Frantone Electronics

Frantone Electronics is a Philadelphia-based hand made effects pedal manufacturer run by Fran Blanche. Blanche operates a YouTube channel[1] where she discusses the company's history and showcases various electronics projects.

Frantone Electronics
Sole proprietorship
IndustryMusic technology
Founded1994 (1994) in New York City
FounderFran Blanche
Headquarters
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsEffects units
Websitewww.frantone.com

History

Frantone Electronics first started selling effect pedals in the early 1990s[2]. Over the years, the company's boutique pedals would be used by notable musicians including Lou Reed and R.E.M.[3] The company's growth was never steady; Blanche moved Frantone repeatedly, being gentrified out of several NYC-area locations.[4]

In the early 1990s, Blanche built an effects pedal for herself named the "Fuzzy-Wuzzy," inspired by the popular Big Muff. She subsequently founded Frantone and designed the Hep Cat, the company's first commercial product, which was followed by more pedal designs in the years to follow. Blanche took a hiatus from operating Frantone and worked at Electro-Harmonix,[5] from about 1997 through 2000[3], where she designed the company's new version of the Big Muff pedal[4].

Blanche is a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, as her personal identity as a transgender person has led to attacks on her character, which she has cited as harming the company's reputation and growth[3].

After some years out of production, the company announced the release of new pedals in 2017, such as the Vibutron,[6] and reintroductions of the Peach Fuzz and Cream Puff designs as limited editions.[2]

gollark: 🇸 🇴 🇬 🇱 🇦 🇩 🇮 🇦 🇺 🇹 🇴 🇲 🇦 🇹 🇪 🇩 🇹 🇭 🇪 🇵 🇷 🇴 🇨 🇪 🇸 🇸 🇴 🇫 🇲 🇦 🇰 🇮 🇳 🇬 🇹 🇭 🇮 🇸 🇧 🇮 🇬 🇹 🇪 🇽 🇹 ❗
gollark: 🇾 🇦 🇾
gollark: If I'm actually available *on* Halloween, I'll probably just grab 6 new ones and trade them for cool stuff when they hatch.
gollark: I mean, someone *did* apparently drop a prize there...
gollark: *meanwhile, has scroll packed with eggs, hatchlings*

References
  1. Fran Blanche's channel on YouTube
  2. Astley-Brown, Michael (19 April 2016). "Frantone announces return of Cream Puff guitar effects pedal". Music Radar. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. "An Interview with Fran Blanche of Frantone Electronics". Sheshredsmag.com. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2020. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  4. "The Lenny Interview: Fran Blanche". Lenny. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. Rockrgrl. Rockrgrl. 2002.
  6. "Franton Vibutron Tremelo". GAK. Retrieved 22 January 2017.

Further reading
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