Chris21
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- 07.02.18
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- 25.12.15
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Kürzlich habe ich ein Acoustic Model 164 ergattern können. Ein kleiner, schwerer, lauter und unglaublich gut klingender Röhren Combo Amp aus den ganz frühen 80er Jahren. Fast ebenso beeindruckend wie die Soundvielfalt dieses Monsters ist seine Geschichte. Oder vielmehr die Geschichte der Firma Acoustic Control Corporation (oder kurz "Acoustic"). Im Netz findet man nicht viel und noch weniger verbindliche Informationen über so ziemlich alles, was nach der Gründung im Jahr 1967, bzw. 1965 folgte.
Der innere Indiana Jones war geweckt und ich habe versucht, ein wenig Licht ins Dunkel zu bringen. Darum hier jetzt...
A HAZY HISTORY OF THE ACOUSTIC CONTROL CORPORATION
1967 Steven Marks founded the Acoustic Control Corporation in Van Nuys, California, manufacturing high end amplifiers and cabinets for guitars and bass-guitars introducing features like front mounting of speakers, removeable grilles, separate preamp and powered speaker enclosures. Also a lifetime warranty has been offered to the original purchaser.
The first models ever to be produced were the 260 Head (with 125 watts RMS at 4 Ohm) and the 261 Cabinet (2 x 15″ speakers) of which Robby Krieger (of the above mentioned The Doors) became a frequent user before switching to Fender. Though ACC never gave away endorsement deals the bands rise to fame gave an substantial boost to the company.
In fact The Doors became such an important outlet that they made it on the cover of the catalogue in 1968.
Krieger found himself in good company with guitarists like Albert King and Chuck Berry having the 260 accompany them on stage while folks like Pete Townsend and Frank Zappa felt more drawn to the successor Model 270 / 271 in the early 70s.
But let’s move from six to four strings. To create a counterpart to the Model 260 / 261 that was supposed to suit the guitar (even though it is nowadays also found in in the hands of bass players) ACC released an amp that should become “the most heard, least acknowledged amp in music history“.
The Acoustic 360 was pure in tone, very musically and with 200 watt RMS / 440 watts PEAK astonishingly loud. Its cabinet, the Acoustic 361 featured a single 18” speaker and a large folded horn. Gene Czerwinski of Cerwin-Vega played the key part in the back then revolutionary design.
It was made not so much for the club but for the big stages which became a huge advantage as in the late 60s more and more concerts for massive audiences started to emerge.
John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) used a pair of it, John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) used it in the early days, Jaco Pastorius loved it, Larry Graham (Sly & the Family Stone) used it and Dave Brown played one at Woodstock with Santana.
In the mid 70s the Acoustic Control Corporation started their own series of instruments with the “Black Widow” which among other users was owned by a gentleman by the name of Jimi Hendrix. Also the portfolio has been expanded by a range of PA systems. Later in that century the company deviated from their all solid state amplifier line by introducing three tube amplifier models (Model 160, 164, 165) which almost lead to a lawsuit with their competitors Mesa Boogie due to patent violation.
What led to the final curtain for the amp manufacturer remains unknown. At least for us…
It’s kind of safe to say that Steve Marks young company became a success with its uncompromising early models. But somehow they seemingly got lost over time…
To set the record straight:
Acoustic Control Corporation or just „Acoustic“ is a brand which history is quite hard to figure out as you only find occasional hints of what happened when. We’ve tried our best to map the course the company took but the dates should be taken with a large grain of salt as there are no such thing as „confirmed“ sources.
TIMELINE
1965
Der vollständige Artikel ist auf 21Hz Gear Blog zu finden inkl. Links, Bilder, Fussnoten etc.
Ich bin dankbar für jede Anmerkung, jeden Hinweiß, kurzum alles, was es an Wissen zu diesem Thema gibt. Ganz besonders interessiert mich das androhte (?) Patentrechtsverfahren zwischen ACC und Mesa Boogie, resultierend aus dem Vorwurf, das oben erwähnte Model 164 wäre eine Kopie des Mesa Boogie Mark II.
PS: wenn dieser Post in dieser Sektion des Forums falsch am Platz ist, bitte verschieben. Danke.
Der innere Indiana Jones war geweckt und ich habe versucht, ein wenig Licht ins Dunkel zu bringen. Darum hier jetzt...
A HAZY HISTORY OF THE ACOUSTIC CONTROL CORPORATION
1967 Steven Marks founded the Acoustic Control Corporation in Van Nuys, California, manufacturing high end amplifiers and cabinets for guitars and bass-guitars introducing features like front mounting of speakers, removeable grilles, separate preamp and powered speaker enclosures. Also a lifetime warranty has been offered to the original purchaser.
The first models ever to be produced were the 260 Head (with 125 watts RMS at 4 Ohm) and the 261 Cabinet (2 x 15″ speakers) of which Robby Krieger (of the above mentioned The Doors) became a frequent user before switching to Fender. Though ACC never gave away endorsement deals the bands rise to fame gave an substantial boost to the company.
In fact The Doors became such an important outlet that they made it on the cover of the catalogue in 1968.
Krieger found himself in good company with guitarists like Albert King and Chuck Berry having the 260 accompany them on stage while folks like Pete Townsend and Frank Zappa felt more drawn to the successor Model 270 / 271 in the early 70s.
But let’s move from six to four strings. To create a counterpart to the Model 260 / 261 that was supposed to suit the guitar (even though it is nowadays also found in in the hands of bass players) ACC released an amp that should become “the most heard, least acknowledged amp in music history“.
The Acoustic 360 was pure in tone, very musically and with 200 watt RMS / 440 watts PEAK astonishingly loud. Its cabinet, the Acoustic 361 featured a single 18” speaker and a large folded horn. Gene Czerwinski of Cerwin-Vega played the key part in the back then revolutionary design.
It was made not so much for the club but for the big stages which became a huge advantage as in the late 60s more and more concerts for massive audiences started to emerge.
John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) used a pair of it, John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) used it in the early days, Jaco Pastorius loved it, Larry Graham (Sly & the Family Stone) used it and Dave Brown played one at Woodstock with Santana.
In the mid 70s the Acoustic Control Corporation started their own series of instruments with the “Black Widow” which among other users was owned by a gentleman by the name of Jimi Hendrix. Also the portfolio has been expanded by a range of PA systems. Later in that century the company deviated from their all solid state amplifier line by introducing three tube amplifier models (Model 160, 164, 165) which almost lead to a lawsuit with their competitors Mesa Boogie due to patent violation.
What led to the final curtain for the amp manufacturer remains unknown. At least for us…
It’s kind of safe to say that Steve Marks young company became a success with its uncompromising early models. But somehow they seemingly got lost over time…
To set the record straight:
Acoustic Control Corporation or just „Acoustic“ is a brand which history is quite hard to figure out as you only find occasional hints of what happened when. We’ve tried our best to map the course the company took but the dates should be taken with a large grain of salt as there are no such thing as „confirmed“ sources.
TIMELINE
1965
- on Tuesday, September 28, the name Acoustic Control Corporation was filed in Van Nuys, California
- Steve Marks & his father Robert Marks founded the Acoustic Control Corporation
- production of the 260 head / 261 cabinet starts
- production of the 360 head / 361 cabinet starts
- introduction of the 150 series
- introduction of the 270 series
- introduction of the 130 series
- production of the “Black Widow” electric guitar and electric bass starts
- production of the PA systems MF IV, MF VI, and MF VIII starts
- introduction of the Acoustic 370
- introduction of the 470 and 450 series
- production of the “Black Widow” electric guitar and electric bass ends
- production of the Model 160, Model 164 and Model 165 starts
- production of the “Acoustic G series“ starts
- ACC went out of business
- Latter-day employee and designer Steve Rabe went on to establish specialist bass amplifier manufacturer SWR
- Comeback under the name Acoustic Amplification
- another branch of Acoustic, G.P.G. Co a.k.a. Acoustic USA launched its website
Der vollständige Artikel ist auf 21Hz Gear Blog zu finden inkl. Links, Bilder, Fussnoten etc.
Ich bin dankbar für jede Anmerkung, jeden Hinweiß, kurzum alles, was es an Wissen zu diesem Thema gibt. Ganz besonders interessiert mich das androhte (?) Patentrechtsverfahren zwischen ACC und Mesa Boogie, resultierend aus dem Vorwurf, das oben erwähnte Model 164 wäre eine Kopie des Mesa Boogie Mark II.
PS: wenn dieser Post in dieser Sektion des Forums falsch am Platz ist, bitte verschieben. Danke.
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