First Effects Pedal Ever?

[Joe Hart]

I did a search and didn't find anything on this forum, but in the current issue of Guitar Player Magazine, there is a column about the Rocco Tonexpressor Pedal.  It says that this was the first guitar effects pedal ever.  I found it interesting and figured others may as well.  Do an internet search to see pictures.  There's not a lot of info, but there is some and some pictures.
-Joe Hart

[Br4d13y]

I thought it was the lpb1

[anchovie]

I thought it was the lpb1

That came out in 1969. People were stomping before that!

[Renegadrian]

It seems that as a lot of things in history, it all started from an italian mind...
[insert proud patriotic icon here...]

[shadowmaster]

I know there's already a thread like this and remembered that Mark H. did gave out some interesting facts. I haven't re-read the whole thread but anyhow, here it is.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=33802.0

[cloudscapes]

heard somewhere it was a fuzz that the stones made popular by using it on an album

[StephenGiles]

The De Armond Tone pedal was in use in England certainly in 1960-61 time

[Joe Hart]

The other thread doesn't mention the Tonexpressor.  Guitar Player Magazine states that it came out in 1937, so that beats the De Armond pedal.  Anyone know any pedal that beats this?  And I guess we should define "effects pedal"!  I would say it's a standalone unit that patches between the guitar signal and amplifier and alters the sound electronically (even if you can adjust parameters with a mechanical device, like a Wah pedal).  Thoughts?
-Joe Hart

[anchovie]

I would say that to call it a pedal it needs to be a box containing an effects circuit that you step on to operate, allowing the musician to alter their sound instantly while still playing.

[slacker]

According to the book "Fender Amps The first 50 Years"   "...Gibson, Epiphone, Rickenbacker and DeArmond had all offered a basic volume pedal before WWII..." so if you count volume pedals as an effect you're back to the mid to late 30s at least.

[GREEN FUZ]

... it needs to be a box containing an effects circuit that you step on to operate...

That would rule out the Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster then  .

[birt]

i thought the dearmond tremolo-control was the first in 1946?

[ppatchmods]

i was sure it was the echobase...

[GREEN FUZ]

I`m pretty sure it was a simple circuit box with burst button that preceded all of the aforementioned.

[SpencerPedals]

Indeed it was a simple circuit:



Early Egyptian painting depicting what I can quite surely say is a Fuzz Factory.  That first guy is obviously rocking a primitive form of what we now call the guitar. 

If you're wondering how, my two guesses are that Zachary Vex got ahold of some hieroglyphics containing the circuit and now produces it himself, the copyright having expired a while ago, or he was producing them then, which means he is probably a vampire and doesn't age.

[Mialbu]

SpencerPedals - that's pure genius   

Some interesting reading at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0879304790/qid=1049125210/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-5891485-8965701?v=glance&s=books#reader

heard somewhere it was a fuzz that the stones made popular by using it on an album

According to http://www.fuzzeffect.com/  The Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz Tone was the first fuzz pedal - no idea where that fits in with other pedals though.

I'm sure I read somewhere that the first "effects" that bands used were mainly distortion(ish) caused by taking a razor blade to the speaker cones - but that isn't a pedal as Joe already said.

Just my two-pence worth!

Cheers,
M

[brett]

Not an electronics box, but Ike Turner damaged a speaker once and liked the rattly sound, so he subsequently would kick speakers in cheap amps to see if they sounded fuzzy and better.  I believe he kicked band members/promoters/etc also.

[humptydumpty]

dont forget wives

[GREEN FUZ]

This is an ancient bas relief from the Mesopotamian period-which predates the ancient egyptian civilization by at least two years- clearly depicting a High priest "manipulating" his circuit box with burst button, to the obvious appreciation of his adoring midget fanbase.

[jacobyjd]

This is an ancient bas relief from the Mesopotamian period-which predates the ancient egyptian civilization by at least two years- clearly depicting a High priest "manipulating" his circuit box with burst button, to the obvious appreciation of his adoring midget fanbase.

Oh. Snap.