The Electra Forums

There was a post in Auction Watch about a guitar with built-in effects, some discussion about it's identity. This caused me to think about making a list. I'll start, please reply if you think of any others.

I'd be inclined to exclude instruments with only active EQ.

Brand, Model: built-in.
link

Electra, MPC series: modular.
index.php

Gretsch, Super Axe: compressor and phaser.
http://www.vintageguitar.com/1983/gretsch-7680/

Vox, several models circa. late 1960's: Effects may include fuzz/distortion, treble/bass boost, repeat percussion, tuner, etc.
http://www.voxshowroom.com/us/guitar/invader.html

Danelectro, Dan-O-Blaster series: Chorus, distortion, echo, tremolo.
http://www.vintageguitar.com/3035/danelectro-innuendo/

Kay, Effector: Echo, trem, wah, fuzz, "whirlwind."
http://minneapolisguitars.blogspot.com/ ... ector.html

Gibson, RD Artist: Bright mode, treble/bass boost, compression, expansion.
http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/R ... chinfo.php

Hey man,

Great topic! The whole area of how effects grew into being industry standard is pretty cool interesting. On-board effects were a radical concept considering that amps still carried a pretty minimal selection. I mean, I was happy so long as I had reverb and a bright switch.

I don't know if you're including guitar "synthesizers" are included in your list. If so, here's my entry. Be forewarned I'm pulling this from my pocket, forgoing a search.

At one of the stores I worked at in the seventies, mid to late seventies, we had what I believe was a Baldwin guitar/synth system. Baldwin had been/is? a piano company so this was part of their poorly conceived effort to get in on some of the guitar action in the industry.it might have been labeled Conrad, but I'm pretty sure it was Baldwin, distributed through them, for sure. Any way, they had next to zero presence is n guitar world.

I know it sat there for several years without a taker. It was a sunburst semi-hollow body.
Why no takers?

1 VERY expensive.

2. VERY expensive from a relatively unknown manufacturer. This was a time when it was like Gibson, Epiphone, Fender, Gretch, Guild, Rickenbaker for the most part (I'm sorry if I left out your favorite company. Imports hadn't made the huge impact that they soon would.

3. It was a large and complicated system.

4. The guitar itself was very heavy and as I remember had a serious bottom end balance problem.

5 I believe your u needed a statin wagon or van to move all the components. This could be an exaggeration. After all, We were humping those Dual Showmans, Kustoms, and Marshals around somehow (wish I had more pictures). But it was like carrying a B3 with a guitar instead of the keyboard?

6. The guitar quality itself did not seem to be all that great, especially for the generation that grew up on Gibsons and Fenders... instruments that could be had for much less that the Baldwn.

7. All that aside, I had a lot of fun playing it and it was very different, if not unique at the time. When things were slowi'd pull out the manual and work away at understanding this. Since my set-up at the time was a ‘62 Les Paul out of either a tweed Champ or a Deluxe Reverb it was sort of like moving up to the controls of the Enterprise.

8. Practically no marketing or promotion for the brave few storeswho stuck their necks out on these.

9. I'd love to play one today to see how my memories match up. I was a very opinionated guy when it came to gear. I bet it would be a lot of fun to play now... And still a lot to carry around.

Peace & Love,

C.R.

... you just never know. An H.S. Anderson Mad Cat sat in there for almost the same amount of time and that thing played and sounded like a house on fire.mas stuck up as I was I almost bought it. Wish I had...

_________________
"... can't seem to hit that Bb right."