Oh, wow, Joe! That opens the memory floodgates.

A schoolmate in HS, Jerry Yates, got me interested in Electronics Technology and we did many wild experiments in the late 50s. We learned how to tap into the audio amp portion of his Dad's big Crosley "Trans Oceanic" SW receiver and, using a ceramic phonograph cartridge as a guitar pickup, we were "amplified". We removed the carbon rod from a carbon-zinc D cell and nearly blinded ourselves with our carbon arc lamp experiments.

Jerry was what I would call a genius. We had a math teacher who would let us visit his apartment in the evenings where he allowed us to smoke and drink coffee. We would ponder space travel, rocketry, and everything scientific. His name was Neil Johnson and was exactly like the teacher that Robin Williams played in "Dead Poet's Society". He made learning an exciting adventure.

I also started building PAIA kits. Two that I fondly remember were the "Thumpa Thumpa Box" Electronic Drummer and the "Vocal Zapper" which removed vocals and other phantom (center channel) information from a stereo signal. I later got Craig Anderton's book which took me to the next level. I was hooked.

I enlisted the aid of Nortronics, a US tape head manufacturing company, and they sent me heads and schematics to build my own Tape Echo.

Later, I began an Import Agency specializing in electronic components. I supplied parts for most major US music and sound reinforcement OEM including the best known names of that era. At the same time, I was working on several product designs of my own while being coached by such geniuses as Greg Mackie, Bob Carver, Dr Alan Chandler (AEA), and many other high-profile friends.

About that time I became the stocking import/distributor for Japanese Kiso Suzuki Musical Instruments who were primarily violin makers of world fame.

At that point, renowned Dobro(r) picker, Mike Auldridge, and I undertook to co-design the ultimate resonator guitar. That idea was stillborn because Suzuki couldn't make a cone/spider combination to satisfy Mike's ear.

Chapter Two tomorrow...

Donny

SoundClick: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=1209254&content=music
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/donald-gaynor
BIAB 2021 w/current updates.