Roland TB-303 - Acid Synthesizer
The Roland TB-303 Bass Line is a small synthesizer with built-in sequencer. It was launched in 1982 by the Roland corporation.
It was originally designed to replace those pesky bass guitarists in your band even though it saved you all the hassle of dealing with your stroppy bassist turning up for gigs late, vomiting during the encore and trying to change the musical direction of the band*, at the end of the day the TB303 just couldn't deliver a realistic bass guitar sound and musicians discarded the TB303 as worthless junk.
Just 18 months after it was launched Roland discontinued the TB-303 after selling in only 10,000 units.
We bought our TB-303 from a small guitar shop in Norwich for just £60!
Towards the end of the decade the House music scene was emerging and cash strapped musicians looked for any kind of electronic instruments to make their music. With the TB-303 being discard by those 'real' musicians they were cheap and easy to pick-up from every second hand music store.
DJ's and House music gurus found that although the TB-303 didn't sound like a bass guitar it did have a unique and hugely contemporary sound all of its own. With the resonance and filter controls in the right positions and a mad note sequence randomly programmed into its onboard sequencer a punchy squelchy acidic bass riff drove the House scene in a new direction ... Acid House.
Acid House music rose from the underground and hit the charts. The TB-303 quickly gained a legendary status and second hand machines changed hands for over £1000 if you were lucky enough to find one. Not bad since they orginally only sold for £238!
Today there are lots of software emulators for the TB-303 and a handful of hardware clones. They still change hands for a great deal of money and a cemented in music history as the machine that changed the face of dance music ...
*obviously this is a gross generalisation. Not all bass guitarists are like this. Some are worse ... LOL!
Date of Manufacture: 1982
Quantity Available: 1
Working Condition: Working
Physical Condition: Very Good
Dimensions: TB-303
Original Box: Yes
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