This rhythm synthesizer, or drum machine, was made by Made by Gibson, Inc. in Lincolnwood, Illinois, around 1965-1970. It is a Maestro Rhythm King model MRK-1, serial #M-11676. Accessioned with vinyl cover.
This analog drum machine has 18 pre-programmed rhythm buttons:
Latin (orange): Bossa Nova; Samba; Bolero; Rumba; Cha Cha; Mambo; Tango; Paso Doble American (yellow): Slow Fox; Slow Rock; Swing; Dixie; Shuffle; Go Go; Disco Traditional (blue): March Polka; Western; Waltz
A control panel is comprised of : On-Off Pilot; Volume knob; Speed knob; Downbeat (light) 8 trigger buttons to produce individual sounds: Bass Drum; Snare Drum; Hi-Hat Cymbal; Tom Tom; Bongo; Blocks; Clave
This electric piano was made by the Fender Rhodes Company in Fullerton, California around 1971-1973. It is a Mark I stage piano, which was produced from 1969-1975. This piano is serial number 24761, and has a compass of 6ix octaves, Rhodes action, with hammers facing the keyboard, metal bars with resonator bars and coils to turn vibrations into electrical charges, rubber pads on plastic shank hammers, 2 hand stops: tone regulator and volume regulator, wood frame, an imitation leather-covered wood case, and a folding metal base.
This piano features the following patents:
U. S. Patent #2972922, dated February 28, 1961 by Harold B. Rhodes for an electrical musical instrument in the nature of a piano.
U. S. Patent #3270608, dated September 6, 1966 by Harold B. Rhodes for a piano action.
U. S. Design Patent #200439, dated February 23, 1965 by Harold B. Rhodes for an electric piano.
U.S. Design Patent #200440, dated February 23, 1965 by Harold B. Rhodes for an electric piano.
This amplifier and speaker was made by Yamaha (Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd.) in Hamamatsu, Japan, in the late 1960s – early 1970s. It is a guitar amplifier/speaker model TA-60, serial #202290. This speaker has a unique wedge shape and features Yamaha's Flexion or “Natural Sound” speakers. There are 4 channel input jacks, reverb tremolo jack, and signal output jack. On the top there are 4 control knobs for each channel (volume, bass, middle , and treble). Channel 1 has also a reverb unit with tremolo depth and frequency of reverb controllers. There are 2 foot-operated buttons to control the reverb. Accessioned with a black vinyl cover.
This electric piano was made by the Wurlitzer Company, in Dekalb, Illinois, likely around 1978. It is model 200A serial #129394L, and has 2 control knobs: volume and vibrato, plastic lid, vinyl-covered wood case, and 4 detachable chrome-plated tapered legs. The "L" serial number designation indicates that this piano was manufactured in Wurlitzer's Logan, Utah plant. This model, 200A, continued in production into 1980.
This organ was made by Allen Organ Company in Macungie, Pennsylvania, in 1971. It is a Digital Computer organ, System 300 model, with two keyboards, pedalboard, and bench. Accessioned with original owner's manual, "how-to" sheet, tone card instruction books, set of (43) tone cards, two Allen speakers (#23264 and #23265) and reference materials.
Originally designed for use in churches, the Allen all-digital electronic organ was perfect for smaller churches that lacked the space (or resources) for a traditional pipe organ. The organ was installed in St. Andrews's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1971. It was replaced with a larger Allen organ in 1994.
The all-digital organ made by Allen was one of the first to use digital sampling but also LSI (large scale integrated) devices. The Allen Organ Company worked with Rockwell International, an aerospace company and a key player in the development of the Apollo space program, to develop the technology to produce a digital musical instrument. After two years of development, the Allen Digital Computer Organ was introduced to the world at a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, in 1971.