About the Company
Ampligraph — A Brief, Obscure U.S. Tape Recorder Maker
Ampligraph appears to have been a short-lived American reel-to-reel recorder manufacturer that produced a small number of machines in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a period when many small brands attempted to enter the growing consumer magnetic tape market.
1959 – 1962: Brand Emergence and Brief Production
According to surviving buyer guides and vintage audio directories, Ampligraph’s reel-to-reel activity is confined to a narrow window between about 1959 and 1962. During this time, the company is listed as a U.S. manufacturer offering at least one known model — the Ampligraph 66 — and nothing beyond that in terms of other documented consumer decks.
Given this short span and limited model list, Ampligraph likely operated on a small scale and did not achieve widespread distribution or long-term market presence compared with larger competitors of the era.
Known Model — Ampligraph 66
The Ampligraph 66 is the only reliably cataloged model attributed to the brand:
Key Specifications
Category: Consumer reel-to-reel deck (vintage)
Country of Manufacture: USA
Electronic Type: Solid-state (not tube-based)
Track Format: 1/4-track stereo
Tape Speeds: 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips
Reel Capacity: Up to 7″ reels
Heads: Three heads (erase, record, playback)
Outputs: RCA jacks
Frequency Response: ~30 Hz – 20 kHz
Wow & Flutter: ~0.15 %
Weight: ~20 lbs
Market Position: Aimed at mid-range consumer users, with optional recording preamplifier availability — though final pricing for a complete functional machine was likely high for the time (estimated ~$500+ with options).
The Ampligraph 66 appears to have been offered around 1961 – 1962 and was positioned against other consumer decks of the period as a modestly-featured solid-state recorder.
Market Context & Brand Challenges
The early 1960s consumer tape recorder market was crowded and competitive, with many established brands from Japan and the U.S. (such as Sony, Ampex, and others) competing on price, features, and performance. Amid those dynamics:
Ampligraph never developed a broad lineup of models or clear branding beyond the single documented deck (the 66).
Its machines are very rare today and are primarily known through vintage collector registries rather than advertising catalogs or surviving widespread sales records.
Limited documentation suggests that few units were sold and that the company likely struggled with distribution and marketing — common challenges for many small consumer electronics firms of the era.
Brand Conclusion & Legacy
Ampligraph remains an obscure footnote in vintage reel-to-reel history, remembered chiefly by collectors and enthusiasts who document every niche entrant into the 1950s–60s tape recorder boom. Its brief business life — roughly 1959 to 1962 — and very limited known product range reflect the difficulties of competing against larger firms with broader dealer networks and marketing resources.
In the context of reel-to-reel history, Ampligraph is rarely cited alongside mainstream names, but its existence helps illustrate how pervasive the reel-to-reel craze was at its peak — enough that many small companies tried to stake their place in what was at the time considered a promising consumer category.