years.
jim kelley amplifiers
Jim Kelley Amplifiers is the trademark for the vacuum tube guitar amplifiers designed by Jim Kelley and manufactured by his company Active Guitar Electronics of Tustin, California between the years of 1978 and 1985. Approximately 600 of these amps were built during that time. The single channel version of the amplifier employed modest gain in the preamp stages, Baxandall bass and treble controls, a split load phase inverter, and four 6V6GT output tubes. The amplifier produced 60 watts RMS at full power, and included a half power (30/60) switch. An improved version was released in 1980 which included reverb and an additional stage of gain. These guitar amps were the first to employ a matched quartet of 6V6GT output tubes. They were also the first guitar amplifiers to be offered with an optional power attenuator.
Further innovations were incorporated into the FACS (foot activated channel switching) model, which built upon the single channel design by adding switchable preamps and tone stacks, and provided relay switching for the power attenuator. Another novel feature developed by Jim Kelley was the LED Bias Indicator.
The final model to be developed and produced was the FACS Line Amp. It had all the features of a FACS amp, but the lead channel also employed a low power push-pull output section. The miniature output transformer was followed by the Main Gain control, which functioned as a Master Volume. The lead channel also had a post distortion passive LC tone control which could either cut or boost mid-range. A rack mounted, all FET stereo guitar amplifier with analog delay reverb was developed but never brought to market.
Further innovations were incorporated into the FACS (foot activated channel switching) model, which built upon the single channel design by adding switchable preamps and tone stacks, and provided relay switching for the power attenuator. Another novel feature developed by Jim Kelley was the LED Bias Indicator.
The final model to be developed and produced was the FACS Line Amp. It had all the features of a FACS amp, but the lead channel also employed a low power push-pull output section. The miniature output transformer was followed by the Main Gain control, which functioned as a Master Volume. The lead channel also had a post distortion passive LC tone control which could either cut or boost mid-range. A rack mounted, all FET stereo guitar amplifier with analog delay reverb was developed but never brought to market.
jmf
jordan
Jugg Box
kalamazoo
kay
Kay Musical Instrument Company was a musical instrument manufacturer of the United States, in operation since the 1930s until the 1960s. It was established in 1931 at Chicago, Illinois by Henry Kay Kuhrmeyer, from the assets of the former Stromberg-Voisinet, which was founded as Groeschel Mandolin Company in 1890. Kay offered their first electric guitar in 1936—five years after the Rickenbacker Frying pan, and the same year as the Gibson ES-150. Nonetheless, Kay is considered an electric guitar pioneer because Kuhrmeyer bought their past company, Stromberg-Voisinet, and produced the first commercial electric guitar, the Stromberg Electro, in 1928.
Early history (1890–1931)The Kay Musical Instrument Company grew from the Groeschel Mandolin Company (or Groeshl Instrument Company) in Chicago, established in 1890. In 1921, the company was renamed to Stromberg-Voisinet. In 1923, later president Henry Kay "Hank" Kuhrmeyer joined the company, and in 1928, with the help of an investor, he bought the company and started producing electric guitars and amplifiers.
The new company, "Kay Musical Instruments" was formally established in 1931[citation needed] from the assets of the former Stromberg-Voisinet company by Kuhrmeyer.
Activity on Kuhrmeyer-era (1931–1955)The company initially manufactured only traditional folk instruments,[citation needed] but eventually grew to make a wide variety of stringed instruments, including violins, cellos, banjos, upright basses—and a variety of different types of guitars, including classical guitars, lap steel guitars, semi-acoustic guitars, and solid body electrics. Some of Kay's lower-grade instruments were marketed under the Knox and Kent brand names.
In addition to manufacturing instruments for sale under its own brands, Kay was also a prolific manufacturer of "house branded" guitars and folk instruments for other Chicago-based instrument makers and, at times, for major department stores including Sears and Montgomery Ward.
Kay also made guitar amplifiers, beginning with designs carried over from the old Stromberg company. Kay eventually subcontracted its amplifier production to Chicago music industry rival Valco in the 1950s.
"Kay and its predecessor brands – including Kay Kraft and Kamico, grew from the Groeshl Instrument Company of Chicago. The company was renamed Stromberg-Voisinet in 1921, then Kay Musical Instruments in 1931. Stromberg-Voisinet rarely sold guitars under the Stromberg name (not to be confused with the famous Stromberg archtop guitars) but often sold them to a variety of brands. Kay built a variety of instruments of varying quality; some of their pre-war acoustics were fairly high-end products and are highly sought-after today. By the 1960s they were primarily known for cheap, student-level instruments, though they still built a few mid-range models as well. Kay sold bodies as well as entire guitars to many other brands, including Oahu, Airline, Silvertone and National. It was bought by Valco in 1967 and went under in 1968; imported Kays from the 1980s onward bear no relation to the original brand."
Early history (1890–1931)The Kay Musical Instrument Company grew from the Groeschel Mandolin Company (or Groeshl Instrument Company) in Chicago, established in 1890. In 1921, the company was renamed to Stromberg-Voisinet. In 1923, later president Henry Kay "Hank" Kuhrmeyer joined the company, and in 1928, with the help of an investor, he bought the company and started producing electric guitars and amplifiers.
The new company, "Kay Musical Instruments" was formally established in 1931[citation needed] from the assets of the former Stromberg-Voisinet company by Kuhrmeyer.
Activity on Kuhrmeyer-era (1931–1955)The company initially manufactured only traditional folk instruments,[citation needed] but eventually grew to make a wide variety of stringed instruments, including violins, cellos, banjos, upright basses—and a variety of different types of guitars, including classical guitars, lap steel guitars, semi-acoustic guitars, and solid body electrics. Some of Kay's lower-grade instruments were marketed under the Knox and Kent brand names.
In addition to manufacturing instruments for sale under its own brands, Kay was also a prolific manufacturer of "house branded" guitars and folk instruments for other Chicago-based instrument makers and, at times, for major department stores including Sears and Montgomery Ward.
Kay also made guitar amplifiers, beginning with designs carried over from the old Stromberg company. Kay eventually subcontracted its amplifier production to Chicago music industry rival Valco in the 1950s.
"Kay and its predecessor brands – including Kay Kraft and Kamico, grew from the Groeshl Instrument Company of Chicago. The company was renamed Stromberg-Voisinet in 1921, then Kay Musical Instruments in 1931. Stromberg-Voisinet rarely sold guitars under the Stromberg name (not to be confused with the famous Stromberg archtop guitars) but often sold them to a variety of brands. Kay built a variety of instruments of varying quality; some of their pre-war acoustics were fairly high-end products and are highly sought-after today. By the 1960s they were primarily known for cheap, student-level instruments, though they still built a few mid-range models as well. Kay sold bodies as well as entire guitars to many other brands, including Oahu, Airline, Silvertone and National. It was bought by Valco in 1967 and went under in 1968; imported Kays from the 1980s onward bear no relation to the original brand."
kEIL
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kent
kershaw
king sound
knox
kustom
Kustom Amplification or Kustom Electronics is a manufacturer of guitar and bass amplifiers and PA equipment and accessories. Since 1999, Kustom has been owned by the Hanser Music Group headquartered in Hebron, Kentucky, which also owns Michael Kelley guitars, B.C. Rich Guitars, Traben Bass Company, Spector Bass, Diezel Amplification, and Premier Percussion."Kustom" was a brand and trademark of Ross, Inc., a company founded in 1964 by Charles "Bud" A. Ross in Chanute, Kansas. The main selling point of Kustom amplifiers was their unique appearance: Ross, Inc. was the first to mass-produce amplifiers covered in "Tuck-And-Roll" naugahyde, similar to hot-rod automobile upholstery popular at that time. The amplifiers featured solid-state circuitry instead of vacuum tube-based designs so common in the 1960s.
Ross, Inc. operated in a factory in Chanute, Kansas. The company produced several models of guitar amplifiers, bass amplifiers, organ amplifiers, Guitars, Basses, and keyboards and P.A. systems. There was also a line of guitars with DeArmond pickups in a variety of colors, including the infamous Pink to Green sunburst that fans have affectionately named "Watermelon Burst." In an original promotion Kustom gave away "Kustom Kats" with the purchase of an amplifier. The Kustom (Nauga) Kats were from the same Uniroyal Naugahyde that Kustom used to cover their products. The original Kustom amps came in a variety of colors including Red Sparkle, Blue Sparkle, Gold Sparkle, Cascade Sparkle (teal), Charcoal Sparkle (grey), Silver Sparkle (white), and Flat Black (which contained no glitter). Eventually the company branched out to produce organs, drums, microphones, and guitars.
Charles "Bud" Ross produced the first Kustom amp which was comprised two fifteen inch speakers mounted side-by-side in a horizontal white sparkle cabinet with and a non-Frankenstein head. The first amp was built for a member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame and is now a featured display in the collection of Rainbow Recording Studios in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was owned by Bud Ross from 1964 until June 1972, when Ross sold it to Baldwin Pianos. The sale was finalized just prior to the 1972 Summer NAMM show where the metal/slant face Kustom amps were introduced. Later Bud Ross established a fairly lucrative business which manufactured police handheld radars. During the following years the factory in Kansas and the associated trademarks would change ownership numerous times. The most notable merger happened with Gretsch, which at the time was owned by Baldwin.
Aside from the Kustom brand, Kustom Electronics also began to manufacture an amplifier line called Kasino. The brand was established in 1972. These were internally the same as Kustom amplifiers but were covered with traditional Tolex material as seen on Fender style amplifiers. Kasino amps were used mainly by country music performers who felt the regular Kustom Tuck-And-Roll Naugahyde models were too flashy. Another reason for establishing a parallel brand was simply to gain a greater share of the amplifier market. One distributor could sell the Kustom brand and one could sell Kasino without competing with each other. Waylon Jennings was an early supporter of the Kasino line. Kasino amps were discontinued in 1975 when Kustom Electronics once again changed ownership.
Other parallel brands of Kustom Electronics were Klassic and Camco. Klassic was a brief venture that reputedly fell into trademark disputes with Peavey Electronics who happened to own the "Classic" trademark. Camco was a brand used for drums.
Amplifier component, two channelsSome affiliated companies and trademarks were Woodson and Legend. Woodson Electronics, Inc. from Bolivar, Missouri was an independent business entity founded by Thomas Woodson in the early 1970s (around the same time when Kustom was acquired by Gretsch). The exact affiliation to Kustom Electronics is yet unknown but most likely the Kansas-based Kustom factory was the manufacturer of Woodson branded amplifiers. Legend hybrid amplifiers of Legend Musical Instruments, Inc. from Syracuse, New York were also manufactured by the Kustom factory. Reputedly these were engineered by Richard Newman (an employee of Bonne Music Shop) and a former employee of Woodson Electronics.
Around the same time the company also changed its logo to a bigger letter "K." Mesa Boogie "Mark" series amplifiers appeared in the late 1970s generating a huge impact. Everyone wanted to clone the popular design, including Kustom Electronics. Kustom's answer to the Mark series was a hybrid amplifier series called "K-Studio." The K-Studio was among the last traditional Kustom products, as subsequent Kustom trademark owners no longer had any affilition with the old Kansas-based company.
Today, Kustom amplifiers are considered fairly collectible and are preferred by some vintage enthusiasts for their solid-state tone. Rockabilly and Motown musicians originally used these amps. Other artists known for using the Kustom brand for live performances are Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Altamonts, Dusty Murphy, 3 and Sheryl Crow. Some of the most famous Kustom P.A. users include Creedence Clearwater Revival, Leon Russell, Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, The Jackson 5, Carl Perkins, Alun Tan Lan (Y Niwl), and The Carpenters. CCR toured from mid-1969 - 1972 using their own massive Kustom 400 PA system due to a lack of quality backline PA systems in venues at that time. As a result, CCR concerts were superior in sound quality, but the cost of transporting the equipment made touring a money losing deal for the band.
Ross, Inc. operated in a factory in Chanute, Kansas. The company produced several models of guitar amplifiers, bass amplifiers, organ amplifiers, Guitars, Basses, and keyboards and P.A. systems. There was also a line of guitars with DeArmond pickups in a variety of colors, including the infamous Pink to Green sunburst that fans have affectionately named "Watermelon Burst." In an original promotion Kustom gave away "Kustom Kats" with the purchase of an amplifier. The Kustom (Nauga) Kats were from the same Uniroyal Naugahyde that Kustom used to cover their products. The original Kustom amps came in a variety of colors including Red Sparkle, Blue Sparkle, Gold Sparkle, Cascade Sparkle (teal), Charcoal Sparkle (grey), Silver Sparkle (white), and Flat Black (which contained no glitter). Eventually the company branched out to produce organs, drums, microphones, and guitars.
Charles "Bud" Ross produced the first Kustom amp which was comprised two fifteen inch speakers mounted side-by-side in a horizontal white sparkle cabinet with and a non-Frankenstein head. The first amp was built for a member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame and is now a featured display in the collection of Rainbow Recording Studios in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was owned by Bud Ross from 1964 until June 1972, when Ross sold it to Baldwin Pianos. The sale was finalized just prior to the 1972 Summer NAMM show where the metal/slant face Kustom amps were introduced. Later Bud Ross established a fairly lucrative business which manufactured police handheld radars. During the following years the factory in Kansas and the associated trademarks would change ownership numerous times. The most notable merger happened with Gretsch, which at the time was owned by Baldwin.
Aside from the Kustom brand, Kustom Electronics also began to manufacture an amplifier line called Kasino. The brand was established in 1972. These were internally the same as Kustom amplifiers but were covered with traditional Tolex material as seen on Fender style amplifiers. Kasino amps were used mainly by country music performers who felt the regular Kustom Tuck-And-Roll Naugahyde models were too flashy. Another reason for establishing a parallel brand was simply to gain a greater share of the amplifier market. One distributor could sell the Kustom brand and one could sell Kasino without competing with each other. Waylon Jennings was an early supporter of the Kasino line. Kasino amps were discontinued in 1975 when Kustom Electronics once again changed ownership.
Other parallel brands of Kustom Electronics were Klassic and Camco. Klassic was a brief venture that reputedly fell into trademark disputes with Peavey Electronics who happened to own the "Classic" trademark. Camco was a brand used for drums.
Amplifier component, two channelsSome affiliated companies and trademarks were Woodson and Legend. Woodson Electronics, Inc. from Bolivar, Missouri was an independent business entity founded by Thomas Woodson in the early 1970s (around the same time when Kustom was acquired by Gretsch). The exact affiliation to Kustom Electronics is yet unknown but most likely the Kansas-based Kustom factory was the manufacturer of Woodson branded amplifiers. Legend hybrid amplifiers of Legend Musical Instruments, Inc. from Syracuse, New York were also manufactured by the Kustom factory. Reputedly these were engineered by Richard Newman (an employee of Bonne Music Shop) and a former employee of Woodson Electronics.
Around the same time the company also changed its logo to a bigger letter "K." Mesa Boogie "Mark" series amplifiers appeared in the late 1970s generating a huge impact. Everyone wanted to clone the popular design, including Kustom Electronics. Kustom's answer to the Mark series was a hybrid amplifier series called "K-Studio." The K-Studio was among the last traditional Kustom products, as subsequent Kustom trademark owners no longer had any affilition with the old Kansas-based company.
Today, Kustom amplifiers are considered fairly collectible and are preferred by some vintage enthusiasts for their solid-state tone. Rockabilly and Motown musicians originally used these amps. Other artists known for using the Kustom brand for live performances are Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Altamonts, Dusty Murphy, 3 and Sheryl Crow. Some of the most famous Kustom P.A. users include Creedence Clearwater Revival, Leon Russell, Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, The Jackson 5, Carl Perkins, Alun Tan Lan (Y Niwl), and The Carpenters. CCR toured from mid-1969 - 1972 using their own massive Kustom 400 PA system due to a lack of quality backline PA systems in venues at that time. As a result, CCR concerts were superior in sound quality, but the cost of transporting the equipment made touring a money losing deal for the band.
lafayette
laney
Laney Amplification is a British designer and manufacturer of guitar amplifiers, bass guitar amplifiers, cabinets, and public address systems. Laney Amplification does not sell directly to the public, instead dealing with distributors and retailers.
Laney Amplification was founded in 1967 by Lyndon Laney while playing bass guitar in Band of Joy. Lyndon’s intense interest in electronics, paired with his lack of funds to purchase a proper amplifier, led to his building what would become the first Laney amp in his father’s garage. As word spread of the tone supplied by Lyndon’s amplifiers, he was able to supplement his income with amp sales to many local musicians, most notably perhaps Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame.
When the Laney signature tone was heard on Black Sabbath’s seminal debut album in 1970, demand became too high for the new company’s manufacturing facilities. Laney began manufacturing in the Digbeth quarter of Birmingham temporarily, but ultimately settled in Cradley Heath, where they stayed until 2004 when they again moved to larger facilities in Halesowen.
From the late ‘60s through much of the ‘70s, Laney focused primarily on their flagship LA100BL model amplifier and their KLIPP series amplifiers. The KLIPP series integrated a treble booster, similar to the Dallas Rangemaster used by countless rock and blues guitarists of the day.
Laney Amplification was founded in 1967 by Lyndon Laney while playing bass guitar in Band of Joy. Lyndon’s intense interest in electronics, paired with his lack of funds to purchase a proper amplifier, led to his building what would become the first Laney amp in his father’s garage. As word spread of the tone supplied by Lyndon’s amplifiers, he was able to supplement his income with amp sales to many local musicians, most notably perhaps Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame.
When the Laney signature tone was heard on Black Sabbath’s seminal debut album in 1970, demand became too high for the new company’s manufacturing facilities. Laney began manufacturing in the Digbeth quarter of Birmingham temporarily, but ultimately settled in Cradley Heath, where they stayed until 2004 when they again moved to larger facilities in Halesowen.
From the late ‘60s through much of the ‘70s, Laney focused primarily on their flagship LA100BL model amplifier and their KLIPP series amplifiers. The KLIPP series integrated a treble booster, similar to the Dallas Rangemaster used by countless rock and blues guitarists of the day.
legend
lenard
lero
Supposedly Lero Amps were actually manufactured by Garnet. That's all I know about them at the moment...
leslie
The Leslie speaker is a combined amplifier and two-way loudspeaker that projects the signal from an electric or electronic instrument, while modifying the sound by rotating the loudspeakers. It is most commonly associated with the Hammond organ, though it was later used for the guitar and other instruments. A typical Leslie speaker contains an amplifier, and a treble and bass speaker—though specific components depend upon the model. A musician controls the Leslie speaker by either an external switch or foot pedal that alternates between a slow and fast speed setting, known as "chorale" and "tremolo".
The speaker is named after its inventor, Donald Leslie. Leslie began working in the late 1930s to get a speaker for a Hammond organ that had a closer emulation of a pipe or theatre organ, and discovered that rotating sound gave the best effect. Hammond was not interested in marketing or selling the speakers, so Leslie sold them himself as an add-on, targeting other organs as well as Hammond. Leslie made the first speaker in 1941. The sound of the organ being played through his speakers received national radio exposure across the US, and it became a commercial and critical success. It soon became an essential tool for most jazz organists. In 1965, Leslie sold his business to CBS who, in 1980, sold it to Hammond. Today, Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation owns the Hammond and Leslie brands.
Because the Leslie is a sound modification device in its own right, various attempts have been made to emulate the effect using electronics. Many musicians have used the Univox Uni-Vibe, the Neo Ventilator, or Hammond-Suzuki's own simulator in a box.
Leslie worked as a radio service engineer at Barker Brothers Department Store in Los Angeles, which sold and repaired Hammond organs. He bought one in 1937, hoping it would be a suitable substitute for a pipe organ. He was disappointed, however, with the sound in his home compared to the large showroom where he originally heard it. Consequently, he attempted to design a speaker to overcome this. He initially tried making a cabinet similar to Hammond's, but soon concluded that pipe organs produced a spatially varied sound because of the different location of each pipe. He set out to emulate this by making a moving speaker. He tried various combinations of speakers and speeds, and discovered that a single one running at what's now known as the "tremolo" speed worked best. After further experimentation, he decided that splitting the signal into a rotating drum and horn helped accentuate bass and treble frequencies.
By 1940, Leslie decided his prototype was ready to market, and went to the Hammond Organ Company to demonstrate it. Laurens Hammond, however, was not impressed with Leslie's attempt to better his own organ design, and declined to market it.[4] The company even changed the speaker interface on their organs to make them "Leslie-proof," though Leslie quickly worked around this.[5] Leslie began manufacturing the speaker in 1941—initially under a variety of names, including Vibratone, Brittain Speakers, Hollywood Speakers, and Crawford Speakers. He returned to the name "Leslie Vibratone" in 1947. To counteract Hammond's slogan "Music's Most Glorious Voice," Leslie added a similar slogan, "Pipe Voice of the Electric Organ" to the plates.[1] He eventually owned nearly 50 patents on the speaker.
Leslie manufactured the speaker to work with other organs besides Hammond, including Wurlitzer, Conn, Thomas and Baldwin.[6] He never particularly liked Hammond organs, once remarking "I hate those damn things."
In 1965, Leslie sold the company to CBS, which had also acquired the Fender guitar company. In 1980, the Hammond Corporation finally bought Electro Music and the Leslie name from CBS. After Hammond went out of business in 1986, a former engineer re-established Electro Music, licensing the name from Noel Crabbe, who had acquired the rights to Hammond. It was subsequently sold to Suzuki in 1992, who continue to manufacture the speaker.
A Leslie speaker consists of a number of individual components. The audio signal enters the amplifier from the instrument. Once amplified, the signal travels to an audio crossover, which splits it into separate frequency bands that can be individually routed to each loudspeaker. Different models have different combinations of speakers, but the most common model, the 122, consists of a single woofer for bass and a single compression driver and acoustic horn for treble. The audio emitted by the speakers is isolated inside an enclosure, aside from a number of outlets that lead towards either a rotating horn or drum. An electric motor rotates both horn and drum at a constant speed.
The only control common to all Leslie speakers is a dial that controls the master volume. This is normally set up once and then left, since the organ's expression pedal normally controls the volume. Leslie recommended playing the organ at full volume with all stops (drawbars) pulled out and adjusting the volume just before distortion occurs. However, the distorted sound of an overdriven vacuum tube amplifier can be a desirable sound, to the extent that modern Leslie simulators have an explicit "overdrive" setting.
Control of a Leslie speaker is normally catered for by an external two way switch, between two settings marked "chorale" and "tremolo". The switch is mounted onto the controlling instrument, so the player can easily switch settings. Some earlier models were limited to "off" and "tremolo", and some later models had all three settings. The switch can be used while notes are being played, and the sound of changing between the two settings is part of the characteristic sound. On both settings, the treble horn rotates slightly faster than the bass woofer; about 50 revolutions per minute (rpm) for "chorale" and 400 rpm for "tremolo", compared to the woofer's 40 rpm and 340 rpm respectively.
Unlike most popular music amplifiers, that use jack plugs to connect to instruments, Leslie speakers use an amphenol connector to interface directly to an organ via a console connector. The type and design of the connector depends on the organ and model of Leslie speaker.
Older models that used tube power amplifiers used a variety of 6-pin connectors, while later models used a 9-pin connector. In all cases, for a single organ - Leslie configuration, the mains power, audio and control signals are all carried on the connector, and the design of the pin layouts varies between organs and speakers. Care must be taken when attempting to service them, as an incorrectly or poorly wired cable can cause permanent damage to the organ and / or speaker, or result in electrocution. It is also possible to connect multiple Leslie speakers to a single organ, by using a power relay that provides the necessary AC current.
A separate device known as the combo preamp is necessary to connect a vintage Leslie to another instrument such as a guitar. This combines a separate AC input and line level input onto a single amphenol connector, and provide a footswitch to select between the speeds of the Leslie. Modern products such as the Trek II UC-1A allow any instrument with a phone jack connection to use a variety of Leslie speakers.
Modern Leslie speakers have an 11-pin interface that is safer to service, as the mains power is carried separately using a standard IEC mains connector. The Hammond-Suzuki Leslie 2101 also includes line in and line out jacks, so a combo preamp is no longer required. Its settings can also be controlled via MIDI.
The initial models of Leslie speakers did not have the "chorale" setting. The control switch was simply a choice between "off" and "tremolo". The first model of Leslie produced was the 30A. It emulated Hammond's DXR-20 tone cabinet, which used moving drums but only produced amplitude modulation, not frequency modulation. It contained a 15-inch (380 mm) drum and the power amplifier was housed in the top of the unit, to allow easy repair. This was superseded between 1947 and 1949 by the 31H, also known as the "Tall Boy". It was similar in appearance to the 30A, but contained additional louvres along the top of the cabinet. Also, reflectors were placed on the end of the horn, to allow the treble signal to exit the unit through the sides, rather than on the top.
The next models Leslie produced were the 21H and the 22H, which had a cabinet in a similar styling to the better known 122, with the same dimensions and louvres. They were powered by a 40 watt tube amplifier.
The 122 is the most popular Leslie. It was specifically designed for the Hammond organ and is the model most commonly identified with it. It is 41 inches (1,000 mm) high, contains separate motors for chorale and tremolo, and a 40 watt tube amplifier. The 122 is the most adaptable to being recorded, as it has a balanced signal which eliminates mains hum and other noise.[29] The 122RV was the same model, but with an additional reverb amplifier, which fed through to a separate static speaker.[30] A slightly smaller version, the 33-inch (840 mm) 142 was available. Hammond-Suzuki currently manufacture the 122A, a straight reissue of the 122, and the 122XB, which contains a modern 11-pin adapter, an IECC mains adaptor, line-in, and a jack socket for a footswitch to control the speed. This eliminates the need for a combo preamp.
The speaker is named after its inventor, Donald Leslie. Leslie began working in the late 1930s to get a speaker for a Hammond organ that had a closer emulation of a pipe or theatre organ, and discovered that rotating sound gave the best effect. Hammond was not interested in marketing or selling the speakers, so Leslie sold them himself as an add-on, targeting other organs as well as Hammond. Leslie made the first speaker in 1941. The sound of the organ being played through his speakers received national radio exposure across the US, and it became a commercial and critical success. It soon became an essential tool for most jazz organists. In 1965, Leslie sold his business to CBS who, in 1980, sold it to Hammond. Today, Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation owns the Hammond and Leslie brands.
Because the Leslie is a sound modification device in its own right, various attempts have been made to emulate the effect using electronics. Many musicians have used the Univox Uni-Vibe, the Neo Ventilator, or Hammond-Suzuki's own simulator in a box.
Leslie worked as a radio service engineer at Barker Brothers Department Store in Los Angeles, which sold and repaired Hammond organs. He bought one in 1937, hoping it would be a suitable substitute for a pipe organ. He was disappointed, however, with the sound in his home compared to the large showroom where he originally heard it. Consequently, he attempted to design a speaker to overcome this. He initially tried making a cabinet similar to Hammond's, but soon concluded that pipe organs produced a spatially varied sound because of the different location of each pipe. He set out to emulate this by making a moving speaker. He tried various combinations of speakers and speeds, and discovered that a single one running at what's now known as the "tremolo" speed worked best. After further experimentation, he decided that splitting the signal into a rotating drum and horn helped accentuate bass and treble frequencies.
By 1940, Leslie decided his prototype was ready to market, and went to the Hammond Organ Company to demonstrate it. Laurens Hammond, however, was not impressed with Leslie's attempt to better his own organ design, and declined to market it.[4] The company even changed the speaker interface on their organs to make them "Leslie-proof," though Leslie quickly worked around this.[5] Leslie began manufacturing the speaker in 1941—initially under a variety of names, including Vibratone, Brittain Speakers, Hollywood Speakers, and Crawford Speakers. He returned to the name "Leslie Vibratone" in 1947. To counteract Hammond's slogan "Music's Most Glorious Voice," Leslie added a similar slogan, "Pipe Voice of the Electric Organ" to the plates.[1] He eventually owned nearly 50 patents on the speaker.
Leslie manufactured the speaker to work with other organs besides Hammond, including Wurlitzer, Conn, Thomas and Baldwin.[6] He never particularly liked Hammond organs, once remarking "I hate those damn things."
In 1965, Leslie sold the company to CBS, which had also acquired the Fender guitar company. In 1980, the Hammond Corporation finally bought Electro Music and the Leslie name from CBS. After Hammond went out of business in 1986, a former engineer re-established Electro Music, licensing the name from Noel Crabbe, who had acquired the rights to Hammond. It was subsequently sold to Suzuki in 1992, who continue to manufacture the speaker.
A Leslie speaker consists of a number of individual components. The audio signal enters the amplifier from the instrument. Once amplified, the signal travels to an audio crossover, which splits it into separate frequency bands that can be individually routed to each loudspeaker. Different models have different combinations of speakers, but the most common model, the 122, consists of a single woofer for bass and a single compression driver and acoustic horn for treble. The audio emitted by the speakers is isolated inside an enclosure, aside from a number of outlets that lead towards either a rotating horn or drum. An electric motor rotates both horn and drum at a constant speed.
The only control common to all Leslie speakers is a dial that controls the master volume. This is normally set up once and then left, since the organ's expression pedal normally controls the volume. Leslie recommended playing the organ at full volume with all stops (drawbars) pulled out and adjusting the volume just before distortion occurs. However, the distorted sound of an overdriven vacuum tube amplifier can be a desirable sound, to the extent that modern Leslie simulators have an explicit "overdrive" setting.
Control of a Leslie speaker is normally catered for by an external two way switch, between two settings marked "chorale" and "tremolo". The switch is mounted onto the controlling instrument, so the player can easily switch settings. Some earlier models were limited to "off" and "tremolo", and some later models had all three settings. The switch can be used while notes are being played, and the sound of changing between the two settings is part of the characteristic sound. On both settings, the treble horn rotates slightly faster than the bass woofer; about 50 revolutions per minute (rpm) for "chorale" and 400 rpm for "tremolo", compared to the woofer's 40 rpm and 340 rpm respectively.
Unlike most popular music amplifiers, that use jack plugs to connect to instruments, Leslie speakers use an amphenol connector to interface directly to an organ via a console connector. The type and design of the connector depends on the organ and model of Leslie speaker.
Older models that used tube power amplifiers used a variety of 6-pin connectors, while later models used a 9-pin connector. In all cases, for a single organ - Leslie configuration, the mains power, audio and control signals are all carried on the connector, and the design of the pin layouts varies between organs and speakers. Care must be taken when attempting to service them, as an incorrectly or poorly wired cable can cause permanent damage to the organ and / or speaker, or result in electrocution. It is also possible to connect multiple Leslie speakers to a single organ, by using a power relay that provides the necessary AC current.
A separate device known as the combo preamp is necessary to connect a vintage Leslie to another instrument such as a guitar. This combines a separate AC input and line level input onto a single amphenol connector, and provide a footswitch to select between the speeds of the Leslie. Modern products such as the Trek II UC-1A allow any instrument with a phone jack connection to use a variety of Leslie speakers.
Modern Leslie speakers have an 11-pin interface that is safer to service, as the mains power is carried separately using a standard IEC mains connector. The Hammond-Suzuki Leslie 2101 also includes line in and line out jacks, so a combo preamp is no longer required. Its settings can also be controlled via MIDI.
The initial models of Leslie speakers did not have the "chorale" setting. The control switch was simply a choice between "off" and "tremolo". The first model of Leslie produced was the 30A. It emulated Hammond's DXR-20 tone cabinet, which used moving drums but only produced amplitude modulation, not frequency modulation. It contained a 15-inch (380 mm) drum and the power amplifier was housed in the top of the unit, to allow easy repair. This was superseded between 1947 and 1949 by the 31H, also known as the "Tall Boy". It was similar in appearance to the 30A, but contained additional louvres along the top of the cabinet. Also, reflectors were placed on the end of the horn, to allow the treble signal to exit the unit through the sides, rather than on the top.
The next models Leslie produced were the 21H and the 22H, which had a cabinet in a similar styling to the better known 122, with the same dimensions and louvres. They were powered by a 40 watt tube amplifier.
The 122 is the most popular Leslie. It was specifically designed for the Hammond organ and is the model most commonly identified with it. It is 41 inches (1,000 mm) high, contains separate motors for chorale and tremolo, and a 40 watt tube amplifier. The 122 is the most adaptable to being recorded, as it has a balanced signal which eliminates mains hum and other noise.[29] The 122RV was the same model, but with an additional reverb amplifier, which fed through to a separate static speaker.[30] A slightly smaller version, the 33-inch (840 mm) 142 was available. Hammond-Suzuki currently manufacture the 122A, a straight reissue of the 122, and the 122XB, which contains a modern 11-pin adapter, an IECC mains adaptor, line-in, and a jack socket for a footswitch to control the speed. This eliminates the need for a combo preamp.
The 147 is the "universal" version of the 122, designed for any organs, and has a different amplifier input and motor speed control, but is otherwise identical. The signal input is unbalanced, allowing a simpler connection to organs that have a built-in speaker system, such as the Hammond A100, or a Wurlitzer. The motor speed switching uses a separate AC signal, rather than the DC voltage control of the 122. In operation, the noticeable differences between the 122 and the 147 are the 122's lower susceptibility to induced noise, and a delay between operation of the speed control and the actual change in speed. As with the 122 and 142, the 145 is identical to the 147, except that it is housed in a 33-inch (840 mm) cabinet, and thus slightly easier to move. As with the 122, Hammond-Suzuki manufacturer a modern replacement, the 147A.
The model X-77, released in 1968, was designed to accompany Hammond's new tonewheel / transistor organ, the X-66. It contained seven different tab controls and six speakers. It has a completely different interface from other Leslies, using a 12-pin amphenol connector.
By the late 1960s, gigging musicians were finding that older Leslies like the 122 were not loud enough for large venues, which led to the introduction of the "Pro Line" series. These Leslies had louder solid-state power amplifiers, and were mounted on casters for ease of portability. The first models Leslie manufactured were the 900 and 910, which contained a 100 watt, three-channel power amplifier. Both could split into two sections. The most popular version of the Pro-Line series was the 760. It was a smaller version of the 900 and 910, and contained a 40 watt treble and 50 watt bass amplifier. A smaller, more portable version of the 760 is the 820. It is a solid-state cabinet like the 760, and it connects to the organ with a 9-pin connector as well. However, it is only 31 inches (790 mm) high and only a single rotor with a full-range 12-inch speaker. The Pro-Line series was durable and fault-tolerant, with many models lasting for years. However, because they used solid-state amplifiers, they are not as highly regarded as the older tube-based Leslies, because they lack the characteristic sound when the amp is overdriven.
The smallest Leslie is the Model 16, made in 1970. It has a Fender-like speaker body and a rotating foam dispersion block. It was built for guitarists, portable, and had "Leslie" written on the front. It contained just a single 10-inch speaker, and was designed to be powered by an external amplifier, and contained an additional output for an extension speaker. Control of the speaker was via two switches, one of which controlled the speed and one switched the rotors on and off. It was also released later as the Fender Vibratone.
As well as the 122A and 147A reissues, Hammond-Suzuki now make smaller and transportable Leslies using modern technology. The 2101 is 20 inches (520 mm) high and has a rotating horn as found on the 122 and 147, along with a pair of 2-inch (51 mm) compression drivers and two 5-inch (130 mm) woofers. The unit provides two separate inputs so different instruments can be plugged into the rotary and stationary components respectively. The 2121 is a 15-inch (380 mm) stationary speaker that uses digital signal processing to emulate the rotating drum found on older Leslies. The 3300 is the same as the 2121, but with a 300 watt power amplifier.
lessie
linear
little giant
lucky 7
lyric
Magna and (later) Estey manufactured amps for Lyric Electronics of Lomita, CA. There was a "Lyric" Magnatone amplifier earlier in the 1950's, but these Lyric amps are different. The earliest one I've seen was from 1959, and they were made through 1964 or 1965.
magna electronics / magnatone
Magnatone was a brand of electric guitars and amplifiers produced between 1937 and the mid-1970s. The company was based in California. The brand name was revived in the 2010s by Ted Kornblum.Beginning in the late 1930s, Magna Electronics produced amplifiers, Hawaiian and steel guitars. In the 1950s and 1960s, they produced vibrato-equipped amplifiers which were used by musicians including Buddy Holly. The 'real' vibrato effect called F.M. Vibrato was distinct in sound and design from the more common tremolo circuits found on Fender amplifiers.
Magnatone amplifiers began in the late 1930s as the Dickerson Musical Instrument Company founded by Delbert J. Dickerson in southern California. They made steel guitars and amplifiers designed for that instrument.
In the forties Gaston Fator Guitar Studios in Los Angeles bought the business from Dickerson. Fator owned it for a few years, and then sold it to Art Duhamell around 1946. During the years Fator ran the business, there was little engineering or innovation, he basically continued the product lines Dickerson had established and continued to build amps and guitars for other manufacturers as well.
In the hands of its new owner, Art Duhamell, the amplifier and guitar brand name was changed to Magnatone, and the company name was Magna Electronics Company. Duhamell built Magnatones alongside record players, radios, and speakers. By 1950, Magna expanded from their Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles location with three new buildings at 9749 S. Freeman Ave. and employed more than twenty-five employees.
Paul Bigsby designed solid body guitars for Magnatone from 1955–1957.
Magnatone vibrato amps are still used today by musicians including Neil Young, who uses a 280 Stereo in his live rig.
Magnatone amplifiers began in the late 1930s as the Dickerson Musical Instrument Company founded by Delbert J. Dickerson in southern California. They made steel guitars and amplifiers designed for that instrument.
In the forties Gaston Fator Guitar Studios in Los Angeles bought the business from Dickerson. Fator owned it for a few years, and then sold it to Art Duhamell around 1946. During the years Fator ran the business, there was little engineering or innovation, he basically continued the product lines Dickerson had established and continued to build amps and guitars for other manufacturers as well.
In the hands of its new owner, Art Duhamell, the amplifier and guitar brand name was changed to Magnatone, and the company name was Magna Electronics Company. Duhamell built Magnatones alongside record players, radios, and speakers. By 1950, Magna expanded from their Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles location with three new buildings at 9749 S. Freeman Ave. and employed more than twenty-five employees.
Paul Bigsby designed solid body guitars for Magnatone from 1955–1957.
Magnatone vibrato amps are still used today by musicians including Neil Young, who uses a 280 Stereo in his live rig.
maine
marmac
marshall amplification
Marshall Amplification is an English company that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, speaker cabinets, brands personal headphones/earphones, and, having acquired Natal Drums, drums and bongos. It was founded by drum shop owner and drummer Jim Marshall, and is now based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes.
Marshall's guitar amplifiers are among the most recognised in the world. They are known for their Marshall "crunch". This signature sound was conceived by Marshall after guitarists, such as Pete Townshend, visiting Marshall's drum shop complained that the guitar amplifiers then on the market didn't have the right sound or enough volume. After gaining a lot of publicity, Marshall guitar amplifiers and loudspeaker cabinets were sought by guitarists for this new sound and increased volume.[citation needed] Many of the current and reissue Marshall guitar amplifiers continue to use vacuum tubes, as is common in this market sector. Marshall also manufactures less expensive solid-state and hybrid (valve and solid state) equipment.
After a successful career as a drummer and teacher of drum technique, Jim Marshall first went into business in 1962 with a small shop in Hanwell, London, selling drums, cymbals and drum-related accessories; Marshall himself also gave drum lessons. According to Jim, Ritchie Blackmore, Big Jim Sullivan and Pete Townshend were the three main guitarists who often came into the shop and pushed Marshall to make guitar amplifiers and told him the sound and design they wanted. Marshall Ltd. then expanded, hired designers and started making guitar amplifiers to compete with existing amplifiers, the most notable of which at the time were the Fender amplifiers imported from America. These were very popular with guitarists and bass players, but were very expensive. The three guitarists were among the first customers of the first 23 Marshall Amplifiers made.
Jim Marshall thought he could produce a cheaper alternative to American-made guitar amplifiers, but as he had limited electrical-engineering experience he enlisted the help of his shop repairman, Ken Bran, an EMI technician, Dudley Craven, and Ken Underwood. They most liked the sound of the 4x10" Fender Bassman and made several prototypes using the Fender Bassman amplifier as a model. The sixth prototype produced, in Jim's words, the "Marshall Sound".
The original idea was talked about late one night in early 1963 in a Wimpy bar in Ealing in West London. The first six production units were assembled in the garden sheds of Ken Bran, Dudley Craven, Ken Flegg and Ken Underwood in the same year, in Heston, Hanwell and Hayes, all in West London. They were almost copies of the Bassman circuit, with American military-surplus 5881 power valves, a relative of the 6L6. Few speakers were then able to handle more than 15 watts,[citation needed] which meant that an amplifier approaching 50 watts had to use four speakers. For their Bassman, Fender used four Jensen speakers in the same cabinet as the amplifier, but Marshall chose to separate the amplifier from the speakers, and placed four 12-inch Celestion speakers in a separate closed-back cabinet instead of the four 10-inch Jensens in an open-back combo. Other crucial differences included the use of higher-gain ECC83 valves throughout the preamp, and the introduction of a capacitor/resistor filter after the volume control. These circuit changes gave the amp more gain so that it broke into overdrive sooner on the volume control than the Bassman, and boosted the treble frequencies. This new amplifier, tentatively called the "Mark II", was eventually named the "JTM 45", after Jim and his son Terry Marshall and the maximum wattage of the amplifier.
Marshall entered into a 15-year distribution deal with British company Rose-Morris during 1965, which gave him the capital to expand his manufacturing operations, though it would prove to be costly. In retrospect, Marshall admitted the Rose-Morris deal was "the biggest mistake I ever made. Rose-Morris hadn't a clue, really. For export, they added 55% onto my price, which pretty much priced us out of the world market for a long time."Park amplification The new contract had disenfranchised several of Marshall's former distributors, among them his old friend Johnny Jones. Marshall's contract did not prevent him from building amplifiers outside the company, and so Marshall launched the Park brand name, inspired by the maiden name of Jones's wife. To comply with his contract stipulations, these amplifiers had minor circuit changes compared to the regular Marshalls, and minor changes to the appearance. For instance, often the Parks had silver or black front panels instead of the Marshall's gold ones, some of the enclosures were taller or shaped differently, and controls were laid out and labeled differently.
Starting in early 1965, Park produced a number of amplifiers including a 45-watt head. Most of these had Marshall layout and components, though some unusual amplifiers were made, such as a 75 watt keyboard amplifier with KT88 tubes. A 2×12" combo had the option of sending the first channel into the second, probably inspired by Marshall users doing the same trick with a jumper cable. The 1972 Park 75 put out about 100 watts by way of two KT88s, whereas the comparable 50-watt Model 1987 of that time used 2 EL34 tubes.
In 1982, Park came to an end, though Marshall later revived the brand for some transistor amplifiers made in Asia. The Parks made from the mid-1960s to around 1974 (the "golden years"), with point-to-point wiring—rumoured to be "a little hotter" than regular Marshalls—fetch higher prices than comparable "real" Marshalls from the same period.
Other early customers included Pete Townshend and John Entwistle of The Who, whose search for extra volume led Marshall to design the classic 100-watt valve amplifier. Ken Bran and Dudley Craven, Marshall's developers, doubled the number of output valves, added a larger power transformer and an extra output transformer. Four of these amplifiers were built and delivered to Pete Townshend, and the Marshall Super Lead Model 1959, the original Plexi, was born in 1965. At the request of Pete Townshend, Marshall produced an 8×12" cabinet (soon replaced by a pair of 4×12" cabinets) on top of which the 1959 amplifier head was placed, giving rise to the Marshall stack, an iconic image for rock and roll. The size of the wall of Marshall stacks "soon became an indicator of the band's status", even when rendered obsolete by improved PA systems; indeed, many of the "ridiculously huge arrays of heads and cabs" included dummies. Still, most 100-watt heads made today, even though they often contain many more features (or different tubes, such as the more American-sounding 6L6 tubes), "have their roots in Marshall's groundbreaking design".
At this time, the KT66 valve was becoming more expensive, as the M-OV Company faced greater competition from Mullard. Hence, another valve change was made, with Marshall starting to use European-made Mullard EL34 power stage valves.[15] These have a different overdrive character than the KT66s, which gave Marshalls a more aggressive voice still. In 1966, a young Jimi Hendrix was in Jim's shop, trying the amplifiers and guitars. Jim Marshall expected Hendrix to be "another American wanting something for nothing" but to his surprise, Hendrix offered to buy the amplifiers at retail price if Jim would provide him with support for them around the world. Jim Marshall agreed, and several of Hendrix's road crew were trained in the repair and maintenance of the Marshall amps through the years.
The amplifiers from this era are easily identifiable by their acrylic glass (a.k.a. Plexiglas) front panel, which earned them the nickname "Plexi". In 1967 Marshall released a 50 watt version of the 100 watt Superlead known as the 1987 Model. In 1969, the plexiglass panel was replaced by a brushed metal front panel. After 1973, to streamline production, labour-intensive handwriting was discontinued and Marshall valve amplifiers were switched to printed-circuit-board (PCBs). Much of the debate about the difference in tone between the plexi- and aluminium-panel Marshall amps originates from 1974 when Marshall's US distributor had them change all the amps sold in the US and Japan to the much more rugged Tung-Sol 6550 instead of the EL34 output tube, with a different sound.
Marshall's guitar amplifiers are among the most recognised in the world. They are known for their Marshall "crunch". This signature sound was conceived by Marshall after guitarists, such as Pete Townshend, visiting Marshall's drum shop complained that the guitar amplifiers then on the market didn't have the right sound or enough volume. After gaining a lot of publicity, Marshall guitar amplifiers and loudspeaker cabinets were sought by guitarists for this new sound and increased volume.[citation needed] Many of the current and reissue Marshall guitar amplifiers continue to use vacuum tubes, as is common in this market sector. Marshall also manufactures less expensive solid-state and hybrid (valve and solid state) equipment.
After a successful career as a drummer and teacher of drum technique, Jim Marshall first went into business in 1962 with a small shop in Hanwell, London, selling drums, cymbals and drum-related accessories; Marshall himself also gave drum lessons. According to Jim, Ritchie Blackmore, Big Jim Sullivan and Pete Townshend were the three main guitarists who often came into the shop and pushed Marshall to make guitar amplifiers and told him the sound and design they wanted. Marshall Ltd. then expanded, hired designers and started making guitar amplifiers to compete with existing amplifiers, the most notable of which at the time were the Fender amplifiers imported from America. These were very popular with guitarists and bass players, but were very expensive. The three guitarists were among the first customers of the first 23 Marshall Amplifiers made.
Jim Marshall thought he could produce a cheaper alternative to American-made guitar amplifiers, but as he had limited electrical-engineering experience he enlisted the help of his shop repairman, Ken Bran, an EMI technician, Dudley Craven, and Ken Underwood. They most liked the sound of the 4x10" Fender Bassman and made several prototypes using the Fender Bassman amplifier as a model. The sixth prototype produced, in Jim's words, the "Marshall Sound".
The original idea was talked about late one night in early 1963 in a Wimpy bar in Ealing in West London. The first six production units were assembled in the garden sheds of Ken Bran, Dudley Craven, Ken Flegg and Ken Underwood in the same year, in Heston, Hanwell and Hayes, all in West London. They were almost copies of the Bassman circuit, with American military-surplus 5881 power valves, a relative of the 6L6. Few speakers were then able to handle more than 15 watts,[citation needed] which meant that an amplifier approaching 50 watts had to use four speakers. For their Bassman, Fender used four Jensen speakers in the same cabinet as the amplifier, but Marshall chose to separate the amplifier from the speakers, and placed four 12-inch Celestion speakers in a separate closed-back cabinet instead of the four 10-inch Jensens in an open-back combo. Other crucial differences included the use of higher-gain ECC83 valves throughout the preamp, and the introduction of a capacitor/resistor filter after the volume control. These circuit changes gave the amp more gain so that it broke into overdrive sooner on the volume control than the Bassman, and boosted the treble frequencies. This new amplifier, tentatively called the "Mark II", was eventually named the "JTM 45", after Jim and his son Terry Marshall and the maximum wattage of the amplifier.
Marshall entered into a 15-year distribution deal with British company Rose-Morris during 1965, which gave him the capital to expand his manufacturing operations, though it would prove to be costly. In retrospect, Marshall admitted the Rose-Morris deal was "the biggest mistake I ever made. Rose-Morris hadn't a clue, really. For export, they added 55% onto my price, which pretty much priced us out of the world market for a long time."Park amplification The new contract had disenfranchised several of Marshall's former distributors, among them his old friend Johnny Jones. Marshall's contract did not prevent him from building amplifiers outside the company, and so Marshall launched the Park brand name, inspired by the maiden name of Jones's wife. To comply with his contract stipulations, these amplifiers had minor circuit changes compared to the regular Marshalls, and minor changes to the appearance. For instance, often the Parks had silver or black front panels instead of the Marshall's gold ones, some of the enclosures were taller or shaped differently, and controls were laid out and labeled differently.
Starting in early 1965, Park produced a number of amplifiers including a 45-watt head. Most of these had Marshall layout and components, though some unusual amplifiers were made, such as a 75 watt keyboard amplifier with KT88 tubes. A 2×12" combo had the option of sending the first channel into the second, probably inspired by Marshall users doing the same trick with a jumper cable. The 1972 Park 75 put out about 100 watts by way of two KT88s, whereas the comparable 50-watt Model 1987 of that time used 2 EL34 tubes.
In 1982, Park came to an end, though Marshall later revived the brand for some transistor amplifiers made in Asia. The Parks made from the mid-1960s to around 1974 (the "golden years"), with point-to-point wiring—rumoured to be "a little hotter" than regular Marshalls—fetch higher prices than comparable "real" Marshalls from the same period.
Other early customers included Pete Townshend and John Entwistle of The Who, whose search for extra volume led Marshall to design the classic 100-watt valve amplifier. Ken Bran and Dudley Craven, Marshall's developers, doubled the number of output valves, added a larger power transformer and an extra output transformer. Four of these amplifiers were built and delivered to Pete Townshend, and the Marshall Super Lead Model 1959, the original Plexi, was born in 1965. At the request of Pete Townshend, Marshall produced an 8×12" cabinet (soon replaced by a pair of 4×12" cabinets) on top of which the 1959 amplifier head was placed, giving rise to the Marshall stack, an iconic image for rock and roll. The size of the wall of Marshall stacks "soon became an indicator of the band's status", even when rendered obsolete by improved PA systems; indeed, many of the "ridiculously huge arrays of heads and cabs" included dummies. Still, most 100-watt heads made today, even though they often contain many more features (or different tubes, such as the more American-sounding 6L6 tubes), "have their roots in Marshall's groundbreaking design".
At this time, the KT66 valve was becoming more expensive, as the M-OV Company faced greater competition from Mullard. Hence, another valve change was made, with Marshall starting to use European-made Mullard EL34 power stage valves.[15] These have a different overdrive character than the KT66s, which gave Marshalls a more aggressive voice still. In 1966, a young Jimi Hendrix was in Jim's shop, trying the amplifiers and guitars. Jim Marshall expected Hendrix to be "another American wanting something for nothing" but to his surprise, Hendrix offered to buy the amplifiers at retail price if Jim would provide him with support for them around the world. Jim Marshall agreed, and several of Hendrix's road crew were trained in the repair and maintenance of the Marshall amps through the years.
The amplifiers from this era are easily identifiable by their acrylic glass (a.k.a. Plexiglas) front panel, which earned them the nickname "Plexi". In 1967 Marshall released a 50 watt version of the 100 watt Superlead known as the 1987 Model. In 1969, the plexiglass panel was replaced by a brushed metal front panel. After 1973, to streamline production, labour-intensive handwriting was discontinued and Marshall valve amplifiers were switched to printed-circuit-board (PCBs). Much of the debate about the difference in tone between the plexi- and aluminium-panel Marshall amps originates from 1974 when Marshall's US distributor had them change all the amps sold in the US and Japan to the much more rugged Tung-Sol 6550 instead of the EL34 output tube, with a different sound.
martin
masco
Here's a reader's submission from Lyle at Lone Wolf Tube Amps:
mason
massie
matamp
Matamp is a British electric guitar amplifier manufacturing company, best known for its handwired amplifier heads and speaker cabinets. It was established in 1964 by Mat Mathias.
Matamp founder, Mat Mathias, started the company RadioCraft as early 1945. What started as an interest ultimately developed into a fully-fledged business building amplifiers for the burgeoning music scene in the early sixties. Behind his wife’s retail shop, selling accessories to young musicians, Mat’s workshop/manufacturing facility also extended into a fully fledged recording studio complete with disc cutters for young bands to record and cut their own demos. This resulted in the formation of MAT Records. His customers would come and see him, tell him what they wanted, and he would build it and/or record it. Patterns would emerge, and trends soon changed into product lines.
Long-term friend and hi-fi amplifier designer Tony Emerson joined with Mat in the early 1960s, shortly after the name MATAMP (Mat and Tony amplifiers) was coined. As word got around Matamp would soon be working with such musical luminaries as Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac (who Mat joined on their US tour in the late 60’s) and recording early demos with the likes of Graham Gouldman who would go on to form 10cc.
After Tony’s departure and development work with Fleetwood Mac, the company moved on to form a partnership with Cliff Cooper who owned a music shop called simply ‘Orange’, and as such started producing Orange Matamp from the Huddersfield workshop. In 1971, Orange Matamp outsold Marshall, and gave Cliff Cooper a taste of volume sales. However; Mat was not prepared to forego quality standards in favour of mass-production, and so Orange amps moved away from the company that designed the originals.
Matamp is famous for its collaboration with Orange Amps in the 1960s.
Matamp is a British electric guitar amplifier manufacturing company, best known for its handwired amplifier heads and speaker cabinets. It was established in 1964 by Mat Mathias.
Matamp founder, Mat Mathias, started the company RadioCraft as early 1945. What started as an interest ultimately developed into a fully-fledged business building amplifiers for the burgeoning music scene in the early sixties. Behind his wife’s retail shop, selling accessories to young musicians, Mat’s workshop/manufacturing facility also extended into a fully fledged recording studio complete with disc cutters for young bands to record and cut their own demos. This resulted in the formation of MAT Records. His customers would come and see him, tell him what they wanted, and he would build it and/or record it. Patterns would emerge, and trends soon changed into product lines.
Long-term friend and hi-fi amplifier designer Tony Emerson joined with Mat in the early 1960s, shortly after the name MATAMP (Mat and Tony amplifiers) was coined. As word got around Matamp would soon be working with such musical luminaries as Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac (who Mat joined on their US tour in the late 60’s) and recording early demos with the likes of Graham Gouldman who would go on to form 10cc.
After Tony’s departure and development work with Fleetwood Mac, the company moved on to form a partnership with Cliff Cooper who owned a music shop called simply ‘Orange’, and as such started producing Orange Matamp from the Huddersfield workshop. In 1971, Orange Matamp outsold Marshall, and gave Cliff Cooper a taste of volume sales. However; Mat was not prepared to forego quality standards in favour of mass-production, and so Orange amps moved away from the company that designed the originals.
Matamp is famous for its collaboration with Orange Amps in the 1960s.
McKinney
McPherson
meazzi
melody king
mesa/boogie
Mesa/Boogie (also known as Mesa Engineering) is a company in Petaluma, California that manufactures amplifiers for guitars and basses. It has been in operation since 1971.
MESA was started by Randall Smith as a small repair shop which modified Fender Amplifiers, particularly the diminutive Fender Princeton. Smith's modifications gave the small amps much more input gain, making them much louder as well as creating a high-gain, distorted guitar tone. Prominent early customers included Carlos Santana, and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. Exposure from these top players helped to establish Mesa/Boogie's position on the market, and it is frequently referred to as the first manufacturer of boutique amplifiers.
Randall Smith worked as a repair tech in the music shop he co-owned, and Mesa/Boogie began with a practical joke: he borrowed a Fender Princeton (a small 12-watt amplifier) from his friend, Barry Melton of Country Joe and the Fish, and hotrodded it by replacing the amplifier section with that of a Fender Bassman and installing a 12-inch speaker instead of the original 10-inch. The resulting amplifier proved to be loud and successful, and Smith made more than 200 of these Princeton "Boogies"--a name allegedly provided by Carlos Santana,[1] who is to have exclaimed "This thing boogies!"
If hot-rodding Fenders was the first breakthrough, the second was developing an extra gain stage for the guitar input. Smith was building a preamplifier for Lee Michaels, who needed a pre-amp to drive his new Crown DC-300 power amplifiers. Smith added an extra tube gain stage to the preamp, with three variable gain controls at different points in the circuit (what is now called a "cascaded" design), creating the first high-gain amplifier. He set about designing a guitar amplifier around the new principle, and in 1972 the Mark I was released.
The MESA name came about through Smith's other job, rebuilding Mercedes engines. He needed an 'official' sounding name, through which to buy Mercedes parts and building supplies, and chose MESA Engineering.
He produced a number of custom variations on the Mark I through the late 1970s, with options including reverb, EQ, various speakers (most often Altec or Electro-Voice), koa wood jointed cabinets, and wicker grill. The Mark II was released in 1978.
In the 1980s, Mesa continued to produce combo and head amplifiers, and began production of rack power and pre-amps, developing power amplifiers such as the M180/190 and Strategy series, as well as pre-amps such as the Quad and Studio. Other models developed in the 1980s included the Mark III, the Son of Boogie, and the Studio .22. The Rectifier series was first produced in the early 90's and quickly became a staple of modern rock guitar tone. Mesa has continued to introduce new models in the 2000s and 2010s, with models such as the Road King II, the Lone Star and Lone Star Special, the Stiletto and Express lines along and the Mark V and the Mini Rectifier.
MESA was started by Randall Smith as a small repair shop which modified Fender Amplifiers, particularly the diminutive Fender Princeton. Smith's modifications gave the small amps much more input gain, making them much louder as well as creating a high-gain, distorted guitar tone. Prominent early customers included Carlos Santana, and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. Exposure from these top players helped to establish Mesa/Boogie's position on the market, and it is frequently referred to as the first manufacturer of boutique amplifiers.
Randall Smith worked as a repair tech in the music shop he co-owned, and Mesa/Boogie began with a practical joke: he borrowed a Fender Princeton (a small 12-watt amplifier) from his friend, Barry Melton of Country Joe and the Fish, and hotrodded it by replacing the amplifier section with that of a Fender Bassman and installing a 12-inch speaker instead of the original 10-inch. The resulting amplifier proved to be loud and successful, and Smith made more than 200 of these Princeton "Boogies"--a name allegedly provided by Carlos Santana,[1] who is to have exclaimed "This thing boogies!"
If hot-rodding Fenders was the first breakthrough, the second was developing an extra gain stage for the guitar input. Smith was building a preamplifier for Lee Michaels, who needed a pre-amp to drive his new Crown DC-300 power amplifiers. Smith added an extra tube gain stage to the preamp, with three variable gain controls at different points in the circuit (what is now called a "cascaded" design), creating the first high-gain amplifier. He set about designing a guitar amplifier around the new principle, and in 1972 the Mark I was released.
The MESA name came about through Smith's other job, rebuilding Mercedes engines. He needed an 'official' sounding name, through which to buy Mercedes parts and building supplies, and chose MESA Engineering.
He produced a number of custom variations on the Mark I through the late 1970s, with options including reverb, EQ, various speakers (most often Altec or Electro-Voice), koa wood jointed cabinets, and wicker grill. The Mark II was released in 1978.
In the 1980s, Mesa continued to produce combo and head amplifiers, and began production of rack power and pre-amps, developing power amplifiers such as the M180/190 and Strategy series, as well as pre-amps such as the Quad and Studio. Other models developed in the 1980s included the Mark III, the Son of Boogie, and the Studio .22. The Rectifier series was first produced in the early 90's and quickly became a staple of modern rock guitar tone. Mesa has continued to introduce new models in the 2000s and 2010s, with models such as the Road King II, the Lone Star and Lone Star Special, the Stiletto and Express lines along and the Mark V and the Mini Rectifier.
modar
moody amplifiers
Moody guitar amplifiers and lap steel guitars were made by R. Moody & Co. Pty Ltd, of Sydney, Australia in the 1960s. They were made in the company's factory at 126 Bombay Street Lidcombe. An earlier production workshop was located in Board Street Lidcombe but was destroyed by fire in the mid 60s. The Bombay St premises was purpose built.
The owner of the company was Bert (Robert) Moody (2/8/1924-30/7/2005). He moved out of the Amplifier production business in the early to mid 70s due to an inability to compete with the much cheaper imported Japanese amplifiers such as Yamaha etc. When production of Amplifiers ceased, Bert Moody then formed an alliance with Baldwin Piano and Organ Company of the USA, and he then became the Australian Importer of these instruments.
Moody Amps were notable at the time for their styling and their predominantly cathode bias circuits. A good summary of their valve (or tube) guitar amplifiers can be found at this website.
Models included the 60W (GA60?), GA40 (G denoting Guitar), BA40 (blonde) (and black) (B denoting Bass), GA-35, BA-17, GA12, Vibralux 10/12, and the 496, as well as making amps under for other brandnames, such as Ultratone.
The owner of the company was Bert (Robert) Moody (2/8/1924-30/7/2005). He moved out of the Amplifier production business in the early to mid 70s due to an inability to compete with the much cheaper imported Japanese amplifiers such as Yamaha etc. When production of Amplifiers ceased, Bert Moody then formed an alliance with Baldwin Piano and Organ Company of the USA, and he then became the Australian Importer of these instruments.
Moody Amps were notable at the time for their styling and their predominantly cathode bias circuits. A good summary of their valve (or tube) guitar amplifiers can be found at this website.
Models included the 60W (GA60?), GA40 (G denoting Guitar), BA40 (blonde) (and black) (B denoting Bass), GA-35, BA-17, GA12, Vibralux 10/12, and the 496, as well as making amps under for other brandnames, such as Ultratone.
Multivox premier
Multivox Premier was a guitar and amplifier brand of New York-based retailer/wholesaler, Peter Sorkin Music Company (Sorkin Music) and its manufacturing subsidiary Multivox founded in the mid-1940s. Multivox Premier products included: guitars, amplification equipment for guitar, bass and other instruments, PA amplifiers and Hi-fi stereo amplifiers.
In modern times, many Premier amplifier models are sought after by blues harmonica players for use with their microphones to achieve a distorted and "fattened" tone, such as the Twin 8 and Model 50. The Premier Model 90 Reverberation unit was a direct competitor with the Fender Reverb Unit during the early to mid 1960's. They can still be found in the arsenal of many guitarists.
Some Premier guitars were fitted with DeArmond pickups manufactured by Rowe Industries of Toledo, Ohio.
In modern times, many Premier amplifier models are sought after by blues harmonica players for use with their microphones to achieve a distorted and "fattened" tone, such as the Twin 8 and Model 50. The Premier Model 90 Reverberation unit was a direct competitor with the Fender Reverb Unit during the early to mid 1960's. They can still be found in the arsenal of many guitarists.
Some Premier guitars were fitted with DeArmond pickups manufactured by Rowe Industries of Toledo, Ohio.
music man
Music Man is an American guitar and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker formed a company they would call Tri-Sonix, Inc (often incorrectly referred to as "Tri-Sonic"). Tom Walker approached Leo Fender about financial help in forming Tri-Sonix. White had worked with Leo in the very early days of Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company as the plant manager and stayed on after the company was sold to the CBS Corporation, but had grown unhappy with their management. Tom Walker worked as a sales rep at Fender.
Because of a 10-year non-compete clause in the 1965 contract that sold the Fender companies to CBS, Leo Fender was a silent partner.
The name of this partnership was changed to Musitek, Inc. by 1973 and in January 1974 the final name, Music Man, appeared. Leo Fender did not like the name Tri-Sonix, so the name evolved under Leo Fender's suggestion to call the new company Music Man. In 1974, the company started producing its first product, an amplifier designed by Leo Fender and Tom Walker called the "Sixty Five". It was a hybrid of tube and solid state technology. The preamps used the then burgeoning solid state "op-amp" integrated circuits embodying traditional Fender preamp time constants and architecture, while the power amps typically featured a Cathode Driven Tube power amp stage, much as were used in the radio broadcast industry in AM Transmitters. There were a few models with a tube phase splitter in them, but for the most part Music Man amplifiers used the faster responding common Grid, Cathode Coupled drive from a solid state front end that players characterized as "loud as hell". The number of designs rapidly increased. 15 of the 28 pages from 1976 catalogue were dedicated to amplification. In 1975, Fender's legal restriction had expired and after a vote of the board he was named the president of Music Man.
This wasn't Fender's sole enterprise however. He also owned and ran a consulting firm called CLF Research (Clarence Leo Fender) in Fullerton, California. By 1976, it had built a manufacturing facility for musical instruments and was contracted to make Music Man products. In June 1976, production started on guitars and in August basses followed. The 1976 catalogue shows the first offerings; A two pickup guitar called the "StingRay 1" and the StingRay Bass. Both instruments featured bolt on neck designs; the basses featured a distinctive 3+1 tuner arrangement that should help eliminate "dead spots" while the guitars came with a traditional, Fender-style 6-on-a-side tuner array. The StingRay Bass featured a single large hum-bucking pickup (located somewhat toward but not adjacent to the bridge) with a two-band fixed-frequency EQ. A row of string mutes sat on the bridge. Basses were produced in fretted and fretless versions.
These instruments were designed by Leo Fender and Forrest White. Sterling Ball assisted in the design of the bass. Tom Walker played a large part in the design of the bass preamp. They were the first production guitar and basses to use active electronics which could boost levels in selected frequency bands, whereas traditional electronics could only reduce the levels. The preamps were coated with epoxy to prevent reverse engineering. The StingRay Bass sold well. While highly innovative electronically, the guitar was not blessed cosmetically and met with little success. Part of the reason for the poor sales of the guitar was that the preamp actually made the sound "too clean" for most Rock and Roll guitarists.
In December 1978, a two pickup bass was introduced called the Sabre(discontinued in 1991). A redesigned guitar bearing the same name followed. Both sold poorly.
CLF Research and Music Man were treated as separate companies, headed by Leo Fender and Tommy Walker, respectively. Fender made the guitars and basses, while Walker's company made the amplifiers and sold accessories. The instruments were made at CLF, and shipped to Music Man's warehouse, where each instrument was inspected and tested. Problems with fibers in the finish caused Music Man's inspectors to reject a high percentage of the instruments, and return them to CLF for refinishing. Since Music Man didn't pay CLF Research until the instrument finishes were deemed acceptable, a rift developed between CLF and Music Man over payment.
The company's internal conflicts caused Leo Fender to form another partnership. Paul Bechtoldt author of "G&L: Leo's Legacy" describes the situation:
Leo had decided to market guitars under another name besides Music Man in 10/79 due to tension between CLF and Music Man. Production of bodies and necks for both Music Man and G&L were concurrent up to and including March 1981. G&L was incorporated May 1980, although some early models with the moniker "G&L" have body dates from March 1980.[1]Other incidents point to a later date for CLF's exit. Sterling Ball, Music Man's current owner, describes the circumstances and confusion regarding this era on the Ernie Ball website forum:
"Here is the problem...most of these guys are dead so trying to correct the record becomes more and more difficult. Tommy, Leo, Forrest and quite a few more are no longer with us. I can tell you that Leo was very disappointed that his stingray and sabre guitars didn't sell and that was the basis for G&L. G&L (GEORGE AND LEO) was started at CLF behind Music Man's back and coincidence or other CLF made 2,500 Music man bass necks with straight truss rods. Tommy was forced to go to a young upstart Grover Jackson to make the basses. Grover was the one who introduced the trans finishes. I often asked Tommy why he didn't sue over the suspect necks and he replied "My daddy didn't raise me like that".[2]Still another account varies. In an interview conducted by Gav
Townsing, George Fullerton offers this scenario:
"At the end of 1979 we stopped building for Music Man and never made another item for them. We really weren’t friends at that point and not even talking." It has been said that Music Man attempted to force Leo Fender into selling the CLF factory, and when he refused ~ Music Man began cutting orders trying to drive Leo into financial despair. In November 1979, Leo had enough of Music Man's pressure and the ties were cut.
Tom Walker was also having extreme problems with his relationship with Forrest White. At one point, Tommy is said to have chased Forrest out of the building telling him to never return.
By all accounts it was an acrimonious affair. Sterling Ball makes no mention of the dates these incidents occurred but many place the date of the 'neck incident' in late 1982. So how were the instruments made during the two years between the G&L start up and the final CLF blow out? A contract was given to Grover Jackson to build bass bodies and assemble the instruments with CLF necks and the remaining CLF hardware. When CLF stopped making necks Jackson made those also. Oddly, it was Grover Jackson who would provide the headache that would torment Fender and Gibson in the coming years. His Jackson and Charvel line of guitars seemingly would pop into every guitarist hands in the 1980s.
Given this climate the StingRay guitar was quietly dropped from the line. The Sabre guitar soldiered on until 1984 but it's doubtful there were problems filling orders. A graphite necked StingRay Bass debuted in 1980. Fender had been opposed to the idea. The neck was made by Modulus. It was called the Cutlass and the two pickup variant, the Cutlass II. Neither it, nor the new translucent finishes, were able to turn the financial tide and by 1984 the company was near bankruptcy. Music Man was in good company as both Fender and Gibson reached the nadir of mismanagement in the early 1980s. After looking at a few offers Music Man was sold to Ernie Ball on March 7, 1984. Music Man's remaining physical assets were sold on June 1, 1984. The production of amplifiers, which were manufactured at a separate factory, ceased.
Because of a 10-year non-compete clause in the 1965 contract that sold the Fender companies to CBS, Leo Fender was a silent partner.
The name of this partnership was changed to Musitek, Inc. by 1973 and in January 1974 the final name, Music Man, appeared. Leo Fender did not like the name Tri-Sonix, so the name evolved under Leo Fender's suggestion to call the new company Music Man. In 1974, the company started producing its first product, an amplifier designed by Leo Fender and Tom Walker called the "Sixty Five". It was a hybrid of tube and solid state technology. The preamps used the then burgeoning solid state "op-amp" integrated circuits embodying traditional Fender preamp time constants and architecture, while the power amps typically featured a Cathode Driven Tube power amp stage, much as were used in the radio broadcast industry in AM Transmitters. There were a few models with a tube phase splitter in them, but for the most part Music Man amplifiers used the faster responding common Grid, Cathode Coupled drive from a solid state front end that players characterized as "loud as hell". The number of designs rapidly increased. 15 of the 28 pages from 1976 catalogue were dedicated to amplification. In 1975, Fender's legal restriction had expired and after a vote of the board he was named the president of Music Man.
This wasn't Fender's sole enterprise however. He also owned and ran a consulting firm called CLF Research (Clarence Leo Fender) in Fullerton, California. By 1976, it had built a manufacturing facility for musical instruments and was contracted to make Music Man products. In June 1976, production started on guitars and in August basses followed. The 1976 catalogue shows the first offerings; A two pickup guitar called the "StingRay 1" and the StingRay Bass. Both instruments featured bolt on neck designs; the basses featured a distinctive 3+1 tuner arrangement that should help eliminate "dead spots" while the guitars came with a traditional, Fender-style 6-on-a-side tuner array. The StingRay Bass featured a single large hum-bucking pickup (located somewhat toward but not adjacent to the bridge) with a two-band fixed-frequency EQ. A row of string mutes sat on the bridge. Basses were produced in fretted and fretless versions.
These instruments were designed by Leo Fender and Forrest White. Sterling Ball assisted in the design of the bass. Tom Walker played a large part in the design of the bass preamp. They were the first production guitar and basses to use active electronics which could boost levels in selected frequency bands, whereas traditional electronics could only reduce the levels. The preamps were coated with epoxy to prevent reverse engineering. The StingRay Bass sold well. While highly innovative electronically, the guitar was not blessed cosmetically and met with little success. Part of the reason for the poor sales of the guitar was that the preamp actually made the sound "too clean" for most Rock and Roll guitarists.
In December 1978, a two pickup bass was introduced called the Sabre(discontinued in 1991). A redesigned guitar bearing the same name followed. Both sold poorly.
CLF Research and Music Man were treated as separate companies, headed by Leo Fender and Tommy Walker, respectively. Fender made the guitars and basses, while Walker's company made the amplifiers and sold accessories. The instruments were made at CLF, and shipped to Music Man's warehouse, where each instrument was inspected and tested. Problems with fibers in the finish caused Music Man's inspectors to reject a high percentage of the instruments, and return them to CLF for refinishing. Since Music Man didn't pay CLF Research until the instrument finishes were deemed acceptable, a rift developed between CLF and Music Man over payment.
The company's internal conflicts caused Leo Fender to form another partnership. Paul Bechtoldt author of "G&L: Leo's Legacy" describes the situation:
Leo had decided to market guitars under another name besides Music Man in 10/79 due to tension between CLF and Music Man. Production of bodies and necks for both Music Man and G&L were concurrent up to and including March 1981. G&L was incorporated May 1980, although some early models with the moniker "G&L" have body dates from March 1980.[1]Other incidents point to a later date for CLF's exit. Sterling Ball, Music Man's current owner, describes the circumstances and confusion regarding this era on the Ernie Ball website forum:
"Here is the problem...most of these guys are dead so trying to correct the record becomes more and more difficult. Tommy, Leo, Forrest and quite a few more are no longer with us. I can tell you that Leo was very disappointed that his stingray and sabre guitars didn't sell and that was the basis for G&L. G&L (GEORGE AND LEO) was started at CLF behind Music Man's back and coincidence or other CLF made 2,500 Music man bass necks with straight truss rods. Tommy was forced to go to a young upstart Grover Jackson to make the basses. Grover was the one who introduced the trans finishes. I often asked Tommy why he didn't sue over the suspect necks and he replied "My daddy didn't raise me like that".[2]Still another account varies. In an interview conducted by Gav
Townsing, George Fullerton offers this scenario:
"At the end of 1979 we stopped building for Music Man and never made another item for them. We really weren’t friends at that point and not even talking." It has been said that Music Man attempted to force Leo Fender into selling the CLF factory, and when he refused ~ Music Man began cutting orders trying to drive Leo into financial despair. In November 1979, Leo had enough of Music Man's pressure and the ties were cut.
Tom Walker was also having extreme problems with his relationship with Forrest White. At one point, Tommy is said to have chased Forrest out of the building telling him to never return.
By all accounts it was an acrimonious affair. Sterling Ball makes no mention of the dates these incidents occurred but many place the date of the 'neck incident' in late 1982. So how were the instruments made during the two years between the G&L start up and the final CLF blow out? A contract was given to Grover Jackson to build bass bodies and assemble the instruments with CLF necks and the remaining CLF hardware. When CLF stopped making necks Jackson made those also. Oddly, it was Grover Jackson who would provide the headache that would torment Fender and Gibson in the coming years. His Jackson and Charvel line of guitars seemingly would pop into every guitarist hands in the 1980s.
Given this climate the StingRay guitar was quietly dropped from the line. The Sabre guitar soldiered on until 1984 but it's doubtful there were problems filling orders. A graphite necked StingRay Bass debuted in 1980. Fender had been opposed to the idea. The neck was made by Modulus. It was called the Cutlass and the two pickup variant, the Cutlass II. Neither it, nor the new translucent finishes, were able to turn the financial tide and by 1984 the company was near bankruptcy. Music Man was in good company as both Fender and Gibson reached the nadir of mismanagement in the early 1980s. After looking at a few offers Music Man was sold to Ernie Ball on March 7, 1984. Music Man's remaining physical assets were sold on June 1, 1984. The production of amplifiers, which were manufactured at a separate factory, ceased.
national
newcomb
Noble
"The Don Noble Company of Chicago contracted with Magnatone several times, from the early days of the late 1940's, through the 1960s (including some of the Royalite topped Custom Series, note the M4 pictured at left). Noble also sourced amps from other manufacturers including Ampeg."
"Don E. Noble was a known accordionist in pre-war Chicago. As such he was acquainted with the Italian families (mostly immigrated from the Castelfidardo area) that dominated the accordion industry in the Middle-West — importers, distributors, retailers, repairers and even manufacturers. Don E. Noble himself entered the distribution business in the late 30’s. His Don Noble & Company Inc. was very successful in the post-WW-II years, flooding America with excellent instruments from Italy. Who made those Noble-branded accordions is not known, some of them remind Dallapé designs but many others look strangely like Excelsior or Crucianelli models.
At any rate, when time came to switch to electric guitars, Don E. Noble was among the very first ones to import Italian solid bodies in USA. He sold Crucianellis for about one year, then he signed an agreement with Wandré for which he is mainly remembered.
Noble distributed under his own brand accordion amplifiers that also could fit for guitars and basses. Unsurprisingly, they look closely like other amps made by Estey for Magnatone and especially for Imperial Tonemaster, PANcordion/PANaramic and a large part of the Italian-American accordion connection generally speaking." - guitarfetish
"Don E. Noble was a known accordionist in pre-war Chicago. As such he was acquainted with the Italian families (mostly immigrated from the Castelfidardo area) that dominated the accordion industry in the Middle-West — importers, distributors, retailers, repairers and even manufacturers. Don E. Noble himself entered the distribution business in the late 30’s. His Don Noble & Company Inc. was very successful in the post-WW-II years, flooding America with excellent instruments from Italy. Who made those Noble-branded accordions is not known, some of them remind Dallapé designs but many others look strangely like Excelsior or Crucianelli models.
At any rate, when time came to switch to electric guitars, Don E. Noble was among the very first ones to import Italian solid bodies in USA. He sold Crucianellis for about one year, then he signed an agreement with Wandré for which he is mainly remembered.
Noble distributed under his own brand accordion amplifiers that also could fit for guitars and basses. Unsurprisingly, they look closely like other amps made by Estey for Magnatone and especially for Imperial Tonemaster, PANcordion/PANaramic and a large part of the Italian-American accordion connection generally speaking." - guitarfetish
oahu
"Oahu was not a manufacturing company but a music publishing house. They introduced their own line of musical instruments in the 1920s, sourced primarily from Kay/Stromberg-Voisinet and Regal. When electric instruments became popular in the mid 1930s, Oahu sourced their electrics from Kay and Dickerson (which would be come Magnatone). A few amps were made by National-Dobro. After World War II, most Oahu electrics and amps were built by Valco, though some 1940s-1950s lap steels were built by Kay. There is sometimes confusion because a few lap steel models – such as the famous Tonemaster – were built by Kay and later Valco with little cosmetic differences. The Valco-built versions can be identified by their string-through pickups."
"Oahu emerged as one of the larger national music distributors during the at the time when the Hawaiian music craze of the thirties and forties. For examples of the early Dickerson/Fators built Oahu's, see 1937-1947 Dickerson. Oahu still contracted with Magna in the late forties and maybe very early fifties, although soon they switched exclusively to Chicago based OEM's." - This is according to Magnatoneamps.com
"Oahu emerged as one of the larger national music distributors during the at the time when the Hawaiian music craze of the thirties and forties. For examples of the early Dickerson/Fators built Oahu's, see 1937-1947 Dickerson. Oahu still contracted with Magna in the late forties and maybe very early fifties, although soon they switched exclusively to Chicago based OEM's." - This is according to Magnatoneamps.com
ohm
oliver
orange music electric company
Orange Music Electronic Company is an English amplifier manufacturing company, famous for its distinctive sound and bright orange Tolex-like covering on amplifier heads and speaker cabinets. Orange also manufactures amplifiers for bass guitar, speaker cabinets for instrument amplifiers and combination amplifiers.
Orange was founded in 1968 by musician and electronics designer Clifford Cooper of London and opened premises at 3 New Compton Street in London's West End. Initially, Cooper used only the basement as a professional recording studio, the studio featured an IBC mixing console originally owned by Joe Meek producer of The Millionaires. The studio was failing to meet its overheads so on 2 September 1968 the ground floor premises were opened as a music shop, where in order to cover wage costs, Cooper sold his own band equipment.[1]
Difficulties in obtaining stock meant that the new Orange shop at first dealt only in second hand equipment. Fortunately, many musicians around that time preferred older, used or beaten up guitars as they were considered to be better of quality and have more character than the new ones available. The Orange shop was the first to cater for this market. The difficulties faced in stocking the shop lead Cooper to decide to begin designing Orange's own amplifiers and in the late autumn of 1968 Huddersfield based company Radio Craft, owned by Mat Mathias, was appointed to produce the first Orange branded amplifiers. Whilst in London, Orange shop salesman Mick Dines became closely involved with the design of Orange cabinets. As a touring musician, Dines understood the rigours equipment was subjected to on the road and was instrumental in ensuring that durability was at the forefront of the design with features such as the basketweave grillecloth and the wooden skids which not only gave strength but improved the sound dramatically by acoustically coupling the cabinet to the stage or wooden floor. It is a common misconception that the earliest Orange amplifiers were jointly produced by Orange and Matamp, the brand name that Mathias used on his own design of amplifiers. This was not the case. Radio Craft produced h-fi guitar amplifiers which, whilst ideal for bass guitar produced a tone far too clean and flat for electric lead guitars. Early Orange Matamp amplifiers were built by Radio Craft to Cooper's design to provide the new generation of guitarists with the sustain they demanded. The front end was modified and Cooper changed the chassis from lightweight aluminium to enamelled steel. The Orange logo was designed to be clearly visible on stage. When the design was delivered to Radio Craft, Mathias suggested that a small Matamp logo be added, which as a courtesy to Mathias, Cooper agreed to, making Matamp a model name. The first of the Orange Matamp amplifiers were 100 watt valve amps and were produced in very small numbers in the rear of tobacconist shop owned by Mathias. Demand for Orange amplifiers grew quickly and Radio Craft was unable to keep up with orders. It became apparent that larger premises were vital. Mathias was unable to finance the move so in 1969, Cooper Mathias Ltd was formed to replace Radio Craft. Cooper's feeling was that a 50/50 partnership would be to the advantage of all parties rather than to simply finance Radio Craft with the benefit of cheaper overheads in Huddersfield than in London. The central plan behind Cooper Mathias was to increase capacity and productivity to a level at which the service could be offered to other amplifier companies.
The factory in Cowcliffe near Huddersfield was opened in early 1970. Mathias would drive from Huddersfield with a small number of completed amplifier chassis which would be fitted into sleeves, boxed and despatched from the Orange Shop in London. At this time business in London was moving very rapidly however the situation in Huddersfield was much slower. Whilst visiting the factory for a production meeting, Cooper was struck by the slow pace of production. Large numbers of back orders meant that production at Cowcliffe was failing to keep up with demand and the low number of units being produced caused the operation to be non cost effective and not covering its overheads. The decision was taken to end Orange's relationship with Matamp. Cooper and Mathias remained on friendly terms despite the split with Cooper describing Mathias as, "A real gentleman for whom I have always had nothing but the greatest admiration." After the decision to cease production in Huddersfield, Cooper located premises in a derelict shop on the corner of Neil's Yard and Short's Gardens in the Covent Garden area of London. This move was to increase productivity and to provide more room for cabinet making, amp testing and storage, with cabinets being produced on the ground floor and amplifiers in the basement.
In 1971 whilst driving in London, Cooper noticed the new road signs being introduced into the UK used graphic symbols rather than words and asked the design team to come up with a set of custom symbols that would clearly show what the control was for and would make sense to users who may not be familiar with English.
It was in 1972 that John James, Orange's Research and Development Engineer, designed what would become one of the world's most iconic amplifiers, The "Graphic Valve Amplifier." Nicknamed simply, "Pics Only" which was a reference to the unique front graphic panels. Early models of the Pics Only were known as "Plexis because they had a plastic reverse printed perspex panel secured on an orange steel backplate fixed to the chassis. With later models the front panel was not plastic but silk screen printed metal plates. The Pics Only was the start of the new sound now associated with Orange and has remained the influence for the design and sound of Orange Amplifiers. With demand for Orange amplifiers still increasing it was necessary to once again seek larger premises and locate a proper factory facility.
In 1973 production was moved to 17 Upland Road, Bexleyheath in Kent. There a proper production line was possible and resulted in a marked increase in the number of amplifiers and cabinets being completed, an average of one amp per worker per day. This more industrial approach meant that amplifiers and cabinets could be lined up, 20–30 units at a time and completed sequentially. This period saw distribution of Orange products in the USA for the first time. It was also in 1973 that the Pics Only was redesigned. As well as some electronic modifications, the front panel was amended resulting in the Graphic 120 "Pics & Text" amplifier which was launched in 1974.
In 1975 Orange launched the Custom Reverb Twin MKII which was introduced to compete directly with the Fender Twin Reverb, similarly priced, this amp featured a Hammond spring reverb, a tremolo and a master volume. It was initially available only as a 50 Watt but the success of this model as a versatile studio amplifier led to a 100 Watt version being produced. Unusually, this model featured black with silver fleck speaker cloth rather than the iconic Basketweave grille cloth.
Orange was founded in 1968 by musician and electronics designer Clifford Cooper of London and opened premises at 3 New Compton Street in London's West End. Initially, Cooper used only the basement as a professional recording studio, the studio featured an IBC mixing console originally owned by Joe Meek producer of The Millionaires. The studio was failing to meet its overheads so on 2 September 1968 the ground floor premises were opened as a music shop, where in order to cover wage costs, Cooper sold his own band equipment.[1]
Difficulties in obtaining stock meant that the new Orange shop at first dealt only in second hand equipment. Fortunately, many musicians around that time preferred older, used or beaten up guitars as they were considered to be better of quality and have more character than the new ones available. The Orange shop was the first to cater for this market. The difficulties faced in stocking the shop lead Cooper to decide to begin designing Orange's own amplifiers and in the late autumn of 1968 Huddersfield based company Radio Craft, owned by Mat Mathias, was appointed to produce the first Orange branded amplifiers. Whilst in London, Orange shop salesman Mick Dines became closely involved with the design of Orange cabinets. As a touring musician, Dines understood the rigours equipment was subjected to on the road and was instrumental in ensuring that durability was at the forefront of the design with features such as the basketweave grillecloth and the wooden skids which not only gave strength but improved the sound dramatically by acoustically coupling the cabinet to the stage or wooden floor. It is a common misconception that the earliest Orange amplifiers were jointly produced by Orange and Matamp, the brand name that Mathias used on his own design of amplifiers. This was not the case. Radio Craft produced h-fi guitar amplifiers which, whilst ideal for bass guitar produced a tone far too clean and flat for electric lead guitars. Early Orange Matamp amplifiers were built by Radio Craft to Cooper's design to provide the new generation of guitarists with the sustain they demanded. The front end was modified and Cooper changed the chassis from lightweight aluminium to enamelled steel. The Orange logo was designed to be clearly visible on stage. When the design was delivered to Radio Craft, Mathias suggested that a small Matamp logo be added, which as a courtesy to Mathias, Cooper agreed to, making Matamp a model name. The first of the Orange Matamp amplifiers were 100 watt valve amps and were produced in very small numbers in the rear of tobacconist shop owned by Mathias. Demand for Orange amplifiers grew quickly and Radio Craft was unable to keep up with orders. It became apparent that larger premises were vital. Mathias was unable to finance the move so in 1969, Cooper Mathias Ltd was formed to replace Radio Craft. Cooper's feeling was that a 50/50 partnership would be to the advantage of all parties rather than to simply finance Radio Craft with the benefit of cheaper overheads in Huddersfield than in London. The central plan behind Cooper Mathias was to increase capacity and productivity to a level at which the service could be offered to other amplifier companies.
The factory in Cowcliffe near Huddersfield was opened in early 1970. Mathias would drive from Huddersfield with a small number of completed amplifier chassis which would be fitted into sleeves, boxed and despatched from the Orange Shop in London. At this time business in London was moving very rapidly however the situation in Huddersfield was much slower. Whilst visiting the factory for a production meeting, Cooper was struck by the slow pace of production. Large numbers of back orders meant that production at Cowcliffe was failing to keep up with demand and the low number of units being produced caused the operation to be non cost effective and not covering its overheads. The decision was taken to end Orange's relationship with Matamp. Cooper and Mathias remained on friendly terms despite the split with Cooper describing Mathias as, "A real gentleman for whom I have always had nothing but the greatest admiration." After the decision to cease production in Huddersfield, Cooper located premises in a derelict shop on the corner of Neil's Yard and Short's Gardens in the Covent Garden area of London. This move was to increase productivity and to provide more room for cabinet making, amp testing and storage, with cabinets being produced on the ground floor and amplifiers in the basement.
In 1971 whilst driving in London, Cooper noticed the new road signs being introduced into the UK used graphic symbols rather than words and asked the design team to come up with a set of custom symbols that would clearly show what the control was for and would make sense to users who may not be familiar with English.
It was in 1972 that John James, Orange's Research and Development Engineer, designed what would become one of the world's most iconic amplifiers, The "Graphic Valve Amplifier." Nicknamed simply, "Pics Only" which was a reference to the unique front graphic panels. Early models of the Pics Only were known as "Plexis because they had a plastic reverse printed perspex panel secured on an orange steel backplate fixed to the chassis. With later models the front panel was not plastic but silk screen printed metal plates. The Pics Only was the start of the new sound now associated with Orange and has remained the influence for the design and sound of Orange Amplifiers. With demand for Orange amplifiers still increasing it was necessary to once again seek larger premises and locate a proper factory facility.
In 1973 production was moved to 17 Upland Road, Bexleyheath in Kent. There a proper production line was possible and resulted in a marked increase in the number of amplifiers and cabinets being completed, an average of one amp per worker per day. This more industrial approach meant that amplifiers and cabinets could be lined up, 20–30 units at a time and completed sequentially. This period saw distribution of Orange products in the USA for the first time. It was also in 1973 that the Pics Only was redesigned. As well as some electronic modifications, the front panel was amended resulting in the Graphic 120 "Pics & Text" amplifier which was launched in 1974.
In 1975 Orange launched the Custom Reverb Twin MKII which was introduced to compete directly with the Fender Twin Reverb, similarly priced, this amp featured a Hammond spring reverb, a tremolo and a master volume. It was initially available only as a 50 Watt but the success of this model as a versatile studio amplifier led to a 100 Watt version being produced. Unusually, this model featured black with silver fleck speaker cloth rather than the iconic Basketweave grille cloth.
osborne
ovation
pac-amp
PANARAMIC
Paul / pepco
"PEPCO began its existence as a run-of-the-mill electronics store, selling TVs and other home appliances. By the early 60s they had begun building their own guitar amps out of spare parts, using whatever materials were available to slap together inexpensive units, which fanned out to garage bands across Canada. They were also loose about their branding. Companies would contract PEPCO to build the amps, then they’d simply slap on a name tag indicating which ‘company’ had produced the amp. For this reason, you see these amps under many different names: Marlin (a name later copyrighted by Marshall themselves), Rivera, Paul, Pine, Lark, Cobra, and several others. Regardless of the name, all of them were made by the same electronics store in Montreal: Pine Electronic Product Company, of Craig St East in Montreal. Little is known about PEPCO and the products they made; the company left virtually no records and their catalogues have not survived. Their designs were simple and varied according to customer demand and the parts they had available. For this reason, these amps have become rare a desirable collectibles for certain group of vintage Canadian equipment geeks. The company disappeared sometime in the 1970s." – Colin James Gibson
phoenix
pignose-gorilla
Pignose-Gorilla, commonly known as Pignose, is a manufacturer of portable, battery-powered guitar amplifiers, as well as other musical-gear such as A.C.-powered practice amps and guitars.
The Pignose amp, now known as the "Legendary 7-100", is a battery-powered, 5-watt portable guitar amplifier with one 5" speaker. It was invented by Richard Edlund [1] and Wayne Kimbell in 1969. The Pignose weighs five pounds and includes buttons for a guitar strap; it is considered the first portable electric guitar amplifier . The 'legend' was established when the inventors gave 65 prototypes (with flexible rubber Pignose volume knobs) to some of the most famous musicians of the era, including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Eagles [6], and The Who. Terry Kath (of Chicago), was given one which led to a partnership with the group and its management team in 1972. The first production Pignose amps debuted at the '73 NAMM Convention in Chicago. The original Pignose 7-100 is still in production and is used primarily as a portable practice amp. It has also found a role in recording studios, having been used on records by Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton and Frank Zappa. In 1985, Pignose Industries was acquired by Howard Chatt and is now called Pignose-Gorilla.
The 7-100 has a few notable features, the first being the buttons to fit a guitar strap to it. This was to make an electric guitar playable while a person is traveling (as a way to hold the amp). The 7-100 is powered by six AA batteries or an optional AC adapter and weighs between five and six pounds (2.27-2.72 kg). Another feature is the hinged case design, allowing the user not only to store objects like the cable and strap inside the amp, but also to open the case slightly to alter the sound to their preference [8]. If a friend is around, they can also open and close the case for an improvised wah effect. A feature for the more serious musician is the preamp output jack on the rear, allowing it to be connected to a larger amp for use as a guitar distortion effect.
In addition to the original Pignose 7-100, the company offers two other battery-powered portable models called "Hog" that use integral rechargeable batteries, as well as standard amplifiers, both solid-state and tube-based
The Pignose amp, now known as the "Legendary 7-100", is a battery-powered, 5-watt portable guitar amplifier with one 5" speaker. It was invented by Richard Edlund [1] and Wayne Kimbell in 1969. The Pignose weighs five pounds and includes buttons for a guitar strap; it is considered the first portable electric guitar amplifier . The 'legend' was established when the inventors gave 65 prototypes (with flexible rubber Pignose volume knobs) to some of the most famous musicians of the era, including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Eagles [6], and The Who. Terry Kath (of Chicago), was given one which led to a partnership with the group and its management team in 1972. The first production Pignose amps debuted at the '73 NAMM Convention in Chicago. The original Pignose 7-100 is still in production and is used primarily as a portable practice amp. It has also found a role in recording studios, having been used on records by Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton and Frank Zappa. In 1985, Pignose Industries was acquired by Howard Chatt and is now called Pignose-Gorilla.
The 7-100 has a few notable features, the first being the buttons to fit a guitar strap to it. This was to make an electric guitar playable while a person is traveling (as a way to hold the amp). The 7-100 is powered by six AA batteries or an optional AC adapter and weighs between five and six pounds (2.27-2.72 kg). Another feature is the hinged case design, allowing the user not only to store objects like the cable and strap inside the amp, but also to open the case slightly to alter the sound to their preference [8]. If a friend is around, they can also open and close the case for an improvised wah effect. A feature for the more serious musician is the preamp output jack on the rear, allowing it to be connected to a larger amp for use as a guitar distortion effect.
In addition to the original Pignose 7-100, the company offers two other battery-powered portable models called "Hog" that use integral rechargeable batteries, as well as standard amplifiers, both solid-state and tube-based
Princeton Amps
Not to be confused with Fender Princeton...
quantum
randall amplifiers
Randall Amplifiers is a manufacturer of guitar amplifiers, a subsidiary of U.S. Music Corporation. Its products have been used by artists such as Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, George Lynch, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme, Chuck Schuldiner of Death, Ty Tabor of King's X, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, and Ola Englund of Six Feet Under and Feared. Randall makes both solid-state and tube amplifiers.The Randall Amplifier Company was founded in 1970 by Don Randall, a lifelong radio and audio amplifier enthusiast. Randall began working as a salesman for a radio supply shop after graduating from community college in Santa Ana, California. It was there that he began a business relationship with Leo Fender, who at the time was operating a nearby radio repair shop. Randall went on to serve in the Army Corps of Engineers, the Signal Corps and Army Air Forces during World War II. After the war, he took a job as general manager of Radio & Television Equipment, a wholesale distributor of electronic components, where he discovered that Fender had begun making a few lap steel guitars and small amplifiers in his shop on what is now Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton, California.
Fender was anxious to expand his business, and was receptive when in 1946 Randall suggested that Radio & Television Equipment distribute his guitars and amps. In February 1953, Fender Sales Corporation and Fender Electric Instrument Company were established. Randall, in charge of sales and distribution, was responsible for naming most of the classic Fender products which included the Broadcaster (which later became the Telecaster) and the Stratocaster. Randall subsequently became vice president and general manager of the Fender Musical Instrument and Fender Sales divisions of CBS.
In 1969, Randall left to found Randall Amplifiers. Randall Amplifiers was founded in 1970 in Irvine, California. Randall sold the company in 1987. In the mid-1990s, it was purchased by U.S. Music Corporation.
Fender was anxious to expand his business, and was receptive when in 1946 Randall suggested that Radio & Television Equipment distribute his guitars and amps. In February 1953, Fender Sales Corporation and Fender Electric Instrument Company were established. Randall, in charge of sales and distribution, was responsible for naming most of the classic Fender products which included the Broadcaster (which later became the Telecaster) and the Stratocaster. Randall subsequently became vice president and general manager of the Fender Musical Instrument and Fender Sales divisions of CBS.
In 1969, Randall left to found Randall Amplifiers. Randall Amplifiers was founded in 1970 in Irvine, California. Randall sold the company in 1987. In the mid-1990s, it was purchased by U.S. Music Corporation.
reed
regal
"Yet another Chicago-based manufacturer, Regal was founded in 1908. Like Harmony and Kay, they sold instruments under their own name and under many other brands. A few early Regal-brand instruments were made by the Larson Brothers, but these are extremely rare. Regal built bodies for National, Dobro and Rickenbacker guitars, including many of the first electrics. Regal was the exclusive licensee of Dobro’s resonator patents for much of the 1930s, and many Regal models are identical (or nearly identical) to an equivalent Dobro. The company built electric guitars and lap steels starting in the mid 1930s. Regal was purchased by Harmony around 1950, and by 1954 the brand had disappeared. It was periodically resurrected over the next 15 years; Fender distributed a few Regal-branded acoustics, and a few Harmony electrics were sold under the Regal name. The current Regal-branded resonator guitars bear no relation to the original company (and are not strict recreations of its resonators, either)."
regent
rex
Rhino
rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. In 1932, the company became the world's first to produce electric guitars and eventually produced a range of electric guitars and bass guitars.
The company was founded in 1931 as the Ro-Pat-In Corporation (ElectRo-Patent-Instruments) by Adolph Rickenbacher and George Beauchamp in order to sell electric Hawaiian guitars. These instruments had been designed by Beauchamp, assisted at the National String Instrument Corporation by Paul Barth and Harry Watson.[1] They chose the brand name Rickenbacher (later changed to Rickenbacker), though early examples bear the brand name Electro.
Nicknamed "frying pans" because of their long necks and circular bodies, the instruments were the first solid-bodied electric guitars, though they were a lap-steel type. They had a single pickup with a steel cover that arched over the strings. By the time production ceased in 1939, several thousand "frying pans" had been produced.
Electro String also sold amplifiers to go with their electric guitars. A Los Angeles radio manufacturer named Van Nest designed the first Electro String production-model amplifier. Shortly thereafter, design engineer Ralph Robertson further developed the amplifiers, and by the 1940s at least four different Rickenbacker models were made available. James B. Lansing of the Lansing Manufacturing Company designed the speaker in the Rickenbacker professional model. During the early 1940s, Rickenbacker amps were sometimes repaired by Leo Fender, whose repair shop evolved into the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company.
George Beauchamp was a vaudeville performer, violinist, and steel guitarist who, like most of his fellow acoustic guitarists in the pre-electric-guitar days of the 1920s, was searching for a way to make his instrument cut through an orchestra. He first conceived of a guitar fitted with a phonograph-like amplifying horn, and approached inventor and violin-maker John Dopyera to create a prototype which proved to be, by all accounts, a failure. Their next collaboration involved experiments with mounting three conical-shaped aluminum resonators into the body of the guitar beneath the bridge. These efforts produced an instrument which so pleased Beauchamp that he told Dopyera that they should go into business to manufacture them. After further refinements, Dopyera applied for a patent on the so-called tri-cone guitar on April 9, 1927. Thereafter, Dopyera and his brothers began to make the tri-cone guitars in their Los Angeles shop, calling the new guitars "Nationals". On January 26, 1928, the National String Instrument Corporation was certified and, with its new factory located near a metal-stamping shop owned by Adolph Rickenbacher and staffed by some of the most experienced and competent craftsmen available, began to produce Spanish and Hawaiian style tri-cone guitars as well as four-string tenor guitars, mandolins and ukuleles.
Adolph Rickenbacher was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1887 and emigrated to the United States to live with relatives after the death of his parents. Sometime after moving to Los Angeles in 1918, he changed his surname to "Rickenbacker". This was done probably in order to avoid German connotations in light of the recently concluded First World War as well as to capitalize on Adolph's distant relation to World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. In 1925, Adolph Rickenbacker and two partners formed the Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company and incorporated it in 1927. By the time he met George Beauchamp and began manufacturing metal bodies for the "Nationals" being produced by the National String Instruments Corporation, Rickenbacker was a highly skilled production engineer and machinist. Adolph soon became a shareholder in National and, with the assistance of his Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company, National was able to boost production to as many as fifty guitars a day.
Unfortunately, National's line of instruments was not well diversified and, as demand for the expensive and hard-to-manufacture tri-cone guitars began to slip, the company realized that it would need to produce instruments with a lower production cost if it was going to succeed against rival manufacturers. Dissatisfaction with what John Dopyera felt was mismanagement led him to resign from National in January 1929, and he subsequently formed the Dobro Manufacturing Corporation, later called Dobro Corporation, Ltd, and began to manufacture his own line of resonator-equipped instruments (dobros). Patent infringement disagreements between National and Dobro led to a lawsuit in 1929 with Dobro suing National for $2,000,000 in damages. Problems within National's management as well as pressure from the deepening Great Depression led to a production slowdown at National, and this ultimately resulted in part of the company's fractured management structure organizing support for George Beauchamp's newest project: the development of a fully electric guitar.
By the late twenties, the idea for electrified string instruments had been around for some time, and experimental banjo, violin and guitar pickups had been developed. George Beauchamp had himself been experimenting with electric amplification as early as 1925, but his early efforts involving microphones did not produce the effects he desired. Along the way Beauchamp also built a one-string test guitar made out of a 2X4 piece of lumber and an electric phonograph pickup. As the problems at National became more apparent, Beauchamp's home experiments took on a more rigorous shape, and he began to attend night classes in electronics as well as collaborating with fellow National employee Paul Barth.[1] When the prototype electric pickup they were developing finally worked to his satisfaction, Beauchamp asked former National shop craftsman Harry Watson to make a wooden neck and body to which the electronics could be attached. It was nicknamed the frying pan because of its shape, though Adolph Rickenbacker liked to call it the pancake.[6] The final design Beauchamp and Barth developed was an electric pickup consisting of a pair of horseshoe-shaped magnets that enclosed the pickup coil and completely surrounded the strings.
At the end of 1931, Beauchamp, Barth, Rickenbacker and with several other individuals banded together and formed the Ro-Pat-In Corporation (elektRO-PATent-INstruments) in order to manufacture and distribute electrically amplified musical instruments, with an emphasis upon their newly developed A-25 Hawaiian Guitar, often referred to as the "Frying Pan" lap-steel electric guitar as well as an Electric Spanish (standard) model and companion amplifiers. In the summer of 1932, Ro-Pat-In began to manufacture cast aluminum production versions of the Frying Pan as well as a lesser number of standard Spanish Electrics built from wooden bodies similar to those made in Chicago for the National Company. These instruments constitute the origin of the electric guitar we know and use today by virtue of their string-driven electro-magnetic pick-ups. Not only that, but Ro-Pat-In was the first company in the world specifically created to manufacture electric instruments. In 1933 the Ro-Pat-In company's name was changed to Electro String Instrument Corporation and its instruments labeled simply as "Electro". In 1934 the name of Rickenbacher" was added in honor of the company's principal partner, Adolph Rickenbacker. In 1935 the company introduced several new models including the Model "B" Electric Spanish guitar which is considered the first solid body electric guitar. Because the original aluminum Frying Pans were susceptible to tuning problems from the expansion of the metal under hot performing lights, many of the new models were manufactured from cast Bakelite, an early synthetic plastic from which bowling balls are made.
In 1963 Rickenbacker developed an electric twelve-string guitar with an innovative headstock design that enabled all twelve machine heads to be fitted onto a standard-length headstock by alternately mounting pairs of machine heads at right-angles to the other.
The company was founded in 1931 as the Ro-Pat-In Corporation (ElectRo-Patent-Instruments) by Adolph Rickenbacher and George Beauchamp in order to sell electric Hawaiian guitars. These instruments had been designed by Beauchamp, assisted at the National String Instrument Corporation by Paul Barth and Harry Watson.[1] They chose the brand name Rickenbacher (later changed to Rickenbacker), though early examples bear the brand name Electro.
Nicknamed "frying pans" because of their long necks and circular bodies, the instruments were the first solid-bodied electric guitars, though they were a lap-steel type. They had a single pickup with a steel cover that arched over the strings. By the time production ceased in 1939, several thousand "frying pans" had been produced.
Electro String also sold amplifiers to go with their electric guitars. A Los Angeles radio manufacturer named Van Nest designed the first Electro String production-model amplifier. Shortly thereafter, design engineer Ralph Robertson further developed the amplifiers, and by the 1940s at least four different Rickenbacker models were made available. James B. Lansing of the Lansing Manufacturing Company designed the speaker in the Rickenbacker professional model. During the early 1940s, Rickenbacker amps were sometimes repaired by Leo Fender, whose repair shop evolved into the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company.
George Beauchamp was a vaudeville performer, violinist, and steel guitarist who, like most of his fellow acoustic guitarists in the pre-electric-guitar days of the 1920s, was searching for a way to make his instrument cut through an orchestra. He first conceived of a guitar fitted with a phonograph-like amplifying horn, and approached inventor and violin-maker John Dopyera to create a prototype which proved to be, by all accounts, a failure. Their next collaboration involved experiments with mounting three conical-shaped aluminum resonators into the body of the guitar beneath the bridge. These efforts produced an instrument which so pleased Beauchamp that he told Dopyera that they should go into business to manufacture them. After further refinements, Dopyera applied for a patent on the so-called tri-cone guitar on April 9, 1927. Thereafter, Dopyera and his brothers began to make the tri-cone guitars in their Los Angeles shop, calling the new guitars "Nationals". On January 26, 1928, the National String Instrument Corporation was certified and, with its new factory located near a metal-stamping shop owned by Adolph Rickenbacher and staffed by some of the most experienced and competent craftsmen available, began to produce Spanish and Hawaiian style tri-cone guitars as well as four-string tenor guitars, mandolins and ukuleles.
Adolph Rickenbacher was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1887 and emigrated to the United States to live with relatives after the death of his parents. Sometime after moving to Los Angeles in 1918, he changed his surname to "Rickenbacker". This was done probably in order to avoid German connotations in light of the recently concluded First World War as well as to capitalize on Adolph's distant relation to World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. In 1925, Adolph Rickenbacker and two partners formed the Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company and incorporated it in 1927. By the time he met George Beauchamp and began manufacturing metal bodies for the "Nationals" being produced by the National String Instruments Corporation, Rickenbacker was a highly skilled production engineer and machinist. Adolph soon became a shareholder in National and, with the assistance of his Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company, National was able to boost production to as many as fifty guitars a day.
Unfortunately, National's line of instruments was not well diversified and, as demand for the expensive and hard-to-manufacture tri-cone guitars began to slip, the company realized that it would need to produce instruments with a lower production cost if it was going to succeed against rival manufacturers. Dissatisfaction with what John Dopyera felt was mismanagement led him to resign from National in January 1929, and he subsequently formed the Dobro Manufacturing Corporation, later called Dobro Corporation, Ltd, and began to manufacture his own line of resonator-equipped instruments (dobros). Patent infringement disagreements between National and Dobro led to a lawsuit in 1929 with Dobro suing National for $2,000,000 in damages. Problems within National's management as well as pressure from the deepening Great Depression led to a production slowdown at National, and this ultimately resulted in part of the company's fractured management structure organizing support for George Beauchamp's newest project: the development of a fully electric guitar.
By the late twenties, the idea for electrified string instruments had been around for some time, and experimental banjo, violin and guitar pickups had been developed. George Beauchamp had himself been experimenting with electric amplification as early as 1925, but his early efforts involving microphones did not produce the effects he desired. Along the way Beauchamp also built a one-string test guitar made out of a 2X4 piece of lumber and an electric phonograph pickup. As the problems at National became more apparent, Beauchamp's home experiments took on a more rigorous shape, and he began to attend night classes in electronics as well as collaborating with fellow National employee Paul Barth.[1] When the prototype electric pickup they were developing finally worked to his satisfaction, Beauchamp asked former National shop craftsman Harry Watson to make a wooden neck and body to which the electronics could be attached. It was nicknamed the frying pan because of its shape, though Adolph Rickenbacker liked to call it the pancake.[6] The final design Beauchamp and Barth developed was an electric pickup consisting of a pair of horseshoe-shaped magnets that enclosed the pickup coil and completely surrounded the strings.
At the end of 1931, Beauchamp, Barth, Rickenbacker and with several other individuals banded together and formed the Ro-Pat-In Corporation (elektRO-PATent-INstruments) in order to manufacture and distribute electrically amplified musical instruments, with an emphasis upon their newly developed A-25 Hawaiian Guitar, often referred to as the "Frying Pan" lap-steel electric guitar as well as an Electric Spanish (standard) model and companion amplifiers. In the summer of 1932, Ro-Pat-In began to manufacture cast aluminum production versions of the Frying Pan as well as a lesser number of standard Spanish Electrics built from wooden bodies similar to those made in Chicago for the National Company. These instruments constitute the origin of the electric guitar we know and use today by virtue of their string-driven electro-magnetic pick-ups. Not only that, but Ro-Pat-In was the first company in the world specifically created to manufacture electric instruments. In 1933 the Ro-Pat-In company's name was changed to Electro String Instrument Corporation and its instruments labeled simply as "Electro". In 1934 the name of Rickenbacher" was added in honor of the company's principal partner, Adolph Rickenbacker. In 1935 the company introduced several new models including the Model "B" Electric Spanish guitar which is considered the first solid body electric guitar. Because the original aluminum Frying Pans were susceptible to tuning problems from the expansion of the metal under hot performing lights, many of the new models were manufactured from cast Bakelite, an early synthetic plastic from which bowling balls are made.
In 1963 Rickenbacker developed an electric twelve-string guitar with an innovative headstock design that enabled all twelve machine heads to be fitted onto a standard-length headstock by alternately mounting pairs of machine heads at right-angles to the other.
riviera
Not to be confused with "Rivera"
road
rock
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roland
Kakehashi founded Ace Electronic Industries in 1960, a manufacturer of numerous combo organs, guitar amplifiers, and effects pedals. He was also contracted by Hammond to produce rhythm machines for the company's line of home organs. In 1973, Kakehashi cut ties with both companies to found Roland.
As with many Japanese start-ups of the period, the name Roland was selected for export purposes as Kakehashi was interested in a name that was easy to pronounce for his worldwide target markets. Rumour has long circulated that he named his company after the French epic poem La Chanson de Roland. In reality, the name Roland was found in a telephone directory. Kakehashi opted for it as he was satisfied with the simple two-syllable word and its soft consonants. The letter "R" was chosen because it was not used by many other music equipment companies, and would therefore stand out in trade show directories and industry listings. Kakehashi did not learn of "The Song Of Roland" until later.
As with many Japanese start-ups of the period, the name Roland was selected for export purposes as Kakehashi was interested in a name that was easy to pronounce for his worldwide target markets. Rumour has long circulated that he named his company after the French epic poem La Chanson de Roland. In reality, the name Roland was found in a telephone directory. Kakehashi opted for it as he was satisfied with the simple two-syllable word and its soft consonants. The letter "R" was chosen because it was not used by many other music equipment companies, and would therefore stand out in trade show directories and industry listings. Kakehashi did not learn of "The Song Of Roland" until later.
royal
rozz
Notice the pull-out power cable and the whole amp built into a road case!
sabre
salvage
sano
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The Sano Supersonic
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savage
saxon
scion
selmer
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sherwood
sho-bud
silvertone
"Sears, Roebuck and Company sold instruments as far back as the 19th century, and probably started using the Supertone brand name in 1916 when they bought the Harmony Company. The brand name was changed to Silvertone sometime in the 1930s. Harmony sourced all of Sears’s instruments until the 1950s, when models were introduced by Kay, Danelectro and Valco. Sears started to import Japanese instruments in the late 1960s, and the Silvertone name was retired in 1972, by which point the guitar line was entirely built in Japan."
simms-watts
solec
solton
What a beautiful amp!
sonola
sound
splendor
S.S. Stewart
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standel
stradolin
strauss
stud
stump
sundown
sunn
Sunn amplifiers was a brand of musical instrument amplifiers. Sunn was based in Tualatin, Oregon.
In early 1963, the Kingsmen, a band based in Portland, Oregon, became known for their hit version of the song "Louie, Louie". After its hit single, the band soon embarked on a 50-state national tour. Because the band was used to playing small hops and school dances, many of the members found themselves ill-equipped with the amplifiers that they were currently using. Bassist Norm Sundholm discovered that his bass amp was not nearly powerful enough to play larger concert halls.
Sundholm enlisted the help of his brother Conrad to help solve his problem. By 1964, the Sundholm brothers had designed a high-powered concert bass amplifier. By 1965, the demand for Sundholm's amplifiers had increased to the point where the family garage could no longer be used as the manufacturing facility. Thus, the Sunn Musical Equipment Company was founded.
The band Sunn O))) was named after the company (to the point of including a typographic representation of the logo) and Gross National Productions who were the East Coast promo band for Sunn amps in 1971.
In early 1963, the Kingsmen, a band based in Portland, Oregon, became known for their hit version of the song "Louie, Louie". After its hit single, the band soon embarked on a 50-state national tour. Because the band was used to playing small hops and school dances, many of the members found themselves ill-equipped with the amplifiers that they were currently using. Bassist Norm Sundholm discovered that his bass amp was not nearly powerful enough to play larger concert halls.
Sundholm enlisted the help of his brother Conrad to help solve his problem. By 1964, the Sundholm brothers had designed a high-powered concert bass amplifier. By 1965, the demand for Sundholm's amplifiers had increased to the point where the family garage could no longer be used as the manufacturing facility. Thus, the Sunn Musical Equipment Company was founded.
The band Sunn O))) was named after the company (to the point of including a typographic representation of the logo) and Gross National Productions who were the East Coast promo band for Sunn amps in 1971.
supernova
suprem
Yes, that's how they spelled it...
symphonic
tagus
TAKT
teisco
Teisco was a Japanese manufacturer of affordable musical instruments from 1948 until 1969, and now the brand is owned by Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co. Ltd. The company produced guitars as well as keyboard instruments, microphones, amplifiers and even drums. Teisco products were widely exported to the United States and the United Kingdom.
The brand name "Teisco" was established in 1948, and sometimes incorrectly explained as an acronym of Tokyo Electric Instrument and Sound Company. However, the exact name of company establishing and producing the Teisco brand was not that name, and rather, they had frequently renamed their company name.
The company was founded in 1946 by renowned Hawaiian and Spanish guitarist Atswo Kaneko and electrical engineer Doryu Matsuda. The company was originally called Aoi Onpa Kenkyujo (roughly: Hollyhock Soundwave or Electricity Laboratories). In 1956, the company name was changed to Nippon Onpa Kogyo Co., and changed to Teisco Co. in 1964. In 1967, the company was acquired by Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (河合楽器製作所; Kawai Gakki Seisakusho), who discontinued the Teisco brand name for guitars in 1969 (1977 in Japan), but continued to use it for electronic keyboards until the 1980s.
Teisco produced numerous models of guitar and bass amplifiers which were often sold under the Checkmate brand name, but also named Teisco or Silvertone as well as Beltone and Melody. In the 1950s, early amplifier models were very basic 5-10 watt tube/valve designs. During the 1960s, more advanced and powerful models were offered, such as Checkmate 25, Checkmate 50,and Checkmate 100 featuring dual channels, reverb and tremolo effects. Teisco also made solid-state (transistor-based) models, some designed no less radically than their guitars of the time. The Sound Port 60 (60 watts/RMS) and Sound Port 120 (120 watts/RMS) amplifiers from the late 1960s were copies of Fender's silverfaced Vibro Champ and Twin Reverb.
"Many people call any 1960s Japanese guitar a Teisco, which makes as much sense as calling any 1960s American guitar a Rickenbacker. There were several prominent guitar-making factories in Japan at the time, selling instruments to more brand names than anyone can recall. I will not attempt to disentangle the myriad company relationships here, but I will estimate that 75% of “Teisco” guitars on Ebay have no relation to that brand other than their country of origin. The Tokyo Electric Instrument and Sound Company was founded in 1946 and absorbed into Kawai in 1967; it ceased to export guitars in 1969."
The brand name "Teisco" was established in 1948, and sometimes incorrectly explained as an acronym of Tokyo Electric Instrument and Sound Company. However, the exact name of company establishing and producing the Teisco brand was not that name, and rather, they had frequently renamed their company name.
The company was founded in 1946 by renowned Hawaiian and Spanish guitarist Atswo Kaneko and electrical engineer Doryu Matsuda. The company was originally called Aoi Onpa Kenkyujo (roughly: Hollyhock Soundwave or Electricity Laboratories). In 1956, the company name was changed to Nippon Onpa Kogyo Co., and changed to Teisco Co. in 1964. In 1967, the company was acquired by Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (河合楽器製作所; Kawai Gakki Seisakusho), who discontinued the Teisco brand name for guitars in 1969 (1977 in Japan), but continued to use it for electronic keyboards until the 1980s.
Teisco produced numerous models of guitar and bass amplifiers which were often sold under the Checkmate brand name, but also named Teisco or Silvertone as well as Beltone and Melody. In the 1950s, early amplifier models were very basic 5-10 watt tube/valve designs. During the 1960s, more advanced and powerful models were offered, such as Checkmate 25, Checkmate 50,and Checkmate 100 featuring dual channels, reverb and tremolo effects. Teisco also made solid-state (transistor-based) models, some designed no less radically than their guitars of the time. The Sound Port 60 (60 watts/RMS) and Sound Port 120 (120 watts/RMS) amplifiers from the late 1960s were copies of Fender's silverfaced Vibro Champ and Twin Reverb.
"Many people call any 1960s Japanese guitar a Teisco, which makes as much sense as calling any 1960s American guitar a Rickenbacker. There were several prominent guitar-making factories in Japan at the time, selling instruments to more brand names than anyone can recall. I will not attempt to disentangle the myriad company relationships here, but I will estimate that 75% of “Teisco” guitars on Ebay have no relation to that brand other than their country of origin. The Tokyo Electric Instrument and Sound Company was founded in 1946 and absorbed into Kawai in 1967; it ceased to export guitars in 1969."
Tele-tone
Tele-Tone Radio Corporation, 609 West 51st Street, New York, NY.
Manufacturer of "private label" phonographs for large chain, department and discount stores as well as of its own broad line of stereo components and guitar amplifiers (1972). Maker of AM/FM and FM radios with and without clock, phonographs and novelty radios (line of Early American telephone or grandfather clock desing radios) in the early 1960s.
They were added to the Columbia Record SQ hardware licensee list in 1972 (Billboard, 15. Apr. 1972).
"Tele-Tone" trademark registered in 1977, claimed to be in use since 1945. It expired in 1997.
Also spelled "Teletone" (e.g. in Rider's), they are not to be confused with the pre-war company Teletone Corp. of America.
- 1952 based in Elizabeth, NJ [Billboad 2. Aug. 1952]
- 1972 based in Mount Vernon [Billboad 15. Apr. 1972]
- Tele-Tone New York Corp. (1955)
- Tele-Tone National Corp. (1955)
- Tele-Tone Company, Inc. (1977)
Manufacturer of "private label" phonographs for large chain, department and discount stores as well as of its own broad line of stereo components and guitar amplifiers (1972). Maker of AM/FM and FM radios with and without clock, phonographs and novelty radios (line of Early American telephone or grandfather clock desing radios) in the early 1960s.
They were added to the Columbia Record SQ hardware licensee list in 1972 (Billboard, 15. Apr. 1972).
"Tele-Tone" trademark registered in 1977, claimed to be in use since 1945. It expired in 1997.
Also spelled "Teletone" (e.g. in Rider's), they are not to be confused with the pre-war company Teletone Corp. of America.
tempo
teneyck
thorcraft
Titano
tONE kING
TORQUE
Trainwreck Circuits
Trainwreck Circuits was an American company that manufactured boutique guitar amplifiers. They were handmade by Ken Fischer (May 12, 1945 – December 23, 2006) in Colonia, New Jersey, and are some of the most expensive and sought-after amplifiers on the market.
Fischer began working on electronics in the US Navy, and then repaired TVs and radios, and then got a job building amplifiers at Ampeg, where he became senior engineer. Disillusioned, he left in 1967 when the company was being sold to Magnavox.
When he set out on his own, he started building boutique amplifiers with "custom wood cabinets, configurations and secretly built transformers" for clients such as Mark Knopfler and Eddie Van Halen. He made the first Trainwreck amp in his shop in New Jersey, in late 1982/early 1983. With inspiration from Atlantic Records Caspar McCloud the amp was named 'Ginger' after Caspar's wife. His first amps (later named "Liverpool 30") were based on the 4 x EL84 configuration of the Vox AC30. "In beautiful wood cabinetry that matched their legendary sound," They were made to order in limited numbers, and are "ultra-rare and highly collectible". Lacking serial numbers, they are individually designated with women's names;[1] the one owned by guitarist and producer Matte Henderson is called "Nancy". The last one he built ("Kaylene"), while suffering from chronic fatigue immune dysfunction, was an Express made from an old leftover chassis.
Fischer made only heads, not combos. In 1998, his health declining, Fischer allowed Komet Amps to use his circuitry to make a 60 watt amplifier head with two EL34 output tubes.
As of 2010, Trainwreck amplifiers fetch $25,000 and up. His amps are praised for the simplicity of their design and their touch sensitivity: "The sound's so immediate from the pick to coming out of the amp, [which] opens up a whole new kind of playing", according to Charles Daughtry (Kaylene's owner, who sold all his Dumbles to build a collection of six Trainwrecks). Fischer's circuits were simple yet original, and he took extraordinary care in selecting the individual electronic components.
All amps were individually made: "it's possible that no two Trainwreck amplifiers actually have the exact same circuit". Usually they were equipped with three 12AX7 preamp tubes. Fischer made three kinds of models:
Express; two EL34 or two 6V6 output tubes (reminiscent of Marshall)
Liverpool; four EL84 tubes
Rocket; four EL84 tubes and a rectifier tube (basically a tweaked, single channel Vox AC30)
Fischer began working on electronics in the US Navy, and then repaired TVs and radios, and then got a job building amplifiers at Ampeg, where he became senior engineer. Disillusioned, he left in 1967 when the company was being sold to Magnavox.
When he set out on his own, he started building boutique amplifiers with "custom wood cabinets, configurations and secretly built transformers" for clients such as Mark Knopfler and Eddie Van Halen. He made the first Trainwreck amp in his shop in New Jersey, in late 1982/early 1983. With inspiration from Atlantic Records Caspar McCloud the amp was named 'Ginger' after Caspar's wife. His first amps (later named "Liverpool 30") were based on the 4 x EL84 configuration of the Vox AC30. "In beautiful wood cabinetry that matched their legendary sound," They were made to order in limited numbers, and are "ultra-rare and highly collectible". Lacking serial numbers, they are individually designated with women's names;[1] the one owned by guitarist and producer Matte Henderson is called "Nancy". The last one he built ("Kaylene"), while suffering from chronic fatigue immune dysfunction, was an Express made from an old leftover chassis.
Fischer made only heads, not combos. In 1998, his health declining, Fischer allowed Komet Amps to use his circuitry to make a 60 watt amplifier head with two EL34 output tubes.
As of 2010, Trainwreck amplifiers fetch $25,000 and up. His amps are praised for the simplicity of their design and their touch sensitivity: "The sound's so immediate from the pick to coming out of the amp, [which] opens up a whole new kind of playing", according to Charles Daughtry (Kaylene's owner, who sold all his Dumbles to build a collection of six Trainwrecks). Fischer's circuits were simple yet original, and he took extraordinary care in selecting the individual electronic components.
All amps were individually made: "it's possible that no two Trainwreck amplifiers actually have the exact same circuit". Usually they were equipped with three 12AX7 preamp tubes. Fischer made three kinds of models:
Express; two EL34 or two 6V6 output tubes (reminiscent of Marshall)
Liverpool; four EL84 tubes
Rocket; four EL84 tubes and a rectifier tube (basically a tweaked, single channel Vox AC30)
Reader's Comment: "The Trainwreck pages is a collection of writings by Ken Fischer, the founder of Trainwreck. His amps were known (and still are) for being extreme. They are extremely loud at power levels below 50W (much louder than most 100W amps), and they sound extremely good. There aren't very many of them, because he made each one himself, and he passed away about 10 years ago.
He had an extremely good ear and could tune each amp to have a particular flavor. His designs were innovations on old Fenders and Marshalls, in particular the Fender 5F6-A Bassman. That design is the grandfather of the Trainwreck Express, which makes Trainwrecks "cousins" of many other amps. But a Trainwreck is in a class by itself. I have built a reproduction of a particular Express, and it blows all the other amps I have ever owned clean out of the water. It is a pure joy to play. I have attached the schematic. It is very loud without a power brake.
Ken Fischer's genius was in simplicity and a judicious use of components based on the function he wanted. He was a good guy and a hard worker, and today his amps sell second hand for $40,000 and up. The originals are rare jewels." - J.C. Long
traynor
Traynor is a brand of bass amplifiers and guitar amplifiers, the first brand formed by Yorkville Sound. The Traynor brand, named for founder Peter Traynor, began in 1963 with the Dynabass bass amplifier, a rental product. Traynor first became popular in Canada by providing less expensive versions of the circuits used in Marshall and Fender amplifiers of the time. The revived brand now produces a wide range of electric, acoustic, and bass guitar amps.In 1963 Traynor amps were designed by Peter Traynor, a music shop (Long & McQuade) repairman who had been customizing amplifiers as a way to save costs for the business. Through experimentation and experience, Traynor developed a bass guitar amplifier that he called the Traynor Dynabass. By the end of 1963, Traynor was selling the Dynabass amps along with matching 15-inch speaker cabinets, as well as Traynor portable columnar public address (PA) speakers based on a reference book of 1930s RCA commercial loudspeaker designs. Soon a business partnership to sell these amps had formed between Pete Traynor and Jack Long, the man who owned the music store that he worked at.
In 1964, the Dynabass became the "Bass Master", model "YBA-1", and its associated 15-inch speaker cabinet became the "YS-15". The YBA-1 "Bass Master" circuit is very similar to the Fender Bassman, which in turn inspired the classic Marshall 1959 "Plexi" amplifier.[4] The column loudspeakers were designated "YSC-1" and two additional models were created: the "YSC-2" with fewer, larger drivers to obtain more low-frequency bass extension and the "YSC-3" which was a cut-down version of the YSC-1 for customers who needed a smaller loudspeaker.
Starting in 1965 with the Traynor Hi-Tone, a 2x12 test guitar amp (of which only two were ever made) Pete Traynor began experimenting with guitar amp designs. The YGA-1 (a 45 watt amp head) and the YGM-1 (a 1x12 20 watt tube combo were the first products of this research. Full production of these amps began in 1966, and the release of new models continued until the 70s.
In 1970, Traynor introduced the new Traynor logo (in the shape of a parallelogram) that was less prone to having the initial 'T' and final 'r' break off to become "rayno". In 1976, Peter Traynor left the Yorkville Sound, suffering from a bad back. The Traynor brand would be slowly phased out over the next 17 years until its reintroduction in 2000.
In 1964, the Dynabass became the "Bass Master", model "YBA-1", and its associated 15-inch speaker cabinet became the "YS-15". The YBA-1 "Bass Master" circuit is very similar to the Fender Bassman, which in turn inspired the classic Marshall 1959 "Plexi" amplifier.[4] The column loudspeakers were designated "YSC-1" and two additional models were created: the "YSC-2" with fewer, larger drivers to obtain more low-frequency bass extension and the "YSC-3" which was a cut-down version of the YSC-1 for customers who needed a smaller loudspeaker.
Starting in 1965 with the Traynor Hi-Tone, a 2x12 test guitar amp (of which only two were ever made) Pete Traynor began experimenting with guitar amp designs. The YGA-1 (a 45 watt amp head) and the YGM-1 (a 1x12 20 watt tube combo were the first products of this research. Full production of these amps began in 1966, and the release of new models continued until the 70s.
In 1970, Traynor introduced the new Traynor logo (in the shape of a parallelogram) that was less prone to having the initial 'T' and final 'r' break off to become "rayno". In 1976, Peter Traynor left the Yorkville Sound, suffering from a bad back. The Traynor brand would be slowly phased out over the next 17 years until its reintroduction in 2000.
tRENT
truetone
ULTRATONE
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unicord / univox
Univox was a musical instrument brand of Unicord Corporation since early-1960s when they purchased the Amplifier Corporation of America of Westbury, New York and began to market a line of guitar amplifiers. Univox also distributed the guitars by Matsumoku (Hi-Flier, 'Lectra, etc.), effects units by Shin-Ei Companion (Super-Fuzz, Uni-Vibe, etc.), and synthesizers by Crumar (Stringman, etc.) and Korg (MiniKorg K1/K2, MaxiKorg K3, etc.).
In 1985, Unicord Corporation was purchased by Korg, and Univox brand was discontinued due to a fire at the Matsumoku factory in 1987.
In the early 1960s the Unicord Corporation, a manufacturer of electronic transformers, purchased the Amplifier Corporation of America of Westbury, New York. They began marketing a line of amplifiers under the name of "Univox". The company was purchased by Gulf+Western in 1967. Guitar making operations moved to Japan in 1975 where they continued making guitars until 1982. Production under the Univox name was halted after a fire at the Matsumoku factory. After this time instruments were made in Korea under the name "Westbury". The Unicord Corporation was purchased by Korg in 1985, effectively ending the line for good.
Univox was best known for making copies of instruments from better-known companies such as Mosrite, Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker, Ampeg/Dan Armstrong, Epiphone and others. These copies are often referred to as lawsuit copies among collectors. The Univox Hi-Flier was largely based on the Mosrite Ventures guitar; it was popularized in the early 1990s by Kurt Cobain, almost two decades after original production had stopped.
Per Frank Kosinsky, Unicord's Chief Engineer in the late 1970s, as told to Rick Reinckens, a short-term employee, the brand name developed a market reputation as "cheap" because Unicord copied designs from companies like Shure and Electro-Voice instead of doing major original research and development. However, Univox used time-proven electronic circuits and quality components. To avoid this market perception, Unicord developed the Stage brand. However, the only difference between Univox and Stage equipment was the nameplate, attached prior to shipping.
Unicord was also the U.S. distributor for both Marshall amplifiers and Korg synthesizers.
Per Rick Reinckens, who worked as a test technician at Unicord including testing Marshall amps coming in from England for sale in the United States, the English Marshalls used EL-34's output tubes. However, per Frank Kozinski, those could barely reach the rated output wattage. So Unicord would replace the tubes with KT-88 tubes before shipping them to U.S. vendors. Kozinski also told Reinckens that Unicord had started out as a manufacturer of electrical transformers. When the original Marshalls came to the U.S., Unicord's engineers were concerned that the output transformers could not reliably handle the full output. Unicord redesigned the output transformers and told Marshall to use the Unicord design in all units shipped to the U.S. and Marshall could use the design outside the U.S. if they wanted to. Marshall did adopt the Unicord design for all their tube amps.
Also, Tony Frank, the design engineer at Unicord, designed the dual-volume-control two-stage pre-amp that Marshall introduced with their 4140 and 2150 amplifiers, which allowed a "super-dirty" fuzz even at extremely low volumes. When the first production units came into Unicord from Marshall, Frank told Reinckens he was the one who had come up with that design.
A number of tube and solid state amplifiers were produced by Univox over the years. These ranged from small practice combo amps to powerful heads with separate cabinets. Some models had built-in spring reverb and tremolo effects. In 1971 Univox introduced the "B Group" amplifiers, covered in two-toned blue or gray Tolex with distinctive ovalesque cosmetics.
In 1985, Unicord Corporation was purchased by Korg, and Univox brand was discontinued due to a fire at the Matsumoku factory in 1987.
In the early 1960s the Unicord Corporation, a manufacturer of electronic transformers, purchased the Amplifier Corporation of America of Westbury, New York. They began marketing a line of amplifiers under the name of "Univox". The company was purchased by Gulf+Western in 1967. Guitar making operations moved to Japan in 1975 where they continued making guitars until 1982. Production under the Univox name was halted after a fire at the Matsumoku factory. After this time instruments were made in Korea under the name "Westbury". The Unicord Corporation was purchased by Korg in 1985, effectively ending the line for good.
Univox was best known for making copies of instruments from better-known companies such as Mosrite, Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker, Ampeg/Dan Armstrong, Epiphone and others. These copies are often referred to as lawsuit copies among collectors. The Univox Hi-Flier was largely based on the Mosrite Ventures guitar; it was popularized in the early 1990s by Kurt Cobain, almost two decades after original production had stopped.
Per Frank Kosinsky, Unicord's Chief Engineer in the late 1970s, as told to Rick Reinckens, a short-term employee, the brand name developed a market reputation as "cheap" because Unicord copied designs from companies like Shure and Electro-Voice instead of doing major original research and development. However, Univox used time-proven electronic circuits and quality components. To avoid this market perception, Unicord developed the Stage brand. However, the only difference between Univox and Stage equipment was the nameplate, attached prior to shipping.
Unicord was also the U.S. distributor for both Marshall amplifiers and Korg synthesizers.
Per Rick Reinckens, who worked as a test technician at Unicord including testing Marshall amps coming in from England for sale in the United States, the English Marshalls used EL-34's output tubes. However, per Frank Kozinski, those could barely reach the rated output wattage. So Unicord would replace the tubes with KT-88 tubes before shipping them to U.S. vendors. Kozinski also told Reinckens that Unicord had started out as a manufacturer of electrical transformers. When the original Marshalls came to the U.S., Unicord's engineers were concerned that the output transformers could not reliably handle the full output. Unicord redesigned the output transformers and told Marshall to use the Unicord design in all units shipped to the U.S. and Marshall could use the design outside the U.S. if they wanted to. Marshall did adopt the Unicord design for all their tube amps.
Also, Tony Frank, the design engineer at Unicord, designed the dual-volume-control two-stage pre-amp that Marshall introduced with their 4140 and 2150 amplifiers, which allowed a "super-dirty" fuzz even at extremely low volumes. When the first production units came into Unicord from Marshall, Frank told Reinckens he was the one who had come up with that design.
A number of tube and solid state amplifiers were produced by Univox over the years. These ranged from small practice combo amps to powerful heads with separate cabinets. Some models had built-in spring reverb and tremolo effects. In 1971 Univox introduced the "B Group" amplifiers, covered in two-toned blue or gray Tolex with distinctive ovalesque cosmetics.
vADIS
valco / supro
Valco was an American manufacturer of guitars, guitar amplifiers, and other musical instruments from the 1940s through 1968.In the 1930s, Valco was formed by three business partners and former owners of the National Dobro Company; Victor Smith, Al Frost, and Louis Dopyera. The company name was a combination of the three partner's first initials (V.A.L.) plus the common abbreviation for company (Co.)
Valco manufactured Spanish acoustic guitars, metal-bodied resonator guitars, electric lap steel guitars, and vacuum tube amplifiers under a variety of brand names including Supro, Airline, Oahu, and National. They also made amplifiers under contract for several other companies such as Gretsch, Harmony, and Kay. In the 1960s they began producing solid body electric guitars.
Valco merged with Kay Musical Instrument Company in 1967, however the merged company quickly went out of business in 1968 because of financial difficulties.
"The National and Dobro companies were merged in 1934, becoming the National-Dobro Corporation. In 1942, the company was reorganized into Valco (see this page for a more thorough history of the company). While many amplifiers would say “Valco” somewhere on the control panel, this was never used as a brand name any more than FMIC, CMI or Avnet were brand names for Fender, Gibson or Guild. Valco owned two brand names: National and Supro; all guitars and amplifiers sold under these brands were built by Valco. The company built myriad instruments for other brands as well, such as Gretsch, Vega, Airline, Oahu and Silvertone. Some of the hollowbody and acoustic guitars had bodies by Harmony, Kay, Regal and Gibson, but Valco should not be considered one and the same as any of those other companies. Valco gained control of Kay in 1967, so there was a brief period where the Kay brand appeared on Valco-built instruments, but this ended when Valco declared bankruptcy in 1968. There were some Japanese-built National instruments imported by Strum & Drum, a company that bought the National name, but these are easily differentiated from the original Valco products."
Valco manufactured Spanish acoustic guitars, metal-bodied resonator guitars, electric lap steel guitars, and vacuum tube amplifiers under a variety of brand names including Supro, Airline, Oahu, and National. They also made amplifiers under contract for several other companies such as Gretsch, Harmony, and Kay. In the 1960s they began producing solid body electric guitars.
Valco merged with Kay Musical Instrument Company in 1967, however the merged company quickly went out of business in 1968 because of financial difficulties.
"The National and Dobro companies were merged in 1934, becoming the National-Dobro Corporation. In 1942, the company was reorganized into Valco (see this page for a more thorough history of the company). While many amplifiers would say “Valco” somewhere on the control panel, this was never used as a brand name any more than FMIC, CMI or Avnet were brand names for Fender, Gibson or Guild. Valco owned two brand names: National and Supro; all guitars and amplifiers sold under these brands were built by Valco. The company built myriad instruments for other brands as well, such as Gretsch, Vega, Airline, Oahu and Silvertone. Some of the hollowbody and acoustic guitars had bodies by Harmony, Kay, Regal and Gibson, but Valco should not be considered one and the same as any of those other companies. Valco gained control of Kay in 1967, so there was a brief period where the Kay brand appeared on Valco-built instruments, but this ended when Valco declared bankruptcy in 1968. There were some Japanese-built National instruments imported by Strum & Drum, a company that bought the National name, but these are easily differentiated from the original Valco products."
vANOUS
vASE
vENICE
verlage
VERSATONE
victor
I am under the assumption that these amps represented below are actually from two different companies of two different eras, but am not for certain. Can anyone verify this?
vOICE
vOLUTONE
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vox
Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars.[citation needed] Founded in Dartford, Kent, England, Vox has been owned by the Japanese electronics firm Korg since 1992.
The Jennings Organ Company was founded by Thomas Walter Jennings in Dartford Kent, England after World War II. Jennings's first successful product was the Univox, an early self-powered electronic keyboard similar to the Clavioline.
In 1956 Jennings was shown a prototype guitar amplifier made by Dick Denney, a big band guitarist and workmate from World War II. The company was renamed Jennings Musical Industries, or JMI, and in 1958 the 15-watt Vox AC15 amplifier was launched. It was popularised by The Shadows and other British rock 'n' roll musicians and became a commercial success.
In 1959, with sales under pressure from the more powerful Fender Twin and from The Shadows, who requested amplifiers with more power, Vox produced what was essentially a double-powered AC15 and named it the AC30. The AC30, fitted with alnico magnet-equipped Celestion "blue" loudspeakers and later Vox's special "Top Boost" circuitry, and like the AC15 utilizing valves (known in the US as tubes), helped to produce the sound of the British Invasion, being used by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and the Yardbirds, among others. AC30s were later used by Brian May of Queen (who is known for having a wall of AC30s on stage), Paul Weller of The Jam (who also assembled a wall of AC30s), Rory Gallagher, The Edge of U2 and Radiohead guitarists Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien. The Vox AC30 has been used by many other artists including Mark Knopfler, Hank Marvin who was instrumental in getting the AC30 made, Pete Townshend, Ritchie Blackmore, John Scofield, Snowy White, Will Sergeant, Tom Petty, The Echoes, Mike Campbell, Peter Buck, Justin Hayward, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Noel Gallagher, Matthew Bellamy, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Dustin Kensrue, and many others.
Once The Beatles became tied to Vox amplifiers (a deal was struck early in their recording career whereby they would be provided Vox equipment for exclusive stage use), the quest for more power began. John Lennon's first Vox was a fawn-coloured twin-speaker AC15, while George Harrison's was a fawn AC30 with a top boost unit installed in the rear panel. They were later provided with twin black-covered AC30s with the rear panel top boost units. Paul McCartney was provided with one of the first transistorized amplifiers, the infamous T60, which featured an unusual separate cabinet outfitted with a 12" and a 15" speaker. The T60 head had a tendency to overheat, and McCartney's was no exception, so he was then provided with an AC30 head which powered the T60's separate speaker cabinet.
As the crowds at Beatles shows got louder, they needed louder amps. Jennings provided Lennon and Harrison with the first AC50 piggyback units, and McCartney's AC30/T60 rig was replaced with an AC100 head and a customized T100 2×15" cabinet. Lennon and Harrison eventually got their own AC100 rigs, with 4×12"/2-horn configurations. In 1966 and 1967, The Beatles had several prototype or specially-built Vox amplifiers, including hybrid tube/solid-state units from the short-lived 4- and 7-series. Harrison in particular became fond of the 730 amp and 2×12 cabinet, using them to create many the guitar sounds found on Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. A 730 amplifier and cabinet that belonged to George Harrison and had George Harrison's name inscribed on the metal amp chassis was listed in a December 2011 UK music auction when it was expected to fetch at least $US100,000, but it was placed in a private museum collection before the auction. It was exhibited for six months at the Beatles Story in Liverpool and has had short exhibition runs at other museums in the UK. The amp was discovered when the owner took it in for repair, and the repairer spotted the Harrison inscription on the chassis. People who worked with The Beatles at Abbey Road in the 1960s confirmed that Harrison did have his amplifiers marked on the chassis with his name by roadies as he often lent them out to other musicians.
Lennon favored the larger 7120 amplifier, while Harrison preferred the 730 and McCartney had its sister 430 bass amplifier. Around six of each were delivered to The Beatles in 1966 and 1967. George is known to have kept the six 730s for some time afterwards and in 2004 Neil Aspinall confirmed in an interview that two or three of Harrison's 730s remained at Apple in the 1970s and that documentation detailing the amplifiers' serial numbers also survived.It was confirmed later in 2004 by Neil Aspinall that the serial nos of two of George Harrison's Vox UL730 amplifier heads were 3018 and 3020.
In the early 1960s the Brothers Grim became the first American group use Vox Amplifiers. Joe Benaron, CEO of Warwick Electronics Inc. / Thomas Organ Company, the United States distributor of Vox, along with Bernard Stockly (London), importer of Challenge pianos to the United States, arranged for the boys to have full use of the tall Super AC 100 Vox amps (4×12" speakers). The solid-state version of this amp (known in the USA as the "Super Beatle") was produced to cash in on the Beatles-Vox affiliation, but was not nearly as successful as the valve AC30 and AC15 models.
A modern popular rock artist known for use of the Super Beatle is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, although in the April 2008 issue of Premier Guitar, lead guitarist Mike Campbell revealed that the Super Beatle backline was, on their thirtieth anniversary tour at least, primarily used only as a stage prop, though Petty used his "on a couple of songs." In the group's early days, the Vox equipment was chosen because it was relatively inexpensive in 1976, yet had a handsome appearance. A photograph included in the article showed Campbell's guitar sound was coming from other amplifiers hidden behind the large Super Beatles, which Campbell stated were "a tweed Fender Deluxe and a blackface Fender Princeton together behind the Super Beatle, and an isolated Vox AC30 that I have backstage in a box."
The Monkees concealed themselves in large empty Vox cabinet and emerged from them as a grand entrance to the opening of the shows on the 1967 tour and they used real Vox amps for the performances.
The Jennings Organ Company was founded by Thomas Walter Jennings in Dartford Kent, England after World War II. Jennings's first successful product was the Univox, an early self-powered electronic keyboard similar to the Clavioline.
In 1956 Jennings was shown a prototype guitar amplifier made by Dick Denney, a big band guitarist and workmate from World War II. The company was renamed Jennings Musical Industries, or JMI, and in 1958 the 15-watt Vox AC15 amplifier was launched. It was popularised by The Shadows and other British rock 'n' roll musicians and became a commercial success.
In 1959, with sales under pressure from the more powerful Fender Twin and from The Shadows, who requested amplifiers with more power, Vox produced what was essentially a double-powered AC15 and named it the AC30. The AC30, fitted with alnico magnet-equipped Celestion "blue" loudspeakers and later Vox's special "Top Boost" circuitry, and like the AC15 utilizing valves (known in the US as tubes), helped to produce the sound of the British Invasion, being used by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and the Yardbirds, among others. AC30s were later used by Brian May of Queen (who is known for having a wall of AC30s on stage), Paul Weller of The Jam (who also assembled a wall of AC30s), Rory Gallagher, The Edge of U2 and Radiohead guitarists Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien. The Vox AC30 has been used by many other artists including Mark Knopfler, Hank Marvin who was instrumental in getting the AC30 made, Pete Townshend, Ritchie Blackmore, John Scofield, Snowy White, Will Sergeant, Tom Petty, The Echoes, Mike Campbell, Peter Buck, Justin Hayward, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Noel Gallagher, Matthew Bellamy, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Dustin Kensrue, and many others.
Once The Beatles became tied to Vox amplifiers (a deal was struck early in their recording career whereby they would be provided Vox equipment for exclusive stage use), the quest for more power began. John Lennon's first Vox was a fawn-coloured twin-speaker AC15, while George Harrison's was a fawn AC30 with a top boost unit installed in the rear panel. They were later provided with twin black-covered AC30s with the rear panel top boost units. Paul McCartney was provided with one of the first transistorized amplifiers, the infamous T60, which featured an unusual separate cabinet outfitted with a 12" and a 15" speaker. The T60 head had a tendency to overheat, and McCartney's was no exception, so he was then provided with an AC30 head which powered the T60's separate speaker cabinet.
As the crowds at Beatles shows got louder, they needed louder amps. Jennings provided Lennon and Harrison with the first AC50 piggyback units, and McCartney's AC30/T60 rig was replaced with an AC100 head and a customized T100 2×15" cabinet. Lennon and Harrison eventually got their own AC100 rigs, with 4×12"/2-horn configurations. In 1966 and 1967, The Beatles had several prototype or specially-built Vox amplifiers, including hybrid tube/solid-state units from the short-lived 4- and 7-series. Harrison in particular became fond of the 730 amp and 2×12 cabinet, using them to create many the guitar sounds found on Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. A 730 amplifier and cabinet that belonged to George Harrison and had George Harrison's name inscribed on the metal amp chassis was listed in a December 2011 UK music auction when it was expected to fetch at least $US100,000, but it was placed in a private museum collection before the auction. It was exhibited for six months at the Beatles Story in Liverpool and has had short exhibition runs at other museums in the UK. The amp was discovered when the owner took it in for repair, and the repairer spotted the Harrison inscription on the chassis. People who worked with The Beatles at Abbey Road in the 1960s confirmed that Harrison did have his amplifiers marked on the chassis with his name by roadies as he often lent them out to other musicians.
Lennon favored the larger 7120 amplifier, while Harrison preferred the 730 and McCartney had its sister 430 bass amplifier. Around six of each were delivered to The Beatles in 1966 and 1967. George is known to have kept the six 730s for some time afterwards and in 2004 Neil Aspinall confirmed in an interview that two or three of Harrison's 730s remained at Apple in the 1970s and that documentation detailing the amplifiers' serial numbers also survived.It was confirmed later in 2004 by Neil Aspinall that the serial nos of two of George Harrison's Vox UL730 amplifier heads were 3018 and 3020.
In the early 1960s the Brothers Grim became the first American group use Vox Amplifiers. Joe Benaron, CEO of Warwick Electronics Inc. / Thomas Organ Company, the United States distributor of Vox, along with Bernard Stockly (London), importer of Challenge pianos to the United States, arranged for the boys to have full use of the tall Super AC 100 Vox amps (4×12" speakers). The solid-state version of this amp (known in the USA as the "Super Beatle") was produced to cash in on the Beatles-Vox affiliation, but was not nearly as successful as the valve AC30 and AC15 models.
A modern popular rock artist known for use of the Super Beatle is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, although in the April 2008 issue of Premier Guitar, lead guitarist Mike Campbell revealed that the Super Beatle backline was, on their thirtieth anniversary tour at least, primarily used only as a stage prop, though Petty used his "on a couple of songs." In the group's early days, the Vox equipment was chosen because it was relatively inexpensive in 1976, yet had a handsome appearance. A photograph included in the article showed Campbell's guitar sound was coming from other amplifiers hidden behind the large Super Beatles, which Campbell stated were "a tweed Fender Deluxe and a blackface Fender Princeton together behind the Super Beatle, and an isolated Vox AC30 that I have backstage in a box."
The Monkees concealed themselves in large empty Vox cabinet and emerged from them as a grand entrance to the opening of the shows on the 1967 tour and they used real Vox amps for the performances.
watkins / wem
Watkins Electric Music (WEM) is a British company known for manufacturing musical instruments, guitar, bass and PA amplification and the CopiCat tape echo machine. The company was founded in 1949, initially as a record shop in Tooting Market, London, by Charlie Watkins and his brother Reg Watkins. Two years later the brothers moved to a small shop in Balham, London and began selling guitars and accordions.
In 1967-1968 The Who used the WEM (Watkins Electric Music) Audiomaster five-channel mixer and multiple WEM 100-watt transistor PA amplifiers chained together as their sound system. [1] In the concert movie Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (1972), the band is shown using WEM PA equipment as it performs in the ruins of an ancient amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy. Jimi Hendrix and his Band of Gypsys also used WEM PA equipment at outdoor venues in the UK. WEM amplification can also be seen in footage of the Miles Davis Electric Band playing at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970, in Led Zeppelin's 1969 supershow in London, and in The Stones in the Park, one of the Hyde Park Free Concerts. A scaled down version of the company still operates, focusing on accordions and a new handmade version of the CopiCat tape echo units.
In 1967-1968 The Who used the WEM (Watkins Electric Music) Audiomaster five-channel mixer and multiple WEM 100-watt transistor PA amplifiers chained together as their sound system. [1] In the concert movie Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (1972), the band is shown using WEM PA equipment as it performs in the ruins of an ancient amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy. Jimi Hendrix and his Band of Gypsys also used WEM PA equipment at outdoor venues in the UK. WEM amplification can also be seen in footage of the Miles Davis Electric Band playing at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970, in Led Zeppelin's 1969 supershow in London, and in The Stones in the Park, one of the Hyde Park Free Concerts. A scaled down version of the company still operates, focusing on accordions and a new handmade version of the CopiCat tape echo units.
wEST
wESTBURY
wILDER
winston
WOOGIE
yamaha
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yorkville
Yorkville Sound began in 1963 in the back room of Long & McQuade, a music store on Yonge Street at the edge of the Yorkville neighborhood across the termination of Yorkville Avenue. Peter Traynor was working as the business's repairman and had been customizing amplifiers to save time and costs by using readily available components. Through his experiences doing this, Traynor developed a rugged bass amplifier that was more resistant to the rigors of the road and began renting this new 'Dynabass' amp to customers.
By the end of 1963, Traynor began selling his Dynabass amps along with matching 15-inch speaker cabinets, as well as public address (PA) speakers based on a reference book of 1930s RCA commercial loudspeaker designs. Traynor approached Jack Long, co-founder of the music store, with the idea of starting Yorkville Sound to sell Traynor-branded bass amplifiers and more. Long and Traynor partnered in the venture, with Long owning two-thirds and Traynor one-third.
The line of products was sold with Traynor logos on the front and rear nameplates reading "mfg. by Yorkville Sound."
In 1965, Yorkville Sound incorporated as "Yorkville Sound Limited" with Long as President and Traynor as Vice-President. The operation moved to Dundas Street near Parliament in Toronto. In 1966, more products were introduced including the YVM-1 "Voice Master", a portable 45 watt tube amplifier combined with a four-channel microphone mixer. The Voice Master contained 1/4-inch phone jacks for PA speakers, a master volume control, treble, mid-range and bass tone controls and patching points for the TR-1, a spring reverb unit made by Traynor. The portable mixer-amplifier concept was a novel idea that quickly proved popular among musicians, and was the inspiration for the 1967 introduction of the competing "Vocal Master" product line by Shure.
In 1967, Yorkville moved to larger quarters three blocks down Dundas Street, and expanded distribution westward to Vancouver and southward into the United States via Buffalo, New York. In 1969, Yorkville began designing larger concert equipment including eight-, sixteen- and 24-channel mixers with a pair of integral graphic equalizers, an audio snake and heavy folded-horn "W"-style bass bins loaded with 18-inch drivers. The sound contracting business also designed and used wedge-shaped monitor speakers on stage for artists to hear themselves. Concurrently, Yorkville incorporated their Buffalo operation to create a US-based business entity: Yorkville Sound Inc.
In 1970, Philips, the major supplier of the 6CA7 tube used for nearly all of Yorkville's power output circuits, had changed the design of the tube without informing their customers. Because of this change, Yorkville was experiencing a wave of amplifier failures and was faced with the redesign of every amplifier in production. Pete Traynor was contracted to provide sound for a 1970 Toronto concert by the Steve Miller Band but during the performance, the new amplifiers Traynor had brought failed one by one. Pete Traynor caused enough of a commotion with the band's production crew that they carried him to a truck and locked him in the back. Jack Long got him out of the truck and, seeing how stressful it was and how it was not allowing Traynor to focus on the design and manufacturing side of the business, began to shut down the contract sound department, with its final concert date in 1971. Also in 1970, the Canadian dollar ceased to be pegged to the American dollar and US dealers found their Yorkville prices suddenly jump 10% higher, followed quickly by another 10% added due to a short-lived US surtax on imported finished goods.
In 1972, Yorkville expanded operations to Europe, opening offices in the UK and Sweden. In 1976, Peter Traynor left the firm, suffering from a bad back. The Traynor brand would be slowly phased out over the next 17 years until its reintroduction in 2000. Steve Long, son of founder Jack Long, began working full-time at Yorkville Sound in 1981. Steve Long would eventually progress through managerial positions to become company president.
By the end of 1963, Traynor began selling his Dynabass amps along with matching 15-inch speaker cabinets, as well as public address (PA) speakers based on a reference book of 1930s RCA commercial loudspeaker designs. Traynor approached Jack Long, co-founder of the music store, with the idea of starting Yorkville Sound to sell Traynor-branded bass amplifiers and more. Long and Traynor partnered in the venture, with Long owning two-thirds and Traynor one-third.
The line of products was sold with Traynor logos on the front and rear nameplates reading "mfg. by Yorkville Sound."
In 1965, Yorkville Sound incorporated as "Yorkville Sound Limited" with Long as President and Traynor as Vice-President. The operation moved to Dundas Street near Parliament in Toronto. In 1966, more products were introduced including the YVM-1 "Voice Master", a portable 45 watt tube amplifier combined with a four-channel microphone mixer. The Voice Master contained 1/4-inch phone jacks for PA speakers, a master volume control, treble, mid-range and bass tone controls and patching points for the TR-1, a spring reverb unit made by Traynor. The portable mixer-amplifier concept was a novel idea that quickly proved popular among musicians, and was the inspiration for the 1967 introduction of the competing "Vocal Master" product line by Shure.
In 1967, Yorkville moved to larger quarters three blocks down Dundas Street, and expanded distribution westward to Vancouver and southward into the United States via Buffalo, New York. In 1969, Yorkville began designing larger concert equipment including eight-, sixteen- and 24-channel mixers with a pair of integral graphic equalizers, an audio snake and heavy folded-horn "W"-style bass bins loaded with 18-inch drivers. The sound contracting business also designed and used wedge-shaped monitor speakers on stage for artists to hear themselves. Concurrently, Yorkville incorporated their Buffalo operation to create a US-based business entity: Yorkville Sound Inc.
In 1970, Philips, the major supplier of the 6CA7 tube used for nearly all of Yorkville's power output circuits, had changed the design of the tube without informing their customers. Because of this change, Yorkville was experiencing a wave of amplifier failures and was faced with the redesign of every amplifier in production. Pete Traynor was contracted to provide sound for a 1970 Toronto concert by the Steve Miller Band but during the performance, the new amplifiers Traynor had brought failed one by one. Pete Traynor caused enough of a commotion with the band's production crew that they carried him to a truck and locked him in the back. Jack Long got him out of the truck and, seeing how stressful it was and how it was not allowing Traynor to focus on the design and manufacturing side of the business, began to shut down the contract sound department, with its final concert date in 1971. Also in 1970, the Canadian dollar ceased to be pegged to the American dollar and US dealers found their Yorkville prices suddenly jump 10% higher, followed quickly by another 10% added due to a short-lived US surtax on imported finished goods.
In 1972, Yorkville expanded operations to Europe, opening offices in the UK and Sweden. In 1976, Peter Traynor left the firm, suffering from a bad back. The Traynor brand would be slowly phased out over the next 17 years until its reintroduction in 2000. Steve Long, son of founder Jack Long, began working full-time at Yorkville Sound in 1981. Steve Long would eventually progress through managerial positions to become company president.
ZB
**NOTE: Most of the documentation on these instrument amplifier brands is directly from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
