Seeburg Corporation
Encyclopedia
Seeburg was an American design and manufacturing company of automated musical equipment, such as orchestrion
s, jukebox
es, and vending
equipment.
s, were manufactured under the JP Seeburg and Company name for most of its early years. Until 1956, the company was family-owned. The company was founded by Justus Sjöberg from Gothenburg, Sweden. He moved to the United States after graduating from Chalmers and used an Americanized spelling of his name for the company.
In the late 1940s, Seeburg manufactured its popular and distinctive "trashcan-shaped" series of jukeboxes.
When they first began to make jukeboxes, the 78 rpm record was standard and only a few selections could be played on one machine. This changed with the Seeburg model M100A which could play 50 records front and back for a total of 100 selections, an unheard of variety at the time. In 1950, Seeburg introduced with the first commercial jukebox designed to play the (then) new 45rpm records. They later increased the number of records from 50 to 80 and 100 per machine. The classic M100C is featured during the opening of the "Happy Days
" comedy television series.
Seeburg also manufactured background music
players, such as the Seeburg 1000
, which used special 9-inch, 16⅔ rpm records.
During the 1960s, Seeburg bought many other companies, including Williams (pinball and other games). In 1979, the Seeburg Corp, was split into two companies, with the "Seeburg Phonograph Division" spun off. This did not survive, as the court closed it in September, 1979. Stern Electronics purchased all of the Seeburg production stock on hand and began producing "Stern/Seeburg" jukeboxes. This only lasted a few years, as Stern/Seeburg also was forced to close. The parts department stock was purchased by Los Angeles-based Jukeboxes Unlimited in September 1980.
A few other attempts were made to use the Seeburg name, all failed. A final effort was made to save the company in the late 1980s. This effort was called "The Seeburg Phonograph Company" and was composed of some of the original Seeburg employees. It was the first company to produce a CD phonograph. It remained in operation for a few years, and several CD jukeboxes were made at that time. Eventually, the company closed and now nothing remains. The Seeburg name lived again on CD jukeboxes produced in Mexico for a short time.
A touchscreen digital conversion kit bearing the Seeburg name is being offered (as of February 2010).
Related companies
Orchestrion
An orchestrion is a generic name for a machine that plays music and is designed to sound like an orchestra or band. Orchestrions may be operated by means of a large pinned cylinder or by a music roll and less commonly book music. The sound is usually produced by pipes, though they will be voiced...
s, jukebox
Jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
es, and vending
Vending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
equipment.
History
Automated musical equipment, such as coin-operated phonographs and orchestrionOrchestrion
An orchestrion is a generic name for a machine that plays music and is designed to sound like an orchestra or band. Orchestrions may be operated by means of a large pinned cylinder or by a music roll and less commonly book music. The sound is usually produced by pipes, though they will be voiced...
s, were manufactured under the JP Seeburg and Company name for most of its early years. Until 1956, the company was family-owned. The company was founded by Justus Sjöberg from Gothenburg, Sweden. He moved to the United States after graduating from Chalmers and used an Americanized spelling of his name for the company.
In the late 1940s, Seeburg manufactured its popular and distinctive "trashcan-shaped" series of jukeboxes.
When they first began to make jukeboxes, the 78 rpm record was standard and only a few selections could be played on one machine. This changed with the Seeburg model M100A which could play 50 records front and back for a total of 100 selections, an unheard of variety at the time. In 1950, Seeburg introduced with the first commercial jukebox designed to play the (then) new 45rpm records. They later increased the number of records from 50 to 80 and 100 per machine. The classic M100C is featured during the opening of the "Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
" comedy television series.
Seeburg also manufactured background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
players, such as the Seeburg 1000
Seeburg 1000
The Seeburg 1000 Background Music System is a phonograph designed and built by the Seeburg Corporation to play background music from special 16 RPM vinyl records in offices, restaurants, retail businesses, factories and similar locations. It provided a service similar to that of Muzak.- Phonograph...
, which used special 9-inch, 16⅔ rpm records.
During the 1960s, Seeburg bought many other companies, including Williams (pinball and other games). In 1979, the Seeburg Corp, was split into two companies, with the "Seeburg Phonograph Division" spun off. This did not survive, as the court closed it in September, 1979. Stern Electronics purchased all of the Seeburg production stock on hand and began producing "Stern/Seeburg" jukeboxes. This only lasted a few years, as Stern/Seeburg also was forced to close. The parts department stock was purchased by Los Angeles-based Jukeboxes Unlimited in September 1980.
A few other attempts were made to use the Seeburg name, all failed. A final effort was made to save the company in the late 1980s. This effort was called "The Seeburg Phonograph Company" and was composed of some of the original Seeburg employees. It was the first company to produce a CD phonograph. It remained in operation for a few years, and several CD jukeboxes were made at that time. Eventually, the company closed and now nothing remains. The Seeburg name lived again on CD jukeboxes produced in Mexico for a short time.
A touchscreen digital conversion kit bearing the Seeburg name is being offered (as of February 2010).
See also
Products- OrchestrionOrchestrionAn orchestrion is a generic name for a machine that plays music and is designed to sound like an orchestra or band. Orchestrions may be operated by means of a large pinned cylinder or by a music roll and less commonly book music. The sound is usually produced by pipes, though they will be voiced...
- JukeboxJukeboxA jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
- Drum machineDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
(collaboration with Gulbransen home organ in 1960s)
Related companies
- GulbransenGulbransenGulbransen Company was a home organ manufacturer that began operation in 1904, and had pioneered several innovations on home electronic organ that became industry standards, as following:* transistor organ* built-in Leslie speaker system...
(a home organ manufacturer that released first transistor organ and earliest transistor rhythm machine; merged with Seeburg in 1960s) - Kay Musical Instrument CompanyKay Musical Instrument CompanyKay Musical Instrument Company was a prolific American manufacturer of musical instruments that operated from the 1930s through the 1960s. Although Kay's first electric guitar was offered in 1936 , Kay is known as an electric guitar pioneer because their past company Stromberg-Voisinet...
(once acquired by Seeburg during 1965–1967) - Williams Electronics (once acquired by Seeburg in 1964(–1973?))
- Stern Electronics (acquired Seeburg in 1979)
External links
- J.P. Seeburg Company - An Extensive History
- Seeburg jukeboxes
- Jukebox-World online shop for jukebox parts and accessories; forum; serial numbers; classified ads and more
- Seeburg and other jukeboxes and parts
- Photographs and Patent Drawings for Major Seeburg Jukeboxes
- Brief History of the Seeburg Company