Vox V829 "Percussion King" (1966 - 1968)



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The Vox V829 Percussion King was designed to produce drum and percussion sounds. It appeared in US Thomas Vox catalogs from 1966 through 1968 and was described as follows:
"10 different out-of sight percussion effects! Crash cymbal, Brush Cymbal, Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Drum Roll, Bongo I, Bongo II, Block, Clave and Castanets. Has volume control, off-on switch, may be operated from a two-button foot control, with rhythm effects achieved by tapping right and left pedals alternately or may be played with finger buttons on control panel. Handsomely encased in formal Vox black with gold trim. Adds the really important percussion effects that makes a group big."

The V829 Percussion King was an adaptation of a percussion circuit that was originally designed to be installed into Thomas home organs. It really had little application for a rock musician and I doubt that the Percussion King was a big seller in the US Vox line.

Unlike the Vox V815 Band Master percussion unit introduced in 1967, the V829 Percussion King did not include a built in rhythm generator. The sounds of the Percussion King were triggered either manually from a set of ten control panel buttons or by tapping your feet on two foot pedals.

Unlike modern drum machines that play back digital recordings or "samples" of actual drum sounds, the Percussion King synthesized percussion sounds through solid state analog circuits. The sound of the snare drum was simulated by a "white noise" generator while the tone of the bass drum was derived from a low pitched sine wave. By modern standards, these sounds are not all that realistic.


Controls
The AC power switch, master volume control and ¼" audio output jack for the Vox V829 Percussion King were located inside the storage section in the right side of the case. Two egg-shaped, single button momentary switch pedals named "Downbeat" and "Upbeat" were also stored there. These foot actuated pedals were used to trigger drum sounds.

The control panel included eleven 3-way rocker tabs, a secondary rotary volume control and ten "chiclet" shaped buttons that could be tapped with a finger as second way to trigger drum sounds.

The three way rocker tab at the left side of the control panel was labeled "On-Off-Duo." This master tab was used assign the "Downbeat" and "Upbeat" foot pedals in different ways.

When the "On-Off-Duo" master tab was in the "Off" or center position, the floor pedals did not trigger drum sounds.

When the "On-Off-Duo" master tab was in the "On" or forward position, the Downbeat and Upbeat pedals were ready to trigger drum sounds. Any of the ten drum sound rocker tabs that were positioned in the forward position would be triggered by the Downbeat pedal. Conversely, any of the drum sound rocker tabs that were positioned in the rear position would be triggered by the "Upbeat" pedal. Drum sound rocker tabs positioned in the center position were not assigned to a foot pedal.

When the "On-Off-Duo" master tab was in the "Duo" or rear position, any drum sound rocker tab that was positioned in the rear position would be triggered by either foot pedal.

Click here to view the V929 Percussion King Owner's Manual.






North Coast Music offers the following parts the Vox V829 Percussion King.
Logos for the V829 Percusssion King
Handles for the V829 Percussion King
Replacement Vox Grill Clotth


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