OUR STORY
The Ultimate Guitar Protector
Kimball Magee, Rockn Stompn’s creator, talks about what inspired him to the create the ultimate guitar protector and power strip for musicians.
People make mistakes. I know I make mistakes. Any amplified guitar player knows that “POP” that noise and what that mistake can mean to your speakers!
In the 1980s I worked as an OEM electronic component salesman for a multi-line manufacture rep agency that represented SL Waber Electronics the leading and largest manufacturer of power strips in the United States. During that time, at a sales meeting Waber was introducing a series of new products. One of those products was power strip with a 12 hour mechanical timer built into one end. At the time, I remember thinking you could easily replace the timer with a push button switch and create a power strip you could turn on and off with your foot. I ended up keeping that sales sample for thirty years in my basement waiting on me to put the switch in it.
Kimball & Suzie Magee
Last On First Off!
In 2005 I injured my back to the point I required pain medications. This injury greatly inhibited my ability to function including playing my guitar. I couldn’t even really bend over. I was using my toe to turn on the rocker switch on the power strip that contained my guitar amp. Then I remembered that idea for a power strip with push button foot switch.
Luckily, I never throw anything away. I went into my basement and found that power strip, took out the timer, and installed a sales sample push button switch, the same switch we use today. Just like that, I made the first Rockn Stompn power strip.It worked perfectly powered up all my gear, pedals, amp, everything. I was extremely happy. Then I made a mistake. I tapped my foot onto that push button switch to turn off my gear and “POP”, scared me to death, I thought I blew my speaker.
Then I remembered that rule that “LAST ON FIRST OFF”. I should have turned my guitar amp off first. That’s the moment when I started a four year quest to design the ultimate power strip for musicians.