Lafayette HA-115 Custom Modified for Tom Verlaine Amplifier Compressor Effect (1960), ser. #E1166.

Lafayette HA-115 Custom Modified for Tom Verlaine Amplifier Model Compressor Effect (1960), made in Long Island, NY, serial # E1166, aluminum.

Tom Verlaine of legendary New York rockband Television has grown to be known for his absolute obsession with the wider world of analog gain staging for his guitars. He tried no shortage of unconventional consumer and audio electronics in his quest for tone, and this Lafayette HA-115 Vocal Compressor is one of those experiments he used in his search. It is meant as a vocal compression tool for small time amateur radio marketed as a lower-end and fairly inexpensive tool to give vocals a little boost without blowing out the output signal by clipping those harsher peaks; Tom found it still worked to the same ends on the other side of a DI'd or reamped electric guitar going so far as to have a custom power supply built just for the safe use of this unit as a guitar effect. There is not much more information on this straightforward one-knob compressor regarding who did the modifications, only that they were commissioned by Mr. Verlaine alongisde several other non-traditional preamps and compressors. A one-of-a-kind tool from an obsessive tinkerer.

Height is 9 in. (22.9 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) width, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) in depth at deepest point.

This compressor is fully functional and only serviced/modified in service of Verlaine's goal of using this safely as a guitar effect in his studio. There is a hardwired extra power supply with a grounded 3-prong cable that was commissioned explicitly by and for Tom. It is healthy and safe for guitar use in 2026 thanks to Tom's modifications! It comes in a box with some scribbling from Tom, seemingly implying that the box once held vacuum tubes, and a card inside for a barber in Chelsea; we cannot say this is for certain where he got his hair cut or if that matters, but who are we to discard a bit of ephemera (non-sequitur as it may seem). It also comes with a letter of authenticity signed by Patrick Derivaz, Verlaine's close friend and long time musical collaborator from whom we received the pedal. Overall Excellent Condition.