Simmons SDS-V
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The Simmons SDS 5, SDSV, or Simmons Drum Synthesizer was the first viable electronic replacement for acoustic drums. It was developed by Richard James Burgess and Dave Simmons, manufactured initially by Musicaid in Hatfield, UK, and commercially released in 1981. After Musicaid went bankrupt, Simmons set up a new manufacturing company under his name, Simmons.
Simmons SDS 5 (SDSV)
Simmons (electronic drum company)
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Simmons is an electronic drum brand, which originally was a pioneering British manufacturer of electronic drums. Founded in 1978 by Dave Simmons, it supplied electronic kits from 1980 to 1998. The drums' distinctive, electronic sound can be found on countless albums from the 1980s. The company closed in 1999 and the Simmons name is currently owned by Guitar Center.
The SDS 5 Electronic Drum Kit, ca.1981.
Simmons SDS 5 front view
Simmons models: MTM: 8 ch MIDI-Trigger Converter SDS 7: Modular sample player with analog filters (Tama Techstar TS305) SDS 800: 4 ch analog drum synthesizer : (bottom right)