Meet the first standalone guitar effect box commercially produced: the DeArmond Tremolo Control. This one is an early version with “chicken-head” knobs and inside a glass canister with electrolyte. (later versions were manufactured with a brass canister) This unit may be manufactured as early as 1946 and is still in a very good condition.

I’ve been cleaning restoring the units internals and externals so that it can be used again. The electrolyte in the canister dried out and has been replaced. Part of the wiring and the only potentiometer inside has been replaced. All the mechanical parts have been cleaned and lubricated and even the rubber on the wheel inside – which is still in good shape and not dried out too much – has been restored.