Innovation at Its Best
by Scott Terry
Lace Music Products is a division of Actodyne General Inc. The late Don Lace Sr., who was an innovative electronics designer with a passion for solving problems using creative solutions, founded it in 1979. The company was started in the family garage and quickly grew to become one of the most respected companies in the music industry.
Don Lace Sr. had an extensive background in high intensity lighting, speakers and magnetics. This included linear motors, solenoids, alarms, radios, and other highly complex magnetic devices. His expertise in speaker design brought him to Fender Musical Instruments in 1967. There he consulted on speakers and various issues regarding pickup manufacturing. It was here that Lace was exposed to the fascinating world of the music industry while working with Fender and people like Don Randall.
Over the next decade, while heading R&D departments at several different companies, Lace became involved with many other products, such as switching devices, valve designs and solenoid designs, including a shock generator and popet-valves for natural gas-powered vehicles.
In 1979, Lace founded Actodyne General Inc. as a manufacturer of solenoids for the semiconductor industry, with coil winding at the heart of the business. While looking for additional business opportunities, Lace found that Fender was having a high rejection rate during production of traditional-style pickups that were made at the time.
Eager to become more involved in the music industry, Lace began developing a new pickup that would have a lower rejection rate during production. Lace used one of his existing solenoid patents that was part transducer, as well as an open and closed device called a shock generator. Lace applied the new concept to an old, beat-up Sears guitar that he bought at a garage sale. He plucked the string and it worked!
By the late 1980s, Lace had perfected a single rectangular-shaped sensor that fit under the strings. The goals were simple: to reduce the rejection rate, increase fidelity and reduce outside hum. Lace presented this technology to Seth Lover (inventor of the original humbucking pickup), who was working with Fender at the time. Lover knew that Lace was really on to something and commented as such in a letter from February 1981.
Fender began to use the new technology and feature the Lace design pickups on their own guitars. Known as Fender-Lace Sensors, the pickups were originally made for the Strat Plus, a guitar that won numerous awards. Today they can be found on many other Fender guitars and are available in Gold, Silver, Blue or Red series as either single or stacked models.
Sadly, Don Lace Sr. passed away on October 11, 1992, leaving a strong impact on the music industry. More than 20 years have passed since the company was started, and to this day his family carries on his tradition of solving complex problems and developing solutions for the equipment used in everyday music. By creating new, cutting-edge products that capture the sound and soul of classic vintage originals, the Lace Music team continues to lead the industry.
Lace products are used by Eric Clapton, Rick Neilson (Cheap Trick), Brad Whitford (Aerosmith) and many other great guitarists. Next month, we will take an in-depth look at some of the most recent products by Lace.
