- AMPEG
- chevron_right HISTORY: 1904-1979
Charles Everett Hull was born on January 17, 1904 in Wisconsin. A constructive and energetic young man, Everett developed an interest in playing bass guitar when he could find no one else to do the job in his band. He had played around in the 20s and 30s with numerous bands and his own orchestra. After playing an upright bass for some time, he noticed that during bass solos the sound was remarkably quiet. He knew that a microphone would work on the outside of the instrument, but would pick up unwanted sounds such as hitting it with his bow. A light went on in Hull´s head and one late night he took out the peg that holds up the bass guitar on the bottom, fixed up a microphone inside of the bass with coat hangers, ran it through a radio, and the Amplifier-Peg was born. Everett´s wife, Gertrude, named the new invention "ampeg," which was short for Amplifier Peg. Popularity picked up on the invention and in 1946 Everett applied for a patent, which was granted a year and a half later.
In 1946, Everett moved to Newark, New Jeresy to pursue his amplifier invention. Everett had been selling a Dynaco hi-fi amp, but wanted to design his own amp specifically for bass instruments. Everett met Stanley Michael in New York and the two of them opened The Michael-Hull Electronics Labs in 1946. Here they offered the "ampeg" for the bass and the Michael-Hull Bassamp. This partnership that seemed to be a good matchup dissolved in 1948 as they were both unhappy. Everett ended up with the company and moved it to New York where the company was renamed The Ampeg Bassamp Co.
After a few years of rough times and small business, the Ampeg company started to expand and grow. This involved a move to a new factory in New York in 1954, and another move in 1957. In 1956, the name was shortened to simply the Ampeg Company. That year Everett´s right hand man to work for Ampeg, Jess Oliver, came into Ampeg when they were still a cramped little shop to buy an Ampeg. Everett offered him a job, and he accepted in 1956, as they became friends. With Oliver, Ampeg amps began to sell regularly and business appeared to be booming. Money had always been a problem at Ampeg and continued up into the 60s. Ampeg had grown so much that they had to move to Linden, New Jersey. Models were rolling off of the shelf at this point, and in the early '60s Ampeg released their first guitar, a stand-up bass.
Times began to get rough as Oliver and Hull´s partnership went sour over a compensation deal. Oliver was then fired or quit, and still we don´t really know what happened. Avnet was in the process of buying, but they pulled out in fall of 1966. The company, Unimusic, then bought out more than 50 percent of Ampeg´s stock in the fall of 1967. The company was under new ownership, but Everett was still president. As many top-officials left Ampeg, Hull began to get upset with the way things were going and still didn´t like Rock & Roll music. He ended up resigning in the fall of 1968. This was the start of the downward spiral for Unimusic. Things going askew, Unimusic sold to Magnavox in 1971 as part of the Selmer division.
In the '70s, Ampeg was still of good quality, but they didn´t keep up with the times. Their tube amps were hardly updated over the time when Magnavox was in charge. A few solid-state amps were introduced, but not enough. The Linden factory was closed in 1974 and manufacturing was moved to Jefferson City, Tennessee. Magnavox just wasn´t a good "marriage" with Ampeg and they never made any money on them. Lots of things changed at this point. Ampeg did have a lot of endorsers, including The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac, but without new product, Ampeg made no large impact in the 1970s. The only breakthrough Ampeg had in this decade was what Dan Armstrong created.
In 1946, Everett moved to Newark, New Jeresy to pursue his amplifier invention. Everett had been selling a Dynaco hi-fi amp, but wanted to design his own amp specifically for bass instruments. Everett met Stanley Michael in New York and the two of them opened The Michael-Hull Electronics Labs in 1946. Here they offered the "ampeg" for the bass and the Michael-Hull Bassamp. This partnership that seemed to be a good matchup dissolved in 1948 as they were both unhappy. Everett ended up with the company and moved it to New York where the company was renamed The Ampeg Bassamp Co.
After a few years of rough times and small business, the Ampeg company started to expand and grow. This involved a move to a new factory in New York in 1954, and another move in 1957. In 1956, the name was shortened to simply the Ampeg Company. That year Everett´s right hand man to work for Ampeg, Jess Oliver, came into Ampeg when they were still a cramped little shop to buy an Ampeg. Everett offered him a job, and he accepted in 1956, as they became friends. With Oliver, Ampeg amps began to sell regularly and business appeared to be booming. Money had always been a problem at Ampeg and continued up into the 60s. Ampeg had grown so much that they had to move to Linden, New Jersey. Models were rolling off of the shelf at this point, and in the early '60s Ampeg released their first guitar, a stand-up bass.
Times began to get rough as Oliver and Hull´s partnership went sour over a compensation deal. Oliver was then fired or quit, and still we don´t really know what happened. Avnet was in the process of buying, but they pulled out in fall of 1966. The company, Unimusic, then bought out more than 50 percent of Ampeg´s stock in the fall of 1967. The company was under new ownership, but Everett was still president. As many top-officials left Ampeg, Hull began to get upset with the way things were going and still didn´t like Rock & Roll music. He ended up resigning in the fall of 1968. This was the start of the downward spiral for Unimusic. Things going askew, Unimusic sold to Magnavox in 1971 as part of the Selmer division.
In the '70s, Ampeg was still of good quality, but they didn´t keep up with the times. Their tube amps were hardly updated over the time when Magnavox was in charge. A few solid-state amps were introduced, but not enough. The Linden factory was closed in 1974 and manufacturing was moved to Jefferson City, Tennessee. Magnavox just wasn´t a good "marriage" with Ampeg and they never made any money on them. Lots of things changed at this point. Ampeg did have a lot of endorsers, including The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac, but without new product, Ampeg made no large impact in the 1970s. The only breakthrough Ampeg had in this decade was what Dan Armstrong created.