Create Digital Music » Info Wanted: Webcor Music Machine (Karaoke FM Radio Synth?!)

Aug 09 2005

Info Wanted: Webcor Music Machine (Karaoke FM Radio Synth?!)

Related: FM, Hardware, karaoke, oddities, radio, synths, vintage & more

Okay, synth sleuths. Here’s a puzzler for you from composer/producer Fer Isella. He’s got a mysterious instrument called the Webcor Music Machine he retrieved from a backyard sale, but can’t find out anything about it:

It’s really amazing sounding. It’s called “The Music Machine” by Webcor.
It’s got organ section, rhythm section, tape player and recorder. You can
record yourself playing with the radio tuner that it’s got, and the same
radio antenna has in its tip a MICROPHONE! He-he that you can sing too. The
2 speakers on the bottom sound really amazing, big bassy sound.
If you have any info about this machine please let me know.

I’ve never heard of it, though it does look fascinating. To help jog your memory, I’ve posted a gallery of images Fer sent my way. Any clue? Who is Webcor? And why don’t keyboards come with built in radios any more?

[wpg2]archived/webcor/[/wpg2]

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2 Comments

Maurice

Webcor were based in Chicago, and were perhaps best known for their wire recorders (that’d be on a spool of wire instead of tape). More info at [URL]http://www.recording-history.org/HTML/webcor.htm

Former Waitress (and Tin Huey!) Chris Butler released a CD a couple years ago called Museum of Me, on which he recorded each tune with a different technology–Edison cylinder, Rolling Stone Mobile Unit, cassette 4-track, high-end analog, etc. “The Man in the Razor Suit” was recorded to wire, and sounds rather glorious. Apparently CB bought used wire for the Webcor, and some of it was recorded to–some family sitting around and talking about whatever; some highlights of this are included on the CD.

As for the Webcor Music Machine, I don’t know, but with the cassette in there I’m guessing it was one of Webcor’s last ditch attempts at a product people might buy.

August 9, 2005 @ 1:30 pm

Guest

ok, now webcor is an old company, they make i bunch of tape recoreders and stuff like that, they are also a very good company who makes great products!
P.S.if u ever see a webcor product with the model number of 2500, please let me know, i got this old webcor reel to reel tape recorder, and can’t find out anything bout it, nothing! :?