Dunlop Manufacturing facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Headquarters | Benicia, California |
| Subsidiaries | MXR |
Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc. is a company that makes cool stuff for musicians, especially effects units. They are based in Benicia, California, in the United States. Jim Dunlop Sr. started the company in 1965. It began as a small operation in his home and grew into a big company that makes lots of music gear. Dunlop has bought several well-known brands that make effects pedals, like Cry Baby, MXR, and Way Huge.
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How Dunlop Started and Grew
Jim Dunlop's Early Ideas
Jim Dunlop, who came from Scotland, started his company in 1965. At first, it was a part-time job. He was also working as an engineer in Glasgow. His very first product was called the Vibra-Tuner. This small device attached to a guitar with a suction cup. It helped musicians tune their guitars by showing if the strings were in tune.
Creating Better Capos
While Jim was selling his new tuner, someone told him that musicians really needed a good capo. A capo is a device that clamps onto a guitar's neck to change the pitch of the strings. This person said that anyone who made a good capo for a 12-string guitar would make a lot of money. Jim used his engineering skills to create a new kind of capo. He worked with a local shop to build the first tools for making them. This led to the popular "1100 series" capo.
From Garage to Big Business
Jim started making his products in his living room. Then, he moved to his garage, and later to a bigger place outside his home. On March 19, 1972, he started making guitar picks. He had read many music magazines to learn what musicians liked and disliked about picks. His first picks were made from nylon, and he still makes them today.
In 1972, Jim left his old job to work on his own company full-time. He moved his family to Benicia, California, and set up his business there. After a few years, his company grew even more. He moved to a larger building on Industrial Way.
What Dunlop Makes Today
Today, Dunlop makes many different products for musicians. These include capos and picks, as well as slides, strings, fret wire, and strap holders. They also make many electronic effects pedals. Some famous ones are the original Cry Baby wah-wah pedal, the Uni-Vibe phaser, the Heil Talk Box, and the MXR and Way Huge lines of stompboxes.
Jim Dunlop Sr., the founder of Dunlop Manufacturing, passed away on February 6, 2019. He was 82 years old.
Way Huge Electronics: Cool Pedals
Jeorge Tripps started a company called Way Huge in 1992. They made special effects pedals for guitars. In late 1999, the company closed down. Jeorge Tripps then went to work for another company called Line 6.
In 2008, Jeorge Tripps and Way Huge joined Dunlop Manufacturing. They brought back the Way Huge line of pedals. Some of these include the Swollen Pickle (a fuzz pedal), Pork Loin (an overdrive pedal), Fat Sandwich (a distortion pedal), and Green Rhino (another overdrive pedal). They also reissued the Red Llama overdrive, which is very popular. Way Huge has also worked with famous guitarist Joe Bonamassa on special pedals.
Tortex: A Special Guitar Pick
Dunlop introduced Tortex picks in 1981. Tortex is a special type of plectrum (another word for pick). These picks are designed to feel like old tortoise shell picks. Real tortoise shell picks have been banned since 1973 to protect turtles. Tortex picks give musicians a similar feel without harming animals.
