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Underground SAI |
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Underground SAI |
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Whatever
Happened to...
SAI Way
back in the early 60's, when the Beatles were asking us to love their
'do', a company called Sound Advice Installations, based in the quaint
little fishing village of Coppull, Lancashire, was born. SAI
was
started by two ex TV engineers, Mick Atherton and Bob Dewhurst, and
from humble beginnings became one of the biggest manaufacturers of
speaker cabinets and sound equipment in the UK.
Mick had been building amplifiers as a schoolboy, and in the beginning was responsible for the design and build of a range of valve amplifiers which were widely used and acclaimed by many of the local bands of the period. Who knows where the Beatles would have been today if they'd had SAI amps instead of having to put up with those Vox AC 30's! In 1969 SAI was joined by electronic circuit designer Jim Collins. An already great valve amplifier design was innovated beyond the stratosphere. Jim's ideas were a transformation, not just with amplification and cabinet design, but also with lighting circuits. By now SAI were housed in a larger premises and were now retailing High End guitars and basses from makers such as Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker. This building was Mecca to hundreds of musicians throughout the Northwest. The design and manufacture of the cabinets was still booming. Even today, almost 40 years later SAI cabinets can sttill be seen in clubs and public buildings, still working hard! Mick decided to go it alone in 1980 when he opened MA Amplifications, in Standish. His knowledge of amplification and lighting ensured that this business was successfull from the start. Jim Collins was in the background carrying out any repairs and the show started again. WE'RE BACK! In 2003 Mick handed over the management reigns of MA Amplification but stayed on for twelve months to ensure continuity. Sadly, not long after he left MA ceased to trade for reasons too complicated to go into here. So... Underground SAI - it's exactly what it says on the tin. It's SAI and it's underground, in the cellar of a mill building in Chorley. Mick has been dragged out of restfull retirement by Frank Patterson, local musician and customer of Mick's for over 30 years. Even Jum Collins has been 'warmed up' with the possibility of putting nearly 50 years experience and ideas into a new range of valve amplifiers. Watch
this space!
Frank Patterson is an expert in High End sound and specialises in the renovation and refurbishment of quality sound equipment. If you've an original 1963 AC 30 that looks like a 1763 AC 30, Frank will restore it to original. Because of Mick's reputation and expertise within the sound industry, Underground SAI are currently setting up agencies with major suppliers in sound and lighting equipment. SAI
is back...
AT
LAST!
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