# Roland TB-303

> 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

- **Type:** Equipment & Machines
- **Canonical URL:** https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/roland-tb-303
- **JSON:** https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/api/topics/roland-tb-303.json
- **Era:** 1981-1984
- **Confidence:** 80/100
- **Last 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](/artist/phuture) twisted its filter and resonance on a pawn-shop unit — the squelch on *"Acid Tracks"* by [Phuture](/artist/phuture) (1987) named and launched [acid house](/topic/acid-house).

### Producers & records that made it iconic

- **Phuture (DJ Pierre, Spanky, Herb J)** — *"Acid Tracks"*
- [Josh Wink](/artist/josh-wink) — *"Higher State of Consciousness"*

Part of the wider story of [House Music Equipment](/topic/house-music-equipment).

## Related

- https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/house-music-equipment (or /artist/house-music-equipment)
- https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/history-of-house-music (or /artist/history-of-house-music)

## Sources

1. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_TB-303)

## 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
```

_Part of the [House Music Intelligence Database](https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/) knowledge graph. See [/llms.txt](https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/llms.txt)._