Applied Fuzz and Treble Booster FT-100

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By 1970 two states held claim to the majority of fuzz pedals being produced in the US; New York and New Jersey. A fact that tends to surprise a lot of people, but one quick Reverb search will undoubtedly bring up literal tons of vintage effects all built within a hundred mile radius of Newark. A few months ago we discussed one of these behemoths in this post about the legendary Manny's Fuzz, but today we're looking at the other giant, located just 7 miles down the road; Applied Audio Products Inc.

For a long time (and even still a bit now) the history and personnel behind Applied Audio was something of an enigma. And for many collectors, knowing that Applied was the actual manufacturer behind these ubiquitous 60's fuzzes was a mystery in and of itself. So today I want to lay out everything I have been able to find over the last few years and see if we can both, add more facts to this story and hopefully motivate some of you to reach out with some new info we have yet to discover. :) 

If you've been into vintage fuzzes for more than a year then there is a good chance you have seen the pedal above. If not labeled "Applied", then you've certainly seen it under one of it's many OEM re-brandings (Vivant, Crown, and Lou Rose, etc.).

Seemingly built by the thousands, and with pot date-codes generally ranging from 1966-1968, the Applied Fuzz and Treble Booster is definitely one of the more common pedals of the vintage world. But who was making them, especially at this scale? And when did they actually come out?

The two advertisements above come from the distribution catalog St. Louis Music Supply, both about six months apart in 1968. And while there may be an earlier mention of the Applied Fuzz in print, I have yet to find one. So as of now, an "early 1968" start date seems plausible. 

The pedal above is most likely this same early version, going by the knobs and battery-tester lamp being an exact match to the advertisements (see the very first photo in this post for what is probably a "later" unit). 

But was there an earlier incarnation?

The Kadent Treblefuzz is clearly of the same builder, but is also obviously different! The only example (yet found) of a 2-knob version of the Applied fuzz, the Kadent also has some other unique aspects that could point to an earlier build, pre-1968.

In addition to the circuit itself being somewhat different (one could say a "more primitive" version), the Kadent also featured a hard-wired output cable, an On/Off "Fuzz Intensity" pot, and an input jack directly on the front panel next to the knobs. 

And when it comes to the placement of that input jack, and the curious "Treblefuzz" font that happens to be fairly unique for the time, I am instantly reminded of another pedal that I know for sure was released in the Spring of 1967... the Goya "Panther Box" Fuzz-Tone and Treble Boost. 

So while we don't know exactly when the Kadent fuzz shows up in the Applied timeline, the circuit does suggest that it was potentially BEFORE all other variants. Although it is important to note that there are at least two other examples of the Kadent that do NOT have the On/Off pot. This could suggest that while they may have been "first" in the lineup, that they were also being made concurrently with the other variants through 1968, as there are examples of brandings like "Giulietti" and "Vivant" that have the On/Off pot but with a 3 knob setup instead. 

But as of now the only hard evidence we can point to is squarely in the corner of the Goya Panther fuzz. I happen to have two of these insanely gnarly 60's splatter boxes (see above). And in addition to sounding a bit different from each other, and using very different components, the one on the left employs the same On/Off switch that's in the Kadent. So until we find some solid documentation that states otherwise, the Goya may be our real introduction to Applied Audio?

By 1967 Goya had been bought out by Avnet Inc., a large conglomerate who had also purchased Guild the previous year (and additionally they had Guild's founder, Al Dronge, on their advisory board). So in early 1967 there was something of a change with the Goya catalog, labeled as "The International Sound" it featured guitars made in both Italy and Japan, while the accessories were made by third-party manufacturers elsewhere. 

And after looking, for what would probably be considered an obsessive amount of time, at all the documentation out there, I have no doubt that the Goya effects and their amps post-1966 were made right here in the US by Applied Audio Products Inc. The circuit, the build style, the type fonts, many of the components, and even that weird battery tester, are identical to what you find in virtually all of the known examples of Applied-related products. 

In 1968 Goya would go on to add other Applied effects to their lineup; like the Boom Box, the Fury Box, and the following year, the Power Box (an early LPB-1 copy). But what we don't know is just how long the Goya/Applied partnership lasted. Sadly, the trail goes cold after 1969. But there's still way more to be learned; starting with the biggest question of all...

WHO was "Applied Audio"?

To answer this I had to get super sleuthy, and even still, found myself reaching for connections that may or may not actually exist...

But what we do know is that Applied was started by an engineer with years of experience in amplifier construction and design, his name was Jack Gentul (see photo above). Gentul had spent the previous portion of his career as the founding member of Hilgen Amplifiers, and before that he worked for the Sano Corporation building and designing their amps. In 1967 Gentul's business partner Jacques Silva decided to end both the partnership and the brand, liquidating all inventory in the process. *check out the amazing Hilgen Amplifiers site for more details on this early history. 

And until recently it really appeared as though Applied Audio sprang up in the wake of Hilgen's demise. But I recently came across a Music Trades magazine from February of 1967 that shows both, an ad for the new Goya Barracuda Amplifier (which was unquestionably made by Gentul and houses what could possibly be the original version of the Applied fuzz?) but also features an announcement for the consolidation of Hilgen's manufacturing plants to a warehouse in Hillside, NJ (which was home to Radio-Matic, Jacques Silva's other company). Which leads me to believe that Applied Audio was either already in the works as the "sister brand" of Hilgen, or the Goya contract was with Hilgen, and Applied Audio had yet to become a separate entity.

And while the exact details are still a bit foggy, as stated above, at some point in 1967 Hilgen was finished. But being equally adept at business as he was with electronics, Gentul quickly pivoted to his new brand, going all-in on Applied Audio Products Inc. He even used the same factory at 111 Market St. in Kenilworth, NJ that Hilgen Amps had called home for the previous two and half years. The evidence for this particular time period is a bit hazy, but I was able to find a wedding announcement for an Applied Audio technician from September of 1967. So it wouldn't be until the following year that we would get our best lead on what was going with Applied Audio and who else might have been involved.

From this point I am not sure how, when, or where the connection was made, but in June of 1968 there was an article announcing a new factory that was being built for the Trans-Tek Manufacturing Company, previously of Garwood, NJ.

This new plant in South Plainfield, NJ would not only house Trans-Tek but also Applied Audio, which was referred to as their "associate organization". The article went on to state that in addition to small consumer electronics and educational kits, the workers of the factory were also going to build amplifiers and effects pedals (with the Applied Big Fuzz being named explicitly). What's really cool is that the same article confirmed that Applied Audio had already been working with brands like Goya and Sano, building their amplifiers and effects! And while it goes on to imply that both Applied and Trans-Tek were based out of the new plant, we can easily confirm this as well, as there are examples of Applied Audio fuzzes with their original boxes. And on those boxes, it clearly says "South Plainfield, NJ" (or in this case, it blurrily says that).

My assumption/best guess is that Trans-Tek had a previous relationship with Jack Gentul / Hilgen, possibly supplying him with electronic components like transistors, potentiometers, capacitors, etc. which Trans-Tek sold in bulk. But again, that's just a guess.

What I do know for sure is that in the years leading up to May of 1968 both companies were listed under completely different addresses, but only 5 minutes apart from each other. So a prior relationship is very possible (and even, likely?). Either way the connection was made, and at least until 1970 it would appear that both brands were located under one roof. *in 1970 Applied seems to move to Manville, NJ. And although their partnership with Trans-Tek becomes unclear at this point, it is possible that they continued the relationship, and possibly throughout the rest of the decade.

With the Applied/Trans-Tek alliance it's now much easier to see how they were able to keep up with so many orders, and also build at a level where managing such a wide range of OEM partnerships was completely doable. One of the big questions when it came to Applied Audio has always been, who was building all this stuff??? And this is partially because there aren't any other pedal manufacturers in the US who produced at this scale, that we know almost NOTHING about! And even though we now have way more information than ever before, I would love to talk to someone who was actually involved. Because sadly, some big unknowns are still out there, just floating in the abyss.

Now that we know a little more background, let's get into the pedal itself. The circuit has been described as a "Fuzz Face with a boost attached", and other people have pointed out that it also borrows some functionality from the Fuzzrite. To me it sounds like neither of those, but instead turns the obnoxiousness up to 11 and produces a super nasty/nasally/hairy 60's fuzz tone. (*tip: if you have one of these, try it with a boost pedal slamming the input)

When it comes to the outside of the pedal it's pretty easy to see some of the more unique features of the Applied fuzz; the battery tester switch, the corresponding lamp (which is literally its only function), the fact that it's a super early fuzz + treble booster combo, the two switches, etc. But maybe the aspect that's stuck out to you the most is that you've seen it pop up under a bunch of different brandings.

Above is a "Crown" labeled version. I can tell it's fairly early in the run because it has that oddly large battery-tester bulb and also uses those metal top-hat knobs. Another way we know it's early is that it has an On/Off switch for the "Treble" pot (please disregard the replaced electrolytic capacitors in this example). But the one thing we do not know here, is which "Crown" this is... The logo itself doesn't seem to match any Crown Guitars that I'm aware of, but this doesn't necessarily mean it's not one of them either.

The Lou Rose version is an interesting one for a few reasons. The first, is that it was made for the opening of a music shop (Lou Rose Music Center) in Edison, New Jersey, which happened September 6th 1968. Apparently only 10 units were available that first weekend, but we don't know if they continued to make them afterwards. Either way, the Summer of 1968 does give us a nice date to potentially show that they were still being made with those large battery lamps.

Another really cool thing I noticed is that the knobs on the Lou Rose fuzz are exactly the same ones you'll find on the Goya "Barracuda" amplifier we mentioned earlier; further strengthening the idea that it too was made by Jack Gentul.  Were these knobs just leftover from the Goya project? From what I have seen, the Barracuda amplifier was only available in 1967, as it was replaced in the 1968 catalog by the Goya Vocal Amplifier (which is also where we see Applied's "Dimensional Reverberation" show up for the first time).

photo by: John Bannon / Hilgenamplifiers.net

Another early example would be the Giulietti Corp. Fuzz and Treble Booster. Known mainly for their accordions, Giulietti was a New York based company who also sold a range of amplifiers throughout the years. With a long history of using other manufacturers to build their electronic offerings (Ampeg, Magnatone, etc.), they also had a contract with Hilgen at one point. And even though we haven't been able to put a date on the pedal, it too features the large battery bulb and On/Off pot found on the earliest examples. 

I think we can safely assume that Jack Gentul successfully managed to take his OEM relationships with him from one venture to the next. And as I dig in even deeper, this fact becomes much more apparent; especially with this next example.

Sano, another legendary New Jersey amplifier brand (who we now know was Gentul's first major employer) also had their very own Fuzz and Treble Booster pedal. I find this pretty interesting because it shows that Gentul must have continued a working relationship with them even after he left to start Hilgen. 

The pedal itself is yet another early example with an On/Off pot. And when compared to a similar-era Sano amplifier, it's pretty clear they were made by the same hand/in the same factory. You can also draw a straight light between some Sano amps, Hilgen amps, and the Goya Barracuda amplifier; tying this all together pretty well! And seeing this list of early OEM deals that stemmed from previously held relationships, it's no wonder that Applied Audio was able to achieve the type of pervasiveness they had by the end of the 1970s.

In 1969 the David Wexler & Co. distribution company released a set of "Conrad" branded effects, all built by Applied Audio. The Fuzzy Fury, the Bass Hawk, and the Sky Hawk. Now I have never seen a physical example of the "Sky Hawk", but the Fuzzy Fury and the Bass Hawk have popped up quite a few times over the years.

I can tell by the photo that it was most likely a later style unit, similar to what you usually find when you come across the "Applied" branded versions. But otherwise, we're flying blind on this one. The weird thing about never seeing one of these pop up is that they appear in both the 1969 and 1970 catalogs. This could suggest that if you ordered a "Sky Hawk" you may have actually just received an "Applied Audio" branded version? But it could also suggest that they were just THAT rare?

Vivant was a brand that, from all best guesses, seems to have existed in name only. I'm not sure if it was associated with a particular distribution company, but I haven't been able to find any historical data whatsoever. And the surviving examples of "Vivant" branded gear is all rebranded, mostly from Japan. So it's even more intriguing that this version of the Applied Fuzz and Treble Booster lasted through both iterations of the effect.

We again see an earlier unit with the big bulb and the On/Off pot. But with Vivant we also see the only other non-Applied version that has a later example too. So I'm really curious to find out who Vivant was associated with, because they must have been big enough to release this pedal over a span of at least three years, if not longer.

Now this is a really cool one that hasn't surfaced until now! A good friend of the blog sent me a photo of what looked like a "Scott" branded Applied Fuzz and Treble Booster. But if you look closer, it seems like the logo is either a sticker or a metal plate, similar to what you see on Shin-ei pedals. So was this actually the brand associated with it, or just a random sticker placed on there at some point in the last 50 years?

After following a trail for the completely wrong "Scott", I came across the image above. In the July 1968 issue of Music Trades magazine they ran an article on the their own trade show the previous month. And right there, with the exact same logo staring me dead in the eyes, was a mention of Scott Music Supply, Inc. Based in Louisiana of all places, they served the southern US through a wholesale business dealing in all things musical instrument related.

The final version above actually came to my attention from our good friend Bart of effectsdatabase.com. We were discussing the Scott Fuzz and I guessed that if it was the actual logo, then there's a good chance that Applied made blank version.

This is something you'll see with other OEM manufacturers of the time who gave direct clients, like local music shops, the opportunity to have their own branded gear at a lower cost. So instead of silk-screening logos at the factory ahead of time, they would send unbranded instruments and allow the stores to put their own business name right on the front. 

After searching for a bit, Bart was able to find this awesome example of an Applied Fuzz with no logo at all! And when I thought about it for a couple days, I was reminded of a pedal I personally own that was also made by Applied, called the Rogue Fuzz. For a long time collector nerds thought that "Rogue" was the brand name because there were no other logos present, when in fact it was the name of the effect itself! Just last year I found a "Nomad" branded version, and we also know of a "Kadent" version that exists. And this is all to say that Applied had a history of unbranded pedals, so the existence of the Scott Fuzz and the blank fuzz both make sense.

 

Now before we wrap this up, I have to at least mention the Banshee Fuzz. They were available under the Nomad and Applied brands, but unfortunately the manufacturing dates are currently unknown. The circuit appears to be just the fuzz portion of the FT-100 with a few modifications (or was it "pre-modification"?). 

Because of this, a lot of collectors have assumed that they came first in the timeline. But we honestly don't know. What makes it really difficult in dating the Applied pedals is that they were essentially using surplus parts, and even gear made well into the 70s might have pots that date to 1967.

But what makes the Banshee Fuzz so intriguing (specifically the Nomad version) is that Nomad was something of a "house brand" for LIMMCO (Long Island Musical Merchandise Co.), who was a bigtime wholesaler/distributor. And we know that in the Fall of 1966 LIMMCO's other house brand, Kimberly, released a fuzz called the Buzz Box and Volume Expander, that according to LIMMCO's owner, Bob Seidman, were initially made in their warehouse on Long Island but the process because such a drain on resources that they ultimately hired a 3rd party to build them. And in a May 1967 advertisement in Music Trades magazine (see below) they even highlight this "New Improved Circuit Design!". At some point, not long after this initial change, the Kimberly fuzz went through another redesign, most likely at the hands of Long Island-based, UMI (United Musical Industries), who would go on to produce the pedals through the end of the run.

Why this all matters is that in the interim between LIMMCO and UMI was (almost certainly) Applied Audio Products! Which is what I believe the advertisement below is referring to. We also know from a 1966 LIMMCO catalog that they were one of the larger distributers of Hilgen Amplifiers in the US. And from what we've seen with how Jack Gentul was able to maintain his previous business relationships, going from Hilgen to Applied Audio, it makes sense that he would be tasked with not only building the Nomad effects, but also the Kimberly Fuzz (which interestingly enough share the same 2N613 germanium transistors as one of the three known examples of a Kadent Treblefuzz). 

Around 1970 Applied Audio would strike a deal with Guild Guitars; building their FW-3 Fuzz Wah, VW-1 Volume Wah, SP-5 Siren & Surf pedal, and the rare Dimensional Reverb System. Later in the decade they would connect with Hohner; building a full line of effects called the "Sound Modifier Series", which included the greatest Big Muff of all time, the Tri-Dirty Booster.

This Hohner line would take Jack Gentul and Applied Audio out of the 70s and into, what I believe was, their swan song. Which to me is the perfect way to end a long and super expansive career of working tirelessly in the audio engineering business and building fuzz pedals for the masses.

The Applied Audio Fuzz and Treble Booster, while not particularly known for it's "great sounding tone", is important for an entirely different reason. It's one of the few stompboxes that are truly a key to unlocking the history of fuzz, and even more importantly, some of it's most obscured and previously hidden parts. And while this post was a bit long, I promise that we barely scratched the surface with how interconnected all of these brands actually were...

But we can save that for next time. :)

So if you happen to have more information about Jack Gentul or anything else we discussed here, please feel free to send me a message via Email or Instagram.

thanks for reading,

-ed