The stories a culture tells to explain itself to itself.
The Trident A Range is a rare, studio-built analog mixing console — not an instrument — with only 13 units ever made. It was built by and for Trident Studios, adopted by Cherokee Studios after outperforming Neve, Helios, and Cadac in a drum-miking test, and prized for its distinct, 'musical' EQ and saturated tonal character. It offers no automation, no digital features, no portability, and no relevance outside high-end analog studio contexts.
The Rickenbacker 4003 debuted in 1980 as a near-twin of the 4001 with an updated truss rod system made for roundwound strings. It has neck-through construction, has stayed in continuous production, and has spawned five-string, eight-string, fretless, limited-edition and signature versions.
The Hammond A-100 is a console tonewheel organ introduced in 1959. It is effectively a self-contained version of the B-3 and C-3, with an internal power amplifier and speakers, and it was built in many chassis styles identified by the last two digits of the model number.
The Chamberlin M1 appeared in 1970 as a table-top, much more durable Chamberlin design. It dropped the rhythm tapes, rewound its tapes with a return-roller system and used higher-quality playback heads. About 130 were built before production ended in 1981.
The 59DC was one of the first two reissues of Danelectro's Shorthorn line, sold between 1998 and 2001 with two pickups. The Shorthorn design it reissues is a dual cutaway hollow body of Masonite and poplar, with a Coke bottle style headstock and a seal shaped pickguard carrying stacked tone and volume knobs.