Watkins Electric Music
PA amplification | |
Website | wemwatkins |
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Watkins Electric Music (WEM) is a British company known for manufacturing
tape echo unit, guitar amplifiers, and electric guitars
.
History
The company was co-founded by musician
accordions and guitars
.
Watkins Electric Music was one of the first to manufacture and sell guitar amplifiers in England, introducing the Watkins Westminster in 1954, followed up by the V-fronted Dominator.[1]
In 1958, Watkins Electric Music introduced the Copicat, one of the first-ever portable
tape echo units. The shop sold the entire first production run of 100 Copicats on the first day, including the very first Copicat sold to Johnny Kidd of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, whose guitarist used it on the group's UK hit song "Shakin' All Over".[2] The Copicat would become one of the company's most successful products, with various different Copicat models released over more than 50 years.[3] By the end of the 1950s, selling amps, echo units, and a line of solid-body electric guitars designed by Reg, Watkins Electric Music was one of the top 3 companies of the U.K. music trade.[1]