Yesterday I noticed this ad on eBay, for the King Ampliphonic, amplification system by Vox. According to the seller, the ad is circa 1975, and is from Downbeat Magazine.
Source: OperaRex on eBay.com
The King Vari-Level pickup, was a key component in this system. The player had a choice of either straight amplification, by plugging the Vari-Level pickup directly into an amplifier, or having the ability to alter his/her tone through the Octavoice controller.
The Octavoice controller—or “control center”, as King called it—allowed the player to use straight amplification, or have his/her instrument sound 1 or 2 octaves lower. Or if they preferred, the player could project all 3 of these instrumental voices, as well as their unamplified sound. That was a lot of control, but didn’t end there.
The Octavoice also allowed a player to “change or multiply tone colors”. I’ll say it again, there was a lot of control built into a little belt pack.
Based on the photo above, one can see that the pickup was built into the trumpet mouthpiece. However, the photo of the saxophone player doesn’t show that the pickup on the sax was generally located in the neck.
According to The Vox Showroom, The King Ampliphonic system was a direct result of Thomas Organ trying to find ways to expand the company’s market:
Looking for new markets, Thomas Organ entered the band instrument business with their Vox “Ampliphonic” line. They hoped to bring the same spirit of innovation that powered their guitar amplification products to the “big band” stage. But their goal went beyond amplifying band instruments through a Vox amplifier. Thomas Organ also wished to develop outboard effects devices that would radically modify the tone of reed and brass band instruments just as MRB, fuzz tone, and Repeat Percussion had done for guitar.
Source: Vox Ampliphonic Octavoice I & II page on The Vox Showroom
After sourcing out some woodwinds and brass winds that would accept a pickup, the company designed a set of amplifiers that could accept a signal from these pickups. Then Vox went about developing the Octavoice I & II as an outboard effects unit. To read how the units dropped the instrument signal by 1 and 2 octaves, check out the Vox Ampliphonic Octavoice I & II page, on The Vox Showroom website.
The Vox Showroom has 5 further resources on the Ampliphonic Octavoice, including a catalogue, owner’s manual, and an instrument price list. So if you’re interested in finding out more about this vintage effects unit, be sure to check the links towards the bottom of the Vox Ampliphonic Octavoice I & II page.
A King Ampliphonic Octavoice I recently sold on eBay. (The I was for woodwinds, while the II was for brass winds.) This will give you a better idea of what these units looked like.
Source: rocktan79
Source: rocktan79
Source: rocktan79
I did a some searching on the ‘Net and found quite a lot of other info about the Vox Ampliphonic Octavoice, but sadly no sound samples of a saxophone using the unit. Here is a listing of some of the more interesting links I did find though:
- Courtesy of Kim Slava at doctorsax.biz, here’s a Vox tenor sax by Beaugnier.
- Also on Doctor Sax’s website, a series of photos of the 2 pickups used for the King Octavoice I. (Just an interesting aside, when I first got my Mark VI tenor, it had the pickup shown in the first photo.)
- Then there is this Picasa web album belonging to Chris Earnshaw, that shows his collection of (mostly) Vox-powered, electric clarinets.
Being an electric player, I’m always fascinated with vintage electric gear. While my Boss VE-20 pedal is much more sophisticated, I do appreciate the simplicity, yet ingenuity, of the Vox Ampliphonic Octavoice.
As much as my unit can add delay, reverb, and a whole bunch of other effects that all make my sound fuller and/or more interesting as it comes through the mains, I suspect that this Vox Ampliphonic Octavoice produced a warmth in sound that mine cannot.
For me, that is the greatest difference between the digital gear of today, and the analogue gear of yesterday: warmth. The little computers that live in all these effects boxes and boards of today, cannot produce the same warm tone that the older boxes and boards did. It might be a subtle thing, but as musicians, we listen for the subtle.
I had a “King Vox Octavoice I” that I bought in 1977. I had my clarinet, alto and tenor sax drilled for the air pickup. I clipped the box like a Walkman on to my hip, and ran a mic cord to an on off switch and foot pedal and then up to a keyboard amp behind me. I found that the contrabass was too low for most work, (and it confused my bass player hearing tones in his playing range.) I did use the “bass” switch however. Sadly, I was lazy one night in Houston, TX back in 1979, and left it, and my tenor sax and clarinet on stage after the gig, and at 4AM someone broke into the club and stole all my stuff, as well and two guitars and a bass. I would use the effect very subtly usually at about 40% volume of the actual sound. The reproduction was very legato compared to the original sounding of the instrument. I do have a recording of me playing tenor with the device, on this tune, “There Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” recorded in 1979 in Houston, TX by The Great Rubber Band. You can heard the effect at about 2:04 to 2:21 on the video. ~ Steve Hall Below is a photo of me stepping on the volume pedal back in 1979, at the “Railhead” in Houston. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25Qwz3CRcMo
Edit: typo in previous post… “the equipment was stolen in 1981 rather than 1979.”
I have to admit, I can’t hear any effect. If that’s the pickup, it sounds like a miked instrument which is a good thing, but I didn’t hear any octaves or harmonization or anything else.
I have heard that bassoon pickups work on saxophones, and had plans to attempt it but for various reasons it never happened. Vocal harmonizers and guitar octave pedals do work on saxophones though, I can at least confirm that.
Hi Helen, I played sax in the 1970s and remember someone let me borrow their VOX gear to test out on a gig for a week. All I remember is the mic was centered on a tri-mount that clipped over the bell. I remember there was a foot pedal that controlled (on/off) the one and two octave drops. I think there was a belt-clip volume control but the rest is vague, testing on a gig was not ideal. I believe my friend had the drill mount on the neck to accept the microphone, but this setup allowed anyone to use the gear. To be honest, I don’t think he ever used it.
After 40 years in corporate America I’ve been getting back into playing again. I was curious as to what was out there now in terms of electronics for horn players? I figured there would be so much stuff given the state of technology, but there seems to be nothing? That’s how I stumbled onto your site, looking for the old VOX stuff. But I do see you are using a Boss Pedal. Being the only horn player it’s a little embarrassing when the keyboard player provides the “horn section” licks. I’d like something that can provide an octave up and/or down, and maybe 4ths or 5ths. Any guidance is appreciated.
Hi Mike.
Welcome back to the world of saxophones.
When I bought my Boss pedal, I did so at the advice of the Assitant Manager of the large chain music store locally—who also happened to do sound for festivals, and had mic’d me lots of times in the various bands I played in ATT. Given what was available at the time, it was the newest, and sturdiest pedal on the market (metal, rather than plastic which some of them are), and offered a lot of great features.
That being said, that was years ago, and technology marches on. I also no longer play in bands that require that level of amplification and/or tonal effects. These days I play in a 17-piece big band (swing band), as well as a classical orchestra. When I do need amplification for the occasional jazz combo, I pull out my wireless mic and Roland keyboard amp, and on very rare occasions I use my pedal to get more delay and reverb. As for chorus, octave, or other multi-parts, as well effects like flange, etc, I don’t use those at all anymore.
All this to say, I am rather out of the loop when it comes to the latest and greatest in saxophone electronic effects. I would suggest you check out the threads in the SOTW Forum under Electronic Equipment. There are lots of SOTW members who use electronic gear either as weekend warriors or as seasoned pros. Many of them are up on the newest toys in the electronic world of saxophone sound production.
Thank you Helen, this is very helpful. I wish you continued success with your career.
I have a pickup for tenor that is in the mouthpiece and is a vox like the one in the pics you have but is the unitone one…question is will this work on other amp systems or units? I am making a cord for it to plug into the two small input holes at the moment…:)
Hi sharwin. Welcome to my site.
In answer to your question, I honestly don’t know. I have zero experience with the type of pickup you’re describing. The only person I can think of you could check with is Kim Slava who owns the doctorsax.biz website. He is a tech, and has experience with a variety of horns vintage electronic pickups.
If Kim can’t help you, hopefully he can further direct you towards someone who can.
Good luck with your pickup project…helen