Click HERE to view a
layout plan of the SELMER BRAINTREE OPERATION that John Weir has drawn for us.
LOUDSPEAKERS - "With regard to speakers, Selmer were using a lot of Goodmans when I started there (1964), but we had trouble with them, especially the 18 inch units in the Goliaths. Several Groups brought them back saying that they were not producing enough sound, and they were right! I found the way to cure the problem was to change them for Celestions! When John Hosey first designed the PA100 it had a frequency response similar to a HiFi amplifier, which was appreciated by many users. However, when used with Goodmans speakers, on many occasions the speakers failed. Goodmans suggested that we should change the amplifier response to make them more compatible with their speakers! I rejected that idea, but from then on, I always tried to use Celestions which were more compatible with our amplifiers, or Fanes which were also very suitable."
THE FUZZ-WAH EFFECTS PEDAL - "Selmer management asked for this in 1968 and I was working on it prior to the move to Braintree. They wanted a pedal which combined Fuzz, Wah-Wah and Repeat. The Repeat effect was actually a chop to give a Bop-Bop-Bop-Bop sound. I used two press switches, one in front operated by pushing the toe down, and one by pushing to heel down. These operated the effects. I finished it off after the move to Braintree. I think they sold a reasonable number, but Selmer eventually found it cheaper to import pedals from the Far East."
THE SCINTILLATION REVERB UNIT - "I designed this unit following a request from management for a cheap unit with which bands could add reverb to their amps. I don't know how well it sold though."
CHANGE IN SELMER AMPLIFIER AND SPEAKER LOGO AROUND ABOUT 1972 - Selmer management decided to ditch the rather Germanic style Selmer badge in favour of a more 'with-it' version. I don't know who designed it but as I remember, it was square with a sort of surreal musical note emblem. It was used on all speakers etc., certainly up until I left in 73. It became know as the 'Mickey Mouse' badge to the personnel working in the factory!
SELMER 4 x 8" COLUMN SPEAKERS - "The TV 4 x 8" columns were brought in mainly to replace the Meazzi speakers which were supplied with the Meazzi Factotum PA amplifier unit, hence the chrome clamps which held them together for portability. I recall we had some trouble with the Meazzi's mainly due to the unit's own small speakers blowing because they could not handle enough power. In any case, the overall power of the Factotum amp was thought to be too low for many performers who worked in noisy pubs & clubs, which was why Selmer did deals with customers who had previously purchased the Meazzi units in order to fix them up with more powerful Selmer gear."
THE SV PERIOD ECHO "SEND/RETURN" SOCKETS - Selmer did quite good business through a dealer who was based in Vienna. Soon after the move to Braintree he visited the factory, and during discussions he told us that the Continentals were very keen on using echo machines such as Swissecho etc., and that sales in Germany and Austria would be greatly improved if we incorporated facilities for connecting these units to our amplifiers, particularly the PA100. At that time, I was in the process of planning the SV range, and so took the opportunity to include echo sockets on most of the amplifiers. I never knew whether it did improve sales, but I know that the SV range sold very well abroad during the early 1970's.
RONNIE LANE (MEMBER OF THE SMALL FACES, FACES, SLIM CHANCE, ETC. AND SELMER EMPLOYEE AT THE THEOBOLD ROAD FACTORY) - "When Ronnie Lane was working in the "Soundproof Room", he would often lock the door and settle down to read the newspaper, with a cup of coffee and a cigarette. Tom, the foreman, knew this and would try the door. Finding it locked, he would bang on it with his fist shouting "I know you're in there Lane. Open this door and come out know!" On hearing this, Ronnie would move a Goliath speaker cabinet aside to reveal a small hole which he had cut in the hardboard wall at the back of the room. He would wriggle out through this, then walk round to come up behind Tom, saying "Hello Tom, are you looking for me?", to which Tom would reply "I swear I will swing for you Lane!"
Dear little Ronnie died of Multiple Sclerosis some years ago. He used to keep us in hysterics most of the time."
JOHN
WEIR
John Weir, Production Manager for Selmer Electronics back in the 1970's, passed away on 22nd November 2008. John worked for the Selmer London company in various capacities from 1964 through to 1973. His assistance in providing information about what actually did take place at Selmers during that period was invaluable in the setting up of this website. |