Musitronics Mu-Tron III
Debut: 1972
Developed for Musitronics by electronics designer Mike Biegle, the Mu-Tron III envelope follower/voltage-controlled filter produced automatic wah effects that changed timbre in response to your playing dynamics. Made famous by Stevie Wonder—who plugged one into a clavinet for the hit “Higher Ground”—the Mu-Tron III was a key element in ’70s funk, and it was also favored by Larry Coryell and Jerry Garcia.