A commercial failure as a guitar-bass accompaniment tool (built 1981-1984), the 303 was reborn when Chicago's Phuture twisted its cutoff and resonance knobs on a pawn-shop unit; the resulting squelch on 1987's 'Acid Trac
1981-1984 · confidence 80/100 · verified June 10, 2026
Roland TB-303 Bass Line
1981-1984 — the squelchy, resonant bass synthesizer that, when its filter and resonance are twisted, creates the unmistakable 'acid' sound.
A commercial failure as a guitar-bass accompaniment tool (built 1981-1984), the 303 was reborn when Chicago's Phuture twisted its cutoff and resonance knobs on a pawn-shop unit; the resulting squelch on 1987's 'Acid Tracks' birthed acid house.
Built to fake a bass guitar and quickly discontinued, the 303 was reborn when Phuture twisted its filter and resonance on a pawn-shop unit — the squelch on "Acid Tracks" by Phuture (1987) named and launched acid house.
Producers & records that made it iconic
- Phuture (DJ Pierre, Spanky, Herb J) — "Acid Tracks"
- Josh Wink — "Higher State of Consciousness"
Part of the wider story of House Music Equipment.
How to cite this page
House Music Intelligence Database. "Roland TB-303." Published by World Famous House Crew. Last verified June 10, 2026. URL: https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/roland-tb-303