Photograph: Instruments - Tubon

Daily Herald photograph entitled 'Something New for the Pop Groups'. The photograph shows the 'Tubon' being played by 11 year old Ian Crabbe. Dated August 23rd 1965.

Photograph from the Daily Herald Archive, indexed as Music, Instruments - Tubon.

A boon for the smaller pop group seeking greater versatility is the this new-concept electric instrument developed in Sweden and demonstrated here by 11-year-old Ian Crabbe from Swindon in Wiltshire who has been playing for approximately 9 months.

Developed by Joh Mustad AB of Gothenburg, the battery-operated 'Tubon' - the name under which it was marketed in the country - is five or six instruments rolled into on compact package. Four finger-tip tone 'stops' and a 30-note keyboard enable reed, woodwind and bass string tones to be simulated. Upon its launch in the UK, it was expected to have had a big impact on the music industry as the instrument could produce a variety of sounds and was available for 'only' £95. It was even available in a range of different colour tones.