Ikutaro Kakehashi began learning practical mechanical engineering as a teenager, and found there was a demand for electronics repair in Japan following the end ofWorld War II. After recovering fromtuberculosis in 1954, he opened a goods store inOsaka and began assembling and repairing radios.[2] He attempted to build an electric organ in the late 1950s from spares, including parts of an oldreed organ, telephones and electronic components, and started a business in 1960, initially making amplifiers. He subsequently designed an organ that was sold byMatsushita.[3]
In 1964, Kakehashi designed his first hand playingelectronic drum, the R1 Rhythm Ace, constructed fromtransistor 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'sNAMM Show. However, it lacked automatic accompaniment and so was unsuccessful.[3]
In 1965, Ace Tone established a US distribution agreement withSorkin. 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 theHammond Organ Company, who added Ace Tone's rhythm units to its range of instruments.[3] At the end of the 1960s, Ace Tone began manufacturingguitar effects boxes, such asfuzz which was modelled on an earlierGibson model.[4]
Hammond VS-300 Cadette (1973–?) — although early Cadettes was built in Japan byYamaha/Nippon Gakki, later models in the United Kingdom was built by Ace Tone/Nihon Hammond.[Note 1][Note 2]
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.[14]
[S][H] Hammond models manufactured by Nihon Hammond.
In the 1970s, possibly several models were also distributed underMultivox brand bySorkin Music, an early general agent of Ace Tone in the United States.[Media 17] On the other hand, late-1970s models such as Multivox FR-3 seem to share several similarities withKorg Minipops.[Note 3]
[M] Multivox models
[A][M] Also shipped from Multivox
In the mid-1970s, "ACE TONE" brand was taken over by Sakata/Nihon Hammond.[Note 2]
^"Hammond VS-300".The Organ Forum. December 20, 2012. Archived fromthe original on May 13, 2014. RetrievedMay 10, 2014.Out of interest, certainly as far as the UK goes, only the very early Cadettes were built by Yamaha. The UK's VS300 was built by Ace Tone, as were all small Hammonds by then. ... You can tell by the cabinet styling and the pedals used. If the cab and pedals look like a B series Yamaha, then that's who made the organ. Otherwise it's an Ace Tone. The plate on the back will either say Yamaha/Nippon Gakki or Nihon Hammond.
^abcdeNihon Hammond: In the mid-1970s, Ace Electronic Industries Inc. was restructured and "ACE TONE" brand was taken over by Nihon Hammond established circa 1970, a joint enterprise ofHammond Organ Company in Chicago andSakata Shokai in Osaka, Japan.
Stachowiak, Joe (November 2, 2012)."ROLAND MUSEUM & COMPANY HISTORY". Absolute Music Solutions Ltd. — a visit report on Roland Corporation Hamamatsu Laboratory where early Ace Tone products are also exhibited. Note: the production years seen on their private museum are not reliable. For example, production years of early product/prototype (Canary S-2 (1962), R-1 Rhythm Ace (1964)), and the later mass-production models (Canary S-3 (c. 1965), Rhythm Ace FR-1 (c. 1967)) are mysteriously confused.
"Ace Tone".The Audio Playground Synthesizer Museum. Archived fromthe original on June 30, 2008. — List of products and some corporate history.
"Ace Tone".Combo Organ Heaven. — Profiles of organs and corporate history.
_built_in_Japan.jpg)
.png)
.png)
