Ray Butts

Ray Butts
Ray Butts in his early 20s
Born
Joseph Raymond Butts

(1919-09-22)September 22, 1919
DiedApril 20, 2003(2003-04-20) (aged 83)
Occupation(s)Inventor, engineer
Spouse
Ann Butts
(m. 1946⁠–⁠2008)
[1]

Joseph Raymond Butts (September 22, 1919 – April 20, 2003) was an American inventor and engineer best known for designing several devices that influenced the evolution of electrified music, in particular those used with the electric guitar. Most notably, Butts is the inventor of the EchoSonic, a guitar amplifier with a built-in tape echo, and the FilterTron, the first humbucker guitar pickup (used extensively on Gretsch guitars). He was active in other fields from studio equipment maintenance to sound engineering, and had intimate working relationships with people such as Sam Phillips at Sun Studios and Chet Atkins.[2]

  1. ^ "Annie V. Butts". The Tennessean. 20 May 2008.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ByDave was invoked but never defined (see the help page).