Alesis - GuitarLink Plus

A little history ...
ALESIS's story begins with the creation of the company ... MXR Innovations Three "yourselfers" genius (Michael Laiacona, Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood). High school buddies, Keith and Terry opened a small repair shop in Rochester (in the state of New York), providing after-sales service in various hi-fi stores for all kinds of audio devices.
One day, a customer brings his Maestro Phase Shifter repair, forcing Keith Barr disassemble and understand the operation of the pedal; giving it the idea of ​​a small box that will do the phasing success MXR (Phase 90).
But when a few years later the company is experiencing serious financial difficulties and is seen sold to Dunlop, Keith Barr Alesis created in Hollywood (California) with the idea of ​​marketing musical instruments and high quality audio equipment affordable by all musicians. We are in 1984.
Among the first products offered, digital effects found mostly with real fondness for reverbs.
We see successively appear XT Digital Reverb (1985), Micro Verb, the MicroEnhancer the MicroGate and MicroLimiter.
In 1987, Alesis extends its offer with MIDI multitrack sequencer-MMT-8 and the box 16 HR-rhythms.
In January 1991, Alesis ADAT presents its first recorder that records 8 digital audio tracks on a standard S-video VHS, finally making possible the concept of home studio with this professional quality recording to an amateur price!
In 1993, diversification intensifies with the appearance of the first synth Alesis The Alesis Quadrasynth available in keyboard or rack format. Will follow in the same vein, and over the years, the DM5, and QS6 QS8 and countless ADAT recorders.
Unfortunately, this creativity has a price and when the business slows down in the early 2000s, Alesis is in an incredible location, presenting a host of new products, all as special as each other, but no financial resources to market them properly.
They start looking for a partner.
Ultimately, it's Jack O'Donnell, head of Numark, which bought the brand in 2001. Keith Barr definitively abandons the world of the music industry.