Tolex facts for kids
Tolex is a special brand name for a strong, flexible, and waterproof material. It's made from vinyl, which is a type of plastic. People used Tolex to cover many different things, like books, furniture, and even guitar amplifiers. It helped protect these items and made them look good.
Tolex was first registered as a brand on August 30, 1945. A company called General Tire created it. They registered it as a "plastic sheet and film material" for things like book covers and cases for speakers and amplifiers. Later, General Tire changed its business, and the Tolex brand registration ended in 2005.
Today, TOLEX is a Canadian brand owned by OMNOVA Solutions. This company is now part of Synthomer.
Contents
What Tolex Was Used For
Tolex was very popular for covering many products. It was known for being tough and waterproof.
Musical Instruments and Gear
Many famous musical items used Tolex.
- Guitar Amplifiers: Companies like Fender used Tolex on their guitar amplifiers. This gave the amps a classic, durable finish.
- Electric Pianos: The Fender Rhodes electric piano, a popular instrument, also featured Tolex covering.
- Guitar Cases: Many different companies used Tolex to make strong cases for guitars. This helped protect the instruments when musicians traveled.
Vehicles and Boats
Tolex wasn't just for music gear. It was also used in vehicles.
- Cars and Ambulances: In the 1950s, Tolex covered parts of Henney-Packard hearses and ambulances. It was also used in other Packard cars.
- Boats: Tolex was used in boats, too. Companies like Chris-Craft used it for parts of their boats and other watercraft.
Is It Really Tolex?
Sometimes, musicians say "Tolex" when they mean any vinyl covering on an amplifier or guitar case. However, most of these coverings are not actually the Tolex brand. Only products from companies like Fender and Rickenbacker sometimes used real Tolex. Today, Fender uses a textured vinyl material, which is not the original Tolex brand.
