Ace Tone

Ace Tone TOP-1

Ace Electronic Industries Inc., or Ace Tone was a manufacturer of musical instruments, including electronic organs and analogue drum machines, and effects pedals. Founded in 1960 by Ikutaro Kakehashi with an investment by Sakata Shokai, Ace Tone can be considered an early incarnation of the Roland Corporation, which was also founded by Kakehashi.^[1] Ace Tone began manufacturing amplifiers in 1963.^[1]

Products

Electronic Keyboards

Clavioline

• Canary Organ S-2 (1962, exhibited on 1964 Summer NAMM, but not released) ^[2]
• Canary Organ S-3 (Three legs)　^[3]

Combo Organ

• Top-1 Organ (1968)
• Top-3 Organ (Phenix) (1965)
• Top-4 Organ (Phenix)^{[citation needed]}
• Top-5 Organ (c.1969)
• Top-6 Organ (
• Top-7 Organ
• Top-8 Organ
• Top-9 Organ
• GT-5 Organ (1971) ^{[Note 1]}
• GT-7 Organ (1971) ^{[Note 2]}

Home Organ

Ace Tone unknown  home organ model

• TO-S1 (ca.1966) ^[3]
• A-122 Organ^{[citation needed]}
• B-422 Organ ^{[Note 3]}
• C-422S Organ^{[citation needed]}

Organs (OEM)

• Technitone SX-610 (1963) ^[3]

Synthesizers

• Multistrings SY-5
• PS-1000 Monosynth (1975)

Effects

• Analog Delay EH-50
• Analog Delay EH-100
• Echo Chamber EC-1
• Echo Chamber EC-10 Professional Echo
• Echo Chamber EC-20
• FUZZ/BOOSTER
• Fuzz Master FM-1 (c.1966-67)
• Fuzz Master FM-2 (c.1968-70)
• Fuzz Master FM-3 (c.1971)
• Graphic Equalizer QH-100
• Stereo Phasor LH-100
• Twin Ace FW-1
• Wah Master WM-1
• Elka  E30  Electronic Organ

Drum Machines

FR-2L

• R1 Rhythm Ace (1964) ^[2][4]
• Rhythm Ace R-3 (1966) ^[3]
• Rhythm Ace FR-1 (1967) ^{[Note 4][A][H]}
• Rhythm Ace FR-2L
• Rhythm Ace FR-3 ^[R]
• Rhythm Ace FR-3S
• Rhythm Ace FR-4 ^[M]
• Rhythm Ace FR-6 (1974^{[citation needed]}) ^[A][S]
• Rhythm Ace FR-6P
• Rhythm Ace FR-6M ^[M]
• Rhythm Ace FR-7M
• Rhythm Producer FR-7L ^[R]
• Rhythm Producer FR-8L ^[A][M]
• Rhythm Ace FR-13
• Rhythm Producer FR-15 (1975)
• Rhythm Ace FR-20
• Rhythm Ace FR-30
• Rhythm Ace FR-60 (Floor type)
• Rhythm Ace FR-70 (Floor type)
• Rhythm FEVER FR-106 ^[S]

Note: Rhythm Ace series were known to be shipped under multiple brands:

Since 1967, Hammond Organ Company distributed Rhythm Ace under Hammond brand.

[A][H] Also shipped from Hammond.

In 1970s, some models were also supplied to Multivox as OEM products.^{[Note 5]}

[M]     Multivox model

[A][M] Also shipped from Multivox

In mid 1970s, “ACE TONE” brand was taken over by Sakata/Nihon Hammond.^{[Note 6]}

[S]     Sakata/Nihhon Hammond model

[A][S] Also shipped from Sakata/Nihhon Hammond.

In 1972, Kakehashi left Ace Electronics and established Roland Corporation.

[R]     Roland released improved models in 1972 (Roland Rhythm 33 (TR-33) and Roland Rhythm 77 (TR-77))

Amplifiers

An Ace Tone Mighty-5 Amplifier

Guitar Amplifiers

• Mini Ace (Combo)
• Solid Ace-1 (Combo)
• Solid Ace-2 (Combo)
• Solid Ace-3 (Head)
• Solid Ace-5 (Combo)
• Solid Ace-6 (Head)
• Solid Ace-7 (Combo)
• Solid Ace-8 (Head)
• Solid Ace-10 (Head)
• Fighter Amplifier
• Friend Ace AR-1
• Gut's Ace
• G-15 Guitar Amplifier (1977)
• GA-5S Cabinet

Tube Amplifiers

• Mighty-5 50Watt (Head)
• Rockey 15Watt 1x12 (Combo)
• Duetto
• Model-101 1x8 (Combo)
• Model-201 (Combo)
• Model-301 (Combo)
• Model-601 (Head)

Bass Amplifiers

• Bass-3 (Combo) Solid State
• Bass-6 (Head) Solid State
• Bass-9 (Head)
• B-50 ^{[Note 6]}

Vocal Amplifiers/Channel Mixer

• VM-4 Solid State Channel Mixer
• VM-30 (Combo)
• Channel Mixer VM-80 Professional (Powered Mixer)
• VM-150 (Powered Mixer)

Other

• Tuning Gun (Tuner)

See also

• Roland Corporation
• Sakata Shokai
• Hammond Organ
• Peter Sorkin Music Company
• Multivox

References

• "Ace Tone Catalog (February 1972)" (in Japanese). Ace Electronic Industry Inc. http://ushigomepan.cool.ne.jp/effect/catalogue/ace7207/00.html. 
• The Audio Playground Synthesizer Museum: Ace Tone - List of products and some corporate history.
• Combo Organ Heaven: Ace Tone - Profiles of organs and corporate history.
• Harmony Central: The Effects Database: Acetone - Reviews of Ace Tone effects pedals.
• Orgel Wiki: Ace Tone - more pictures of organ models.
• VintageSynth.hu: Ace - more pictures of products.

Notes

1. ^ "Ace Tone GT-5". (picture). Orgel Wiki. http://orgelfreaks.wiki.zoho.com/Ace-Tone-GT-5.html. 
2. ^ "Ace Tone GT-7". (picture). Orgel Wiki. http://orgelfreaks.wiki.zoho.com/Ace-Tone-GT-7.html. 
3. ^ "Ace Tone B 422". (pictures). VintageSynth.hu. http://www.vintagesynth.hu/index.php?m=tipus&gyarto=47&id=2064. 
4. ^ In 1967, FR-1 was introduced as option of Hammond organ.
5. ^ "Multivox Archive Page". (pictures). Audio Playground Synthesizer Museum. Archived from the original on May 21, 2003. http://web.archive.org/web/20030521111213/http://www.keyboardmuseum.com/ar/m/multi/multi.html. 
   In 1970s, some models were also supplied to Multivox, an OEM brand of Ace Tone's general agency in the United States.
6. ^ ^{a b} In mid 1970s, Ace Electronic Industries Inc. was restructured and “ACE TONE” brand was taken over by Nihon Hammond, a joint enterprise of Hammond and Sakata Shokai.

External links

• ace-tone lh-100 stereo phasor - LH-100 Stereo Phasor photo and audio examples.
• effectsdatabase.com: Ace Tone WM-1 Wah Master.
• The Dave Howard Singers PAGE - A band that popularized the sound of the Acetone Top 5.