Ace Electronic Industries Inc., or Ace Tone, was a manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, including electronic organs, analogue drum machines, and electronic drums, as well as amplifiers 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. Ace Tone began manufacturing amplifiers in 1963.
History
Ikutaro Kakehashi began learning practical mechanical engineering as a teenager, and found there was a demand for electronics repair in Japan following the end of World War II. After recovering from tuberculosis in 1954, he opened a goods store in Osaka and began assembling and repairing radios. He attempted to build an electric organ in the late 1950s from spares, including parts of an old reed organ, telephones and electronic components, and started a business in 1960, initially making amplifiers. He subsequently designed an organ that was sold by Matsushita.
In 1964, Kakehashi designed his first hand playing electronic drum, the R1 Rhythm Ace, constructed from transistor circuitry. It was designed to be attached below the manuals on a home organ, and had six buttons that created a variety of percussion sounds. It was presented at that year's National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). However, it lacked automatic accompaniment and so was unsuccessful.
In 1965, Ace Tone established a US distribution agreement with Sorkin. In 1967, the company introduced the Rhythm Ace FR-1, which allowed a variety of automatically-played popular rhythms with a variable tempo. It was commercially successful and led to partnership with the Hammond Organ Company, who added Ace Tone's rhythm units to its range of instruments. At the end of the 1960s, Ace Tone began manufacturing guitar effects boxes, such as fuzz which was modelled on an earlier Gibson model.
Products
Electronic Keyboards
Clavioline
Canary S-2 (1962) — Vacuum tube clavioline, exhibited on 1964 Summer NAMM, but not released. Canary S-3 (Three legs) — Transistor clavioline
Combo Organ
TOP-1 (1968 or 1969) TOP-3 (Phenix) (1965) TOP-4 (Phenix) TOP-5 (c. 1969) TOP-6 (c. 1972) TOP-7 TOP-8 TOP-9 (1968 or 1969) GT-2 (c. 1975) — predecessor of Hammond X-2 (c. 1978) and possibly Hammond B-100W (c. 1983) GT-5 (c. 1971) — predecessor of Ace Tone X-3/X-3W (c. 1978) and possibly Hammond B-250W (c. 1983) GT-7 (1971) — predecessor of Hammond X-5 (c. 1978) and Hammond B-200 (c. 1980). X-3/X-3W (c. 1978) — although model name evokes Hammond X series, it was shipped under Ace Tone brand. combo organ accessories OR-30 Transistorized Bench Amplifier PK-2 Organ Bass Pedals Expander/Expression Pedal EXP-4 HP-10 Headphone (for combo organ) HP-20 Headphone
Home Organ
TO-S1 (c. 1966) A-122 B-422 B-5 C-422S Ace 1000 / 2000 / 3000 (c. 1970s) — designed based on Hammond Cadette series. Ace 3000 has built-in cassette recorder on the lower right.
Organs (OEM)
National (Panasonic) SX-601 (1963) Hammond VS-300 Cadette (1973–?) — although early Cadettes was built in Japan by Yamaha/Nippon Gakki, later models in the United Kingdom was built by Ace Tone/Nihon Hammond. Hammond F 1000 / 2000 / 3000 (1970s) — these models built in England in the 1970s, were variations of Ace 1000 / 2000 / 3000 designed & built in Japan, based on Hammond Cadette series.
Electronic Piano
AP-100 Electronic Piano
Synthesizers
Multistrings SY-5
PS-1000 Monosynth (1975) — similar to Roland SH-3/SH-3A (1974) SY-100 Monosynth
Effects
Analog Delay EH-50
Analog Delay EH-100
Echo Chamber EC-1
Reverb/Echo Chamber EC-10 Professional Echo
Echo Chamber EC-20
FUZZ/BOOSTER
Fuzz Master FM-1 (c. 1966–68) Fuzz Master FM-2 (c. 1968–) Fuzz Master FM-3 (c. 1971–) Graphic Equalizer QH-100 Stereo Phasor LH-100 Twin Ace FW-1 (Fuzz + Wah) Wah Master WM-1